and annointings c. were in some sort separated from other men but as touching inward qualitie where the eie of God looketh they were the same that other men sinners weake vnwoorthie to appeere in the sight of God and therefore were bound to offer not onely a Heb. 7 27. for the peoples sinnes but for their owne also Againe their sacrifices were not such as might yeelde any due satisfaction for sinne For it b Heb. 10.4 was vnpossible as we reade that the bloud of bulles and goats shoulde take way sinne A man hauing committed trespasse brought his offring to the priest He laied his hande vpon the head of the sacrifice as it were there to lay his sinne The brute and dumbe creature was slaine as if it had done the trespasse But what could the bloud of a brute beast auaile to acquite the conscience of him that had offended indeed It was a testimonie that he had sinned because in that name it was slaine but purgation of sinne it could yeeld none and the vttermost that it could doe was but c Heb. 9.13 to sanctifie as touching the purifying of the flesh to perform an outward satisfaction to the church Therefore the praier that was grounded vpon these sacrifices could not be effectuall or strong enough to entreat and mooue the maiestie of God And hence it is that the authour to the Hebrewes saith that d Heb. 7.18 that priesthood was disanulled for the weakenes and vnprofitablenes thereof calling it weake and vnprositable as it is considered meerely in it selfe without respect vnto Iesus Christ figured shadowed therein For al the vse and benefit thereof stood in the reference that it had vnto the priesthoode heere established which by the oath of God is appropriated for euer vnto Iesus Christ Thou art the priest The priest in that priesthood was accepted with God as in figure bearing the person of this priest The sacrifices there were called attonements as implying respectiuely his oblation and sacrifice of himselfe The praier of the priest there was heard for the people as vttered in the name of this mediatour and depending vpon the intercession that he should make The truth of priesthood for forgiuenesse of sinnes belongeth onely vnto Iesus Christ. 12 Therefore the soueraignty of priesthood belongeth properly vnto the sonne of God vnto Iesus Christ who is in that respect called e Heb. 9.15 the mediatour of the new testament wherein God hath promised forgiuenesse of sinnes The excellency of whose person to that purpose the holy ghost in sundry places describeth as that a Col. 1.15 he is the image of the inuisible God the first borne of euery creature by whom all things were created both in heauen and in earth both visible things and inuisible whether thrones or dominions or principalitics or powers c. And againe that he is b Heb. 1.2.3 the heire of all things that by him the world was made that he is the brightnes of the glory of God and the ingraued forme of his person bearing vp all things by the power of his word c vers 4. more excellent then the angels c. Thus Saint Iohn also beginneth his gospel as at the first to shew the greatnes of him of whom he writeth d Ioh. 1.1 In the beginning was the worde and the worde was with God and that worde was God c. All things were made by it c. In it was life c. e vers 14. We saw the glory thereof as the glorie of the onely begotten of the father c. In this glory the holie Scripture setteth him foorth vnto vs that we may vnderstand that seeing he is the sonne of God there is in his person no defect but all sufficient perfection for the performance of this worke There was no exception for the father to take against the person of his onely begotten sonne his owne image being the same that he himselfe is because this were al one as to take exception against himselfe If in God there be worth enough to make attonement for man then is there enough in Iesus Christ because Christ is the sonne of God 13 Christ our priest not onely according to has manhood but also according to his godhead Which foundatiō they greatly shake who rest the priesthood and mediation of Christ in his humane nature onely and yeelde not vnto the godhead any part in this execution whereas the whole power and vertue of that that Christ in his manhood hath done for vs ariseth from the godhead the respect whereof being set aside nothing that he hath done can be of sufficient force to worke our peace and to bring vs vnto God And therefore hence doth the scripture teach vs to esteeme the force and power of the sufferings of Christ for that it is f Act. 20 2◠God that hath purchased vs with his owne bloud and g 1. Cor. 2.8 the Lord of glory that was crucified for vs not onely by vnity of person but by act of priesthood mediation whilest as he is the sonne of God he hath giuen himselfe in his manhood to be thus cruelly entreated for our sakes Which the holy ghost very expresly teacheth vs when he saith that Christ not onely by the will and worke of his humane nature but h Heb. 9.14 by his eternall spirit offered himselfe vnto God For if by his eternall spirit that is the power of his godhead he offered himselfe how can it be denied but that by the same eternall spirit and godhead he hath performed the worke and office of a priest So when the Apostle saith that a 2. Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world vnto himselfe he plainely sheweth that the godhead of Christ was an agent in this reconciliation and adioyned it selfe not onely as a part of the person but as a partaker of the worke to effect this attonement betwixt God and man Therefore Saint Ambrose saith that he is b Ambros in 1. Tim. cap. 2. ex vtroque mediator a mediatour in both respects as he is both God and man And more plainely he speaketh in another place that c in Heb. cap. 7. Christ both in his godhead and in his manhood being a mediatour for euer betwixt God and man is alwaies liuing to make intercession for vs. So Saint Austen likewise saith that d August orat cont Iudae paga Arianos c. 8. Christ whole man and God the word the soule and the flesh one Christ is made a mediatour for vs. To be short when the auncient e August cons lib. 10. cap. 42. Chrysost Theodoret Theophy Oecumen in 1. Tim. cap. 2. fathers teach that Christ in that he is the priest and mediatour betwixt God and man is and needs must be partaker with them both and so both God and man what is it but a meere contradiction to affirme that Christ according to his godhead is
of life the graue the putting off of mortalitie and corruption To be short b Esa 11.9 There shall be nothing to hurt or to destroie in all the mountaine of the Lordes holinesse c Ioh. 10.28 nothing to pull the sheepe of Christ out of his handes but d Rom. 8.28 all things worke togither for good and for the best to them that loue God And why so Because all the enimies of Christ that is to say all our enimies are become his footestoole and in him a footestoole vnto vs. And thus shall Christes enimies serue for his vse for the vse of his Church vntill the daie come that that which is heere prophecied shall be perfectly fulfilled when all the enimies of Christ nowe alreadie ouercome shall be vtterly destroied and abolished when there shall be none to tempt vs none to trouble vs when sinne shall bee quite done awaie when e Reuel 20.10.14 the diuell and the beast and the false prophet and death and hell shall bee cast into the lake of fire that burneth for euer when f Reu. 7.16.17 20.4 God shall wipe awaie all teares from the eies of his when they shall hunger no more thirst no more when the sunne and heate shall no more light vpon them and there shall be no more death nor sorow nor crying nor any more paine but g 1. Cor. 15.28 God shall be all in all 15 To conclude h Psal 74.3 God will for euer destroy euerie enimie that doth euill to his sanctuarie all tyrants persecutors oppugners of his Church Howsoeuer they seeme to haue power in their handes euen at their owne will yet Christ sitteth aboue them at the right hand of God they shall be made his footestoole confusion shall be their portion as in al ages God hath shewed and will shew vnto the end and specially in the end as remaineth further to bee spoken at the ende of this Psalme God the father graunt vnto vs for his welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ his sake the grace of his holie spirit whereby through the knowledge of his holie word we may framed to the obedience of his holy will that wee may serue him faithfully and truely according to his commandement the whole course of this life that when it shall please him to take vs out of this mortall life we may be made partakers of that eternall life and blessednes which he hath promised in the world to come through the same Iesus Christ our Lord. To God the father God the sonne and God the holie Ghost be all honour glorie praise dominion might maiestie and power both nowe and for euermore Amen The second Sermon the same day in the afternoone Verse 2. The Lord shall send the rod or scepter of thy power out of Sion be thou a ruler or beare thou rule in the middest of thine enimies IN the former Sermon wee haue seene the sonne of Dauid installed and enthroned to the seate and maiestie of his kingdome In this second verse is set foorth the meanes whereby and the maner how this kingdome is founded and established Foure things to be obserued in the second verse First therefore we are to obserue from hence what it is whereby the subiects of this kingdome are gathered vnto Iesus Christ and gouerned vnder him which is the rod or scepter of his power Secondly from whence this scepter proceedeth the Lord shal send it Thirdly whence it hath his gooing foorth out of Sion Fourthly what successe and worke it hath he thereby beareth rule in the middest of his enimies 2 Now we see Christ heere brought in imperiall maner bearing his scepter in his hand for the scepter is one of the ensignes of princely maiestie The scepter an ensigne of princely maiestie Monarches and kings are woont to weare in their hand a rod or scepter in token of soueraigne and roiall authoritie and thereby to import that they in respect of whom they are kings are vnder their power and subiect to their stroke Thus therefore Iesus Christ whom God hath exalted and lifted vp to bee the Monarch and Lord of the whole worlde and hath assigned vnto him all power both in heauen and earth is saide to haue his scepter whereby hee doth exercise and declare his power for the building vp and gouerning of his Church Which scepter is called in the Psalme a Psal 45.6 the scepter of his kingdome whereby namely he exerciseth and administreth his kingdome And that we may vnderstand what this scepter is it is called also b Esa 11.4 the