that we ought to have we thinke too basely of it we imagine it not to be of halfe the power it is VERSE 13. THE third reason to excite us to this heavenly study is taken from the omniscience and unspeakable knowledge of God Almighty who is a spectator of all our doings and sees whether we have a care or not to enter into that rest prepared for us That God knowes all he shewes by a distribution of the persons and of the things he that knowes all creatures and all things knowes all but God knowes all creatures and all things ergo Not man alone but no creature no not the Angels are unknowne unto him whether they be Angels or Archangels Cherubins or Seraphims they are all manifest in his sight He beholds Angelum in Coelo vermiculum in Coeno the Angels in heaven for they are continually in his presence the fowles in the heaven are manifest in his sight hee knowes them all from the Eagle to the Sparrow that hoppeth on the ground not a Sparrow falls to the ground without his providence all the beasts of the field are knowne unto him Beares Lions c. are all at his Commandement yea the little Pismere is known to him the Fishes that play in the Sea from the great Whale to the little Sprat the waters under the earth the grave yea hell it selfe is manifest in his sight Much more then is Man yea the very heart of man he knowes the hearts of all the Children of men hee knew Saul when and where he prayed Act. 9.11 Not only all creatures but all things are knowne to him with whom we have to doe Some things he knowes in superficie some in profundo All things are naked When a mans Coat or shirt is pulled off wee may then see any skars wrinckles or blemishes that be in his body The faire coats the velvet gownes that be on the backes of men and Women will not suffer us to behold their bodies many soares and blemishes may bee in the body which wee see not No Coates can keepe us from GODS eyes Though Herod have his Royall apparell on him though a Lady or Gentlewoman never so many Coats or gallant attyre yet God sees through them all the darkenesse is no darkenesse to him and the coats are no coates to him God sees likewise in profundo For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are all opened unto his eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all agree of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a Metaphor taken from them that plucke the skinne from the sacrifices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As when the beast is slaine and the skinne plucked of all that is within is open to the eyes of man So all things are open to the eyes of God Erasmus translates it cervicata of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as when a beast is cut into two pieces by the backe bone all his entralls and bowells are seene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a necke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to lift up the necke that it may be apparant to all which a man may doe when he lies along upon his backe with his face upwards An Horse is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he lifts up his forefoot aloft that his whole necke and breast may be seene When a man holds downe his face there may be a wart or blemish in his necke under his chinne that cannot bee seene but when he lies with his face upwards all may bee seene so all things to God lie with the face upward he sees whatsoever they have Omniscience or the knowledge of all things is peculiar to God none but God knowes all things The Angels are of great knowledge yet they know not the day of judgement nor the heart of man they learne many things by the Church as St. Paul speaketh it is proper to God alone to know all things Thou knowest all things sayd the Disciples to CHRIST Iohn 16.30 his eyes are over all the ends of the world to behold the things that are done therein Nothing but is open to him He knew the murder of Caine and saw when he raked up the body of his brother Abel in the field Hee saw the theft of Achan that was hidde from all Israel the incest of Amnon in his Chamber the quaffing and swilling of Belshazzar in his palace he saw Zimri and Cosbi together that were taken in the act of Adultery But men are come to this passe that they imagine God knowes nothing tush God sees it not though we bee as drunke as beggars lie like beasts in blinde Ale-houses God sees it not though we lye coozen purloine steale secretly one from another God seeth not est aliquid spectare deos adesse putare The Schoole-master is not alwayes in the Schoole the eye of the Tutour is not alwayes on the pupill to see how he studies but Gods eye is ever on us Thy knowledge sayes David is too wonderfull for me Oh that this were carefully remembred Wee are not to deale with a one eyed Polyphemus with blind Appius with Argus who had a hundred eyes but he that we deale withall hath a thousand eyes wherefore let us be afraid to sinne any where Potiphars Wife watched a time when none of the men of the house were within yet God was in the house Let us remember that God is every where and that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his Omniscience is upon us that wee may learne to walke with God as Enoch did live as in the presence of the eternall God approving our conversation to him in this world that wee may rest with Christ in the world to come VERSE 14. NOw the Apostle comes to CHRIST whose Word it is and makes a transition to his Priest-hood wherein consider 1. A description of this our high Priest 2. The use we are to make of it He is described 1. In regard of his excellency and power 2. In regard of his piety love and kindnesse The use is partly exhortatorie in this Verse consolatory in the rest Where First the foundation whereupon the consolation is built Secondly the consolation it selfe Our Priest is described 1. By the adjunct of greatnesse 2. By a wonderfull effect performed by him 3. By his name 4. By his nature Having therefore It is not alwayes a note of illation but sometimes it is put in the beginning of a sentence Ornatus gratiâ yet it may have a coherence with that which went immediately before Seeing we have a great high Priest whose Word is so lively and mightie in operation before whose eyes all things are naked He doth not say seeing that we heare of so great an High Priest seeing that wee see him afarre off but seeing we have so great an High Priest we have a right and interest to him Not an inferiour Priest but an High Priest the chiefe of Priests to whom all
practise that which wee heare And this faith will appeare by working 1 Thes. 2.13 it will worke a change and alteration in your whole man VERSE 3. ON the other side it profits us that believe for we enter into his rest He doth not say shall but doe He that believeth in me hath eternall life he doth not see it a farre off as Moses upon the top of Pisgah viewed the earthly Canaan but enters not into the boyling lead of Purgatory but into spirituall and everlasting rest As infidelity is the bar to keep out unbeleevers So fidelity is the gate or doore whereby we may enter into heaven Act. 16.31 Rom. 3.28 This may seeme to bee unfitly alleadged By consequent it prooves that believers enter in for if unbelievers doe not then by the law of contraries believers doe And if the former words be included in a parenthesis these doe fitly follow as a confirmation of that which was in the latter end of the former verse it profited them not because it was not mingled with faith How prove you that As he said c. thus it doth excellently well agree Hitherto the dehortation hath beene propounded Now hee comes to prevent an objection that the Iewes might make which was indeed the only shelter they had to flye unto This rest that David speaketh of is the land of Canaan which some of our fathers missed of because they would not believe God What is that to us We believe in him and are at this day of a long time seated in the land of Canaan therefore we are none of those unbelievers thou needest not to be so fearefull of us To that he answers nay this rest is a spirituall and an heavenly