in whō the God of this world hath blinded their vnbeleuing mindes that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ should not shine vpon them for otherwise the secret of the Lord is reuealed to those that feare him and his woorde is a lanthorne vnto their feete and a light vnto their steps it is not harde but as Salomon saith It is easie to him that wil vnderstand he is a scorner that seeketh it and can not finde it Moses sayth This commaundement which I command thee this day it is not hid from thee nor sarre of it is very nere vnto thee euen in thy mouth and in thy hart to do it The prophet Ose saith of the iudgementes of God vnto his people that they were as the morning light And the Lorde saith by the prophet Esay I haue not s◅okē in secret nor in a place of dark nesse in the earth I said not in vaine to the house of Iacob Seeke ye me And if thus the doctrine of saluation were preached while yet the people were taught by signes figures how clere is it now since the sonne of righteousnes hath shined in perfect light what wrong is it to say still the scriptures are hard and to make them to be Sphynx his ridles or the winding oracles of Apollo whiche are the cleare wordes of the liuing God I appeale to your owne consciences all that haue experience whether haue you found such hardnesse in scripture or whether do you easily see how we are saued in Iesus Christ what obediēce we owe againe vnto god I am sure there is none of you that with a single heart haue come to read the scripture that were euer driuen back with any hardnesse of it How is it then why do the papists stil cry out of the hardnesse of the worde why see they not this easinesse as wel as we sure I will tel you the Lorde is witnesse howe I tell you true Those men they haue come neere vnto God with their mouth honored them with their lips but their harts haue been farre from him ▪ they haue worshipped God in vaine teaching doctrines which were precepts of men and for this cause God hath couered them with a spirit of slumber hath shut vp their eyes the gospell is vnto them as the words of a booke that is sealed so that whether they be learned or vnlearned they can read nothing This is the great hiddē cause their sinns haue found them out gods iudgemēts haue blinded them Another cause that I tolde you before is because they would leade vs blindfolde after the church of Rome this cause I make not of mine owne head thē selues as I said wil confesse it For this is a solemne decree in their late generall counsel of Trident the 4. session the 2. canon that it belongeth to their holy motherchurch to iudge of the sence interpretation of the scripture nether must we presume to leaue those interpretations although they were such as were neuer meete to bee openly taught published And their greate doctour Hossius saith thus if we haue the interpretation of the church of Rome although wee see not howe it can agree with the wordes of the texte yet we must beleeue it But are not these think you vnreasonable wordes if they be not examine mo of their witnesses at last you shall finde it confesse it that they are not onely vnreasonable but exceeding shameles men while they hold this that the scripture is hard and to be vnderstood after the church of Rome for thus they haue termed the scripture dead y◅ke a thing without life a dumbe iudge a nose of waxe a black gospell ynken diuinitie these such other words are witnesses against them to all the world their owne bookes are extant and with what spirite then haue these men spoken surely not with the spirit of the father Dauid or of his sonne Salomon who say The lawe of the Lord is perfect and conuerteth soules it giueth to the simple sharpnesse of witt and to the children knowledge and discretion nor with the spirite of Paule that sayeth All scripture is inspired of God and is profitable to reproue correct instruct and to make a godly man perfect to euery good worke this is not to call the scripture a waxen nose or ynken diuinitie but these speeches are much more agreeable to the spirit of the olde heretiques which said the prophecies were dremes But to let their vncomely speeches go to come againe to our purpose They cry out still that the interpretations of the churche of Rome are the sense of the scripture And would you not now thinke that these interpretations of the Romaine church were merueilous wise graue mysticall seing they would haue all the worlde thus to reuerence them See therfore what they are and iudge I wil alledge vnto you some of them in the weightiest matters of faith You are wise iudge what I say these are their most learned expositions of all other in which they boast not a litile Christ saith Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my church ergo the Pope is head of the church how groweth this conclusion forsooth thus if vpon this rocke Christ will build his church then vppon Peter for Peter signifieth that rocke If vpon Peter then vpon Peters successour for the trueth doth cleaue vnto the chaire and Peter maketh his success our inheritour of all his goodnes If to Peters success our then to the Pope for Peter was bishop of Rome And if the church be built vpon Peter then Peter was chiefe of all other and so the Pope is head of the church if these collectiōs be not theirs let me be reproued as a slaunderer if they bee theirs then bee you wise to vnderstand what their religion is for all these collectiōs are vtterly vntrue It is vntrue that Peter is that rocke vpon which the church is built for our Sauiour Christ himselfe saith he that heareth my wordes and perfourmeth them he buildeth vpon the rocke It is vntrue that what faith Peter had the same must be left to Peters successours for Scribes Phariseis buyers and sellers succeeded Moses Aaron It is vntrue that Peter was Bishop of Rome for he was the Apostle of circumcision therefore it was vtterly vnlawfull for him to bee a Bishop among the Gentiles Againe they reason thus The Apostles say to Christ Lord behold here are two swordes therefore the pope hath both ciuil ecclesiasticall gouernement might they not better haue reasoned when Peter would haue vsed one sworde Christe cōmaunded him to put it vp therefore no such swoord at all belongeth to him Again they say Christ promiseth to his Apostles the comforter which shall teach thē all trueth therfore the church of Rome cannot erre howe bring they all the Apostles to the Pope of Rome howe doe they
