No creature at all shal yelde his seruice vnto them the elememtes of the worlde shall seeme to melt away This state of miserie Christe entred into and sunke downe deepe in this confusion and who can expresse his sorrow Beeing full of goodnesse he had the reward of euil full of obedience he was punished as wicked full of faith yet had the reward of a sinner inheritour of all things and Lord of all yet nothing at al to doe him duetie the King of Kings and Lord of lordes yet made an outcast and abiect of the people the ruler of all and God of glorie yet compassed with shame and great confusion the authour of life yet wrapped in the chaynes of eternall death the onely begotten of his father and his best beloued yet cast off as a straunger and chasticed as an enimie the brightnesse of glorie and the beautie of the highest heauens yet crucified in dishonour and throwne downe into hell O picture of perfect wretchednesse and image of miserie howe iust cause founde he to crie out alowde My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee his whole bodie and nature like vnto vs altogether broken with the rewarde of sinne his soule powred out into all calamitie the wrath of his father and condemnation resting vpon him How truely may we here say and confesse the article of our faith He descended into hell How liuely do we see it perfourmed that the Prophet speaketh of The snares of death compassed me and the paines of hell tooke holde vpon me I found trouble and sorrow This was the cōpassion that he had towardes vs by whiche he suffered with our infirmities more then Aaron or all the priestes of the lawe coulde possibly haue done for vs If we could possiblie consider dearely beloued as we should we would gladly imbrace him as the high priest for euer of the new testament when we shal be made of one fashion with him throughe some measure of his afflictiō to feele the weight of our sinnes then we shall confesse what cause he had of complayning and how dearely hee hath bought the honour of the high Priest and Mediatour The Lord lighten the eyes of our minde that with open countenāce we may behold him who for our sakes endured such a death of the crosse wee shoulde not then need many exhortations the remembrance of the latter end would keepe vs safe from sinne But let vs now see what the Apostle further teacheth vs and while our sauiour Christe is in these greate extremities what fruite of well doing he hath learned by it It followeth And although he were the sonne yet learned he obedience by the things he suffored Lo dearly be loued this was no little profit of all his troubles he learned thereby how and what it was to obey his father that when these things rested all vpon him yet he could say in meekenesse of spirit Not my will my father but thy wil be done he might haue great boldnesse that his obedience was perfect The shame of the worlde the afflictions of the flesh the vexations of the minde the paines of Hell when these coulde make him vtter no other wordes but Father as 〈◊〉 wilt so let it be done what hope what faith did he surely build on that his obedience was precious in the sight of his father this example is our instruction We knowe then best how we loue the Lord when wee feele by experience what we wil suffer for his sake It is an easie thing to be valiant before the combate or to dreame of a good courage before the hart be tryed but in dede to be vnshaken in the midst of the tempest and to stand vpright when the ground vnder thee doth trēble this is to knowe assuredly thou art strong in deede and to say with boldenesse thou shalt neuer be moued this our Sauiour Christe might throughly glorie of The heauen earth and elementes they were all his enimies his Father in whome he trusted shewed him an angrie countenaunce he that fainted not but cryed stil Thy wil be done O Father he may be bold of his obedience there is no creature can make him falsifie his faith If this be the fruite of our afflictions the Apostle speaketh not without great occasion Account it for an exceding ioy when ye fall into sundrie troubles For what can bee more ioyful vnto the soule that is oppressed then to giue this in experience that neither hight nor deapth shall remoue him from the lord The glory of Abraham was exceeding great when he had sealed it with practise that he would forsake his countrie his kinred and his fathers house at the commaundemēt of God to go whether he would shew him then he knew by good proofe hee was made worthy of Christe when he could forsake Father mother house lande and all thinges to come vnto him The patience of Iob was not thoroughly knowen till all his goods were spoyled and he left exceedinge bare in that case when he spake so boldely Naked came I out of my moothers womb and naked shal I returne again the Lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken away as the Lord wil so is it done the name of the Lord be praysed for euer Nowe might Iob be sure of the strong patience which should bring foorth hope that neuer should be confounded Our brethren before vs whiche so constantly haue holden the professiō of their faith that y flames of fire could not make it wauer they had a good witnesse that their election was sure when they might speake by experience that neither life nor death coulde remoue them from the loue of God. Thus the good grounde is knowen what it is when the heate can not scorche it nor bryers and thornes turne the good corne into weedes but thoroughe all stormes it will giue nourishment to the seede til it giue greater increase to Gods honour and glorie The best of vs all let vs thanke God for this profitable experience for before it come vnto vs we knowe not howe great the rebellion of the fleshe will be The Apostles of Christ they bragged not a little that they woulde neuer forsake their maister Christ he alone had the wordes of eternal life and they would not chaunge him for another they beleeued him they knewe him to be Christ the fonne of the liuing God and there was no other sauiour But when they sawe the swordes and staues the rulers offended the people in an vprore the crosse at hande their courage fell downe they forsooke him all and fled away Peter was not a litle stoute as himselfe was persuaded he would neuer forsake Christe though he should die for his name and for proofe of his courage he drewe his sword stroke so venterously that he had almoste slaine one he seemed to be at a point and fully resolued that he would not leaue his maister till the sworde shoulde diuide them but alas this boldnesse was
