hee blameth them for the same fault or at the least not very much diuers from this For he saith they were not able to beare strong meate because they were carnall Milke then is the doctrine of the first beginnings to enter them which as yet know nothing S. Peter takes it in another sense when hee wils vs to desire the sincere milke of the word that wee may grow thereby 1. Pet. 2.2 For there is a double infancie one in malice and another in vnderstanding S. Paul saith in another place Be not children in vnderstanding but in malice 1. Cor. 14.20 So then they which are so tender and delicate that they cannot receiue a doctrine a little higher than the first rudiments are called children by way of reproch For the true vse of the ministerie of the word is to frame vs in such wise as we may grow to be perfect men according to the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ and not to be as children wauering and carried about with euery winde of doctrine as it is said Ephes 4.13.14 I grant those are to bee borne with that haue not yet tasted Christ if so be they be not yet capable of strong meate but if hee which ought to increase according to the time he hath had doth notwithstanding alwaies continue in his infancie he is vnworthie to be pardoned For we know that Isaiah brands the reprobates mongst them I say there is no lesse carelesnesse than if the doctrine were wholy forbidden them Thus for want of exercise we are blindfolded still and destitute of all sound iudgement CHAP. VI. 1 Therefore leauing the doctrine of the beginning of Christ let vs be led forward vnto perfection not laying againe the foundation of Repentance from dead workes and of faith towards God 2 Of the doctrine of Baptismes and laying on of hands c. of the resurrection from the dead and of eternall iudgment WHerefore leauing Vers 1 c. After he hath sharpely reprooued them he exhorteth them that in leauing the beginnings they goe on forward ayming to the marke For he calles the doctrine of beginning the rudiments by which the ignorant are to begin when they be receiued into the Church Now in that he commands them to leaue such rudiments or beginnings his meaning is not that the faithfull should forget them but that they should not sticke fast as it were in them the which is better known by the similitude of laying the foundation which by and by followeth For when an house is to be builded men must neuer shrinke away from the foundation and yet notwithstanding it were a mockerie to be alwaies about that to goe no further For howsoeuer the foundation of the building is to be laid yet he which shall alwaies busie himselfe about that neuer fitting or preparing matter wherewithall to raise vp the building shall he not busie himselfe foolishly and in vaine In a word as we are to beginne by the foundation so the labour of the master builder is to hasten that the house also be raised vp in due season The like is it in Christianitie For the foundation is laid in vs by learning the rudiments but by and by after a more highe doctrine ought to follow which may finish vp the whole building Wherefore those who alwaies sticke in the first rudiments goe forward but ill because they propound no end vnto themselues As if the master workman imploying his whole labour about laying the foundation VVe ought not to content our selues with good beginnings but to aime to perfection should vtterly neglect to build any thing vpon it And therefore he would haue our faith so laid in the beginnings that it should still rise higher and higher vntill at the last it bee perfected by continuall increases Of repentance from dead workes He had respect here to the forme vsed in the Catechisme From whence wee may draw a probable coniecture that this Epistle was not written by and by after the publishing of the Gospel but rather after there was some forme of gouernment vsed in the Churches The forme was that he which was newly instructed in religion made a confession of his faith before hee was baptized Now there were certaine articles the which the Pastor demanded of them as may be seene by many testimonies of the ancient Fathers and the examination was chiefly vpon the confession of faith which wee commonly call the Symbole or Creede of the Apostles This was as the first entrance into the Church for those who being alreadie of age meant to become Christians as those who before were strangers from the faith in Christ The Apostle makes mention of this custome because no long time was giuen to such new conuerts to be taught in the first grounds of the Christian religion For a schoolmaster teacheth children their A B C because they might foorthwith come to know greater things But let vs consider what the Apostle saith He names repentance and faith wherein consists the whole perfection of the Gospell For what other thing doth Christ commaund to his Apostles but that they should preach faith and repentance Luk. 24.47 And therfore when S. Paul meant to protest that he had faithfully