rest and that he prooves by two divine testimonies one out of Genesis about Gods Sabbath the other out of the Psalme before cited The rest of that Sabbath he introduceth by a narration of the cause why God kept it It is perobscurus locus as Beza well observeth a defective speech something must be supplyed And verily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is particula asseverantis as well as adversantis the workes being finished from the foundation of the world this rest that we speake of was fore-signified Here we may behold the end for the which God Himselfe kept a Sabbath namely that we might perpetually commemorate the Creation of the world The Lord might if it had pleased Him have made the world in a moment yet he took sixe dayes to the making of it that we might deliberately consider of his wonderfull workemanship and then rested the seaventh day making it a type of our eternall rest with him in heaven But here a question may be moved whether all Gods workes were finished at the beginning of the world whether all were made within the compasse of these sixe dayes or not 1. What say you to the soules of men Is there not a dayly creation of them they come not ex traduce they are not traduced and conveyed unto us by the seede of our Parents for they are only the fathers of our bodies not of our soules and the spirit returneth to God that gave it God makes soules every day therefore all his workes were not finished from the foundation of the world The answer is easie They were in specie from the beginning though numero they bee augmented every day They were not all created at the first in heaven and put dayly into bodies according unto Gods discretion and appointment but God maketh them continually yet the same species the same kinde of creature was from the beginning 2. What shall wee say to Mules It was a long time many hundred yeeres before they came into the world Gen. 36.24 1. The Hebr. word is ambiguous Iemim of Iam the Sea Hee found waters standing pooles in the wildernesse like to Seas above the expectation of men 2. Let it be translated Mules yet the meaning may be hee was the first that found them in that countrie whereas they might be in the world before 3. Though they were invented by this man yet the matter of them was made by God in the beginning Thirdly what shall we say to those creatures that ryse of putrefaction they were materialiter potentialiter though not actualiter from the beginning All things were either in materia or in specie from the beginning of the world There were no houses no ships no Townes nor Cities at the first yet the matter whereof they be framed was prepared to mans hand by God and he gave man wisedome for the framing of them VERSE 4. HOw doth that appeare For He that is God He is not curious in the naming of the place it was well knowne to the Hebrewes being daily exercised in the Scriptures Now by that was prefigured that rest when we shall rest with God in his kingdome As God for our capacity laboured in the creation of the world rested afterwards delighting himselfe in the contemplation of the workes that he had made So when this life is ended we shall rest from all our labours and enjoy eternall quietnesse with him Therefore this shewes that it is not a carnall but a spirituall not a temporall but an eternall rest that is here entreated of Did God rest from all his workes How is it then that our Saviour saith my father worketh hitherto There be the workes of preservation and of creation The high and eternall God is not idle since he made the world His eyes are over all the ends of it beholding the evill and the good He is the Rector of the Vniversity of the whole world nothing comes to passe without him A Sparrow fals not to the ground without his will He disposeth still of all things and doth whatsoever he will in heaven and earth and in all deepe places but as for the workes of creation he hath rested from them all nothing now is created new Then all things throughout the wide compasse of the world are the workmanship of God He spread the heavens above our heads as a Curtaine he laid the foundation of the earth he made the roaring sea the birds that flie in the ayre the beasts that walke on the earth the fish that play in the Sea the Angels in heaven and men on the earth are his creatures O how wonderfully am I made sayes the Psalmist Therefore let us all glorifie our Creator in whom we have our life breath being and moving We especially that are Lords over GODS creatures let us magnifie him above them all Neverthelesse a lamentable thing to consider we dishonour him above all the Birds of the ayre the Beasts of the field the Sunne Moone and Stars are more dutifull in their kinde than we be O the unthankfulnesse of sinfull Man This place againe which we have in hand doth intimate so much unto us VERSE 6. WHich he proveth first by the event verse 6. Some must enter in because of Gods promise 2 Cor.
us But alas we have no care of it we defile our selves innumerable kinde of wayes A dainty Lady or Gentlewoman would bee loath to file her fingers with a little dirt we all loath outward defilements but we give entertainement to sin which is the greatest pollution of all Nay we are like hogs that had rather be in fowle water then in cleane wallowing in the puddle of sin then bathing our selves in the bath of vertue As Christ separated Himselfe from sinners So must wee doe how wee must not shut up our selves in Cloysters in Nunneries and Monasteries as some did in a blind zeale in the time of Popery thinking that they were then separated from sinners when they were many of the most beastly sinners themselves Neither must wee be brethren of separation as the Brownists most unbrotherly name themselves we must not Hebr. 10.25 forsake the assembling of our selves together Wee must not separate our selves from the spouse of Christ because of some pretended wrinkles in her face neither must we altogether abandon the society of men 1 Cor. 5.10 but we must separate our selves from the pollution of sinners Though we be in Sodome as Lot was yet wee must not be Sodomites though we come into the company of drunkards yet we must not be drunken as they are though among adulterers bawdy talkers and livers yet wee must not draw with them in the same yoke of sin we must be like to the fishes that dwell in the salt water and yet themselves are fresh so though our dwelling be in a prophane towne yet wee must separate our selves from the prophanenesse that is in the Towne This is hard for us to doe though Christ could doe it It is a difficult matter to touch pitch and not to be defiled with it to bee in a fire and not to be burnt Barnabas keeping company with dissemblers was brought to dissemble with them and St. Peter that stout champion of Christ being in the high Priests hall was brought to the denyall of Christ. Therefore the best course we can take is to refraine their company as Ioseph if not but that wee fall into it then to pray to God to separate us from the wickednesse that is in that company The high-Priest in time of the Law was in a Sanctuary on the earth but our high-Priest is in the Temple and Sanctuary of heaven where he appeareth alwayes in the sight of God for us and let not our affections be here on the earth but let our conversation bee in heaven let us seeke the things that bee above where Christ our high-Priest and Saviour is VERSE 27. THe second thing in his Ministerie is his sacrifice which surpasseth the sacrifices of the Priests in the time of the Law in regard of the time when of the persons for whom and the kinde of sacrifice offered by him 1. For the time he had no necessity to offer daily as they did Num. 28.3 4. It was necessary for them to offer daily 1. Because both they and the people sinned daily 2. Because their sacrifices were imperfect and were dayly to be iterated There was no such necessity for Christ to offer dayly because he had no sin and by one sacrifice perfected us for ever 2. They did offer for their owne sinnes and the peoples too and that every day and so did not