if it should happen you to fall downe into hell Christe hath descended also you should then be moste like him in his agonies and bloudie sweates The third cause at this time which I will touch is this God sendeth vs sundry chasticementes and especiallie that which is moste grieuous of al other the anguish of spirite and affliction of the soule for this purpose that we should be warned in time how to turne vnto him be free from the plague when it commeth for the iudgements of God that are dayly preached vnto vs they pearce deepe into the heartes of the true beleeuers and the worde that they heare it woorketh mightilie in them more sharp in their eares then a two edged swoord it entreth thorough them euen to the diuiding a sunder of the soule and of the spirite and of the ioyntes and of the marrowe and examine all the thoughts and the intentes of the heart so that it is vnpossible that any part of them should be hidde but they are all open vnto iudgement and heare the voice of the Lorde Then their sinne is reuiued in the midst of their bowels their coÌ„science hath no rest they feele death working in their hearts and hel is before theÌ„ they see sinne on their right hande and Satan on their left shame vnder their feete and an angrie Iudge aboue them y world ful of destructioÌ„ without and a worme gnawing the heart within the poore sinner knoweth not what to do to hide him selfe it is impossible and to appeare it is intollerable then hee breaketh out into lowde cryinges O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death he giueth no rest vnto his eyes nor sleepe vnto his eyelids vntill hee finde him that is able to saue him from this wrath in his bedde by night he seeketh him whome his soule loueth in the streetes and open places he inquireth after him and after many dayes in whiche he cannot finde him Christ sheweth him selfe at the last a perpetual deliuerer a victorious Lion of the tribe of Iuda in whome he hath strong saluation when hee hath mourned because of y plague that was before him Christ will approch neere and wipe away the teares from his eyes This y Prophet Abacuch setteth forth in his own person WheÌ„ I heard saith he the word of God my bellie trembled my lips shooke at the voice roâ—…nnesse entred into my bones I trembled in my selfe that I might haue rest in the day of trouble Euen so dearely beloued it is with vs all The plagues of God because they are pronounced against iniquitie it maketh the childe of God to feare and tremble that so foreseeing the harme he might prepare him helpe and because of the destroyer seeke without wearines vnto the sauiour though he hide him selfe at the first the wounded spirite and troubled hart must nedes finde him-out A great cause of vnspeakeable gladnesse though wee seeme swalowed vp of pensiue sorrowe We are full of griefe but we are chastised of the Lord because we should not be coÌ„demned with the world we die with Christ but because we should liue with him wee lament and weepe but because that Christe might wipe away all teares from our eyes we are deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake but because the life of Iesus should be made manifest in our flesh we beare about in our bodies the mortification of the Lord Iesus but because the life of Iesus might be manifest also in our bodies we haue anguishe of spirite and vexation of minde such as hath not bene from the beginning but for this cause that when souden destruction shall come vpon the carelesse world we might lift vp our heades and beholde our redemption at hande Let vs then be bolde and in patience possesse our soules for these causes we are nowe afflicted that wee might receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in the time of neede for this cause we tremble and are affraide that after many praiers and supplications we might be deliuered from the things which we haue feared It followeth in the Apostle And beeing consecrate he was made the authour of saluation to all them that obey him In these wordes wee ate taught what 〈◊〉 and coÌ„moditie we haue through these bitter sufferinges of our Sauiour Christ and also by what meanes we are made partakers of it the fruite is eternall saluation the meanes to go vnto it is obedience in the first we learne that all promise and hope of life is in Christe alone hee hath alone the wordes of liâ—…e he is alone the breade of life the water of life the authour of life the word of life the tree of life the onlie life hee that beleeueth in him hee hath euerlasting life and he that dwelleth not in him shall see no life but the wrath of God abideth on him Take holde of Christ and take holde of life reach foorth thine hand to any other thinge and thou reachest vnto vanitie which cannot helpe Looke not for life but where it dwelleth in the flesh of Christe alone there it resteth Death hath