he kneeled downe fell vppon his face and so prayed vnto God. And as the cause of his prayers is here mentioned To be deliuered from death so the wordes of his prayer in the Gospel are like Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me meaning the death of his crosse to which he was condemned And as heere is mencioned his great and lowde crying so there the Euangelist saith he cried out with a lowde voyce My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee and like as heere is said He prayed with weeping teares so there is witnessed that he was sorrowfull and greeuouslie troubled that his soule was heauie euen vnto deathe and that in a great agonie his sweate was like vnto drops of bloud a wofull kinde of weeping but suche was his compassion that we might haue sure hope and as heere is said he was deliuered from his feare so at that time when all his spirites were troubled the Angell came from heauen to bring him comfort These similitudes they are all so agreeable that it is euident the Apostle respected especially aboue other this part of his passion in which his perfecte loue and vnchaungeable affection toward vs shined in most fulnesse of beautie in that it was so seruent and so deepely rooted that neither feare nor trembling nor any anguishe of spirite could make him shake nor the force of death nor any bloudie sweates coulde pull it out of his bowels In this one sentence dearely beloued there is more for vs to learne then either eye hath seene or eare hath heard or all flesh in this life shal atteine vnto it is the depth of the glorious Gospell whiche the Angels doe desire to beholde But to note vnto you some thinges in which our faith may be strēthened we haue to learne by y example of our sauiour Christ in this place that in all temptations wee should approch vnto our God and make our complaints vnto him who is onely able and readier for to helpe vs He hath not forgot his promise that he hath made of old Cal vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I wil deliuer thee he is a place of refuge and of sure defence a strong tower against all assaults the righteous man that shall hasten vnto him hee shall be surely saued the author finisher of our fayth he is gone before vs we shal be surely partakers of y same mercie It skilleth not how great our temptations are into which we are fallen nor how manie in number the Lord will deliuer vs out of all It skilleth not how many our sinnes are nor howe great in our eyes that haue procured our troubles the Lord will scatter them as the cloudes from the heauens and they shall not turne away his louing countenance from vs Let vs looke on this patterne Iesus Christ that is set before vs it woulde crushe our fleshe in peeces to beare with him the weight of his afflictions from which he was deliuered and it would make our teares to be as drops of bloud to be partakers of so great anguishe of spirite as he susteyned and yet it was not so great but the comfort of the Angell sent from his father was much greater so that by prayer hee obteined a most excellent victorie and hath brused the serpents head and broken all his force and why should we then be discouraged If our sinnes be as crimson or if they bee red like skarlet yet they are the sinnes of our owne bodies but not ours only but also the sinnes of the world they rested all vpon Christ our Sauiour and yet he prayed for deliuerance and hath obteined and therfore we may say with boldnesse forgiue vs our trespasses If the loue of Christ were so greate to beare the sinnes of vs all of them euerie one hath gotten forgiuenesse how should not we that are laden but with our owne sinnes lift vp our heades into great assurance of hope and heare with ioyfulnesse the worde of promise I will be merciful to their vnrighteousnesse I will remember their sinnes and their iniquities no more And what though our afflictions are exceeding many that the whole head be sicke and the whole heart be heauie that from the sole of the foote vnto our heads there be nothing whole in our bodies but all wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption yet all this is nothing vnto his passions by whose stripes we are healed And these troubles are nothing vnto his mightie cryinges who was compassed about for our sakes with feares and horrors till his sweate was as drops of bloud and his bones bruised in his fleshe Then let the whips and scourges of our chasticement be grieuous let vs yet be beaten if the will of God so be with scorpions Christ in great compassion suffering with our infirmities hath borne yet a more heauie weight of iniquities and hath been deliuered So that if we obey we are partakers of his mercies we haue full persuasiō that neither death nor life nor Angels nor prin cipalities nor powers nor things prefét nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to separate vs frō the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Yea and greater boldnes then this if it be possible to dwell within vs the Apostle here hath offered it in Christ Iesu. If all the sinnes were vppon him and all sorrowes in his fleshe and yet from them all God hathe hearde his prayers why should we not be sure that our sinnes and sorrowes shal be done awaye why should we not be sure that God him selfe hath appointed vnto all that mourne in Sion as the Prophet saith to giue vnto them beautie for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning the garment of gladnesse for the spirite of heauinesse Let vs therefore behold dearly beloued for he was woūded for our transgressiōs brokē for our iniquities the chasticement of our peace was vpon him these praiers are ours these supplicatiōs for vs auailable for moe sinnes then we are able to commit this is our victorie that shal ouercome the world euē our faith in al miseries and multitudes of woe we are not sunken so deepe in sorrow as he that for our sakes made prayers and supplications with strong cryings and with teares and was deliuered from his feare The second point that we haue here to learne in this example of our Sauiour Christe is to knowe vnto whome we should make our prayers in the day of trouble which the Apostle testifieth in these wordes that Christ made his prayers vnto him that was able to deliuer him from death a rule to bee kept of vs in al manner of our petitions and supplications whatsoeuer to make thē knowen vnto him that can graunt our request that is vnto God this rule was kept of the Church of God from the beginning When men were once turned from their Idols
XXVII LECTVRES or readings vpon part of the Epistle written to the Hebrues Made by Maister Edward Deering Bachelour of Diuinitie ¶ Imprinted by Lucas Harison ANNO. 1577. ¶ To the Christian Reader increase of faith and knowledge with an earnest Zeale of Christ Iesus the Lord. THE Epistle to the Hebrues conteyneth such doctrine as the holy apostle knew moste necessarie for the Iewe who a fewe excepted in the blindnes of their heartes acknowledged not Christe Iesus for the Messias albeit all thinges long before prophecied of the Messias by the holy Patriarches and Prophetes were in him clearely and fully accomplished and that in the eyes and eares of all Israel This their great blindnes caused the excellent light of this Epistle to be set foorth to the whole world for as their other wantes and falling off from the faith and naturall Oliue tree caused the fullnesse and grassing in of the Gentiles so their doubtfulnes as the doubtfulnesse of Thomas occasioned such cleare doctrine that we which come afterwarde cannot now without singular impietie make any doubt in the doctrine and gospel of our Lord Iesus Christe the which long agoe hath not beene both made and fully aunsweared Whereuppon all men ought to bee armed with this persuasion that whosoeuer againe doubteth where the doubt is already taken away and whosoeuer sinneth the sinne that hath beene heeretofore punished is a double offender for hee is not guiltie of the infidelitie alone or of the sinne but also of the despising the example set downe for vs that we trembling at the iuste iudgements of God against others should auoyde the the sinne in our selues knowing that if wee cōmunicate with the wicked in their blindnes wee must also communicate with them in the daunger is in the prouocation then in the punishment Wherefore concerning my first woordes the Iewes acknowledged not Iesus Christ for the Messias and redeemer of the world but we must acknowledg it and the rather hauing amongst the vnspeakable treasures of the word of God this pretious epistle wherin the doctrine of the person and offices of Christe are most substantially prooued and witnessed by the holy Ghost For therein the Apostle chiefely proueth Christ to be the annoynted of God annointed not with common Oyle but with the Oyle of gladnes that is with all fulnesse of the spirite into a prophet that teacheth vs the wisedome and loue of the father hee alone the priest that washeth away sinne maketh peace with his sacrifice euen a high Priest after the order of Melchisedech al other priests after the order of Leuie being for the time but shadowes and figures of the light and life in Christe hee alone the King of Salem whose kingdom is without vnrighteousnes and euerlasting not as other kingdomes which are outward and bodily but his kingdome frameth and ruleth the hart by the spirit of God and the scepter of his lippes the throne thereof being established in trueth and maiestie for euer and euer Besides these chiefe partes being the bodie of the Epistle there be other braūches conteining both vehemēt exhortations to the worthy receiuing of the word this present doctrine in faith and also to the bringing forth of the plentifull fruite therof in patience This excellent epistle about foure yeres past was expoūded in the citie of London by two learned godly men who made I suppose their choice of that Epistle as conteining very necessary doctrine for our times wherin the enimies of the Gospel are to to many preuaile too too much against the peace of the Church for they seke righteousnes in their own works sacrifices whiche is not foūd otherwise in heauē or earth thē in the righteousnes alone sacrifice of our lord Iesus Christ who not by the sacrifice of staūge bloud but by the offering vp of his owne bloud being himselfe the sacrifice and sacrificer made an end of all sacrifices and oblations going before and lefte no place for any new sacrifice or oblation to be vsed afterwarde Neither was this all that the Apostle ouerthroweth all other sacrifices establishing that as all sufficient which was at the fullnes of them according to the eternall decree of God the father made vpon the altar of the crosse once for euer and so consequently confuteth the Papistes mainteyning euen with bloudie sacrifices of men their vnbloudy sacrifice of the Masse but moreouer the doctrine is ve ry profitable and necessarie to stirre vp the minds and furnish the harts of professours of the Gospel 〈◊〉 knowledge concerning the person and offices of Christ Iesus the Lord. For to leaue the Catholiques as they vntruly call themselues either to the grace of God to be conuerted which God graunt vs hartily to pray for or to the blindnes of their hart to worship they know not what concerning the professours of the truth I beseech thē in the mercies of Iesus Christ to knowe the height the depth the length bredth al the mesures of Christ preached in the Gospel that as the foundation is moste certeine so it may bee also certeinely knowne and bring forth certeine fruites to the glory of God their own assured saluatiō in him Otherwise if the know ledge of our lord Iesus Christ be weake our faith cānot be strong if the faith be not strong thē our hope is small the afflictions of the spirit many But on the other side daily and effectuall exercises of the worde bringe increase of knowledge increase of knowledge bringeth increase of faith increase of faith bringeth increase of hope hope bringeth patience and in patience wee holde the possession of our soules til the day of our ful redemption But to returne to the two Interpreters of this Epistle the one lyueth and may doe wel if the Lord so dispose of his hearte to publishe in Printe his Readinges made to his greate prayse vpon the whole the other is layd vp in peace with the righteous but before his death he painfully gathered together the greatest part of his lectures leauing thē in writing that therby he might againe profite the Church after his death and now they are published to the benefite of the Church the zeale wherof greatly exercised his godly minde and many times brought his watchfull head and weake body neere to the graue Of whome I might truly speake much to his great prayse yet nothing vnknowne but let God haue the praise neuerthelesse as I will say no more ▪ in persuading men so I can say no lesse in duetie then this his goodnesse was by the grace of God very much and his harmelessnes more his giftes notable and his spirite more notable accompanying him for the measure of his bodily strength with daily increase til the last day and hower wherin for our punishment the Lord translated him from mortalitie to immortalitie Touching these his Praelections a goodly paterne of his swete spirite thou hast them gentle Reader in thy hands and I leaue