scepter or rod of his mouth which in the same place and elsewhere is termed also c ibib 2. Thess 2.8 the breath of his lips the breath of his mouth Now what is it that proceedeth from the mouth and is formed with the breath but only the word The word of Christ therefore is the Scepter of his kingdome The Scepter of Christ is his word The word of of Christ why called the Scepter of his power And it is here called the Scepter of his power because therein appeareth his might and power working great and wonderfull things beyond the opinion and expectation of the world Which we may obserue both in the course and passage that this word hath had through the world and in the speciall effects and works that it hath wrought and doth worke in this passage The power of Christ appearing in the passage of his word through the world 3 We see how in the beginning it went forth as the Sunne no power could hinder the going of it It was put into the mouthes not of Philosophers and Oratours but poore fishermen and tentmakers and toulegatherers and by their hand being men of no commendation to the world subdued more nations to the kingdome of Christ then sword and battell could euer bring in subiection vnto the great Empire of Rome The world did striue against it and it ouercame the world the Scepters of Princes strooke at it to beate it downe and Princes scepters gaue it way whether they would or not They bound the preachers of it but it selfe was as the winde which cannot be bound nor stayed from his course Neither policie nor strength could hinder it but that it ouerthrew their customes cast downe their idols stopped the mouthes of their oracles and wrested from their deuils a confession of the power of God and so went on with victory and triumph till it had set vp the kingdome of Christ in the vtmost coastes and borders of the earth And haue not our own eies men and brethren seene the experience hereof in these latter times when Emperors and Princes and Popes and Prelates and the multitude of the world labored to put out the the light of the Gospell beginning againe to shine amidst the darkenes of Popery and by all their labour could auaile nothing They had countenance and counsell and strength they persecuted the professers of
commandeth them Wherefore this deuotion and zeale we must require in our selues if we will be thought to beare to him that affection that we ought to doe If we be willinglesse and without deuotion in his seruice and follow him in such sort as if we were loth to take to much paines or to goe to far we must take heede least he say of vs as he said of the Laodiceans a Reuel 3.15 I would thou were either hot or cold but bicause thou art neither hot nor cold but lukewarme I will spue thee out of my mouth And surely this is the sinne of these times wherein we liue wherein there is much professing of the name of Christ and little loue to Christ himselfe We haue the gospell more in our mouthes then in our harts Religion is made to serue mens purposes when they themselues haue little purpose of religion Policy hath ouermaistred piety and the world more preuaileth then the word and godlynesse is sold for gaine and their appeereth in vs so little hart towards Christ that wee may iustly perswade our selues that the blinde conscience of former ages shall accuse and condemne the carelesse learning of our age They changed deuotion into superstition but wee haue changed it into presumption and wilfulnesse The fruites of their deuotion wee haue turned to sacriledge theft and whilest we condemne them for misbeliefe wee condemne our selues by wicked life We measure our religion by mens liking and whilest we are loth to go to farre we are farre to short of that we should be Whilest we auoid to be accounted foolishly precise we continue licentiously grossely prophane We heare the worde of Christ but where is our zeale in hearing of it How easely are we withholden from it by euery trifling excuse and can like better in time of holie exercise to sit at cardes by a warme fire then to sit with God in a colde church If we serue him in the forenoone it is well it is too much to serue him againe in the afternoone If we do him deuotiō in the church it is more then needeth to do him any at home And thus wee abridge Christ of his worship and stint him at our pleasure Our willingnes is but when we will and our deuotion is but panges and fittes and lasteth no longer then standeth with the folowing of our owne delights And if any thing happely at any time doe mooue vs yet is it but as a flash of lightning which sodainly appeereth and by and by vanisheth away as if it had neuer beene And to be short farre are we of from that zeale of the honour of Christ that studie and care of godly life eschewing of the corruptions of the world that should make a difference betwixt the seruants of Christ and the children of this world 14 But where is in the meane time that great deuotion that the prophet speaketh of and how shall wee perswade our selues that those things are verified and fulfilled in vs which are thus foretold of the people of Iesus Christ Which if we cannot how shall we perswade our selues that we are his Let vs therefore leaue our lame and halting religion and a Heb. 12.13 make streight steps vnto our feete that we may walke vprightly with the Lord and b Act. 11.23 