with mee this kingdome is a kingdome of darknesse a kingdome of sinne and it shall returne to the shape of his first beginning The kingdome of Christ shal be euer knowen by the scepter of the onelie Gospell preached and practised in it Now why is this called the scepter of righteousnesse Because saith the prophet it killeth the vngodlie the same exposition the Apostle immediately addeth Thou haste loued righteousnesse and hatediniqui◅ie therefore it is called a scepter of righteousnesse because it maketh the faithful righteous destroyeth the sinners from the face of the earth In this sense Saint Peter calleth it the seed of regeneration because by it we be begotten a-new into the image of God which is in righteousnesse So that heere we know whether we be of the Kingdome of Christ euen by the scepter by whiche we be ruled If the knowledge of the Gospel of Christ haue refourmed vs into a newe image to bee holie as our Sauiour Christ is holie that by his spirit the worlde be crucified vnto vs and we vnto the worlde then haue we our enfranchisement in this kingdome if not though we dwell in the mids of the Sanctuarie yet were we straungers from the lawe that came out of mount Sion And though we were baptised with all the water in the sea or as the Prophet saith though we wash our selues with Nitre and take much Sope yet our iniquities are marked before the Lord except we fele the forgiuenesse of our sinnes in the righteousnesse and holinesse of this kingdome of Christe And what madnes can be like vnto it to flatter my selfe as if I had my portion among the electe of God and yet dwell in tabernacles of the Children of the diuell that is I meane yet walke in all the sinnes of a corruptible man Are not Gods children his Sainctes be they not brought vnto him with the scepter of righteousnes doth hee not keepe them with the seale of his holie spirite If I see no good workes in my hands if I know neuer that the preaching of the gospel killed concupiscence in me and made me hunger and thirst after righteousnesse if I feele not the spirite of God to sanctifie more and more my heart al mine affections how can I say I am the childe of God No no talke while thou wilte vse thy libertie say thou art a Protestant renounce the Pope except thou loue righteousnesse euen as thou louest thy soule reioycest in weldoing as in thy life thou hast bene but an idle hearer of the worde of trueth Godlinesse is not made of wordes as a wood is made of trees but it is an earnest loue proceeding from a pure heart and a good conscience and an vnfeigned faith in whiche wee may glorifie God and do good to his people Paule was godlie when he gloried in nothing but in the crosse of Iesu Christe by which the worlde wascrucified vnto him and he vnto the world They are godlesse Hypocrites which in worde confesse they knowe God but in deedes denie him They are Christs which haue crucified the fleshe with the affections concupiscēce of it they are of their father the diuell that in wickednesse do the desires of the diuell Let vs then learne dearely beloued in good time to be wise when we were in ignorance then we walked in the woorkes of darkenesse now we haue vnderstanding let vs walke as the children of the light if we take the gospel into our mouth let vs knowe it is a scepter of righteousnesse to reforme our life and whosoeuer he be that hath chosen this portion peace be vpō him vpon the Israel of God and he that withdraweth himselfe from this purpose euen as the Apostle after saithe Let our soules haue no pleasure in him And here let vs also marke howe the Apostle setteth out this righteousnesse of christ Thou hast saith he loued righteousnesse and hated iniquitie This is generall in all duetie which we do vnto God to loue the obedience with all our heart and soule and to detest and hate all the transgression and sinne So the Prophet Dauid saith I hate vaine inuentions but thy law I loue againe thy law I loue but I hate falshod abhorre it Euē so must we hate iniquitie if we loue righteousnesse and abhorre falshod if we loue the trueth and this is that eternall lawe whiche God gaue from the beginning I will saith he set enimitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seede her seede But O Lord what a rebellious people are we where God hath commaunded all concorde and bound vs together in all bonds of vnitie One bodie one spirite one hope of our calling one Lord one faith one Baptisme one God the father of vs all yet al these bondes we breake in sunder anger hatred reprochful words quarels wounds murders euerie cursed thing but we reach our hands vn to it to make strife one with another and disanull the agreement which God hath made on the other side touching the workes of darkenes we wil walke in them and though God hath separated them from vs as heauen from hell or Christe from Belial and hath made the hatred of them perpetuall to vs and our posteritie yet we thinke as the Prophet sayth to make a league with death and to beat agreement with hel we will follow our fleshly concupiscence as though there were no lorde to controll vs and we will not hate sinne at all A corrupt nature to loue that which we are bid hate and hate that which we are bid loue but a more corrupt affection if we giue place to these desires and are well pleased to loue them still It followeth in the end of this seuenth verse thy God hath annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy felowes In this we may learne an other notable cause why we shoulde acknowledge Christ our onely King and Law-giuer Because he is thus annoynted that is in him dwelleth all fulnesse of grace and the treasures of all wisdome and knowledge are hid in him so that leaue him leaue his lawes leaue his scepter we leaue instruction we leaue righteousnesse we leaue eternall life And heere note that the oyle of gladnesse is the giftes of the spirite of God gladnesse to our selues because it filleth vs with ioy in the Lord and gladnesse to other because it powreth grace into our lips to cōfort the weak harted to make vs a swete sauour of life vnto life to all that hearken vnto vs The heart of earth y is dry and baren and beareth no ioyful fruite of the Lord God this oyle of gladnes hath not yet softened it to make it a fertile soile for the seede of the worde of god And the carelesse man of a dull spirite that is not touched with his brothers sinning but letteth him alone in his vncleanesse to sinck or swim to stand or fall to liue or die
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
her for how else could it be true that the scripture sayth there shal be an Apostasie of men from the faith Iniquitie shall haue the vpper hand No man shall haue the libertieof his life but he that taketh on him the marke of the beast And I would fayne knowe of them whether the church vnder the law had not also this promise Saith not God by his Prophet Esaie My spirit which is vpon thee my words which I wil put in thy mouth shal not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy sede nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seede after thee frō hence forth for euer more What a glorious promise is this Should now the Scribes and Phariseis rise against Christ as they did and say they could not erre they had the holie ghoste they were the church Nay they were not the seed of Esaie but y seede of murderers that killed Esaie the prophets so these mē they are not the children of God but of the man of sinne which exalteth him selfe against God and vnder pretence of the spirite of God blasphemeth the Gospell which onlie the spirit hath taught vs and that he blasphemeth the gospel I may say it boldly and let them blame me if they can for doth not the Apostle say heere All our care must be to obey the gospell And do not they say that the Pope can dispense against the gospel against the Apostle against the prophet against the olde and new testament against the law of God and nature Only one thing can heere possibly bee said that they doe graunt all this care of the Gospel ought to be had but the gospell say they is not onlie the written word but manie other vnwritten verities taught by Christe and his Apostles and therefore we are bound to holde them I beseeche you dearely beloued marke these mens sayinges a little with me and iudge then with the spirite that God hath giuen you They say the woord written in deed we must keepe because it is of God and so likewise Christe and his Apostles preached things neuer written whiche yet preached by them ought to haue the authoritie of Christ himselfe It cannot be denyed but what Christ and his Apostles preached it was the woord of God equall with all writings of Apostles and Prophets But tell me is it the word of Christe writen that we should not worship Angels and is it the word of Christ vnwritten that we should pray vnto them Is it his word written that we shoulde not be bound to our forefathers traditions and is it his woorde vnwritten that our fathers traditions should be to vs as his Gospel Is it his worde written that we shoulde not obserue dayes and times nor make conscience of meate and drinke and is it his worde vnwritten that we should kepe Lent Aduent Imberdayes make difference of flesh and fishe Is it his worde written that to forbidde marriage which is honourable in all estates it is the doctrine of diuels and is it his worde vnwritten that ministers shal be forbidden to marrie Is it his word writtē that fiue words in a knowne tounge are better in the cōgregatiō then v. thousand in a straunge language and is it his worde vnwritten that in all congregations they shall haue a straunge language and speake all in Latine which the people vnderstand not Is it his word written that the dead are blessed which did in the Lord and they rest from their labour and is it his worde vnwritten that they are tormented in the fire of purgatorie And yet to come neerer is it his woorde written that his ministers shoulde bee subiectes to kings should be no Lords should haue no ciuil gouernement should attende vppon their owne flocke and is it his worde vnwritten that the Pope should displace kings that he should haue a triple crowne y his bishops so many should be secular princes y they should haue more churches vnder thē then euer they once loked on Hath God written it that Christ sacrificed himself once for all made a perfect redemption hath he left it vnwritten that a shauen priest must sacrifice him euery day and say a masse propitiatorie for the quicke and the dead What peruersnesse is this of men of a corrupt minde thus to imagine traditions contrarie to the worde of God But I will tell you Esaie prophesied well of these men saying This people draweth nere vnto me with their mouth and honour me with their lippes but their heart is farre from me but in vaine they woorship me teaching doctrines which are precepts of men They say if we beleeue no traditions of our Fathers why doe we beleeue this is the Scripture And heere euerie one obtrudeth S. Augustines sayinge I would not beleeue the Gospel except the authoritie of the Church moued me If this had beene Augustines meaning we would haue aunswered him again◅ that we will beleeue the Gospel though all the churches in the world would denie it But Augustine speaketh in y person of one that yet knoweth not God as of him self when he was a Manicheie To what purpose heere would you alledge Paule or Peter to one that knoweth not whether Paule or Peter were of Christ or not Therfore how so euer Augustine spake in this either well or ill his saying is nothing to our purpose But touching the scripture seing these men do cry so lowde that they can not knowe them but by the church I say againe to them that out of their owne mouthes wee may iudge them for Christ his shepe know his voyce do sollowe him and they do not know the voyce of a straunger but flee from him And touching this question I wil not answere it by S. Augustine but by a better man S. Paule answering the like question saith thus In deede our eye hath not seene nor our eare hearde nor our heart conceiued how to iudge this but the spirite of GOD hath reuealed it vnto vs. Marke dearely beloued the Papistes say they know the Scriptures because their eye doeth see where is the sea of Rome that hath kept them and so their eares haue heard their fathers say These are they But S. Paul saith their eyes are blind their eares are deafe their heart is dull all these cannot iudge the Scriptures Will they say now vnto S. Paule then they wil neuer beleeue them if they cannot know them by the church Let them rather be wise learne of Paule that God hath giuen vs his spirit by whiche we should know the things that are of God and of this I dare assure them they cannot so discerne the light with their eyes nor any sound with their eares as they discerne the scriptures by Gods spirit for if we be regenerate by this spirit the law of god is not now hid nor it is not far from vs y we shuld say Who shal ascend vp or who
shal descēd down but the word is nigh vs euen in our mouth that we should speake it in our heart that we should knowe it With this spirite the Prophet Dauid sayth I haue knowē long since by thy testimonies that thou hast established them for euer And this spirite maketh vs see in the scriptures a doctrine without all earthly thoughts the wisedome of man boldly troaden downe more force to moue in plaine speache then in all the eloquence of Tullie Demosthenes a doctrine which alone hath stoode euer in honor whē all other doctrines haue bene worne out with time a doctrine which hath ben assaulted with ten thousand imaginations of men yet abideth pure with out all infection of falshood this the spirite of God makes vs see in the scriptures more cleere as I said then we see the Sunne light with our eyes and the word of God hath all his credit in it selfe it needeth not the church it wil not haue the Pope to beare witnesse with it Now dearely beloued if any of you feele not this warrant in reading the worde of God aske of him that giueth and vpbraydeth no bodie and you shall vnderstand all that I haue said Set your heart vpon it loue it with all your soule Chaunge your selues with reading into those affections in which you see euery place written and you shall percelue Solomon is your good warrant Seeke after wisedome as you seeke after siluer and you shall finde it Thus muche I thought good to say vnto you by occasion of this earnest exhortation of the Apostle to hearken diligently to the Gospel of Christe He sayth after How shall we escape if wee neglect so great saluation Let vs note here that the Apostle calleth all transgression of the word of Christ the neglecting of so great saluation Wee must not looke till men either speake open blasphemie or doe all things to the open dishonour of God as men manifestly giuen vp to reprobate senses All sinners did neuer fulfill one measure of iniquitie but we see in the Gospel as wel he is condemned that hideth his talent in the ground and doth no good with it as the other that wasted his maisters goods and liued riottously with drunkards and gluttons Euen so it is with vs a great number of vs will not blaspheme the Gospel as Papists do and call them which professe nothing but it alone scismatiques heretiques Lutherans c. A great number of vs hate the knowen sinnes of manie adulterers drunkards oppressors dissemblers flatterers c. but be not deceiued surely this is not inough if we doe but neglect the Gospel how can wee escape The lawe giuen by Angels forbad not only the open breaches of it but it also required of vs that we should loue it that we should delight in it that it should be more deare vnto vs then all our iewels or other ornaments How much more the word spoken by the sonne of God must we not onely not openly transgresse against it but also how ought we to loue it how to delight in it how to account all things but doung in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Iesu Christ that we may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings beeing made like vnto his death trying howe wee may come to the resurrection of the dead This dearely beloued must be our life and we must bee as men who haue both dwelling and freedome in the heauenlie Ierusalem to reioyce in the Lord alwayes reioyce For if other we be of a dull spirite that we haue no ioy of our hope or when we taste a litle if it be streight forgotten so that the Prophets words be true in vs That our righteousnes is as a morning cloud and as the morning dew it goeth away it is with vs according to the common prouerb As good neuer a whit as neuer the better and all our Religion is in vaine for a spirit of slumber hath ouertaken vs And though we draw not our sinns after vs as with cart ropes yet we do neglect the great saluation of christ This I say that we might stirre vp the grace of God that is in vs not once to be negligent in the care of the Gospel but that it may euer be vnto vs as it is in deede a promise of gladnesse the pleasure of our youth the comforte of our age that all our dayes may be in peace It followeth in the fourth verse God bearing witnesse vnto it with signes c. Heere we learne that all signes wrought by God serue to the setting out of the Gospel The Apostle speaketh plaine and we must needes heare in all the signes that are wrought by God he beareth witnesse with them to the Gospell of his sonne And our sauiour Christ him selfe is the first scholemaister of this doctrine for when he sendeth out his Apostles to preache he giueth them their charge to preache that The kingdome of heauen is at hande and he giueth them this warrant of the doctrine Heale the sicke cleanse the lepres c. And where no opportunitie was to teach the doctrine he giueth them charge there not to tel of any miracle done so that assuredly we know those that are true miracles which strengthen the worde and all other are illusions of Sathan whose ende is superstition A notable testimonie of this trueth God him selfe giueth in his lawe where he saith plainely If a prophet come vnto you and worke signes and woonders though they haue neuer suche effect and be vnfeigned yet if that Prophet call you out of the waye in whiche God commaunded you to walke thou shalt not beleeue that Prophet but thou shalt sley him for they are no signes and tokens in whiche thou art iustified but the word of God is the seede of thy newe birth and the milke with which thou art nourished to be a perfect man of God. If signes and woonders carrie away thine eyes that thou shouldest not see the Gospell cursed are y signes thou too that beleeuest if thou turne not againe from such snares of Satan And let vs here dearely beloued carefully beware for our dangers are exceeding you knowe how the vaine heart of man is not a little moued with euerie shewe of a wonder if it be but a iuggler whole heapes will go after him and be partakers of his sinne If there come to passe any vn◅yonted thing rumour streight inlargeth it and carrieth it farre and wyde The diuel seeing this vanitie of our minde abuseth streight our foolish simplicitie and with many idle signes and shewes he carrieth vs in deede into deadly blindenesse Of this our Sauiour Christ warneth vs and biddes vs beware for there shall come deceiuers which will shew great signes wonders able to seduce if it were possible the verie elect And S. Paule foretelling the cōming of antichrist he sayth that through the working of the