vaine deuices because they would not enter into the rest promised them but had more desire to returne to the heauie laboure and bondage of Aegypt This madnes of the people the Lorde is angrie with as a louing Father that had care ouer them So if we wil haue holie anger let it be free from all hatred and reuenge and arise onlie for the profite and well doing of our brethren Thus we read our sauiour Christ was angrie when he sawe the frowardnesse of the Iewes who by no admonitions would be made wiser Thus Paul prouoketh Timothie to anger when he saith Reproue and sharplie rebuke men that they do not turne away from the trueth So S. Iude biddeth vs all if we fall into companie with froward men To saue them with feare as if we would soudenly pluck them out of fier Thus if wee can haue our affections moued we are holily angrie for the end of our doing is the profite of our brother Thus you that be maisters may be angrie with your seruants God requireth of them faithful labour no eye seruice as seeking to please men but in singlenes of heart to doe their dutie to him vnder whome God hath placed them and in this account euery seruant must appere before god If thou seeing thy seruant disobedient or slouthfull hast this respect to be grieued with him because hee offended God thine anger is a blessed anger and if thou chyde sharply with thy seruaunt thy loue is more acceptable before God but if all thy anger bee for thine owne cause for thy meate thy drink thine apparell thy hawke thy â—…ound if thou haue none other respect thy seruant hath done very â—…l in being carelesse for his maisters busines and thou hast done much woorsâ—…e who for a trifle canst be angrie with thy brother but if the other be thy greatest care that thy seruant should knowe God and doe the duetie which he requireth at his hand then art thou blessed in thine anger and thy â—…luding woordes are as a sweete oyntment as Dauid saith that shall not breake his head In the wordes following Was it not with those that sinned whose bodies fel in the wildernesse The Apostle here sheweth first why God was angrie with them then what punishment he laid vpon them the cause of his anger was their sinne wherin we see there is no calamitie commeth to the wicked but for their sinne and all the chasticements of God which come vpon them are to admonish them of their euill that they might turne vnto the Lord so when the sinnes of Israel were high desperate and past hope of amendment the Lord sayth He wil melt them trie them for what should he do else for the daughter of my people noting this to be the extreme remedie by which if wee be not healed wee must dye in our euill diseases So long before when their fathers were as â—…uil had all fallen away from God were not amended by punishment the Lord sayth by his prophet Wherfore should you be smitten any more seeing you fall away more and more shewing expresly this cause of their plagues that they should haue turned from their sinnes Let this be a greate comforte vnto euerie one whose sinnes accuse him that he is not smitten of the Lorde but for his amendement let him not faint because the hand of God is heauie vp on him but let him reioyce because the mercie of God is offered largely vnto him for therefore he is punished that he should repent A singular example we haue of this in Man uses y king of Iudah who had set vp al abhominations and multiplied offences without number but when he was bowed downe with many yron bands and the king of Ashur â—…aid him in painefull imprisonment where he could not lift vp his head then he remembred the Lorde God of his fathers who saued not onely Abraham and Isaake and Iacob and their righteous seede but in his greate mercies receiued sinners into fauour againe and therefore in his tribulation he humbled him selfe exceedingly and came before God to aske forgiuenesse for all his sinnes whiche were more in number then the sandes of the sea and the Lord was intreated of him and forgaue all his offences So Saint Paule in al his hatred and enuious persecutions when he was strucken downe he despaired not but with a good heart which God gaue vnto him he cryed with trembling and with feare Lord what wilt thou that I should die These examples are set out vnto vs which be so great sinners that we should not despaire in our afflictions but turne vnto the lord who offereth mercie vnto vs for our sinnes be they neuer so great yet the righteousnes of our sauiour Christ is greater let vs onely beleeue and they are abolished Nowe as we knowe the afflictions of the wicked are for their sinnes and that when they be chasticed they be called to repentance so also we must remember that many occasions are why God somtime chasticeth his sainctes though their sinnes are all forgiuen and forgotten for besides this that we should turne vnto the Lorde many other benefites are also in our troubles for in them our faith is tried that it is accepted of God and therefore Peter calleth affliction y triall of our faith for though we ought all to haue a ful purpose in wealth wo to cleaue vnto the Lorde yet experience bringeth boldnesse that our faith in deede is strong and fayleth not We trust that we would not forgett God in the day of prosperitie but the prince and noble man who are full of peace they knowe whether their heartes be knitt vnto God in loue and obedience which all honour and glorie cannot shake We trust we would not murmur in aduersitie but Iob and Lazarus and men so farre oppressed with miserie they know how strong their hope is to endure the crosse We may reioyce in the persuasion of our minde and our faith that feareth not at the remembrance of the euill day is wel pleasing before God but they may glorie more in the triall of their worke who haue had experience of euil and fainted not and they may more boldely sing the song of victorie that they glorie in affliction knowing that affliction hath wrought patience patience experience experience hope and their hope shal neuer be confounded This I adde that we might knowe though afflictions be to the amendement of our sinnes yet alwayes the Lord respecteth not this but by afflictions doth giue vs greater glorie and therefore let vs not faint in them nor be discouraged The second thing I saide we shoulde marke in this verse is what punishment God brought vpon them that is that their bodies fel in the wildernesse this punishment Sainct Paule also expressly noteth in the tenth of the first to the Corinthians therefore is well to be wayed of vs â–ª whiche so oft is set ouâ—… vnto
not be sure and good vnto all the seede of Abraham for he was a father of manie nations euen of such as were vncircumcised to whom the lawe was not written therefore to the ende that Iewe and Gentile might both inherit this blessing it must needes be by faith not by workes So then thus farre we are taught by the Apostle that if we receiue Iesus Christ to be our high priest our only way to enter with him into the heauens is by faith our faith hath boldnes and full persuasion in which it is accepted according to that which is written God hath not giuen vs the spirite of feare againe vnto bondage but God hath giuen vs the spirite of adoption by which we crie Abba Father Here dearly beloued let vs learne to discerne spirits to trie whether they be of God or no Euerie spirit that confesseth Christ to be our only mediatour is of God for by him wee haue libertie through faith to go with boldnes vnto the throne of grace And euerie spirite that denieth Christ to be our onely mediatour is not of God but it is the spirit of Antichrist of whome we haue heard that he is entred into the world for god dwelleth in light which no creature can approch vn to neither hath any man seene him nor cā see him but only by Christ through one spirite we haue all entrance vnto him These dearly beloued they are y words of the scripture they are not the wordes of man whē you are in place obiect them vnto the papists see what one word they are able to answer who in times past haue told you yet of a great number of mediatours confessours martyrs Saints Angels Archangels euerie one in his degree they haue made them mediatours and besought them to leade vs vnto god I beelie them not tenne thousand of their bookes are yet to see tenne thousand prayers in them in which they haue done this wickednesse Aske them bid them speake plaine what one woord haue they of defence for this dooinge surely dearly beloued I tel you the trueth not one worde they can speake which is a word of trueth a word of righteousnesse a worde of life a worde I meane of God to which you may trust a fonde fansie they haue found of their owne as hee that dreameth doth tell a dreame and they say there are two mediatours one of intercession an other of redemption beside the foolishnesse of this speache a mediatour of intercession which you may as wel call an intercessour of mediation for intercessour and mediatour are both one beside this I say manifest follie let them name any Apostle prophet or Euangelist vpon whome we must build and stand that euer mentioned any such thinge let them tell of whome they learned it sure they wil not they are starke dumbe they knowe they haue no Scripture no not a word of their schoolemaisters in deede they are ashamed but I wil tel you who they be and they shall not denie it except they bee as shamelesse as they of whome they are learned The Gods of the Gentiles which are diuels they had this woorshipp amongst them these diuels amonge them selues they which were reputed of the lower sorte were made as meanes to come vnto the higher whereof also they were called Dij medioximi that is Gods only for intercession and Gentiles bookes are ful of examples how these thinges were practised as if Neptune would speake to Iupiter hee made Mercurie his meanes and intercessour and such like toyes which shall bee abolished and tholouers of them And wee may see howe GOD hath recompenced this their euill vnto them for where this is the comforte of a Christian man to haue peace towarde God and which is giuen vs by hauing Christe our only mediatour they who haue made so manie coulde neuer finde it but still they are in suspense and doubt wauering vnconstant in all their wayes and this doubtfulnesse they begett and nourishe vnto them selues while they seeke so many mediatours and what else doe they but teach all their posteritie in choosing many mediatours to haue confidence in none Euen as the rebellious people of Israel wearied them selues running as the prophet saith like Dromedaries to euery high hill and euery greene tree till they were weake and wearie and their soules fainted in them seeking peace and could finde none and in deede howe should they finde it for though they followed a thousand Gods yet was there but one the God of peace whome they had forsaken so though the Papists seeke a thousand mediatours yet haue they no boldenesse to goe vnto God for there is but one mediatour betwene God and vs euen Iesus Christ whome they for their Sainctes haue forsaken for Christ wil be ioyned with no fellowes And what a miserable brotherhood must they then needes be which haue no peace but feare and trembling is in their wayes Againe wee haue heere to marke that the presence of God to which Christe leadeth vs is called heere the Throne of grace noting heereby that by the merites of Christ we be brought vnto God as before a iudge who from his iudgement seate doth acquite vs for euer from al guiltinesse of our sinnes and therefore called the throne of grace because we be quit onely by grace and Gods free mercie a monument of which loue he setteth before vs in the name of the seate on which hee sitteth and calleth it the throne of grace neither shall euer man be iustified before it who bringeth with him boldenesse of his owne woorkes nature kinred or any thing and looketh not only for his pardon by grace and mercie neither can the Lord any more shewe mercie vnto him that is proude of his owne selfe then he can chaunge the propertie of his iudgement seate to make it no more the throne of grace Now it foloweth That we may obteine mercie and finde grace to help these wordes teache vs what the throne of grace is what it offereth vnto vs euen as we saide before boldenesse and constancie that we should not feare to goe vnto it For if it bee a throne of grace that is of fauour of mercie of loue of forgiuenesse of life then can there not be in it anger guiltinesse affliction of spirit bondage and feare of death but as the Apostle saith here it giueth vnto vs mercie grace and helpe in the time of neede Let vs not then say as the Papistes say that we ought to feare and doubt of Gods fauour and fil our mouthes with blasphemie as they haue done to say It is presumption to come with boldenesse vnto the throne of grace but let vs rather acknowledge all the goodnesse of God and confesse that he hath set vp vnto vs a throne of grace before whiche wee shall finde nothing but mercie but pardon but forgiuenesse but helpe neither wil we euer despise his grace to bring doutfulnesse or