with purpose of hart cleaue stedfastly vnto him Let not men heare more in our words then they see in our deeds but if we will professe our selues to be his let it appeere in our true piety and deuotion towards him He requireth of vs to be c Rom. 12.11 feruent in spirit d Tit. 2.14 zealous of good workes e Gal. 4.18 earnest in good things not onely receiuing the truth but also f 2. Thess 2.10 the loue of the truth that we may be saued It is to small purpose that we haue the truth if we loue it not and if we loue it loue will breede deuotion and deuotion will yeeld all duety vnto the God of truth The souldiours of Christ attired and armed with the goodly beautie of holine◠15 Now volentary men freely and of their owne accord offering themselues to the seruice of their princes and captaines are wont to set foorth and shew themselues in all gallantnesse and brauery that their person and condition wil admitte Apparell armour horse and other furniture are prouided in the best sort they may euerie one striueth by this meanes to commend himselfe and to winne the greatest fauour in his captaines eies To the emulation and folowing of this affection the prophet heere calleth vs and as earthly souldiours studie in this sort to gratifie the desires and to please the eies of their earthly princes and captaines so he teacheth vs howe we are inwardly and spiritually to garnish and decke ourselues that we may be gracious in the sight of our heauenly captaine in the day of the mustring of his army And to this purpose hee nameth an armour or attire which hath little grace or glorie with the worlde but with singular grace commendeth vs vnto the eies of God This is that which he calleth the excellent beautie of holines Where I read excellent beautie to expresse the force and importance of the plurall number For in the Hebrew it is not beautie but beauties as to signifie that holinesse conteineth in it all true beautie is the summe of all those ornaments and graces wherewith the people of Christ are to decke themselues that they may be goodly and glorious in his sight So that whereas wee are all naturally desirous to be faire and beautifull the prophet heere instructeth vs what beautie it is that is most of all to be desired and wherewith aboue all other we should specially seeke to grace our selues For as for outward grace and beautie either in the feature of the body it selfe or in things applied to adde comelinesse vnto it what is it in it selfe but a fading floure corrupted by sicknesse withered by yeeres and confounded by death And if withall the soule be a harbour of vicious and euell affections a sinke of sinne and vncleannes what is all this goodly beautie but as varnish vpon rotten woode and as a faire painted visour vpon a foule wrinkled and deformed face 16 The beauty therefore which the prophet here commendeth is that wherein we are approoued with the Lord who accepteth vs not for any outward glory but for the vertue and good quality of the hart It is holinesse that draweth the eies of God vnto vs and whereby we are louely and pleasing in his fight aboue other men Holines consistath in two thinges Now holynesse consisteth partly in the putting of and eschewing the corrupt maners and conuersatlon of the world and partly in putting on those affections and conditions of vertue and grace whereby we cary the image and semblance of our captaine Iesus Christ The things that were holy in the law were seuered from all prophane and
of the church the new increse and supply thereof from time to time in them who are newly a Iam. 1.18 begotten by the word of truth and b Ioh. 3.3.5 borne againe c Tit. 3.5 by the washing of the new birth and by the renewing of the holy ghost to become of Adams children the children of God and people of Iesus Christ Who for that are called d 1. Ioh. 2.12 little children and e 1. Cor. 3.1 babes in Christ and f 1. Pet. 2.2 new borne babes that are to be suckled with the milke of the word of God that they may grow thereby Of whom this prophet elsewhere speaketh when he saith g Psal 22.31 They shall declare his righteousnesse vnto a people that shal be borne and againe h Psal 102.18 This shal be written for the generation to come and the people which shal be created shall praise the Lord. Where he prophecieth of a generation and people to be created and borne not by the creation and birth whereby we are men but whereby we are according to the phrase of the Apostle i Eph. 4.24 new men and k 2 Cor. 5.17 Galat. 6.15 new creatures hauing l Ezec. 36.26 a new hart giuen vnto vs and a new spirit put into the middest of vs our stony hart being changed into an hart of flesh and m Heb. 9.14 our consciences by the bloud of Christ purged from dead works that we may serue the liuing God Such are the youth that the prophet speaketh of in this place And hereby we are put in minde of our second natiuity and birth whereby we are made members of the church of Christ and called to become children againe children as n 1. Cor. 14.20 concerning malitiousnesse children in o Mat. 18.3.4 humility simplicity innocencie that whereas being in time past a Luc. 16.8 children of this world we b Eph. 2.2.3 haue walked according to the course of this world in fulfilling the will of the flesh and of our owne minde we may being now c Gal. 3.26 the children of God d Rom. 6 4. walke