Christ. He had no sinne of his owne to offer for and as for the sins of the people he tooke them all away by one sacrifice First for he must be holy himselfe before hee could make the people holy Aaron sinned grievously in the calfe 3. For the kind of sacrifice they offered things without themselves as Sheepe Goates Oxen c. Christ offered himselfe he was Sacerdos victima Hebr. 9.14 We are all sinners Ministers and people we must all say yea even arietes gregis the Lords prayer forgive us our trespasses Therefore let us not swell in pride one against another but flie all to the mercy of God in Christ. Therefore let the best Preacher in the world knocke on his breast with the poore Publican and say Oh God be mercifull to me a sinner The order is here worthy to be observed he offered first for his owne sins A Minister in killing of sinne must begin with himselfe Si vis alios flere flendum tibi prius first weepe bitterly for thine own sins as Saint Peter did and then make the people to weepe for their sins I beat downe mine owne body sayes Saint Paul least while I preach to others my selfe should be a reprobate The like method must be practised by all Christians First cast the beame out of thine owne eye let us first represse sinne in our selves Then in others As the Priest in the time of the Law first offered for his owne sins so let us all being Priests by Iesus Christ first offer up our selves to God Wee count him a foole that will have more care of his neighbours Sheepe then of his owne and shall wee have more care of our neighbours soule then of our own Let us first begin with our selves There is but one sacrifice of the New Testament whereby the daily sacrifice of the masse is quite overthrowne This is a knife to cut the throat of the masse among the Papists the Priests offer up Christ dayly they doe more than needs there is no necessity of that for Christ offered up Himselfe once for all There bee many pregnant places for it in this epistle as Hebr. 10.11 12. I say the Papists there is but one bloudy sacrifice which was once offered on the Crosse 1 Pet. 3.18 yet there is an unbloudy sacrifice which Christ instituted at his last Supper where the body and bloud of Christ are offered under the similitudes of bread and wine which is a commemoration and an application of his sacrifice on the crosse to us for Christ said to his Disciples hoc facite that is Sacrificate as the Poet sayes cum faciam vitula pro frugibus ipse venito and the Hebrew word Gnasah doth often signifie sacrificare After the words of consecration bee said this is my body that is given for you i. that is offered to God the Father for you this is the bloud of the New Testament that is shed for many it was then shed and powred out for a sacrifice to God I but where do they read in any Author that hoc facite with an accusative case doth signifie to sacrifice The Poet doth not say facere vitulam 2. The Evangelists wrote in Greeke not in Hebrew or Latine Hee then ordained no propitiatory that 's my meaning sacrifice which was to be offered every day he instituted a Sacrament not such a sacrifice 1. In every sacrifice there is sensible quiddam as Bellar. confesseth and they also say it is an externall thing and they call it visible sacrificium In this imaginarie sacrifice there is no sensible outward thing that may be discerned by
the ground VERSE 10. WHat mooved him to content himselfe with so meane a dwelling they made not so much reckoning of their habitation in this world as of that in the world to come therefore they did not greatly care how they dwelt here As for the land of Canaan though it were a pleasant Country flowing with milke and hony yet they knew they were not to continue in it long this made them to looke up to the heavenly Canaan whereof the earthly was but a type and figure Erecto capite his eye was also to that quasi accepturus Here hee had a Tent but there hee looked for a City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that City which alone deserves the name of a City it excells all earthly Cities in two respects In regard of the foundation and the founder thereof The Tents wherein they dwelt had no foundation they were fastned with nayles to posts and stakes set in the ground but this City hath a foundation earthly houses have but one foundation and subject to earth-quakes stormes tempests inundations and other casualities this hath many foundations Apoc. 21.14 and nothing can shake those foundations The Tower of Siloam it is like had a good foundation yet it fell the Abbies and Monasteries had sure foundations yet they are fallen the pallaces of Kings Noblemen and Gentlemen have strong foundations yet they shall all fall but the heavenly Hierusalem shall never fall Aholiab and Bezaleel made the Tabernacle Hyram the Temple Carpenters and Masons set up these Citties but God Himselfe is the maker and builder of this City These Cities may be overthrowne by waters the Sea may come in tumbling and sweepe them away these Townes and Citties may be consumed with fire there bee burnings almost every day these may be sacked with the enemy and made even with the ground as Hierusalem and the Temple are which were the wonder of the world wee may bee driven by famine and pestilence out of those townes and Cities howsoever they stand a while and we in them the time shall come when the earth with all the goodly buildings that be on it shall be burnt with fire Therefore let us use these Citties as we used them not let our hearts and affections bee in this City whose maker and builder is God We have not here an abiding City London is no abiding City Yorke Norwich no Towne is an abiding Towne Death will give us a remove out of all Townes but in this City wee shall abide for ever and reigne with CHRIST for evermore therefore let us all long for it He doth not say that he believed there was such a City but hee looked for it Iud. 5.28 We looke out of our windowes on sights in the streets Gardens Orchards c. but not out of the windowes of our hearts for this City Hee that lookes shortly for a new Coate will not bee much in love with his old for a faire house will not care for a cottage Wee looke after our wooll and cloath houses and lands c. Let us looke dayly for CHRIST 's comming that will put us in possession of this City As Saint Peter said unadvisedly of the Mount let us say likewise of this City it is good for us to bee here VERSE 11. WE have had the things which he did severally by himselfe now of him joyntly with his Wife because he toucheth a thing which he could not doe without his Wife Of whom he entreateth 1. Severally by herselfe then joyntly together with others Also together with her Husband The Faith of them both concurred in this Lyra shewes himselfe delirantem senem in avouching that Sarah had no faith in this he interprets it thus through faith that is of Abraham Sarah also received power but by it is meant her owne faith 1. Certaine facts of hers which she did by faith 2. The event that issued on them 1. A narration of facts 2. An illustration of them by the cause thereof The facts are two Conception and Procreation 1. She received strength to conceive seed to receive and retaine the seed that came from Abraham It might be translated to the emission of seede to the dejection of seede For the childe is framed of the seed of them both though Aristotle be of another opinion mater à materia quia ministrat materiam procreandae proli as the father doth Whereupon Christ is termed the fruit of the Virgins wombe She was now by the course of nature past conceiving of seed being ninety yeeres old a woman as Plinie observeth for the most part is past child bearing at fiftie then how could a woman conceive â—t ninetie not by nature but by the grace and power of God therfore it is said through faith she received strength to doe it 2. She brought forth a Child when there were two obstacles in the way barrennesse and old age The one is to be repeated out of Genesis God had shut up her wombe the other is here expressed Besides the season of age it was now no seasonable time for a