to be praysed And in the Epistle to the Colossians The fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth bodily in him And many other places plaine as these grounded vpon this and such other places of the Prophets before them And therefore our sauiour Christ him selfe said vnto these Iewes whiche yet beleeue not Searche the Scriptures for they beare witnesse of mee The second thing heere attributed to Christ is That his kingdome is euerlasting So the Prophet Esaie had saide The increase of his gouernement and peace shall haue no ende He shal sit vpon the throne of Dauid and vppon his kingdome to order it and to stablish it with iudgement and with iustice from hencefoorth euen for euer The same testimonie the Angel gaue of his kingdome when hee came to the virgine Marie The Lord God saith he shall giue vnto him the throne of Dauid his father he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and his kingdome shal haue no ende And howe can this be possibly applied vnto Solomon so directly against the Scripture that the scepter should be taken once away not onely from the house of Solomon but from all tho tribe of Iudah And howe could they not see with their eyes the ruine of that kingdome and the throne of Solomon quite forgotten The thirde thing attributed heere to Christ is y the scepter of righteousnes is the scepter of his kingdomeâ—… according as the Prophet Dauid saith in an other place that righteousnesse and iudgement are the foundations of his throne And the meaning of these wordes is after expressely added Thou hast loued saith the Apostle righteousnesse and hated iniquitie This is the scepter of righteousnesse whiche he speaketh of that is that his gouernement shal be without all respect of pensons a ministerie of iustice and true iudgement euen according to the will of God his father with whome there is no acceptation of the person of a man. And howe can they attribute this to Solomon They knowe howe Solomon did fall away so farre from righteousnesse and hated iniquitie so little ere he died that he became a notable idolater And howe was his gouernement in suche iustice when the whole people came after to Rehoboam his sonne and saye Thy father did make our yoke grieuous now therefore make thou the grieuous seruitude of thy Father lighter we will feare thee The fourth thing heâ—…e spoken of our Sauiour Christ is y for this cause God had annoynted him with the oyle of gladnes aboue his felowes For this cause saith the scripture because thou louedst so muche iustice what meane they still to thinke here vppon Solomon and of suche reward of his righteous rule except they would haue the Scriptures false that beare witnesse of him He had turned as the Prophet sayth iudgement into wormewoode And howe standeth it that he was annoynted with the oyle of gladnes that is with giftes of the holie Ghost aboue his fellowes when many kings of Iudah haue greater praise of God then he and scarce any did fall from God so grieuously as he Nowe one refuge behinde which they think they haue is nothing at all they wil say that all this was spoken in respect of his beginning in which he was famous with this oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes and aboue all the worlde True it is in respect of his gouernement at the first I graunt this might be spoken of him but are not the wordes plaine that they are not meant of any that should beginne well and then fall backe For saith not the texte that this scepter of iustice shal be in his kingdome for euer Therefore howe so euer Solomon was once honoured aboue all kinges yet this praise was not his but anothers who shoulde for euer abide in his iustice and righteousnesse So these foure thinges here witnessed of the Prophet that he is called God that his kingdome is euerlasting that his gouernment shal be euer righteous that he is annoynted with oyle of gladnes aboue al his felowes All the Iewes in the world cannot see Solomon nor any mortall man in this glasse but muste needes acknowledge our sauiour Christ the sonne of God God and man the sauiour of the worlde the King and Priest of his people for euer Now further to examin this scripture for our own edifying let vs marke first how Solomon is set out a figure of Christ and so singular tokens shewes of Gods loue and mercie vppon him that he should resemble his only begoten sonne notwithstanding a man loaden with sinnes and iniquities so as few haue appeared more vnrighteous or more vnthankful to god Such an other example almost we haue in Samson a man ful of infirmities yet exceedingly beeloued of God and a liuely figure of his sonne Christe We learne in this bothe to knowe our selues and to knowe god In our selues to truste to nothing not riches honour friendes strength authoritie no not learning wisedome gouernement or any knowledge for in these both Samson and Solomon haue fallen downe before vs And if euer man had ben borne that could haue his happines in him selfe that man was Solomon strong in power rich in treasure wise in rule healthful in bodie sober in affection abounding in pleasure what so euer his eyes or eares could desire No gifte wanting in minde in bodie in outwarde life yea more then this a hart that could measure al the delights of the world to vse them as they are and se the vanitie that is in them and confesse that life in immortalitie is aboue all yet from al this he falleth when God leaueth him in his owne power to make trial of his owne strength for how could fleash and bloud preuaile against principalities the power of darknes And how could Solomon stande vpright thoughe his strength had bene double when Adam him selfe could fall from Paradise Then let not vs pore creatures boast our selues in whome there is no wisedome Come not into this fight in thine owne armour for where Solomon hath fallen who soeuer thou art thou wilt be crushed in pecees if in him there was so little help confesse thou with al humblenes of minde y in thy flesh there is no goodnesse but put thy trust in the liuing God by whome thou shalt be able to do all things And on the other side seeing the great fallings of Solomon did not let the good worke of the Lord but that hee made a man so full of infirmities so cleare an image of his sonne Christe and powred all his benefites so plentifully vpon him Let vs here see the goodnes of God who hath found a way to burie for euer the sinnes of all his people and so to forgett them that they haue none accompt the figure of Christ was therfore in Solomon that we should see how grace aboundeth aboue sinne how mercie is exalted aboue iudgement In the nature and bodie of Solomon we see the spirite quenched
scripture principalities rules powers dominions thrones Cherubim Seraphim Angels archangels therefore there be nine orders A thirde reason they drawe out of this because there is named Angel and Archangel in whiche names is manifest difference of degree therefore there are nine diuerse orders of Angels Touching the first argument of the nine precious stones of the King of Tyrus it is nothing but follie for what though he were compared to Angels in glorie because his garment was full of precious stones doth it therefore followe that as many kinde of stones as were in his gowne so many orders there should be of Angels If I sawe a man cloathed in riche colours and many iewels about him so that I would say hee shineth like the Sunne must it needes followe that as many colours as are about him so many colours are in the Sunne But the thing is all false the king is not compared there to Angels but because the Cherubims that couered the Mercie seate were of beaten Golde and excellent woorkemanshipp with them that King is compared and called the couering and the annoynted Cherub so that the nine precious stones muste bee nine orders of Cherubims vpon the mercie seate or nine orders of cloathing Nowe where they say there are nine seuerall names of them therefore nine orders First that is false for heere the Apostle out of the Prophet alledgeth two names more spirites and flaming fire They are called in Iob the sonnes of God so by this accompt there must be twelue orders of Angels Or if they will say these names are common to all Angels so is I am sure the name Angel whiche yet they make one particular order therefore if the communitie of the name take away the particular order then are there but eight orders if not then are there twelue But touching these names it is no doubt they are so named according to our vnderstāding as we see the great glorie power of God to appere in them that we might giue him the praise of his work and not imagine so precisely a iust number of the orders of Angels And this is most cleare in Paule him selfe when he had reckoned vp principalities rules powers dominions hee addeth And euery name that is named in this world or in the world to come a cleare sentence of his owne modestie in confessing a holie ignorance of the state of Angels and such as should moue vs to sobrietie to say with S. Augustine The difference of these degrees I confesse I knowe not if any man will say he knoweth it let him speak but let him proue that he speaketh And in dede very reason inforceth thus much that none knoweth the difference for the names are such as we cannot make any good distinction betweene them and the same names are giuen also to the diuels that we should be sure they note no order but rather signifie the power that is in them Now for their third argument that there are Angels and Archangels manifest wordes of degree first this wanteth much in accompt to make ix orders then I say and it can hardly bee confuted that wheresoeuer the name Archangel is mentioned it signifieth our Sauiour Christ and no creature Or if it be attributed to a creature he that in one work is called an Angel in another woorke of greater glorie in our eyes he may be there called an Archangel yet I wil not define any thing neither dare I affirme that all Gods Angels are of equall glorie I haue not climed into the Heauens to knowe such thinges but this I knowe that all this proueth nothing a diuersitie of thus manie orders Therefore now to leaue to speake of things vnprofitable to seeke after let vs see what true comfort God giueth vs in this place The Angels of whome so muche we haue spoken and whose honour is such that seeing our Sauiour Christ exceedeth them the Apostle here proueth he is the GOD of glorie In that I say these Angels serue for our safetie how great is our saftie And what shall we render vnto God for this saluation It were exceeding loue to giue to any man a garde of men about him it were more to giue him a garde of princes But what are men what are princes what are Kinges in respect of Angels whome God hath made to pitche about vs Not one of vs this day that are Christes but haue his Angels to keepe vs in our way What princes glorie can now dazell our eyes except we knowe not our selues Howe can wee enuie earthly blessinges of houses lands seruaunts to abound vnto our brethren except we be ignoraunt what God hath done for vs How can we fil our liues with any straunge concupiscence of thinges whiche God hath holden back from vs if we beleeue what excellent treasure of his angels he hath giuen vs If his Angels be ours how truely may we say with Paule Let vs not hereafter glorie in men for whether if be Paule or whether Apollo or whether Cephas whether it bee the worlde whether life or else death whether they be things present or else to come all is oures And why should we now feare to be shodd with the preparation of the Gospel of peace and go boldly whether trueth fayth holinesse duetie calleth vs What if the world breake with hatred or men swell in malice againste vs are the Angels driuen back with vaine threatenings Or what if we doe fall before the enimie and he preuaile against vs as it happened to our Sauiour Christ him selfe is this a want in Angels that watch ouer vs Or is it not rather the good wil of God that we should dye with Christ the sooner to reigne with him Last of all now let vs knowe how this glorie is giuen vs not of our selues but as wee are members of Christ for to him it doth properly belong who is our head He is the ladder which Iacob sawe in a dreame reaching from Heauen to Earth and the Angels ascending and descending by it as him selfe plainely expoundeth it saying to Nathaniel that he should see the heauens open and the Angels ascending and descending vppon the sonne of man so that this honour is ours as we be Christes to him it apperteineth and to vs it is giuen as we be made mēbers of his bodie by faith And thus far of angels Nowe let vs praye that it would please God our heauenly father of his gratious goodnesse to lighten our vnderstanding into all knowledge wisdome of his worde that we may be carefull because of our enimies lest at any time we fall into temptation and that we may be bolde in Iesu Christ who sitteth at the right hand of his father till he make all our enimies his fotestoole and who hath giuen vs his good guard of Angels that we might see his loue and know our honour that so we may consecrate our selues to set forth his praise and walke before him in holinesse
