he painted out Christ in lively colours sundry kinde of wayes this we are sure of he was a Physitian and greatly beloved too Luke the beloved Physitian saluteth you a Physitian for the body and the soule too which is more than ordinary Eusebius makes mention of one Theodotus a Bishop that was both Medicus Theologus a Physitian and a Divine too Paul sayes of one of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is sufficient for Divinity alone he must needs be a rare man that is sufficient for both These be they that send commendations to him whom he dignifies with this Title my Fellow-labourers or Fellow-workemen Some in the calling of Christianity some in the calling of the Ministry too Both are workes both are labours Nomen Christiani est nomen operis sayes S. Augustine and S. Paul sayes he that desires the office of a Bishop desires a worthy worke Here a common place of salutations doth not only salute us but inviteth us unto it In Greeke saluting is a kinde of imbracing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because whom we salute we embrace with the armes of love or at the least pretend it In Latine Salutare est salutem optare to salute is to wish health and prosperity to the parties whom we salute The Anabaptists are not onely unchristian but uncivill also to condemne salutations Indeed Elisha willed his man that if he met with any he should not salute him and CHRIST charges his Disciples to salute none by the way Those were in matters of extraordinary importance which required great expedition otherwise we may and ought to salute Angels salute The Lord is with thee thou valiant man sayes hee to Gideon hayle Mary freely beloved sayes Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin CHRIST would not have his Apostles to be so unmannerly to goe into an house and not to salute it he himselfe salutes after his resurrection peace be unto you Saul went forth to meet Samuel and saluted him Though Nabal was a churle and a foole too yet David would not deale so foolishly with him as not to salute him Thus shall you say for salutation There is a sweet eccho of salutations betweene Boaz and his reapers the Lord be with you sayes he the Lord blesse thee say they David saluted his souldiers The greatest thinke no scorne to salute the meanest I but whom must we salute All. We must love all pray for all even for our very enemies Now saluting is nothing else save an intimation of love a kind of praying and well wishing therefore we must salute all I but Saint Iohn gives us other counsell If any come to you and bring not this doctrine receive him not to house neither bid him God speed We must not vouchsafe him a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must distinguish betweene gods enemies and our owne if they be notorious open professed adversaries to CHRIST as those were we ought not to afford them a kind salutation nay if an Angell from heaven should preach any other doctrine we should hold him accursed But if they be secret adversaries and unknowne it is not impiety to salute them Some are so rigid that they will not salute a stranger because they know not whereabout he goes 1. It is repugnant to charity Love thinketh not evill it believeth all things It is greater charity in things doubtfull to believe the best then the worst 2. As Aristotle being reproved for giving an almes to a wicked man answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I had compassion of the man not of his manners so wee salute the man not his life we bid the man God speed not his actions But how are we to salute 1. For the externall manner by word of mouth or by writing Saint Paul omits salutations in never a one of his Epistles but in Rom. 16. he is most plentifull in them So is Ignatius Commendations are requisite in our letters if they bee not made commendations matters of course not greatly regarded 2. For the internall manner we must salute sincerely not hypocritically it must bee Saint Paul's haile not Iudas his haile Greete one another with an holy kisse They must be holy not unholy greetings The end of salutations is the preservation of love which by all good meanes had need to bee maintained by Christians and a demonstration of the respect we have one of another VERSE 25. THe last branch of the conclusion is a Valediction or farewell hee takes his leave with a short yet a sweet prayer where 1. There is the substance of it then the sealing of it In the substance 1. Res optata the thing wished or prayed for which is grace love mercy favour Grace must be Alpha and Omega the beginning and ending of every worke Saint Paul began with it and he ends with it 2. Cujus sit gratia whose grace it is of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath brought us into grace and love with God who before were his enemies and out of grace which hath graciously redeemed us from sinne death hell and damnation and hath opened to us the doores of the kingdome of heaven 3. Cui optatur to whom it is wished not to Philemon alone but to all that were with him Be with your spirit Man consists of two parts a soule and a body here by a Synecdoche melior pars pro toto the better part is put for the whole be with your spirit .i. with you The grace of CHRIST is to be preferred before the grace of all earthly Kings and Princes 1. Their grace is mutable to day in grace to morrow out of grace As Haman was with Ahasucrus and Belisarius with Iustinian CHRIST is not mutable 2. They dye CHRIST lives for ever CHRIST lives for ever the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with us all Then he seales his prayer with Amen Nec Graecum est nec Latinum sayes Aug. it is neither a Greek word nor a Latine but an Hebrew word mansit non interpretatum and by the providence of God remaines in all tongues uninterpreted ne vilesceret nudatum least haply being unfolded it should bee lesse esteemed as Hallelujah Hosanna c. It is particula confirmantis a particle of confirmation as Saint Ambrose well observeth So be it So be it The Lord grant it may be so It must in a fervent zeale be the shutting up of all our prayers It is doubled by the people when Ezra praysed the Lord the great God all the people answered Amen Amen with lifting up their hands and no doubt their heart too As the Church sayes we will lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the heavens If the hand be lifted up without the heart it is an hypocriticall Amen and unacceptable unto God The end of this Commentary A COMMENTARY VPON THE EPISTLE OF St PAUL to the Hebrews FIRST the inscription of the
1. A relation of them 2. A communication of them 4. Quare Why he gives thankes because he hath a joyfull experience of them in himselfe He doth not say I commend thee I extoll thee to the skies for this great love thou shewest to the Saints and for the faith thou hast in the LORD IESUS but I thanke GOD for them He is to be praised for all The Oratour would thanke God for honour but himselfe for vertue It was the Donatists song Scientia ex Deo charitas ex nobis knowledge is of GOD love is of our selves Whereas God is to bee blessed for them all for what have wee poore beggars but that which wee have received Eo quisque pessimus quo optimus fi adscribat sibi quòd optimus He that is best is worst if he ascribe his excellencie to himselfe Ioseph indeed saies Augustine found silver in Benjamins sacke but it was of his owne putting in So God findes silver and golden graces in us but he put them in before therefore he is to be thanked for all Homo est exceptorium bonitatis Dei Man is an emptie vessell that receives all which it pleaseth God to powre into it Whose God is he whom he thankes My God What is he Saint Pauls God and not Saint Peters God Yes verily It is not his meaning to monopolize God to himselfe as it is the manner of some to doe God is their God alone they are the Sole children of God all others are reprobates St. Paul was not of such a proud spirit he speakes this Non Deum restringendo sed Deum applicando not restraining God to himselfe but applying God to himselfe Aug. makes a sweete commentary upon it Dicis Deus meus thou sayest my God Securus dicis verum dicis thou speakest it securely thou speakest it truly at non fecisti ut non sit alterius yet thou hast not hereby brought it to passe that he should not be other mens God as well as thine Non enim sic dicis Deus meus quomodo equus meus for thou doest not so say my God as thou doest my horse equus tuus est non alterius he is thy horse and not anothers Deus tuus est alterius he is thy God and anothers too not of the Iewes only but of the Gentiles too yea the God of the whole world The Sunne is ALEXANDERS and Diogenes too But this is the propertie of faith to applie God particularly to our selves My Redeemer liveth sayes Iob there is no peace saith my God to the wicked my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour sayes the Virgin Mary My God and my Lord sayes Saint Thomas I thanke my God sayes Saint Paul which hath loved me and given himselfe for me Meus Iesus sayes Origen my Iesus frequent in his bookes Erasmus reports of Dr. Colet Deane of Saint Pauls that he was often heard to speake these words O Vtinam essem cum meo Christo. The Devill can say God and he trembles at it but he cannot say my God this is proper to the faithfull The Lord is my strength and my salvation whom shall I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I bee afraid though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no evill he will be my God in life and in death too he will never forsake me till he hath brought me to his everlasting kingdome But where or when did he give thankes for him in his prayers making mention of thee He was not unmindfull of him he did not forget him as Pharaohs butler did Ioseph he remembred him he made mention of him Not now and then but alwayes Where Not in his cups but in prayers There were some in Saint Ambrose time that would make mention of the Emperour in their cups but St. Paul made mention of Philemon in his prayers as he praised God for him so he prayed to God likewise for him The best men cumulated with the greatest graces of the Spirit had need to be prayed for St. Paul was rapt up into the third heavens where he saw secrets not to be uttered yet he desires the Ephesians prayers Saint Peter was a stout champion yet CHRIST prayes that his faith should not faile Philemon abounded in all good gifts of knowledge faith and love yet St. Paul ceased not to pray for him 1. The best of all know but in part believe in part love in part therefore wee had need to pray for them that their defects may be supplied that they may encrease daily more and more 2. Here we are viatores non apprehensores wayfaring men we are not come to our journeyes end therefore wee had need to be prayed for that wee may persevere to the end and have the crowne of life Paul had his prayers So we must all Isaack went into the field to pray and hee prayed oft in his tent too David prayed at all seiles of the day morning evening noone and he prayed in the night too David was encumbred with the weighty affaires of the kingdome yet he prayed thrise a day Cornelius prayers went up into remembrance before God Our Saviour in the dayes of his flesh was full of prayers there was one that payd three hundred prayers to God every day as a daily tribute Constantine was stamped in his coine praying he would especially be marked for that 1. Our necessities are many for soule and body therefore let our prayers bee many We are as houses that stand in continuall need of reparations therefore let us pray to him that made us to repaire us that we may be fit buildings for his Majestie 2. Our enemies are many within and without too Now there is no strength in us against this great multitude let us pray to God to stand by us and for us But let us pray first in faith else we are like the Waves of the Sea and shall obtaine nothing 2. In fervencie remembring the Apostles If dignior sequeture effectus quem ferventior praecedit affectus that prayer shall have the greatest efficacie which hath the greatest fervencie 3. In humility omnis rogatio humilitate eget all requests must be preferred in humility This poore man cryed and the Lord heard him thou prayest and art not heard quia diveses because thou art rich in thy own conceit he sent the rich empty away 4. Pray with importunitie a kinde of godly impudency sayes Nazianzen is to be used in prayer 5. Perseveringly Speciall mention is to be made of some in our prayers 1. Of Kings which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pillars of the people they are worth tenne thousand of us therefore let us pray for them nominatim by name Sacrificamus pro salute Imperatoris Deo nostri ipsius sed quomodo pura prece we sacrifice for the safety of the
Emperour to his God and ours But how by pure prayer 2. Of learned and godly Preachers that may winne many thousands to Christ. 3. Of extraordinary common-wealths men 4. Of rare Christians as Philemon was Alexander counted Achilles happie that he had such a trumpetter of his praises as Homer was PHILEMON might count himselfe happie that hee had such a worthie man to pray for him as Saint Paul was KING Abimelech was beholden to Abraham for his prayers and Iobs friends to him for his prayers Constantine thought his pallace strong because it was fenced with the prayers of holy Bishops Let us rejoyce in this that we have Pauls to pray for us VERSE 5. BVt what was the motive of his thanksgiving The excellent graces wherewith GOD had adorned him where there is 1. Fama bonorum the report of them 2. enumeratio bonorum an enumeration of them 3. Objecta eorum the objects of them For the fame or report Saint Paul heard of them an admirable hearing from Phrygia to Rome sayes Chrysostome and Oecumenius There are two things that are wont to be carried in the Wagon of fame bad and good the one swiftly the other slowly the one lamely the other lustily of the one we shall heare all and more than all and scant halfe of the other as it fell out in the Wisedome of Salomon What did he heare His love and faith where is hope then tanquam media in ijs intelligitur sayes Aquin. as a midle vertue betweene both it is comprehended in both These three in a golden chaine are linked together faith sayes parata sunt mihi magna great things are prepared for me hope sayes mihi servantur magna great things are reserved for me love sayes curro ad illa magna I make hast to those great things But why hath ' love the precedencie Love is the daughter faith the mother and must the daughter bee placed above the Mother It is so 1. Because it is Saint Pauls drift in this whole Epistle to procure PHILEMONS love to Onesimus 2. Because love is Notior Nobis better knowne to us then faith which is more hid and secret These are illustrated by their objects CHRIST and the Saints The Papists refer both to both objects whereupon they inferre As we love God and the Saints too So we must believe in God and in the Saints too yet diversely in God principaliter principally in the Saints consequenter consequently There is no consequence in this argument for God hath commanded us to love all but he hath not commanded us to believe in all that hee hath reserved as a regall prerogative to himselfe and his glory he will not give to another He sayes owe nothing to any man save love but he doth not say owe nothing to any man save to believe in him 2. Here the Apostle speakes of living Saints to whom Philemon extended his liberalitie now the Papists will not have us to believe in living Saints but in dead Saints therefore this place makes not for them 3. It is said to him that worketh not but belieueth in him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Aug. makes a worthie collection upon it whosoever dares say justifico te I justifie thee may consequently say crede in me believe in mee which none of the Saints can truly say save only he which is Sanctus Sanctorum the Saint of Saints Ye believe in God believe also in mee Credimus Paulo sed non credimus in Paulum wee believe Paul but not in Paul we believe Peter but not in Peter As we believe the Catholike Church but not in the Catholike Church because the Creed sayes I believe in the Holy Ghost Nazian concludes from thence that the Holy Ghost is God for we must believe in none but God 4. Quid est credere in cum nisi credendo in cum ire ejus membris incorporari What is it to believe in him .i. In CHRIST but by believing to goe into him and to be incorporated as members into his body Now we are not incorporated into the Saints therefore we are not to believe in them 5. They can erect no such building out of this place for the praepositions in the Greeke distinguish the objects Hearing of thy love and faith there hee pauseth a while which thou hast towards the Lord Iesus there he restraines faith and towards all Saints .i. Thy love towards all Saints regulating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before mentioned 6. Paul is a good expositour of himselfe Since we heard of your faith in the Lord Iesus and of your love towards all Saints Here he reduces them to their proper objects so that no question can be made of it 7 If we must believe in the Saints we must hope in the Saints It is St. Basil's reason But we must hope in God alone Maledictus qui sperat in homine cursed be he that hopes in man As Saint Paul heard of PHILEMONS faith and love So it were to be wished that all the world might ring of our faith and love these be necessary for all Christians faith in the first place love in the second nec palmes sine vite nec virtus sine fide there can be no branch without the Vine no vertue no not love without faith Faith makes a Christian love makes and showes a Christian No CHRIST no heaven no faith no CHRIST Faith is the hand that layes hold on CHRIST The high Priests and Pharisees gave a strait charge that if any knew where CHRIST was he should shew it that they might take him Would yee faine take him sayes Augustine I will tell you where he is and how yee may take him He is in heaven there ye may take him Sed quomodo mittam manum in Coelum ut ibi sedentem capiam How shall I send my hand into heaven to take him mitte fidem tenuisti Send thy faith thither and thou hast taken him By faith we apprehend him and all his benefits by faith we put on CHRIST as a garment wherewith our sinnes are covered from the sight of God and as Iacob got the blessing in the clothes of his elder brother so doe we get heaven clothed with Christ like the Woman clothed with the Sun CHRIST dwelleth in our hearts by faith O happie house where the Sonne of God dwelleth Faith is the victory whereby we overcome the world we are more than Conquerours through him that hath loved us Insomuch that we may take up that triumphant song O death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory the strength of death is sinne the strength of sin is the Law but thankes be to God through Iesus Christ that hath delivered us from you all By Faith Moses saw him which is invisible by faith wee see the joyes of heaven and Christ standing at the right hand of GOD ready to receive us into them