reigned in all the world beside and led euery creature into bondage If thou looke vnto the heauens there is but vexation and anguishe if thou looke vnto the earth there is but darknesse and sorrow if thou call vnto Abraham he knoweth thee not if thou cry vpon Angels they can not helpe thee if thou looke vnto thy workes they are all vncleane if thou truste in thy prayers the Lorde hath no pleasure in them call for the helpe of al creatures they are subiect to vanitie there is no life but in Christ alone The elders the Angels the baestes and all creatures they giue this honour vnto Christe Saluation is of him that sitteth vppon the throne and of the Lambe and altogether they cry Amen And if all the creatures which yet are excellent good are not of power to giue anie peece of this life then what shall we think of those people enimies to God and murderers of his Saincts which so long haue made vs beleeue that they haue life in them selues that they can forgiue vs our sinnes for yeares euen as they will manie or fewe that they can make sacrifices propitiatorie for vs y they can purge vs by purgatorie fiers that their Pilgrimages their pardons their vowes their holie orders and such other spiritual drunkennesse of their sicke braines that these be auailable to purchase life If they will not be reclaimed let vs rest in the counsels of our God and say with Iohn He that hurteth let him hurt still and hee that is filthy let him be filthy still It is inough for vs that Christ is our life that our life is hid with Christe in God when Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glorie Now while we are in the dayes of our pilgrimage the way that wee must walke vnto this
it to be garnished with golde and siluer and vaine sightes of a corruptible eye which in time consume and the rust and canker frett them away But in thine heart which Christ hath sāctified there is greater treasure then this If thou loke vpon the earth thine eyes are cleare to see from East to West and all is thine the stones in the streete are at league with thee and the beasts of the field are at peace with thee Let all the tyrants in the earth lift vp their handes against thee they shall not finde any thing vnder heauen to doe thee hurt all creatures are sworne to thy safetie it is not possible for man to breake their faithfulnesse they can do nothing vnto thee but good Loke also without the boundes and compasse of Heauen and Earth and with pure eyes thou seest greater thinges then these thou seest hell abolished death troden vnder feete the first sorrowe cast out into shame Saints Angels are in thy sight immortalitie hath lengthened thy dayes the glorie of God is before thee in a glasse He that can builde thee suche an other tabernacle let him be thy God and where else thou findest suche treasure there settle thy heart or if this only be the greatest reioyce only in this and pray for a sincere faith that thou mayest in deed see it and haue thy soule knit vnseparably vnto it that thou mayest greatly despise all other thinges say as the Prophet Dauid said What is man that thou art mindful of him And thus farre at this time Now let vs pray c. ¶ The ninth Lecture vpon part of the 8. verse vpon the 9. 10. verses 8 But we yet see not all things subdued vnto him 9 But we see Iesus crowned with glorie and honour which was made a litle inferior to the Angels through the suffering of death that by Gods grace he might tast death for all men 10 For it became him for whome are all these thinges and by whome are all these thinges seeing that he brought many children vnto glorie that he should consecrate the Prince of their saluation through afflictions I Tolde you at the beginning that the Apostle in the first seconde chapter setteth purposely out the person of Christ how he is God man how he set out his godhead in y first chapter you heard vnto which hee addeth this earnest exhortation in the beginning of this chapter wherof also we haue already spoken Nowe in these woordes whiche wee haue read he beginneth the other parte of his purpose to teache that our Sauiour Christe is perfect man and taketh his occasion of the text before alledged which he applyed vnto Christe as chiefe and principall though it be ment also of all men for when he had so highly magnified man in consideration of mans present state a doubt is streight moued Howe can this bee sithe we see not these things yet subiect vnto him To this the Apostle aunswereth that it is alreadie accomplished in our Sauiour Christe who is beecome man for our sakes and through death hath gotten this glorie for vs so heere is a full declaration how this prophesie alledged is verified in man and a preperation to teach more at large how Christe is perfect man In the words of this eighth verse But now we see not yet all thinges subiect vnto him he moueth the doubt whiche is easily made against that Scripture whiche so highly extolled man and aunswereth thus vnto it In deed I graunt all things are not yet thus subiect vnto man but yet in Christe wee see this already accomplished for wee haue seene him made lower then Angels and yet againe exalted and crowned with glorie and honour euen as him selfe is witnesse All power is giuen mee in Heauen and in Earth and so hee is risen from the dead that death hath no more power ouer him for euer who beeing made man for vs in him it is accomplished that man is ruler ouer all the workes of God now in parte and after this fullie when our base bodies shal be chaunged and made glorious In this we see how he commeth to speake of the māhod of our sauiour Christ which after he declareth more at large For the suffering of death Some translate this Through the suffering of death as