example of this humilitie is our Sauiour Christe him selfe to reache vs modestie that are but men for he who so loued the people of Israel that he weapt ouer their Citie when they would not repent prayed for them when they houng him on the crosse gaue his life for them when they had cast him off and would none of his saluation he that had this vnchangeable loue to his brethren flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone 〈◊〉 yet when he called his humane thoughts to y consideration of the decree of God he humbled him selfe changed his affections reioyced in other thoughts and said I thanke thee O father that thou hast bid these thinges from the wise and prudent and hast reuealed them vnto little ones WheÌ„ he saw he was sent their minister for the trueth of God to confirme the promises made vnto their Fathers he had no other longinge but how to winne them when he sawe an other counsell of God that they were not all Israel which were of Israel he knewe this was best reioyced in spirite gaue glorie vnto God and would not reason of his vnsearcheable iudgements Who is he now or of what wisdome that dare dispute against the counsel of God Are we greater then Moses wiser then the Prophets or higher then our Sauiour Christ Or haue all these helde their peace at Gods workes that we should reason against them Let vs then rule our selues or rather let vs be ruled of the Lord that we may say as the Apostle saide and this may be reason of all our beleefe So the Lord hath thought good A place much like vnto this is in the 24. of Luke when the two disciples y went to Emaâ—…s marueled exceedingly at al the things that had happened vnto Christ so that their faith began to fayle them thus our Sauiour Christe reprooueth them and all the reasoning that was withâ—… them O fooles slowe of heart to beleue all that the prophets haue spoken must not Christ needs suffer these things and so enter into glorie He referreth them first to the prophets to know y this was the decree of God but theÌ„ layeth a necessitie vpon the perfourmance of his word that it must needes be so And if that be not onely good onely iust onely wise in our sight that are but men let vs not boast there is no cause in this worlde of out misliking but because wee bee fooles slowe of heart to beleeue And thus farre the thing it selfe speaketh howe meete it is for vs to humble our selues vnder all the ordinaunces of God. It followeth in the Apostle For whom are al things by whom are all things this is a singular reason why we should be obedient and aske none account of all the dooinges of the lord Is man afflicted Why should he not be so The Lord hath done it and for the Lord hee was made Are the reprobate ordeined to destructioÌ„ Why should they not The lord so ordeined it and for the Lord they were made Are the elect freely saued Why should they not The Lord hath saued them and for the Lord they were made Yea but the reason of these things I see not yea but ô man who art thou that takest a contrarie part to dispute against God Are not all thinges for him and art thou onely enuious against his glorie Thus dearely beloued carrie the word of God to leane on beleeue assuredly it shall be fulfilled and thinke that it is best and you shal not be moued for euer If you come in place with those auncient worne creatures who with a colour of gray haire which is the wisest part in them so long deceiue our people they or their disciples if they reason against you Hath God forsaken his Church a thousand yeare and were all our fathers deceiued before Luther was borne such antiquitie vnitie vniuersalitie was it all in errour These wordes taken vp againe in our dayes and countenanced with the gray heads of our Phariseies Watson Fecknam Cole Heath and other like ô Lorde how manie men doe they deceiue For their owne reason lifteth vp it self they say How can this be so So many wise so many learned so many noble all deceiued Had God forgotten to be mercifull First I would aske of these men but this one question and if they will not willingly be deceiued let them answer as they thinke What one word of all these bothe might not and did not the Phariseies say against our Sauiour Christe And howe dare they nowe reason against the Gospell of Christe with the same argument with whiche the Phariseies reasoned against Christ But they will say now Christ hath made a promise to be with his Churche to the ende And had he not made this promise before It not Iesus Christe bothe to day and yesterday and the same worlde without ende Looke in the 18. of Deut. and in the 59. of Esaie as absolute as full a promise then as nowe But they were not so long in errour put case they were not he who punished the transgression of the lawe giuen by Angels with 400. yeres blindnesse may not he punish the transgression against his Gospell giuen by his onely sonne with 800. or a 1000. yeres blindnesse But for your sakes dearly beloued I do more then I woulde and with reason I confute them whiche haue no reason Let vs come to the text answere out of it Was the world deceiued so many hundred yeres Why should it not The Lord ordeined that there should come an apostasie and a generall fall from the faith of Christ that the world might be seduced with the man of sinne whose age began in the Apostles times and shall not vtterly die till the day of christ Thus the Lorde appointed and so let it be for all thinges are for his glorie And here let vs rest in all the thinges that â—…uer our hearts can thinke vpon if we can see no reason of the word of God we can see humilitie to confesse before him ô the deapth of the riches and of the wisedome and of the knowledge of God! How vnsearchable are his iudgements how are his wayes without finding out And because we knowe that of him by him and in him are all thinges let vs speake it To him be glorie for euermore All counsels all doctours all examples all decrees all what you will they are not our scholemaisters but our fellowe scholers that we may learne together out of the worde of God whose decree shal stand for euer whose iudgements are perfect righteousnes That which followeth in the latter ende of the verse To consecrate him by afflictions or to make him perfect by afflictions the meaning is that Christ in his death accomplished a full redemption and so was prepared to receiue an inheritance of glorie not attributing so this worke to his death as though all his life had ben impertinent for in al his
from death and from the graue If our Sauiour Christe say If you loue mee keepe my commaundements who hath bewitched vs that we should not beleeue the trueth what meane wee to liue in all excesse of sinne and poure out our selues into riot and yet stil say we loue the Lord Surely dearely beloued one cause is of all an vnbeleeuing heart hath seduced vs Wee think wee eate of the secret Manna when in deede wee seede of asshes We can not see that God resisteth the proude his iudgements are high aboue our reach and therefore we will set vp our owne praise and striue for honour euen vnto death we feare not the shame that we cannot see We knowe not what the kingdome of heauen is neither can we knowe for our eye cannot see it our eare cannot heare it our heart cannot comprehend it neither hath the spirit of God reuealed it vnto vs. and when infidelitie hath thus couered vs it is no maruel though we heare in vaine It is easier for a Camel to creep◅ through a needels eye then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen for we cannot feare where we thinke there is no daunger we can not hope where we loke for no goodnes promises and threatenings are but blastes of wind where infidelitie hath taken away our wisdome let vs now looke into our selues search our heart and reines whether we stand in faith or no for behold this know and the spirite witnesseth it there is no ambitious minde aspiring to honour no vncleane and filthie concupiscence of adulterie no couetous desires of Gold and Siluer no sinful delights of worldly minded men no falling from God for these corruptible and vaine thinges but infidelitie is both roote and braunche the beginning and ending an vnfaithfull heart causeth all in all and let faith but dwell within thee to beleeue the word of trueth know there is glorie and honour and immortalitie and eternall life to those that patiently seeke the Lorde and indignation wrath and tribulation and anguish vpon the soule of euerie man that doeth euill Knowe that the worlde is vanitie and all fleshe is grasse that righteousnesse is perfect blessing and the feare of God is happinesse beleeue this as thou beleeuest thine eyes to see the light of the Sunne or to discerne the darkenes of the night and thou shalt neuer fall were thy ◅ntations neuer so many thou shalt ouercome them till the diuell himselfe doe flie from thee let vs therefore pray and pray continually euen as the Apostles prayed O Lord increase our faith The woordes following heete In falling away from the liuing God they shewe bothe what it is to be vnfaithfull and what worke it hath in vs For to doubt when the Lord hathe spoken or mistrust what hee hathe promised it is to fall away from him and when we beginne in heart to wauer and call into question whether his worde shal be perfourmed or no we lay our selues open to the assaultes of sinne and soone fall away from the liuing God to our owne vanitie And this generall rule that infidelitie maketh vs fall from God wee must particularly applie to all the workes of our life that wee be not hardened as the Apostle saith with the deceipt of sinne If I fall into daunger and mistrust Gods prouidence and seeke worldly meanes and vnlawfull helpe of man for my deliuerance the prophet Ieremie curseth this infidelitie and sayth we withdraw our hearts from the lord If in maintenance of our common wealth we seeke only policies and doe that whiche is wisest with naturall men the Prophet Esay cryeth wo vnto suche for they fall away from God they looke not sayth he vnto the holie one of Israel nor seeke vnto the lord If I vse lying woordes or any deceipte in buying and selling thinking so to wax rich I am a lying merchaunt that am fallen from God and as Solomon saith The bread of deceit shal be sweete but for a while and then my mouth shal be filled with gra◅ell and therfore that we may not at last be ashamed and be guiltie of this great sinne to forsake the liuing God let vs take heede there bee not in anie of vs an euill heart of infidelitie It followeth now But exhort one an other daily while it is yet called to day As before the Apostle taught vs to beware of the sinne so like a wise teacher he telleth vs heere how wee shall doe it that is by daily exhorting one another So Sainct Paule when hee would persuade the Thessalonians to walke as children of the light and as in the day time he setteth out this rule vnto them Exhort one an other edifie one another and this is the discharge of that great commaundement Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe as appeareth by the lawe that is written Thou shalt not hate thy brother from thine heart but thou shalt reproue him suffer him not to sinne Thus the Lord hath ordeyned and this duetie he wil aske at our hands in which he wil iustifie vs or else condemne vs Sainct Iames sayth He that conuerteth a sinner from going astray let him know it he shal saue a soule from death shall couer a multitude of sinnes Solomon sayth The fruite of the righteous is as a tree of life and he that winneth soules is wise And the Prophet Daniel in cleare and absolute words speaketh plainly They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne manie to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer and euer This duetie I confesse is chiefly the ministers then the magistrates then the fathers and maisters who are all accordinge to their calling guiltie of bloud if men perish in their gouernement for want of instruction but yet this duetie is also cōmon to all and none excepted we ought all to edifie and exhort one another There is no excuse of ignorance there is none so simple but hath learned the royal law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe In breach of this duetie who is so simple but he can sometime espie the sinne of his brother In this let him exhorte him after his skill for though hee haue receiued but one talent yet must hee occupie that else hee shal be condemned for a wicked and a faithlesse seruaunt Looke therefore vnto this and watch euerie one ouer his brother that he may confirme him in the grace of Christ. We haue often meetings for the comfort of our life and many brotherly feastinges are amoung vs Take heede we drinke not our wines in carued bolles and haue sweete musicke at our tables and none of vs as the Prophet sayeth remember the affliction of Ioseph that is I meane and none of vs care for the adulterie drunkennesse gluttonie blasphemie of his brethren for if our meetinges be
Christ what is the office of the true priest and that is that hee be greate and stronge to beare all our infirmities then that hee make an entrance for vs vnto God induing vs now with saith boldenesse of his spirit and finally giuing vs his grace and saluation which things as they were neuer in Aaron nor in all the sonnes of Leuie so they haue clearely appeared in Christe and therfore with boldnesse let vs cleaue vnto him to this effecte is this exhortation Now where he saith Sith therfore we haue a great high priest who hath entred into the heauens Iesus the sonne of God let vs holde this profession I would we could heere learne of the Apostle to bee wise The excellencie of our sauiour Christ both of his person and of his doings was a strong persuasion vnto him to giue glorie vnto Christ alone Seing Christe was the sonne of God full of power to doe all he would who had entred into the presence of his liuing father what man is he shall ioyne him selfe vnto him to claime a parte and fellowshipp in that worke which Christe hath taken vppon him selfe or who that may haue his hope and reioycing in Christ wil cast it off to glorie in a mortall man◅ this madnesse was so greate in the Apostles eyes that as a thing which it grieued him to remember so he besecheth his brethren neuer to let it sink into them but rather seeing Christ was vnto them such a one let them abide in him hold fast his profession Thus we at this day let vs strengthē our faith and aunswer all our aduersaries if the question be whether iustification bee in our owne woorkes let vs say seing Christ the sonne of the liuing God hath beene conceiued of the holie Ghost and borne of a virgine and sanctified himselfe for vs fulfilling all righteousnesse in his flesh and offering vs freely of his fulnesse to be made holie before God we will holde this profession and wee that are but dust and full of euill wee will not ioyne our selues with so excellent a sauiour we renounce our righteousnesse and the righteousnesse of our fathers the righteousnesse of Abraham of Paule of Peter of the virgin Marie and the righteousnesse of Christe shal be our righteousnesse alone If wee be asked whether the Masse be a sacrifice for our sinne let vs aunswer seeing Christ the immaculate lambe of God by his eternall spirit hath offered vp once his owne bodie vppon the crosse and giuen eternall redemption to those that doe beleeue if an impure priest of polluted members will presume to bee one in this businesse let his sinnes be imputed vnto him who with vnchaste handes will needes crucifie againe the sonne of God we will none of his cursed workes but will holde our profession Christ is our sacrifice and sacrificer alone he is the pro pitiation for our sinnes So in all other poinctes if Christ who came downe from heauen and is in the bosome of his father hathe taken vpon him to be our prophet let vs holde this profession and not care what fleshe and bloud can say vnto vs If Christ to whom all power is giuen in Heauen and in Earth who is King of glorie and sitteth on the right hand of maiestie in the highest places if he haue taken vpon him to lose the workes of the diuel and set vs free from his bondage why holde we not this profession or why runne we to holie water belles candels crosses and such vanities as though they holped Christ in his worke Or if all our enimies thinke they can connute this that here we say let them aunswer vs howe is the reason of the Apostle good against the priesthod of Aaron that it is abolished no other sacrifices are but Christ because he is so excellent a priest the sonne of God the greate high priest and hath entred the heauens If this dignitie of his person proue the priesthod onely to bee his why doth not the same proue all these thinges we speake of to be done wrought by him alone or how is it possible that his priesthood for the excellencie of it cannot stand with the priesthood of Aaron which yet was glorious and that it shoulde stande with the filthy stinking priesthood of a greasie handed pope which is loathsome to see heare ▪ or how can his glorie beare no fellowe in his priesthod yet beare the fellowship or any partenership with other in the office of a Kinge and prophet Seeing then it is thus withvs that wee be glorified to haue such a priest so high so greate let vs holde as the Apostle saith his profession and acknowledge no helpers vnto him Thus the Apostle hauing shewed the dignitie and glorie of Christ our priest in the 15. verse following he sheweth also his mercie and compassion that we may knowe him a perfect priest and for this cause he addeth this least the weake Iewes should otherwise be offended and fall at the knowledge of his glorie for hearing our Sauiour Christe exalted as God they would easily thinke and shall the Lord againe speake vnto vs do we not remember the dayes of mount Sinai when he spake vnto them and they were all afraide yea Moses himselfe did he not tremble and the people pray that they might heare him no more shal it be so agiane with vs or hath the Lord spoken and we haue not seene his maiestie to stop this or like offence the Apostle addeth this of his compassion loue for we haue not a high priest which cānot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sorte ▪ yet without sinne the summe of which words are that as we acknowledge Christe to bee the sonne of God so we also beleeue that he was made man like vnto vs and in this participation of nature hath taken also vpon him al our infirmities accounting them as his owne so that we may be bolde to come vnto him who is no more fearfull in the glorie of his maiestie but louing in y similitude of our nature And that it is said here he suffereth with vs is tempted as we made like vs in all things we must vnderstand it by reason of that spirituall and vnspeakable coniunction which we haue with him in that he is our head and we are his members a vnitie not knowen of fleshe and bloud for it is not made of ioynts and sinewes but seene onely with the eyes of faith according as it standeth by participation of the same spirite and when we shal know what the spirite is we shall see the band in whiche we are knitt together and be able to speake it howe Christ now suffereth with vs and howe the afflictions of his sainctes are suche vnto him as if they were in his own bodie euen as he saith Saule Saule why persecutest thou me by which experience the apostle Paule also calleth his afflictions the afflictions of
them to thy iudgement they neede not my commendation But be not thou deceiued in iudgeing good thinges by the first taste for they delight more the second time then at the first and more at the third time then at the second Try my commendation and giue thy sentence But of all other readers of these M. Ed. Deerings expositions I haue namely to exhort and beseech the Citizens of London others sometime his diligent auditours that they would now repaire their vnderstanding and reâ—…site their consolations reaped at the first fâ—…utes of this present doctrine that they would also examine and take an accompt of their memorie to see what is now set downe in writing here that they haue vtterly forgotten long agoe So they shall beholde how easily good thinges and comfortable things euen thinges of eternall life how soone they perishe and for want of true reuerence to the worde or diligent regard to our sáluation are by Satan made fruitelesse whereas in small matters olde men haue freshe memories as to remember where their gold lyeth and how many obligations they haue and of what conditions And what is it I pray you that in them causeth so good momorie euen the hart set theron with diligent care which heart more set vpon that that is more precious infinitely what iudgement what comfort what stedfastnes would it cause in the word of life But how commeth so small heede in so mightie matters Certeinly herevpon that the worldly man is of a worldly minde and a man without the spirit as the Apostle Iude speaketh hath no tast of the spirit no delight in spritual riches they are to him foolishnes But of memorie thus much may suffice I would haue thought it too muche were it not that to learning and knowledge in man I know nothing better For thy memorie though the voice be taken away and the spirite with the Lord yet the doctrine remaineth to thee in letters remaine thou mindfull now to make that hereafter fruitfull to thee by diligence which hetherto hath by negligence lyen barren Let vs account it a blessing from God that we haue thus many of M. Deerings readings the rest whiche wâ—…re to the x. Chapter or there about 〈◊〉 the other three Chapter 's waite for and desire some other 〈◊〉 faithfull labour If any man hauing small hope to make the remainder like to that which wâ—…e haue refuse therefore to attempt the matter let him otherwise abouÌ„ding with gifâ—… and 〈◊〉 and hauing exercises in the Church humble himselfe to be in the second or third place to finishe the worke and benefite the Church whereunto al men are insâ—…tely â—…ndebted and almost no man carefull to come out of debt But most of all let vs continually pray that our good God would in these perillous ends of the world put on vs al his whole complet armour to stand against the power and malice of Satan that he would also illuminate our heartes with the bright beames of his wisedome and holy word that we may be freed from the darknes of ignoraunce and errour that the mouthes of the wicked may be stopped and the lippes of the children of God opened and fulfilled with the 〈◊〉 of God. Moreouer seeing the Lord hath layed sharpe roddes and long time executed great iudgements vpon our neighbours round about giuing vs now all these 18. yeares of our gratious Souereigne the Gospel in great peace it is our duetie to consider our duetie in this behalfe first that we in brotherly compassion and in an inward fellowfeeling lament to our power redresse their calamities secondarily that wee be thankefull to God for our peace and carefull to yeeld our selues in all singlenes and trueth euery way obedient to the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ the king of peace in as large the same maner that is to vs offered in the word of life in the third place that all diligence bee vsed that the word may haue his free passage and main course to the ouerthrow of all aduersarie power especially of the open enimies Papists and Atheistes to the discouerie of other sectes springing vpp of their owne accord where the word is not planted finally to the cutting off of prophane and loose life which nowe aduaunceth it selfe against heauen and prouoketh the Almightie except by discipline it be broken downe that the kingdome of Iesus Christe may be moste glorious on earth and that the sonnes of men may be safe and reioyce vnder the shadow of his winges For a further vnderstanding hereof and of many other like exercises in the knowledge practise of Christianitie I referre thee gentle Reader to these Lectures beseeching God to make thy labours fruitful with his coÌ„tinual blessings especially in thy prayers wherein as carefull for the whole Church also pray that the Lord in mercie would make the Churches beyonde the seas rather partakers of our peace with fulnesse therof then in iustice to make vs companions of their punishment in the laste place and greatest measure Amen The xxiiii of Nouember 1576 ¶ The Praelections of Edward Deering vpon certeine of the first Chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrues ¶ The first Lecture vpon the firste verse of the first Chapter 1 AT sundrie times and in diuerse manners God spake in the olde time to our fathers by the prophets in these last dayes he hath spoken vnto vs by his sonne AT sundry times in diuers maners c. Before we begin the exposition of this Epistle I wil briefly speak somewhat of these three pointes Why this Epistle was written by whome and at what time And first touching the cause of the writing though we knowe assuredly it was cause sufficient to leaue so excellent doctrine vnto the church of God yet a speciall occasion then giuen was vndoubtedly this The Iewes were stubbernly set to the maintenance and defence of the law of Moses holding fast al the ceremonies of it as things necessarie neuer to be abrogate but perpetually to be vsed in the worshipp of god Among the residue they did especially striue for Circumcision next vnto it for the obseruation of meates and drinkes and times and feastes and sundry purifyings as these things are namely mentioned in the scripture Besides these other ceremonies they imbraced them and loued them And though many thousandes as it is in the xxi of the Actes did beleeue yet were they still zealous for the law nor could possibly heare of the abrogation of it In so much that they and their forefathers had made this an article of their faith and it is the ninth article of their Creede they holde it to this day God gaue his lawe to his faithful seruant Moses and he wil neuer alter it nor chaunge it for any other And this their opinioÌ„ as it was rooted in theÌ„ so they had very many plausible persuasions for it they stroue not for the inuentions of man but for the law of God not