woman of ninety yeeres to have a child yet by faith she had one And why what was the cause of it because she judged him faithfull c. this Lyra referres to Abraham because he judged as for Sarah she laughed at it and Abraham thought it an incredible thing yet it may be adscribed to Sarah her selfe as for Abraham he is not mentioned at all in this verse Some affirme that that laughter of Sarahs did issue ab admiratione non à dubitatione as Abrahams did Abraham laughed admiring not doubting of Gods promise so did Sarah yet the laughter of Sarahs must needs be condemned 1. She opposes two impediments to the promise which Abraham doth not 2. Shee is reproved by God for laughing who tells her that it issued from infidelity 3. Shee her selfe covers it with a lye which she would not have done if it had not beene an evill laughter How then is it true that Shee judged him faithfull who had promised At the first she doubted and derided it but afterwards being reprehended by GOD better instructed by her husband and pondering in her mind that it was GOD Almighty which had spoken it she believed it and judged him faithfull He that hath promised me a child is able to fulfill his promise faithfull to performe that which he hath promised therfore though I be barren and old too I shall have a child Gen. 21.6 7. 1. Women as yee see may have faith they may believe in Christ be members of his body and heyres of the kingdom of heaven The woman was the first in the transgression yet she shall be saved though it be a kinde of purgatory by the bearing of Children 2. God is pleased with marryed folke he that liveth in the flesh cannot please God that is as Pope Siricius expounds it in mariage Abraham and Sarah were marryed folke yet they pleased God Let not
it CHRIST the Saviour of the world was promised to them that he should come of Abrahams seed but as yet he was not come the kingdome of heaven whereof the land of Canaan was a type was promised to them but as yet they received it not yet they believed certainely that they should have them and dyed in that faith Faith is an evidence of things that are not seene The victory over sinne death and the Divell is promised to us we shall bee more than conquerors yet sinne gives us many a fall the Divell assaults and tempts us death seaseth on us and takes us away yet let us believe Gods promise As yet we have not received the resurrection yet believe it nor the kingdome of heaven yet believe it and dye in that beliefe though thou kill me I will believe in thee The affirmative 2. Though they received them not yet they saw them not neere hand but farre off not with the eye of the body but of the soule which is faith Abraham in the birth of Isaac saw CHRIST In thy seed that is in CHRIST shall all nations be blessed Isaac was borne of a woman which by the course of nature was never like to have Children so was CHRIST of a Virgin that never knew man In the oblation of Isaac he saw the oblation of Christ on the Crosse. When Isaac bore the wood wherewith he should be burnt hee saw Christ bearing his owne Crosse when he saw Isaac bound on the Altar he saw Christ fastened to the Crosse. So the Israelites afterwards saw CHRIST afarre off in the Paschall Lamb and the rest of the sacrifices but blessed are our eyes wee as yet see the kingdome of heaven but afarre off but one day we shall see God face to face 3. They were perswaded they should have them and dyed in that perswasion they saluted them as Marrinors espying the shoare afarre off skip for joy hoping shortly to bee at it so these seeing the celestiall Canaan afarre off rejoyced at it and embraced it with the armes of faith So we must rejoyce at the sight of death as Simeon and Paul 4. They confessed themselves strangers here Whereby it is apparent they looked for a Country in heaven and dyed in faith expecting that Country 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Citizens that have a râ—ght and interest in the City may goe up and downe boldly strangers are fearefull standing at the curtesie of others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that come as wanderers from another people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without house and home They confessed it 1. By deeds by their dwelling in tents 2. In words before all men It is not to be extended to the Patriarcks before the floud for some of them as Enoch dyed not It is to be restreyned to them after the floud Hee doth not say all these were rare and excellent men beautified with singular graces of GODS spirit deepe in his bookes therefore they were exempted from death there is none that hath that priviledge Death is a Cup whereof all must drinke there is no man living but shall see death Wise Solomon godly David that was a man after Gods owne heart is dead strong Samson faire Absalom wealthy Nabal is dead Lazarus dyed and the rich man also dyed and was buryed Beggars dye and Kings dye Have I not said yee are Gods yet yee shall dye as men It is well observed by Saint Augustine that it fell out by the providence of GOD that the verb morior should not be declined after the same manner that other verbs of that kinde be orior ortus est morior mortuus est to declare that death signified by it cannot be declined Mors non cogitur abesse sed cogitur non obesse Death cannot hurt the godly it is rather a benefit to them yet they dye This we can all say nothing so certaine as Death yet we make no use of it for all that we bathe our selves in the pleasures of sin we are set on the merry pinne we follow the world so earnestly so greedily as if we should live for ever We are like the fishes that are skipping and leaping in the water and yet by and by are taken in the Net We know that the Net of Death is continually spread for us all yet we are as jocund as if no net were laid for us It is said Eccles. 7.4 That the living shall lay it to heart Wee talke of Death wee carry Death about with us we see it daily in other men Almost every weeke a buryall in many Townes yet wee live as if we should never dye Damocles the Parasite was set in Dionysius chayre he had all the honour and pleasure that could be devised but when hee considered the sword hanging by a slender horsehayre over his head hee tooke delight in nothing Death as Gods sword hangs over our head continually it is senibus prae foribus adolescentibus in insidiis The staffe of death stands before the doore of old folkes and it may steale on young men ere they bee aware yet we regard it not It causeth us not to have our conversation in heaven but we are as great earth wormes as if we should never dye All these dyed but how did they dye in the faith All dye but all dye not in the faith 1 Thes. 4.16 some dye in CHRIST and some live to the world and dye in the world Achitophel dyed but it was not in faith hee dyed a malecontent in a proud conceit of his wit and wisedome that his counsell should not bee followed which was wont to bee reputed as an oracle from heaven Iudas dyed but it was in desperation in infidelity not in faith he could not be perswaded that his sins were washed away in the bloud of CHRIST and therefore tooke a rope and hanged himselfe Cain dyed but not in faith for he cryed my sin is greater than can be forgiven Happy are they that dye in faith The Scripture doth not simply say blessed are the dead but that dye in the Lord. Iob dyed in the faith I am sure my Redeemer liveth Old Father Simeon dyed in the faith with CHRIST in his armes LORD now lettest thou thy servant Saint Paul dyed in the faith the time of my departure is at hand From henceforth A sweet thing to dye in the faith All that dye quietly to the eye of the world dye not in the faith The Psalmist sayes of the wicked there are no bands in their death Good men may have sore temptations when they lye on their death beds through the distemperature of the braine and the vehement paine of the body they may deliver some fearefull and impatient speeches savouring of infidelity as Iob did in his pangs and yet for all that dye in the faith Live in the faith bee plentifull in the fruits of faith and thou shalt bee sure to dye in the faith It is the
