the death of the righteous and let my latter end be like vnto theirs So I beleeue it is with all these men of reprobate mindes that stoare vp violence and robberie in their palaces that fill their tables with drunkennesse their bodies with vncleannesse their mouthes with blasphemie they know it I think and euen as Iosua saide with all their hearts and with all their soules they knowe it that the righteous mans life is better then theirs they know that a groat wel gotten is better then a pound stolen that sobrietie is better then righteousnesse that the chaste bodie is more blessed then the adulterous fleshe that the mouth that praiseth God giueth a sweeter sounde then all their wicked talke and if they do know this would they neuer so faine ◅eare off their conseiēce as with a glowing y◅on yet sometime it awaketh them as out of a slepe they see a fearefull sight of death and bondage so that let vs not frett our selues because of the wicked nor be enuious at their prosperitie for neither their house nor lande nor hidden treasure can either take from their bodies their quartan agues nor this care from their minde that they should not feare at the remembrance of their sinne And if there be any that feareth least in whome the stronge man so possesseth al that the things he hath seme to be in peace yet for all that he is neuer the better no more then the stalled oxe is the better because he knoweth not that he is taken out to go to the slaughter-house but a souden death shal haue the greater feare and therfore dearly beloued seeing their condition though we make the best of it is yet extreme euil let not our lott be with theirs but with the righteous of whom the Apostle saith that they are seit free from the bōdage of the feare of death But you wil say where is this fredome for the righteous man is yet affeard to die not euerie one for Paule saide I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ no doubt God hathe so reuealed this hope to many sainctes that they despise the graue and death how be it I graunt this is rare and it is natural to all to be loath to lay downe this earthly tabernacle notwithstanding we are free from this bondage to feare at it as thoughe wee had no hope And though we die in bodie yet we are free from eternall death and no feare of it shal ouercome vs so this is our blessing not that we shal not die but that we shal not be holden in death and not that we shall not feare but that we shal not be ouercome with feare he is a true christiā man that nether refuseth to die nor yet sainteth for any feare of death for why should I repine to giue this bodie to death I must needes die because my bodie is full of sinne and I wil willingly die that I may be deliuered from this bodie subiecte vnto sinne I muste needes die because I am full of corruption whiche must be chaunged and I will willingly die because I would put on incorruption that I might see God I must needes dye because I beare the image of an earthlie man and I will willinglie die that I may bee like the heauenlie man Iesus Christe I must needs die because so is Gods ordinance and I will willingly die that I may shewe mine obedience to his wil for these causes I submit my selfe to the de cree of God who hath appointed for al men once to die and I am either not at all afraid of it or the feare of it is not much for I know the sting of it is gone the victorie of it is lost the curse of it is taken away that which remaineth is onelie profitable for vs for it shall bring an end of all our labours and giue vs vp into the hands of Iesu Christ. Thus it is now accomplished that heere is spoken that Christe hath set vs free from the bondage of the feare of death which dearely beloued if we wil learne knowe assuredly it wil worke great increase of grace it will chaunge our mindes more then wee are ware of when we are wise hearted to see in deede no doubt we shal be as bolde as Paul and say vnfeignedly We desire tobe dissolued and to be with Christe It followeth now in the 16 verse For he tooke not at all vpon him the Angels but he tooke vpon him the seede of Abraham These woordes are a further declaration of that he said He tooke parte of fleshe and bloud euen as other children This he maketh plaine thus He tooke not I say any nature of Angels but hee tooke the nature of Abraham and was of his seede naming Abraham bothe in respect of the promises which were first made personally to him and because by his name there was more weight to persuade the Iewes that hee was their Messias and by example the doctrine is more plaine and in dede it is verie plaine as other children tooke fleash so did he flesh I say not the nature of Angels but the seede of Abraham And if the Apostle conclude all this of these wordes of the Prophet Beholde me and my children what may wee conclude and how boldely of the wordes of Matthew Abraham begat Isaak Isaak begat Iacob Iacob begat Iudas and so foorth till hee came to the virgin Marie of whome Christe was borne How faithfully may we beleeue it that hee was borne a man as other children were And how boldely may wee detest all the madnesse of Martion Maniche Nestorius Eutichus Apelles Apollinaris Ennomius Cerdo Valentinus the Pope him self and all their disciples who haue so many way es denied the true humanitie of Christe It followeth in the seuenteenth verse Wherefore in all things it became him to be made like vnto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithful high Priest in things concerning God that he might make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people In these words the Apostle sheweth an other necessarie cause why our Sauiour Christ was man that by experience of our infirmities hee might be mercifull and faithfull to worke the reconciliation betweene God and vs and so concludeth this disputation of his humanitie applying it now vnto his priesthood as before particularly he had done to his kingdome and prophefie These words He ought in all things to be like vnto his brethren which are repeated againe Cap. 4. 15. they are to be marked of vs that wee see how expreslie still the Apostle vrgeth that Christ is a verie naturall man altogether as we be except sinne like nature the same flesh like affections the same soule like properties of bodie the same hunger thirst and other desires And as he is now so we shal be our bodyes glorified as his nor his no more infinite or in manie places then ours shal be and