are spoken of thee thou Citie of God. There is neither Sunne nor Moone sea nor land golde nor siluer meate nor drinke no elementes of the worlde no obseruations of Moses lawe no traditions of men that is ouer man but man ruleth all and all is vnder his feete Here streight way bothe Iewe Gentile saith These be in deed golden promises but where are these honourable personages you speake of Are not we as our fathers were and doth not death deuour vs To this the Apostle aunswereth I graunt we do not yet see with our eyes how these thinges are but I say againe our eyes are no iudges in this case The glorie is not earthly and the kingdom is not of this world wherof we speak but the riches spirituall and of the spirituall man they are discerned Know thy selfe y by saith thou art Christs and he thine that he died for thee and thou liuest by him that thou art fleshe of his fleshe bone of his bone a member of his bodie and what soeuer is his is thine haue this faith and now come and see and thou shalt see all the glorie of the worlde lesse then the glorie of suche a man for thou seest Christe humbled in deede once that he might suffer death but euen then when he was in the shape of a seruaunt thou sawest him full of grace trueth euen as the onely begotten sonne of God thou sawest him soft of speache but of merucilous wisedome plaine in teaching but full of grace and power simple in countenaunce but of an inuincible courage of lowe degree but of excellent power of no account among men but great in miracles at which man was astonished Thus thou hast seene Christ euen when he was lowest highly exalted that thou hast no good cause to reason against thy dignitie though thine eye see not euen in this time all things subiect vnto thee but see further into our Sauiour Christ and thou shalt see more of thine owne honour Thou haste seene him in thy fleash raysed from the dead and in thy nature ascended into Heauen that man in his person might be crowned with glorie and honour we haue seene him carrie our fleash into the presēce of God his father and it is no more possible to take this glorie from vs as many as bee one with him then it is possible to pul away againe his personal humanitie from the person of his godhead This I see in Christ and know it in my selfe And what though yet a while the outward man be grieued Thou foole that which thou sowest it reuiueth not againe except it first dye a litle corne of wheate it can not haue vertue to becōe thirtie fourtie times better then it was beeing multiplied to so many all as good as it selfe bringing beside fruitfull increase of strawe and chaffe except it firste bee cast in the ground dye And how shouldest thou haue a change but if thou be first corrupt And how much art thou better then a graine of corne y thou mightest surely know whē through corruptiō thou shalt come into incorruption that thy glorie shal be then vnspekable althings shall serue thee to make thy life infinitely blessed more then it is Thy hope now if thou couldst inlarge it a thousand folde yet it shuld be greter thē thou cāst imagine thy faith if it could comprehend more assurance of immortalitie then y eye doth surely of y light of the sunne yet y shalt finde y fruite of it aboue al thy thoughts This thou seest if thou see Christe and this thou knowest to be thine if thou know thy self to be one with him And for thy sinns howsoeuer they cleaue vnto thy bones hate them as thou hatest hell for from thence they are and the diuel worketh them but care not for them for though they were heauie in weight and manie in number what then thou haste thy hope not in thine owne person but in the bodie of Christ into which thou art graffed and in which there is no ▪ spott nor blemish but perfecte righteousnesse euen before God and in him as all other things so sinne also is putt vnder thy feete and thou art ruler ouer◅t And thus farr of the doctrine of the Apostle heere taught vs in this his Exhortation Nowe let vs returne to his other purpose howe he teacheth the humanitie of our Sauiour Christe the first reason whereof is in these wordes That hee might tast of death for all For as to the end he might suffer death it was necessarie he should be humbled because death else could not come into his presence so suffering death that man might bee deliuered by that death it was necessarie that hee him selfe should be man for so were the iust iudgements of God he gaue man a lawe pronounced a curse to him that brake it therfore whē we had all trespassed we were fallen into the punishment of our sinne for y threatnings of God are not as the words of a man that can alter or by some intercession that they can be mitigated but with God there is no change nor shadow of change that whiche with him is once purposed was euer decreed and his words are not weake but what he hath threatened if we fal into his hands all the creatures of the worlde haue no helpe for thee So that this beeing decreed of God Cursed is he that abideth not in all things written in this booke all people must nedes say Amen And The soule that sinneth must nedes dye redemption from this there is none to be loked for but by suffering of it for y Lord had spoken it must be done so our Sauiour Christ sith he would deliuer vs he must be made man like vnto vs and in our nature dye the death Our sinnes are not imputed vnto vs but they were imputed vnto him The punishment of them is forgiuen vs but it was not forgiuen him Righteousnesse is freely giuen vs but it was not freely giuen him He obeyed the lawe of his father euery iot and euery title that he might fulfill all righteousnesse He bare the condemnation of hell and death that he might abolish it He tooke vppon him the guiltinesse of our sinnes and bare them in his owne bodie y he might nay le them vpon his crosse Whē it pleased God our heauenlie father of his greate mercie to accept the obedience of his lawe for our perfecte righteousnesse and to giue vnto it the recompence of eternall life and when it pleased God to accept this for a full punishment of all the sinnes of man if any man could bee found to beare it before God and ouercome it our Sauiour Christ craued no more but this the residue he perfourmed all in his owne bodie and by his eternall spirite ouercame it so that in him is life in him is righteousnes in him is immortalitie in him is the reconciled good wil of God and that excellent wisdōe
heere taught vs by the apostle The church of God is not found by places and countries it is but a foolish thing to say Here is Christ or there is Christ he is in the desert or he is in the towne but as where the carcase is there are the Eagles so where are men that beleeue in Christ there is his Church This is the Apostles meaning when he saith Whose house are we Now as we haue learned to seeke the church not in places but in the harts of men so in the words folowing the men are also described that by their marks we may know them from other men of the world which are not of the house of God but an assemblie of the wicked It followeth If we hold stedfast the confidence and reioycing of our hope vntill the end Here the Apostle setteth downe three especiall marks and properties by which the Churche and children of God are knowne the first is the ioy of their hope the seconde the assurance of it the third the constancie and perseuerance vnto the end The ioy of our hope is a present feelinge of immortalitie and the glorie of God which the holie Ghost kindleth in our hearts filleth vs with all heauenly gladnes according to the promises preached in the worde of trueth which is his Gospel And let vs not thinke but that God hathe done thus with vs whom he hath chosen to eternall life He hath prepared our hearts to know and feele his vnspeakable gifte which he hath giuen vs for if we should bestow any gifte vpon men we are not so vnwise to giue a precious thing vnto him that knows not what it is we would not giue him a Diamond that would thinke it to be a piece of glasse nor wee would not giue him a pearle that would thinke it to be a graine of salt for so we should leese both our labour and our thankes And shal we thinke the Lord wil so bestow his heauenly blessings will he giue his gifts to those that know them not who can not giue him againe the praise of his goodnes no he will neuer do it but as Peter sayth he hath taken vs for his owne people to the ende we should shewe forth his vertues that hath called vs out of darknes into his maruelous light therefore if we bee in the couenant of his grace appointed to the inheritance of his glorie it is impossible wee should not feele the comfort of it and know the height breadthe of his great mercie and grace If there be a barren and fruitlesse man that knoweth nothing of all this in whose eares the sound of the name of God hath neither feare nor reuerence and in whose heart his knowledge hath neither ioy nor gladnes he is yet a straunger from the church of God and cannot challenge anie part or fellowship of the Gospell of Christe for while he can feele no greater pleasure then of bodily delite his eye to see his eare to heare his mouth to taste his skin to touch why is not the oxe as good as he for these thinges are vnto the oxe as well as vnto him or if honour riches authoritie credite fauour be the things he loue moste and in which he hath greatest comfort what is he better then the Paganes infidels that were before him in whome this desire was as much and this delight muche more abounding then vnto vs for we in respecte of them are beggerly tenants and they in respecte of vs were monarches of the whole worlde If these things coulde make the house of God the house of God were among the beastes of the field or among sauage people worse then beastes whose desires if they be our desires and their delightes if they be our delights we shal be of them and they of vs but the house of God shal be of neither of both for in the house of God is this hope that we speak of a feeling I say of Gods glorie in whiche we haue pleasure more then in all the worlde Let vs take an example of Paule in steede of manie he protesteth thus I accompt all the world to be losse vnto mee yea I accompt it but as doung to the ende I may winne Christe haue thou this heart and thou hast peace and thou hast sealed it that thou art of the house of God and this is it that the Apostle teacheth vs heere in these wordes if we holde this reioycing of our hope stedfast vnto the end Another thinge heere to be learned if wee will knowe our selues to be this house and Churche of God is that as we holde this hope so we must hold it stedfast and without wauering vnto the end for so the Apostle sayth We must haue stedfast assuraunce of our hope he calleth it in the sixt chapter A full persuasion of hope Sainct Paule calleth it His intentiue hope a hope in which he shall neuer bee frustrate So that this assurance and ful persuasion is in a true and liuing hope and it casteth out mistruste and wauering euen as fayth doth for fayth hope cannot be separate neither in nature nor propertie but if you haue fayth you haue hope and as your faith is so is your hope a sure faith a liuely hope a wauering faith a blinde hope for our faith is a persuasion of the loue of God in Christ our hope is an apprehēsiō of the glory which by that loue is giuē to vs. It can not be that we should knowe the loue and grace of God which is our faith but we must know the fruit of his loue that is his glorie eternal life which is our hope if therfore we be sure God doth loue vs in Iesu Christe wee are also sure that God will glorifie vs through Iesu Christe and as our fayth reioyceth in Gods fauour so our hope reioyceth in Gods glorie and as our faith is sure that nothing shall separate the loue of God from vs so our hope longeth after the incorruptible inheritaunce which we feele and knowe is laide vpp in heauen So this constancie and boldenes of our hope without wauering laid vp in our breastes and crying stil within vs Come Lorde Iesu this hope is our warrant we be the house of god And all this I speake more plainely in mo words because there are so many which either cannot or will not vnderstande it for they conceiue no other thinge when wee speake of hope but a desire to haue a thing wherof we doubt if we aske of thē whether they be sure to be saued through Christ they will answer they can haue no assurance for thē how could they hope thus they make them a hope of their owne a new hope which the Church of God knoweth not a doubtfull desire of a thing they wishe in steade of a present feelinge of the thing they long for But let vs be wise hearted and knowe before the Lord as the Apostle