shewing the cause why God exalted him but neither is that so pertinent to the Apostles purpose nor his wordes doe so signifie but thus For the suffering of death that is to the end hee might suffer death So he sheweth the cause why Christ was made lower then Angels and that is because he might die for otherwise in the maiestie of his Godhead all death and all corrupion fall before him and nothing can stand in his sight but life glorie and immortalitie therefore to the end that that immortalitie and glorie of GOD might dye and death might come vnto him it must needes be that he should be humbled beneath Angels In the words that followe That by Gods grace he might taste of death for all men he sheweth here y cause why he dyed As this was the cause of abasing him that he might dye so this was y cause of his death that he might dye for vs that is that he might take our death vpon him so by him we might be deliuered from it Where he saith By the grace of God he sheweth that it was the free loue of God that gaue his sonne vnto vs no desert on our behalfe but when wee sought not after him then hee offered him selfe vnto vs and when we sate as the prophet saith in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death then a great light rose vp vnto vs to this end that we which are the Gentiles might prayse God for his mercie And where it is said that he might tast of death he calleth here To taste of death to haue in deede sense and feeling of the paines not diminishing the passion as a thing lightly touched but warranting the bitternesse and all the sorrow of it euen to the bottome of the graue and deathe to be tasted fealt in deed and saying For all he meaneth not by All good or badd whosoeuer they be but as Sainct Iohn plainely expoundeth it God gaue his sonne to die to the end that al that beleeue should not perish but haue life euerlasting So our Sauiour Christ saith All that beleeue are baptised shal be saued So thus farre the Apostle hath taught plainely both how the former prophesie is accomplished in Christ and is verified in euerie one of vs and he hath aptly begun to teache this doctrine that our Sauiour Christ is perfect man which in this Chapter I saide was his especiall purpose Now touching this greate excellencie of man whereof the Apostle hath spoken howe wee be made partakers of it a little further weighe it He hath spoken greate and maruelous thinges euen as the Prophet had saide Marueilous things
receiue from Christ all that is healthfull vnto vs And as by ioyntes and sinewes our members are really knit and made a bodie vnto the head so really truely and in deed by one spirite wee be knit vnto Christe as perfectly and substantially made one with him as our members are one with our head If thou vnderstand not this or sayst with Nicodemus How can this be done I say vnto thee againe Pray that thou mayst be taught of God and that his spirit may reueale it vnto thee for if the tounge of Paule were dumb not able to speake what he sawe in vision how much lesse is man able to speake the trueth of greater mysteries And if our harts cannot comprehend all the wisdome of God in the winde that bloweth how he rayseth it vpp or maketh it fall againe how canne wee vnderstand this wisedome of our vniting vnto Iesus Christ Onely this I can say God hath giuen vs fayth in whiche wee may beleue it and out of which such ioy shineth in our mindes as crucifieth the worlde vnto vs how farre our reason is from seeing it it skilleth not it is sufficient if we can beleeue it We beleeue in the Lord our God yet we know not what is his countenaunce We beleeue apprehend by hope his glorie yet neither eye can see it nor eare can heare it We beleeue and see immortalitie yet our heart can not comprehend the height the breadth the length the deapth We beleeue the resurrection of the dead yet wee can not vnderstand such excellent wisedome how life is renewed in the dispersed scattered bones ashes We beleue our sauiour Christ is man we haue seene him and felt him yet how he was man borne of a virgin all men in the world haue no wisdome to declare Euen so dearely beloued wee beleeue that our Sauiour Christ and we be one hee of vs and we of him he the head we the bodie really substātially truly ioyned together not by ioynts and sinewes for that vniting I knowe wel enough but by his spirit of which we haue all receiued and this vnitie I cannot conceiue nor vtter till I knowe God euen as he is and his holie spirite which hath wrought this blessing Thus we learne what here the Apostle teacheth vs and thus wee vnderstand what is heere said He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one And where it is said heere He that doth sanctifie shewing the present time the worke still a doing it teacheth vs that our sanctification hath a daylie increase when it is fully accomplished then God calleth and our dayes are at an end And let vs note this well for it behoueth vs much If we be Christians we are still sanctified by the spirit of Christ for so it was in him He grewe still in grace before God men If thou begraffed into his bodie thou hast his spirite and it will haue his worke in thee Thou shalt not be wearie of well doeing nor ceasse to reioyce in God thy Sauiour but still increase in spirituall grace til thou come to the age of the fulnesse of Christe There can be no affection in thee according to the fleash but if it be greate it will appeare in his work much more this which is of the spirit of god If thou be sorrowful it wil make thy face sad If ioy be within it maketh thy countenance merrie If thou haue a flattering heart all the members of the bodie will streight serue so vile a thinge If hatred bee within thee thy bodie will