discharged his dutie he alleageth for himselfe that he had diligently and continually taught them from house to house to imprint these two things in the hearts of his Auditors to wit Repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ Act. 20.20.21 May it not seeme absurd then that the Apostle should command them here to leaue faith and repentance wherein they were to perseuere the whole course of their liues But in adding from dead workes he shewes that he speakes of the first repentance when men began first to be Christians For although euery sinne be a dead worke because it begets death or because it proceedes from the spirituall death of the soule yet notwithstanding all the faithfull which are alreadie regenerate by the Spirit of God are not properly said to repent themselues of dead workes True it is that regeneration is but begun in them but how little soeuer this seede of the new life be in them yet that is the cause why they are no more reputed dead in his sight Wherfore the Apostle comprehends not all repentance in generall wherein we ought carefully to meditate and to exercise our selues day and night but he onely meanes that beginning of repentance by which those who being euen newly conuerted to the faith did enter into the way of newnes of life Also the word faith signifies that briefe summe of the doctrine of godlines which is commonly called the Articles of the Faith Hereunto also appertaines The resurrection from the dead and eternall iudgement For these two things are the greatest secrets of the heauenly wisedome yea euen the very marke of all our religion whereat wee ought to aime all our whole life But because one and the same thing is taught otherwise to
then that this sentence also belongs vnto vs. For if God hath shewed vs so great a fauour as to giue vs the light of his Gospel euen to vs I say who by this meanes are called to saluation ought we not to know that the ende of our vocation is to profit more and more in the obedience of God endeauouring without ceasing to approach neerer and neerer vnto him Behold the true conseruation of the soule for in thus doing we escape eternall perdition CHAP. XI 1 Now faith is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene WHosoeuer made this the beginning of the eleuenth chapter hath very vnfitly disioyned the scope and drift of the text For the meaning of the Apostle is to proue his former speech touching the necessitie of patience He alleadged the testimonie of Habacuck who saith that the Iust shall liue by faith now he shewes what remaineth to wit That faith can no more be separate from patience than from it selfe Thus stands the order of the words then We shall neuer attaine to the end of our saluation vnlesse we be furnished with patience For the Prophet affirms that the iust shall liue by faith Now faith calles vs to things very farre off from vs which wee doe not as yet inioy it necessarily then comprehends patience in it selfe Thus then this proposition That faith is a foundation serues as the Minor of the syllogisme whereby also it appeares that they much deceiue themselues who thinke this place to be a full definition of faith For the Apostle speakes not here of the whole nature of faith but hee made choice of a part fitting his purpose to wit that faith is alwaies ioined with patience Let vs now come to the words He calles it subsistance or ground of things hoped for It is euident that we hope not for that which we haue in our hands but for those things which are yet hidden from our senses or at least wise the inioying whereof is deferred to another time The Apostle then now teacheth the very same thing which S. Paul doth Rom. 8.24 for hauing said that we see not that which wee hope for he inferreth thereupon that we waite for it by patience So our Apostle admonisheth vs that beleeue not God so much in regard of things present as in regard of those things the expectation whereof is yet in suspence Furthermore the appearance of cōtradiction which is in this speech wants not his grace Faith saith he is the foundatiō or possession wherin wee haue alreadie set sure footing for the Greeke word Hypostasis which he vseth signifieth so much But of what things of things absent which are so farre off from beeing vnder our feete that they do very much surmount the reach of our vnderstandings There is the same consideration in the second member where he calles it the euidence or certification of things which are not seene For euidence makes things to appeare and commonly appertaines vnto those things onely which we feele and perceiue Thus then at the first view these two things seeme to be contrarie and yet notwithstanding they agree very well in this part of the definition of faith For the spirit of God discouereth hidden things vnto vs whereof there can no knowledge of them come vnto vs in regard of our naturall vnderstanding For life eternall is promised vs and yet in the meane time we die We heare of the blessed resurrection but yet for all