holden by traditiōs but writtē by Moses not in doubtful testimonie but in manifest shew of the glorie of god And this their opinion they did not think was any coniectural exposition but the manifest word as it was oft repeated that this should be an ordinaunce to them for ouer For this cause the Apostle hauing compassion vpon his weake brethren who beleued in Christ but were also thus addicted to the law he writeth vnto them this Epistle by all meanes persuading them neuer to ioyne together our sauiour Christ with the Ceremonies of the lawe whose glorie is perfect in him self alone and all height must be abased before him He created alone and he will redeeme alone He made alone and he wil saue alone and to be set in cōparison with him all the gold siluer precious stones all the ornaments of the temple they are but Beggerlie Elements Nothing else in earth nothing vikler earth nothing in heauen nor in the heauen of heauēs no vertue no power no strength no name else that is named in which or by which we can be saued but only the name of Iesus christ And for this cause this epistle was written Wherin it shal be good for vs to marke how from the beginning sathan hath striuen to obscure and darken the glorie of Christe and howe hee hath holden stil the same purpose vnchaungeably euen to our dayes First he chaūged him selfe into an Angel of light with glorious names of Moses Moses vnder pretence of holinesse striuing against trueth a marueylous practise in those dayes inough to haue subuerted the faith of many For who would haue thought that such men so great louers of the lawe of the Temple of Moses should bee enimies of the true Mellias or be ignoraunt of the saluation and spirituall worship which he should teach them But here we learne not to ground our faith neither vpon the glorious wordes nor vppon the glorious hames of mortall men For this deceiued from the beginning but the worde it selfe must bee graffed in vs if we will not erre So now in these our last times in which the diuel striueth as at the firste wee see how many say vnto vs The church the church The pope the pope The fathers the fathers many thousandes are led with this sound of wordes yet in these wordes is no wisedome onely they renewe the olde deceipt in which the diuel first troubled the church of God For what is the Churche they speake of who is the pope who are their fathers are they greater then the Temple then the lawe then Moses if not then their names may be vsed for a cloke of falshood as y others were Then we must trie them and examine them whether it be a true churche or true fathers they speake of To follow a church you know not what is to trust to the Temple you knowe not how And knowe it well such wordes are but mockeries and such spirites are of error and darknesse The effect is proofe inough For the end of their religion is that ignorance is the mother of deuotion Now touching the author of this Epistle who it was it skilleth not For if the name had ben here what had it shewed but that God vsed the ministerie of such a man And now the time is not knowen it teacheth expressely the doctrine is of god And for this cause to the bookes of holie scripture names are sometime added sometime not that the doctrine of the Lorde might be vnto vs without respect of person And for my parte who wrote this Epistle I can not tell nor I see no cause why I should seeke it For when the spirite of God hath lest it out can I think it the better if I should adde it I remember Athanasius sayeth that since the Gospell was first preached this Epistle was euer thought to be Paules But Eusebius as boldly on the other side saith that he dareth constantly affirm as the sense is the Apostles so the phrase pēning is some other mans but whose God knoweth and thus much of the authour whome we will leaue as we finde him a faithfull wittnesse of Iesus Christ euen to the ends of the world but whose name we knowe not Now for the time in which it was written it is certein it was in y apostles dayes For if it had bene after the destruction of Ierusalem threatning so oft the anger of God to those who would despise his sonne no doubt he would haue mentioned so singular an example Besides this he maketh mention of Timothie as his companion and fellowe who was famous among the Apostles And it is like that this Epistle was written about the later end of the Apostles age because he saith that this doctrine first preached by the Lord hath now bene confirmed vnto vs by them that heard it And noting the time how long the Gospell had bene preached afore he sayth that time required that nowe they should be able to be teachers of it Againe in the x. chapter he putteth them in remembraunce that in times past they had suffered great and manifolde afflictions for the Gospels sake So that we easily see this Epistle as it is holie and Apostolicall in the trueth of doctrine so it hath also the honour of their time And thus farre of the occasion authour and time of this Epistle Now as briefly as I can I will shewe you the argument of the whole Epistle and that is this that onely in Iesus Christ is the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Which argument he handleth thus Firste setting out our sauiour Christ who he is in the ten firste chapiters Then howe saluation is thorough him in the residue of the Epistle In setting foorth our sauiour Christe who he is he sheweth first the nature of his person in the two first chapters then what is his office in the next eight Touching his person he teacheth first that he is perfect God in the first chapter then that he is perfect man in the second Chap. of which we wil speake more particularly in expoūding of the text Of his office whereof we said he intreateth in the viii next chapters he teacheth this firste that he is our Prophet from the beginning of the iii. chapter to the xiiii verse of the fourth then that he is our priest from thence to the xix verse of the x. chapter And though the Apostle of purpose and with great care do plainely teach that Christ is our king yet because this necessarily followeth of the other there was no doubt but that Messias their priest and prophet should be also their prince and king therefore he seemeth not to make any particular intreatie of this as of the other offices but as he was a kingly prophet a kingly priest and the sonne of God so in proofe of all these he maketh with them manifest proofes of his kingdome at in the text more plainely God willing I will
Our Sauiour Christ being y eternall sonne of God through the work of the holy ghost was made man of the virgin Marie and borne without originall sinne and by the same spirit filled still his manhood more and more with grace till the fulnesse of all righteousnesse was within him that so his manhood might inherit saluation according to the promisse Do this and thou shalt liue But hitherto as he is righteous so he is righteous for him selfe and only that man is yet blessed which was conceiued by the holie Ghost and borne of the virgin Marie Our sinnes doe yet remaine and we abide holden vnder the death of them and therefore as his first woorke sanctified him self so yet there remained more that he might sanctifie vs For when he commeth to vs he findeth vs in sinne through sinne in death and in the condemnation of the diuell who had the power of death So that he had nowe another worke then in his first righteousnesse to sanctifie his owne bodie He must also abolish sinne and death and hel in which we were holden if he wil be a sauiour vnto vs And heere he must multiplie all his former righteousnesse and make it infinite for a greater worke is behind and a new law is giuen vnto him a law neuer giuen to all flesh a singular law out of the depth of Gods wisdome and goodnesse which without the fall of Adam had neuer beene seene neither of man nor Angel a law of a redeemer that is a law by which he might bring man from death to life from hel to heauen from hatred to loue and from the diuell to God a work farre greater then to make the worlde of nothing This law was to loue God his brother not in vsual things of life whervnto al we were appointed but in taking vpon him sin and death and treading the winepresse of the anger of almightie God. And this thing he hath also done For being righteous pure holie and without spot the sinne that abounded he tooke it all vpon him and deathe that reigned he submitted him selfe vnto it and went as despised among men in shame in ignominie in affliction of the flesh for the sinne of our bodies and in anguishe of spirite in mourning and in sorrowe to beare the sinnes of our soules before GOD feeling the heauinesse of his wrathe whiche was the sting of death and condemnation and before man shewing the signes of it vpon a cursed crosse in agonies bloudie sweates and in wofull crying according to the sense and feeling of sorrowe that was vppon him And all this he endured not vnwillingly for then he had done nothing but with exceeding ioy of heart that he had found out the miserie in whiche he might seale it howe muche he loued his father and make it manifest howe he loued vs So went he willingly vnto death and that he might satisfie the iustice of his father and purge the sinnes of his people with all his heart he gaue his bodie vnto the crosse and his soule a sacrifice for our sinne which obedience was accepted of his father the iust punishment of all sinne and full redemption of all his elect And this the Apostle here meaneth when he sayth that by himselfe he purged our sinnes And because he saith by himselfe he purged our sinnes in this we see a cleare discharge giuen to the Tabernacle and all the sacrifices at the doore of it not one of them purged sinne And though some wee called sinne offeringes and the sinnes of the people in such sacrifices were saide to be forgiuen yet they had that name and calling not according to the merite of the woorke but according to the vertue of the thing they signified euen as the Lordes supper is called the communion of the bodie of Christe and baptisme is saide to bee the washing away of our sinnes not in trueth of the thing but in mysterie of the signe The phrase being so vsed for more assurance and warrant of the promise not to carrie the grace of God from our sauiour Christ and his spirit to the dumbe elements of bread or water And if the Iewes are here instructed to leaue their vaine trust and confidence in the lawe and to knowe that the forgiuenesse of their sinnes was not in meates drinkes and diuerse washings and carnall rites of the temple nor in the bloud of Goates and Calues or in the ashes of an heifer sprinckling thē which are vncleane but onely in the precious bloud shed and the bodie crucified of Iesus Christ notwithstanding all these ordinaunces were giuen them of God what could our fathers say who sawe the Lawe abrogate the temple pulled downe the lande prophaned the Iewes scattered the wordes of faith preached and that they should glorie in nothing but in the Crosse of Iesu Christ what could they say either Tertullian for fasting crossing oyling whiche he learned and had of Montanus the heretique Or Cyprian for satisfaction or Theodoretus for martyrs merits or Cyrill for iustification of woorkes or Augustine for prayer for the dead or Ierome for so many superstitions of lights garments vessels c. Nay what can we say who haue seene all that the olde fathers haue seene why at this day we should loue their errours nay why we should deuise new of our owne which the oldefathers knew not why haue we loued the popes woful Iubileis or his damned pardons why do we yet think that the masse is a sacrifice propitiatorie for the quick dead why was purgatorie first drempt on as much hotter thē our fire as ours is hotter then a painted fire or why was the building of chapels chauntries or religious houses thought to be a meanes to deliuer vs from such burning A thousand such things why we haue loued them what cause can wee alledge before the Lord The lawe of God giuen by Moses his faithfull seruant a lawe which had bene a scholemaister to leade many thousands vnto Christ could it not stand with Christ without darkening of his glorie and can the lawe of the pope giuen by Summists Canonists a people not knowē in y house of God which lawe onely leadeth to the obedience of the church of Rome can it be that it should bring any light to the gospel of Christ I nede not stand in ma ny words to confute so great folie I leaue it to the conscience of all that be wise hearted whether God abrogating his ownelaw ment that the pope shuld institute a new or whether he ment to take away all earnall ordinaunces that hee might make it plaine whiche the Apostle heere teacheth that by Christe alone all our sinnes are purged But heere some man by a subtile enimie may bee easily deceiued who will saye All this neede not they attribute not the forgiuenesse of sinnes to the popes pardons or to any masses but to Christ alone The Pope and masses are onely the applying of the fruit of Christes death vnto
thee Where the Prophet shewing causes why the whole world should not preuaile against Christ he saith because God had decreed it in his eternall counsell and proclamed it with this sentence Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee That is this day haue I declared that thou art my natural sonne meaning especially the time in which he made him knowen in the worlde by his wonderfull workes as S. Paule ment when he saide God was made manifest in fleash noting the power of the spirit working in him in his birthe life death resurrection and ascension So this day noteth not any particular time but all times in generall wherein God hath shewed his power in Christ as especially in the time he liued among vs And it see meth that the Apostle maketh manifest this sense of his wordes in that he addeth to the text alledged in the vi verse the time when it was fulfilled leauing this without any distinct time as that whiche apperteined to all times in which Christ should be shewed to be the sonne of God especially as I saide in his life and before or since as God sheweth his glorie in him So this sentence was true when he appeared to Abraham Iacob Moses to any of the patriarches or prophets or after his ascension when he appeared to Stephan to Paule or any other or whensoeuer he sheweth his power to defend his church vnto the end according to his owne promise I am with you to the latter end of the world And thus this word to day is takeÌ„ in that which is after alledged To day if ye will heare are his voice harden not your hearts And againe In the day of health I haue heard thee And in the day of saluatioÌ„ I haue succoured thee meaning no particular day but al the time that the word is preached vnto vs. It followeth I wil be his father and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…y sonne This is another texte to proue Christ the naturall sonne of god It is written in the seconde of Samuel the seuenth chapter and they are the wordes of God vnto Dauid by the Prophet Nathan to giue him a promise of the blessing of his seede after him which was begone in Solomon who built the temple and whome God so highly aduaunced in all wisedome richesse and honour that the Fatherly prouidence of God appeared ouer him as ouer an especiall chosen sonne All which as it was promised to Dauid so Dauid looked for the perfourmance of it in Christ and to be figured in Solomon his sonne after him whose temple was a figure of the Churche of Christe his riches a figure of the great graces of the spirite of Christe giuen to his Church his honour aboue all kinges a figure how kinges should submitt them selues to Christ and be nurlefathers and Queenes nurses to the Churche of Christe his wisedome a figure that in Christe should be hid all treasures of wisedome and knowledge and finally he called by name the sonne of God in respect of his blessings as a figure of Christ who is the eternall sonne of his father in nature of his person And so the Apostle here alledgeth this place without any suche long exposition howe the place is meant because we should see in it that the people of Israel were not so ignorant of the Scriptures as we be but brought vp in the knowledge of the lawe and taught the vnderstanding of it euen from their â—…dell as we shoulde be And thus haue we heard this argument of the Apostle Christ hath a more honourable name then the Angels therefore he is more excellent then they Nowe also let vs see the manner of proofes here vsed He proueth Christe to be the naturall sonne of God by textes of Scripture witnessing 〈◊〉 he donâ—…eth that Angels are so because God in his scriptures neuer spake it for so he beginneth Vnto which of the Angels said he at any time c. The self same maner of proofe againe he vseth in the 13. verse following Because the scripture saide it not therefore he proueth it is not so making his argument negatiuely from authoritie of Scripture whiche in all thinges what soeuer man is required to do or know in matters of religion is euer a most certeine conclusion God spake it therfore we must doe it God spake it not therfore we haue nothing to doe with it And this argument must needes bee good so long as this word of the Lordo doeth endure What I commaund thee doe that only And so long as this is a iust condemnation of all our owne deuises who required these things at your hands And so long as this shal be true that our wisdome is folishnesse and we cannot doe well but when we bearken to the worde of God that shineth in our harts as in a dark place True it is and if we had but the wisedome of children we must needes see it that all particular lawes and orders with which we may be bound they are not set downe in precise words of Scripture but it is as true that the nature and propertie of euery lawe or order is so described that the worde of God as clearely is followed in it as if the wordes of the law were set downe in it For of all decrees to be made in his church hath not God said It must be without offence it must edifie it must bee comely and according to order and it must serue to the glorie of God. Now God hauing giuen grace into our heartes to iudge what soeuer we decree by these rules is not the word of God the warrant of it By such manifest proofe ofscripture the church of Christ doeth iustifie all that she doeth Thus the Apostle proueth heere his doctrine Thus we must do if we will bee the Apostles scholers Marke well this reason for it is worthy God said to Christ thou art my sonne therfore he is his sonne God said not so to any Angel therefore no Angel can take the name vnto him In like manner we will dispute with them God said The true worshippers should not go to mount Sion nor to Ierusalem but worship God in spirit and trueth Where said he go a pilgrimage or go visit the holie sepulchre God said Doe not obserue dayes and monethes and times and yeeres Where said he keepe vnto me Lent or Aduent imber weekes or Saincts Eeues God said vnto vs It is the doctrine of diuels to forbid marriage or to commaund to abstaine from meates Where said he eate now no fleash now no white meate let not the minister marrie God said Let euery soule be subiect to kings princes and the autho ritie of such men let it not be in his Apostles Where said he let the pope haue the gift of kingdomes bee exempt from authoritie of man weare a triple crowne and haue Lords and noble men vnder him God said Cursed 〈◊〉 he that addeth ought to his law or taketh