worshippest God and an idoll too And consider I beseech you but this one thing and marke it well that the Scripture is thus called the The worde of God. There is no doubt but the name of God is great ouer al the earth his name is praysed from the rysing of the sunne to the going downe of the same neither is there any creature but it sheweth foorth his glorie yet hath not God reserued the â—…ound of his name to be called vpon 〈◊〉 y name of any creature but he hath giuen this only to his woorde We do not say The heauen of God nor the earth of God nor any thing in them vnder the name of God is noted notwithstanding they shew forth his glorie but the writings of the Apostles prophets by this name we know them The word of God why else but that his wisdome his power his glorie his mercie especially and aboue al things shineth in his worde and therefore let vs persuade our selues that his maiestie can not be so highly offended in any abuse of all his creatures as when his woord is despised When man sawe not his eternall power and Godhead which was manifest and might haue ben knowen in the workes of the creation of the worlde yet God did ouersee all their ignorances and had pitie on them he gaue them a better testimonie of his presence made his worde knowen in the middes of them that they might beleeue it and be saued which word whosoeuer shal despise he hath despised the power of God by which he should be saued is more guiltie before god theÌ„ paganes infidels which neuer knew him neither can there be any other meane of saluatioÌ„ vnto him To this effecte no doubt the apostle giueth this reuerende speach to the prophesie The holie ghost hathâ—… saide Thus hauing prepared the people to heare regard he setteth downe the words of the prophet as followeth To day if you wil heare his voice hardeÌ„ not your harts as in the bitter murmuring in the day of tentatioÌ„ in the wildernes where your fathers c. To vnderstand this exhortatioÌ„ well we must see the whole purpose of the psalme The prophet maketh this psalme no doubt as a preparation for the people in all their holie conuocation how to present them selues before the Lord after the same manner in a good and laudable custome we vse it now in the church in our seruice vnto God beginning with this Psalme to stirre vs vp into feare and reuerence an earnest desire of the praise of god O come let vs sing vnto the Lord c. and because our zeale toward God is faint and hypocrisie hath infected the heartes of manie therefore the Prophet toucheth them neerer that if they will stand acceptable before God delay not nor bee faint hearted but euen speedily with a good courage Today if you will heare his voice harden not your heartes c. And he rehearseth the examples of their fathers who tempted God and fel in the wildernes the feare of whose examples should make vs wise This beeing now the plaine meaning of the prophet you see how fitly this Scripture is alledged by the Apostle as then the Prophet cryed vnto them in their assemblies Today if you will hear his voice c that they might keepe holie their Sabbaoth dayes and bee holie in their assemblyes before their God to heare his woorde with humilitie and offer them selues in a holie obedience vnto it So here the Apostle applying it vnto Christe who then spake by his Prophetes that his woorde now might haue also the reuerence of his owne person he sayth also to them Today if you wil heare his voice harden not your heartes c. Now touching the words that he sayth Today he meaneth all the time in which the gospel is preached teaching vs heerby that so long as the word is preached so long saluation is offered In like sense Saint Paul exhorting the CorinthiaÌ„s not to receiue the grace of God in vaine alledgeth this saying out of Esaic I haue hearde thee in an acceptable time and in the day of saluation haue I succoured thee wherevnto he addeth Behold now is the acceptable time beholde now is the day of saluation plainely expounding this time this day to be so long as the gospell is preached by which we learne how great a benefite it is to heare Christ preached for then God offereth him self vnto vs then he stretcheth out his handes as the prophet sayth to imbrace vs then he calleth vs to come vnto him then he wil accept vs then is the time of saluation for vs all his fauour loue mercie goodnes al his graces are laid out vnto vs he hath opened the heauens y we might see and shewed forth his glorie that we might vnderstand and be no more vnbeleeuing but beleeuing And what excuse trow we can we take vp to bringe before him if this Gospell of grace of peace of life be preached vnto vs and not regarded Therfore euen as the Apostle sayth afterward so let vs learne While the Gospel is preached it is stil called Today harden not our hartes against it through the deceites of sinne And this I beseech you once againe to remember that when the Gospell is preached vnto vs then it is Today Take away this word preached which is the power of God to thy saluation and what time art thou in Sure in the night in whiche no man can woorke for this is the day when his voice is heard Euen as the dayes of our life they arise with the sunne and go downe againe with it so the day of our saluation it springeth in the preaching of the Gospell and it is shut vpp againe with the ceasing of that voice and therfore the holie ghost saith when our sauiour Christ doth come to Capernaum in the borders of Zabulon and Nephtalim The people that sat in darknesse sawe a great light and to them that sat in the region and in the shadowe of death light arose vp vnto them this light is the light of the sonne of righteousnesse how long so euer it shineth so long shineth the acceptable time and the day of health nowe would I faine know what auaile prayers for the dead what helpeth sacrifices for them in purgatorie is not this Sonne gone downe vpon them is it not night with them and they all haue made their beds in the dark Haue they any more eares to heare or are they not as men dead long agoe Howe then can yet their state bee changeable How can they obtein grace mercie peace by our intercession If they can the Apostle sayth not true that it is no longer Today then while the Gospell is preached Sainct Paule saith not true that now onely is the Acceptable time our Sauiour Christ deceiued vs when he said The night commeth in which no man can work but this was the enuie of the diuell to
names it is plaine what storie is ment and we haue in it to learne first how great a crime it is to resist the minister of God for the name of that sinne God hath giuen vnto the place for a perpetuall remēbrance what the punishment of it hath beene and againe what it is to fall from our hope that we haue in Gods prouidence to mistrust him to feare that he wil faile vs for this is to tempt God with which sinne how highly he is displeased the name of the place to this day beareth witnes ▪ which Moses for that cause called tentation And heere againe let vs learne howe and in what case we may giue names vnto places and that is when the remembrance of the name is a putting vs in minde of some speciall worke of God towarde vs as in remembrance of the excellent vision that God gaue Iacob he caled the place Bethel When God gaue to Abraham the life of Isaak his sonne and saued him from sacrificing Abraham called the place Iehouah Iireh Likewise in remembrance of GODS punishments when he diuided the peoples tongues hee called the name of the place Babel When God destroyed from heauen the hoast of Israel with fire for remembraunce of the punishment they named the place Taberah Manie suche examples are in the Scripture good and profitable for vs to followe if we had hearts that feared God and had comfort in the remembraunce of all his workes but we haue leaf◅ that good worke of our forefathers and as time corrupteth all things so it hath here corrupted our manners In deede we giue names still vnto places but not now for any conscience toward God the better to remember his goodnesse towardes vs but we erecte thereby monumentes to our fleshe and make shrines of pride We do I am affraid as the prophet Dauid saith the wicked do think their houses their habitations shal continue for euer and cal their landes by their names We swell with vanitie and are puffed vp with pride in this hautinesse of heart wee giue names vnto our houses this boasting is not good and of suche high minded men the prophet saith They shal lie like sheepe in their graues death shal deuour them yea al their pompe with them of this let vs beware for it is a sinne that cleaueth fast vnto vs we are easily ledd with it otherwise if God giue vs humble heartes and mindes in the naming of our houses after our owne names or after other there is no hutt at all Now where it is saide They tempted God and proued him in the wildernesse where they saw his works fourty yeeres we must knowe the wildernesse was a terrible and fearefull place full of temptations where the people alwayes wanted sometime meat somtime drinke in feare of enimies in feare of serpentes in muche affliction but what of this yet if they tempt God they are rebellious against god For he that made the wildernesse and all the terrour of it is not his power ouer it to saue his sainct◅s No place no man no terrour must ouerthrowe our hope in Gods prouidence or if it do wee tempt God and prouoke him against vs therefore Dauid saide Though I walked through the vallie of the shadowe of death yet I would not feare because thou art with mee And let vs neuer deceiue our selues for if wee be not as Dauid was to trust still in God yea though he seemed to kill vs Surely let our dayes be neuer so peaceable yet euerie occasion will make vs fall from God. Solomon saith if we faint in the day of aduersitie our strength was neuer great and if with the Israelites we would murmur in the wildernesse with the Israelites we would also rebell euen in the lande of Canaan for they were no more obedient when they had peace when their lande flowed with milke and honie then when they were in the solitarie desert And let vs not looke vpon our fathers example but loke vpō our selues this day doth this peace of the Gospel make vs more thankful or more desirously to giue vs our selues to be seruants of the Lord then we were before whē we felt y prison houses hoat fires of idolatric the Lord knoweth he iudgeth and we are wise if our hearts be settled for no cause at all to leaue our obedience to God then we may be bolde and say with Iob If he wil kill vs let him not spare for we haue not denied the wordes of the holie one let it come that he sendeth Neither the wildernes nor fierie serpents nor yet y fruitful vines and pleasant springs of the land of Canaan shall separate betweene God and vs. And heere that God sayth he did xl yeres shew his woorkes vnto them he meaneth bothe Manna with which he ◅ed them from heauen their continuall leading with the pillour of cloude and pillour of fire and all other miracles whiche he did before them wherein appeareth the long suffering of God and as Paule sayth The riches of his bountifulnes great patience whiche is not ouercome with our sinnes but he once promised it vnto Abraham to giue a land vnto them and all the rebellion of his childrē could neuer falsifie his promise This ought to strengthen our faith to the forgiuenes of our sinnes we haue a couenant of God greater and better they y made with Abraham euen a couenant made in his only begotten Sonne through whom he hath said he is well pleased with vs and will remember out sinnes nor our iniquities any more And let vs not feare neither the greatnesse of our sinne nor the craf◅nes of our enimie but in a repenting and faithful heart trust vnto his promise that can not change his grace nor repent him of his mercie for euer And yet that wee should not be here secure and commit sinne without regarde as men that carrie away the grace of God to wantonnesse thinking any outward calling to be warrant enough of our election To take away the grosse opinion and make vs serch better whether we be the children of the couenaunt or no therfore he addeth that he was angrie with this generation and said It is a people that doe erre in their heartes for they haue not knowen my wayes c. testifying by this threatening that his promises were not to them onely in their birth that they were the children of Israel but much more in this if they walked in the steppes of the fayth of Abraham So all we this day saluation is promised vnto vs in Iesu Christe in a holie couenaunt whiche shall neuer be broken but God will make all our enimies our footestoole and will surely take vs into his glorie But let vs be wise to see whether the couenaunt is made with vs or no for as not all that were borne of Abraham were the children of Abraham so not all that professe the Gospell shall haue