to be praysed And in the Epistle to the Colossians The fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth bodily in him And many other places plaine as these grounded vpon this and such other places of the Prophets before them And therefore our sauiour Christ him selfe said vnto these Iewes whiche yet beleeue not Searche the Scriptures for they beare witnesse of mee The second thing heere attributed to Christ is That his kingdome is euerlasting So the Prophet Esaie had saide The increase of his gouernement and peace shall haue no ende He shal sit vpon the throne of Dauid and vppon his kingdome to order it and to stablish it with iudgement and with iustice from hencefoorth euen for euer The same testimonie the Angel gaue of his kingdome when hee came to the virgine Marie The Lord God saith he shall giue vnto him the throne of Dauid his father he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and his kingdome shal haue no ende And howe can this be possibly applied vnto Solomon so directly against the Scripture that the scepter should be taken once away not onely from the house of Solomon but from all tho tribe of Iudah And howe could they not see with their eyes the ruine of that kingdome and the throne of Solomon quite forgotten The thirde thing attributed heere to Christ is y the scepter of righteousnes is the scepter of his kingdomeâ—… according as the Prophet Dauid saith in an other place that righteousnesse and iudgement are the foundations of his throne And the meaning of these wordes is after expressely added Thou hast loued saith the Apostle righteousnesse and hated iniquitie This is the scepter of righteousnesse whiche he speaketh of that is that his gouernement shal be without all respect of pensons a ministerie of iustice and true iudgement euen according to the will of God his father with whome there is no acceptation of the person of a man. And howe can they attribute this to Solomon They knowe howe Solomon did fall away so farre from righteousnesse and hated iniquitie so little ere he died that he became a notable idolater And howe was his gouernement in suche iustice when the whole people came after to Rehoboam his sonne and saye Thy father did make our yoke grieuous now therefore make thou the grieuous seruitude of thy Father lighter we will feare thee The fourth thing heâ—…e spoken of our Sauiour Christ is y for this cause God had annoynted him with the oyle of gladnes aboue his felowes For this cause saith the scripture because thou louedst so muche iustice what meane they still to thinke here vppon Solomon and of suche reward of his righteous rule except they would haue the Scriptures false that beare witnesse of him He had turned as the Prophet sayth iudgement into wormewoode And howe standeth it that he was annoynted with the oyle of gladnes that is with giftes of the holie Ghost aboue his fellowes when many kings of Iudah haue greater praise of God then he and scarce any did fall from God so grieuously as he Nowe one refuge behinde which they think they haue is nothing at all they wil say that all this was spoken in respect of his beginning in which he was famous with this oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes and aboue all the worlde True it is in respect of his gouernement at the first I graunt this might be spoken of him but are not the wordes plaine that they are not meant of any that should beginne well and then fall backe For saith not the texte that this scepter of iustice shal be in his kingdome for euer Therefore howe so euer Solomon was once honoured aboue all kinges yet this praise was not his but anothers who shoulde for euer abide in his iustice and righteousnesse So these foure thinges here witnessed of the Prophet that he is called God that his kingdome is euerlasting that his gouernment shal be euer righteous that he is annoynted with oyle of gladnes aboue al his felowes All the Iewes in the world cannot see Solomon nor any mortall man in this glasse but muste needes acknowledge our sauiour Christ the sonne of God God and man the sauiour of the worlde the King and Priest of his people for euer Now further to examin this scripture for our own edifying let vs marke first how Solomon is set out a figure of Christ and so singular tokens shewes of Gods loue and mercie vppon him that he should resemble his only begoten sonne notwithstanding a man loaden with sinnes and iniquities so as few haue appeared more vnrighteous or more vnthankful to god Such an other example almost we haue in Samson a man ful of infirmities yet exceedingly beeloued of God and a liuely figure of his sonne Christe We learne in this bothe to knowe our selues and to knowe god In our selues to truste to nothing not riches honour friendes strength authoritie no not learning wisedome gouernement or any knowledge for in these both Samson and Solomon haue fallen downe before vs And if euer man had ben borne that could haue his happines in him selfe that man was Solomon strong in power rich in treasure wise in rule healthful in bodie sober in affection abounding in pleasure what so euer his eyes or eares could desire No gifte wanting in minde in bodie in outwarde life yea more then this a hart that could measure al the delights of the world to vse them as they are and se the vanitie that is in them and confesse that life in immortalitie is aboue all yet from al this he falleth when God leaueth him in his owne power to make trial of his owne strength for how could fleash and bloud preuaile against principalities the power of darknes And how could Solomon stande vpright thoughe his strength had bene double when Adam him selfe could fall from Paradise Then let not vs pore creatures boast our selues in whome there is no wisedome Come not into this fight in thine owne armour for where Solomon hath fallen who soeuer thou art thou wilt be crushed in pecees if in him there was so little help confesse thou with al humblenes of minde y in thy flesh there is no goodnesse but put thy trust in the liuing God by whome thou shalt be able to do all things And on the other side seeing the great fallings of Solomon did not let the good worke of the Lord but that hee made a man so full of infirmities so cleare an image of his sonne Christe and powred all his benefites so plentifully vpon him Let vs here see the goodnes of God who hath found a way to burie for euer the sinnes of all his people and so to forgett them that they haue none accompt the figure of Christ was therfore in Solomon that we should see how grace aboundeth aboue sinne how mercie is exalted aboue iudgement In the nature and bodie of Solomon we see the spirite quenched
subiect to any creature and if it be Gods eternall counsell that it should neuer be submitted to any no not to Angels in whome else can wee trust or in what other thing can wee put confidence to haue any parte of this wrought for vs We are all as our fathers were men by nature of the olde world our bodies and mindes full of sinne holden vnder the condemnation of the diuell all creatures against vs and God him selfe hateing vs no way to renewe our age no man to chaunge our state no Angel but God hath giuen it to Christ alone Wil I say that I can alter mine owne wil to make it couet goodnes Or put power into the members of my bodie to serue righteousnesse Or doe the things in which is any merite to eternal life Or purchase againe Gods fauour which was remoued from me If I wil boast of any of these I speake too proud words for either man or Angel and say that this seconde worlde is made subiect vnto me all good will all righteousnesse al merite al pleasure in heauenly things al reconciliation all victorie ouer death all loue of God all hope to be short all that is good and all ioy of spirite is of this new world whereof Christ is king And whosoeuer shall thinke that any power of these things is in himselfe he is puffed vp into pride of heart suche as an Angel of Heauen should not beare vnpunished for not vnto Angels but vnto Christ these things are giuen What can we nowe thinke of these men that tell vs the sacraments giue vs grace the masse is propitiatorie for our sinnes