Iesus Christ. What a singular prerogative is this that we which are but dust and ashes should have an entrance yea a bold entrance into heaven None that wore sackcloth might enter into Ahasuerus pallace though we be never so poorely attyred so as we believe in Christ we may enter into the pallace of heaven Every one may not enter into the Kings Privie Chamber none but great states and those admitted by the Groomes and Gentlemen of the Chamber all of us that are engraffed into CHRIST may goe boldly into the Privy Chamber of the King of Kings David said of the kingdome of Iudea what am I and what is my fathers house that he hath brought me hitherto So we may say what are we or what were our fathers that we should come into the holy place of heaven By prayer we may be bold to enter into it in this life and if we send up any prayers to heaven let us doe it boldly in the name and mediation of Iesus Christ. At our dying day our soules may boldly enter into heaven there will be none to stay them If one offer but to goe into the Chamber of presence some of the guard will be ready to put us back but here the Angels Gods guard in heaven will be ready to receive us and to carry us into heaven as they did Lazarus At the day of judgement we may be bold to enter in soule and body because CHRIST will meete us in the ayre and translate us into it with himselfe Therefore let us magnifie God for this our sweete and comfortable entrance and that with boldnesse into the holy place of heaven 2. By whom or by what meanes have we an entrance into heaven Not by the bloud of Thomas of Peter of all the Martyrs in the world put together not by any inherent righteousnesse that is in our soules not by the merit and dignity of our prayers fastings almes deeds and other workes but by the bloud of Iesus alone If CHRIST had not shed his bloud for us we could never have entred into heaven O the wonderfull love of the Lord Iesus Let this constraine us to love him againe to count nothing too deare for him no not our owne bloud if he will have it for the confirmation of his truth and Gospell 3. Here wee see that Heaven is an holy place they that bee unholy cannot enter into it dogges enchanters c. are without We are all by nature unholy such were some of you 1 Cor. 6. c. Therefore let us entreat the LORD to make us holy in some measure in this life that wee may enter into this holy Hierusalem in the life to come VERSE 20. SOme might say thou speakest of our entrance into heaven but which is the way that leadeth to it Hee that goes to London must goe by a way and there must bee a way to carry us to heaven That he pointeth out with the finger this way is the sacred and undefiled flesh of our Saviour Christ wherein he payd the price of our redemption Which is here resembled to a vaile His flesh is called a vaile sayes Gorrhan quia sub velamine specierum sumitur in viaticum The High-Priest went into the Holy of Holies by a vaile and so by the flesh of CHRIST wee goe to heaven As the vaile covered the mysteries that were in the Holy of Holies and hid them from the people so the flesh and humanity of our Saviour Christ covered his deity in that his deity was hid and concealed from the world though it was manifested by his workes speeches and actions This was for the qualities 1. A new way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 occido that which is newly killed It fittly agreeth to the flesh or body of our SAVIOUR CHRIST that was lately killed for our sinnes But it is put for any new thing whatsoever as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a new opinion It is not called a new way because it was now newly found out never heard of or knowne before for Abraham saw this way a great while agoe and went into heaven by it So did all the faithfull in the time of the Law But it is called a new way because it was now newly manifested to the world being before obscured under types and figures 2. New things retaine their vigour and strength whereas old things wither away This is alwayes a fresh and a new way the power thereof shall never bee dryed up 3. New things are acceptable to men a new Preacher shall be heard more attentively then an old this is a new way therefore let it be welcome to us all 4. It may be termed a new way because none but they that be new men new creatures in Christ Iesus can tread in this way A living way It is improperly adscribed to a way yet it is emphaticall 1. So called because it is opposed to the dead way in the time of the Law There the High-Priest went into the Holy of Holies by the bloud of beasts that were dead when they were sacrificed our Saviour Christ was sacrificed alive 2. This way is ever living and remaining for men to enter into heaven by Some wayes dye and cannot be seene this way lives to be seene of all the faithfull to the worlds end 3. It leadeth to life therefore it may be termed a living way 4. They that take this way shall live for ever So Christ is called living water Ioh. 4. This way hath Christ dedicated for us hee hath gone it in his owne person that wee may bee bold to follow him in it Ioh. 14.2 All Antisthenes Schollers had new bookes pens writing tables and here is a new way for all Christ's Disciples He hath renewed it againe that is the force of the word It was in the time of the Law and the Fathers trode in it but it was renewed by Christ at his death The Iesuites gather from hence that none went this way before Christ. But when the Temple was dedicated it was before So this way now dedicated by our Saviour Christ was before though not so conspicuous as it is now CHRIST alone is the way to heaven I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth to the Father but by me Then in what a wofull case are they that be out of this way Turkes Iewes and all that professe the name of Christ but blaspheme it Surely they must needs be in the high way to Hell Yea and also a number besides that will have Christ to be but the halfe way to heaven He is one part of the way and their workes are the other part A way is for men to walke in so in Christ and by Christ we must walke to the heavenly Hierusalem Let us keepe this way with all diligence that we may get to heaven VERSE 21. I But this is a thorny and rugged way full of many dangers how
offerebant antequam Aaron in Sacerdotium eligeretur Hier. trad Hebr. in Genesin So must wee in speciall manner bee consecrated to the Lord and as so many Nazarites serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Israel is my first borne though all the world bee mine All the world is Gods yet wee are his first borne What an honour is this A noble man hath many sonnes the yonger may goe a begging the elder hath all the land Among us there is never a yonger brother all elder brethren and shall all have the inheritance of the Kingdome of Heaven Let us be thankefull to GOD for it Israel was his even so wee being Gods first borne are his not our owne wee are bought with a price and must glorifie God in our spirits and bodies which are his The third point is the Stabilitie of the Church which are written in Heaven Not mentioned with the tongue which soone vanishes but written Littera scripta manet hee hath written us on the palmes of his hands wee are ever in his sight GOD needs no pen paper writing tables for helpe of memorie but this is spoken for our capacitie The Senatours of Rome were called Patres Conscripti because a Register was taken of their names A Captaine sets downe the names of his souldiers in a booke So GOD Almighty to shew what account hee makes of us hath our names written Where not in water not in loose papers not in the earth where peradventure they may be blotted out but in heaven whither none of our enemies can have accesse to race out our names In what Booke are our names written not of death but of life Whose the lambes booke of life Wee are not in the hands of an Angel but of CHRIST himselfe To what end A King takes the name of one of his owne subjects to preferre him to make him a Lord c God takes our names to preferre us to a Kingdome How shall wee know whether our names be written in heaven A posteriori not à priori 2 Tim. 2.19 First the Elect know Christ Ioh. 17.3 2. They beleeve in Christ Gal. 3.26 They are plentifull in the fruits of righteousnesse by Iesus Christ they adde vertue to Faith This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chrys. termeth it 1 Cor. hom 3. to conclude by workes I have workes therefore I have Faith I have Faith therefore I have Christ I have Christ therefore I have heaven Tà m certus esse debes de requie de foelicitate si mandata ejus custodieris quà m certus es de perditione si ea contempseris Ob. 1. Workes may bee hypocriticall 2. uncertaine 3. imperfect But being sincere they may assure us of our salvation A ring may be imperfect not fully perfected by the skill of the Artificer it may have a crack in it yet it assures us of the love of him that gave it so imperfect workes may assure us of Gods love and of the Kingdome of Heaven too issuing from the roote of unfained Faith Therefore unfaithfull doubting is excluded Let us make our calling and election sure by good workes then an entrance shall bee ministred unto us abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour IESUS CHRIST Psal. 37.24 Yet wee must not dormire in utramque aurem I care not how I live I shall bee saved There may bee a Christian assurance but no unchristian securitie nusquam securitas sayes S. Bern in Psal. 15. Nec in coelo nec in paradiso nec in mundo In coelo cecidit Angelus sub praesentia Divinitatis in paradiso cecidit Adam in loco voluptatis in mundo cecidit Iudas in schola Salvatoris Let us never be high minded but feare with a reverent feare all the dayes of our lives I feare all my wayes said that holy man If you abuse this comfortable doctrine setting all at six and sevens then thou art most unsure As ye beleeve in Christ so be plentifull in the fruits of righteousnesse by Iesus Christ and as your names are in heaven and ye looke for a place in heaven so live as Cittizens of heaven live not as earth-wormes alwayes groveling on the earth but live as men of another world by having your conversation in heaven 1 Here it is as cleere as the noone-day that the Catholicke Church consists onely of the elect Notwithstanding it is an axiome with Bellarmine Non solum praedestinati sed etiam reprobi ad ecclesiam pertinent A strange position indeed as Augustine distinguishes excellently well the wicked are Paleae inter frumentum In domo Dei sed non domus Dei de bapt cont Donat. l. 7. c. 12. Cant. 4.12 CHRIST's Spouse is a Garden enclosed a Spring shut up and a Fountaine sealed up Haec intelligere non audeo nisi in sanctis justis de bapt cont Donat. lib. 6. cap. 27. It a munitur sayes Greg. ut nullus reprobus ingrediatur Ecclesia est Templum aedificatum ex diis quos facit non factus Deus Aug. Tom. 3. Enchyr. ad Laur. c. 6. p. 172. A. Our blessed Saviour affirmes of the Church Ioh. 10.3 for it is the Church of the first-borne whose names are written in Heaven 2 It is evident that the elect cannot perish Non perit filius promissionis sed filius perditionis August De corr grat l. 2. cap. 9. The third person to whom we are come is the founder and defender of the Church Who is described by his nature and office For his nature he is God for his office a Iudge The Lord chiefe Iustice of all the world God is a consuming fire Heb. 12. ult and dare we be so bold as to come to him He is ignis consumens to the wicked ignis muniens to the godly Zach. 2.5 I a wall of fire round about Ierusalem to protect her from all her enemies All are come to God secundum praesentiam Whither shall I goe from thy face Secundum potentiam his power is over all none can avoide it but we are come to him Secundum bonitatem Happy is the people that be in such a case blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. He is Dominus omnium more peculiarly he is Deus fideliū The Philistims said God is come into the Host woe be to us but we are come to God and joy with us Not onely to God as he is a Father but as he is a Iudge too yea the Iudge of all High and low rich and poore just and unjust good and bad Iren. l. 1. c. 9. writes of some called Gnostici who had their name of knowledge which affirmed they were incomprehensibilis judicii The Iudge could not catch them at the latter day But he will finde them out A Writ shall be returned reperti sunt in baliva nostra We must all appeare either ad judicium discretionis or damnationis as S. August speaketh of Absolution being severed from the Goats or
people I have beene ample in this text heretofore I will now bury it in silence But Christ is the Mediatour of the Gospell the which hee hath established with his owne bloud The Heretiques called Melchisideciani made Melchizedec our Mediatour Epiphan contr haeret l. 2. tom 1. Some Papists will have all the Angels and Saints in heaven to bee our Mediatours together with Christ. Aquin. p. 3. q. 26. art 1. He freely confesseth that Christ is our Mediatour simpliciter perfectivè yet the Angels and Saints also must bee our Mediatours dispositivè ministerialiter They are much beholden to this distinction of principall and ministeriall some unskilfull physitions give one drinke or one medicine for all diseases so these men apply this distinction of principall and ministeriall to salve up all soares among them Christ is the Chiefe Head of the Church the Pope is a ministeriall head under him So Christ is the principall Mediatour Angels and Saints are ministeriall Yet if a woman should heare she had a Chiefe husband and a ministeriall husband she could hardly indure it 1 Tim. 2.5 One God one Mediatour they might as well say there is one Principall God but many ministeriall Gods under him as to say there is one Chiefe Mediatour and many ministeriall and he tels us who it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is of the feminine gender 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee alone and no other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Mediatour betweene God and man must be both God and man hee must have aliquid simile Deo aliquid simile hominibus sayes Saint Aug. confess l. 10. c. 42. That hee may mediate betweene them both If he were onely man hee could not goe to GOD if hee were onely GOD he could not goe to man As for Angels they be neither God nor men therefore they cannot be our Mediatours As for the Saints in heaven they bee halfe men they have soules but as yet they have no bodies and they are not God therefore they cannot bee our Mediatours Nay properly to speake the Holy Ghost the third Person in the glorious Trinitie cannot be our Mediatour for though hee be God yet hee is not man much lesse can the Angels and Saints bee our Mediatours There is but one Mediatour of the new Covenant and that is Christ Iesus who being GOD above all blessed for ever vouchsafed likewise for our sakes to become man The Mediatour of the new Covenant hath established the Covenant with his blood It is Christ alone that by the bloud of hit Crosse hath set at peace all things in heaven and in earth Col. 1. Therefore hee is the onely Mediatour of the New Testament No Testament is of force without the death of the Testatour Let them proove that any dyed for us besides Christ and then wee will acknowledge other Mediatours As hee trode the wine presse alone so hee is Mediatour alone it is sacriledge to adjoyne others to him Therefore as he tooke the paines alone so let him have the honour alone Heaven indeed is opened by Christ but wee are sinners we shall not be admitted into it Yes for our sinnes are washed away in the bloud of Christ. Where 1. Sanguinis larga effusio 2. Effusi excellens utilitas The bloud that speaketh better then that of Abel Oecum 1. In the Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Erasmus reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so doth Oecum referre it to Abel not to his bloud 2 Hebr. 11.4 hee is said Yet to speake It comes all to one reckoning Saint Chrys. reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 melius but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plurall number The bloud of Abel spake well in his kinde it is meete that sin should be avenged but this speakes better in his kinde to the joy and comfort of us all 1. Abel spake on earth this in heaven 2. That spake against Cain and Elias made request against Israel Rom. 11.2 This speakes for us all 3. That was the bloud of a meere man this is the bloud of him that was both God and man 4. That cryed murder murder my brother hath murdered mee this cries I have beene murthered and killed for my brethren 5. That did Tsagmah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clamare send forth an hideous cry this doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speake sweetly to us that did cry after a terrible manner this doth speake after a more joyfull manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more splendid more significant more sweete and comfortable A cry is fearefull and lamentable so is not a voice 6. Abels bloud had no power of cleansing this hath it washeth us from our sinnes This Saint Ambrose paints out in most lively colours Ille vindictam clamavit hic indulgentiam Ille peccatum fratris accusat hic peccatum mundi remisit Ille prodidit crimen hic texit as it is written Beati quorum tecta sunt peccata Ambr. de fuga saeculi c. 5. Blessed are they that are come to the sprinkling of his bloud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The vulgar reads it as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adsanguinis aspersionem Hebr. 10.22 v. 19. Hebr. 9.13 Exod. 12.22 As the bloud of the lambe was sprinckled with a bunch of hysop on the doore posts of the Israelites and they escaped the destroying Angel so Christs bloud sprinkled on our consciences the devill that Abaddon hath nothing to doe with us Let the Papists glory of the bloud of Saint Thomas By the bloud of Saint Thomas which hee for thee did spend grant we may goe whither Thomas did ascend Let them magnifie the bloud of Saint Peter Saint Paul Saint Iames. Nay Let them magnifie the bloud of their Pseudomartyrs yet we will rejoyce onely in the bloud of Iesus wherewith we are washed from our sinnes By which we have an entrance into the most holy place O sweet Iesus that would dye for us The Master for the servant the Creator for the creature he that knew no sin for miserable sinners O the unmatchable love of Iesus that sheddest thy bloud for thine enemies Many and grievous are our sins moe in number than the hayres of our head as red as crimson and skarlet but Lord Iesus wash them away in the bloud of thy sprinkling and then I shall be found whiter than the snow that I may stand without trembling before thee at the dreadfull day of judgement Generosus animus magis ducitur quà m trahitur a good nature will sooner be moved with loving perswasions than drawne with threatnings GOD hath beene more gracious to us than to them They had the tart vinegar of Gods judgements we have the sweet oyle of his mercy they came to Moses that terrified them with the curse and malediction of the Law we are come to Iesus