following on the contrarie parte the Apostle setteth downe what is the proper glorie of Angels that by plaine comparison this dignitie of Christ might more appeare and so of Angels he addeth that they be all ministring spirits sent out for the safetie of those whiche shall inherite saluation Where he calleth them ministring spirites according to the testimonie of Dauid before alledged He maketh his Angels spirits and his ministers a flâ—… of fire which bothe names spirites and ministers the one of nature the other of office he bringeth thus into the proper definition that they be ministring spirites And because the ministerie of any creature may be in diuerse things therefore to take away this vncerteintie wherein their ministerie should be hee addeth streight that they are ministers for the safetie of Gods electe So setting out a perfect definition of an Angel fully comprehending all that wee can or ought to knowe of those blessed spirites I for all their glorie is comprehended in the nature of a spirite and the prayse which continually they sing vnto God is comprehended in their ministerie for they are named ministers according to Gods ordinaunce and good pleasure so that with continuall praise and thankesgiuing and reioycing in the Lorde they doe their worke as after their example we make our prayer Thy will be done in earth us it is in Heauen Now vpon this definition of Angels and the former testimonies of the great glorie of the sonne of God our Sauiour Iesus Christ by good comparison the Apostles conclusion is plaine and manifeste that seeing our Sauiour Christ is so exalted euen aboue the angels in all the honour of a King a Priest a Prophet wee ought much more so to acknowledge him aboue Moses aboue Aaron aboue all Temple sanctuarie mercie seate and all ordinances of the lawe that he might be alone our onely health and saluation And thus hee finisheth this first Chapter in which I saide he setteth out the person of Christe according to his Godhead bodily dwelling within him Now touching the wordes what we haue to note of this where he saith to which of the angels saide he at any time I then sufficiently declared vnto you as God gaue me grace when I expounded the v. verse Likewise of Christes sitting at the right hand of God I spake more fully expounding the third verse Where it is here added Till I make thine enimies thy foote stoole The Apostle Sainct Paule speaking of this victorie of Christ he saith He shall abolish all rule and authoritie and power noting as he faith in an other place that we wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against principalities and powers against worldly rulers of this darkenesse against spirituall wickednesse in high places wherein we see of what force and strength our enimies are And because he saith The last enimie shal be abolished which is death we see that there shall neuer want enimies to the Churche whereby wee shoulde be prouoked in regarde of our continuall daunger to be euer watchinge and because of our stronge enimies onely to put our truste in Christe And here I beseech you let our hearts be in out owne wayes and of our naturall life let vs learne wisdome least we be also vpbraided of our Sauiour Christ that we can discerne the face of the earth of the skie but we can not iudge of our selues what is right Tell me who of vs hauing a long iourney by many theeues and wilde beastes or passing the rockie seas in great and violent stormes though lie escape a place or two where no theefe is not aâ—…ye beaste hath molested him yet at euerie place of daunger his feare is still renued And thoughe he haue passed many highe surges and deepe gulphes of water yet at euerie waue hee is still affraide not carelesse because he hath passed farre but still carefull because there is more behinde and this wisedome we vse because we know we may as well fall toward our iourneyes end and as well bee drowned before the hauens mouthe as when we first began our daungerous voyage Euen so with the Church of Christ in which this day we confesse our selues to haue our portion from the first day of her peregrination in earth till her last entraunce into glorie there is a perpetuall hatred betweene the serpent and her head and betweene the seede of the serpent and her children in which strife euerie one of vs particularly haue our fight so that from our mothers wombe till we lie downe in the graue our life is a warrefare vpon earth No age no condition of life no day no night but brings his enimie with him and the same enimie armed with sinne and death as well against the man of an hundred yeares olde as against the childe that is newe borne and as well we may fall into condemnation through apostasie of old croked age as through concupiscence and pride of youth And if at any time we become secure like a carelesse people who haue our senses dulled with an idle dreame of peace it is not because webe out of danger but according to the parable in the gospel The strong man hath possessed aâ—… therfore al things seme to be so safe sure Let vs therefore be wise shake off the weight of this dull sluggishnes which presseth vs downe that with attentiue eares wee may willingely heare his louing counsell who one day will breake the strongest head of all our enimies Hee biddeth vs watche and pray because wee knowe not the day nor yet the houre and so much the rather let vs doe it because we stand not in danger of robbing or drowning or tearing with wilde beastes which yet would make vs affraide though death should end our miserie but we stand in daunger of greater calamities when death shal be abolished whether we shal be accursed in eternall fire or whether wee shal be the blessed of the Lorde And as the perill is great so we haue heard the enimies are strong and such as before whome we are verie cowards for be we otherwise neuer so valiaunt to indure paine to quarell to fight to despise any daunger as it is the manner of a great many ruffians in deed but men of good courage they would bee called bring mee one of them in battell against these enimies wee haue to striue against pride against concupiscence against idle games against all sinne and thou shalte see no boy no woman no sickeman so verie a cowarde he hath not the heart to strike one blowe but yeeldeth him selfe a slaue and is led away as an oxe to the slaughter-house Let vs therefore watch Let vs pray for in this dangerous battell in which these strong men are verie cowardes what can we do Euen let vs denie our selues and trust vnto him that sitteth on the right hand of his father and hee shall make all our enimies our footestoole And this word we must not lightly
passe ouer for it noteth a certeine great confusion vpon the enimies of Christe forthough it be sometime honour to be named the Lords footestole as where it is saide Heauen is my throne and the earth is my footestoole And especially in the lamentations of Ieremie where he saith The Lord hath darkened the daughter of Sion and throwne downe the beautie of Israel and hath not remēbred his footstole Yet in this place where it is spokē of Gods enimies it noteth their extreme ruine and shame euen as of those whome wee doe stamp vnder our feete An example of this we haue in the Iewes whose name was once so honourable how doe the Prophets glorie of the house of Iudah yet since they haue taken vp this enimitie against Christ and sett them selues against his Churche and people they haue had experience of the Lordes right hand and their name is a name of shame and ignominie ouer all the worlde An other example we haue of Rome what citie had once such honour what name was of more renowne yet since it hath beene the seate of Antichriste enimie to the sonne of God and to his Gospell as she hath filled her selfe with all abhominations so God hath troaden her vnder feete and as the Prophet sayth shee hath left her name as a curse vnto the chosen of the Lord that I assure you in my eares in the eares I am sure of many thousands moe the citie of Rome is a citie of contempt of ignoraunce of sinne like a deade stock whose sweete blossomes and pleasaunt fruite is withered and worne away And her roote as the Prophet saith is rottennesse and her bud as the dust and suche shal bee the ende of all the enimies of the Sonne of God. Nowe followeth in the last verse this definition of Angels whereof we spake before in whiche we learne and so confesse that they are ministring spirites sent out for our safetie and defence so that hereafter whosoeuer will dispute with vs aboute Angels with one worde we will answer him and cut off all curiositie This we knowe and we know it onely and who so euer knoweth more hee knoweth nothing but the vanitie of his owne minde Angels are spirites whiche serue the Lorde ▪ for his Churches safetie If yet we wil be vaine still and thinke yea but what are Archangels principalities powers rules thrones dominions What are Cherubim and Seraphim All these how so euer they be called in diuerse respectes diuersly they are all Angels in condition and nature as they are so here defined For if any Archangel throne or dominion or any other name that is named were any way greater then an Angel all this disputation of the Apostle were nothing worth for how could it proue the excellencie of Christ aboue all creatures because he is greater then Angels If Cherubim or Seraphim or any Archangel were also greater then an Angel And therefore that the reason of the Apostle may be as it is strong and vnanswerable we must confesse all blessed spirits whatsoeuer they be they be all this and this is their glorie that they be ▪ Gods ministers for the safetie of his children This doctrine the Prophet Dauid teacheth also verie plainely in the 34. Psalme The Angel of the Lord pitcheth roūd about thē that feare him deliuereth them And againe in the 91. Psalme He shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee to kepe thee in all thy ways they shal beare thee in their hāds that thou hurt not thy foote against a stone And according as this is Gods worde and his promise so we haue many examples howe he hathe at all times iustified his faith in the perfourmance of it that we might not stagger in this doctrine of Angels The Patriarches the people of Israel the Prophets the Apostles and Saincts of the new Testament our Sauiour Christ himselfe we haue seene howe the Angels haue beene with them in daungerous times and ministred the help of God vnto them Now touching the manner how the Angels of God execute this ministerie euen as it is not harde vnto the Lorde in the battels of men to saue with manie or with fewe so God sendeth out his angels more or lesse euē as he wil that it might be known the power is the Lords When Iacob feared before his brother Esau God sendeth to him an hoast of angels to comfort him When Eliseus was besett with the great hoast of the king of Syria his seruant was now exceedingly affraide Eliseus prayed to haue his eyes opened that he might see the helpe of God which was present with them and hee sawe immediately the mounteine full of horses and chariots rounde about Eliseus which were Gods Angels sent for the Prophets safegarde When our Sauiour Christ is in distresse and anguish God sendeth many Angels which doe minister vnto him And so he testifieth of the vsuall work of God common to all his sainctes and applieth it particularly vnto himselfe in reproouing Peter who woulde needs drawe his sword to mainteine his cause Thinkest thou saith he that I can not now pray vnto my father he wil giue me moe then twelue legions of Angels And as thus God sendeth out a great multitude for the saftie of one so contrariwise sometime he appointeth but one for the saftie of manie So God sent an Angel to deliuer Israel out of Aegypt and to guide them throughe the terrible wildernesse and euer after in all their troubles when they called vppon him the Angel of his presence as y prophet Esai saith was their deliuerer and when they should enter the lande of promise God sent an Angel to driue out the Canaanites before them When the armie of y king of Ashur came and besieged Ierusalem God sent an Angel who deliuered the Citie and in one night slew 185000. of the Assyrians When Dauid numbered the people and procured the wrathe of God God sent an Angel into Ierusalem who slew with the pestilence 70000. of the people So we haue many examples where vpon occasion to one man God sendeth one Angel euen as it is saide of one that he came to comfort our Sauiour Christ in the garden To Lot God sent two angels So to the womē that came to the graue of our sauiour Christ two Angels appeared tolde them he was risen againe When the Apostles looked after our Sauiour Christ at his ascension into heauen two Angels appeared vnto them to teache them what they had to do When God would destroy Sodome and Gomorth he sent three Angels to Abraham to tell him of it In the vision that Ezechiel had of the destruction of the citie God sendeth out sixe Angels to execute that iudgement And why is all this diuersitie to the end no doubt we should not be curious but rest in the doctrine which the Lord taught vs that the Angels are his ministers for
Angels Where it followeth here that all transgression of that lawe was punished no doubte he respecteth the people of Israel in the wildernesse where of so manie hundred thousandes all died in their sinnes except Caleb and Iosua who were of an other spirite which fearefull example of this people is likewise alledged by Sainct Paule in the firste to the Corinthians the tenth Chapter to admonish the Corinthians that by their example they should learne And where the Apostle addeth Howe shall wee escape if we despise so great saluation howe true this is we cannot doubt if we will open our eyes this day and looke about vs What is become of the Churches of Corinth Galatia Ephesus Philippi Colossos Thessalonica all whiche Paule so highly commendeth What is become of the churches of Pontus Cappadocia Asia Bithynia to which Peter writeth What is become of Smyrna Pergamus Thiatyra Sardis Philadelphia Laodycea y churches mentioned in the Apocalypse In all Asia Graecia Macedonia Syria Palestina and many famous countries else where are nowe their churches Yea to come yet nearer home What is become of the Churches in many Countries and Islands which our eyes haue seene to flourish The famous kingdome of Hungarie the great Countrie of Liuonia howe haue barbarous tyrants layde them waste that scarce one Church of Christ hath peace within them These are the punishementes which God hath executed for the contempt of his Gospell and our eyes and the eyes of our children this day haue seene it If we will not be warned but doe as we do despise the Gospell more then all nations round aboute vs suffer mockers and scorners to make their banquets among vs giue leaue to proude men to haue their pleasures at home and come not once to the church in xiiii or xv yere let the wolues loose whose rauening teeth are yet red and their bellies ful with the bloud of Gods saincts if we will do greater abhominations then these I wil not appoint times and seasons for so God hath not sent me hither a Prophet but as the scourge will surely come so I dare boldly say The wiseman seeth the plague comming and hideth him but the foole goeth on forward is snared It foloweth in the Apostle in the 3. and 4. verse Which at the first began to be preached c. The Apostle continueth yet his reason added to this exhortation of taking heed to the Gospel which as he did before of the excellencie of Christ the teacher of it so repeating that he addeth also for the more glorie of it the way and manner in whiche it was taught respecting heerein the glorious manner how the law was giuen lest thereby any should lesse regarde the Gospel And this manner of teaching he magnifieth first by the authour who was no Angel but the Lord himselfe then by the minissters of it who were not one but many and euerie one in as honourable and assured a calling as Moses himselfe Thirdly that the preaching of it was with signes wonders powers and sundrie special gifts of the holy ghost euen as it pleased God to distribute them So that they shal be without excuse all the despisers of it Heere some haue thought that this epistle can not be Paules because he sayth They which heard this Gospel of Christ himselfe they haue cōfirmed it to vs which thing Paul neuer saith but always standeth vpon this that he receiued it by Reuelation This reason is not vnlikely neither yet is it necessarie for S. Iude being an Apostle yet saith Remember the wordes which before this you haue heard of the Apostles And as Paul would not lightly haue spoken it in his owne person so heere his name beeing concealed and making him selfe one with those to whome hee writeth he might well speake it And it is not to be pretermitted that he saith not it was taught vs but it was confirmed vnto vs which might be said euen of Paule him selfe being confirmed by Ananias and conferring with Peter Iames Iohn c. and manie other wayes Therefore this is a thing still doubtful and whether it were Paule or not Paule we cannot tell That he sayth heere of signes woonders and powers he calleth miracles signes because they were testimonies seales to vs of the doctrine to be from God hee calleth them woonders because they were straunge and shewed an vnwonted woorke not knowen of men he calleth them powers because they had an euident profe of the power of God the sundrie distributions of the spirite hee calleth the extraordinarie giftes which followed those that did heleeue as our Sauiour Christ promised whereof S. Paule speaketh at large 1. Cor. 12. And thus the Apostle endeth this exhortation that we would carefully hearken to the Gospell giuen by Christe preached by the Apostles confirmed by the gifts of the holie ghost whose contempt God our heauenly Father will moste assuredly reuenge Now let vs examine againe the words and applie them to our particular instruction In the firste verse wher it is said we ought more diligently to harkē to the things that we haue heard we learne one lesson verie necessarie for our time and with which we may stopp the mouths of a great many papists when we reason with them about the studie of the scriptures howe all men ought to knowe them if we alledge the moste cleare places as in the vj. of Deuter. These words shal be in thine hart Thou shalt rehearse them to thy children thou shalt talke of them at home in thy house and when thou art in thy way when thou liest down whē thou risest vp Thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thy hands and they shall be as a frontlet betweene thine eyes Thou shalt write thē in the entrie of thine house and graue them vpon thy gates These and such like places they haue learned thus to answere All that was ment in y olde lawe now Christ hath giuen the holie ghost to the church and it can not erre therefore we must heare her Whether this be not wilfully to be blind see nothing nowe iudge when you heare the Apostle making comparison namely betweene our fathers of the olde testament and vs he sayth that wee are more bounde to the doctrine taught by Christe in his gospel then all our fathers to the law of Moses But they say God hath giuen his holie spirit to the church to guide it in all trueth First I answere this helpeth them nothing for it is a common argument which all sectaries and scismatiques may like wise boast of it But let them proue first that the church of Rome is the church of christ Now touching this gift of Gods spirite powred vppon vs I say it is a promise to the particular comforte of euerie one that wee shall neuer fall from the grace and loue of God it is not a warrant generally to all that the church shal be euer in open rule gouernement no blemish within