our submitting our selues to the Churche of Rome shall saue vs the Pope if we follow him he can not erre Crosses Bells Candels Holie water Vestments Pilgrimage Pardons Reliques euerie one hath his vertue the number of prayers hathe his measure of reward flesh or fishe it hath his holines according to his time These men and all the louers of their Gospell which take away from Christ the only rule of the world wherof we speake and put it in subiection to fleshe and bloud and the elementes of the world what shall we say of them Shall we beleeue them Or shal they prospet Nay they haue plowed wickednesse and they shall reape iniquitie they haue wandered in errour and they shal eate the fruite of lyes Now if this be so that all flesh hathe no goodnesse in it that all his wisedome and trauell can renue no whit of the lost worlde or bring any light into horror and darknesse but all is of Christ what shall we yet do with wordes of louder blasphemie which they call workes of supererogation What shall we doe with the Pope himselfe who by generall voyce of all his Church is saide that he can dispense the abundance of merites whiche were in the virgin Marie and in all Saints by his bulls to applie them Confessis contritis that they shal haue days of pardon as manie as he will number Are they ashamed of these thinges Nay they are not ashamed but euen now they lende vs ouer whole volumes to shewe the fruite of pardons how good they are and of late haue sent vs a bull that we should haue experience howe they holde this doctrine And what shall we say of suche a one Surely dearely beloued euen as the Prophet sayth of the people of Israel His formeations are in his sight and his adulteries are betweene his breastes So his vncleanesse is manifest to all the worlde and his marke is in his forehead that hee might bee knowen to bee Antichriste And you dearely beloued when you talke with your friends who are not yet persuaded in the religion of Christ when they thinke that wee haue free wil or we may deserue by our works or Lent and fasting dayes are holie or flesh or fish doe please God or the signe of the crosse is good or censing and Musicke stirre vpp deuotion or any suche thing Doe but aske of them whether they thinke obedience loue deuotion forgiuenesse of sinnes puritie life grace and such other fruites of Gods spirite and his mercie aske I say whether they thinke them workes of the olde worlde corrupt by Adam or of the new restored by Christe If they be of the new God hath not giuen them neither to our prayers nor fasting not working nor day nor time nor meat nor crosse nor musick nor belles to be short no not to Angels but to Christ alone to be dispensed according to his will If thou were as good as an Angel or thy meate as good as Manna that fell from Heauen or â—…hy garments as precious as Aarons Ephod or thy censinges as sweete as the perfume of all the Tabernacle or the dayes that thou keptst were as honourable as the day in whiche Christ arose againe from the dead yet neither thou nor thy garmentes nor thy meate nor thy dayes can set one of thy feete in this world we speake of it is the kingdome of Christe and be hath done it alone according heere as this prophesie is plaine and manifest Now followeth this prophesie what it man that thou art mindful of him c. by these words the apostle pro ueth this kingdome of Christ both properly and of right to be his and also by faith through Gods spirite giuen vnto vs in our Sauiour Christ they haue this sense Was not thy glorie great inough O Lord in the worke of thy hands but y thou shouldest giue thy sonne to be made man in whom our nature should be so exalted that al power should be giuen to him in Heauen and in earth who by his death should abolish all enimitie against man that he might be crowned with glorie and maiestie and haue eternall life in his owne hand And all this according to the verie sense of the prophet and therfore here alledged as in deed it was to be a prophesie of our sauiour christ Of vs also it is ment thus The prophet considering both the great maiestie of God appearing in his works and the base and lowe estate of a frail man that such a God of so great maiestie should haue any respect of a fraile and wretched man he could not but thus humble him selfe What is man O Lord that thou shouldest regarde him Such thoughts dearely beloued let vs haue and with such secret counsels let vs nourish our fayth This is the meditation to which we are called in all the workes of God and for this cause God hath giuen vnto vs hearts of men full of reason iudgment that we should rightly consider of all his creatures When we see the heauens we cannot chose but confesse before them it was not the hande of man that set them vpp so high We knowe the shining light of the sunne it is not giuen vnto it from earth or earthly thing we are sure y earth is found our owne trauel hath found it so our eyes do see the
life Christ was made our redemption Sainct Paule expressely saith By the obedience of one a great many are presented righteous And again he saith For this cause he was made subiect vnto the law that he might râ—…deeme theÌ„ which were holden vnder the law And for this cause he pretermitted not one iot or one title of it that he might bestowe vpon vs the fulnesse of all righteousnes but the scripture attributeth commonly our redemption to his death because it was the chiefest and greatest worke of all the accomplishment perfection of aâ—… the rest vpon the crosse he was lowest cast downe and vpon the crosse he triumphed ouer sathan and after the crosse he obteyned power ouer death and hell therfore in it as the Apostle saith he was consecrate to eternall glorie And thus farre at this time Now let vs pray c. ¶ The tenth Lecture vpon the 11. 12 and 13. verses 11 For he that sanctifieth and they which are sanctified â—…re all of one wherfore he is not ashamed to call theÌ„ brethreÌ„ 12 Saying I will declare thy name vnto my brethren in the middes of the Church wil I sing praises to thee 13 And againe I will put my trust in him And againe Beholds here am I and the children which God hath giuen mee THe reasons before vsed to proue the humanitie of our sauiour were these First he dyed for man and therefore it was necessarie hee shuld be man Secondly it was the decree of God to bring man into glorie through many afflictions but so Christe our head was also consecrate to enter into glorie therfore he was naturall man. Now it followeth For he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of oâ—…e This word For noteth a cause of that whiche was saide before as hee had said this He that leadeth other into the glorie of God by the same way he must enter also him selfe He addeth now the cause and grounde of that saying because they must be of one nature bothe hee that leadeth they that are led into this saluation Now because the Apostle hath spoken so plainly of the nature of our Sauiour Christ that he is perfect man to teach vs that yet not in our owne nature but being regenerate by his grace we are made children Therefore the Apostle chaungeth his former speache and in sted of saying He that leadeth into glorie which is the work spoken of he sayeth He that sanctifieth naming the vertue incident by which the work was done and in sted of