is long a kindling but if wee provoke him too much Hee will breake forth as a fire and consume us all He is a fearefull God with whom wee have to deale therefore let us serve Him with feare and reverence in holinesse and righteousnesse all our dayes that wee may not onely avoyde this fire but enjoy the light of the heavenly Ierusalem for ever CHAP. XIII IN the 11th Chapter we had a Treatise of Faith in the 12th a Treatise of Hope now in this we have a Tractate of Love 1 The delivery of certaine precepts 2. The conclusion of the Epistle The precepts concerne the members of the Church and the Rulers verse 17. For the members 1. Hee perswades to that which is good 2. Hee disswades from that which is evill verse 4. For the performance of that which is good hee commends love to them 1. quoad affectum 2. quoad effectum verse 2.3 VERSE 1. NOt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the love of the brethren or brotherhood Of them that be brethren in CHRIST which have one Father which is God one mother the Church that suck one milke out of the two dugs of the Word of God that have one Faith one Saviour one Baptisme one H. Supper one inheritance the kingdom of heaven Let the love of these brethren continue We must love all men as they are the glorious workemanship of God created after Gods image but those especially that are His workemanship in CHRIST IESUS renewed after the image of the LORD IESUS Owe nothing to any man save love Love a Turke a Iew but especially love a Christian that embraceth CHRIST truely as thou doest There ought to bee brotherly love amongst them that as brethren professe one Faith one CHRIST and one Gospell 1 Love is the body of a Christian. 2 Love is the Seale of our election 1 Iohn 3.14 If thou hast no love thou hast no assurance of eternall life 3 Love is the sauce that seasons all vertues 1 Cor. 13. Though thou commest to Church and hearest Sermons receivest the Communion offerest up the sacrifice of prayer and praise talkest never so gloriously of Religion yet without love thou art but as sounding brasse c. therefore let brotherly love continue 4 It is a sweet thing therefore it is compared to the oyle powred on the head of Aaron it is a profitable thing resembled to the dew of Henmon therefore let it continue Yet for all that love is a rare bird among us she is much in our tongue little in our hands we talke of her but we walke not according to the rule of love Love envyeth not What envy is among the professors of the Gospell If our Neighbour be in better estate then we we grieve at it Love disdaineth not What contemning is there one of another Love seeketh not her owne Among us every man is for himselfe none regards the good of an other Love thinkes not evill it speakes not evill What cursed speaking backbiting railing and slandering is there among us Love is not onely cold but in a manner dead among us there is more love among Turkes and infidels then among Christians Drunkards love there is good fellowship among them Theeves love they have one purse Adulterers love The Divels love A legion of Divels were in one man onely wee that professe our selves brethren in Christ which ought chiefely to abound in love and be lights to others wee want love What a pittifull thing is this He doth not say let it be let it finde a footing among you but let it abide and continue he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in GOD not he that hath love He doth not say let love be as a guest among you which tarries for a night or two but let him be a continuer let him never discontinue from you The Scripture sayes let not the Sunne goe downe on thy wrath Wee must not keepe anger with us an whole night but wee must keepe love with us day and night continually Love hath many enemies that seeke to thrust her out of doores Therefore we had need to hold her and to labour for the continuance after 1 There is the Divell that cannot abide her Iud. 9.23 According to his name he is an enemy that sets himselfe against love If he see love in a Towne he will expell her if he can by one meanes or an other 2 He hath his factors and agents in all places that labour to breake the necke of love Now a dayes they bee especially two talebearers and wrangling Lawyers God tooke order in the law that none should goe about with tales yet they are too frequent in every Towne sowing the seed of dissention and nipping love in the head Therefore if yee will have love continue stop up your eares against Talebearers And as the North winde driveth away raine So with an angry countenance doe ye the Talebearer As for Lawyers they be necessary in the Common wealth as well as Physitions but as he is a bad Physition that will make work for himselfe So he is a bad Lawyer that will set men together by the eares for the enriching of himselfe Let us take heed of all that goe about to pull love from us and let her bee continued among us 3 There bee weaknesses in our selves wee are too supercilious too credulous ready on a small occasion to cast away love 4 There are many infirmities in them whom wee love yea even in the best of all Now when love sees an infirmity shee must cover it or amend it and not cast off a friend for an infirmitie The Holy Ghost not without great cause made choyse of this word continue for hee knew there were many ropes to pull us from love many that would seeke her discontinuance Wee desire the continuance of all other good things wee would be glad that wealth honour health ease prosperitie might continue and shall we not seeke the continuance of love that sweetens them all to us Doe not onely love for a time but continually But alas love is of little continuance Many have beene friends that proove enemies Herod and Pilat were friends but afterwards fell out Love is fine drinke but it growes soone sower Some there be with Amnon that hate more then ever they loved before In other things wee cannot away with the Praeterperfect tense as to say I had health I had house and land I had wealth yet wee content our selves to say I had love Indeed the time was when wee loved but now one neighbour cares not for an other That is a miserable alteration Let brotherly love continue Let her tarry with us so long as we our selves tarry Let her dwell with us in this world that shee may dwell with us and we with her in the world to come VERSE 2. THE Branches of Love are three The first concernes our neighbours 2.3 verse the second our selves 4.5.6 verse the third our rulers Having
goodnesse let us not fret at it carry a spight against the Preacher but let us say blessed be thou ô man of God and blessed be thy Counsell blessed be God that sent thee to us c. Thus we should suffer even with thankesgiving the word of exhortation The reason is because he hath beene briefe in it I have not beene long rubbing of your soares I have told you of it in a word Therefore suffer it rather Yet now adayes some unwise hearers commend longitude hee stood upon it long againe and againe he was an houre two three houres peradventure he might have spoken as much in a quarter of an houre A wise and pithy brevity should be more welcome to us if wee were judicious hearers Suffer them that wisely in a few words in the spirit of love and meekenesse exhort you to that which is good VERSE 23. GOod newes He is set at liberty that is loosed Timothy which by the mother is an Hebrew Acts 16.1 he was in bonds somewhere though it bee not expressed in 〈◊〉 Scripture for the which they sorrowed therefore he signifies 〈◊〉 to them With whom if he come shortly I will see you Why he was in bonds at this time Heb. 10.34 1. He might 〈◊〉 there bonds past not present 2. This may bee spoken with a â—â—cret condition understood though not expressed If I bee deâ—â—vered too When we heare of the deliverance of our brethren out of any â—anger wee should be glad of it If the foote bee delivered of a â—orne that was in it the head rejoyceth at it Wee are members 〈◊〉 of an other let us rejoyce at the deliverance one of another Doe 〈◊〉 heare that any was greivously sicke and is delivered let it doe 〈◊〉 hearts good Doe we heare of the delivery of any Christians 〈◊〉 of the hands of the Turkes Papists and other enemies of the â—ospell let it be joyfull and acceptable to us To this end would 〈◊〉 have them to take knowledge of Timothies deliverance and so â—ould we doe VERSE 24. WHom they should salute 2. From whom they should receive salutations 1 Their Spirituall Rulers and Governours then 〈◊〉 whole body of the Church Not onely they in Rome but in all â—ie that professe the Gospell of CHRIST Salutations are 〈◊〉 of love now the Ministers and Preachers of the Word are be love above common Christians we should have them in sinâ—â—r love for their worke sake therefore they are to bee saluted 〈◊〉 others If ye send Commendations to a Towne especially member the Minister Salute all unlesse they be professed eneâ—â—es to CHRIST and the Gospell bid them not then God speede â—therwise salute all but chiefely them that have the oversight of 〈◊〉 people they must have the first place in our salutations VERSE 25. HEE concludes with a blessing The grace of our LORâ— IESUS CHRIST that is the love and favour oâ— Christ be with you all Amen Even so in the shutting up of this Epistle doe I take my leavâ— of you Many excellent points of Doctrine many necessary anâ— profitable exhortations have beene delivered to you out of it it 〈◊〉 even the body and marrow of religion Now the Grace of GOâ— bee with you GOD give you grace from His Spirit to think on them to practise them to His glory in this life that yee maâ— bee partakers of His everlasting glory in the life to come Amen A COMMENTARIE VPON The second Epistle of St. IOHN VERSE 1. THat these two Epistles be S. Iohns as well as the former the similitude of style and of affection doth evince the style is S. Iohns and they be written with S. Iohns affection The three Epistles differ thus In the first he entreats of the love of God and our neighbour joyntly together In the second of that to God more specially by it selfe In the third of our love to our neighbour more particularly The first was written to all Christians in genreall the second to a woman the third to a man The parts of this Epistle are these 1. The inscription of it 2. The contents of it verse 4. The inscription conteines a description in the 2 former verses a precation in the third In the description 1. He describes himselfe which is the writer 2. The persons to whom he writeth he describes himselfe by his office The Elder the persons to whom he writeth are the mother and the children He describes the mother severally 1. By her inward estate elect 2. By her outward a Lady He describes them both joyntly together by his entire love to them which is first averred in regard of himselfe 2. Enlarged in regard of others in this verse 3. Illustrated by the procreant cause of it in both verse 2. THE ELDER THere was another called Iohannes presbyter Iohn the elder to whom some ascribed both these Epistles So writeth Hieronymus de viris illust yet he himselfe is not of that opinion Nay citing a testimonie out of these Epistles he doth in plaine termes attribute them to S. Iohn the Evangelist Clangat tuba Evangelica filius tonitrui quem Iesus amavit plurimùm qui è pectore salvatoris doctrinarum fluente potavit Let the Evangelicall trumpet sound the Sonne of thunder who from the breast of our Saviour drunke in abundantly as it were rivers of heavenly doctrine He doth not entitle himselfe an Apostle but an Elder 1. Because he speakes not with authority like an Apostle but talkes with her familiarly as a father with his daughter 2. Because he was knowne throughout all Asia after a kinde of excellencie by the name of Elder He hath the title of an Elder 1. for his age in outliving all the Apostles 2. for his Wisedome that commonly accompanieth old age the Senate was termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an assembly of auncient men 3. for his grave and discreete carriage 4. and chiefely for his office in the Church Ministers are usually called elders St. Paul left Titus in Creta to ordaine Elders in every Citty The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a young plant may not be made a minister but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a young man may Though he be a young Timothy yet he is an Elder and to be honoured for his office much more the reverend Prelats of the Church Alexander the mighty Monarch did great honour to Iaddus the high Priest Constantine the religious Emperour esteemed highly of the Bishops at the Councell of Nice he made them his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he would have them sit downe by him and placed them at his owne table Valentine the Elder called Ambrose his father Ambr. de vita valent Valentine the younger though an Arrian rose up to him in token of reverence when he came into the consistory No doubt but this Laay honoured Iohn with her heart so ought wee to doe the Elders of the Church If they be
the Papists have two pillars for their hope Protestants but one and that is the stronger 410 Hospitality It is commended 40 41.597 598. the conditions of hospitality 598.690 many reasons for it 599. fond excuses for not keeping hospitality answered by S. Basil. 691 House or Houshold vid. family how called a Church 7 8.119 all Christians are the House of God 121. the difference betweene a House and a Tabernacle 349. what a priviledge it is to be of Gods Houshould 452 Hypostasis what it properly signifieth 139 I IAcob his faith and facts 484 485. c. Iephte his faith facts and fame 524 525. Iesting we must beware of jesting at the Word 182 Ierecho of its fall and meanes how it was effected 512 Iesus why Iesus and Iosua have one and the same name 152. the sweete name of Iesus admired and adored 586. whose office and fruite of it is enlarged ibid. c. Ignorance twofold 131. it is a capitall sin 338. yet the Papists make it the Mother of Devotion 339. It s horrid punishment ibid. It is a great sinne in all but specially in them that have the meanes 340 Impatience A notable remedy against it 433 Imposition Imposition of hands why used 209 210 Incarnation Christs Incarnation described and applyed 106 107. the difference betweene his and ours in foure things 107. How the flesh of Beasts and Birds excells ours ibid. the Ends of his Incarnation 108. the cause ibid Infidelity It is a great sinne 129.135.143 what 134. Infirmities As Christ so Chrstians especially Ministers must beare their brethrens infirmities 169. no Saint but hath his sinne 306 307 Intercession how Christ doth now make intercession for us 298 Iohn his name and office 662. An Elder ibid Ioseph of his faith and facts 487 488 c. Why bound by an oath for his fathers buriall 488. Iosua why Iosua and Iesus have one and the same name 152. of Iosuahs faith and facts 512 Ioy Christians may be Ioyfull 662 Iudgement day which is called Eternall 211. we should oft thinke of that day ibid. the fruit of such a thought 212. Iudgement followes on the necke of death 375. to whom it shall be comfortable 376. the day of Iudgement draweth nigh 415. the certainty of its being to come though none know when 419 420 Iudgement Gods Iudgements on others should teach us 142. wee must reverence Gods Iudgements 450. examples hereof ibid K KIsse it is a token of Love 665 Knowledge the knowledge of God is unspeakeable 184 L. ΛατÏευουσι unde 313 Law the Reason of disanulling the Law 289. the excellencie of the Gospell above the Law 289 290 294 295. All that was in the Ceremoniall Law were Shaddowes 313 Lex-Talionis examples of it 510 511 Limbus Patrum see it falsly Forged 340 341 Love its preheminence above Faith and Hope 13. A Christian cannot be without it 15 16. Love must not be verball but Real 16. It must be to the Saints specially but not wholy ibid. Love hath a greater Attractive force then Feare 22. Our Love how set or setled on one more than another 34. the mutuall love that should be among us 136. Love is Laborious 228. Gods incomprehensible Love is set forth by many similitudes 319. Love is alwayes working 412. Love though an excellent grace yet rare to bee seene 595. It hath many enemies 596. Its fruites 597. divers men Love diversely 665 666. Loves commendadations 670 671. the manifold allurements to be in Love with this grace of Love 671 M MAgistrate he must rule according to Gods word 312 Man what he is 89 90 91. hee is sometimes called an Angel 91. the difference in respect of excellency betweene man and Angells 91. his dignitie as a Christian 92 93. altogether uncleane without Christ 100. all men are one and equall but that sin and sanctification puts a difference 101. man compared to earth 220 Manna a type of Christ 332 333 Marriage a strange conclusion of Pope Siricius against marriage 443. a sweete estate yet not without some soure 552. It is commended 601. Three Etymons of the Latin words for marriage 601. its definition ibid. it is honourable 602. no Sacrament ibid. how disgraced ibid. why to be had in honour 602 603 604 605. the things and wayes that make marriage honorable 605. Ministers may marry 607. its confessed by some Papists 608 Masse a Iesuits wit in reaching above the moone for that monster the Masse 287. a cut for Masse-mongers 297. arguments against it 30â— what the Papists hold the Masse to bee 351. other arguments against the Masse answered 367 371 376 401 Maundy-Thursday whence it comes 287 Meanes how meane soever the meanes be we must by Faith depend on God 514 Mediatour Christ is the sole Mediatour 361 587 Melchizedek of his name offiice kingdome c. 247 c. much more â—54 255 c. Christ prefigured by Melchizedek 275 Mercy we ought to be merciful one towards another by Christs exa 113. Gods former mercies a paune of future 130. mer. is a divine vertue yet it must go with justice 421 Merits the Popish doctrine of merits doth derogate from Christ â—0 God gives not heaven for our merits 227. opus operatuÌ„ is not enough to merit 44O Milke it is for Babes 204 Minister all Christians especially Ministers are Souldiers 1 6 7. They should be fellowes 7. their boldnesse 20 21. they may not onely entreate but enjoyne 21â— they should rather draw by love than force by feare 22. they are spirituall Fathers and how much men are beholding unto them 24. their love to their people ibid. what debt we owe to our Ministers 38 39. the people should so carry themselves to their Minister that they may be his joy 39. the name of a Minister is an honorable name 76 310. not to be contemned 193. by them God saveth men 194. what a Ministers lists are and what a Magistrates 194. the sacrifices that Ministers must now offer are either comon or proper 195. a Minister must not have a heart of flint but of oyle 196. they have their infirmities 197. they must have a calling to it 197. examples of a number of intruders into this calling ibid. c. A Ministers president 203. their light must shine 231. they are great men 257 258. yet they must acknowledg their brethren 259. greater in time of the Gospel than in time of the Law 313. the Minister is Gods mouth to speake to his people 323. to rebuke a Minister is a sinne of sinnes 333. Ministers duties learned of the Priests of old 337. no Minister can bee exempted from service 395 396. foure speciall duties that wee owe to Ministers 629. they are watchmen 630. they must give account for mens soules 631. we must not grieve them ibid. c. how we should love them 632 633. the great force of their preaching 634 635. they ought to have a good conscience 635 c. and how to keepe it 637. how he should be furnished 638.