Sea insomuch as the Psalmist exclameth how great is thy goodnes ô Lord which thou even then preparedst for the sons of men He prepares for us the foules of heaven fishes of the Sea beasts of the field to be our nourishment but of all preparations this is the greatest he prepared for us a City a most glorious Citty All the Cities in the world are not worthy to be named the same day with this thieves may breake into these Citties so cannot they into that These may be sacked by enemies so cannot that These Citties shall be burnt at the day of Iudgment this abides ever these need the Sun by day and Moone by night this needes none of them for it is enlightned with the glory of the Lamb. In these there is good and bad there none but good the spirits of just and perfect men In these there is sometimes dancing sometimes weeping there is no weeping at all but continuall singing to GOD Almighty these Cities may be famished so cannot that we shall eate of the hidden Manna and of the tree of life in the Paradise of God for ever Here our fellow Cittizens are men and sinfull men there we shall be Cittizens with the Angels here Cittizens have their Gownes whereby they are knowne which at length are moath eaten and come to nothing there wee shall be cloathed with the white robe of immortality that lasteth for ever In these Citties some are rulers some ruled there wee shall all be Kings and reigne with CHRIST for ever These Citties are made by Carpenters and Masons this by God O admirable City Let our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bee in it in this life that we may be taken up into it and remaine in it for ever in the life to come Yet this City is little regarded If Yorke Norwich London were ours we would thinke our selves happy men yet we count the preparation of this City nothing Ye talke of a City to come I would I were Lord of one Towne here take thou that City Many a prophane Esau is ready to say so but let us be thankefull to God for this City Hebrewes 11.17.18 19. WE have here a Catalogue of famous Christians in the Old Testament wherof some were before the floud others after as Abraham with whom having begun now he addes and concludes of him in these Verses Wherein we have a tragedy and a comedy a tragedie in a fathers oblation of his Sonne a comedie in the unexpected restitution of his Son to him 19. a sorrowfull tragedie in his going a joyfull comedy in his teturning Touching the former 1. An admirable worke performed by Abraham 2. The motive that set him on worke his stedfast faith in the resurrection Verse 19. In the work the author of it and the exquutioner of it VERSE 17. THe author of it was God that tried him Man tryes the Devill tries and God tries homo tentat ut cognoseat man tries to know what is in another Tentare à teneo wee try that we may quasi manu tenere hold as it were with the hand and have a certaine knowledge of him whom we try As the Queene of Shebah hearing of the fame of Salomon went to try him with hard questions 1 Reg. 10.1 Diabolus tentat ut decipiat to coozen us and to destroy us So the Serpent tempted our great Grandmother Eve and beguiled her Deus tentat ut quis sit homo hominibus innotescat that what is in man may be made manifest unto men hee tryed Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Chrysost. not to learne more than he knew before but to demonstrate the excellent graces that were in Abraham the world how he preferred God before all things even before his onely Sonne Thus CHRIST tempted Philip about the loaves Ioh. 6.6 God knew what was in Abraham but hee tryed him to make others know whereas Gen. 22.12 he speakes it after the manner of men When a man hath tryed the fidelity of his friend he sayes now I know thou lovest me so God applying himselfe to our capacity having tryed Abraham sayes now I know yet no accesse of knowledge to GOD hee knew what was in him before An admirable tryall a wind that might shake the strongest Cedar in Lebanon yee may take a view of it Gen. 22.2 Every word is very emphaticall 1. He doth not say send him by another but take him thy selfe carry this innocent Lamb to the slaughter house thy selfe 2. Not five or sixe yeeres hence but now presently without delay 3. Not thy servant but thy Sonne Tully tooke heavily the death of his servant how might Abraham take the death of his Sonne 4. Not one of many but thine only Sonne though thou hast no more but he take him kill him 5. Hee names him I doe not meane Ismael though thou art loath to part with him but Isaac 6. Whom thou lovest so deerely so tenderly all thy love is contracted into him thou hast no other to love 7. To the land of Moriah which is a great way off three dayes journey Oh what thoughts did trouble him all that while 8. When he comes there he doth not say hang him on a tree drowne him which had beene intollerable for a father to doe but burne him which is the sharpest death of all offer him up for a burnt offering to me 9. Consider the conference that was betweene him and Isaac in the way which might strike Abraham to the heart Father here is fire and the wood but where is the Lamb for the burnt offering alas my Son said Abraham in his heart though hee spake it not with his tongue thou must bee the burnt offering no doubt but the teares went trickling downe his cheekes Oh how wonderfully was he tryed all these were as so many daggers held at his heart 10. Besides all these the Hebrewes report that the Devill appeared to him in the shape of a good Angell and disswaded him from the offering of his Son telling him it was a most monstrous and unnaturall fact greatly displeasing to GOD Almighty No doubt but the Devill was busie with him to withdraw him from Obedience to GOD but that of his apparition is a feyned fable That we see how this holy man was tryed he was tryed indeed to the utmost a wonder he did proceed to the action Thus it pleaseth God to trye his Children A Gold-Smith tries his gold by casting it into the fire and Saint Peter calls it the fiery tryall A Captaine tryes his Souldiers before he brings them into the field One friend tryes another and God in love and wisedome tries us all how we are affected to him he sent false Prophets and dreamers of dreames to try the Israelites whether they would cleave to him with all their hearts and soules or not Deut. 13.3 hee tryed David by Shimei that rayled on him and hurled stones at him being a King A great indignity for a King to beare he tryed Ioseph with sore
like that Moses went in first they followed after as Iosephus writeth he as the Captaine they as Souldiers conducted by him Not by the witt devise and policie of their owne by the observation of the course of the Moone the constellation of starres or conjuction of planets but by faith Not they passed over by swimming by sayling by taking Ship c. but above art and nature they passed through They went not in a little way but passed through it Not a little shallow river but the great and deepe Sea Which by the colour might also strike a terrour into them being red as the fire terrifies men by the rednesse of it It was a corner of the Sea that parteth Arabia and Aegypt called red because the sand there was redder than in other places How not being somewhat wet at the least their feete and ancles but as if they had bin on the dry and firme land Exod. 14.22 This is adscribed to their faith At the beginning their faith was weake they cryed out like desperate persons without hope Exod. 14.11 but when they heard the promise of the Lord that he had said it when they saw the pillar of a cloud as a token of Gods presence with them when they beheld the waters driven backe by the rod of Moses then committing themselves wholly to the Lord they enter boldly into the red Sea This was a lively manifestation of their faith A weake faith at the first may prove a strong faith at the last 1 Sam. 27.1 Peter on the Sea There be three especiall things that commend their faith in it 1. That at Gods Word they would believe it hee said they should goe through