They that are ledd which is the benefite imployed he saith They that are sanctified which is the qualitie with whiche they are indued meaning yet one thing before and now there in plaine wordes calling it our entrie into saluation here by a figure naming it our sanctification whiche is the meanes of our inheritaunce of it and by this exhorting vs that we would followe holinesse which is our likenesse with christ And thus much touching these wordes how they hang with the former Nowe to consider them in them selues we haue the third argument for the humanitie of our Sauiour Christe which is this He that shall sanctifie his people must beecome one with them but Christ hath sanctified vs therefore he is of our nature And the force of this argument standeth vpon that ground whereof wee haue spoken that this is the decree of the iust God that the nature of man could not be sanctified but in the person of man. A proofe declaration that it is so is added by the Apostle in the residue of the verse And for this cause he is not ashamed to call vs brethren whervnto is streight added the testimonie of the 22. psalme out of which he proueth it I wil shew forth thy name vnto my brethren in the midds of the congregation I will praise thee a plaine euideÌ„t testimonie where our Sauiour Christ calleth vs brethren for the prophet Dauid who in manie of his afflictions bare the image of our Sauiour Christ wrote that Psalme thoughe in his owne great calamities yet especially in the person of Christ as it is certeine because the Euangelistes and Apostles alledge out of that Psalme many places applying them all to our Sauiour Christ besides that the whole Psalme is a liuely descriptioÌ„ of the passion of Christ and the latter ende foretelleth the calling of the Gentiles whiche were only to be gathered to the setting vp of this glorious kingdome of Christ so that that is aptly here applied vnto Christe which there the prophet Dauid spake in the person of christ And here let vs mark this while the Apostle proueth our sauiour Christ to be man he alledgeth the scripture so as distinctly shew the offices of Christ that he is our Prophet our King our Priest that we might know we can not giue him these offices and denie his manhoode nor graunt him his manhoode and denie him these offices so heere this texte as in the name Brother it proueth he is of our nature so these words I wil declare thy name and I will sing of thee they shew that our Sauiour Christ is our prophet to reueale the wil of his father to vs. Now where it is saide here He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are al of one we haue to coÌ„sider y euen in the manhoode of our Sauiour Christe is vertue and grace in which he doth sanctifie vs for not only as he is God he sanctifieth vs but also in his humane nature he hath this vertue and power to make vs holie not taking his nature suche from the virgin Marie but making it such by pouring into it the fullnesse of his spirit And this our Sauiour Christ himselfe witnesseth for speaking of his sending into the worlde how he was sent of his Father to call his lost people vnto saluation he saith in like sort he also sendeth his Apostles and streight addeth For them I sanctifie my selfe The holinesse which the Apostles had in their calling they had it from Iesus Christe made man and walking in that vocation before them Euen so it is with vs all that is good in vs and all the righteousnesse that can be in vs we haue it neither out of the East nor West but from the bodie of Iesus Christ neither is there in the worlde any other sanctification so that all we that be heere this day and all people else of the world except wee know perfect manhood and our own nature to be reallie vnited vnto the person of the sonne of God who hath sanctified himselfe for vs there is no sanctification for vs vnder heauen Euen as our hands and armes other members are not nourished but only by the meate receiued of the head so our spirituall meate of righteousnesse and life is not giuen vs but from our head Iesus Christ. And as the veins are meanes by which nourishment is conueyed to euerie parte so fayth is the meanes by which we
thus it was necessarie it should be that he might be a faithfull high Priest to reconcile vs euen vs bodie and soule vnto God his Father It followeth in the 18. verse For in that he suffered when him selfe was tempted he is able to succour those that are also tempted These wordes shew the cause of the former saying why our Sauiour beeing made man was so much the more meete to be a faithful mediatour vnto vs towarde God for beeing man and him self tempted he felt our infirmities and had the more compassion towarde vs Other thinges wee haue to note in the 17 and 18. verse which the next time we will more speake of Now let vs pray c. The twelth Lecture more vpon the two last verses and vpon the first verse of the third Chapter 17 Wherefore in all things it behoued him to be made likè vnto his brethreÌ„ that he might be mercifull a faithfull high Priest in things concerning God that he might make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people 18 For in that he suffered and was tempted bee is able to succour them that are tempted CHAP. III. 1 THerfore holie brethren partakers of the heauenly vocation consider the Apostle and high priest of our profession Christe Iesus THe Apostle as I saide shewed in these last verses what profite is vnto vs in that Christ became man for so he was made a merciful and faithfull high priest The meanes of this faithfulnes was for that he hauing experience of our temptation had the more compassion on vs to deliuer vs. Heere we are first taught that Christe became a faithfull high Priest for vs because he was man like vnto vs so that who soeuer denyeth our Sauiour Christe to haue a naturall bodie like vnto ours he also denyeth that he is either a mercifull or faithfull mediatour for vs for so it pleased God to instructe him according to his manhood that by experience and feeling he should learne to haue pitie on others he calleth him mercifull in respect of the affection of his minde which was full of compassion toward vs hee is called faithfull in respecte of his constancie who would neuer leaue vs till he had brought vs into eternall life In all this we must learne how to do good vnto our brother in affliction and these two things in our Sauiour Christe we must carefully keepe if we will be righteous after his similitude We must ioyne vnto all our doing a loue and compassion to our brother in his want and a constancie in well deseruing that our loue be not wearied with paine and labour for without loue what soeuer I do it is nothing no not though I gaue as Sainct Paule saith all the goods I haue vnto the poore And I pray you is not this the law of God Loue thy brother as thy selfe wherein all our dueâ—…e is taught vs betweene man man What then though I do no murther or steale not or speake not euil though I helpe the safetie of my brothers life though I mainteine his estate thoughe I bring him increase of goods though I care for the puritie of his bodie though I mainteine his good name Except I haue in all this an inwarde loue and affectioÌ„ to do it to him with such a hart as I would haue another do the like to mee and to be grieued with all