laudas paenam at non ostendis causam Let no man suffer as a thiefe as a murtherer as a busie bodie in another mans matters it seemes there was a rout of them then but now a rable of them but if any suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but glorifie God on that behalfe It is a glorious thing to bee CHRISTS prisoner and to say with St. Paul for the hope of Israel am I bound with this chaine The second person saluting is annexed to him which is Timothie His mother was a Iewesse and a believer his father a Grecian Eunice his mother had brought him up in the holy Scriptures from a child him he styles his brother when he writes to him he calls him his Sonne because he writes with him he honours him with the title of brother Vt hoc negotium utriusque nomine authoretur that his request being commenced in the name of them both might bee armed with greater authoritie Hee was his brother not only in the faith in generall but in the Ministery in speciall One is your Doctour which is CHRIST and all yee are brethren Sosthenes our brother Saint Peter whom the Papists will have to be head of the Church and LORD over all the Apostles calls Saint Paul his brother though he came Postliminio after him It is said of our blessed Saviour hee is not ashamed to call us brethren and shall we be ashamed to call one another brethren All the faithfull are brethren we have one father and mother too but after a more speciall manner in an honourable office are the Ministers brethren Some are in higher places as the reverend Bishops some in lower as the inferiour Ministers yet all brethren the Maior and Aldermen are brethren the Iudges and Sergeants are brethren Bishops are to be honoured as Fathers inferiour Ministers to be esteemed of as brethren Meis conservis loquor tanquam obediens servus sayes Saint Ambrose Quanto sublimitas notior tanto humilitas pretiosior The higher the place the more precious is the humilitie of the Person I have knowne diverse Bishops that have used their inferiour brethren with greater humanitie humilitie and courtesie then many arrogant Schismaticall preachers would use their superiors Brethren should not be so Lord-like one over another that was a fault in S. Chrys. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was too supercilious Brethren love accord support one another 1. Accidentally they may hate as Cain hated Abel Esau Iacob that is unnaturall naturally they love one another so should we if the people must have us above all abundance in love for our workes sake then we that be the workemen must abound in love one towards another else we are hinderers of the worke 2. Brethren accord sometimes there is discord among them nay rara est concordia fratrum brethren seldome agree that is the Divells pollicie and our corruption nature conjoynes them together So it should be with us in the ministerie CHRIST sent his Disciples two and two not one by one wee should not sever our selves one from another but be linked together one with another We should be like the Muses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they should be together as in place so in affection all Ministers are tanquam chordae in Cythara Colligatae as strings in a Lute tyed together and sounding together that will make a sweete harmonie Oh that all the Ministers in England did accord together in points of doctrine and in rites and ceremonies 3. Brethren support one another wee should not bee underminers but underproppers one of another frater à fratre adjutus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So it is in the 70. A brother helped of a brother is as a strong and high Citie we should support the good name and the goods one of another brethren must not be like the scoales in a ballance one up and another downe we must not goe about to pull downe one another in our Sermons but to set up one another It is the manner of some labourers almost in every Sermon to declame against ministers because they know it to bee a plausible theme to the people whose servants they are as one told Demosthenes being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men-pleasers rather then God-pleasers The persons saluted 1. The house-holders 2. The household The house-holders the man and the woman the man is described ex nomine ex amore ex labore 1. By his name his name was PHILEMON Saint Hierom de nominibus hebraicis deriveth it from the Hebrew mire donatus wonderfully gifted of Spalal mirabile Nathan donatus Indeed his gifts were admirable or phi-lechem os panis corum the mouth of their bread But why may it not be a Greeke name He especially being a Grecian of Colosse Col. 4.12 PHILEMON quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our friend Gaius was the Churches hoast he the Churches friend in the same kinde too all that professed the name of CHRIST were welcome to him he was a friendly entertainer of them all 2. He is set forth by love not active but passive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that our dearly beloved above others our especiall friend not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they may be dilecti that deserve no love as our enemies they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which deserve love in respect of the rare qualities and excellent vertues wherewith they bee adorned as PHILEMON was Some say he was Nobilis a noble man surely he was Dives a rich man in faith and in good workes too that was a load stone to draw love unto him Last of all hee is described ex labore by his labour fellow-labourer not in the harvest of the ministery pray you the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers into his harvest but in the generall harvest of Christianitie Fuit cooperarius Evangelij non praedicatione sed facto he was a fellow-labourer in the Gospell not by preaching but by doing non praedicando sed praedicatores reciplendo not by preaching but by receiving the preachers Carthusian enlarges it further non fuit praedicator sed fidelium sustentator he was not a preacher but the sustainer and nourisher of the faithfull Fuit magnus quidem Christianus a Christian of great note They that put to their helping hand any kinde of way for the furtherance of the Gospel are the Ministers fellow-labourers that edifie their brethren in the most holy faith that exhort one another while it is called to day that comfort one another that are as bells to toll others to Christ are the Preachers fellow-labourers So was the Woman of Samaria that called the whole Citie to Christ those women that ministred to Christ of their owne substance Priscilla and Aquila tent-makers which expounded to
and Alypius writ Domum vestram non parvam Christi ecclesiam deputamus We account your house no small Church of Christ Eusebius reports of Constantine that he had in his Pallace the forme of a Church singing of Psalmes and himselfe would begin the Psalme reading of Scripture prayers Oh that all Christian families were like to these Saint Bernard findes fault with Eugerius that the lawes of Iustinian made a greater noise in his Pallace then the lawes of GOD. Suffer no unchastitie no indecencie to reside in the countenance in the habite in the gate of those that be about thee Inter mitratos discurrere calamistratos non decet it is not comely to see uncomely heads among them that weare miters upon their heads Catharinus being himselfe a Bishop is not afraid to say that Philemon vir saecularis a secular man shall rise up in judgement against us the Prelates of the Church who had turned his house into a Church A worthie patterne for all to imitate There is much crying for reformation let every man reforme himselfe and every house-holder his familie then soone would there be an happie reformation in Church and Common-wealth We have had the persons in the salutation there remaines now the matter of it which conteines in it three things Donum datorem mediatorem the gift the giver the Mediatour The gift is double primum ultimum the first which is grace the last which is peace the one is causa fons bonorum the cause and fountaine of all good things the other finis perfectio bonorum the end and perfection of them all Grace first the undeserved love and favour of God By nature we are out of favour with him the children of wrath All have sinned and all stand in need of the favour of God It is a sweet thing to have the favour of Princes yet that is mutable Mephibosheth had Davids favour but he was wounde out of favour Athanasius had the favour of Constantine but he lost it 1. God is immutable not so much as a shadow of turning in him 2. They can pleasure us but with fading things God with durable 3. They dye God lives for ever 4. They can doe us no pleasure when we be dead God can for all live to him he can raise us up againe and set us in heavenly places with Christ let us all sue for his favour The next is peace flowing from the other 1. All kinde of prosperitie especially the peace of Conscience that surpasseth all There is the worlds peace that worldlings have their eyes sticke out by reason of fatnesse they are not in trouble as other men they have more than heart can wish they dye and that peace dyes with them There is CHRISTS peace being justified by faith wee have peace with God through IESUS CHRIST our LORD That is the comfortable peace indeede Is it peace Iehu said Iehoram What peace when as the Witchcrafts and Adulteries of thy Mother Iezebel are yet in great number What peace can a man have when as his sinnes boxe him continually and will not suffer him to bee quiet As the Ghost of NERO his Mother tormented him There is no peace saith God to the wicked he is like the raging Sea foaming out dirt and mire When Herod entended to make Warre with them of Tyrus and Sydon they sued for peace by Blastus his Chamberlaine God Almighty intends to make Warre against us for our sinnes let us sue to him for peace by Christ Iesus who by the bloud of his Crosse hath set at peace all things in heaven and earth Augustus Caesar wished three things to his Son the favour of Pompey the boldnesse of Alexander and his owne fortune Let us wish these two things to all that wee love grace and peace From whom From GOD our Father All the Persons in the Trinitie are our father CHRIST is the everlasting Father the Holy Ghost is our Father I will not leave you Orphans fatherlesse the comforter shall be a father to you They may all be here comprehended Vbi una persona Trinitatis auditur ibi tota Trinitas intelligitur Every good gift and perfect thing commeth from above even from the Father of light from him comes grace peace and all other good things let us all put up our supplications to him By whom He is described three wayes à Dignitate à Charitate à Sanctitate For his dignitie he is the Lord for his love he is IESUS and a Saviour for his Sanctitie he is Christ the anoynted above all CHRIST is the Conduct pipe whereby all blessings are conveyed to us he is the heyre of all we Coheyres by him hee is primarily beloved we secondarily in him and for him As the oyntment powred on Aarons head went downe to his beard and the skirts of his garment So the oyle of gladnesse powred on Christ our head came downe from him to us all we have nothing without him he is to be magnified for all Saint Paul in this inscription hath broached a great deale of Christian eloquence for Onesimus every word is an oratour to plead for him 1. The name of Paul which was renowmed among all 2. The estate of Paul a Prisoner and that of Iesus Christ he may not stop his eares against the crie of such a prisoner 3. Not hee alone but Timothie too Et vis unita fortior 4. Hee is his dearely beloved he may not deny him that loves him so dearely 5. He is his fellow labourer and he must give him leave to labour with him in this businesse 6. Hee puts in the Woman too this night-raven even in bed may sing a sweet note for Onesimus 7. Archippus being appointed their Pastour cannot easily be rejected 8. The whole household will speake a good word for their old fellow servant 9. The name of grace must needs make him to deale graciously with Onesimus Philemon had the forgivenesse of his sins by the grace of God that must induce him to forgive his servant as God of his meere grace and mercy had forgiven him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imitate thy heavenly Master in this it is Chrysostomes observation VERSE 4. Wee have dwelt something long in the porch yet no longer then necessity required let us now enter into the house and come to the substance of the Epistle Where first there is the subject of it secondly the conclusion of it Verse 21. The subject of it is an earnest suit for Onesimus Where 1. There is the foundation whereupon his suit is built 2. The commencing of the suit or supplication to him for Onesimus 3. The foundation is the graces wherewith PHILEMON was beautified they are expressed in a thanksgiving wherein these circumstances are to be considered 1. Cui to whom he gives thankes 2. Quando when he gives thankes 3. Super quo for what hee gives thankes for his love and faith Where
peace saved mankinde upon the crosse The Pope hath not learned this submisse style of Saint Paul he comes not with his obsecramus but with his Volumus jubemus we will and command his roaring Bulls of excommunication are more frequent then his humble bils of supplication and thundering Preachers now adayes are more applauded then loving and beseeching Preachers Moses cum Deo constanter cum hominibus humiliter loquebatur Moses spake with God constantly with men humbly So let us doe that sit in Moses chaire Then there followes a description of the parties beseeching 1. In generall being such a one The vulgar hath it thou being such a one referring it to PHILEMON thou being an old man as I am but not a prisoner as he was then it should have bin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It must needs have reference to the partie beseeching though Cor. à lapide would faine salve it up with a farre fetcht hebraisme which is good for none but his Romish Ladies Cajetan Catharinus correct it meliùs cùm sim talis Better I being such an one I being such a one Which may bee understood for greatnesse and for littlenesse Then hee describes himselfe more particularly 1. à nomine 2. ab aetate 3. ab afflictione 4. à religione 1. For his name Paul Patrum pater doctor orbis the Father of fathers the teacher of the world which laboured more than they all and was wrapt up into the third heaven above them all or I Paul Paulus little of small estimation and it is for little men to request 2. For his age aged Hee was a young man when Stephen was stoned but he lived till he was an old man When hee wrote this Epistle hee was above 55. yeares old And old men are to be reverenced 1. Propter ipsam aetatem for their very age because they draw neerest to the Ancient of dayes wherupon GOD gave a charge thou shalt rise up before the hoare head and honour the person of the old man The Lacedaemonians did greatly reverence them being at Athens when they saw an old man comming upon the stage they rose up and bowed to him So did not the Athenians They had more learning but the Lacedaemonians more civility 2. Propter prudentiam for their wisedome in that respect old men have beene of the counsell in all ages with all nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sometime à senioribus because it consisted of old men 3. Propter experientiam for their experience which makes them more cautelous and circumspect whereas young men are rash and inconsiderate 4. Propter pietatem for their piety if they be good old men indeed as Saint Paul was Age is a Crowne of glory when it is found in the way of righteousnesse 3. He is described by his affliction a prisoner and it were pitty to adde to the griefe of a prisoner by denying his request 4. By his religion not the devils prisoner but CHRISTS and he is to be regarded especially by a Christian and so worthy a Christian as Philemon was In these two verses there be sixe motives to winne PHILEMONS love 1. Aspectus authoritatis the sight of his authority Ver. 8. 2. Effectus charitatis the effect of his love for loves sake 3. Affatus humilitatis his humble speaking I beseech thee 4. Gravitas Senectutis the gravitie of his old age the aged 5. Captivitas carceris the bondage of the prison a prisoner 6. Captivitatis causa the cause of that imprisonment and bondage the prisoner of IESUS CHRIST All these are as Lawyers at the Barre to plead for Onesimus VERSE 10. WEe have had the manner of the supplication now to the matter of it which is Onesimus that he may be received into favour Which is 1. Pressed 2. Iterated 20. It is pressed by foure principall arguments 1. Ex parte Onesimi on the part of Onesimus himselfe 10 11. Verses 2. Ex parte Pauli on Pauls part Verse 12.13 3. Ex parte Dei Verse 15.16 17. on Gods part who had so disposed of it in his providence 4. Ex parte debiti on the behalfe of the debt whereof Paul promises satisfaction Verse 18 c. On the part of Onesimus there be two motives 1. Is Spiritualis generatio the spirituall begetting of him Verse 10. 2. Is Vitae mutatio the happie change that is in him Verse 11. I beseech thee he repeats the word againe Not for thy servant but for my Sonne What Sonne Not Adoptatus but Genitus not adopted but begotten Where Not in a pulpit in the Church but in a prison where I am in bonds Saint Paul then was Onesimus his father not naturall but spirituall and we are more beholden to our Spirituall then to our naturall fathers 1. They beget us of a woman these of the Church which is the spouse of CHRIST 2. They beget us of mortall seed therfore we dye these of the immortall seed of the word of GOD whereby wee live for ever 3. They beget us to a temporall life these to an eternall 4. They to the miseries of the world these to the joyes of the world to come Therefore let us love them let us have them in singular love for their workes sake As Alexander professed he was more beholden to Aristotle then Philip the one gave him esse being the other his benè esse his well being Yet this is little considered of On the other side our spirituall children should be as deare yea dearer to us then our naturall non minùs vos diligo quos in Evangelio genui quà m si ex conjugio suscepissem I love you no lesse whom I have begotten by the Gospell then if I had begotten you in marriage 1. The love of grace must be more vehement than the love of nature 2. Our naturall children are to abide with us but for a time those for ever The place where he begat him is not to be pretermitted in his bonds which Hierom wonders at tenetur in carcere vinculis stringitur squalore corporis charorum separatione paenalibus tenebris coarctatur hee is kept in prison bound in chaines he is molested with unsavoury smels yea even with the ill usage of his owne body with separation from friends with the darkenesse of the prisons yet now hee preaches now he labours to convert soules to Christ. Paul and Silas begate the Gaoler in prison CHRIST begate the thiefe on the Crosse in the midst of all his paines And shall not we that beat libertie strive to winne many unto CHRIST that we may say with the Prophet Here am I and the Children that thou hast given me But when did he beget this sonne of his when he was Paul the aged Ideoque tenerrimè diligebatur sayes Lyra he was the more tenderly beloved of him Israel loved Ioseph above all his sonnes why Because he begate him in his old age So did