that we are inuironed with rottennesse We are pronounced iust and yet notwithstanding sinne dwels still in vs. We heare that we are blessed but yet are we thorowly bitten with hunger and thirst God crieth with a lowd voyce that he will by and by assist vs but yet it seemes when wee crie that hee stoppeth his cares What should we now doe in these cases if we were not built vpon hope and if in the middest of darknes our mindes did not lift themselues vp farre aboue al that which is in this world hauing the word and the Spirit of God for our guides to go before vs Wherefore faith is well called a subsistence of those things which yet consist in hope and the euidence of things not seene Whereas S. Augustine doth sometimes translate the Greeke word Elenchus which the Apostle here vseth by a noune which commeth of the verbe To ouercome I doe not dislike it for he doth faithfully expresse the Apostles meaning But yet I had rather call it an euidence or shewing because it is lesse constrained 2 For by it our elders were well reported of 3 Through faith wee vnderstand Gen. 1.3 Ioh. 1.10 that the world was ordained by the word of God so that the things which we see are not made of things that did appeare 4 By faith Abel offered vnto God a better sacrifice than Cain by the which hee obtained witnes that he was righteous God testifying of his gifts by the which faith also he being dead yet speaketh FOr by it Vers 2 c. He will entreate of this matter to the verie end of the chapter to wit that the ancient Fathers obtained saluation by faith onely and that they were no otherwise acceptable and wel-pleasing vnto God but by it The Iewes had some reason to reuerence their ancestors greatly but yet a sottish and vnbridled admiration of them had so possessed their mindes that it hindred them much from suffering themselues to bee wholy ruled vnder Christ his gouernment and this they were carried vnto either by ambition or superstition or both For hearing that Abrahams seede was holy and blessed they were so puffed vp with this title that they looked rather vnto men than vnto God Moreouer they had herewithall a stubborne and inconsiderate manner of imitation because they considered not what it was that deserued imitation indeede in their Fathers By this meanes they rested in the ancient ceremonies as if all religion and perfection of holinesse had consisted in them The Apostle confutes this error and teacheth what was the chiefe and principall vertue in them to the end their successors might vnderstand how they might resemble their forefathers in truth The Patriarkes had no other hand whereby they were knit vnto God but faith Let vs remember then that the Apostles speciall and chiefe drift of his speech is to shew that all the Fathers who from the beginning were approoued of God were no otherwise conioyned with him but by faith that so the Iewes might know that they had no other meane to bee allowed of God and to bee knit in an holy vnitie with their Fathers but by faith so that as soone as they left faith they by and by banished themselues from the Church and were no longer accounted Abrahams lawfull children but bastards By faith we vnderstand c. Vers 3 This is a very good probation of the former sentence For wee differ in nothing from brute beasts if wee vnderstand not that
mariage be honourable yet it is not lawfull to commit fornication But euery one may peceiue that this sense is too cold For mine owne part I rather thinke that the Apostle here opposeth mariage to whoredome as the remedie for the disease and the course of the text doeth euidently shewe that his meaning is so For before he threatens whoremongers with the iudgements of God he first shewes them what the true meane is to auoid this vengeance that is if we liue honestly in mariage Let this then be one member That whoredomes shal not escape vnpunished because it is Gods office to shew his vengeance vpon them And seeing he hath beene pleased to blesse the societie of man and wife which himselfe hath ordained it followes then that all other societies or fellowshipps out of marriage are accursed and condemned of him Wherfore he not onely threatens adulterers with punishment but all manner of fornicators also For all of them doe flinch backe from the holy institution of God yea they corrupt and ouerthrow it abusing themselues indifferently with all companies whilest there is but one lawfull coniunction onely which is ratified and confirmed in the name and by the authority of God Now because it is impossible to represse the ouerflowing of whordomes without the remedie of mariage for this cause he commends it vnto vs calling it honourable That which he addes afterward of the bed vndefiled I willingly referre it to this namely that married persons might know that all things are not permitted vnto them but that they ought rather to vse the lawfull bedde with all moderation to the ende they might abstaine from whatsoeuer was contrarie to the shamefastnesse and honestie of