in newnesse of life and liue e Eph. 4.18 the life of God and f Phil. 2.15 as the sonnes of God be blamelesse and pure and without rebuke g Math. 5.16 shining by our good works as lights in the middest of the froward and crooked nation of the world Yea further we are to be remembred that as youth as young children are still growing in stature and strength and discretion vntill they come to ripe and perfect age so we after that we are once new borne vnto Christ should likewise be still encreasing and growing in those things that belong vnto a christian life in vertue in holynesse in faith in h 2. Pet. 3.18 grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ that i Psal 84.7 going thus from streÌ„gth to strength we may be euen k Phil. 1.11 filled with the fruits of righteousnesse and in the end attaine l Eph. 4.13 vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Chist 20 Now of this new birth and the fruits and effects thereof the solemnitie of this day may giue me some occasion to speake being as we call it new yeeres day wherein we celebrate the remembrance of the circumcision of Christ and that m Col. 2.11 in him we also are circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands that n Eph. 4.22 putting of the body of the sinnes of the flesh and the old man which is corrupted through deceiueable lusts we may be renewed in the spirit of our mindes and put on the new man which according to God is created in righteousnesse and true holynesse But of this I spake vnto you more at large the last yeere by occasion of the words of the Apostle o 2. Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is or let him be a new creature The particulars whereof happely you remember not but remember that which is the generall that from yeere to yeere from day to day you stil goe forward to become new creatures in Iesus Christ Say with the Apostle and let vs be carefull that of our selues we may truely say it p ibid. Old things are past behold all things are become new And surely in this state of our new birth all things are set before vs vnder the name of new things q Mat. 26.28 a new testament r 〈◊〉 13 34. a new commandement Å¿ Reu. 3.9 a new song t Reuel 2.17 a new name u Heb. 10.20 a new way x Reuel 21.2 a new Ierusalem y â— Pet. 3.13 new heauens and new earth Nowe what an vnâ—eete thing is it that when all things are new for our sakes we our selues shoulde remaine old Nay let vs also become newe and by our conuersation let vs make it appeere that wee are new borne and what we haue neglected heeretofore let vs now beginne to amend with the beginning of a newe yeere and be carefull heereafter to a Eph. 5.16 redeeme the time that the encrease of our yeeres may be the encrease of our comfort and may further vs in the assured hope of that life where there shall be no change of yeeres but one new yeere to continue for euer and euer The multitude that shoulde be borne vnto Iesus Christ as the drops that cannot be numbred 21 But to come towards an end concerning this ofspring and youth which I haue spoken of the prophet saith that they shal be as the dew from the wombe of the morning First for their multitude for that as the drops of heauen cannot be numbred so the people of Christ shal be assembled vnto him in multitudes without number accordingly as Saint Iohn in the spirit saw it come to passe when as beside the remnant of Israel he beheld a b Reuel 7.9 great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues standing before the throne and before the Lambe clothed with long white robes and palmes in their hands and crying with a loude voice saluation commeth of our God c. So that although in comparison of the multitude of the world the church of Christ be but c Luc. 12.32 a little flocke and d Mat. 7. â—4 few there be that enter into life euen as the grapes after the vintage a few here and a few there and as after e Esa 17.6 the shaking of the oliue tree there are two or three vpon one bough and foure or fiue vpon another seldome to be found yet in themselues they are according to the promise made to Abraham as f Gen. 13.16 15.5 the stars of heauen that cannot be numbred and g Heb. 11.12 as the sand by the seaside And therefore let it not discourage vs that the chaffe seemeth to hide the corne and
euill men so swarme euery where in the world that the promise made to Christ seemeth to be of small effect h Math. 11.19 Wisedome shall surely be iustified of her children who though they appeare but few vnto vs yet are exceeding many in the eies of God so that we need not thinke we goe alone or be the worse perswaded of the way wherein we goe because we see but few to walke therein Let vs goe on forward in faith and patience and we shall see that the l Ioh. 14.2 many mansions in our fathers house shall haue men to furnish them and that the church of Christ is not so barren but that thereby he shal breede k Heb 2.10 many children vnto glorie 22 Secondly the morning dew waiteth not for man nor is wrought by mans hand Our second birth the worke not of man but of God onâ—ly but descendeth from the Lord and falleth many times in such sort as that we see it is come but know not when or how it came Euen so is that generation and new birth whereby we become the children of God It is not wrought by the hand or power of man but this worke also descendeth from