his hurt as though I my selfe susteined it except I say some measure of this loue and compassioÌ„ be in my doing my doing hath none accouÌ„t in the fight of god Marke this dearely beloued and teache it your children and I would our fathers knew it well that boast so much of the good works of the old world There is no good work vnder the sunne but that whiche is done in loue and compassion of minde and were their workes such whereof they brag when they gaue the riche altar clothes vestimentes the costlie hanginges for their chancels their bels their gilded crosses when they carued curious images and clothed theÌ„ with goldsmithes woorke when they builded chapels and chanteries when they went farre on their knees gaue riche gifts vnto shrines In all these works so much magnified where was mercie what loue what coÌ„pas sion was there in theÌ„ They pitied not I am sure the pouertie of lime stones to cloth theÌ„ so gorgeously nor they pitied not y priest in his furred gowne to put vpon him a cope of great price for all men in y world let him speak y euer was the better for it whose bodie was y warmer for y costly clothing of y church walls whose house was the lighter for the torches candels about the altar who le head aked y lesse for the goodly garland of an image or if there were in all this no profite to my brother no loue no coÌ„passion of the thing to which I gaue a gift how could these be good works y had no goodnes in theÌ„ For I thinke there is no man so vaine y will thinke he did these things vnto god y were vnspekable blindnes to thinke y with the gifts of golde and siluer I could please god he gaue no gold nor siluer for our rauÌ„soÌ„ nor he wil take none for recompence of our sinnes The Prophet plainely sayth Al my goods can bring nothing vnto thee O Lord. And how doth the Lord him selfe reiect such vaine thoughts of our hearts when he saith If I be hungrie I will not tell thee and such other like speaches in the fiftie psalme commaunding expresly if we will doe good with meate drinke cloath golde siluer c. bestowe it vpon the needie brethren for God taketh no such gifts at our hands And therfore dearely beloued al these good works of which you haue heard such boasting before God they are as nothing there is no goodnes in them for neither is there any mercie in such doings and without it it is impossible to please God in thy doeing And thus we see their workes euen their greatest workes and of supererogation when you haue weighed theÌ„ wel they are found lighter then straw And their woorkes of dignitie next vnto these they are of the same sort of no value as light as vanitie it selfe Such are their penie or groate doles when the man is dead that his executours vse to giue for his soule Was there euer folie like vnto this No work is good without loue compassion of mine owne flesh yet then is the worke done for me when my flesh is without sense and when there is no compassion or feeling left within mee But God is iust and for so fruitelesse a work he gaue a helplesse reward 〈◊〉 they bestowed a verie ydle liberalitie and GOD recompenced it with verie ydle thankes that for their benefite the foolish people should say Lorde haue mercie on his soule for whome I thinke they prayed not al the dayes of his life when the acceptble time was and the day
God God dwelleth in him and he in god And who soeuer he be that for any seare of man or for any cause maketh it not knowen that thus he beleueth or wil not professe his fayth the scripture testifieth against the thoughts of his heart and sayth plainlie He loueth the glorie of man more thē the glorie of god Let vs not be guiltie of so great sinne for this cause the calling of the Gentiles was so greatly magnified because the name of God should be greate from one end of the earth to the other Howe doe we holde our peace if wee be called in this couenant and not onelie so but what creature is there whiche is his dumbe nature sheweth not out the prayse of his Creatour The Heauens declare the glorie of GOD and the firmament sheweth his hand◅e woorke howe should then man of whome GOD hath bene esspecially mindful ty his toung so excellent a member of his bodie not with it speake forth y praise of God and make the world his witnes what faith he hathe in Christe But of this I spake before in the eleuenth lecture and vpon the twelfth verse Nowe let vs pray c. The thirteenth Lecture vpon the 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. verses to these wordes whose house c. 2 Who was faithful to him that hath ppointed him euen as Moses was in all his house 3 For this man is counted worthie of more glorie thē Moses in as much as he which hath builded the house hath more honour then the house 4 For euerie house is builded of some man he that hath built al things is God. 5 Now Moses verily was faithful in al his house as a seruant for a witnesse of the things which should be spoken after 6 But Christ is as the Sonne ouer his owne house c. I Tolde you the Apostle in this Chapter beginneth a speciall discourse of the prophesie of Christ first as you haue heard making an earnest exhortation for vs to hearken vnto him Nowe he goeth forwarde and teacheth what maner of Prophet Christ is and howe we ought to account him First that he was ordeined of God next that he was faithfull in his calling for he saith He was faithful to him that appointed him for in that the sonne of god was as we haue hard thus made man this was gods appointment to make him our Prophet and in that he was appointed of God he is set forth with his warrant that he did not glorifie him selfe to be our prophet but his father gaue him this honour by his glorious voice sounding out of the cloude This is my beloued sonne in whome I am wel pleased heare him and let vs take heede not to refuse or despise him that is thus sent of God and speaketh from Heauen least we should be found to striue against god And here that it is saide God appointed him wee see the roote and founteine of this loue that Christ should come a sauiour among vs It was not onely in the person of the Sonne who gaue his life for his sheepe but it was also in the person of the Father who so loued the worlde that Hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne that euerie one which beleeueth should not perish but haue life euerlasting So that we know as the worke instrument of our saluation is in Iesu Christ God and man who was crucified for our sinnes so the first cause is in God the Father who according to his owne purpose and will hath predestinated vs in Christ before the foundations of the worlde were laide that we should be vessels of honour to set foorth the praise of his glorie who had mercie vpon vs. And as we must giue vnto our Sauiour Christe the glorie of our redemption in the sacrifice of his bodie or else we denie him to be the Sonne of God so we must giue vnto the Father the praise of his mercie that hath freelie loued vs and predestinated vs eternallie vnto life or else we denie that he is the Father of our Lord Iesu Christ for as this is our profession that Christ hath done the deede so this is our profession that God the Father hath appointed him vnto it And as the Apostle speaketh here that God appointed him to be our Prophet so our Sauiour Christ euer acknowledgeth that he