shewe it forth in all manner of cursed doing and there is nothing that can possesse the minde but it leadeth the members in obedience of it Howe much more if the spirite of God hath replenished thy minde will all the bodie shewe foorth godlie desires This the Apostle noteth when he sayth He that sanctifieth It followeth For this cause he is not ashamed to call vs brethren Vpon good cause the Apostle sayth He is not ashamed for if hee humbled not him selfe in great loue of vs how iustly might hee accompt it shame to be as we are He that made Heauen and earth he that is the immortall and glorious God one with his father before whome all Angels do obey and all Princes are earth and ashes ought wee not to say seeing it pleaseth him to acknowledge vs that are but poore creatures that hee is not ashamed of vs It was great praise in Moses beeing so highly esteemed of Pharaoh that yet hee would vouchsafe to visite his poore brethren It was singular loue in Ioseph when he was nexte vnto the King in honour and dignitie yet not to be ashamed of his fathers house who were heardmen and shepeheardes But all is nothing in comparison of this that Iesus Christ is not ashamed of vs for what the glorie of the vaine worlde made not a mortall man ashamed of his duetie to acknowledge his poore father and brethren in whose persons hee might suffer a little reproch but how much greater was this doing whereof we speake The shining brightnesse of the glorie of God made not the onlie begotten sonne ashamed of his free grace to acknowledge vs that were his enimies in whose persons he should suffer a moste shamefull and slaunderous death This is the case betweene Christe and vs and this the Apostle meaneth when he sayth He is not ashamed to call vs brethren And if his highnesse abased it selfe to our lowe estate and was not ashamed let vs dearely beloued learne to be wise and knowe what the lord requireth of vs for all the good which he hath don vnto vs He sayth in the gospel He that is ashamed of me and my word before men I will bee ashamed of him before my Father which is in heauen And is not trowe you this a iust condēnation if we wretched men wil be ashamed of him who beeing the God of glorie was not ashamed of vs How much is he greater then we Abraham when he approched nere vnto him he felt him self how he was but dust When Iob came nere to see the tokens of him he abhorred him selfe and confessed how vncleane he was When Dauid saw the glorie of his dwelling he said he had leuer abide but one day as a dore keeper in the house of him then tenne thousand dayes to beare rule in Kinges palaces When Paule sawe the glorie prepared for vs in his resurrectiō he said he accompted all the worlde to be but doung to the ende he might winne him If then such a Christ be not ashamed to call vs brethren a marueilous vnspeakable foolishnes is bound vp in our heartes if we be ashamed to call him brother againe He were a folishe poore man that were ashamed of the kinred whiche the King did chalenge of him he is more foolishe thoughe he were a King him selfe that is ashamed of the Sonne of God when he offereth himselfe vnto
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
we will change him either for any other or els for al other What so euer glorious names they bring of Fathers Doctours Counsels and suche like boasting words we neither knowe them nor their names if they be ministers of Christ vnto vs their feete are beautifull and their names are honorable if they be their owne ministers wee know them not nor all their glorie if they say they be Doctours we may well say againe they are but Phariscies that will be called Rabbie We haue no Doctour but one and that is Christ he is The Apostle of our profession Now where the Apostle calleth Christe the highe Priest of our profession as we haue learned before if he be our Apostle we haue no other teacher so we learne here if he bee the Priest of our profession no part nor parcell of the office of his priesthoode wee may giue to another but professe it clearly that he is our Priest alone And as the Priest is ordeined to make sacrifice for sinne and to be a mediatour betweene God and man so all this worke wee must leaue wholy vnto him know no other receiue no other professe no other vpon whome we will lay this reconciliation to purge our sinnes and to bring vs vnto God but Christe alone for he is The Priest of our profession he hath washed vs from our sinnes he hath ioyned vs vnto God let him haue all the praise of this saluation Let vs call all the worlde into a reckoning who soeuer they be Popes prelates abbats monks friers heremites ankers their indulgences their pardons their blessinges their orders their garments their vowes accōpt all their works prayers fastings meditations pouertie nakednesse and al the chastisings of their bodies if in al this laid on a heape thou seekest to counterpeise but the least iot of thy sinne thou makest thy selfe thy priest and art an hypocrite or an hypocrits disciple hast denied Christ to be the Priest of thy profession for if he be thy Priest he is thy Priest alone purging al euery one of thy sinnes hath neither fellowe nor helper in his worke but as he hath saide so he hath done and hee hath troaden alone the wine-presse of the wrath of god Beware therefore dearely beloued of such doctours of such doctrine which in the question of forgiuenesse of sinnes carrie away your senses to any man or woorke of mans hand for it is but subtiltie to make you blinde that Christe should not be the Prieste of your profession And as it is thus in the purging of our sinnes so in beeing mediatour betweene God and vs to offer vp our workes our prayers and vs our selues faultlesse