world to come of which we speake whereof the Apostle hath spoken no man can doubt All his speach hath bene to bring vs vnder the rule gouernement of Christ then it is Christs kingdome which heere he calleth The world to come which is through the power of the spirite to renewe the worlde to kill in vs the olde man with all his concupiscence to quicken our soule and bodie into all righteousnesse to vanquishe sinne death hell and to establishe vs in hope of perpetuall inheritance of the glorie of god This did our Sauiour Christ perfectly and fully accomplish in his owne person and we by the same spirit euerie one according to the measure which he hath receiued so he doth shew forth this victorie Thus the Apostle when he had mentioned the giftes of Gods spirite commeth into the speach of the kingdome of Christ which by the gifts of that spirite is set vp in vs not according to the will of mā nor according to the will of Angels but as it hath pleased God we if we wil be partakers in it let vs confesse and serue the Lord Iesu for he giueth this blessinge to whom he will. It foloweth But one testifieth in a certeine place c. that honour of renuing of the world which the Apostle before had denied to angels now by plaine testimonie of the prophete he proueth it to beelong vnto Christ and where he beginneth thus But one witnesseth in a certein place rather then naming the prophet bothe the vnwoonted speache better expresseth the affection of his minde inflamed with the loue of that whereof he spake and it is more answerable with the words of the prophet who not with vsual speach but with a souden exclamation saith What is man that thou art mindeful of him now touching this saying of Dauid it is no doubte but he spake it in extolling the goodnesse of God to all Mankinde both the wordes of the Psalme are plaine in reckoninge vp the benefites which apperteine to all men and here the Apostle expresly so vnderstandeth it in the eight verse where he saith But yet we see not all thinges subiect vnto him How then is it applied vnto Christ rightly truly and according to the prophets meaning for one thing let vs learne which I haue tolde you often bothe of the prophets and of their prophesies they had a continuall desire to see the dayes of Christ and longed after the time of his appearance more then the chased Hart doth long for water brookes or the fainte and thirstie soule longeth for meate and drinke and therefore had a delight euen to speake of his comminge which they do often and with glorious words touching their prophesies because they knew y all benefites which God gaue vnto man he gaue them for Christs sake who was onely beloued therfore bothe in setting out benefites receiued and foretelling the blessings which God would surely bring vpon them in their woords they had respect to him in whom all Gods promises were accomplished and many times vttered such speches as could properly agree to no other but Christ alone to whome alone was giuen and by whome we were partakers of it so that thoughe most of their prophesies had a trueth of the present time and incident vnto themselues yet they are also truely and according to the prophetes sense applied vnto Christ by whome all goodnesse came vpon them and vs So it is here in this prophesie of Dauid the words then are true and spoken of the state of man as it was but yet also are referred to Christ because he is authour of it and the only man to whom God gaue this excellent glorie whiche we also haue but through him and that we may knowe thus the Prophet meant in deede hee added these words thou hast made him a litle while inferiour to Angels thou hast crowned him with honour glorie c which fully wholy agree to none but christ But of all this we shal haue occasion to speake more after Thus we se how this prophesie is applied out of which the Apostles second argument of his exhortation is this In the preaching of the worde of Christ God hath giuen vs his kingdome and eternall life a glorie which no Angel could bring vnto vs how then shall we not moste iustly be condemned if we contemne such a heauenlie blessing God hath not made subiect to angels the world to come we do here consider as it were two worlds the one past made by Adam which was sul of hatred enuie rebellion sorrow shame sinne death the bondage of the diuel the other now restored by Christ ful of loue blessings obedience honour righteousnesse life the fauour of God not distinguishing these worlds by times the one first y other after or making any change of heauē earth or any creature for they stand both together in the light of the same sunne moone but as in man are two estates y one of Adam natural which is in death and condemnation the other of Christe and by grace which is in life saluation so they are called the olde world and the new which phrase is vsuall in the scripture often when God speaketh of sending his sonne hee sayth thus Lo I wil create a new heauen and a new earth And the 70. interpreters whom here the apostle followeth they call our Sauiour Christ y Father of the world to come because I say of this restitutiō which he maketh in the world And though the name properlie be giuen to these dayes in which the gospel is preached yet the fruite benefite was also before neither were Abraham Isaak and Iacob nor the other Patriarches and Prophets of the olde worlde but they also sawe in spirit the day of Christe and were then of his kingdome onely the name is reserued to vs because that blessing is now clearely reuealed in perfect beautie and Christ the author of it hath appeared as one of vs and dwelt among vs in our owne nature This world God hath not put in subiection to Angels that is God hath not made his Angels neither purchasers nor dispensers of this heauenlie treasure It was neuer in their power to haue done this thinge In vaine wee should looke for such blessing at their hands If they should enter into this worke they would fall downe vnder it for it is not an Angel but it is the Sonne of God that shall chaunge the worlde whiche was in sinne and shame to fashion it a new into righteousnesse and glorie This is a verie good place out of which we may learne how to knowe our selues and all other creatures how to giue vnto Christ his own honour for seeing the world to come noteth all the restitution which is by Christ the full chaunge of all that euer was by sinne and therfore named World because wee should assuredly knowe there is nothing excepted if then no parte of this worlde bee
receiue from Christ all that is healthfull vnto vs And as by ioyntes and sinewes our members are really knit and made a bodie vnto the head so really truely and in deed by one spirite wee be knit vnto Christe as perfectly and substantially made one with him as our members are one with our head If thou vnderstand not this or sayst with Nicodemus How can this be done I say vnto thee againe Pray that thou mayst be taught of God and that his spirit may reueale it vnto thee for if the tounge of Paule were dumb not able to speake what he sawe in vision how much lesse is man able to speake the trueth of greater mysteries And if our harts cannot comprehend all the wisdome of God in the winde that bloweth how he rayseth it vpp or maketh it fall againe how canne wee vnderstand this wisedome of our vniting vnto Iesus Christ Onely this I can say God hath giuen vs fayth in whiche wee may beleue it and out of which such ioy shineth in our mindes as crucifieth the worlde vnto vs how farre our reason is from seeing it it skilleth not it is sufficient if we can beleeue it We beleeue in the Lord our God yet we know not what is his countenaunce We beleeue apprehend by hope his glorie yet neither eye can see it nor eare can heare it We beleeue and see immortalitie yet our heart can not comprehend the height the breadth the length the deapth We beleeue the resurrection of the dead yet wee can not vnderstand such excellent wisedome how life is renewed in the dispersed scattered bones ashes We beleue our sauiour Christ is man we haue seene him and felt him yet how he was man borne of a virgin all men in the world haue no wisdome to declare Euen so dearely beloued wee beleeue that our Sauiour Christ and we be one hee of vs and we of him he the head we the bodie really substātially truly ioyned together not by ioynts and sinewes for that vniting I knowe wel enough but by his spirit of which we haue all receiued and this vnitie I cannot conceiue nor vtter till I knowe God euen as he is and his holie spirite which hath wrought this blessing Thus we learne what here the Apostle teacheth vs and thus wee vnderstand what is heere said He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one And where it is said heere He that doth sanctifie shewing the present time the worke still a doing it teacheth vs that our sanctification hath a daylie increase when it is fully accomplished then God calleth and our dayes are at an end And let vs note this well for it behoueth vs much If we be Christians we are still sanctified by the spirit of Christ for so it was in him He grewe still in grace before God men If thou begraffed into his bodie thou hast his spirite and it will haue his worke in thee Thou shalt not be wearie of well doeing nor ceasse to reioyce in God thy Sauiour but still increase in spirituall grace til thou come to the age of the fulnesse of Christe There can be no affection in thee according to the fleash but if it be greate it will appeare in his work much more this which is of the spirit of god If thou be sorrowful it wil make thy face sad If ioy be within it maketh thy countenance merrie If thou haue a flattering heart all the members of the bodie will streight serue so vile a thinge If hatred bee within thee thy bodie will shewe it forth in all manner of cursed doing and there is nothing that can possesse the minde but it leadeth the members in obedience of it Howe much more if the spirite of God hath replenished thy minde will all the bodie shewe foorth godlie desires This the Apostle noteth when he sayth He that sanctifieth It followeth For this cause he is not ashamed to call vs brethren Vpon good cause the Apostle sayth He is not ashamed for if hee humbled not him selfe in great loue of vs how iustly might hee accompt it shame to be as we are He that made Heauen and earth he that is the immortall and glorious God one with his father before whome all Angels do obey and all Princes are earth and ashes ought wee not to say seeing it pleaseth him to acknowledge vs that are but poore creatures that hee is not ashamed of vs It was great praise in Moses beeing so highly esteemed of Pharaoh that yet hee would vouchsafe to visite his poore brethren It was singular loue in Ioseph when he was nexte vnto the King in honour and dignitie yet not to be ashamed of his fathers house who were heardmen and shepeheardes But all is nothing in comparison of this that Iesus Christ is not ashamed of vs for what the glorie of the vaine worlde made not a mortall man ashamed of his duetie to acknowledge his poore father and brethren in whose persons hee might suffer a little reproch but how much greater was this doing whereof we speake The shining brightnesse of the glorie of God made not the onlie begotten sonne ashamed of his free grace to acknowledge vs that were his enimies in whose persons he should suffer a moste shamefull and slaunderous death This is the case betweene Christe and vs and this the Apostle meaneth when he sayth He is not ashamed to call vs brethren And if his highnesse abased it selfe to our lowe estate and was not ashamed let vs dearely beloued learne to be wise and knowe what the lord requireth of vs for all the good which he hath don vnto vs He sayth in the gospel He that is ashamed of me and my word before men I will bee ashamed of him before my Father which is in heauen And is not trowe you this a iust condēnation if we wretched men wil be ashamed of him who beeing the God of glorie was not ashamed of vs How much is he greater then we Abraham when he approched nere vnto him he felt him self how he was but dust When Iob came nere to see the tokens of him he abhorred him selfe and confessed how vncleane he was When Dauid saw the glorie of his dwelling he said he had leuer abide but one day as a dore keeper in the house of him then tenne thousand dayes to beare rule in Kinges palaces When Paule sawe the glorie prepared for vs in his resurrectiō he said he accompted all the worlde to be but doung to the ende he might winne him If then such a Christ be not ashamed to call vs brethren a marueilous vnspeakable foolishnes is bound vp in our heartes if we be ashamed to call him brother againe He were a folishe poore man that were ashamed of the kinred whiche the King did chalenge of him he is more foolishe thoughe he were a King him selfe that is ashamed of the Sonne of God when he offereth himselfe vnto
sorrowful euen vnto death at the entr◅e into it Saint Marke saith He beganne to be astonished at his griefe was ouerwhelmed with his sorrow in which agonies Saint Luke saith his sweat was as drops of bloud falling from him and God sent an Angel from heauen to strengthen him And can we thinke al this came vnto our sauiour Christ for feare of the death of the bodie His seruants that receiue of his fulnesse do they so easily despise this death that either they wish for it to be with Christ or they reioyce in the middes of it before the persecuter and did our sauiour Christ himself in whom is the fulnesse of the spirite so feare and tremble at the remembrance of it Did the Apostles sing in prison and went away reioycing when they were whipped scourged Did Paul glorie in so manie tribulations which he reckoneth vp and did our Sauiour Christ in the like paine crie with a fainting heart My God my God why hast thou forsaken me No dearly beloued it is not so but that which made Christ to tremble would haue crushed his Apostles in peeces and that which made him to sweat bloud so plentifully would haue made them sink into the bottom of hell and that which made him crie would haue holden both men and Angels vnder euerlasting wo and lamentation If then our Sauiour Christ were as the prophet saith like water powred out and all his bones out of ◅oynt if his hart were like wax mol ten in the midds of his bowell if his strength were dried vp like a potsherd and his toung cleaued vnto his iawes if he were brought with his sorowes into the dust of death fie vpon their blasphemous speaches cursed words which say he suffered nothing but bodily paine I would those which are Papistes among vs and in their simplicitie are deceiued with the errour of many I would I say they knewe the wickednes of this one point of their doctrine that they say the soule of Christ suffered nothing but onely for the bodies sake as our soules suffer when our bodies are weake or are sicke or die If God impute this their ignorance vnto them howe shal they be saued from the death of sinne and condemnation Do they not know what the scripture saith He bare our sinnes in his bodie he submitted himselfe to the death of them and by the wounds of his stripes we be healed Did our sinnes deserue only a bodily death or did they not deserue the second death which is the wrath of God holding bodie and soule in an euerlasting fire And how shall they escape it if they know not this death in the bodie of Christ by whose stripes they may see themselues healed Let them pray and let vs pray for them that if it be the will of God they may soone be conuerted know the vnspeakable loue of our Sauiour Christe who was accursed for our sakes suffered for vs not onlie the torments of his bodie but the anguishe of his soule and the wrath of his Father ▪ which wounded his flesh and spirit vnto death and would haue holden him in that condemnation for euer if he had beene no stronger then we that deserued it But because he was also the Sonne of God in whome the fullnesse of the Godhead dwelt bodily the eternall spirite that was within him did lose the chaines of death and hel and mightily arose vp from the power of Sathan of whiche it was impossible that hee should be holden and he hath left those his enimies the diuel death hel in ignominie and darcknesse and hath abolished them for euer and euer not to hurt vs any more worlde without end In this hope dearlie beloued is our delight and dwelling place and they that knowe not these sufferings of Christ our soules shall haue no pleasure in their counsels And thus farre of the firste benefite mentioned of the deathe of Christe that he hath abolished the diuel The second benefite is that we be set at libertie from the bondage of the feare of death For so the apostle sayth And should set them free as many a◅ with the feare of death all their l◅fe long were hold◅n i◅ bōdage In these wordes let vs now consider what bondage we were in without Christe ▪ and what libertie wee haue obteyned through him Without Christe all our life is a miserable bondage in feare and terrour of eternall condemnation to come vpon vs for our sinne in the day of death through Christe wee see our sinnes purged the diuell vanquished death and condemnation abolished and our selues in the libertie of the childrē of God to say Our father whiche art in heauen This is the difference of estate betwene the children of God and the children of this world And what miserie trow we then do the wicked of the world liue in There is in deede no peace vnto the wicked as the Lord hath said when in all their life is feare and terrour when they carrie in their breastes tormenting furies to holde them day and night in feare of endlesse destruction God hath don it and no doubt they feele it there is giuen vnto thē a spirit of bondage and of feare in which they tremble at their owne estate they are the children of the handemayde Agar borne in the bondage of her wombe and dwell in the deserte and are in mount Sinaie where is the burning fire and blacknesse and darknesse and tempest and sounde of trumpet at which they tremble for they are without Christ and therfore must needes be in bondage and in the feare of death all their life But thou wilt say The wicked prosper reioyce in their dayes they are bound in no such bondage nor feare no such feare Thou canst not tell nor thou knowest not the heart of a wicked man howsoeuer hee boast in his substance and hath peace in his riches peraduenture there is a bitter remembrance of death ▪ within him When Pharaoh the proud tyrant had hardened his heart boasted exceedingly against the people of Israel yet he sawe no sooner the death of the first borne but he feared trembled as the leaues in the wildernes and I remember Solomon sayth There is in deede a way that a man thincketh streight and pleasant when the issues of it leade vnto death But what pleasure is that and what delight Solomo◅ addeth euen in that laughing the heart is sorrowfull and that mirth doth end in heauinesse they doe indeede strengthen them selues striue mer◅eilously to cast out feare sometime with one pastime somtime with an other but if they could cast it out as out of a cannon yet would it euermore returne againe and vexe their heart that so flieth from it Balaam would faine haue comforted himselfe with riches and honor which he loued so much yet was he not without feare but at the last it brake out and he spake Let my soule die
seruant faithfully declaring all the lawe of God for these wordes The thinges which should after be spokenâ—… though they be truely vnderstoode of the Gospell of Christ because in the figures of the lawe it was shadowed and Moses also himselfe did beare witnesse of Christe yet beecause here is comparison made betweene Christ and Moses distinctly speaking of both their callinges therefore I rather take these words of the Apostle here onely to be spoken of the lawe giuen by Moses so Moses was a seruaÌ„t to beare witnesse of all the thinges which should be spoken of the Lorde Here is the full office and whole authoritie of a true seruant faithfully to doe his maisters message And Moses the most renouned of all Prophets and greatest among the people of Israel what was he A seruant to declare vnto the people all that the Lorde had spoken Who is he now will presume aboue Moses to speake of his owne head ordinances and lawes which the Lord hath not made who wil establish decrees of his own in the house of God Whosoeuer he be he shal carrie his iudgement he is not a seruaunt as Moses was because he beareth not witnesse only to the wordes that God hath spoken but he exalteth him selfe to be a maister and hath a mouth that speaketh proude things because he presumeth in the house of God to giue lawes orders of his own for if he were a seruant he would do the worke of a seruant and beare witnesse what his maister had saide And here by this place we may wel expound it that the Apostle Paule Iames Peter write theÌ„ selues the seruants of Iesu Christ. The word it self is manifest proof they speak nothing but the words of Christ no decree no coÌ„stitutioÌ„ no order was of their own they were but seruants but al was of the Lord Iesu Christ who was their onelie maister and as their name giueth this testimonie vnto them so Paule openly affirmeth it in plaine wordes before king Agrippa that euen to that day he neuer witnessed any thing neither to great nor little but only that which Moses before all the prophets had said should coÌ„e to passe Then let not the papists heereafter say when we speak against all their vaine deuises that they are traditions left by the Apostles for as they haue not the Apostles places but in stead of seruauntes are made Lordes so they hold no whit of the Apostles doctrine or if they wil still auouche it that the Apostles haue deliuered all such things as they teach then they must shew where Moses or the prophets haue foretolde it for the Apostles were seruauntes to beare witnesse onely of such things as God had spoken by his seruants before them that is by Moses the prophets without whose warraÌ„t whatsoeuer coÌ„meth we may boldly say we vtterly refuse it It followeth But Christ as the sonne is ouer his house In this name Sonne hee doeth not onely giue preeminence to rule in the house but a perpetuity to dwel in that house and to reigne as the scripture sayth in the house of Iacob for euer So that beeing the sonne of God who is heire of al things he ruleth in this house as Lord gouernour whose commaundement alone doeth stand And againe beeing the Sonne of God eternallie begotten of his Father hee euer did and shall do to the end rule and haue the souereigntie in this house and who soeuer he bee in this house shal presume against the Sonne as a rebellious seruant he shal be cast out of the house and an other shall haue his roome Therfore euen as before the Apostle made his exhortation that they would consider this Apostle high Priest of their prosession euen so let vs humble our selues vnder this high Lord in the house of God let vs obey his voice and as Solomon sayth be more redie to heare then to offer the sacrifice of fooles and let vs be all faithful in our callinge that before him we may haue a good accompt especially the minister that he will be a faithfull seruant keeping his fellowshipp in the church of God and bearing witnesse of all that the Lord hath spoken And now let vs pray c. ¶ The fourteenth Lecture vpon the residue of the sixte verse 6 But Christe is at the Sonne ouer his owne house whose house we are if we holde fast that confidence and that reioycing of that hope vnto the end AS the Apostle hath generally before exhorted them to hearken vnto Christe the high Prieste and Apostle of our profession shewing the necessitie of our so doing because of the excellencie of Christ aboue all other who were sent of God vnto vs yea aboue Moses himselfe so now more particularly he applieth this vnto them and sheweth that by necessity of their condition and calling they are bound especially to this duetie because they euen they themselues are this house of God whereof he speaketh of which Christ is the builder and in whiche hee ruleth aboue all so that they may be sure it was all one to denie Christe to be their onely Prophete and to denie themselues to be the house of god To this our purpose are these first wordes Whose house we bee Another purpose of this speach is for their better instruction in the trueth of the gospel of Christ that they should not as their fathers did holde their faith toward God with respect of the Temple then commonly called the house of God nor with any religion of all the ceremonies vsed in it for all these things had an ende God was nowe gone out of the sanctuarie dwelt no more betweene the Cherubims but had made him a newe tabernacle to dwell in which was the bodie of man which tabernacle onely we must haue care of to keepe it pure from the concupiscence of the fleshe and to keepe it holie froÌ„ the vaine inuentions of our heart then the Lorde should be always with vs as with the people whom he had chosen to make them an habitation for him selfe and a tabernacle of his glorie To this end also the Apostle saith Whose house we are this wee must learne in all like places of scripture where we are called by like name Sainct Paule saith Do you not know that you are the temple of God that the spirit of God dwelleth in you And againe Do you not know that your bodie is the temple of the holie ghost which is in you and which you haue of God And againe You are the temple of the liuing God as God hathe said I wil dwel in them and I will walke in them and they shal be my people I wil be their God. And againe We be no more straungers and forreiners but fellow citizens with the Saints of the familie of God. In these and all such places we be taught that the temple which was once the house of God is nowe taken away and all the