was sent of his Father The second thing here witnessed of Christ and in which we are assured he is our onelie prophet we are prouoked to hearkē vnto him is that He was faithful in all the house of God This faithfulnes is truth and integritie in discharge of this office committed to him wherein he set all his care and industrie that he might be found faultlesse that like as he was sent of God to be a Prophet to reueale his will so he did faithfully perfourme it teaching only the doctrine ordinances of his Father as in many places Christ testifieth this faith in his doing My doctrine saith he is not mine but his that sent me Againe I doe nothing of my selfe but as my father hath taught me so I speake And again The words that thou hast giuē me I haue giuen thē How diligently then ought we to heare such a Prophet as hath so faithfully spoken And here we haue all a verie good lesson taught vs in the person of Christ to what calling so euer we be called of God in the same let vs be faithfull if wee be preachers faithfull preachers if we be princes faithful princes if we be iudges faithfull iudges if we be treasurers faithful treasurers if we be merchants faithful merchants what soeuer we bee faithfulnesse must bee our praise for as Saint Paule requireth of all Hee that hath an office let him be diligent in his office so hee giueth this as the prayse of all diligence It is required of euerie dispenser that he be found faithfull and euerie vnfaithfull seruant shal be condemned in his worke in the day that his accompt is called for for he that hath bene vnfaithful in things of this life which are fraile and fewe how can he thinke there shall euer be committed vnto him eternallthings and infinite in number And we must heere also marke that it is say de of Christe He was faithfull to him that called him that is to God for vnto God wee must make our accompt of euery worke It is true that Kinges make their vnder officers but the offices are all of God Kinges serue to appoint the persons in this ministerie of man but God alone appointeth them their work which is the ministerie of his iustice and the safetie of his people of which he also will aske an accompte and before him we doe all that we doe When Iosaphat King of Iudah appointed his iudges and officers he giueth them this charge Remember that now you execute not the iudgemēts of man but of the lord Ther fore in euery office thou bearest the image of
the present time not knowing that the time passeth the cōcupiscēce is ended in it that that lord after wil call thē to iudgmēt Thus the Prophet Daniel nameth the sinnes of Nabuchadnezar his errours and Abacuch making his prayer for all the sinnes of Israel hee nameth them their ignorances let vs therefore as this Apostle before warned vs beware lest we be hardned with the deceites of sinne but knowe for a suretie when wee be delighted with euil it is our errour if we were wise we would neuer be deceiued with so hurtfull enticements It followeth now in the third verse And for the same cause he must as for the people so for him selfe offer sacrifice for sinne In these words the Apostle beareth witnesse of want imperfection of the priesthood of Aaron that though he appeared as a mediatour betweene God and his people yet he was not perfecte for suche a woorke but acknowledging his owne sinnes hee sett him selfe in their number which looked for a better mediatour who was only figured could not be exhibited in his person to this end he offered sacrifice both for the people and for him selfe according as hee was expresly commaunded in the lawe of Moses as wee reade in the ninth Chapter of Leuiticus and againe after is here mentioned in the seuenth Chapter following And here we see the propertie required in a mediatour that is that he be absolute holie without spot to whome it can not bee said Physician cure thy selfe for then could he be profitable to none but who soeuer shall take vpon him this worke to pacific God and to conquer Satan he must haue a body prepared of God to all obedience he must be armed with the power of God to beate and vanquish sinne hell and condemnation so to abolish the Diuel they neuer knewe this neither the righteousnesse nor yet the power of a mediatour who so easily haue giuen this glorie vnto weake men for this streight condition the iustice of GOD requireth of him that shal reconcile man vnto God that he bring in him selfe all the righteousnesse whiche his holie lawe requireth by it first to sanctifie him selfe to be accepted and in that innocencie to beare the punishment of the sinnes of his people that hee might sett them free then in the power of his spirite to ouercome that punishment rise from it that it might be abolished and all with him might haue entrance into glorie and eternall life Now this comparison of the Apostle somwhat more plainly appeareth in which we see the dignitie of Christe Aaron was in nature a perfect man and so was Christe and more excellent in propertie beeing without sinne Aaron ministred for the peoples sake and for his own also beeing a sinner Christ for his people only himselfe needing nothing Aaron offered sacrifice but of other things none of his owne Christe offered his sacrifice his owne and him selfe Aaron had compassion on his brethren but in a certeine measure and the greatest parte of it for him selfe and sorrowe of his owne infirmities but Christe wholie was grieued for vs and for our sakes onely he bare infirmities of all which the doctrine is plaine vnto the people of Israel that not Aaron but Christ was the great high priest to reconcile them vnto God And here we see touching that that is said the high priest offered for his own sinnes and for the sinnes of the people that is not ment that his sacrifices were in deed a cleansing of their sinnes for neither can the bloud of Calues Goates wash away that infection neither can a sinnful man offer a sacrifice of such price onely the Lord Iesu offering his body could do so excellent a woorke but that the sacrifices of the lawe and that high Prieste were said to purge sinnes it was onely in figure as being signes and tokens of Christ and of his bodie to be sacrificed vppon the crosse which redemption they confessed and beleeued in their oblations and God sealed it vnto them by fire from heauen consuming their burnt offerings that their faith was precious in his sight and he would perfourme his promises vnto them according to their hope and giue them a sacrifice for their sinn euen his only begotten sonne that euery one which beleeued in him should not perishe but haue life euerlasting and in wittnesse of this constant trueth because their sacrifices were as figures of it he giueth them the name of that which they figured and calleth them sinne offeringes and propitiatorie sacrifices and reconciliations betwene God and them And this is cōmon to all sacraments of the olde and newe Testament that they might be vnto vs sure vndoubted pledges of Gods promises that he perfourmeth them all therefore the name and title of the thing is giuen to the figure so these sacrifices were called sinne offeringes and peace offerings circumcisiō was called Gods conenant the Lambe his passeouer the Arke his glorie the temple his rest Baptisme the washing of our new birth and what madnes is in