before his father there is no other but hee alone for if all Angels would present our prayers yet they could not our thoughts are so euil and our wordes so vncleane that the Angels of God can not make them righteous in his sight But if Christe giue vnto vs his spirite to minister sighes in our-heartes and in his owne righteousnes in whose mouth was no deceite will sanctifie our prayers which are of polluted lipps then wee haue a fre enterance vnto the throne of grace for he hath sanctified him selfe for vs and what so euer we aske in his name we shall obteine for thus neither our prayers are of vs but they are of the spirite of God niether are they presented from vs but from him who is our Mediatour and giueth them his owne righteousnesse to make them accepted and thus in his holie and vnsearchable wisedome findeing a meanes to sanctifie with his holines all that is ours euen vs our selues also hee hath sanctified in him selfe and giuen vs the righteousnes of his humanitie to be righteousnesse vnto our fleshe and so presenteth vs vnblamable vnto his father Thus Christ is the Priest of our profession and in all Christianitie there is no other It greeueth me heere to see the subtiltie of some who with colored words deceiue the heartes of many that are not euill When they would pull this profession out of our mouth they speake not in plaine wordes to byd vs denie that Christ is our Priest for then we would hate them therfore to kepe their credit and yet to worketheir mischefe they stammer in their tongs that the simple should not perceiue them and they say a Mediatour which is one part of his priesthood is of two sortes one of redemption and so is Christe alone another of intercession and so are all the Saints and Angels Thus they stop the mouthes of ignoraunt men then with a harlots forehead boast in their lies But when you meet these Rabbines and Apostles of their owne profession aske of them what they meane by a Mediatour of intercession they may as well say an intercessour of mediation for both are one it is as the Logicians call it a meere nugation For where there is one Mediatour beetweene God and man the man Iesus Christ it is his office to redeeme vs from sinne and to make intercession to God for vs And they rob him of this last parte of his honour who make you beleue it is a seuerall thing belonging to an other as by example we may make this more plaine It is the office of a king to rule ouer bodie and goods in whiche cause God commaundeth our obedience now a froward person that would denie to pay his tribute shall say a King is of two sortes one ouer the bodie another ouer goods my bodie I graunt to any lawfull seruice as due to our King but our Kinge is not onely the King of our goodes and I will bestowe mine otherwise Doe you not see what follie is in this because God hath submitted to Kinges two thinges bodie and goods therfore to say there bee two sortes of Kinges Euen so God hath made a Mediatour bothe to redeeme vs and to present vs vnto God and they blinde your eyes and tell you there be two sortes of Mediatours Surely euen with as good reason they might say because a man hath bodie soule there be two sortes of men one of a bodie another of a soule but to let suche deceiuers go let vs confesse a better fayth and acknowledge that Christe is the one and whole Prieste of our profession And heere let vs not forget this that our religion our sayth our hope is called our profession so he calleth it againe in the fourth chapter verse 14. and againe in the tenth Chapter the confessiou of our hope whereby we learne except wee professe it it is no religion no hope no fayth The Prophet sayth I haue beleeued therfore I haue spoken and S. Paule maketh this common to vs all we haue also beleued and therfore haue we spoken and Saint Paul sayth to the Romanes As in hart we beleue vnto righteousnesse so in mouth we confesse vnto saluation and Sainct Iohn sayth who soeuer shall openly professe that Iesus is the sonne of
vaine deuices because they would not enter into the rest promised them but had more desire to returne to the heauie laboure and bondage of Aegypt This madnes of the people the Lorde is angrie with as a louing Father that had care ouer them So if we wil haue holie anger let it be free from all hatred and reuenge and arise onlie for the profite and well doing of our brethren Thus we read our sauiour Christ was angrie when he sawe the frowardnesse of the Iewes who by no admonitions would be made wiser Thus Paul prouoketh Timothie to anger when he saith Reproue and sharplie rebuke men that they do not turne away from the trueth So S. Iude biddeth vs all if we fall into companie with froward men To saue them with feare as if we would soudenly pluck them out of fier Thus if wee can haue our affections moued we are holily angrie for the end of our doing is the profite of our brother Thus you that be maisters may be angrie with your seruants God requireth of them faithful labour no eye seruice as seeking to please men but in singlenes of heart to doe their dutie to him vnder whome God hath placed them and in this account euery seruant must appere before god If thou seeing thy seruant disobedient or slouthfull hast this respect to be grieued with him because hee offended God thine anger is a blessed anger and if thou chyde sharply with thy seruaunt thy loue is more acceptable before God but if all thy anger bee for thine owne cause for thy meate thy drink thine apparell thy hawke thy â—…ound if thou haue none other respect thy seruant hath done very â—…l in being carelesse for his maisters busines and thou hast done much woorsâ—…e who for a trifle canst be angrie with thy brother but if the other be thy