light of the Lord is the breath of man it sercheth al the bowels of the bellie where also he calleth the word light because it shineth in mās heart as in a darke place and trieth out all the secrets of his thoughtes in this meaning heere the word is called liuelie as I tolde you before the more to stir them vp not to neglect so high a prophet as the sonne of God whose worde came with maiestie and power vnto them The second title heere attributed to the worde is that It is mightie in operation meaning that it hathe in it force and vertue able to subdue all enimes and bringe vs in obedience vnto Christe this vertue of the woorde Sainct Paule notablie setteth out to the Corinthians magnifying his Apostleshippe by this means Our weapons saith he are stronge by the power of God 〈◊〉 cast downe holds wherwith we ouerthrow imaginations euerie high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God bring into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ haue readie vengeāce against al disobedience howsoeuer a man magnifie him selfe or a man exalt himselfe in whiche arrogancie of spirite he seemeth as it were buried in sinne and his heart hardened against the grace of God yet let him heare this word and let it oft fall into his eares for it is as the prophet saith a hammer which breaketh the stone in peeces and is able in the power of God to mollifie his heart or if the sinner be suncken downe so deepe that he will not rise it will crushe him down deeper that he may perishe in his sinne and so God saith to his Prophet Ieremie I will put my wordes into thy mouth and it shal be as fire this people shal be as wood and it shal deuour them And this is it Saint Paule expressely witnesseth to be the onely meanes to glorifie God to preache the trueth of his word vnto all for so saith he we are alwayes a sweete smelling sauour of Christ vnto God as wel in those that perishe as in those that be saued to the one a sauour of life vnto life to the other of death vnto death I would we that are preachers could learne and beleeue this it would make vs leaue our vain babling much talke of philosophie and prophane things and fill our mouthes onely with the worde of the Lorde for this only is mightie in operation the other hath at all no strength no strength at all in this behalfe to glorifie God or to conuert a sinner but strong to delude the people with idlo sounds strong to tickle our eares with fond delight strong to puffe vs vp with pride of our wittes but more weak then water to teach vs true repentance for proofe I say let the sinner come forth that hath beene conuerted by hearing stories or fables of poets I am sure there is none for faith is onely by the worde of God of let the preacher come forth that vseth such thinges and doeth it not either to please men or to boast of his learning for this he knoweth that the word only not prophane things conuerteth the people and why then doeth he vse them The Lord saith by his prophet Ieremie If they had stand in my counsell and had declared my wordes to my people then they should haue turned them from their euill way from the wickednesse of their owne inuentions a plaine testimonie why our preachings are vnprofitable to the people euen because we speake in our owne fansies and vse exhortations of our owne heade And againe in the prophet Malachie the Lord declareth what couenant he made with Leuie and how he promised to blesse his labours in the teaching of his people The Lawe of truth saith he was in his mouth and there was no iniquitie founde in his lipps he walked with mee in peace and equitie and did turne manie away from their sinnes Can any thinge be spoken playner Hold fast the word of God committe the fruite of thy work to the strength of it and thou shalt finde it as is here said mightie in operation and thou shalt conuert manie sinners Let them tell me nowe all that haue eares to heare what madnesse is it to fil the peoples eares with vnknowen tales and sweete wordes in which is nothing but a deceitfull sound leaue the word of God mightie in working to conuert their soules And you dearely beloued who delight in such vanitie and make the preacher transgresse for your fansies sake let me but reason with you as S. Paule reasoned with the Galathians Tel me whether by such tales or by hearing the word of God haue you receiued the spirite that is wherby were you conuerted from your vanitie vnto the liuing God was it the worde of truethe or else Gentile stories that wrought this vertue in you and are you so foolish that when you haue begun in the spirit you wil now go forwarde in the flesh Let vs leaue then this greate abuse bothe you to turne away your eyes to follie and the preacher to vse the pulpit like a Philosophers chaire We may alledge sometime a storie or prophane sentēce I denie it not but then it is good doing it when the remembring of the saying bringeth necessarilie into memorie the worde of God also for which it was alledged and giueth light vnto it for a more cleare declaration of the truth yet when the story is told and remembred by it selfe there is then but a foolish delight of a vaine man to helpe him in his talke to multiplie idle woordes there is no edifying in it at all The third title of the word now following is this That It is more sharpe then a two edged sword and this similitude is often made in the Scripture The prophet Esaie preaching the promises of God hee saith His mouth is made like a sharp sworde And Sainct Paule giueing armour to a Christian souldiour by which he may kil his enimies he biddeth him Take the sworde of the spirit which is the word of God. So in the firste and nineteenth Chapters of the Apocalypse the sonne of GOD is described with a two edged swoorde proceding out of his mouthe meaning by these speeches no other thing but that by the preaching of y gospel Christ should get the victorie and bring all enemies in subiection vnto him euen as the Prophet Esai saith He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lippes shall he kill the vngodly by which we doe learne that the more wee pray Thy kingdome come and the more we wishe the prosperitie of the Churche the more we must striue to make the word of God knowen vnto all for that is the swoorde and scepter of his kingdome The next title heere attributed to the worde is That it entreth into the diuisiō of the soule the spirit of the ioynts and the marrow
By soule heere he meaneth that parte of vs in which our affections are as ioy sorrowe loue hatred anger mildenesse or any such motion of vs of good or euill By spirit he meaneth the moste excellent parte of vs in which is reason wisedome vnderstanding to consider and meditate of all the works of god By ioynts and marrow he mea◅ieth all the members of our body and thus Sainct Paule vseth these wordes of soule and spirite and bodie where he saith to the Thessalonians as it is in the fifth chapter The God of peace sanctifie you wholie that your spirit and soule and bodie may be kept blamelesse vntil the comming of Christ teaching vs what is a true Christian when his minde thinketh his soule desireth his body executeth nothing but what is faultlesse before God and man. So when the worde is saide to diuide betweene the soule and the spirit it noteth the mightie worke of it in the reprobate to wound all their thoughtes and desires with feare and terrour and with astonishment of heart contrarie in the electe it crucifieth the olde man with al the concupiscences and the desires of it When it is said to diuide betweene the ioynts and the marrow it sheweth the worke in all the members of our bodie to sell them vnder sinne to worke vncleannesse with greedines being hardened or to sanctifie them in the power of God that they may be seruaunts of righteousnesse vnto him being mollified To be short in soule spirite ioynts marrowe the Apostle meaneth that the word once heard the whole man is touched and al that is with in him feeleth streight a chaunge except a heauier iudgement be vpon him that he haue eares heare not wherein yet the worde hath a worke and maketh him fall deeper in the sleepe of sinne if we will learne examples are before vs of good euil what to leaue or what to choose The prophet Abacuche foreseeing the state of Christes church what daunger should be vnto it euen then to be oppressed again when it was not yet halfe growen vp he saith When I heard it my belly trēbled my lippes shooke at the voice rottennesse entred into my bowels and I trembled in my selfe that I might rest in the day of trouble heere we see the worde diuiding betweene the ioynts and the marrow how it distempered the prophets whole bodie because of the heauie threatning of the Lorde and an excellent blessing was vnto him for this feare and trembling at the voice of the Lord in the day of trouble hee had rest So the Prophet Esay at Gods threatening against his church that euen in the dayes of Christe her peace should be broken off her flourishing glo rie shoulde againe be shadowed hee crieth my leanesse my leanesse wo is me as if he had said it consumed his flesh and wore away his beautie to heare the voice of the Lord against his people if thus wee feare in deede at Gods thretenings as his saincts do vnfeignedly reioyce at all his promises a good worke of his mightie woord is in vs and it is his power to our saluation but if we be despisers and regarde not the woord that is brought vnto vs a while we may seeme to be in peace as the sick man in his sleepe feeleth not his paine but the word will wounde at the last the spirite and wee shal feele it in our flesh what we haue despised We reade in Daniel of Belshazzar a proud king in the mids of his princes and all his roaltie he sawe a hand writing and the woorde of the Lorde was before his eyes streight his countenance was chaunged and his thoughtes troubled him so that the ioyntes of his loines were loosed and his knees smote one against another such feare and terrour came vpō him whē the voice of the lord did pronounce his iudgment And not onely thus but we see it further the wicked not onely wounded but also slaine with the word of God. When many of the rulers of the people of Israel led the people to moste shamefull idolatrie the prophet Ezechiel was sent to preache vnto them and when hee prophecied before them Pelatiah the Sonne of Benaiah one of the Princes which seduced the people he dyed in his presence A like example is of Ananias and Sapphira who at the voice of Peter did bothe fall downe dead so true it is that the word is forceable to deuide and enter betwene our reines that is to sley the wicked and to quicken the godlie Last of all it is here said that the word discerneth betwene the thoughts and intents of the heart meaning that how so euer the heart of man is prepared the woord of God directeth it either more to be hardened with the deceites of sinne or wholie to bee renewed to the loue of righteousnesse It followeth nowe Neither is thereany creature which is not manifest in his sight but all thinges are naked and open vnto his eyes with whome we haue to doe These words shewe an excellent proofe of all the former things spoken of the word for seeing it is the word of God how should it not haue the power of God if among men as euery one hath moste power so his word is moste feared how should it not be but God who is the searcher of our hearts and reines and is almightie ouer all but that his worde should haue of his nature vertue and power to make the proude to feare and to comfort the humbled Let vs therefore now bee wise in time and let the worde of the Lorde fashion all our heartes if it doe not yet it worketh still and wee shall one day knowe what voice wee haue despised for as it is heere that all thinges are open vnto his eyes so we shall heare his voice when in all thinges it shall shew his power It shall speake vnto all creatures and they shall heare it the earth and sea shall bring the bodies which they haue consumed the fire shall yeld againe his ashes and the ayre her dead the elementes shall mealt away and the Heauens shall vanish the Lorde shall speake and the deade shall all arise then shal we too late bewail our madnesse which haue heard before this voice regarded it not And this let vs learne with it if such bee the strength of Gods woorde of it selfe when yet hee shall multiplie this power and make it also eternall which is infinite what shall we say then but O Lorde who shall abide it when hee shall pronounce Go you cursed into eternall fire what condemnation shal be vppon the wicked surelie dearelie beloued as it is greater then our heartes can immagine so yet in this similitude we may see as it were an image of it for as his worde diuideth betweene soule and spirit marrow bones cogitations and intentes so we knowe that in euery parte of them the wicked shall feele Gods anger head and arme
be come in flesh while thus hee denyeth him to bee our onely mediatour Nowe let vs returne further to heare what the Apostle teacheth The fourth propertie here mentioned requisite in a priest is that he haue cōpassion on his brethren according to that feeling which is in his owne flesh of his owne infirmities ▪ this compassion is to reioyce with his brethren in all well doing and to be greued for them in their sinnes errours whiche propertie the Apostle saith was in the priest of the lawe in a certeine measure as hee was helpe by experience of him selfe and so muche as God accepted in him who was for a time the priest of his people This ought to bee nowe a speciall instruction vnto vs all because wee are all made a spirituall Priesthood vnto GOD to offer vp our spirituall sacrifices that we should haue this compassion one toward another to delight in the well doing of our brethren as hauing receiued the same spirit of faith and to be greeued with their offences euen as men subiect to the same infirmities This reioycing was in Paule when he writeth to the Philippians that if he might procure their faith constancie of godlinesse though it were with the losse of his life yet he would reioyce with them for the greate blessing and this holie sorrowe for our brothers fallings the same Paule expressely cōmaundeth vnto vs all writing to the Galathians brethren if a mā be fallen by occasion into any fault ye whiche are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of meekenesse considering thy selfe leaste thou also be tempted if this thē be in vs our brotherly loue be measured with this line wee are all this day Priestes vnto our God offering vp a moste sweete smelling sacrifice euerie one his brother to be a seruaunt of righteousnesse vnto god And as this is the duetie in euery one of vs so especiallie the minister ought to bee full of this compassion to declare still vnto his people all the counsell of God that they might bee confirmed who are called and conuerted who goe yet astray that with one hart and voice at last they might glorifie god together this it is y ought to be but O Lorde how farre is this from beeing done where may we finde a man that reioyceth in his brothers godlinesse or pitieth him in his sinne who can boaste of his friendes of all his acquaintance of all his kinred that him he hath brought vnto the Lord how many are the ministers in number that are able to teach and haue their dwelling with their parishioners to teach thē to know god surely these things are so farre out of order iniquitie hath so preuailed gotten y vpper hand that we may take vp againe the prophets cōplaint Like priest like people the people are so dulled with carnall concupiscence that all their companie is for cardes or dice or daūsing or banquetting or some riot of life the name of the Lord is not remembred but when it is blasphemed this is the fellowship of the world the ministerie hath not so altogether cast off shame but yet the faults of it are somwhat too great and grieuous for many of them are hirelings non residēts dumb dogges going a whoringe not after many women which the worlde would detest but after manie benefices which the Lord God of Israel doeth as much abhorre would to God this cōplaint were false and it shal be false when god shal giue his feare into our harts and giue vs eares to heare that good promise of Christ blessed are those seruaūts whom the Lorde when he commeth shall finde wakinge In the meane while if admonitions may stirre vs vp to be wise in time let vs heare what the Apostle saith more in this place It followeth because that he is compassed about with infirmitie this is the cause why the high priest had such compassion on his brethren because himselfe fealt all their infirmities thus the Apostle testified of Christ before that because he was tempted he was made able to helpe those that were tempted and Saint Paule saith for this cause be we comforted in our tribulation that we might be able to comfort other in their afflictions so our owne sense and feeling must needes be a prouocation vnto vs to pitie other and in deede it is a thing vtterly impossible that whatsoeuer I suffer my selfe I shoulde not haue a compassion of it in another If I be hungrie I pitie all whom I heare crie for meate If I be in pain I pitie all which crie out in their griefe euen so it is also with vs and muche more in the afflictions of spirite I beare the burthen of mine owne sinnes if I see their loathsome appearance and feele their heauy iudgement that I mourne vnder them it is vtterly impossible but I should hate them in my selfe and in all men and I will seeke diligently howe to keepe men free from suche a deadly sicknesse Thus we see what is the cause why we be not careful one to edify another that is because we haue no true feelinge of our own ignorances nor perceiue any weightie burthen of our owne sinnes whē we pray thus the remē brance of them is grieuous vnto vs the burthen of them is intollerable we speake with feigned and deceitefull lippes the sighes of our hearts they goe not with our woords or if they doe I appeale to your owne harts how careful you are for your brethren for I am sure the words of the Apostle must needes be true if I say you feele your owne sinnes you bee carefull for your brethren wishing and procuring as any occasion serueth that they also may finde grace to turne from their sinnes come out as Paule saieth out of the snares of the diuel who hath entrapped them after his owne will and if this great miserie of thy brother moue thee not thoufeelest not the miserie that is in thine owne ioyntes and bowels which astonishment of sense is barbarous brutish dishonoring both the hart coūtenance of a man. Another thing here to be marked is that the Apostle calleth al sinnes by the name of errours ignorances teaching vs first that al errour and innorance before God is condemned as sin whatsoeuer man doth with all his good intentes if he be ignoraunt in his work he oflereth but the sacrifice of a foole neither doth God regarde it Wherin we may se what their church is whose whole religion is blindenesse and whose deuotiō as them selues confesse is bred and nourished by ignorance another cause why our sinnes are named ignoraunces is because the sinners knowe not their owne way they thinke they haue peace reioycing When danger and woe is neerest vnto them they think their sinne is sweete and ful of pleasure when indede it is nothing els but anguish affliction of spirit for they see only with their eyes haue regarde after
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