the Sea they give credit to it Hath God spoken it Let us rest quietly in his word 2. The waters were on both sides on the right hand and on the left they might be in a continuall feare least they shold fall on them and overwhelme them yet through faith they go on and feare nothing 3. The Aegyptians followed them into the red Sea even there they were at their heeles this might have scared them Though we be not drowned in the Sea yet the Aegyptians may cut our throats and kill us in the Sea but through faith they likewise overcome that This was a supernaturall work if they had not had faith they could never have done it Faith is the best weapon to fight withall in all dangers the best bridge to passe over any river yea the Sea it selfe a coate of Maile in all battels All of them had not faith no doubt there were some unbelievers among them which went over for company and fashion sake for the saving of their lives they would venter with the rest but they had not a true and sound faith in the promise of God 1 Cor. 10.5 yet the fact hath the denomination of the better part There were many that believed therfore it is attributed to faith for the faithfuls sake the unfaithfull were kept from drowning The wicked in temporal blessings fare the better for the godly Every man must live eternally by his own faith but the unfaithfull in temporall blessings may fare the better for the faithfull The LORD blessed Potiphar for Iosephs sake It is like some bad ones were in the Ship some prophane Marriners wherein St. Paul sayled to Rome yet they were all preserved for Pauls sake So here the unbelieving Israelites were saved from drowning for the believers the world hates the godly and cannot abide to be in their company yet they escape many dangers for their sake This should cause them to make more of them than they doe Through faith the people went over Iordan the three Children walked in the middest of the fire Daniel continued safe in the Lions den Ionah came out of the Whales belly The nature of faith it leapeth over difficulties and followes God Through faith David said by the power of God I will leap over a wall If a man have the Kings passe-port he may passe all England over but if a man have faith he may passe all the world over through fire and water thicke and thinne Here we see that all creatures are servants to Gods Children all worke for them The Sun stood for Iosua The Starres fought for the Israelites against Sisera The fire durst not touch the three Children and here the water of the Sea is as a wall on both sides of the Israelites till they bee over If God bee with us who can be against us If the Lord of the house bee on our side will not all the serving men yea all creatures shall be on our side In the Israelites the Sea forgets her nature in the Aegyptians she exercised her nature 1. The cause of their destruction 2. The destruction it selfe Whereof the Aegyptians taking tryall why may not we passe through the Sea as well as they Why should it not give place to us as well as to them The Lord had hardened their hearts and they likewise went into the Sea Exod. 14.5 But what was the issue of it They were swallowed up by the Sea The waters turned backe on them they were all drowned not one escaped ut ne nuncius cladis domum reverteretur When the breath was out of their bodies the Sea cast up their carkasses againe and the Israelites saw them on the shoare wherby they might be the better perswaded they were dead and should trouble them no more Iosephus addeth that there fell raiâ—â— from heaven thundering and lightning The enemies of the Church may insult over it for a time as the Aegyptians made the Israelites their slaves and kept them in cruell bondage but at the lenght they shall drinke of the Cup of Gods wrath Iesabel was cast out of a window and eaten up with Dogs Herod was eaten up with wormes Sennacherib was slaine by his owne Sonnes The Aegyptians were overwhelmed in the red Sea Most of the Persecutors in Q. Maryes daies as Mr Fox reporteth came to a wretched and lamentable end Some ranne mad some stuncke above the ground while they were alive The rod may be aloft but it shall be hurled downe and cast into the fire Let this be our comfort we shall one day be conquerors over them all The Lord doth not onely meete with them but oftentimes in justice he serves them with the same sauce Iezabel spilt Naboths blood in the end her bloud was licked up with Dogs As Adonibezech had done unto 70. Kings so God rewarded him Iud. 1.7 The Aegyptians drowned the Children of Israel now they are drowned Some of the traytors that thought to have blowne us up with gun-powder were destroyed with gun-powder themselves Plutarke writeth of Hercules and Theseus that whom they sacrificed had sacrificed whom they hurled into the Sea had hurled into the Sea whom they thrust through with the Sword had thrust through with the Sword Let them take heed what tortures they put the godly unto the
LORD will repay them with the like In this he will be a Pythagorean he will use jus talionis and mete the same measure to them that they have meted to others The same Sea that gave way to the Israelites drowned the Aegyptians the same fire that had no power over the three Children slew those men that cast them into the hot fiery furnace the same Lions that touched not Daniel devoured his enemies the same Angell that smote the Sodomites preserved Lot the same earth that swallowed up the rebellious route of Core Dathan and Abiram bore those that were loyall and obedient to God As all worke for the best to them that love Gad so all things worke for the worst to them that hate God Here is a strange and wonderfull miracle a glasse wherein wee may behold the power and goodnesse of God This was the sole finger of God Almighty Yet there have beene some Atheists that have gone about to extenuate the glory of it this was nothing say they but the cunning of Moses to delude the world withall he being trained up in all the learning of the Aegyptians had great skill in Astronomy he was well acquainted with the course of the Moone with the ebbing and flowing of the Sea immediately after the tyde was gone he found a shallow place where the sand was drye there hee carryed the people over and makes us believe that they went through the Sea and the Aegyptians having not that wit but leaping into the Red Sea were drowned This is plainely confuted by the Scripture 1. Moses did it by faith not by art or cunning 2. The waters were not gone away as they be at an ebbe they were still remaining as a wall on both sides of the people 3. The Aegyptians were as skilfull Astronomers as Moses and knew every hole in the Sea as well as hee therefore there is no probability of this fabulous devise it was the Lords doing and it ought to be mervailous in our eyes let us admire it not carp at it 4. They passed through the Sea on dry land Now though the tyde be gone yet the land is not dry the sand still is moist but God by his omnipotent power divided the waters of the Sea and made a dry path in the middest for them to goe over Exod. 14.29 Baij abashah in arido The note of similitude is left out 5. Moses did this on the suddaine he had no leysure to make choyse either of time or place but when God had dryed up the Sea then hee went into it with the Israelites God made a way for them where there was no way Let us admire it not goe about to smeere it with the mire of mans invention This their passage through the Red Sea was a figure of baptisme 1 Cor. 10.2 They were baptised unto Moses that is to obedience to the doctrine of Moses in the Red Sea 1. The Israelites had no way out of Aegypt into the land of Canaan but by the red Sea They must passe through it into the land of promise So we ordinarily as the Fathers teach have no way to heaven but by baptisme We must passe through baptisme into the kingdome of heaven 2. The waters being as a wall on both sides they passed through the Sea as through a deepe grave and ditch so baptisme must be the grave and buryall of sinne 3. They came out of the Sea So we in baptisme must rise out