Saint Paul Onesimus What was Onesimus whom Paul begate A servant a fugitive and a thiefe too yet Saint Paul disdained not to preach to him God hath his chosen among all among harlots as Rahab among Publicans as Zacheus among the Pharisees as Nicodemus among Persecutors as Paul among thieves as the young man whom St. Iohn recalled among poore distressed servants as Onesimus therefore let us preach to all The other thing on the part of Onesimus is his happy change Where is to be considered 1. What he was 2. What he is hee was to thee unprofitable in being unfaithfull in thy service in purloyning from thee but now is profitable to thee and mee to thee pro te orando by praying for thee to mee mihi ministrando in ministring unto mee There must be an alteration in us all Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified I was a blasphemer I was a persecutor but I am not so now we must all shoot at that Butt Onesimus was unprofitable but he became profitable Yee know the doome of the unprofitable servant Binde him hand and foot and cast him into outer darknesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Tertullian are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profitable profitable Bees not unprofitable drones telluris inutile pondus a company of Lubbers that are good for nothing Saint Paul doth not commend Onesimus for being profitable to himselfe but to him and Philemon He that is not good for himselfe is good for no body there our goodnesse must beginne but it must not stay there doe good to all so be profitable to all Saint Paul here rhetorically and piously descants on the name of Onesimus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is utilis Profitable before he was Onesimus by antiphrasis as lucus quia minimè lucet a wood à lucendo because there is no light in it now he is the right Onesimus The Scripture is eloquent Prophetarum ac Apostolorum scriptis non solùm nihil sapientius verum etiam nihil eloquentius mihi videri potest they did not sequi eloquentiam sed eloquentia sequuta est eos not follow after eloquence but eloquence followed after them Saint Paul in that place where he sayes he speakes like a foole quà m sapienter dicit quà m eleganter How wisely nay how elegantly doth he speak He that markes the Scripture diligently sayes Saint Chrysostome will neither desire the smooth style of Isocrates nor the swelling style of Demosthenes nor the grave style of Thucidides nor the high style of Plato If we have good names we should be answerable unto them There were two Martyrs the one Vitalis the other Agricola both suteable to their names Vitalis shewed that he contemned hanc vitam this life and sought a better Agricola sowed the seed of a spirituall life here that he might reape eternal hereafter Basils Mother was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 membrum not only for the elegant proportion of her body but chiefely for the elegancie of her manners St. Aug. commends one Profuturus to Hierom whom he hoped by both their endeavours verè fore profuturum to be profuturus indeed Saint Hierom finds fault with Bonasus because he presumed too much on his name An ideo tibi bellus videris quia justo vocaris nomine Dost thou thinke that thou art a fine man because thou hast a fine name As if they bee not called Parcae quia minimè parcunt The former part of Onesimus life was contrary to his name the latter part was correspondent to it Onesiphorus for whom Saint Paul prayes hath a name not much different from Onesimus he according to his name brought great profit to Saint Paul and all the Saints as Onesimus did after his conversion if we have good names let us verefie them by our good lives VERSE 12. THe second Plea is ex parte Pauli Who is singularly well affected to Onesimus he testifies his love to him 1. By sending him 2. By suing for him 3. By unfolding the cause of his sending Negativè Verse 13. Affirmativè Verse 14. Not as if he had sent him before but having runne away from PHILEMON hee sends him to him againe though hee could hardly have spared him It seemes it was not well done of him for Deut. 23.15 Thou shalt not deliver the servant to his Master which is escaped from his Master unto thee We must not deliver him hero irato to his Master when he is angry in a rage and fury but wee may deliver him hero placato to his Master pacified as Saint Paul here doth for hee had his wrath allayed with many sweete arguments Religion doth not overthrow politie evert the degrees of superioritie and inferioritie that be among men In CHRIST there is neither bond nor free Male nor Female we are all one in CHRIST IESUS True indeed we are all one in Christo but not in mundo in CHRIST but not in the world CHRIST hath dyed indifferently for all for servants as well as for Masters yet the degrees that be in the world must be retained and acknowledged to the end of the world Masters must have a Sovereignty over their servants and servants must subject themselves to their Masters The Angell said to Hagar being runne away from Sarah her Mistresse returne to thy dame and humble thy selfe under her hands Saint Paul here sends Onesimus to Philemon againe But how doth he send him Not with a passeport from Constable to Constable but with a letter of commendation and with a request to entertaine him I have sent him something unwillingly because I had so good use of him thou therefore receive him not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receive him unto to thy house grace favour and mercie pardon all that is past all the wrongs hee hath done to thee raze them for ever out of the booke of thy remembrance receive him into the lap of thy love There must be a reconciliation betweene Christians all offences must be buried As the elect of God put on tender mercies forbearing one another forgiving one another as GOD in CHRIST hath forgiven us 1. GOD offers reconciliation to us If a man put away his Wife and she become another mans shall he returne againe to her thou hast played the harlot with many lovers yet turne againe to me saith the LORD And shall we be so hard hearted as not to be reconciled one to another Let us be mercifull as our heavenly Father is mercifull 2. All we doe is abominable in the sight of GOD without it If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee thou shouldest have done it before yet better late than never Lay downe thy offering not upon the Altar but before the Altar First be
crowned with glory and honour in that he raised up himselfe from the dead ascended into heaven in a cloud in the sight of his Disciples the Angels attending on him in that Stephen saw him sitting at the right-hand of God in that he sent downe the Holy Ghost from heaven and by a few simple men to look to through the preaching of the Gospell conquered all the world We may all see him crowned with glory and honour Thus he is higher than the Angels though through the suffering of death he was for a time lower than they Christ truly suffered death not phantastically in a phantasticall body as the Manichees and Apollinarists dreamed he felt and indured the bitter pangs of death Which is illustrated by two causes the efficient and finall the efficient is the grace love and mercy of God Iohn 3.16 the finall that as much as lay in Christ all men might be saved CHRIST's death was sufficient for all 1 Tim. 2.4 effectuall only to them that beleeve Isay 9.6 Mat. 26.28 Physick is offered to many sicke Patients that may doe them good if they will receive it but many are so froward that they will none of it the fault why they doe not recover is not in the physicke nor in the Physitian but in themselves so CHRIST offers the soveraigne medicine of salvation purchased by his death to all but some reject it and will not beleeve it can save them It is effectuall for all those that be sanctified that be his brethren as it is expounded afterwards Whereas it is said that Christ tasted death therein he dealt as the Physitian doth he needs not the physike prepared for his patients yet the better to induce them to take it he tastes of it himselfe before their eyes So death belonged not to Christ because he had no sinne yet he would taste of it that we might be more willing to taste and drink of that cup. The Metaphor must not be pressed too farre as if Christ did but sip and taste of the cup of death as a man tastes vinegar but drinkes not of it for he swallowed it up quite 1 Cor. 15.54 It is a borrowed speech Death is resembled to a cup whereof CHRIST did taste let this cup passe from me This hath reference to the time that hee continued in death not to the sharpenesse of his death They that taste of a thing tarry not long at it their lips are quickly removed from it so CHRIST did not continue long in death not past three dayes and three nights hee did but tast as it were of it and so away yet he truly dyed and it was a most bitter taste to him Thus the tasting of death was no dishonour but an honour to Christ. By it hee brought many to eternall life for all that hee is above the Angels and all other creatures whatsoever CHRIST hath tasted of death before us therefore let not us that be Christians be too much afraid of death There is a potion brought to a sicke Patient which the eye loathes and the mouth distasts The poore sick man is loath to drinke of it the Physitian takes it into his hand tasts of it before his eyes by that he is encouraged to receive it so is it with us death is a sowre cup which nature abhorreth we are all unwilling naturally to drink of it but for so much as Christ our loving and heavenly Physitian hath tasted of it before hand let us not be afraid of it The godliest men in the world cannot but in some measure feare death Christ feared it Et non est fortior miles quà m Imperator yet let this be as Sugar to sweeten this bitter Cup to us CHRIST tasted of it and overcame it so shall wee doe by his vertue and power As after the receit of a purgation the body is the better more sound than before so after we have drunk this bitter Cup of Death both in soule and body we shall be the better farre more glorious than before therefore let us be willing whensoever it shall seeme good to the Lord for us to taste it All of us should have died eternally At what time thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye both thou and all thy posterity Wee should have trodden the Winepresse of GOD's wrath and beene tormented with the Devill and his angels in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever but CHRIST hath tasted death for us all O the wonderfull and unspeakable love of Christ as if a company of Traytors were going to the Scaffold to be executed the Kings Sonne should step forth to dye for them what an admirable thing were that We by nature are enemies to God traytors to his Majestie the Son of the King of Kings comes from heaven and dies for us Is not this to be admired of us all scarce will any dye for a righteous man we were unholy unrighteous defiled with the scab of sin in soule and body yet the Lord Iesus died for us Life is sweet who will dye for his friend but will any dye for his enemy The consideration of the death of Christ should occupie our mindes continually we should ever be thinking of it it should cause us to be alwayes singing of that song Worthy is the Lambe that was killed for us to receive all honour c. But why did Christ tast death for us what moved God to send his Son to dye for us Surely his owne grace mercy and favour eternall life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So God loved the world that he gave c. There was no goodnes in us that might procure Christ to die for us no praevisa opera nor praevisa fides it is the grace of God that we are preserved from eternall death by grace ye are saved not by workes Let us not part stakes with the Lord give halfe to our selves and halfe to him but let us ascribe the whole praise of our salvation to the grace of God alone not to us O Lord not to us but to thy owne name and mercy in thy Sonne Christ Iesus be given all praise for ever and ever VERSE 10. NOw he descendeth to Christs humanity by preventing an objection of the adversaries Well you have affirmed Christ to be God above the Angels and all other creatures and that his suffering of death was no derogation from the glory of his Deity but a declaration of Gods grace and mercy to mankinde by his death to preserve men from death eternall but seeing hee was GOD what need was there that hee should become man suffer afflictions and dye Hee might have saved men by the power of his Deity yea even by his bare and naked word whereby he made all things at the first Answer indeed GOD being omnipotent might have saved mankinde if it had seemed good to him by some other meanes than by the incarnation and death of his Son yet this seemed to be the most fit and convenient
and it is good for Preachers to draw their matter into a summe We have such a worthie High Priest as all the High-Priests in the Law were not worthy to be named with him the same day Then he comes to shew his magnificence Hee doth not say standeth as a Lord Earle Duke may stand by a King bare-headed but sitteth Indeed Act. 7.5 6. he is said to be standing on the right hand of God but then he is seene standing as ready to pull Stephen out of the jawes of his enemies He doth not sit at his foot-stoole but at his hand not at his left hand but on the right hand God the Father as Prince and Potentate sitteth on his throne and Christ sitteth by him Of that Majestie which excelleth the Majesty of all the Kings in the world either Majesty is put for Majesticall Prince to whom is due Majesty Iude 25. or it may be an Hebraisme the throne of the Majesty for a majesticall throne Not in earth but in heaven In the heavens where there bee many mansions and in them hee prepareth a place for us The High-Priests in the time of the Law sate in Moses chaire heere upon the earth but our High-Priest sitteth in Gods chaire in heaven and thinkes it no robbery to bee equall with God In this respect he is not only higher than all the Priests in the Law but higher than the Angels Here hee sitteth as a ruler for the welfare of his Church From hence it cannot be gathered that Christ's body is every where because Gods right hand is every where for this his sitting is restrained to a place namely to heaven Stephen saw him in heaven Acts 7.55 Love is an excellent vertue because it is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the whole Law The Lords prayer carries away the bell from all prayers because that is the summe of all the prayers that can be made by all men in the world Here we have the summe of this large and famous epistle Therefore let it be reverently regarded and diligently marked by us all This may bee a singular comfort to us that wee have such a mightie High-Priest as hath all power in heaven and earth The High-Priests here on the earth were controlled by Kings and Princes Salomon deposed Abiathar and Saul put Abimelech to death but this our High-Priest is above all the Kings and Princes in the world they must all cast downe their Scepters at his feete hee can take the breath out of their nostrils when hee pleases In what an happy ease are we that have such a LORD protectour of the Church He may suffer us to be tryed as gold in the furnace of affliction but he will not suffer us to perish at the length he will deliver us out of the hands of all our enemies only let us have a care so neere as we can not to displease this our high-Priest As the people were obedient to the high-Priest in the time of the Law So let us be to our high-Priest in the time of the Gospell kisse the Sonne least he be angry and yee perish from the way All Papists kisse the Popes feete yea Kings Princes and Emperours But let us all from the highest to the lowest in meekenesse and humility kisse this our high-Priest that sitteth at the right hand of the throne of the Majestie in the heavens and he will defend us from all enemies whatsoever VERSE 2. THe second argument Those high-Priests were Ministers of an earthly Sanctuary this of an heavenly Ergo more glorious than they Of the Sanctuary The Greeke is Ambiguous of the masculine or neuter gender Some interpret it Minister of the Saints So indeed he is not the Angels alone but Christ Himselfe is our Minister O unspeakable honour Rather as the word is taken in this Epistle of the Holies that is of the Sanctuary the Holy of Holies Hebr. 9.12 and 24. The place where he Ministers is Heaven there he appeares in the sight of God for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 publicus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui facit opus publicum So are the Angels Hebr. 1.14 the Magistrate Rom. 13.4 The third argument hee that hath the more worthy Sacrifice is the more worthy Priest Christ's sacrifice is more worthy Ergo. This sacrifice is set forth to us 1. Figuratively 2. Properly Figuratively it is resembled to a Tabernacle Some by Tabernacle understand heaven too as well as the Sanctuary but rather by it is meant the body of our Saviour Christ. 1. It is not like that in so few words he would use a tautology 2. The Tabernacle was for the Priests not for the High-Priests 3. The reason following Verse 3. doth evince that by the Tabernacle is signified the body of Christ wherewith hee did sacrifice It is an usuall thing to resemble the body to a Tabernacle 2 Cor. 5.1 2. 2 Pet. 1.13 14. As a man dwelleth in an house or Tabernacle So doth the soule in the body And as God dwelt in the Tabernacle among the Iewes so doth the deity dwell in the humanity of Christ therefore it hath the name of a Tabernacle This similitude is fitly introduced by the Apostle As the high-Priest by the Tabernacle went into the Sanctum Sanctorum so Christ by his body offered on the Crosse went into heaven Hebr. 9.11 Hence it is that Christ's body is compared to a Temple Ioh. 2.21 to a vaile Heb. 10.20 This Tabernacle is illustrated by an adjunct and the efficient cause The other was but a counterfeit to this True is not opposed to false that was not a forged Tabernacle it was of Gods institution and made by his direction But it is called the true Tabernacle as Christ may be called the true David Salomon Melchizedec the true Manna that came from heaven Iohn 6.32 And as the picture of a man is nothing to the man himselfe So that Tabernacle was but a picture of this this is the true Tabernacle indeed The shadow of the Sun in the water is not the Sunne that is the true Sun that is in the firmament so that was but a shadow of this Tabernacle this is the true Tabernacle 2. It is illustrated by the efficient cause Moses Aholiab Bezaleel and other artificers pight that Tabernacle which were mortall men though they did it by Gods appointment this Tabernacle was framed immediately by God Himselfe the body of our Saviour Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost The name of a Minister is no base name seeing Christ being now in heaven doth not thinke scorne of it He was a Minister of the circumcision when he lived on the earth and he is a Minister of the Sanctuary now in heaven Therefore let none have a base opinion of the name and office of the Ministers Christ is the head Minister and we inferiour Ministers under him therefore let us be reverently regarded for his sake There by presenting of his owne sacred body
〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 6.19 In that which was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the Altar placed now into this Porch of the Holy of Holies the High-Priest might come every day Exod. 30.7 whereas into the house it selfe he might enter but once a yeare Others that the Holy of Holies is said to have this Altar not because it was within it but it had it as a servant to minister to it As a King may bee said to have his guard though they bee not in the same Chamber where the King is But why might not this be the golden censer which Aaron took with him when he went into the Holy of Holies the which hee filled before with burning coales from the Altar that stood in the first Tabernacle as he entred into the second Levit. 16.12 The second thing which the most holy place had was the Arke of the Testament which was so called because the Law or Testament was put into it Object 1 Reg. 8.9 2 Chron. 5.10 Exod. 40.20 no commandement to put the other there As for the Pot of Manna it was commanded to be set before the Lord and it was layd up before the testimony Exod. 16.33.34 but not in the testimony And Aarons rod was laid up before the testimony not in it Num. 17.10 Sol. The greatest part of interpreters will have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee referred not to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the neerest but to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 3. as Verse 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is referred not to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is remotior In which Tabernacle And then there is no question to be made they were all in the Tabernacle the Pot and the Rod before the Arke and the Tables within the Arke But it seemes by the construction of the Apostle that it cannot bee so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Verse 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must needs bee referred to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Arke not the Tabernacle 2. Therefore to answer to that 1 Reg. 8.9 In Solomons time none but the Tables were in the Arke yet after the Captivity in Babylon for the better preservation of them these likewise were put into the Arke but where read we that or what warrant had they to put them in 2. The adversative particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the seventie use is not in the Hebrew I but that which is aequivalent is and not in the Arke Sub. anything only the two Tables of stone 3. It may be a Synecdoche Nothing worthy the speaking of in comparison of them I have none in heaven or earth but thee that is in comparison of thee but that can hardly stand 4. When the Tabernacle was made they were all put into the Arke after the Temple was erected being more spacious the Pot and the Rod were disposed of in another place and the Tables only left in the Arke for hee seemes to speake of that as of a new thing From hence the Iesuites collect the reservation and adoration of the relickes of the Saints Why may not wee reserve the Crosse some pieces of CHRIST 's Coate of the bones and garments of holy men as the Israelites did the pot of manna and Aarons rod and why may we not believe the continuance of them as well as of these The reason is apparent because they had Gods expresse commandement for their warrant which we want 2. Though they were kept yet they were not adored or worshipped as their relickes be to the great dishonour of God and robbing of his Majesty 3. All things might not be reserved according to their owne will and inventions they passed through the red Sea yet we read of no sand which they kept as a memoriall of it The three Children came out of the fire unburnt yet we never read that the garments wherewith they were in the fire were reserved as holy relikes Wee must not keepe things on our owne braine but by Gods appointment and direction if we doe they may stincke and rot as Manna did when it was kept longer then God would have it 4. These were of miraculous and extraordinary things but of every thing they make a relicke 5. These wee know to be true the most of theirs I believe are false and counterfeit They are called the tables of the Testament because they contained Gods Will and Testament See what cost was bestowed on the Tabernacle They were not of Iudas his minde he said of the box of oyntment wherefore served this waste they said not so of the Tabernacle to what purpose is this waste they contributed to it with joyfull and cheerefull hearts in so much as Moses was faine by publike Proclamation to restraine them the people brought too much Where is this zeale now in the time of the Gospell we grudge almost at all things that are bestowed on the house of God In many places an homely Communion Table wee would be ashamed to have such a one in our owne houses no decent Carpet to cover the Table withall their vessels were of Gold we cannot get silver Cups for the Table of the Lord Iesus Wee have not so much love to the Gospell as they to the Law They were more carefull in adorning the shadow than wee are of the body Our owne houses shall be glorious it makes no matter how inglorious the Lords house be Manna was a singular benefit which God bestowed on the Israelites God sent it them in the barren wildernesse when they were ready to faint it came not from the earth but from heaven our fathers did eat Manna from heaven it was Angels foode it was a type and figure of our Saviour Christ. I am the true bread that came from heaven therefore God would have a pot full of it reserved to all posterity that so great a benefit might not slip out of remembrance Wee are to keepe a register of all Gods mercies but especially of them that be rare and extraordinary In memoriall of the passage of the Arke and of the Priests and people over Iordan twelve stones were set up according to the number of the twelve tribes of Israel God will not have their departure out of Aegypt that was so miraculous to be forgotten therefore he puts it in the forefront of the decalogue I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage The Iewes Hest. 9.17 kept that as a festivall day wherein they were delivered from the cruell plot of Haman Let the like bee practised by us let not the yeere eighty eight bee rased out of our memories wherein wee had such an unexpected victory over the Spaniards that were ready to swallow us up The time was when there was great scarcity of bread in these quarters and then God sent plenty of small fishes which were instead of bread and meate to the poore Let that be reserved in