then in all their prayers they began to call vpon the name of the Lorde and God him selfe at no time doth more sharpely reproue his people then when they woulde aske of those that had no power to helpe them This lesson that poore Leper so defiled in flesh had yet humbly learned and with a pure heart he prayed accordingly Lorde if thou wilt thou canst make me whole vpon this foūdation our sauiour Christ hath built vp all the prayers of the true disciples adding it as a speciall clause vnto the prayer that he taught them For thine is the kingdōe the power and glorie for euer and euer Amen then let vs learne it somany as wil pray in spirite to make our prayers vnto him alone who is able to saue vs It is the sacrifice of the newe Testament that he hath appointed vs that we should offer vp vnto him and not vnto other the fruite of our lippes which may confesse his name and because this doctrine hath beene troden downe vnder feere and defiled by the man of sinne withall spirituall vncleanesse I besech you adde vnto this one reason or two more that you may answere the aduersarie and be able to stand in the day of euil When our Sauiour Christe was purposed to teach his disciples a true forme of prayer a perfect patterne vnto which they must frame their petitiōs or it is vnpossible thei shuld be accepted he techeth them that their beginning must be from hence Our father whiche art in Heauen What blessing so euer we would haue or from what plague so euer wee would be deliuered he alone must be the person of whome we craue to whome this name and callinge doeth belong Our father which art in Heauen If this name be none of his he is no patrone to be called vp on or if we wil needes call vpon him we giue him this nāe whether it be his or no. Christ is our good warrant who hath made this the beginning of all christian prayer Our father which art in heauen therefore the Idolaters of all ages that haue made them selues Saintes to pray vnto according to the number of their prayers so they haue multiplyed their Idols the children of God to whome they haue sacrificed they shal witnesse against them in the day of christ And you my deare brethren againste all your enimies defende thus the holinesse of your prayer that you knowe no other way of speaking then as you are taught Our father Ad yet vnto this one reason more which you learne of Saint Paule and I doubt not but you shall be well established in this present trueth We knowe all and doe confesse that we are able to do no good thing of our selues but all our sufficiencie is of God we are not able so much as to think a good thought Yea the very wisedome of the fleshe is enimitie vnto all righteousnesse so true it is that the Prophet sayth Euerie man is a beaste in his owne vnderstanding And how much lesse then are we able to offer vp vnto God that most precious sacrifice of prayer thanksgiuing to make it acceptable in his sight if wee consult with our owne fleshe and bloude and alter the will of man so make our prayers vnto God We must needes acknowledge our owne infirmities and confesse with saint Paule that we know not what to pray as we ought but it is the spirite of God that maketh request for the Saints according to the wil of God and in this holy spirite alone we must praye if we looke for the mercie of our Lorde Iesu Christe to eternall life The spirite that beareth rule in our heart he must teache vs all things or else can we do nothing that God alloweth Now the voice of this spirit that alwayes soundeth within vs it speaketh not thus either Sancta Maria or Sancta dei genitrix neither saint Paule pray for vs nor saint Peter pray for vs. These are but the spicinges of the drunken cups of Rome the soundes of wordes which the spirits of errours haue blowen But the holie spirit of God that teacheth vs how to pray it crieth thus in our hearts Abba Pater Our father which art in heauen As Christ himselfe hath been our scholemaister of no other prayer so the spirit that he hath giuen vs it knoweth no other sound but Abba Father these are y beginnings of our praiers If we speake not vnto him to whom doe we bowe our knees If we wil make the spirite subiecte to any other let vs take heede that we grieue not the holie spirit of God by which we be sealed against the day of redemption Thus much I haue added to the example of our sauiour Christ who made his prayers to his father who alone could deliuer him that we might the more assuredly be bolde to abide in his steppes It followeth in the text With great crying and with teares Here we haue to note in what measure our Sauiour Christ was afflicted euen so farre that he cryed out in this bitternesse of his soule This the Euangelistes do expresse in mo words testifying of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was greatly affraide altogether astonished euen fainting for great anguishe of minde and full of pensiue sorrowes For his Father had broken him with one breaking vppon an other so he kindled his wrath againste him and accounted him as one of his enimies The heauie hande of God was so grieuous vppon him that it brused his verie bones and rent his reines a sunder hee coulde finde no health in his fleshe but was wounded to death as without recouerie The Euangeliste himselfe beareth witnesse of this miserie adding vnto his lowde crying this sounde of wordes My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee This sorrowe because it was not assuaged with wordes hee cryed out alowde and because in silence hee could finde no ease his face was wrinckled with weeping and the shadowe of deathe was vpon his eyes For what griefe could be like vnto this Or what condemnation could be so heauie When there was no wickednesse in his handes and when his prayer was pure when he was the brightnesse of glorie and the Sonne of righteousnesse that shined in the worlde yet as it were to see his dayes at an ende and his enterprises broken his carefull thoughts to be so deepe grauen in his breast that they chaunged euen the day into night vnto him and all light that approched into darcknesse this was a sorrowe aboue all sorowes When his excellencie was such aboue all creatures that the worlde was not worthy to giue him breath yet he to be made a worme and not a man a shame of men and the contempt of the people all that sawe him to haue him in derision and to shutt vp his life in shame and reproches so vnwoorthy a rewarde of so precious a seruaunt howe coulde it but shake all his bones out of ioynt and
if it should happen you to fall downe into hell Christe hath descended also you should then be moste like him in his agonies and bloudie sweates The third cause at this time which I will touch is this God sendeth vs sundry chasticementes and especiallie that which is moste grieuous of al other the anguish of spirite and affliction of the soule for this purpose that we should be warned in time how to turne vnto him be free from the plague when it commeth for the iudgements of God that are dayly preached vnto vs they pearce deepe into the heartes of the true beleeuers and the worde that they heare it woorketh mightilie in them more sharp in their eares then a two edged swoord it entreth thorough them euen to the diuiding a sunder of the soule and of the spirite and of the ioyntes and of the marrowe and examine all the thoughts and the intentes of the heart so that it is vnpossible that any part of them should be hidde but they are all open vnto iudgement and heare the voice of the Lorde Then their sinne is reuiued in the midst of their bowels their coÌ„science hath no rest they feele death working in their hearts and hel is before theÌ„ they see sinne on their right hande and Satan on their left shame vnder their feete and an angrie Iudge aboue them y world ful of destructioÌ„ without and a worme gnawing the heart within the poore sinner knoweth not what to do to hide him selfe it is impossible and to appeare it is intollerable then hee breaketh out into lowde cryinges O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death he giueth no rest vnto his eyes nor sleepe vnto his eyelids vntill hee finde him that is able to saue him from this wrath in his bedde by night he seeketh him whome his soule loueth in the streetes and open places he inquireth after him and after many dayes in whiche he cannot finde him Christ sheweth him selfe at the last a perpetual deliuerer a victorious Lion of the tribe of Iuda in whome he hath strong saluation when hee hath mourned because of y plague that was before him Christ will approch neere and wipe away the teares from his eyes This y Prophet Abacuch setteth forth in his own person WheÌ„ I heard saith he the word of God my bellie trembled my lips shooke at the voice roâ—…nnesse entred into my bones I trembled in my selfe that I might haue rest in the day of trouble Euen so dearely beloued it is with vs all The plagues of God because they are pronounced against iniquitie it maketh the childe of God to feare and tremble that so foreseeing the harme he might prepare him helpe and because of the destroyer seeke without wearines vnto the sauiour though he hide him selfe at the first the wounded spirite and troubled hart must nedes finde him-out A great cause of vnspeakeable gladnesse though wee seeme swalowed vp of pensiue sorrowe We are full of griefe but we are chastised of the Lord because we should not be coÌ„demned with the world we die with Christ but because we should liue with him wee lament and weepe but because that Christe might wipe away all teares from our eyes we are deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake but because the life of Iesus should be made manifest in our flesh we beare about in our bodies the mortification of the Lord Iesus but because the life of Iesus might be manifest also in our bodies we haue anguishe of spirite and vexation of minde such as hath not bene from the beginning but for this cause that when souden destruction shall come vpon the carelesse world we might lift vp our heades and beholde our redemption at hande Let vs then be bolde and in patience possesse our soules for these causes we are nowe afflicted that wee might receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in the time of neede for this cause we tremble and are affraide that after many praiers and supplications we might be deliuered from the things which we haue feared It followeth in the Apostle And beeing consecrate he was made the authour of saluation to all them that obey him In these wordes wee ate taught what 〈◊〉 and coÌ„moditie we haue through these bitter sufferinges of our Sauiour Christ and also by what meanes we are made partakers of it the fruite is eternall saluation the meanes to go vnto it is obedience in the first we learne that all promise and hope of life is in Christe alone hee hath alone the wordes of liâ—…e he is alone the breade of life the water of life the authour of life the word of life the tree of life the onlie life hee that beleeueth in him hee hath euerlasting life and he that dwelleth not in him shall see no life but the wrath of God abideth on him Take holde of Christ and take holde of life reach foorth thine hand to any other thinge and thou reachest vnto vanitie which cannot helpe Looke not for life but where it dwelleth in the flesh of Christe alone there it resteth Death hath reigned in all the world beside and led euery creature into bondage If thou looke vnto the heauens there is but vexation and anguishe if thou looke vnto the earth there is but darknesse and sorrow if thou call vnto Abraham he knoweth thee not if thou cry vpon Angels they can not helpe thee if thou looke vnto thy workes they are all vncleane if thou truste in thy prayers the Lorde hath no pleasure in them call for the helpe of al creatures they are subiect to vanitie there is no life but in Christ alone The elders the Angels the baestes and all creatures they giue this honour vnto Christe Saluation is of him that sitteth vppon the throne and of the Lambe and altogether they cry Amen And if all the creatures which yet are excellent good are not of power to giue anie peece of this life then what shall we think of those people enimies to God and murderers of his Saincts which so long haue made vs beleeue that they haue life in them selues that they can forgiue vs our sinnes for yeares euen as they will manie or fewe that they can make sacrifices propitiatorie for vs y they can purge vs by purgatorie fiers that their Pilgrimages their pardons their vowes their holie orders and such other spiritual drunkennesse of their sicke braines that these be auailable to purchase life If they will not be reclaimed let vs rest in the counsels of our God and say with Iohn He that hurteth let him hurt still and hee that is filthy let him be filthy still It is inough for vs that Christ is our life that our life is hid with Christe in God when Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glorie Now while we are in the dayes of our pilgrimage the way that wee must walke vnto this
in whō the God of this world hath blinded their vnbeleuing mindes that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ should not shine vpon them for otherwise the secret of the Lord is reuealed to those that feare him and his woorde is a lanthorne vnto their feete and a light vnto their steps it is not harde but as Salomon saith It is easie to him that wil vnderstand he is a scorner that seeketh it and can not finde it Moses sayth This commaundement which I command thee this day it is not hid from thee nor sarre of it is very nere vnto thee euen in thy mouth and in thy hart to do it The prophet Ose saith of the iudgementes of God vnto his people that they were as the morning light And the Lorde saith by the prophet Esay I haue not s◅okē in secret nor in a place of dark nesse in the earth I said not in vaine to the house of Iacob Seeke ye me And if thus the doctrine of saluation were preached while yet the people were taught by signes figures how clere is it now since the sonne of righteousnes hath shined in perfect light what wrong is it to say still the scriptures are hard and to make them to be Sphynx his ridles or the winding oracles of Apollo whiche are the cleare wordes of the liuing God I appeale to your owne consciences all that haue experience whether haue you found such hardnesse in scripture or whether do you easily see how we are saued in Iesus Christ what obediēce we owe againe vnto god I am sure there is none of you that with a single heart haue come to read the scripture that were euer driuen back with any hardnesse of it How is it then why do the papists stil cry out of the hardnesse of the worde why see they not this easinesse as wel as we sure I will tel you the Lorde is witnesse howe I tell you true Those men they haue come neere vnto God with their mouth honored them with their lips but their harts haue been farre from him ▪ they haue worshipped God in vaine teaching doctrines which were precepts of men and for this cause God hath couered them with a spirit of slumber hath shut vp their eyes the gospell is vnto them as the words of a booke that is sealed so that whether they be learned or vnlearned they can read nothing This is the great hiddē cause their sinns haue found them out gods iudgemēts haue blinded them Another cause that I tolde you before is because they would leade vs blindfolde after the church of Rome this cause I make not of mine owne head thē selues as I said wil confesse it For this is a solemne decree in their late generall counsel of Trident the 4. session the 2. canon that it belongeth to their holy motherchurch to iudge of the sence interpretation of the scripture nether must we presume to leaue those interpretations although they were such as were neuer meete to bee openly taught published And their greate doctour Hossius saith thus if we haue the interpretation of the church of Rome although wee see not howe it can agree with the wordes of the texte yet we must beleeue it But are not these think you vnreasonable wordes if they be not examine mo of their witnesses at last you shall finde it confesse it that they are not onely vnreasonable but exceeding shameles men while they hold this that the scripture is hard and to be vnderstood after the church of Rome for thus they haue termed the scripture dead y◅ke a thing without life a dumbe iudge a nose of waxe a black gospell ynken diuinitie these such other words are witnesses against them to all the world their owne bookes are extant and with what spirite then haue these men spoken surely not with the spirit of the father Dauid or of his sonne Salomon who say The lawe of the Lord is perfect and conuerteth soules it giueth to the simple sharpnesse of witt and to the children knowledge and discretion nor with the spirite of Paule that sayeth All scripture is inspired of God and is profitable to reproue correct instruct and to make a godly man perfect to euery good worke this is not to call the scripture a waxen nose or ynken diuinitie but these speeches are much more agreeable to the spirit of the olde heretiques which said the prophecies were dremes But to let their vncomely speeches go to come againe to our purpose They cry out still that the interpretations of the churche of Rome are the sense of the scripture And would you not now thinke that these interpretations of the Romaine church were merueilous wise graue mysticall seing they would haue all the worlde thus to reuerence them See therfore what they are and iudge I wil alledge vnto you some of them in the weightiest matters of faith You are wise iudge what I say these are their most learned expositions of all other in which they boast not a litile Christ saith Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my church ergo the Pope is head of the church how groweth this conclusion forsooth thus if vpon this rocke Christ will build his church then vppon Peter for Peter signifieth that rocke If vpon Peter then vpon Peters successour for the trueth doth cleaue vnto the chaire and Peter maketh his success our inheritour of all his goodnes If to Peters success our then to the Pope for Peter was bishop of Rome And if the church be built vpon Peter then Peter was chiefe of all other and so the Pope is head of the church if these collectiōs be not theirs let me be reproued as a slaunderer if they bee theirs then bee you wise to vnderstand what their religion is for all these collectiōs are vtterly vntrue It is vntrue that Peter is that rocke vpon which the church is built for our Sauiour Christ himselfe saith he that heareth my wordes and perfourmeth them he buildeth vpon the rocke It is vntrue that what faith Peter had the same must be left to Peters successours for Scribes Phariseis buyers and sellers succeeded Moses Aaron It is vntrue that Peter was Bishop of Rome for he was the Apostle of circumcision therefore it was vtterly vnlawfull for him to bee a Bishop among the Gentiles Againe they reason thus The Apostles say to Christ Lord behold here are two swordes therefore the pope hath both ciuil ecclesiasticall gouernement might they not better haue reasoned when Peter would haue vsed one sworde Christe cōmaunded him to put it vp therefore no such swoord at all belongeth to him Again they say Christ promiseth to his Apostles the comforter which shall teach thē all trueth therfore the church of Rome cannot erre howe bring they all the Apostles to the Pope of Rome howe doe they
and rottennesse thy fleshly thoughtes shall breede an vnbeleeuing hart thou shalt be the foole which searcheth the maiestie till he be ouerwhelmed of the glorie for thy God is a spirite and in spirit and faith thou canst only see him Thou shalt nowe hate and detest the Idoll and idoll maker which haue fashioned thy God like vnto an old man with a gray beard which haue made him sit as in a chaire of estate and giuen him Angelles in golde and siluer and flaming fire to sit about him this is shame aboue al shames To say vnto the king thou art a slaue and vnto the nobles of the earth ye are villaines they be words of honour in comparison of this vnspeakable sacrilege to say vnto God thou art like a man Againe when thou saiest thou beleuest in the father the sonne and the holie ghost y sayest wel acknowledging in thine hart three persons one God in a mysterie which thou canst not expresse thy faith is accepted But when y hearest the father to be called the God of all grace the authour of life beeing mouing when thou hearest the sonne called the shining brightnesse and ingrauen fourme of the father of whose fulnesse we receiue al increase of grace when thou hearest the holie ghost called the comforter the spirit of sanctification the pledge of thine election when thou hearest y the father hath eternally begotten his sonne the sonne eternally begotteÌ„ of the father the holie ghost eternally proceeding from them both in al this shal we learne nothing for more cleare knowlege of our faith shal we not here confesse the person of the father to be the beginning founteine of al goodnes glorie life and immortalitie that we our selues whatsoeuer is vnto vs happie and blessed all is only of his free grace and mercie shal wee not confesse that truely and naturally he is the father and because he hath eternally begotten his sonne that his sonne is one God with him without beginning and shall we not humble our soules faithfully to beleeue this and neuer to search or inquire of how it is for our vaine and corruptible harts how can they see eternal and euerlasting things And because the sonne is the image of his father shall wee not learne that we knowe nothing of God nothing at al of his nature godhead maiestie working will power honour life and continuance for euer nothing I say but what we haue seene heard in Christe his sonne for he is the shining brightnesse of his glorie What haue I to do with men or with the children of men what counsell can mine owne heart minister vnto me I must robbe the sonne of God of his honour or I must confesse I knowe nothing of God but in him only Againe if of his fulnesse we receiue we haue no felowship with god but in him all gace mercie life 〈◊〉 immortalitie to him it beelongeth of him we haue it and for his sake it is giuen vnto vs So likewise when the spirite is sayd to be our comforter to proceede from the father the sonne we confesse he is one in nature godhead with the father and the sonne in personal substance proceeding eternally from them both and because eternally therefore incomprehensibly whiche we beleeue in faith and will not searche by reason only we waite and reioyce in hope till God strengthen our eyes to see his maiestie and then our harts shal be wise to coÌ„prehend this distinctioÌ„ of the persons Now this spirit being our comforter we acknowledge that it is the person of the holy Ghost which putteth his grace into our harts to make vs wise faithfull holie and so sealeth vnto vs in full assurance our inheritance that is in Iesu Christ according to the free purpose and good will of God his father Besides all this to confesse the humanitie of our sauiour Christ howe in his owne person he hath borne the punishmente of our sinnes and ouercome the diuell who helde vs in bondage howe he hath sanctified our nature in himselfe and made it meete to stand before the presence of God only by faith freely giuing vs his blessings These and many other things taught vs in the scripture to our exceeding comfort shal we neglecte them learne only the confession of Children I beleeue in God the father God the sonne God the holy Ghoste three persons one God Sure if we wil do thus I see no other but that the little children through gods infinite mercie shal be saued in y litle knowledge that they haue learned and we by his iust iudgments worthy to be condemned for his manifolde wisedome which wee haue despised Then dearly beloued if we wil not alwayes be childreÌ„ neuer learned in the word of righteousnesse let vs not only hold the generall principles of our faith but so farre also as particular points are taught and mentioned let vs wisely learne them till we may feele in our selues good increase of Gods spirite to loue him to feare him to walke before him with al our heart in all the wayes which he hath appointed for vs. Now in the wordes following But strong meate is for the perfect whiche through long custome haue their witts exercised to discerne betweene good euil Here appeareth as I said who are childreÌ„ who are strong they are children which haue not yet had triall and experience wherby they might bee rooted in faith and confirmed by knowledge against al falshod errour which kind of childhod Saint Paule telleth the Ephesians at the last we ought all to leaue of grow vp in the vnitie of faith and of the knowledge of the sonne of God into a perfect maÌ„ to the full measure of our age in Christ that we be not alwayes children wauering carried about with euerie blast of doctrine by the deceipt of men with craftinesse which lie in waite to deceiue And as this is a plaine description of Children so as plainly here the Apostle sheweth who are perfecte men euen those that are able with wise senses to iudge betweene good euill y is who haue their mindes lightned with the word of God so that they are able to trie what is acceptable well pleasing vnto god Nowe dearly beloued if these wordes be plaine enough giue me leaue to beseeche you in this plaine case as Paul beseeched the Corinthians in y like My brethren be not children iâ—… vnderstanding be childreÌ„ in ma lice but in vnderstanding be of perfect age and if you see the plaine and manifest meaning of the scripture what it is be wise and beleeue it and confesse this that we ought to be learned in Gods worde so that we haue good ground of our saith and be able to consute falshod As now in our owne dayes we see the Pope claimeth authoritie that he can despense against the word of God but if our witts be exercised in the knowledge of the