the saluation of the Gospell for there are many drunkards gluttons adulterers couetous men blasphemers lyers contentious persons and suche other whiche shall neuer into the kingdome of of Heauen yet will they boast of the gospell of Christ but he that dyeth with Christ and is buried with him touching the olde man and as Christe is risen from the dead so by the spirite of Christe he that ryseth vp into newenesse of life with him this couenaunt is mad and with none other and he shal be iustified by his fayth when the sinnes of the wicked shall fall vpon them Further in this threatening wee haue to marke first the cause euen the peoples sinne which the prophet setteth out thus It is a people that do erre in their hearts for they haue not knowen my ways This is the beginnig of all euil to leaue the ordinances of God and walke in our owne imaginations and this is onely follie to forsake the word of God the founteine of all wisedome and to followe our owne inuentions whiche are vaine and fruitlesse So Moses vpbraideth the people when they obeyed no longer Gods ordinances to do them but made new lawes vnto themselues to liue by They are sayth he a nation voide of counsel neither is there any vnderstanding in them by this we know what they are what wisedome and counsell is in them that take away the worke of God and teache their owne traditions It is a plaine sentence They erre in their hartes for they haue not knowen my wayes So we may boldly say It is a foolishe people an ignoraunt people a people full of blindnesse and sinne whosoeuer walke in their owne imaginations for they haue forsaken the wayes of God and nowe what wisedome can there be in them And mark that he saith They erre in their hearts noting what studie is in theÌ„ and howe full they are of thoughtes and cogitations what to deuise euer mâ—…sing euer inuenting and neuer the better no quietnesse is within vs So that we are sure our owne traditions the more wee followe them our owne foolishnesse doeth the more vexe and disquiet vs and wee doe nothing else but waste pensiue dayes and heauie nightes studying with our selues how we may perish If thou doubt of this whosoeuer thou art heare the worde of the Lorde They erre in their heart for they haue not knowen my wayes if thou hearest it and knowest it leaue off their wofull wayes who seeke tradition and erre in their heartes and haue no peace and followe the worde of God whiche onely giueth light and securitie vnto vs. An other thing in this threatning is that God sweareth They shal not enter into his rest This oth is to persuade vs that with a constant purpose God is iust euen as he is merciful and let vs not flatter our selues in vaine hope to escape his anger while wee will needes walke still in our sinnes for in iustice iudgement the glorie of God shineth and no more then he can breake his promise of loue and mercie made with his Sainctes no more will he defile his couenant in whiche he hath threatened the rebellious people but hee will surely recompence their sinnes into their bosome and his anger shall consume them Therfore to these also hath he sworne and he wil not repent him They that haue not knowen his wayes they shall neuer enter into his rest of this rest we shall haue occasion to speake hereafter Now let vs pray that God for his sonnes sake woulde prepare our hearts to the hearing of his voice that wee may not be despisers as our forefathers haue beene whom God threatned in his heauie displeasure and hath shewed his iudgements toward them euen as he would but let vs be as his sheepe that doe heare his voice that his worde may he in our heartes a seede of regeneration by whiche we may be borne a newe into holinesse and righteousnesse to glorifie him that is our God for euer c. ¶ The sixteenth Lecture vpon the 12. 13. 14. verses 12 Take heede brethren lest at any time there be in any of you an euil heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God. 13 But exhort one another dayly while it is called To day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne 14 For we are made partakers of Christ if we keepe sure vnto the end that beginning wherwith we are vpholden IN these words the Apostle beginneth more particularly to handle y former words of the Prophet and so to amplifie his exhortation that in no wise the Hebrues should forget to heare to obey christ their only prophet first of all in this that the Prophet sayth To day â–ª by which the Apostle gathereth that we must not neglecte this time of our calling but wheÌ„ the voice of the Lord is heard then we must shew our obedience for it is not meet that he should speak and we should be deafe nor he should call to day and we to make answer we will come to morrowe such loose regard of the worde of the liuing God becommeth not those that are his Saincts neither doth our sauiour Christ so teach vs himselfe when he saith so many times He that hath eares to heare let him heare therfore when the Lord openeth his mouth let vs erecte our eares and in the day that he doth teache let vs learne in the same glorifie god in his goodnes this is y plain meaning of the Apostle in these words of the twelfth thirteenth verse Take heed brethren lest at any time there be in any of you an euil heart vnfaithful to depart froÌ„ the liuing God but exhort one another daily while it is yet called To day lest any of you be hardened with the deceitfulnesse of sinne Beside this generall doctrine in the wordes of the Apostle we haue manie thinges profitable to note First that heere againe he calleth them by the name of Brethren he sheweth a great affection of brotherlie loue toward them for there is no doubt but he was free from flattering woordes and of the aboundance of his heart his mouth did speake so that this testimonie of his good will had greate weight to allure the Hebrues the more willingly to heare him And we must learne a verie good lesson with what care and loue earnest desire wee must do all things to our neighbour We must not as in other things where wee care not greatly whether they come to passe or no so vse our exhortations and admonitions to our bretâ—…en but what we aduise them or speake vnto them touching the feare of God we must haue all our heart bent to doe them good no care nor desire ought to be greater in vs then this that by some meanes we might doe them good This affection the Apostle sheweth when hee calleth them Brethren and we that this day preach vnto you when we say dearely beloued or louing brethren or vse
take his mercie from vs A plaine rule of this Saint Paule commendeth vnto vs all writing to the Philippians With feare saith he and trembling make an end of your owne saluation commending lowlinesse and humblenesse of minde but yet ioyning it fast to the hope of eternall life And this counsell hee followed him selfe as he sayth to the Corinthians I was among you in weakenesse and in feare and in muche trembling Yet hee helde fast his fayth that Neyther death â–ª nor any creature should separate him from the loue of God. And this the Apostle euen in this place teacheth when hee addeth Leaste anie of you seeme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 depriued For in deede he is not depriued or â—…rustrate of any hope who neuer had hope but it seemeth so to some because he would talke of hope No more can any man fall who neuer stoode yet because it appeareth so Sainct Paule sayth He that seemeth to stande let him take heede hee fall not It is moste certeine Hope maketh not ashamed but we deceiue our selues in thinking we haue hope for true hope as is saide here is in the promises and they are apprehended with faith and faith hathe feare of sinne Where these thinges are no man is depriued of his hope where these things are not he hopeth foolishly who had in deede no hope at all And he is saide to fall out who at the last is founde to haue no inheritance with the Sainctes who yet neuer fell out for in deede he neuer was within the couenaunt according to that which Sainct Iohn saith They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they should haue â—…arried with vs. This I say that you may know how to answere the enimies of oure fayth who â–ª woulde haue vs still to doubt and neuer to be sure of Gods promises when they obiecte vnto vs these places of feare we may aunswer them that our feare is our humilitie and casting away of pride our feare is our reuerende care to walke in the wayes of God if they feare any other feare wee will not feare with them â–ª For God hath not giuen vnto vs the spirite of feare againe vnto bondage but he hath giuen vs the spirit of adoption by which we crie Abba Father This is oure blessinge whiche wee haue of GOD and in whiche wee shoulde alwayes reioyce I graunt wee do not here obey God as wee shoulde for who is hee that sinneth not Wee feare many times and Gods dearest children are most tempted so that they are brought sometime euen to hell gates but this we confesse is our infirmitie the trueth of Gods promises ought to haue greater faith within vs but it is necessarie we should feele our sinnes that we might be humbled and we must die in our selues that we may reigne throughe the victorie which Christ hath gotten and in al our weakenesse we will still confesse that we may not nor ought not thus to feare but muche rather to reioyce in the Lorde and alwayes reioyce Nowe it followeth in the Apostle For vnto vs hath the Gospel bene preached as wel as vnto them but the word that they heard profited not them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it In these wordes the Apostle sheweth the cause why he hathe thus applied the prophets exhortation vnto vs because vnto vs nowe the same Gospell is preached which was preached vnto them and if we be vnfaithfull howe should wee escape but bee partakers of the same punishmentes This place is well to be marked which teacheth vs that the same saluation is now preached whiche was preached before to all Patriarches and Prophets in whiche wee knowe there hathe beene but one way of saluation from the beginning of the worlde for then this was promised whiche is nowe perfourmed The seede of the woman shoulde breake the head of the serpent from whiche promise made there was neuer but one faith of Gods electe and one way of life which was Iesu Christe euen as our Apostle sayth Iesus Christ yesterday and to day he is the same world without-end And this doctrine is not new but the Prophets and Patâ—…arches knew it with vs and they all beleeued the Catholique church and communion of Sainctes euen as this day we do â–ª Saint Peter saith That it was reuealed vnto the prophets that not vnto them selues but vnto vs they ministred those things which now are preched vnto vs. And the Prophet Esay in the 14. chapter sheweth howe God called out all nations as it were to dispute with him whether there were any saluation in the world but by his free grace and first hee asketh who called Abraham in that couenant of mercie which was giuen him who hath done it euen he that called the generations from the beginning I the Lord I am the first and with the lâ—…ste I am the same expressely teaching that his people of Israel had the saâ—…e saluation whiche Abraham had and Abraham the same which all nations and countries euer shall haue one sauing health of all euen as God is for ever vnchaungeable So Sainct Paule making comparison betweene vs and the people of Israel of whome here the Apostle speaketh he saith They eate all the same spirituall meat drank all the same spirituall drink for they did drinke of the rock which followed them and the rock was Christe And not onely this one saluation is vnto all but this also onely Christ hath beene euer the Prophet and minister to declare that saluation for so the Apostle teacheth then and nowe his voice was heard and as it is saide after â–ª his voice did then shake the earth yea before then ih the dayes of Noe he was preached vnto the disobedient people who were drowned in the floude and are now holden in the prison of their sinne So that this we know in Christ are saued all his saints and by Christ they haue ben taught all that euer did beleeue Wherby we learne all the sacrifices of the patriarches and all sacrifices and ceremonies of the law they purged no part of their sinns neither was there anie redemption in them for the Israelites had not the Fathers sacrifices nor the fathers had their ceremonies nor we haue now either sacrifices or ceremonies which were in honour among them yet one saluation is vnto vs all and therefore as we may boldly say vnto them all their ordinaunces in worldly elementes they did not purge their consciences meates and drinks did not helpe them who were dailye exercised in suche obseruations so agaiue they may say vnto vs neither our sacraments doe giue grace vnto vs no more then theirs vnto them they seale vnto vs the grace that is in Christ and assure vs of the saluation that is in him but in them selues there is no health at all And if we may say thus euen of the sacramentes instituted