of the grave of sinne 4. As they in the Sea had the waters on both sides so wee that are baptised must expect the waves and surges of temptations on all sides 5. In the Sea the Aegytians were drowned which were enemies to the Israelites so in baptisme sinne Satan Hell damnation all the enemies of our salvation have their overthrow 6. By the Sea the Israelites were saved and by baptisme we are saved as St. Peter speaketh it is the salvation of Gods elect Therefore this passage of the Red Sea is not lightly to bee passed over wee must dwell in the meditation of it the Lord doth often harpe upon this string in the Scriptures because it doth afford us sweete musicke VERSE 30. HItherto of those at their departure out of Aegypt now to them at their entrance into the land of Canaan Before they were setled in it and after Before wee have two examples the one generall of Iosua and the people together the other speciall of Rahab a peculiar Citizen The faith of Iosua and the Israelites shewes forth it selfe by their vanquishing and subduing of Iericho wherein consider 1. The fall of Iericho 2. The meanes whereby it was effected Not by any strength or policy of theirs It is not like it had many walls In the Hebrew there is a noune of the singular number and here the Apostle useth a Synecdoche It was environed with a strong wall by vertue whereof they thought themselves safe as in a Castle yet the wall fell it fell down to the ground not one piece of the wall but the whole wall on every part and side of the City in so much as it lay all open and the Israelites entered in on all sides at their pleasure How what winde blew them downe so many as were prefixed by the Lord. The manner of the compassing was this Seaven Priests went before the Arke with seven trumpets of Rammes hornes before and after the Arke went the people armed The first sixe dayes they compassed the City but once on the seventh day they compassed it seven times at the length the Priests sounded with the trumpets at the hearing whereof they gave a great shoute and then on the suddaine the walls fell downe The Israelites enter into the Citty spoyle it and put them all to the Sword This the Apostle adscribeth to faith and indeed it was wholly the worke of faith 1 What was the blast of trumpets of Rams hornes to hurle downe a Citty withall 2 The compassing of it so many dayes together might seeme childish and ridiculous once compassing to mans judgement had beene as good 3 All this while they make no noyse they might not speake a word which was an exercise of their faith especially if there were any women in their company 4 Every day they went in danger of their lives when they went about the wals Some might have cast downe Milstones upon them and have brained a great number of them as a Woman served Abimelech or when they were in their procession about the City they of Ierico might have made an irruption and set upon them but for so much as GOD had sayd within seven dayes Ierico shall be yours they believe the promise of GOD despising all things that might oppose themselves to it this was an act of faith But why doth the Holy Ghost insist in this why doth hee not rather say by faith Ioshua made the Sunne to stand that was greater then the fall of Iericho Some answer because in the overthrow
witchcrafts and adulteries were in great number A man that sinneth is like one that is tumbled downe from a steepe hill he cannot stay till he come to the bottome unlesse there be an extraordinary stop by the way there is no stay in sinning unlesse God stay us by the hand of his spirit Not content therewith neither doth he himselfe receive the brethren which notwithstanding he ought to doe for in receiving of them hee receives Christ When I was a stranger yee lodged me Yet not content with that he forbids them that would like the dog in the maunger that would neither eate provender himselfe nor suffer the horse to eate it like the Pharisees that shut up the Kingdome of heaven before men neither goe in themselves nor suffer others to enter in these be vile wretches neither give to good uses themselves nor suffer others disswade others these are guilty of their owne damnation and of the damnation of others too like those that be infected with the plague and desire to infect others too The heighth of his insolencie was he casteth them out of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he throweth them out with spite and indignation Whom Et suscipientes susceptos both the receivers and the strangers received Aquinas supposeth he did cast them é loco publici conventus out of the place of publique assembly non e consortio fidelium not out of the company of the faithfull it is like he intended both he excommunicated them Excommunicatio est ejectio e communione fidelium an ejection out of the company of the faithfull first in publique then in private the publique is either an exclusion from the Sacraments alone which is called minor the lesser excommunication or from the publique prayers of the Church too and that is major the greater excommunication to use the schoole termes a fructu suffragio from the fruit they might have by the Sacraments and from the prayers and suffrages of the Church Touching private wee must withdraw our selves from them we must not eate with them familiarly that so they may be ashamed of themselves repent and be received into the lap of the Church againe The persons to be excommunicated and throwne out of the Church are grosse open notorious offenders by whom the name of God is blasphemed the Church grieved and offended as adolaters blasphemers heretiques sowing the seede of damnable doctrine adulterers drunkards egregious covetous persons wide mouth'd railers and despisers of authority and government If we be throwne out of the Church for these and such like vices our case is to be deplored wee are to grieve and lament for it Within the Church Christ ruleth without the Church the devill ruleth the incestuous person in the Church of Corinth was delivered to Sathan so was Hymeneus and Alexander 1. A fearefull condition to be in the jurisdiction of the devill 2. They that be in the Church are blessed they that be out of it are cursed 3 They that be rebellious against the Church are as heathen and publicans and they are odious to all 4. They that be cast out of the Church militant are likewise for the time so long as they remaine obdurate in their sinnes cast out of the Church triumphant For whosoever the Church bindeth upon earth is bound in heaven too therefore let us feare just excommunications But if we be cast out of the Church by them that are usurpers in the Church as Diotrephes was or if wee bee cast out not for ill doing but for well doing as these were not because we be heretiques indeede But because after the way that they call heresie so Worspip we the God of our fathers for adoring of Christ and refusing to adore the Pope Let not that grieve us but let us rejoyce in it The Pharisees cast out the blind man but Christ tooke him in Our Saviour armeth us against such thunderbolts not to be scared with them they shall excommunicate you but be not daunted with that for they excommunicated me before you futurum erat saith Saint Augustine ut foras emitterentur cum illo ab eis qui esse nollent in illo qui non possent esse sine illo It shall come to passe that they should be cast out with him by them that would not be in him nay by them that could not be without him VERSE 11. WEE have had a description of him now a caveat for the avoyding of him where 1. the precept 2. the reason the precept is partly negative partly affirmative Follow not that which is evill no not in Diotrephes though he be a man of credit and estimation with some Evill is soone imitated especially in great persons they are a countenance to it their actions seeme to be lawes Such a great man sweares profanely Why may not I sweare too no Follow not that which is evill in any no not in good men follow not Lots incest David his adultery Peters denyall but especiall decline that which is evill in bad men though they bee