men I can not tel why they stum ble and fall and are broken an this phrase this is my bodie Could the name of reconciliation be giuen to the bloud of an Oxe the name of Gods benefites be giuen to the cutting off of a litle skin and to a white lambe his glorie his blessednesse his rightcousnesse to golde to stones to water and can not the name of the body of Christ be giuen vnto bread or could not the name of forgiuenesse of mercie of couenant of glory of presēce of righteousnesse change the nature of golde stones fleshe water and such like and must needes the name of bodie streight change bread into fleshe or is not the sacrament of Christes bodie and bloud as glorious a mysterie as full of trueth as other sacraments were why should it not haue a greater honour named by the thing whiche it representeth but this as occasion is offered and in a worde for the thing is plaine to those that will vnderstand they that with affection haue robbed themselues of iudgmente let vs pray for them and they that do belong vnto the couenant shal one day with vs confesse the true doctrine of the sacrament in which it is sealed Now Let vs pray c. The 23. Lecture vppon the 4. 5. 6. verses 4 And no man taketh this honour vnto himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron 5 So likewise Christ tooke not to him selfe this honour to be made the high priest but he that said vnto him Thou are my Sonne this day begat I thee gaue it him 6 As he also in another place speaketh Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Tolde you the Apostle here maketh comparison betweene the priesthood of Aaron of Christ that so by conference the dignitie of Christ might more appeare The comparison hitherto hathe beene in this that the
not themselues but God spake within them Whē soeuer were the time whatsoeuer were the meanes whosoeuer were the man wheresoeuer were the place whatsoeuer were the people yet the wordes were the Lordes And whosoeuer he be in the church of God from the beginning to the ending to whome this ministerie shal be committed if he will be numbered with Patriarches and Prophets Apostles and Pastours and with our Sauiour Christe himselfe whatsoeuer he speake Let him speake as the word of God. For this couenant God hath made with al his seruants euen as the Prophet Esaie saith My spirite which is vpon thee my words which I haue put in thy mouth shal not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede nor out of the mouth of thy seedes seede from henceforth ▪ euen for euer And in deede whose words else should diuide betweene the marrowe the bones but his onely who alone searcheth the hearts and the reynes Or whose wordes should kil our earthly affections but his alone who giues the sworde of the spirite And we whose messingers are we Or of whome are we sent Is not God our Maister and shall we not make our account to him according to that which we haue receiued of him We must looke vnto our owne charge and for all other men though they seeme to be pillers what they are it skilleth nothing to vs we are not accountable by their giftes Augustine Ambrose Ierome Gregorie or any else they had their owne charge of God and we haue ours by warrant from God they did speake and so must we If I speake out of the fathers of the Church and know it to be the word of God why do I attribute it to man rather then to God whose trueth it is Or if I speak of the Fathers and knowe it not to be the word of God be it neuer so true in the doctours mouth in mine it is sinne because I speak not as I am taught of god This I speake not so much for the papists whose heartes and soules the decrees and decretalles haue stolne away and left them without vnderstanding But I speake it because of brethren who knowe not their calling but fill the pulpites with doctours and counsels and many vanities where they should onely speake the word of God that our agreement may be with the Apostles and Prophets and with our sauiour Christ. Nowe let vs see the differences here spoken of betwene our Sauiour Christ and all other prophets what we may learne of them The firste is the doctrine taught by them was at diuerse times reuealed but that which Christe teacheth is reuealed but once And this is twise after expresly noted by the Apostle himselfe as in the ninth chapter Now at the latter end Christ hath beene once reuealed And in the xii chapter Yet once will I strike not onely the earth but the heauens also And this it is whiche sainct Iude saith of the christiā faith that once it was giuen to the saints which once doth mean the time of Christ in earth for so he saith it was by his sonne For though the Apostle yet vnderstoode not all and the spirit was after giuen them yet the same Spirite did but more lighten them in such things as Christ had also taught them By this we learn boldly to refuse it accoūt it as bastard doctrine whatsoeuer is sprong vp since cōmeth vnder the warrant of a mortall man as namely the idolatries of that mightie king and priest Prete Giam of the Abizannes in Africa and the idolatrie of the great Cam king and priest of the Tartarians in Asia and the idolatries of Ismael king and priest of the Persians and the idolatries of Mahomet king and priest of the Sarasins and the idolatries of the Pope and Papall men this day kings and priestes as proude as the other And of these what sects soeuer haue sprong of Homares or Halys Cuselbasoe or Casaboe of decrees decretalls Thomists or Scotists white friers or black that eternall Gospell as they called it more then 300. yeares since deuised at Paris the reuelations of S. Brigitt all other doctrines and expositions we must cast them away so many as came not in the warrant of our Sauiour Christ once preaching vpō earth which because it was once it cōfuteth all after it and abrogateth all before it which had diuersitie of time as the Apostle himselfe gathereth ca. 12. 27. The second difference that the doctrine of Christ is taught after one sort For though first were miracles and nowe none firste Apostles nowe none these were but meanes to confirme the preaching the word onely was the power of saluation which is the same it was then Whiche because it is but one therefore it is perfect For if any way before had bene absolute in itself there should none other haue come after it but it pleased not God to giue the glorie vnto all those maner of reuelations but reserued it to the preaching of the gospel which he hath made his owne power to saue all that do beleeue giuen it so great grace that it worketh more mightily then all miracles and pearceth deeper into the hart of man then any maner persuasiō yea though one should arise frō the dead to speake vnto vs And therefore we may condemne that whiche before vs was done in building monasteries vowing of pilgrimages praying for the dead their masses diriges honouring of saincts setting vp of Crosses and such like For howe were these thinges taught vnto men Not by preaching the Gospel but for the most part men were driuen vnto it by feare terrour of the night as we may see in their owne books legendes But as it was so it is come vnto it and the darkenesse hath couered it out of whiche it sprang The third difference here is that that was old therefore abolished for it cannot be but that which waxeth elder and elder must at last vanish but the testamēt of Christ it is still new yea though it were frō the beginning yet it is still the same and the day passeth not in whiche it was giuen but it endureth with the age of mā And therfore it is no sacrifice of the new testament to haue a masse which waxeth olde and when it is done is not but you must haue a newe so fill your number Neither yet is it possible that works should iustifie which also wax old are forgottē so that the righteous man of an hundred yeare olde if he leaue then his righteousnes it hath none accoūt The saluatiō of y world it is not thus but alwayes new if once I be in this couenāt it is an euerlasting couenant I was not taken vnder cōdition of time nor no time shal preuail against me The saluatiō it self it is not changeable as Ad◅s was in Paradise but it is made sure in the bodie of