Testament is made There is no Mediatour besides him Mediatour quasi medius dator Of the New Testament which is farre different from the Old Covenant or Testament for it consisteth on better promises Hebrewes 8. ver 6. By the meanes of death that death being or comming betweene for the redeeming of us from the punishments due to the transgressions and the price wherewith he redeemed us from them was his owne bloud If CHRIST his death doth redeeme us from all transgressions then there needs no sacrifices for sin after his death Yes say the Iesuites one to be a representation of that on the Crosse. I but you say that the sacrifice of the Masse and that on the Crosse are all one in substance differing only in the forme and manner Now if Christ be really present in the Masse how can the Masse bee a representation of him And that manner is opposite to the Scriptures for the Scripture sayes he is only offered up with bloud Your unbloudy sacrifice is no sacrifice In the former covenant whereas we for our part were not able to performe that which belonged to us GOD performed his part but we could not doe ours It is unseasonable here to dispute whether CHRIST delivered them that lived in the time of the Law for by the Old Testament is meant the Old Covenant not the time of the Old Testament Therefore it is opposed to the New Testament In the Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if it were for the sins of them that were under the Old Testament That they which are called namely effectually as well internally by the spirit as externally by the word 1 Cor. 1.2 24. Rom. 8.30 Not only heare it but receive it namely by faith The promise The full fruition whereof they should receive hereafter in the meane season the Holy Ghost is as a Seale and earnest penny of it Ephes. 1.13 2 Cor. 1.22 It is not a thing merited by our workes but a gracious inheritance promised to us CHRIST is the right and principall heire Hebr. 1.2 we are secondary heyres with him and by him Rom. 8.17 Not a fading inheritance as these be but that lasteth for ever CHRIST is the sole Mediatour 1 Tim. 2.5 Ioh. 16.23 Apoc. 8.3 Let us not cry with those Idolaters ô Baal heare us but aske the Father in his Sons name and say ô CHRIST heare us Who prevailes more with the King then the Kings Son Let us not leave the Sonne and goe to servants There is a double calling the one externall alone by the outward sound of the word the other externall and internall too not by the Trumpet of the Word alone ringing in the eare but by the voice of the Spirit also perswading the heart and moving us to goe to Christ. Of this calling spake our SAVIOUR CHRIST no man commeth to me except the Father draw him namely by his spirit as well as by his word Iudas was called hee was not a professour alone but a Preacher of the Gospell Simon Magus was called he believed and was baptized Herod was called he heard Iohn Baptist sweetely and did many things that he willed him Sundry at this day come to Church heare Sermons talke of Religion that doe not answere Gods call Therefore let us entreat the Lord to call us effectually by his blessed Spirit out of our sinnes to holinesse and newnesse of life If wee be thus called we shall receive the eternall inheritance which CHRIST hath purchased for us Let us be suiters to God that he would make us partakers of this calling that makes an alteration of us 1 Cor. 6.9 11. If wee were Idolaters as Manasseh to call us out of our superstition and idolatry if persecutors as Paul to call us out of our persecuting if wee are Adulterers as David to call us out of our uncleannesse if drunkards out of our drunkennes if covetous oppressours as Zacheus was to call us out of our oppression and make us new Creatures in Christ Iesus It is not a purchase bought with the money of our owne merits but an inheritance bequeathed to us by the last Will and Testament of our Saviour Christ Luk. 22.29 and I appoint unto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed unto me The inheritances that bee in the world seeme faire and glorious it is a goodly thing to have the inheritance of a great Gentleman of a Knight Lord Earle Duke but a Kings inheritance surpasseth all yet these are but strawes to this inheritance These inheritances may bee taken from us while wee bee here Mephibosheth's lands were given away to Tsibah and Naboth lost his Vineyard though it was the inheritance of his fathers When Death comes then we must forgoe all houses and lands all that our fathers left us But this inheritance is eternall wee can never be deprived of it we shall enjoy it world without end Therefore let us seeke to have an assurance of this inheritance in our hearts and consciences If a man be sure to be a Lords heyre though hee is in misery yet he will endure it we are sure to have an eternall inheritance by Christ let us therefore abide patiently the miseries of this short life VERSE 16. THere must needs be carryed as a true and an infallible report it must be sure and certaine that the Testatour is dead Where 1. The axiome 2. The proofe or illustration of it Verse 17. Here wee see it was necessary CHRIST should dye Ought not CHRIST to suffer these things and to enter into his glory Luk. 24 26. why not because the Devill would have it to be so not that the rage and fury of the Pharises should bee satisfied not because Iudas would but because God the Father in singular love to mankinde had so ordained in his eternall counsell and because Christ was willing to dye for us Can mankinde bee saved no otherwise but by my death then here am I take me I will dye for them ô the wonderfull love of Christ Here the Testatour would live still if he might and then the legataries should never have their legacies our testatour might have lived still if he would being the Lord of life yet that we might have our legacy hee would dye ô unspeakable love Let it bee imprinted on our hearts that it may constraine us to leave all sins VERSE 17. NOw followes the proofe or illustration of the axiom A Testament is thus defined by Vlpianus Est declaratio voluntatis nostrae de eo quod fieri volumus post mortem Is of force Is firme After the Testatour is dead both because hee may alter it at his pleasure and the goods remaine all still in the Testatours hands it is testamentum ambulatorium usque ad mortem The Testament of our SAVIOUR CHRIST is a good Testament It is partly nuncupativum as it was pronounced by himselfe when hee was alive partly Scriptum as it was after committed to
beginning 1. In Christ which was from all beginning In principio that is in filio but that is impertinent The Seventie have interpreted the Hebrew word aright for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Suidas recordeth doth signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 involucrum because when the booke is rolled up in a Scrowle it comes to a kinde of head In the Scrowle of the Booke that hath the forme of an head The Scripture is called one booke because though it containe diverse bookes yet it agreeth as if it were but one no dissonance in this booke There is never a booke in all the Bible but testifieth of CHRIST It is written of him Gen. 3. The seede of the woman It is written of him in all the bookes of Moses in the Historicall bookes in the Psalmes and in all the Prophets therefore to fulfill these writings CHRIST came in the flesh Matth. 26.54 hee would not escape death that the Scripture might be fulfilled To doe thy will CHRIST came not only to doe the generall will of God comprised in the Law but to doe his particular will also as the Mediatour of mankinde to dye for man Luk. 22.42 Ioh. 4.34.6 38. hee offers himselfe to death Ioh. 18.5 hee comes as a Lamb to dye for us he offers himselfe to the butchers Oh the unspeakeable love of Christ If it be to ascend to honour and preferment then we will say loe I come If any say here is a 1000l l for thee wee answer readily Loe I come but if it bee to goe to the Gallowes there to be hanged for another man who will say loe I come CHRIST was now going to the Crosse there to be hanged betweene two thieves for us that were no better than thieves robbing God of his glory yet he sayes loe I come I am here Father to doe thy will and to dye for sinfull men Who can sufficiently expresse this love It may be one durst dye for a good man but who will dye for bad men for those that be his enemies as we were CHRIST ' s ô admirable love the love of CHRIST should constraine us and cause us to say loe wee come in the like case Lord Iesu wouldest thou have mee to goe to prison for thy sake Loe I come Wouldest thou have me to loose all my goods for thee and thy Gospell wouldest thou have mee to bee banished out of my Country nay to be burnt to dye an ignominious death for thy sake loe I come I am ready sayes Paul not only to be bound but to dye at Hierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus Oh that the like affection were in us If any call us to goe to the Ale-house wee are ready to say loe I come I will bee with you out of hand If any call us to a foolish and wanton interlude loe I come wee flye speedily but if it bee to doe the will of GOD especially to suffer any thing for the name of CHRIST then wee draw backe wee have marryed a Wife wee are wedded to our pleasures we cannot come But let us in some measure goe as cheerefully about Christ's businesses as hee did about ours when He went to dye for us and said loe I come Our Saviour Christ is onely to be found in the Scripture hee is the principall object and scope of the Scripture the Scripture is a glasse wherein we behold Christ Ioh. 5.39 to him beare all the Prophets witnesse Ought not all things to be fulfilled that are written of mee in the booke of the Psalmes In Plutarch it is written of all the famous men among the Grecians and Romanes In Xenophon it is written of Cyrus In Caesars Commentaries of Caesar. In Herodotus of Darius In Ambrose of Theodotius and Valentinian In Eusebius of Constantine that religious Emperour But in the Scripture it is written of CHRIST the author and finisher of our salvation without whom wee can have no comfort in any thing whatsoever This should enflame us with the love of the Scripture this booke should bee our delight day and night Yet a wonder it is to see the perversenesse of our nature We had rather almost bee reading of any booke be it never so ridiculous of any fabulous History whatsoever of Robbin-hood c. then the Scripture Yet here we may finde Christ to the everlasting comfort of our soules All the bookes in the world are not worthy to be named the same day with this booke Timothy learned the holy Scriptures from a child so let us all doe that wee may learne Christ without whom all learning is not worth a straw VERSE 8. IN the former place of the testimony above cited When the Messiah said He reckons up all to shew the debility of them all Not because they were offered by wicked men in which respect they are sometime rejected by God as Isai. 1.13 but because there was no power in them to take away sin No though they were offered by the constitution of the Law VERSE 9. THen when those sacrifices would not serve the turne Iesus Christ. Which those sacrifices cannot doe Whereupon the Apostle concludeth that the first being taken away the latter is established The legall sacrifices being removed CHRIST 's sacrifice alone remaineth as forcible to the putting away of sinne Here we see it is not enough to read and alleadge Scriptures but wee must deduce arguments out of them for the confutation of errors and the establishing of the truth The Apostle here by this testimony out of the Psalme overthrowes the doting opinion of the Iewes which sought justification in circumcision and in the sacrifices of the Law And by the same hee confirmes this truth that wee are saved by the onely oblation of our Saviour Christ. The like must bee practised by us wee must not sleightly read the Scriptures but make an holy and profitable use of them An argument derived out of the Scripture is of more weight then all the authorities of men VERSE 10. BY the which will that hee came to doe by the exequution of which will Sanctified that is made pure from all our sins the holines of Christ being imputed to us He shewes in particular what will he meanes that speciall will of God that the body of his Sonne should be offered up for us And that not often as the sacrifices were in the Law but once That one oblation was sufficient for all by this wee obtaine remission of sins justification sanctification in this life and eternall glorification in the life to come Christ was but once offered and that bloudily the unbloudy sacrifice of the Masse hath no Scripture to leane upon Not by the offering up of the body of an heyfer a Goatea Sheepe c. which were offered up often in the time of the Law Christ's body once made By this alone we are sanctified and by it alone we stand as holy and unblameable before Gods Tribunall seate We are sanctified by baptisme instrumentally Ephes. 5.26 we
man at the latter day The very conscience of a man doth tell him at one time or other whether hee will or no that there is a day of judgement Why are men vexed in their soules when they have sinned when they have committed such sinnes as the Law cannot take hold off as oppression and wrongs offered to their brethren secret adulteries c. Why are they grieved for these and can find no rest in them if there were not a judgment to come VERSE 28. HEre is the equity of it He that abrogates it that pulls it out of place that violates it elata manu Num. 15.30 Not he that in a small offence transgresseth the Law but that breaketh it in some monstrous and notorious manner either by blasphemy by contemptuous prophaning by contumacy against father and mother and hee that doth transgresse these lawes in a despite and contempt of them hee must needs be put to death there is no remedy No mercy is to be shewed in it the Law must have his course without respect of persons whether hee bee high or low rich or poore hee must dye for it No bribe may save his life Deut. 19.21.13 8. Yet good advice must bee had in putting him to death there must be an orderly proceeding against him his fault must be convinced by sufficient witnesses All Moses lawes were not written with bloud as Draco's were but only great and capitall crimes Such were to dye without mercy Mercie is an excellent vertue a divine vertue draweth neere to the nature of God which is the Father of mercies be yee mercifull as your heavenly father is mercifull Yet for all that mercy in some actions is to be shut out of doores We must sing of judgement as well as of Mercy as David did Mercy is not so to be imbraced as that Iustice should bee forgotten they that have transgressed the Law especially in contempt of the Law are to dye without mercy the Lord often toucheth upon this string We must not be more mercifull then God will have us Saul spared Agag but it cost him his kingdome Some will say of a thiefe a murderer condemned to dye is it not pitty such a proper man as he should dye no verily foolish pitty marrs the Citty If such a one be permitted to live hee may doe much hurt in the common-wealth therefore no pitty is to bee shewed to him mercy must bee stretched no further than God hath appointed But how must he dye orderly being convicted by the due course and order of Law The fact must be sufficiently proved before sentence of death passe against him and how must it be proved either by his owne confession or by the testimony of others Now one man may be partiall or he may speake on spleene and malice therefore two witnesses at least must be produced Iesabel procured two witnesses against Nabal Two witnesses were brought in against our SAVIOUR CHRIST Timothy must not receive an accusation against an Elder but under two or three witnesses There was thought no probability that two would conspire in an untruth the one at the length would bewray the jugling of the other Therefore if there were two then he dyed but now the world is growne to such an height of impiety as that it is as easie a matter to suborne two false witnesses to get two knaves to sweare an untruth as to take the pot and drinke A most vile age wherein we live but from the beginning it was not so VERSE 29. THe interrogation is more forcible then if it had beene a plaine affirmation they dyed the death of the body but these are worthy of the death where soule and body shall dye for ever Be you Iudges in the matter I dare appeale to your own selves Then he sets forth the greatnesse of their sin which ariseth by three steps or degrees 1. They in the Law despised Moses which was but a man these Christ which is the Son of God therfore they are worthy of a sharper punishment they broke but one particular Law these renounce the whole Gospell of CHRIST the Son of God They have not Christ actually to tread upon he is in heaven at the right hand of God but metonymically in treading his truth under their feete which they make no reckoning of in conculcating the benefits of CHRIST offered to them they tread CHRIST Himselfe or they carry such a spitefull minde against him as if possible they would pull him out of heaven and tread him under their feete They did it not actu but affectu This is the vilest indignity that can be offered to any to make him as dirt to tread on The Souldiers crucified CHRIST but they did not treade him under their feete For Traytors to tread the King under their feete is a monstrous thing yet these as arrant Traytors did tread Christ the King of Kings under their feete Horrible wretches In this they opposed themselves to his kingdome In the next to his Priest-hood Christ by his last Will and Testament gave us a Legacie of the kingdome of heaven Luk. 22.29 the which Testament was confirmed by the bloud and death of the Testatour Matth. 26.28 Now this holy precious and pure bloud wherewith we are washed from our sinnes these impure wretches account an unholy a common a polluted thing Mark 7.2 Acts 10.15 They make no more account of the bloud of Christ then of the bloud of a thiefe nay of a dogge or swine yet they had some benefit by this bloud Last of all they opposed themselves to the prophesie of Christ. It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they abuse him with some notable reproach and contumelie Which is the fountaine and bestower of all graces He had given them many graces of knowledge of some faith hope love and zeale yet they contumeliously reproach this spirit revile him terming him a spirit of errour that had deluded them all this while For this cause they have sinned against the Holy Ghost In these respects they are worthy of most severe punishment no sacrifice for this sinne Is any pitty to bee shewed to them that In this world there is Mercy but none to bee expected in the world to come Then judgement mercilesse Now CHRIST standeth with open armes venite ad me omnes but then he shall say ite maledicti no mercy to be found for the wicked at the day of judgment God shew mercy to the house of Onesiphorus at that day there is mercy for the godly that be in Christ but none for the wicked that be out of Christ. And who be they that shall be so severely punished From hence may be collected a true definition of the sin against the Holy Ghost It is a malicious oppugning of the truth of the Gospell sealed up in their hearts by the HOLY GHOST they were enlightned in the mysterie of redemption purchased by Christ that he is the only Priest which