greatest care that thy seruant should knowe God and doe the duetie which he requireth at his hand then art thou blessed in thine anger and thy â—…luding woordes are as a sweete oyntment as Dauid saith that shall not breake his head In the wordes following Was it not with those that sinned whose bodies fel in the wildernesse The Apostle here sheweth first why God was angrie with them then what punishment he laid vpon them the cause of his anger was their sinne wherin we see there is no calamitie commeth to the wicked but for their sinne and all the chasticements of God which come vpon them are to admonish them of their euill that they might turne vnto the Lord so when the sinnes of Israel were high desperate and past hope of amendment the Lord sayth He wil melt them trie them for what should he do else for the daughter of my people noting this to be the extreme remedie by which if wee be not healed wee must dye in our euill diseases So long before when their fathers were as â—…uil had all fallen away from God were not amended by punishment the Lord sayth by his prophet Wherfore should you be smitten any more seeing you fall away more and more shewing expresly this cause of their plagues that they should haue turned from their sinnes Let this be a greate comforte vnto euerie one whose sinnes accuse him that he is not smitten of the Lorde but for his amendement let him not faint because the hand of God is heauie vp on him but let him reioyce because the mercie of God is offered largely vnto him for therefore he is punished that he should repent A singular example we haue of this in Man uses y king of Iudah who had set vp al abhominations and multiplied offences without number but when he was bowed downe with many yron bands and the king of Ashur â—…aid him in painefull imprisonment where he could not lift vp his head then he remembred the Lorde God of his fathers who saued not onely Abraham and Isaake and Iacob and their righteous seede but in his greate mercies receiued sinners into fauour againe and therefore in his tribulation he humbled him selfe exceedingly and came before God to aske forgiuenesse for all his sinnes whiche were more in number then the sandes of the sea and the Lord was intreated of him and forgaue all his offences So Saint Paule in al his hatred and enuious persecutions when he was strucken downe he despaired not but with a good heart which God gaue vnto him he cryed with trembling and with feare Lord what wilt thou that I should die These examples are set out vnto vs which be so great sinners that we should not despaire in our afflictions but turne vnto the lord who offereth mercie vnto vs for our sinnes be they neuer so great yet the righteousnes of our sauiour Christ is greater let vs onely beleeue and they are abolished Nowe as we knowe the afflictions of the wicked are for their sinnes and that when they be chasticed they be called to repentance so also we must remember that many occasions are why God somtime chasticeth his sainctes though their sinnes are all forgiuen and forgotten for besides this that we should turne vnto the Lorde many other benefites are also in our troubles for in them our faith is tried that it is accepted of God and therefore Peter calleth affliction y triall of our faith for though we ought all to haue a ful purpose in wealth wo to cleaue vnto the Lorde yet experience bringeth boldnesse that our faith in deede is strong and fayleth not We trust that we would not forgett God in the day of prosperitie but the prince and noble man who are full of peace they knowe whether their heartes be knitt vnto God in loue and obedience which all honour and glorie cannot shake We trust we would not murmur in aduersitie but Iob and Lazarus and men so farre oppressed with miserie they know how strong their hope is to endure the crosse We may reioyce in the persuasion of our minde and our faith that feareth not at the remembrance of the euill day is wel pleasing before God but they may glorie more in the triall of their worke who haue had experience of euil and fainted not and they may more boldely sing the song of victorie that they glorie in affliction knowing that affliction hath wrought patience patience experience experience hope and their hope shal neuer be confounded This I adde that we might knowe though afflictions be to the amendement of our sinnes yet alwayes the Lord respecteth not this but by afflictions doth giue vs greater glorie and therefore let vs not faint in them nor be discouraged The second thing I saide we shoulde marke in this verse is what punishment God brought vpon them that is that their bodies fel in the wildernesse this punishment Sainct Paule also expressly noteth in the tenth of the first to the Corinthians therefore is well to be wayed of vs â–ª whiche so oft is set ouâ—… vnto
but a blast of woordes When there was no remedie but Christ must be had to Caiphas Peter began to faint and to drawe behinde When the perill was more increased and they began to crie Crucifige Peter was more affraid and began to swaere he knewe him not so great infirmitie is in mortall flesh experience is the greatest warrant to knowe what it can beare It is our bounden duetie and the Lorde requireth it that we should determine with our selues in all things to approue ourselues the witnesses of his Gospell in patience in afflictions in necessities in stripes in tumults in labours in watchinges in fastinges in honour in dishonour in good report in shame in life in death and our comfort is greate when we be persuaded of these thinges that we woulde contemne them But howe violently the fleshe will fight against vs wee cannot well declare till we haue made the triall We therefore