Christ vnited with the person of his Godhead so the ways in which we are led vnto it they are imutable our faith is not quenched our loue not extinguished our hope faileth not nor the holy spirit can euer be takeÌ„ from vs but still they are newe euen to eternall life The fourth difference is in the fathers with whoÌ„ the first couenaÌ„t was made who though they were al called in Iesu Christ yet was there a difference of their honour euery one more exalted as God approched more neere vnto them So Abraham his posterity were a more honorable people then the other before him So the Israelites that had receiued the law dwelt in the land of promise had greater blessing then their fathers in Egypt So Iohn Baptist more then all Israel But now they that are called of Iesu Christ by his owne voice in him crucified before their eies haue aâ—…eined a singular honour the least of them touching their calling are greater then al Patriarches Prophets And these al in like precious faith like spirit like promises like couenaÌ„ts like accepted of god euery man in his own measure of grace No difference of Iew or Gentile learned or vnlearned but al haue throgh faith one entrance vn to the throne of grace that I neede not say now O Lord remember Dauid nor the couenaÌ„t made with Abraham But O Lord remember me the couenant which thou hast made with my fathers house For vnto all both those that are nigh and those that are far off there is but one couenant in Iesu Christ whome now we knowe not according to the flesh And this excellent glorie of Christian men dearly beloued as oft as I remember it it grieueth me to thinke vpon the madnesse of some who call them selues spirituall other temporal themselues clergie and other layitie them selues regular and other secular themselues they should say straungers from the Lord Iesus and other the liuely members of his body For what is it else to make this difference but to denie the brotherhode in the calling of Christe The fifte difference is that God then spake by his Prophets now by his sonne by Prophets meaning the continuall succession of Prophets in all ages For as they were men taken away by death so it was necessarie other to come in their places And because no Prophet was able to giue his grace to other or of his fulnes make other learned in the mysteries of God but they were al taught of the Lord therefore they had the credite of their worde euerie one in himselfe and none iudged by anothers gifts But so it is not with the Sonne of God for both he liueth to appoint vs teachers still and of his fulnesse he giueth all other their continuall increase of grace For which cause now the warrant of all dependeth vpon him alone And the greatest Apostle that euer was hath no other glorie but onely to be his seruant and messinger for he is that redeemer whose worde must be in the mouthe of his seede and in the mouth of his seedes seede after him for euermore So that it must needes be the pride of verie antichrist for a mortall man to exalt him selfe and giue the warrant of truth vnto his owne word that he cannot erre that all knowledge is in the closet of his breast that we must beleeue it as the Gospell what soeuer he decreeth A vile seruant so to swell in pride and set him selfe in the seate of the sonne of God why do we not abhorre it and rather kisse the ground vnder the feete of the Sauiour of the world to be slowe to speake out of our owne hart and quick to heare what hee hath commaunded And these be the differences which I thought good to note vnto you as the Apostles wordes plainely teach them Now where it is said In these last times meaning the daies in which this gospel is preached which also the Apostles and Prophets call the end of the world and last dayes It hath this name bothe for because in comparison of the age of the world these dayes shall be but few and also for that the will of God is finally reuealed in his sonne Christe who shall inherite the glorie to be our Prophet from the day in which first his father sealed him to that office euen to the latter end And thus much of this first verse Now let vs pray to almightie God our heauenly father who hath so loued vs that hee gaue his only begotten sonne to lead vs in the way of truth to saue vs from the bondage of death and to sacrifice his owne bodie for the raunsome of our sinnes that for his sake we may bee strengthened with the grace of his holie spirite to heare his word kepe it that we may in a good time and happie issue of our wayes be blessed by him who is our onely Sauiour to whome with the father and the holie Ghoste be honour and glorie for euer ¶ The second Lecture vpon the second and third verses 2 WHome he hath made heire of all things by whome also he made the worldes 3 Who beeing the brightnesse of the glorie and the ingraued forme of hiâ—… person and bearing vp all thinges by his mightie woorde baâ—… by him selfe purged our sinnes and sitteth at the right hand of the maiestie in the highest places WE haue heard howe the Apostle hath taught that our Sauiour Christe the sonne of God hath beene once sent vnto vs an eternall Prophet to teach vs all thinges which GOD hath done for our saluation through the preaching of the gospel to sanctifie vs all vnto him that him alone we should acknowledge to be our leader vnto eternall life Now the Apostle beginneth to proue this singular glorie to belong onely to Christe which he doeth by setting out a full and large description of him â–ª in which as I sayd he proueth him to be eternall God. Firste by his rule ouer all creatures verse 2. Then by the glorie of his owne person Thirdly by his great power Fourthly by his benefite bestowed vpon vs Fiftely by his glorie purchased to him selfe verse 3. Sixtly by comparison with Angels verse 4 whiche comparison he maketh in manie pointes as shall appeare in the residue of the chapter The rule of Christ ouer all creatures he sheweth in this That he is heire of all and created all By heire of all meaning howe in the person of a mediatour he hath restored all as in the person of the sonne he was the wisedome of God to make all And therefore called the heire because he restored not the worlde but by redeeming it and purchasing it vnto himselfe according as God the Father had giuen it to be a recompence of his worke in whiche respect it is said that God appointed him heire of all things This our Sauiour taught vs when he say de All power is giuen vnto mee in heauen