did the rest Enoch lived so long and he dyed therefore certainely he dyed not Some maintaine this assertion that Enoch is still alive together with Elias they are kept by the providence of GOD in paradise where either they eate of the fruites of the Garden or live without meat miraculously as Moses Elias and CHRIST did forty dayes together then towards the end of the world these two witnesses shal come forth shew themselves openly to all encounter with Antichrist convert the Iewes and in the end shall be put to death But I proceed Saint Paul sayes 1 Cor. 15.51 So Enoch did not dye yet he was changed in soule and body extraordinarily assumed in coelestem patriam as Calvin speaketh yet not in coelestem gloriam freed from the miseries of this life yet not fully glorified Some glory now they have yet their full glory is now deferred till we all meete together in a perfect man in Christ Iesus It is here registred as a singular honour that God vouchsafed to Enoch to take him away They are sometimes deepest in GODS bookes that are soonest taken out of this world being fitted for it by GOD Almighty We read of two Trophenius and Agamedes that having built a Temple to Apollos required of the GOD such a reward as he thought to be best for men he granted it and within three dayes they were found dead The best we read of in Scripture tarryed not long here Iosias was taken away in the flower of his age our Saviour CHRIST lived not past thirty foure yeeres because Enoch pleased GOD he tooke him away Saint Peter being in the Mount said it is good for us to be here let us heere make our Tabernacles So we say of the Mountaine of this world it is good for us to be heere ôh that we might make our Tabernacles heere wheras indeed it were best for us to be taken out of this wretched and sinful world as Enoch was Here we are with wicked and deceitfull men there we shall be with Holy Angels here we sin continually there we shall cease sinning heere we are subject to innumerable calamities there all teares shall be wiped from our eyes Let us desire God to prepare us for death and then to take us away when it shall seeme best to his heavenly will Pope Siricius out of these words Rom. 8.8 framed this Argument they that be in the flesh cannot please God Married persons are in the flesh ergo Enoch was a maried man he begat Sons and Daughters yet he pleased God Abraham was a Maried man he had two Wives and many Children yet he pleased God in so much as heaven is called the bosome of Abraham Zachary and Elizabeth were Maried folkes yet they pleased God and walked in all his Commandements without reproofe Spiridion Bishop of Cyprus a Maried person yet he protested 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet never a whit the worse for divine duties Let us not be drowned in the pleasure of Mariage as he in the Gospell I have maried a Wife c. Let us keepe the marriage bed undefiled bring up our children in the feare and nurture of the Lord instruct our households in the wayes of God and out of Marriage we may fly to heaven as also out of a single life VERSE 6. IT is confirmed by an axiome in Divinity none can please God without faith he pleased God Ergo. Whereupon he sets downe two properties of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be supplyed He doth not say it is hard or difficult but impossible Not to offer oblations to God that did Cain but to please God The workes of the unregenerate doe not completely please God The Iustice of Aristides the gravity of Cato the chastity of Lucretia the liberality of Caesar were not simply good works quoad formam or finem neither did they please God perfectly in as much as they wanted faith Fides est mater radix bonorum operum they did them not in faith to Gods glory therefore his soule tooke not that pleasure in them which otherwise he would have done He doth not say without policie Iacob a plaine man yet hee pleased God not without learning honour riches Lazarus a poore man yet pleased God not without beauty Ebedmelech a blackmore yet hee pleased God but not without faith Therefore let us all bee suiters to God to give and encrease faith in us that wee may please him in this life and bee glorified with him in the world to come I but all flatter themselves that they have faith wee have all faith Have yee so Saint Paul sayes all men have not faith 2 Thes. 3.2 Examine it by that touchstone Gal. 5.6 1 Ioh. 4.20 doest thou boyle in hatred against any of thy brethren doest thou say with Achab there is one Michaiah but I hate him one neighbour but I hate him then thou hast not true faith for faith and love goe hand in hand together Where there is no love there is no true faith Then he sets downe the two properties of faith That commeth that is that believeth pedibus fidei Iohn 6. Verse 44. That He is the Maker and Governour of all that sees all and judges all The foole hath said in his heart there is no God There be too many of these fooles it is to be feared in the lap of the Church Tit. 1. ult they professe they know God but by their workes they deny them We goe masked under the vizzard of Religion yet in our hearts wee say there is no God Wee speake faire and meane fowle pretend love and intend mischiefe Wee lye coozen dissemble circumvent and defraud one another as if there were not a God that sees all our juglings A rewarder In this life Gen. 24.35 The Lord blessed Abraham wonderfully so that he became great he gave him Sheep and Beeves Silver and Gold men servants and maide servants and Camels and Asses he rewarded Ioseph with honour Hester with a kingdome Dorcas with life againe In the life to come Apoc. 22.12 And behold I come shortly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his worke shall be We shall bee rewarded for our service yet not of merit but of mercy Luk. 12.32 2 Tim. 4.8 If we come diligently to Church as Hannah heare Sermons with a reverent attention as Lydia lay them up in our hearts and practise them in our lives as the blessed Virgin Mary if we come to the Holy Communion with sincere affections to have our faith strengthned and to become new men if we give with cheerefulnesse to GOD 's Minister that feeds our soules to the poore members of IESUS CHRIST God sees it and will reward it with joy of conscience in this life and with eternall happinesse in the world to come We serve not a churlish Nabal but a liberall master that will reward us for our service yea a cup of cold water shall not be unrewarded
are desirous to loade our selves with them they presse us downe and hinder us exceedingly in our race The Young man was so laden with his wealth that he could not follow Christ. Can a Bird flye when she is in a snare can a Man goe when he is fettered Riches are snares yea the devils snares which is a strong and cunning Fowler therefore beware how yee are intangled in them Ye may have riches and yet not be had of riches if they be weights and incumbrances Martha thou art cumbred about many things then away with them these Camels hardly go to heaven It had beene better for the Young Man to have parted with his riches than with CHRIST Many a rich Man is so pressed downe with his wealth with the cares of the world about Sheep and Oxen Silver and Gold as that he cannot goe to Church hee can finde no time to pray to read Scripture to occupie himselfe in heavenly meditations How can he run the race that leadeth to heaven If thy eye offend thee cut it out much more if thy riches offend thee if they clog thee in this race away with them it is better to goe a poore man to heaven than a rich man to hell If a man be pressed to death though it be with gold what gets he by it And if thou be pressed to eternall death though it be by thy golden riches what doth it advantage thee The Mariners Ion. 1.5 for the saving of their lives cast away their goods and with their owne hands hurled them into the sea and for the saving of our soules shall we not cast away our goods shall we suffer them to drowne us and that in everlasting perdition whatsoever presses thee downe cast it away If an Executorship Stewardship Lordship multitude of Farmes presse thee downe and make thee to have an ill conscience before God and Man too cast it away But we love our burthens too well we had rather lose heaven than them The third thing that presseth down is pleasure Luke 21.34 Surfetting and drunkennesse are great pressers We may run with drink and wine but not with drunkennesse When a mans belly is full he is unfit to run in a bodily race much more in the spirituall race Fasting and prayer are good for this race fornication and adultery are Heavie burthens to presse us downe Hos. 4.11 they take away the heart no heart to run 1 Tim. 5.6 The voluptuous person is dead while he lives That man in the Gospell said I have married a wife therefore I cannot come how much more will an adulterer say I have gotten a whore I must solace my selfe with her therefore I cannot come Let them runne that will I cannot runne the race of Christianity Therefore let us cast away every thing that presseth downe bee it never so neere or deere to us This universall particle is worthy to bee observed every thing Some flatter themselves in one thing or other In this the Lord bee mercifull unto mee as Naaman said Herod cast away many things but his sweet sin of Incest he would not cast away A drunkard will cast away any thing save his drunkennesse in this the Lord be mercifull unto me that I may take a cup of Nimis now and then A covetous miser will cast away any thing save his love of money In this the Lord be mercifull unto me that I may keepe my purse I will come to the Church but I will give nothing so neere as I can I but we must cast away everything that presseth downe lest we misse the gold of eternall glory My life sayes S. Paul is not deere unto me so as I may fulfill my course with joy and shall our pleasures and profits be so deere to us that they shall keepe us from fulfilling our course Let us cast every thing away rather than perish eternally But there is one thing which above all others we must strive to cast away .i. the sin this is ready to give us a fall at every turne it is inclusus hostis The Snaile carries his house with him but we carry our enemy with us The Snake of Originall sin is in our bosome wheresoever we become That doth so easily compasse us about As a paire of Compasses that compasse the whole Circle so doth this the whole man It compasses about our soules and bodies our eyes eares hands feet and is ready alwayes to molest and stop us in our race therefore away with it There be two compassers the one is Sathan he compasses the earth to and fro the other is our owne corruption that compasses all men on the earth We cannot utterly cast it off so long as wee live we cannot cast off the being of it but we may the dominion of it Though it bee in us let it not reigne in us though wee cannot ejicere let us dejicere Gods grace is sufficient for us as he said to S. Paul Let us pray to him for his grace that by little and little we may cast it off The foundation being layed he comes to the building it selfe and sets the admonition on it The race that we must run is illustrated by the efficient cause and the manner of our running He doth not say run you and I will sit still but let us run All must run Ministers and People Magistrates and Subjects We must not goe but run not creepe like Snailes but runne like Roes Our life is not compared to a sitting but to a walking or running yet we must not be like foolish runners that run themselves out of breath at the first Faire and softly goes farre Wee must not come in such a rash and heady zeale as that we runne quite out of the Church as some doe Let us run but wisely and discreetly What race not that which is set before us by the devill the race of pride envie hatred malice contention the race of drunkennesse uncleannesse c. but the race that is set before us by God the race of Christianity cleaving stedfastly to Christ and his Gospell 1 Cor. 9.24 By God Almighty Hee hath appointed to every one his race some a longer some a shorter Some have many crosses some fewer all have some Yet let us all run this race 3 How long must we run not for a while but to the end Not run while we be young men till our juvenilis ardor be a little over as many doe but though we be old Mnasons we must run still never cease running till we cease breathing I have finished my course sayes S. Paul We must never leave running till our course be finished 4 How must we run with patience This must be the staffe that we must walke withall and the principall leg that wee runne withall In patience possesse your soules The best man that is shall have one thing or other to exercise his patience withall Though David be a King he shall have a rayling Shimei we must
shew thy dislike of that But we are so far from being at peace with all as that wee are not at peace with our neighbours with them that dwell in the same towne and professe the same Religion with us there is heart burning envy and malice strifes and contentions even among us nay some are so farre from being at peace with all men as that they are at peace with no man like Ishmael whose hand was against every man Wee are so farre from following of peace that wee will not accept of it when it is offered They seeke peace and we refuse it Such is our folly wee had rather be following the Lawyers to our cost and smart then to follow peace home to prevent Law Let us all bee followers of peace let us follow it let us seeke it by all meanes possible The hunter followes the deere though it run away so let us doe peace and lay hold on her whether shee will or no. Peace is a singular thing God is stiled the God of peace he is not called the God of faith c. 2. Mat. 5.9 he doth not say blessed are they that can talke gloriously of religion but blessed are the peace makers Why for they shall be called the Children of God They that be at peace are Gods Children they that live in strifes and contention are the Devils Children The envious man sowed tares hee it is that soweth the tares of discord and dissention 3. Wee are members one of another and shall we be at warre Ioseph would not have his brethren to fall out by the way We are brethren and have one elder brother which is Iesus Christ shall we fall out one with another and that upon every trifling occasion It is a wonder to see what jarres there are betweene the professours of the Gospell betweene neighbour and neighbour scant two in a towne that love heartily and sincerely There be two especiall things that hinder peace pride and covetousnesse Prov. 13.10 Pride is the Nurse of contention There is I proud and Thou proud I stout and Thou stout none will bend none will yeeld as Abraham did though he were better than us every kinde of way The second is Covetousnesse We are so much wedded to the world the valour of an halfe penny will make us to contend Why rather suffer yee not wrong If every man were content to put up a little wrong what peace would there be in the Towne how should it flourish to the credit of the Gospell and comfort of us all The second vertue is holinesse It might be objected if we follow peace with all men then we must bid holinesse adieu For some will not be at peace with us if we be holy I but if peace cannot be joyned with holinesse away with it doe not so follow peace as that ye should let holinesse goe Above all things lay hold on holinesse Apoc. 1.7 They shall see him when he comes to judgement but they shall not see him in his kingdome Or if they see him it shall be afar off as the rich man in hell saw Lazarus they shall not be partakers of his joy and glory Without learning without variety of tongues without riches honour beauty men may see the Lord but without holinesse none shall see him By nature we are all unholy comming of unholy parents borne and conceived in sin but we must be holy before we can goe to Heaven 1 Cor. 6.9 Be ye holy as I am holy The kingdome of heaven is called the holy Ierusalem No uncleane or unholy thing can enter into it The Angels for their unholinesse were cast out of Heaven and shall we thinke that GOD will take unholy men into heaven A great number scoffe at holinesse O yonder goes an holy man Indeed if he be a whited Tombe and a painted Sepulchre whose holinesse for the most part consisteth in the laying open the unholinesse of others he is worthy to be despised But except we be all holy we shall never see heaven Let us be holy first in heart then in our eyes tongues hands feet and all the members of our body being truly holy we shall see the Lord to our eternall comfort Perfectly holy we cannot be in this world there will alwayes be some drosse cleaving to the best golden Candlesticke but let us be sincerely holy and we shall triumph with Christ for ever VERSE 15. THese two are particularly unfolded 1. Peace then holinesse Verse 16. For the preservation of peace they must take heed there be no Apostats nor backsliders among them Apostasie from true religion will breake the bond of Christian peace 1 A Caveat for the performing of it 2. A meanes for the fulfilling of it Watching one over another playing the Bishops and Overseers one of another Not 1 Pet. 4.15 busie-bodies in other mens matters Not onely that your selves fall not away but as much as lyeth in you that there be not one Apostata in the whole Church It is a metaphor from Travellours that lagge behinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saint Chrysostome By the grace of God in this place is not meant the everlasting love and favour of GOD but the Doctrine of the Gospell which he of his grace and goodnesse offereth to us 2 Cor. 6.1 Let none revolt from the truth of the Gospell but Continue in the grace of GOD. As a remedy for the effecting of it let no root of bitternesse c. Deut. 29.18 Any bitter root of Heresie of false and erroneous Doctrine as appeareth in Deut. Besides that any bitter rootes of malice and envie pride and ambition covetousnesse c. All these will breed strifes and quarrells among you therefore let them not spring up beate them downe so soone as they arise He perswades them to keepe them from springing up by two pernicious effects the one hath relation to themselves the other to others Trouble you as a multitude running upon you And by this meanes many shall be defiled for whose perdition you must answer One scabbed Sheepe infects an whole flocke 2 Tim. 2.17 1 Cor. 5.6 Iudas having fallen away from Christ came howling to the Pharisees and said I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud What is that to us say they looke thou to that So though some round about us fall from the Gospell to Popery Atheisme Brownisme it never toucheth us we are ready to say What is that to us am I my brothers keeper I verily according to our place and ability Let every one of us in that place wherin God hath set us take heed that no man fall away from the grace of God Let us all as much as lyes in us keepe them from falling especially let Pastors looke to their sheepe and Householders to them of their owne houses If a fayre and beautifull Apple fall from thy Tree thou art somewhat grieved at it and shall it not grieve us to see Trees fall out of Gods Orchard Sinne as ye see is a
bitter thing Sweet in the committing bitter afterwards It stingeth us after the committing of it and makes us to weepe bitterly 1 It is bitter in the conscience when we come to a feeling of it then our hearts smite us for it as Davids did then it sets us on the racke 2 It is bitter in Gods judgements in this life Adultery is bitter when the pox comes and other loathsome diseases 3 It is bitter in the life to come if not repented when tormented in the lake burning with fire and brimstone Therefore let it be detested by us all Let a man offer us wormewood so soone as we taste of it wee will spit it out of our mouthes Sin is more bitter than wormewood therefore away with it Let us give no entertainment to it It is a point of wisdome Obstare principiis venienti occurrere morbo We must nip sin in the head at the beginning Though we cannot keepe it from being yet let us keepe it from springing up so soone as weeds grow in the Garden a good Gardener plucks them up so soone as diseases begin to grow on us we send to the Physitian So soone as there is an hole in the house we mend it even so let us suffer no root of bitternesse in the Spring Summer Autumne Winter to spring up among us let us cut it downe immediately Let not Popery spring up Atheisme Epicureisme any Sect or Schisme among us so soone as they put out their heads let us chop them off but such is our carelesse negligence and security we suffer sinne to grow so farre as that the weeds are higher than the corne among us This will be required at our hands A wonder it is to see how the branches of sin will spread themselves their word is a Canker Arianisme quickly inverted the whole world totus mundus ingemuit se subito factum esse Arrianum A little leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe One scabbed Sheepe If there be one Sectary it will make many Sectaries one Drunkard many Drunkards Therefore let us prevent it betimes Wee are loth that one man that hath the plague should come into the Town left it run over the whole Towne Sin is a dangerous plague-sore it will infect many yet we have no care to stop it we suffer it to run on but the soules of those many that through our negligence are defiled with it shall be required at our hands Therefore let us looke to it VERSE 16. THE other branch which is holinesse is set forth by the contrary Holinesse is in the body or in the minde one for the second Table another for the first For the former let there be no fornicatour but possesse your Vessels in holinesse and honour Eph. 5.3 We must not suffer others to bee fornicators Prophanus procul à phano one that is farre from the Temple and Seate of GOD that cares not for God for religion for the things promised by GOD. He prefers the trash of this world before the kingdome of heaven S. Chrys. expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the threshold of an house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over the threshold of whose soule any bad thing may enter He doth illustrate it by one example which may be instar omnium whom he brings on the stage as a Glasse for all to looke in In whom consider 1. His prophane fact 2. The punishment of it Vers. 17. He made sale of it alienated it from himselfe 1 What he sold. 2. For what he sold it The birth-right was a spirituall thing therefore Iacob committed symony in buying of it So non emit he did not buy that which was none of his before sed redemit having a right to it already by the decree of God ab injusto possessore redemit sayes Aquinas Birthrights with all the appurtenances belonging to it which were many and excellent It is called birth-rights because it had many rights and priviledges as appurtenances 1 It carried with it honour and dignity Genesis 49.3 2 Chronicles 21.3 2 A double portion was tied to it Deut. 21.7 3 The first-borne were consecrated to the LORD they were his 4 Which was the principall it was a pledge of the love and covenant of the Lord and the first borne was a type of Christ the first begotten among many brethren Vnto the birth-right was annexed the kingdome of heaven Yet prophane Esau sold it away Gen. 25.32 For what What had he for it Not a peck of gold or a bushell of silver but a messe of pottage For one morsell of meat If hee had had many dainty dishes for it it had beene somewhat For one dish and that a base one too hee sold that which was better worth than all the meat in the world besides A prophane person is a belly-god he loves his belly above his soule earth above heaven Phil. 3.19 whereas Mat. 6.33 Heaven should beloved above all the treasures of the earth Fornication was esteemed by the Heathen a light sin or no sin at all In somuch as the Apostles in the Convocation held at Ierusalem were faine to make a Canon against it Saint Paul hath a large discourse against it 1 Cor. 6.9 The Scripture is vehement against it it excludeth fornicators out of the Kingdome of Heaven Whoremongers GOD will judge not Adulterers alone but any kinde of Whoremongers It is a sweet sinne but GOD hath provided sowre sawce for it therefore let it bee avoided by us all 1 It is peccatum maximè inexcusabile A Thiefe may say I had nothing to live upon I was constrained to steale A Fornicator cannot say lust was great in me I must needs have a whore for avoiding of fornication 1 Cor. 7.2 2 It is peccatum maximè erubescibile Gen. 38.23 3 It is maximè detrimentosum aufert omnia bona Fortunae Prov. 29.3 An example we have in the Prodigall Sonne Bona naturae it consumes the body Fornicatio quasi formae necatio Bona gratiae Hos. 4.11 A man that hath his heart on a Harlot cannot have it on GOD. If he said I have married a wife I cannot come much more will an adulterer say I have an whore I cannot come he cannot pray reade Scriptures heare Sermons to the profit and comfort of his soule it doth also take away from us the Kingdome of Heaven 1 Corinth 6.9 Wherefore let it bee avoided by us all If we will have no fornicatours among us let there be no drunkards among us for drunkennesse will pull on fornication Seldome shall ye have a common drunkard but he is a common fornicatour too If wee will expell fornication out of the Towne let us expell drunkennesse out of the Towne This is one effect of drinking wine then the eyes looke on strange women Prov. 23.33 it is a dangerous sin David the holiest man Salomon the wisest Sampson the strongest was overcome with it Therefore let us all stand on our watch and ward The wicked