dearely beloued whom it hathe pleased God to keepe in heauinesse thorough many temptations wee haue here a salue against the woundes of sorrowe Our afflictions doe teach vs how farre we can obey the lord If in all griefe of bodie I can say with patiēce I haue held my peace O Lord because thou hast done it then I knowe y in all sorrowes of fleshe I haue glorified God and my heart reioyceth If my minde be ful of anguishe And sorrow so that all hope be faint within mee if I can say yet vnto my soule I will waite patiently for the Lordes leasure then I know assuredly God hath made mee obedient and he will heare my prayer so that this experience hath bred in mee the hope that shall neuer be confounded I may speake the woordes whiche the heauens shall seale vnto with euerlasting truth neither fire not sword not principalities nor power shall remoue mee from the loue wherewith God hathe loued mee a sure token of this saluation I haue found in mine afflictions when I trauelled in sorrowe both of the body and minde I found the grace to say O Lord do thy will this is no small cause why we should reioyce when God doth make vs worthie to feele the triall of our faith So dearly beloued faint not in your mournings but endure patientlye you know not the happinesse of that which seemeth your miserie let this be the first cause why we should be glad of temptations And to the end wee may helpe our common infirmities let vs learne yet more why it is good for vs to be brought low a most notable commoditie the Apostle reherseth where he writeth to the Romanes Those whom God hath foreknowen he hath also predestinate to be made likvnto the image of his sonne Loe my deare brethren these are the healthful counsels of the Lord toward vs that we shoulde be made like vnto his sonne Christ in many afflictions y at the last wee might be also like him in eternall glorie These are the riches of Gods vnsearcheable wisdome Death once reigned through sinne and he hath found a way to rise from it agaiue into greater glorie this victorie because it was too great for saint or angel to obtein he hath appointed it to be the worke of his onely begotten sonne who made it perfect in a most excellent conquest he hath taken vpon him our nature to make it strong and in his owne person he hath filled it with the fulnesse of miseries with all sorrowes of flesh with all anguish of minde with persecution with death with sinne with hell with condemnation and from all these by the mightie power of his godhead he is risen againe in our flesh ascended vp into glorie and sitteth on the right hand of Maiestie and of power beeing a mightie Sauiour vnto euerie one that shall follow him So that this is our glorie in all afflictions we are fashioned by them into the similitude of Christe and we are made like vnto him So it pleased God whē hee would bring many children into glorie to consecrate the Prince of their saluation through afflictions and to make both him that sanctifieth and those that are sanctified all one that they that suffer with him should also reigne with him and they that die with him should also liue with him So wee when we feele many troubles to rest vpon vs we may say now we are like vnto Christ especially when we feele that greatest trouble fullest of bytter sorrow that is the minde oppressed it maketh vs specially like vnto him that we may say with Paul now we supplie in our flesh the remnaunt of the afflictions of Christ. Let me looke into y who le course of my life what so euer pleaseth me best health honour riches fauour authoritie friendship wife children in all these things I cannot yet beholde the liuely image of Christe Affliction and trouble a minde broken with remembraunce of sinne a troubled spirite these are the beginninges of greate reioycings with the horrours of death and a conscience burthened with the wrath of God heere light shineth out of darcknesse and hope out of despaite As I think my selfe furthest off from the Lord so in deede I am neerest vnto him and when I thinke my self fullest of confusion they y image of Christ is moste liuely within me The Lord may hide his face for a while for a moment in his anger as he did from Christe but he must needes returne vnto mee with euerlasting mercies for the image of his sonne is cleare within me A blessed sorrowe and woe ful of happinesse that fashioneth these dayes of my vanitie into the similitude of the age of Christ that with him at last I might reigne for euer A precious countenance it is in the sight of GOD that seemeth without beautie in the eyes of man and an vnspeakable treasure of ioy and gladnesse ingrauen in these vesselles that are but earth and ashes When Christe is the patterne whose similitude wee doe beare who can bee discouraged vnder the Crosse Wee are afflicted on euerie side but not in suche a straite that we are shut from hope we are in pouertie but not ouercome of pouertie we are persecuted but not forsaken we are cast downe but we perish not We are troubled in all things fightings without and terrours within but God that comforteth the abiects he will comfort vs Vnto this hee hath predestinate vs that wee should be like vnto his sonne in all afflictions and so be glorified with him in the day of honour Thus farre we haue heard two speciall causes why we ought to reioyce in all temptations the one that so we learne true obedience the other that by them we be made like vnto Christe Adde yet vnto these one third cause out of the Scripture whiche when you shall haue learned be bolde dearelie beloued in all the fire of the enimies For beholde in the trueth of Iesus Christe I dare be your warrant the greater are your afflictions the liker you are vnto Christe yea