REmember them Vers 7 c. The things which follow doe not appertaine so much to manners as to doctrine In the first place hee sets the example of those before the Iewes of whom they had been taught and peraduenture he speakes particularly of those which had sealed the doctrine which they had taught with their owne blood For he noteth out something worthie of remembrance when he saith Consider what hath been the end of their cōuersation And yet this is no impediment why wee may not also vnderstand it generally of those which haue continued in the true faith vnto the end who also haue giuen faithfull testimonie to the holesome doctrine both in their death as also in the whole course of their life Now this is a matter of no small consequence when he sets their Teachers before them to follow For wee ought to esteeme them as fathers which haue begotten vs in Christ Had they seene their Leaders constant and stable then partly in the middest of cruell persecutions and partly in the middest of diuers fights So much the rather ought they in all reason to be the more willing to follow their steps Iesus Christ yesterday Vers 8 c. The onely meanes which causeth vs to perseuere in the true faith is if we keepe the foundation not recoyling backe from it so much as an haires bredth All knowledge is but meere vanitie that is separate from the knowledge of Christ For his knowledge is but meere vanity that knowes not Christ yea although hee should therewith comprehend both heauen and earth For all the treasures of wisedom and knowledge are hid in him Coloss 3.3 Here therefore wee haue an excellent place out of which wee learne that there is none other rule of true knowledge but to rest all our senses in Christ alone Moreouer because the Apostle had to deale with the Iewes he sheweth that Christ hath alwaies held the same principalitie which he now holds at this day and that he shall be alwaies like vnto himselfe euen to the end of the world He was yesterday saith he and to day he is also the same for euer By these words he signifies that the same Christ which hath been now manifested in the world hath reigned from the beginning of the world and that it is not lawfull to goe any further being once come to him Yesterday then comprehends all the time of the old Testament and to the end they should not looke for some sudden change afterwards because the publishing of the Gospell was yet but newly begun he saith that Christ was so reuealed newly vnto them that the same knowledge of him should not fade but endure for euer By this it appeares that the Apostle disputes not about the eternall essence of Christ but of his knowledge which had place among the faithfull in all times and who hath bin the perpetuall foundation of the Church It is very certaine that Christ was before hee manifested his power but the question is now what it is which the Apostle here entreates of And therefore I say that in this speech he aimes at the qualitie as you would say and not at the essence For here is no disputing whether Christ be eternall with his Father or no but what his knowledge hath been amongst men Furthermore the manifestation of Christ vnder the Law was otherwise in regard of the outward manner and meanes than at this day yet that hinders not but the Apostle very fitly and properly saith that it is alwaies one selfesame Christ to whom the faithfull looked and aimed at Be not carried about c. Vers 9 He gathers that we ought not to flote hither and thither seeing the truth of Christ is sure and stable in which also wee ought to rest The cause of superstitions errors and corruptions in religion For out of question the cause of the diuersitie of opinions of all sorts of superstitions of all monstrous errors in a word of all corruptions of true religion ariseth from hence that men doe not rest themselues wholy in Christ alone For that which Saint Paul teacheth is not in vaine to wit that Christ is made vnto vs of God wisedome 1. Cor. 1.30 The summe then of the place is that we must rest in Christ alone if we will embrace the grounded truth of God From whence wee gather that all those who are ignorant of Christ are laid open to all the bewitchings of Satan because that out of him there is no stabilitie of faith but contrariwise innumerable tossings and turnings The Papists then shewed themselues marueilous ceremony of the Law to the present estate of the Church There was a speciall kinde of solemne sacrifice whereof mention is made in the 16. chapter of Leuiticus whereof the Priests and Leuites had no part Hee now shewes here by a fit allusion that this is accomplished in Christ because he was offered vpon this condition that those who serued in the Tabernacle should not eate of it Now by those who serued in the Tabernacle he meanes all them who addict themselues to ceremonies Thus he teacheth that if wee will communicate with Christ wee must renounce the Tabernacle For euen as this word Altar comprehends the offering and the thing sacrificed so also this word