the Lord. It is the hand of God the inspiration of the holy ghost that worketh in you men and brethren that chaunge whereby you are newly created and borne the people of Iesus Christ Indeede we speake the words vnto you which tend to the conuerting and regenerating of the hart but what can our words doe in your harts if there be not the worke of some other power that is mightier then our words The husbandman may manure and till the ground but it is not he that can make the fruite a 1. Cor. 3.6.7 Paul planteth Apollo watereth but God giueth the encrease and neither is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giueth the encrease That that we doe goeth no further then to the outward man and our words make but a sound in the eare of the body but they that are inwardly taught to the conuersion of the soule they are b Ioh. 6.45 all taught of God It is a secret and hidden worke our eies see it not our eares here it not our vnderstanding cannot sufficiently conceiue it nay they cannot throughly conceiue it in whom it is c Cypr. de cardin Christi operibus As the lightning breaketh the cloudes saith Saint Cyprian and with the suddaine flashing doth not so much enlighten as astonish the eie so a man is sometimes touched with I know not what motion and perceiueth himselfe to be touched and yet beholdeth not him that toucheth him There are spoken vnto him certeine secret wordes inwardly which he is not able to vtter so that he cannot doubt but that he is neere him yea within him that mooueth him and yet showeth not himselfe that 〈◊〉 may see him as he is This is that which our sauiour Christ saith d Joh. 3.8 The winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but knowest not whence it commeth nor whither it goeth so is euery one that is borne of the spirite And hence it commeth which we else where also reade by the words of Christ e Mar. 4.26 so is the kingdome of heâ—en as if a man should cast seede in the ground and should sleepe and rise vp night and day and the seede should spring and grow vp he not knowing how We sow the seede but we know not how it groweth and though we know not how it groweth yet in the end we see and perceiue that it hath growen Thus we comfort our selues that though we cannot giue successe vnto our owne labours yet we loose not our labour but the spirite of God as it were in the hart of the earth fostereth and cherisheth the seede that we sow and quickneth it to bring foorth fruite and out of the wombe of Gods eternall election still raiseth vp a newe youth and ofspring to serue in the Lordes campe and to receiue the promises of grace and saluation by Iesus Christ It resteth that for the growing of this seede in our harts wee praie vnto him c. The fourth Sermon vpon Twelfth day Verse 4. The Lord hath sworne and will not repent Thou art the Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec THis verse setteth foorth vnto vs the calling of Iesus Christ to the office of priesthood Christ both in humilitie and maiestie our priest and mediatour vnto God where by he is be come our redeemer and aduocate with the father that in the kingly height and maiestie of Iesus Christ there may be nothing to dismay vs seeing we know that both in his humilitie and in his maiestie he is made our priest and mediatour to reconcile vs and bring vs vnto God The Scripture woont to qualifie the dread of Gods maiestie with the consideration of his mercie And thus is the Scripture woont to qualifie the glorious and dreadfull maiestie of God with the consideration of his gracious and most mercifull inclination towards vs that we may learne so to reuerence him for his greatnes as that by his goodnes wee bee allured to loue him and by praier to seeke vnto him assuring our selues that he a Esa 57.15 Who is high and excellent that inhabiteth eternitie whose name is the Holy one that dwelleth in the high and holy place yet is with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to reuiue the spirite of the humble and to giue life vnto them that are of a contrite hart b Psal 138.6 Though the Lorde be high saith Dauid yet hath he respect vnto the lowly and c Psal 102 1â—.19.20 out of the heauen he beholdeth the earth to turne him to the praier of the desolate and to heare the mourning of the prisoners and to deliuer the children of death 2 Thus Iesus Christ is described vnto vs sitting in glorie at the right hand of God and yet stowping downe to the compassion of our infirmities that the conceite of his greatnesse may be no terrour vnto vs but rather a ground of exceeding great comfort whilest we stande perswaded that he who by mercy is so readie to succour vs is by power so able to do for vs whatsoeuer pleaseth him There is nothing more fearefull then the guiltie conscience of a sinner which is still running away from God and hiding it selfe as Adam did vnlesse it be embouldened and established by the acknowledgement and assurance of his fauour and good will And hence it came to passe as hath beene before touched that they who no otherwise cosidered of Iesus Christ but in his maiestie sitting at the right hand of God conceiued of him a doubtefull and distrustfull feare and shadowed themselues vnder the winges of other mediatours and hidde themselues vnder the patronage and intercession of saints and angels that by them they might haue accesse