the Maiestie of GOD when them selues are but spirites and therefore Christ that he might be highe Priest tooke not an Angels nature but was made of the seede of Abraham like vs that as there is but one God so there might bee but one Mediatour betweene God and man euen the man Christe Iesus in this respect as able to bee high Priest as Aaron him selfe beeing as naturally and as truely cloathed with our flesh as Aaron was The second propertie of the Prieste is that hee should be ordeyned not onlie for him selfe to make his owne atonement but also for other men to accomplish whatsoeuer was betwene God and them that where they were before enimies and straungers they might by him be reconciled and haue free accesse vnto the throne of grace to finde mercie and succour in due time and for this cause Christe alone is a perfect Priest more excellent then Aaron who was incumbred with his owne sinnes to make first reconciliation for them and therefore could not profit other And as this was the Priests office to be a mediatour for other so the meanes he must vse and the mediation to bee wrought in this woorke was to offer vp gifts and sacrifices of sinnes that is to present vnto God the sacrifice of righteousnesse pure and holy in his sight in whiche hee might be pleased the sinnes of the people might be taken awaye the whiche sacrifice because it must be so pure that in it they for whom it was made must be sanctified and so precious that it must be a sufficient purchase to redeeme man from all transgression therefore it coulde not bee made with the bloud of Calues or Goates whiche can not take away sinne nor with golde nor siluer whiche can not redeeme our soules nor with meates and drinkes which profited not thē that were exercised therein nor in any suche carnall rites for whiche the priesthood of Aaron was ordeined and therefore as an other priest must make this sacrifice whiche can not be any other then Iesus Christe who beeing made high Priest of the good things to come by a greater tabernacle and a more precious sacrifice euen by his owne bloude hath obteined for vs an euerlasting redemption and therefore is nowe to be acknowledged our onely Priest the first Priesthood and the first lawe beeing altogether abrogated One other propertie of the priesthood is y none thrust in himselfe beeing not appointed nor take vnto himselfe this honour being not called vnto it And God euer shewed himselfe a readie reuenger against all such as should defile his Priesthood to take to themselues the dignitie to which they were not appointed But this calling also was giuen vnto Christ from God his father as before vnto Aaron both by word and by othe that no flesh shoulde resist it euen as it is written The Lord hath sworne and will not repente thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech so that in this behalfe our faith must be euer strong that the callinge of Christ is of the Lord euen as the calling of Aaron was and with so much the greater iudgment it shal be reiected because it was confirmed with an othe The last propertie in this comparison is that the highe priest of the law should haue an inwar compassion to ward them that were ignorant and were deceiued in which perfect knot of vnfeigned loue his ministerie was accepted of God and his sacrifices receiued accounted holy and lest he should cast from him this brotherly aflection God printed deepe in his owne bodie the infirmities of his brethren that according to the measure of grace which he had receiued he might in deede be moued with his brothers harmes as with his owne so that he did not withdrawe him selfe from the seruice of the Sanctuarie but put on the holy garmentes was annoynted with the holie oyle bare the names of his brethren before the Lorde presented their sacrisices absteined from wine and strong drinke mourned not for his friendes that were departed taught diligently the people prayed for their transgressions and bare the burthen of his people as God had laid it vpon him But yet this propertie exceeded more in Christe then in all the tribe of Leuie and the bowels of all compassion were more large within him then the vtmoste braunches of it in any other creature And this the Apostle noteth in this place which now we haue in hand in which we may see as in a moste liuelie glasse the perfect beautie of all excellent loue The thinges they were not light nor the sorrowes small nor the sighings few in number nor the prayers faint nor the anguish of spirite little nor the death easie by which hee hath sealed it vnto vs that he had compassion on his people but as the Apostle saith in the dayes of his flesh while hee was heere clothed in mortalitie like vnto one of vs to the end he might be faithfull for our sakes hee did offer vp prayers and supplications with strong cryings and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was also heard in things which he feared and beeing him selfe the Sonne yet hee learned obedience by the thinges which he susuffered and being consecrate was made the authour of eternall saluation to them that obey him These wordes my deare brethren we haue now in hande to search and examine what the spirite teacheth vs so much y more carefully to be harkened vnto of vs how much the more plainly it setteth foorth vnto vs the greate loue and compassion that Christ beareth towardes vs Two things especiallie here the Apostle testifyeth First the sufferings of our Sauiour Christe and then the benefite that wee enioy by the same according as his sufleringes were onely for our sake His sufferinges what they were and howe great sorrow oppressed him hee sheweth by those effectes whiche his sorrowes brought forth that is prayers supplications cryings teares feare and anguish of spirite whiche things waited euer vppon him euen to the accomplishing of all his passions which was the death of his crosse The fruite that we doe reape of these afflictions which hee suffered is the saluation of our soules and eternall life if we will obey him In this description of his sufferinges though the things are set forth which were common and vsuall vnto him all his life yet it appeareth especiallie the Apostle meaneth that greatest conflicte of sorrowe which hee had a little before his passion described by the Euangelistes in all s◅ilitude like vnto this which the Apostle heere declareth For as it is here said He made prayers noting by the worde that they were many in number so it appeareth in the Gospell that beside other prayers three times he tepeated this one Father if it be possible let this cup passe from mee and as it is said hee made supplications humbling him selfe lowe vnder the hand of his Father so it is said in the Gospel that then
the strong meate with whiche the hope of the resurrection feedeth perfect men Last of all heere is mention made of eternal iudgement which was taught to children that they might knowe when all bodies should arise againe then the Lorde woulde set a day of his iudgemente in whiche he would iustifie and crowne with immortall glorie al his children and cast out into darknesse and endlesse condemnation al the wicked and reprobate But so to haue knowledge of this iudgement that we now behold in faith how the son of man shal come with maiestie and all his holy Angels with him how he shal come with a great crie with the voice of an Archangel with y blast of y trumpet of God that all creatures may heate his voice to restore again the bodies y they had consumed so y al nations kinreds of men should stande at once before him of which he shall make separation on his right hande and on his left to fill the one with life and glorie and put songs into their mouthes of euerlasting ioy and to condemne the other in hell and death with shamefull crying and gnashing of teeth To knowe this with vnspeakable comfort long looking for of all the promises of God and with feare and trembling at all his heauie threatenings this is thy strong meate of eternall iudgement which the Lord God of spirites graunt vnto vs for his sonnes sake who must needes be vnto vs a mercifull iudge if we do rest in him as in our only sauiour The time is past Now let vs praye c. ¶ The xxvij Lecture vpon the 3. 4. 5. and 6. verses 3 And this will we doe if God permit 4 For it is impossible that they which were once lightned and haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghoste 5 And haue tasted of the good worde of God and of the powers of the worlde to come 6 If they fal away should be renued againe by repentance seeing they crucifie againe to them selues the Sonne of God and make a mocke of him WE haue heard before the Apostles exhortation that we should goe forward and what pointes of religion hee set downe meete for children beyond which we must goe to knowe all the mysterie of God and christ And in these pointes here mentioned I tolde you as the generall knowledge of thē was milke so yet exactly out of the scripture to vnderstand them as wee are taught euen that also it is strong meate The Apostle now goeth forward and sayth And this also we wil doe if God permit that is by the grace of God we wil goe forewarde wee will not be alwayes dul of hearing and children of vnderstanding These wordes are an encouragement vnto them that they should not be discomforted for God would no doubt haue mercie vppon them to giue them vnderstanding hearts learned mindes to apprehend and see the great saluation of the Lorde Then to the end that they should not receiue the graces of God in vaine but vse in deede all these good giftes to their owne good benefite he addeth because of the greate rebellion of some and hard harts that are not easily led another reason vnto his wordes which is full of feare and terrour assuring thē that the Gospel cannot be preached vnto them in vaine but of force it must needes haue his fruite and be a sweete sauour vnto God in Christe either of life vnto life if they wil beleue hearken or else of death vnto death if they wil be despisers To this purpose he saith For it is vnpossible to those which are once lightned and haue tasted the heauenly gift and haue beene partakers of the holy ghost and haue tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they fall away that they should againe be renued by repentanuce crucifying againe vnto them selues the sonne of God and making a mock of him With these wordes no doubt he would shake off from them all carelesnesse and fleshly securitie whiche were sunken deepe in some and whose sluggish dulnesse was not healed without sharp medicines and therfore he vseth these woordes very forceable and sharper in deede then any two edged swoord to prick the conscience that was nigh seared vp Now dearely beloued that wee may vnderstande this scripture and make it vnto vs a good comfort whiche might seeme otherwise a heauie threatening let vs consider in it these two thinges firste the purpose of the Apostle for which he speaketh it then them selues what they signifie The apostles purpose is to stirre vs vp desirously to heare diligently to learne wisely to increase in knowledge and obediently to practise that we haue learned for this purpose it was first spoken to this ende it is nowe written if then it haue in vs this worke and bring foorth this fruite we haue bene profitable hearers and it is vnto vs the Gospell of health and the worde of life Let vs then not be as our forefathers were slowe of hearing let the worde preached be mingled vnto vs with faith let vs vse it to the glorie of God that knowledge may increase and righteousnesse may abound in our life and for our partes it skilleth not at all what this great and heinous sinne should be of which the Apostle saith mā can neuer repent him for be it what it will it is none of ours This sinne is the sinne of those that haue despised knowledge but we are desirous to learne more This sinne is of the contemners of the crosse of Christe but the delight of our life is in it This sinne is of men that haue made the world their God but God whome we serue hath had mercie vpon vs that we account all the worlde but doung to the end we may winne Christ and therefore whatsoeuer this sinne be God himselfe beareth vs witnesse it is none of the sinns which we haue committed and where so euer they dwell that are in this condemnation their tentes and tabernacles are not neare vs And is not this a greate comforte and a singular light rising as it were out of darkenesse that where there are suche sinnes as euen the remembraunce of them might make our bones to tremble by their description we know them that they are farre from vs as the East is from the West so that we neede not feare Neither speake I this of mine owne heade but by good warrant of the Apostle himselfe and by the worde of the holy Ghost for after this heauie threatning saith not the Apostle to them immediately saith he it not to vs this day that by cause we haue loued Gods saints haue reioyced to glorifie his name our state is faster knit vnto saluation and these heauie things shall neuer come neare vs In this persuasion of perfect hope we may stand boldly vnto the later end the scorners and despisers of whome you shall heare more hereafter let them looke and