their particular Angels but their Angels neque enim ex hoc textu colligi potest singulos credentes singulos habere Angelos it cannot be collected out of this Text that every beleever hath a particular Angell for Christ useth the plurall number their Angels not the singular every ones Angell Take heed ye despise not one of these little ones for I say to you that in heaven their Angels doe alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in heaven There seemes to bee a greater validity in the third place Acts 12.15 When S. Peter stood knocking at the doore the maide perceiving by the voice that it was S. Peter for joy opened not but ran in to tell them thou art mad said they it is not he it is his Angell Peradventure they might understand it of a created Angell yet not of one that was appointed to him from his first entrance into the world but of one that God sent to him to comfort him while he was in prison to deliver him Vers. 11. Yet for all that it can hardly sinke into my head that they should be so fond as to imagine that an Angell would stand knocking at the doore Therefore it might bee translated a Messenger as Luk. 7.24 When the messengers of Iohn were departed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so here it is not he it is the Messenger that useth to come to us now and then and with whose voice thou and we are well acquainted If Lazarus had a speciall Angell me thinkes that should have caried his soule to heaven yet not one but many Angels did it Neverthelesse for mine owne part I will not be contentious I see no inconvenience in Zanchies opinion but much comfort rather if it had pregnant proofe out of the written word but let us sapere ad sobrietatem be wise to sobriety Calvin himselfe in his instit leaves it doubtfull Let it be sufficient for us that we are come to an inumerable company of Angels that have the charge aad protection of us by the appointment of God Almighty Shall such a man as I flee said Nehemiah Shall we feare that have God and his Angels to protect us There be a great company of devils but these holy Angels and Christ our Captaine will defend us from them all VERSE 23. THE next person to whom wee are come is the Church it selfe Where three points are offered to us 1. Vniversalitas the Vniversalitie of it 2. Dignitas the Dignitie of it 3. Stabilitas the Stabilitie of it For the Vniversalitie wee are come to the generall assemblie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnes congrego when as an whole Nation is gathered together as it was in Greece at the games of Olympus and other solemnities In honour whereof Isocrates wrote his panegyricall Oration The Archdeacons Visitation is called a generall but it might better be termed a speciall This is a right generall assemblie The Church is Catholique and Vniversall which Saint Augustine very wittily deduces out of the name of Adam of whom came all Nations In the Greeke it hath foure letters which poynt out the foure parts of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many shall come from the East and West North and South and eat bread with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of Heaven Ierome de 42. mansionibus mans 16. Compares the Church to a pomegranate for the multitude that is in it tom 2. The Church a long time was shut up in Iudea which was in length scarse an 160. miles Hier. Dardano Wee are come to the generall assemblie i. to the whole number of the elect in generall Ribera restraines this to Angels The vulgar translation joynes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the former clause to the assemblie of innumerable Angels The Greeke Copies are repugnant to it This is a most excellent assemblie 1. These are particular assemblies At an assizes all the Countie doth not meete at a Parliament there is the representative body of the Realme not the positive never doe all nations meete together here shall be the elect in all Nations Ioel 3.2 Matt. 25.32 2. These assemblies are onely of them that be now alive and present in the world this shall be of all gods chosen that have beene from the beginning of the world and shall be to the end of it 3. These are mixt assemblies of good and bad among eight there was a Cham among twelve there was a Iudas among seven there was a Nicolas there shall be none but good 4. In these assemblies there bee jarres and contentions Act. 23. The one part was Pharisees the other Sadduces At Ephesus there was a great hurlie burlie the towne Clerke had much a doe to pacifie them there shall be all peace and quietnesse 5. These assemblies are broken up and the place may bee overthrowne as the banquetting chamber was wherein Herod feasted his Nobles yet without the hurt of any But the house fell on Iobs children and crushed them to peices This assemblie shall continue for ever and ever and the place too Let us all pray to GOD that none of us all bee exempted from this generall assemblie but that wee may bee annexed to it The second point is the dignitie of the Church they are the first borne Illyricus interprets this of the Fathers in the Old Testament that were the first borne in respect of us in the New Testament Aquinas by the first borne understands the Apostles that had received the first fruits of the spirit and they are said to be written in heaven as the Senators were called Patres Conscripti Ad Ecclesiam Primitivorum Vulg. transl i. to the Apostles that were in the Primitive Church Gorr Qui fuerunt primi fundatores Ecclesiae post Christum Lyra. But by the first borne understand all the Saints whose names are written in heaven Luc. 10.20 Oecum Theoph. Christ by a kinde of excellencie was the first borne hee was the onely Primogenitus because hee did primò aperire Virgineum uterum so did no other Epiph. contr haer l. 3. tom 2. Hee is Primogenitus omnis creaturae Col. 1.15 Primogenitus inter multos fratres Rom. 8.29 and Primogenitus Mariae and Vnigenitus too for none was borne of her but hee p. 342. init Wee also by him and through him are the first borne elder brothers Many were the dignities of the first borne 1. Hee had the antecedencie Hee that first opened the wombe and came first into the universitie of the world was senior to them all 2. Hee was his Fathers strength Gen. 49.3 3. Naturally hee was best beloved Isaak would not divert the streames of his love from Esau. 4. Hee was most precious Mich. 6.7 5. Hee had a double portion of goods and the inheritance was wholly his 6. Hee was the Lords Exod. 13.1 Consecrated to God Tradunt Hebraei primogenitos functos officio Sacerdotum habuisse vestimentum Sacerdotale quo induti victimas
joy which they cannot doe if you be peevish perverse and froward therefore submit your selves to them What though wee grieve them what care wee will such a thing grieve him hee shall be sure to haue it then we will doe it for the nonce Some are at this passe But you shall have no benefit by that you hurt your selves more then them Vnprofitable 1. in this life and that two kinde of wayes 1. being grieved they cannot discharge their ministerie so well to your edification they cannot studie so well preach so well as otherwise they might doe and that makes against your profit The worse they preach the worse it is for you They cannot till the ground of your hearts so cheerefully they cannot build you up as an house to GOD so comfortably as it were meete Thus you gaine nothing by grieving of them but loose by it Griefe overthrowes any worke a clothyer cannot labour in his calling well that is grieved Griefe hinders any man much more a Preacher It deprives him of his sleepe and makes him unfit for any thing 2. The Preacher and Pastour being grieved must needs powre out his griefe into the bosome of GOD Almighty whose workeman hee is hee cannot but complaine to God of it Lord what untoward people be these and doe yee not thinke God will take his cause into his hand looke upon the griefe of his steward and by one meanes or other by the pestilence sword famine plague the people for it that are the Authours of his griefe therefore grieve them not You shall finde it very unprofitable for you in the end 2. It shall bee unprofitable you in the life to come if yee repent not of it CHRIST will say to all them that have opposed themselves to his Ministers come you are they that haue vexed my servants depart from mee I know you not Therefore so behave yourselves that they may performe their Office with joy not with griefe In grieving of them you grieve the Holy Ghost and Christ too It is not wee that speake but the Spirit of Father that speaketh in us If wee bee grieved hee is grieved and as Christ said to Saul Why persequutest thou mee So hee sayes to all peevish persons that set themselues to grieve his Ministers Why grieve yee mee Yee shall finde the incommoditie of it in the end Therefore grieve them not give them all the encouragement you can that they may doe their dutie with joy to the Salvation of you all In the former verse hee enjoyned Obedience to their Spirituall Governours now hee requires their prayers for them 1. He requests their prayers 2. hee affordeth them his prayers verse 20. In the former 1. the suit is propounded 2. prosequuted verse 19. In the propounding 1. what they are to doe 2. why they are to doe it VERSE 18. BY all probabilitie it was Paul and the rest of the Ministers that were with him that put up this grace to be prayed for 1. Wee will pray for them whom wee love most Wee are not commanded in the Word of GOD to love any so dearely as the faithfull Preachers Have them in exceeding love sayes the Spirit of GOD. Excesse is dangerous in all things yet wee must exceede in our love to the Ministers Paul hath exceeded in the choyce of his Word and wee must exceede in our Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abundantly had beene enough yet hee abounds above that hee puts an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to it then an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee could not goe higher Above all abundance in love Wee love them best that doe most for us The Preachers doe more for us then any in the world under GOD. Our Fathers give us our bodies but not our Soules they make both Soule and body new creatures in Christ Iesus Our Fathers bring us into the light of this world which wee must one day loose againe they bring us to the light of the heavenly Ierusalem which wee shall enjoy for ever these then are most to bee loved therefore most to bee prayed for If that heathen King and mighty Emperour did thinke himselfe more beholden to his Schoole-master then to Philip his Father because from the one hee had his Esse from the other his benè esse Truly wee are more to praise GOD for the Preachers by whom wee are made new creatures in Christ Iesus and Citizens of Heaven then for our earthly Fathers by whom wee are made Citizens of the earth 2 We pray for you we sequester ourselves from worldly businesses that wee may give our selves to the word of God and prayer Acts 6. there is never a day but we pray for you wee count it sinne with Samuel to cease praying for you therefore pray you for us Vnum orare pro multis is a great matter and requires much boldnesse and confidence sayes Chrys. But multos orare pro uno nihil est onerosi When one man prayes for many oratio fit unius virtutis intuitu when many pray for one oratio fit multitudinis concordiae intuitu qua Deus ubique potissimum placatur Multi animi dum unanimes congregantur fiunt magni therefore you being many may more boldly pray for us then we for you 3 There is singular use of the Preachers Acts 16.17 we are GODS Torch-bearers that carry the flaming Torch of the Word of God before your eyes to shew you the way to the Kingdome of Heaven They are the Charets and horsemen of Israel Without us ordinarily you cannot be saved how can they heare without a Preacher Saint Peter saved three thousand Soules at a Sermon Saint Paul saved Sergius Paulus the Proconsul Dionysius a Iudge of Mars street Damaris a noble Gentle-woman and sundry others and ordinarily not one man or woman can goe to heaven unlesse a Preacher carry him on his shoulders not one sheafe can get into the barne unlesse a harvest man do carry it and thou canst not bee carryed as a sheafe into the barne of the Kingdome of heaven unlesse some of CHRIST's harvest men carry thee thither therefore pray for them 4 If we doe well the profit is yours postulamus quidem ut pro nobis oretis totum autem fit pro vobis in vos istae divitiae redunda bunt Chrys. If a Nurse have a full dugge it is the better for the Infant If the householder have refertam villam they shall fare the better that be in the house If our gifts of wisedome knowledge discretion of love zeale c. encrease the commoditie shall be yours Then pray for us and that heartily in the Church and in your houses that the Word of God may runne may have free passage may have nothing to stay the running that it may be glorified throughout all England to the joy and comfort of us all Pray for the Reverend fathers of the Church that they may use the Sword of authority which God hath put into their hands to the cutting
Love not in word and tongue onely but indeed and truth Ioabs health and Iudas kisse are too frequent Let us love truely as Saint Iohn did Having averred it for his owne part he doâ—h amplifie it on the behalfe of others Not I onely It might joy her that hee loved her being the disciple whom Iesus loved but it must needs be a greater joy to her that all did love her Yet it is with a restraint all that have knowne the truth revealed in the Word for thy Word is truth saith Christ. All that have knowne it he speakes De notitia approbationis as Aquinas doth well interpret it of the knowledge not of speculation but of approbation that approve love and embrace the truth for indeed they that be of the houshold of faith are lead by one and the same Spirit therefore where one loves all love But is this so great a matter to be loved of all Woe be to you when all men speake well of you true when all tag and rag good and bad speake well of us For then wee should be happier than Christ himselfe was he could not have every mans good word Some said he was a good man others nay but he deceiveth the people All did not love him but all the godly all that loved the truth and where they love God himselfe loves therefore wee are to rejoyce in the love of the faithfull VERSE 2. THe last is the procreant cause of this love Where first there is the Loadstone that drew this love 2. The permanencie of this love in regard of the foundation whereupon it is built for the truths sake truth lasts for ever so shall this love doe They did not love her because she was an honourable Lady a beautifull Lady c. but because of the truth of the Gospell that had taken firme roote in her heart Some love for pleasure Isaac loved Esau because Venison was his meate that was his delight An adulterer loves an harlot for the satisfying of his filthy lust Some love for profit they love their friends as they doe their cowes horses and grounds for the benefit they reape by them Some love for beauty so Shechem loved Dinah Some love for honour and promotion in hope to be preferred by such a great man All these stand upon a tickle ground pleasure vanisheth and that quickly too then love vanisheth together with it When Amnon had gotten his pleasure of Tamar he hated her more than before he loved her Riches betake themselves to their wings as Salomon speaketh and flie away then love flies away too If a rich man become a poore man we set not much by him Honour is mutable the naile that is now aloft is in the dirt as it fell out with Haman then he is little regarded of any of his followers Beauty fades away like a flower then love fades away too love for the truths sake for Christs sake for the Gospels sake and that will be a permanent love But what is this truth Is not that changeable No verily For as Aquinas doth well distinguish though fides qua creditur ceaseth when we be in heaven yet fides quae creditur shall be in heaven though justifying faith ceaseth for we shall not neede to beleeve in Christ any longer when we shall see him face to face Yet the doctrine of faith which wee beleeve touching eternall happinesse purchased by Christ shall remaine when wee be in heaven the truth shall be with us for ever VERSE 3. THat shall suffice for the description now to the precation Where 1. There is the blessing prayed for 2. the persons frow whom 3. An addition made to those blessings The blessings prayed for are three grace mercy peace these be with you In the Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be with you but the future is put for the imperative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be with you and abide with you forever Aquinas doth thus distinguish them Gratia culpam delens Grace wiping away the guilt of Sinne Misericordiam poenam indulgens mercy remitting the punishment of sinne Pax Deo reconcilians peace reconciling us to God rather Grace is the roote the undeserved love and favour of God by which we are all that we are By the grace of God I am that I am Without him we are nothing the other are the branches budding from it Mercy which hath reference to our manifold miseries Peace arising of our reconciliation to God by Christ Being justified by faith wee have peace with God The persons from whom First from God the Father as the Author of all goodnesse Every good gift commeth from above form the Father of lights c. Then from Christ the Sonne of God and the Mediatour of mankinde who is 1. The Lord the Lord and King of the Church 2. Iesus a sweete Saviour that hath saved us from our sinnes 3. Christ the annointed King Priest and Prophet of the Church the Sonne of the Father Therefore God as well as the Father Where then is the holy Ghost Saint Augustine will have him to be comprehended in the gifts for we can have no gift but by the holy Ghost the destributer of them Or as Aquinas saith the holy Ghost is understood in the other two persons being nexus utriusque he sacred bond that unites them together The blessings annexed and added are truth and love Caietan with some others referre them to Christ the Sonne of the Father in truth and love that is his true and beloved Sonne they be rather to be adjoyned to the former and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with truth i. the vertue of truth and love to God and man these make a demonstration of the former to the world VERSE 4. NOw let us enter into the bowels of the Epistle The matter of it is a gratulation and an exhortation verse 5. First he praiseth her for the time past then he doth incite her for the time to come the gratulation is expressed by a joy wherewith he was ravished where 1. There is the greatnesse of his joy 2 the object of his joy 3. the rule for the ordering of it I rejoyced Christians may be joyfull Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes againe I say rejoyce At that time Iesus rejoyced in his Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he danced as it were for joy as here Saint Iohn rejoyceth in his Spirit and not a little but greatly too As the wise men rejoyced with an exceeding great joy when they found Christ. So he rejoyced with a great joy that he found of her children walking in the truth of Christ there is the object of his joy That I found by diligent observation when I was at thy house and by the constant relation of others since Of thy Children not all but some of them seldome are all good