never so great in Church or Common wealth 1. Evill is agreeable to our nature it is soone followed a little perswading will serve the turne therefore we had neede to beware of it 2. There be many instigators to that which is evill the devill and his instruments to thrust us forward 3. Evill is common a weede that growes every where goodnesse is a flower that growes in few gardens Broad is the way that leades to destruction and many there be that finde it Narrow is the way that leadeth to life and few that walke in it many Sodomites but one Lot 4. Evill since the fall is of greatest antiquity there was a Cain before an Abel an Ismael before an Isaac an Esau before a Iacob therefore we had neede to watch over our selves else wee shall follow evill ere we be aware 5. Whether doth evill leade us even to hell to the bottomelesse pit of eternall damnation follow her not let her goe alone for all us yet she hath too many followers even in the light of the Gospel We are compassed about with evill men before and behinde on the right hand and on the left yet let us be among them but let us not follow them let us be like to fishes they live in salt water yet they themselves are fresh Noah lived in the corrupt world yet he himselfe remained incorrupt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he had beene cloathed with another nature Iob saith the same Father was as a Dove among Hawkes a Lambe among Wolves a Starre among Cloudes a Lilly among Thornes yet he persevered in his uprightnesse We shall meete with evill wheresoever we be yet let us keepe our selves undefiled of evill What must we know then That which is good which is commanded in the Law of God the rule of all goodnesse for the squaring of our actions yea in the
what Country man he was he answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mundanus The whole world is my Country all Countries are alike to me Yet in truth wee have no Country in the world England is not our Country Heaven properly to speake is our Country as Christ sayes call no man father here on earth so call no Country your Country on the earth Now heaven is our Country so we must seeke it it is worth the seeking and we cannot have it without seeking seeke the kingdom of God We must seeke it by prayer reading of Scripture hearing of Sermons by godly and fervent desire of the heart by heavenly meditations Our whole life ought to be a continuall seeking of heaven but alas we seeke for silver and gold Sheep and Oxen houses and lands and let heaven goe we are like Aesops dogge that snatched at the shadow and lost the substance We seeke more for shadowes then for the substance all the weeke long we are seeking of the world and scant on the Lords Day no day in the weeke doe we seeke heaven VERSE 15. THis is illustrated 1. By a declaration of the Country which they sought 2. By the fruit and reward of their seeking Object They professed themselves strangers because they were out of their soile the land of Chaldea Sol. That cannot be the Country which they had longed after for if their minde had run on that they had opportunity and time enough to returne in they had leysure but they would not take it 1. He shewes what Country it was not which they sought VERSE 16. 2. WHat it was which is first described comparatively then plainly pointed out with the finger The reward 1. A favour or prerogative in this life 2. In eternall happinesse in the life to come Exod. 3.15 he is the God of the whole world in generall he is the God of the wicked for temporall blessings of the faithfull for spirituall and eternall He that is the God of the whole world is now the God of three men Chrys. It is a glory to servants to have a denomination from their Lords and Masters I am servant to such a Noble man but it is no honour for a Lord to say I am the master of such a poore man such a beggarly fellow is my servant yet God glorieth of us that hee is our God Master and Father He makes this a piece of his style as if a puissant Prince would be called the King of Pigmies He hath prepared Hebr. 13.14 Ioh. 14.2 They doe not merit it GOD in mercy prepares it for them When Vide Matth. 25.34 God prepares many excellent things for us in this world but none comparable to this He prepared the world as an house furnished for man at the first We can but prepare temporall houses for our Children Some by this City understand the Church which though it bee on the earth is called heavenly because her chiefest part Christ her head is in heaven and her conversation is in heaven Hyperius But they were in the lap of the Church already within the walls of that City they needed not to seeke that which they had Heaven then is better than earth it is better by many degrees Men chuse that which they thinke to be best we choose earth rather than heaven therefore in our opinion that is the better What fooles what dolts be we men are ready to change for the better who would not change a beggars cottage for a Kings Pallace a patcht Cloak for a Princes robe We say heaven is the better yet we are loath to change our dwelling on earth for it by our good wills we would tarry here still We say heaven is a better country then this but we would faine continue in the earth still Many a Child is ashamed of his Father when hee comes to great honour We were base and ignominious wretches yet God was not ashamed of us If a great man have a kinswoman that is poore yet if a faire and beautifull woman haply he will not be ashamed of her We are all fowle and black by reason of sin yet God is not ashamed of us and shall we one of another A King is not ashamed of a beggar and shall one beggar be ashamed of another Shall one earthen Pot though it be a little guilt and tipt with silver be ashamed of another earthen Pot Though thou beest a rich man and hast more silver and gold than thy brother yet be not ashamed of him thou art earth as well as he yee are Pots of one Potter Constantine was not ashamed of the Bishops the Angels are not ashamed of us they acknowledge themselves to be our fellowes and brethren and shall we be ashamed one of another Though he be never so poore a man if he believe in Christ be not ashamed of him 2. As God is not ashamed of us so let us not be ashamed of him though Christ be afflicted here on earth yet let us not be ashamed of him and his Gospell for if we be he will be ashamed of us when he commeth with his holy Angels How doth it appeare he is not ashamed of us because he disdaineth not to be called our God He doth not say to be called their Lord and Master but God I thank my God that we read often This comprehendeth all good things for this life and that to come happy are the people that be in such a case blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. The Lions shall be hungerbit but they that have God for their Lord shal want nothing that is good This may strengthen us against poverty sicknes and all calamities against sin Satan and death it selfe Will any child feare want that hath a rich and loving father our God our Father is rich heaven and earth are his he is most loving he tenders us as the apple of his eye therefore wee can want nothing that is good The Lord is our God our shield Protectour and defender therefore let us feare nothing If God be on our side who can be against us Nay this may comfort us against death it selfe From this one word our Saviour proves the resurrection he is not the God of the dead but of the living for all live to him Though we dye God is our God he will raise us up againe at the latter day and translate us into his kingdome This may be a pillar of comfort for us to leane upon that God is our God By what token doth he shew himselfe to be our God because he hath prepared a City God is an excellent preparer Hee prepared the world as an house well furnished against the comming of man into it he prepared a Table for the Israelites in the wildernesse he gave them water out of a stony rocke and Manna from heaven he prepared a kingdome for Hester when she was a poore banished maide hee prepared a Whale for Ionah when he was cast into the