beware of vnrepentaunt sinne And thus farre of the purpose of the Apostle by which we beeing confirmed that though we should fall through many infirmities yet we can neuer fall away We may now more boldly examine the words to learne as God shall instruct vs what this sinne is let vs therefore come vnto the wordes For it is vnpossible that they which are once lightened c. We see here how the apostle setteth out the sinne against y holy Ghost shewing who they are which cōmit it what the sinne is and what end it bringeth But before we further examine it I must admonish you of two contrarie faultes which are common vnto vs in speaking of this matter The one is too muche carelesnesse the other is too much feare Some of vs scarse hauing any conscience at al or any reuerence of Gods secrete iudgements being altogether children more ignorant then children If at any time talke be of diuinitie streight with carelesse hearts venturous toungs they are vp with predestination or with sinne against the holie ghost To these men I say it were better for them that they had neither tongues in their heads nor hearts in their breastes then that they should cōtinue in this vnreuerend most vngodly vsage for what do they else but blaspheme the eternall wisdome of god At al his words we should feare tremble yet at his greatest mysteries we are carelesse mockers The knowledge of his predestination should cast down our proud reason euen to the ground to confesse before him that all his iudgements are vnsearchable and al his ways are past finding out yet we like fooles who though we were braide in a morter yet would not our foolishnesse depart from vs so foolishly wee examine y high iudgments of God to make them agreeable to our blockish reason Likewise the sinne against the holie Ghost which is mentioned to make vs feare that we be not despisers of the graces of God but y we would loue him learne all his iudgmentes whereby we might assure our selues of his fauour y we cānot possibly sinne against his spirit but whether soeuer we fall he would raise vs againe as though this pleased vs not we make no ende of questioning whether it be this sinne or that sinne when in deede at all sinnes we make but a mocke This fault deatly beloued I beseech you take heede of praye that you may cast it from you then no doubt in this our matter the trueth which we seeke for in feare reuerence God wil reueale it vnto vs The other faulte I spake of and of which we must take heed is to much feare for some of vs and they of the best of vs on whom God hath shewed singular mercie greatly to humble them so that they couer their faces and hang downe their heades at the remembrance of their sinnes and hunger and thirst after the righteousnesse of Christ they would not haue this spoken of at all and euerie sounde of the sinne against the holy Ghost doth wounde thē as it were to death for feare least themselues should be holden in the transgression To these men what should I say nay what can I say for y sūme of all Christe hath saide and spoken truely vnto thē feare not my litle flock for it hath pleased your father to giue vnto you a kingdome and if he haue giuen vnto them a kingdome purchased with the bloud of his only sonne how should he not giue also vnto thē y victorie ouer sinne and death And nowe my good brethren and sisterne who so euer you be sith you haue a spirite that desireth knowledge delighteth in obedience loueth God hateth iniquitie reioyce in this pledge of your saluation for as the Lord doth liue neither this sinne nor the shadowe of this sinne shal come nere vnto you only because it is a saluinge medicine to many of your brethren when they be sunken deepe in rebellion and because it is the mightie word of the Lorde to crushe in peeces the reprobate before him therefore I beseech you with glad faithful eares abide the hearing of it feare not the smoke when the fire can not hurt you Now to cōe to our purpose In these words of y Apostle I wil shew vnto you first what maner of men they must needs be y do fall into this sinne Secondly what māner of sinne it is Thirdly with what manner of mind it is committed whervnto at last I wil add some examples that you may see more clearly what it is Touching the persons which sinne against the holy ghost they are described thus by their qualities first they haue bene once lightened secōdly they haue tasted of the heauenly gift thirdly they haue beene made partakers of the holy Ghost fourthly they haue tasted of the good word of God of the powers of y world to come Vnto these qualities we may add more out of other partes of scripture in the 12. of Matt. our sauiour Christ speaketh of such men thus that the vncleane spirite is gone out from them that they are swept garnished in the 2. Epistle of Peter the 2. chapter it is sayd of them that they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the knowledge of the Lord of our sauiour Iesu christ By these such like places we may cōclude that God hath many wayes made himselfe knowen vnto them y hee hath giuen them true vnderstanding y he hath quickened their spirits to receiue gladly his gospel that they had a feeling of y kingdome of heauen y they haue knowen sinne to be ful of miserie vexation of spirit y they haue cōfessed there is no ioy but in christ This is y state of knowledge to which they were called these are the graces which they were indued with wherby we may first cōclude y Turks and infidels that all Atheists Epicures they haue not yet sinned against the holy ghost not Pharaoh a vessel of Gods wrath not Sodome Gomorha withal their filthinesse not Rabsaketh or any such who would make them selues Gods they haue not sinned against the holy Ghoste they are accursed creatures and their sinnes are abhominable they are bondslaues of Satan straungers from the God of Israell but yet we may say truely it shal be easier for all those of Sodome Gomorha for Tyre and Sidon in the day of iudgement then for these wicked blasphemers of the holy spirite which not only fulfilled the full measure of these Pagans sinnes but haue also contemned the graces which were giuen vnto them and despised the spirite of whiche the Pagans were neuer made partakers Thus briefly I haue set foorth what manner men they be whiche may fall away to so great confusion And that it may yet be made more plaine let vs consider the wordes by which the Apostle describeth them The first marke of them is that they bee lightened that is indued with
they loue God but hated their owne punishment neither did they striue against sinne but gaue vnto it a kingdome with power and wil to serue it But wee that feele the lawe of the spirite striuing against the lawe of the flesh and in all our sinnes can say with Sainct Paul that which we would not do that we do surely we knowe no sinne against the holy ghoste we are sinners but as Paule was though our sinnes bee moe in number and greater in weight yet God our father through his sonne Iesu Christ doth pardon vs and forgiue vs all our transgressions Nowe beside all this that wee haue hetherto spoken to conclude let vs see the word it selfe by which this sinne is named it is named the sin against the holy ghost not against the Godhead of the holy Ghost for the same God is also father and sonne nor against the person of y holy ghost for it is no greater then the person of the father of the sonne but it is to sinne against the graces of the spirit within vs and so to sinne against them that we contemne despise theÌ„ treade them vnder fete accompt them prophane malitiously carry them awaye to all wantonnesle This then is sinne against the holy ghost in a continuall apostacie generall falling from God to sinn against thine owne conscience so y thou despise the graces of God which he had giuen thee to y setting out of his praise and turâ—…e them to the contempt of his maiestie and glory Nowe a woord or two to shew this sinne by examples so we will make an end Our first example let it be Satan him selfe and the Angels which did fall with him howe could they be but lightened which dwelt in the presence of the father of light what outward temptation could they possibly haue which neuer had enimie beside them selues nothing could possibly be in these but an apostacie or falling from God after which tho malice of their owne minde did seeke to rob God of his glory despising his goodnesse and withholding y honour which they knew to be due vnto him for their creation thus sinning against the spirite of God they were cast downe into horrible death neither did euer God giue vnto them a redemer by whome they arise againe through repentance Other examples are not easily sound which are cleare manifest before vs yet in many some appearances are by whiche wee may iudge and not lightly be deceiued Caine slue his brother Abel wherefore did hee slaye him because his brothers woorkes were good and his were euill A horible sinne to hate not the man but the vertue of the maÌ„ and hate it so deadly that the bonde of brotherhod could not pacifie it neither did he this of ignorance for god instructed him bad him leaue off his anger and lift vp his countenance why should he be malitious to his good brother neither was he prouoked by any outward thing vnto it for Abel was obedient to him as his elder brother neither did Abels vertue hurte him but that in well doing he might be also accepted but the author of sinne who wrought in his malitious heart made him haue no regarde of al this one purpose he had and that he held except his brother would be wicked he would haue no peace with him Another example we haue in the Scribes Phariseis they knewe Christ came from God and that his miracles were wrought by the spirite of God and as Pilate iustly accuseth them of enuie and malice they sought to put him to death their conscience accused them in all their dooinges they corrupted Iudas with monie to betray him they hyred against him false witnesses they bribed the souldiours after his glorious resurrection that yet they should saye his disciples stole him away by night This great wilful malitious working against the sonne of God of men vtterly fallen away from the liuing God our sauiour Christe calleth it sinne against the holie Ghost To these I thinke we may adde Iulianus the Emperour who for his moste wilfull renouncing of the Lord Iesu is called to this day the Apostata who was accouÌ„ted at the first as Hilarius calleth him a gratious and religious Emperour but after being spoiled by philosophie and vaine deceite he beganne to account y worde of God to be but foolishnesse persecuted the professours of it with many mockes and taunts that they must do good for euill and blesse where they were cursed and all his life made a mocke of Christ calling him in reproche the Carpenters sonne and the man of Galilie for no occasion but only for this because he woulde maliciously striue against Christe as plainely appeareth in his last wordes nowe euen dying when he lifted his face vp to the heauens and saide O man of Galilie nowe thou hast got the victorie Thus by examples I haue shewed that which before we heard in the worde that the sinne against the Holie Ghoste is a generall apostacie from God with wilfull malice and an vnrepentaunt heart to persecute his trueth vnto y end from which sinne dearely beloued as we are bounde daily to pray that God of his mercie would keepe vs farre from it so in the name of God I dare promise vnto you that as many of you as feare at the remembrance of it you are as farre froÌ„ it as the East is from the West for this sinne is a mocking and scoffing at the sonne of God it is not a weeping mourning least you should fall into it Nowe let vs pray c. Why this Epistle was written Gal. 4. 10. Col. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. â—…1 14. Cap. 5. 12. 6. 1. Cap. 12. Galat. 4. vers 9. The Author In Dialog de S. Trin. fo 11. lib. 6. cap. 19. What time this Epistle was written The Argument of this Epistle Christes prophecie Christes priesthood Sonne Matth. 3. 17 Only God must speak in the mouth of all Ministers 1. Pet. 4. 10. Esai Hebr. 4. 11. 〈◊〉 The firste difference Cap. 9. 26. Cap. 12. 26. The secoÌ„d difference The third difference The. iiâ—… difference The fift difference Mat. 2â—… 〈◊〉 Iohn 16. 15. Maker of the world Col. 1 â—…5 Brightnesse of glorie in respect of his father Iohn 1. 14. Iohn 5. 36. 2. Cor. 3. 18 Iohn 1. â—…8 Ingrauen fourme Col. 1. 15. Susteiner of al thinges Actes 17. 28. Purger of our sinnes Iude. 6. Iere. 23. 5. Psal. â—…10 4 Heire of all Al things made by him 1. Tim. 4. 3. the bright nesse of glorie Act. 2. 22. Matth. 3. 17. Vpholdeth all things Luke 10. Ter. de ieiunio de Cor. Mil. Cypr. de â—…psis Theo. li. 8. de Mattir Cyril li. 10. câ—… 18. in Ios. In Eâ—…he ridioâ—… câ—… 10. The right hande of maiestie Phil. 2. 9. Rom. 1. 23. An argument negatiuely from the authoritie of the scripture is sound good Deu. 12. 32. Esay 1. 11. 2. Pet. 1. 〈◊〉 Ioh. 4. 2â—… Cal. 4. 10. 〈◊〉