word of truth we do see where the sixe tribes of Israel do curse such presumption In the xxvi of Deuter. vppon Mouut Eball Ruben Gad Asher Zebulon Dan and Nepthtalim they pronounce a decree Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this booke and all the people shal say A men If to confirme and ratifie be not to repeale or giue contrarie dispensation then all the Israel of the Lord must accurse his blasphemie that wildispense against the word of god We see the Pope vseth a triple crowne and challengeth honour aboue Emperours and kings but if we haue learned the commaundement of Christe and are lightened by it to iudge betweene good and euill when Christ saith Kings of the nations reigne ouer them and their rulers are called gratious Lords but it shall not be so among you we muste needes knowe the Popes pride is intollerable which taketh such honour vnto him selfe We see how they cry against vs The Church the church make vs beleeue that they are the church and they cannot erre but if we be exercised in the scripture to discerne betweene trueth and salshod we knowe that Christ hath built his church vppon the rocke which rocke is not Peter and his successours in Rome as the Pope expoundeth it but our Sauiour Christe sayth He that heareth his woorde and obeyeth it he is the wise man that buildeth vpon the rocke and neither stormes nor tempestes nor the gates of Hell shall preuaile against that buyldinge and Sainct Paule saith The foundation or rocke vppon which we be buylte is the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets And who so euer commeth vnto vs and bringeth vs that doctrine though they say they bee Apostles yet they belyers and though they say they be the church yet they are an assembly of theeues and murtherers Let vs then bee wise at the laste it is not ignoraunce it is perfect knowledge it is not infancie it is ripe vnderstanding that must commend vs vnto God. And mark it wel that you may knowe what God requireth of vs That which is here translated long custome the Apostle calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a knoweledge with long studie and practise learned as lawe in the Iudge or counseller as physick in the learned expert Physician so must diuinitie be in vs. Againe he sayth we must haue our senses exercised it is not enough to know nor to know much but wee muste bring the practise of it in our life neither concealing our knowledge nor withholding our obedience but with minde and bodie testifying our faith til experience teach vs that Gods spirit hath the victorie in vs Lastly he sayth wee must be able to iudge betweene good and euill or as S. Paule termeth it able to trie the difference of things one from other that is that we may know how to discerne betweenâ—… Gods wisedome and mans vaine inuentions betweene trueth and falsehoode betweene vertue and vice not as the manner of some is that stil be babes and worse then babes with whom if you wil reason of their religion to persuade them by the worde of trueth they will say I am not booke learned I can not dispute with you let me alone with my faith other men haue bene as well learned as they be now I am sure they beleeued otherwise are not these miserable people and are not they more miserable whiche thus haue seduced them and shall not wee thanke God this day who hath saued vs from suche vnspeakable madnesse both of the cursed teacher and of the wretched disciple yes dearly beloued let vs thanke God and let vs leaue the blinde leaders of the blinde and let vs pray that God would giue vnto vs according to his glorious riches the strength of his spirite in the inner man that by faith Christ may dwel in our heartes and wee may apprehende with all the saints the heigth the breadth the length the depth and knowe the loue of Christ whiche iâ—… aboue all knowledge and be filled with the fulnesse of God. Nowe it followeth in the sixte Chapter Therefore leuing the doctrine of the beginning of Christ let vs be led forward vnto perfection not laying again the fouÌ„datioÌ„ of repentaÌ„ce from dead works of faith towards God c. In these words the Apostle first maketh the conclu sion of his exhortation therfore let vs leaue the beginnings and go foreward vnto perfection In the wordes following he sheweth by particular pointes what is this beginning beyond which we must go that we may be perfecte and hee numbereth foure points repentance from dead works faith towardes God the resurrection of the bodie eternall iudgment whiche principles were learned and confessed of Christian mens children in the day of their confirmation of Gentiles that came to the faith of Christ in the day of their baptisme in this meaning some thinke he calleth these forenamed points the doctrine of baptismes and laying on of hands meaning thereby that seeing this confession and knowledge is in vs then when first we are receiued into the felowship of the church to be partakers of their mysteries howe ought wee of all duetie to growe vnto greater knowledge and wisedome when now many yeares we haue bene of the Church daily taught all the counsels of God or it may bee that the Apostle here reciteth the manner of catechising vsed them in Churches for instruction of children in which they were taught especially these sixe principles of religion what they are and howe they should learne them that is Repentance Faith Baptisme Laying on of handes the Resurrection and eternall iudgement whiche things being first learned of them and giuen vnto them in bookes such as our Catechismes are the Apostle may seme to speake thus Let vs not alwayes be beginners when we were yet children we learned this since so long time hearing the word preached and religion more perfectly taught vs howe shal we be blamelesse if we learne no more By which wordes the meaning of the apostle is to giue vs no time of rest when we should thinke we were wise enough wee neede learne no more but as long as God continueth our life so long we should continue our studie still to knowe more of his vnsearcheable wisedome and goodnesse Touching the learning of these thinges to bee milke and meate of children I tolde you before by some examples howe we might vnderstand it it is milke to know these things in the simplicitie of the wordes it is strong meate to bee able to distribute them into euerie part and applie it to our selues in our life Repentance whereof he first speaketh hath here a sorrowe and purpose of amendment as these affections can be in children which is to be grieued or wepe for a thing done and to beware afterward for feare of the like but the wise and graue man that hath profited in the schole of Christe his sorrowe sinketh much deeper he
remembreth by good accompts what things the Lord hath done for him how he hath blessed him from what present perils he hath saued him how againe him self hath bene euer vnthankfull vnworthy of the least of al Gods mercies yea by many speciall crimes deseruing wrath and anger which thoughtes doe worke in him a troubled spirite and pensiue soule so that not onely teares but the state of the whole bodie sheweth the griefe of his minde and not the bodie onely but in all his life it worketh great care much praying anger with our selues feare desire zeale punishment also that by iudging our selues we may preuent the iudgement of God it maketh vs detest our sinne and the remembrance of our sinne as in the Acts of the Apostles they burne their bookes of sorceries which were of great price value and as Saint Iude sayth They hate euen the coate spotted with the flesh and according to this is the amendement of their life with all loue and desire If they haue beene extortioners they will make restitution if they haue beene vsurers they will giue back increase if they haue giuen their handes and knees and members of their bodyes to the Popish Masse with all their strength now againe they will deteste it and make it knowen they hate their firste sinne this manner of repentance is stronge meate of perfect men The second point heere spoken of is faith toward God of which so much as may be apprehended of children is called milke as to beleeue that God the father of his greate loue gaue his onely begotten sonne Iesu Christe to be made man who in his bodie might fulfil all righteousnesse and beare the punishment of sinne which also by the power of his spirit he ourcame and hath gotten eternall redemption for all that shall beleeue But so to examine this faith wisely and according to Scripture that when we finde the beginning in God the father the work in God the sonne the applying and bestowing of it in the holie Ghoste and when we be wise so to distinguish these graces in euery person that yet wee diuide them not as taking away from the one vtterly what soeuer especially wee giue vnto the other this I say when we haue so learned that wee see all the glorie of sauing health is in God no merit or desert in man but that without the law the righteousnesse of God is laid open vnto vs witnessed by the law and by the prophets then we be perfect to fede of this strong meate that faith alone iustifieth Againe when we knowe that this is the gifte of God with whome there is no chaunge nor shadowe of chaunge but he is constant in his loue for euer whē faith hereof taketh boldnesse that nether heigth nor deapth nor life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor any creature shall euer be able to remoue me from the loue with whiche God hath looued mee this assured boldenesse is the meat of the man of God who is perfect in faith Likewise Baptisme the thirde thing here mentioned the milke of it is to knowe that by it they be sealed into the couenant of Gods grace and mercy which he hath to the fathers and their children but to knowe by this how to be baptised into the death of Christ that as he is rysen againe from the deade so wee should walke in newnesse of life that is to knowe that our Baptisme presenteth vnto vs the free forgiuenesse of our sinnes washed away with the bloud of Christe While as hee dyed and was buried for our sinnes so wee also should dye vnto sinne that it haue no more rule in our mortal body and as he rose againe from the deade so that death hath no more rule ouer him so we should after liue in newnesse of life offering vp vnto God our bodies and our soules who hath redeemed them and purchased them vnto him selfe To knowe all this according to the scripture is the perfect knowledge of our Baptisme Imposition of handes that was a solemne ceremonie vsed with prayer in whiche it was declared that the parties were accepted of GOD into his Church according to the faith of Christe whiche then they professed this was the milke which children had fead on But to see in it a free and bolde profession of faith before all men to be holden and a holy vowe or promise in whiche they bounde them selues to perpetuall holinesse by the laying on of handes as by a solemne othe to haue it witnessed of the Lord they were his children and to witnesse it in them selues they woulde abide the temples of the holie Ghoste to be short to promise a persourmaunce of all what so euer was hoped for in vs in the day of our baptisme this is the strong meate And this which this day ought to be practised as a thing verie profitable in the Churche of God it is miserably defaced by the Papistes for where it was in the Churche of God an vse that Christian children should be taught the principles of fayth which when they had wel learned and could giue a good accompt of their faith then in y open congregation with prayer and laying on of handes on their heades they were declared to be receiued as partakers of the graces and sacramentes of the church this good order the Papistes haue chaunged and made them a sacrament of confirmation onely by the Bishop to be ministred and by him to little children of no knwledge to whome hee giueth a newe Godfather or godmother which should speake for them when they cannot speak for them selues And whereas in the scripture this hath beene euer a ceremonie in solemne blessinges in sacrifices in admitting ministers in giuing spirituall giftes and no where vsed but onelie with prayer this order seemed base to them that knewe no end of their owne inuentions and they would needes haue crosses tapers oyle miters surplices c. without which there was with them no confirmation thus in this as in all thinges prophaning the holie ordinaunce of God. The resurrection of the bodie another poynte here mentioned was for Children that they might knowe their bodies should not die as the bodies of beastes to consume in earthe and not returne but that they shoulde rise againe at the latter daye and their owne bodies should be made immortall but in this also to see the glorie what a bodie it is whiche shall liue for euer which shal be made like to the body of Christ which shal be made able to stand in the presence and behold the glorie God of which shal be set free from sorrow care sicknesse death al aduersitie This mysterie which the Angels of God desire to behold when we can wisely see it know therefore we are here but pilgrimes and straungers another countrie is our owne whiche God hath made and not man in which we set our heart with all the delight and pleasure of it in this to reioyce this
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
the knowledge of God not onely by the heauens which declare his glorie nor by the firmament whiche sheweth his work nor by any of Gods creatures in which his eternall power and Godhead doth appeare shine and of which light all nations are made partakers but they are also lightened with his holye woorde which is a lanthorne to their feete and a light vnto their steppes and haue hearde his Gospell preached vnto them vnto the which they haue agreed that it is the word of life The second note of them is y they haue tasted of the heauenly gift the heauenly gift is the life and great saluation that is in Christe Iesu by whom we are reconciled which likewise our Sauiour Christ calleth the gift of god speaking to the woman of Samaria and this is that knowledge into which they are lightened by the gospel and this they do not only knowe but of this gifte they haue also tasted whiche is they haue gladly sometime receiued it and reioyced in it like as our Sauiour Christe describeth them by the parable of the stonie ground that incontinently with ioye they receiue the seede and which also he noteth in the Phariseis speaking of Iohn Baptist whiche was a shining lampe among them and they for a season did reioyce in his light The thirde note of these men is that they haue beene partakers of the holie ghost which is that many graces of the spirite of God haue beene giuen vnto them as these two aboue named y they are lightned with knowledge reioyce in their vnderstanding which is neither of flesh nor bloud nor of the will of man but of the holie ghost vnto these we may adde also others as y gift of miracles the gifts of toungs or any such that God hath distributed vnto these euen as he wil these things or any of them when they haue receiued to the praise of God glorie of his holie name they are made partakers of the holie ghost and they are blessed with heauenly blessing The fourth note is that they haue tasted the good word of God not much differing from that he first spake of that they were lightened that is that they had knowledge of God not onely by his creatures but muche more by his worde But heere naming the good word of God hee noteth especially the Gospell by comparison with the lawe as if he shoulde saye they haue knowen God not onely by his lawe which is fearefull to the sinner but by a more sweete vnderstandinge of the Gospel which saith Come vnto mee all you that labour and are laden so calling it the good worde as that which is glad tydinges of saluation and therefore also good because they haue tasted it good and ioyfull and haue seene the glorie of it as the greatest treasure that is giuen vnto man. The fifte and laste note heere set foorth is that they knowe and confesse that this Gospell hathe the ende eternall life and Christe is a mightie Sauiour who will keepe for euer those whome he hath purchased and hee nameth the worlde to come because the spirite hathe lightened them to see the latter ende of this corruptible worlde and to knowe assuredly that here they haue no dwelling citie but another habitation is made for Gods chosen not with mortall handes but euerlasting in Heauen and calling it the powers because it is made so strong in Christe Iesu that it can neuer be assaulted for all power is giuen vnto him in Heauen and in Earthe and hee hathe made that heauenlye Citie glorious for his Sainctes throughout all worldes Thus hath the Apostle described those persons whome he biddeth beware that these fall not backe to chaunge so greate glorie into endlesse shame for if they will turne these thinges vpside downe and the graces that they had receiued to Gods glorie abuse them to the reproche of his holy name it is vnpossible they should rise againe by repentance And thus farre of the persons what giftes they haue receiued wherein yet let vs vnderstand a great difference betweene these men which fall away and the giftes which are in Gods elect that cannot perishe nor euer sinne against the holye Ghoste First in the measure of grace that they haue receiued there is great difference or rather no comparison then their obedience according to this grace is nothing like The wicked are but lyghtened with the beginninges of the Gospell the electe are more instructed in the mysterie of Godlynesse The wicked haue but tasted of the life that is in Christe the Electe liue not them selues but Christe lyueth in them The wicked are but a little made partakers of the spirite by some giftes of grace that are within them the electe are watered so farre with the spirit that they to be baptised in the death of Christe to dye vnto sinne to liue vnto righteousnesse so that sinne shall not reigne in the mortall bodye The wicked haue but tasted the Gospell of Christe and his sauing health the electe are fedde with his mercyes and still they hunger and thirst after his righteousnesse see with exceeding â—…oy the height the bredth the length the depth of the mysterie of their redemption The wicked haue felt the world to come and haue for a little while delighted in it the elect haue their conuersation altogether and with great gladnesse loke from thence for a sauiour that this life is not deare vnto them but they will holde it foorth in their hands to all persecutions to finish the short course that they haue here with â—…oy These are great differences but the greatest is yet behinde the wicked they are straungers euen from y womb not ingraffed into the body of Christ nor haue any feeling of election in them selues but the godly are indued with faith and assured hope that if this earthly tabernacle be dissolued they haue a dwelling place with GOD himselfe who hath loued them this hope they delight in in this they liue in this they rest while this is assaulted they despise the worlde when this is vnshaken then is their sorrow but the wicked it is not so with them their hope is not this for their ioy is onely heere when they haue examined the secrets of their owne harts they shall rather finde that their bellie is their God for notwithstanding all the gifs of God that they haue receiued yet they want this measure of fayth by which they are persuaded that God is their God and their delight is all in the Lord alone And againe the obedience that they shewe in their life it is not to the true obedience that God requireth as their faith is no true faith for God requireth this alone that we loue him with all our hearte with all our soule with all our strength with all our vnderstanding and that we loue our neighbour as our selfe but this loue is not in them nor they haue not this end of all their works that they may
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. 〈◊〉