word of truth we do see where the sixe tribes of Israel do curse such presumption In the xxvi of Deuter. vppon Mouut Eball Ruben Gad Asher Zebulon Dan and Nepthtalim they pronounce a decree Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this booke and all the people shal say A men If to confirme and ratifie be not to repeale or giue contrarie dispensation then all the Israel of the Lord must accurse his blasphemie that wildispense against the word of god We see the Pope vseth a triple crowne and challengeth honour aboue Emperours and kings but if we haue learned the commaundement of Christe and are lightened by it to iudge betweene good and euill when Christ saith Kings of the nations reigne ouer them and their rulers are called gratious Lords but it shall not be so among you we muste needes knowe the Popes pride is intollerable which taketh such honour vnto him selfe We see how they cry against vs The Church the church make vs beleeue that they are the church and they cannot erre but if we be exercised in the scripture to discerne betweene trueth and salshod we knowe that Christ hath built his church vppon the rocke which rocke is not Peter and his successours in Rome as the Pope expoundeth it but our Sauiour Christe sayth He that heareth his woorde and obeyeth it he is the wise man that buildeth vpon the rocke and neither stormes nor tempestes nor the gates of Hell shall preuaile against that buyldinge and Sainct Paule saith The foundation or rocke vppon which we be buylte is the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets And who so euer commeth vnto vs and bringeth vs that doctrine though they say they bee Apostles yet they belyers and though they say they be the church yet they are an assembly of theeues and murtherers Let vs then bee wise at the laste it is not ignoraunce it is perfect knowledge it is not infancie it is ripe vnderstanding that must commend vs vnto God. And mark it wel that you may knowe what God requireth of vs That which is here translated long custome the Apostle calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a knoweledge with long studie and practise learned as lawe in the Iudge or counseller as physick in the learned expert Physician so must diuinitie be in vs. Againe he sayth we must haue our senses exercised it is not enough to know nor to know much but wee muste bring the practise of it in our life neither concealing our knowledge nor withholding our obedience but with minde and bodie testifying our faith til experience teach vs that Gods spirit hath the victorie in vs Lastly he sayth wee must be able to iudge betweene good and euill or as S. Paule termeth it able to trie the difference of things one from other that is that we may know how to discerne betweenâ—… Gods wisedome and mans vaine inuentions betweene trueth and falsehoode betweene vertue and vice not as the manner of some is that stil be babes and worse then babes with whom if you wil reason of their religion to persuade them by the worde of trueth they will say I am not booke learned I can not dispute with you let me alone with my faith other men haue bene as well learned as they be now I am sure they beleeued otherwise are not these miserable people and are not they more miserable whiche thus haue seduced them and shall not wee thanke God this day who hath saued vs from suche vnspeakable madnesse both of the cursed teacher and of the wretched disciple yes dearly beloued let vs thanke God and let vs leaue the blinde leaders of the blinde and let vs pray that God would giue vnto vs according to his glorious riches the strength of his spirite in the inner man that by faith Christ may dwel in our heartes and wee may apprehende with all the saints the heigth the breadth the length the depth and knowe the loue of Christ whiche iâ—… aboue all knowledge and be filled with the fulnesse of God. Nowe it followeth in the sixte Chapter Therefore leuing the doctrine of the beginning of Christ let vs be led forward vnto perfection not laying again the fouÌ„datioÌ„ of repentaÌ„ce from dead works of faith towards God c. In these words the Apostle first maketh the conclu sion of his exhortation therfore let vs leaue the beginnings and go foreward vnto perfection In the wordes following he sheweth by particular pointes what is this beginning beyond which we must go that we may be perfecte and hee numbereth foure points repentance from dead works faith towardes God the resurrection of the bodie eternall iudgment whiche principles were learned and confessed of Christian mens children in the day of their confirmation of Gentiles that came to the faith of Christ in the day of their baptisme in this meaning some thinke he calleth these forenamed points the doctrine of baptismes and laying on of hands meaning thereby that seeing this confession and knowledge is in vs then when first we are receiued into the felowship of the church to be partakers of their mysteries howe ought wee of all duetie to growe vnto greater knowledge and wisedome when now many yeares we haue bene of the Church daily taught all the counsels of God or it may bee that the Apostle here reciteth the manner of catechising vsed them in Churches for instruction of children in which they were taught especially these sixe principles of religion what they are and howe they should learne them that is Repentance Faith Baptisme Laying on of handes the Resurrection and eternall iudgement whiche things being first learned of them and giuen vnto them in bookes such as our Catechismes are the Apostle may seme to speake thus Let vs not alwayes be beginners when we were yet children we learned this since so long time hearing the word preached and religion more perfectly taught vs howe shal we be blamelesse if we learne no more By which wordes the meaning of the apostle is to giue vs no time of rest when we should thinke we were wise enough wee neede learne no more but as long as God continueth our life so long we should continue our studie still to knowe more of his vnsearcheable wisedome and goodnesse Touching the learning of these thinges to bee milke and meate of children I tolde you before by some examples howe we might vnderstand it it is milke to know these things in the simplicitie of the wordes it is strong meate to bee able to distribute them into euerie part and applie it to our selues in our life Repentance whereof he first speaketh hath here a sorrowe and purpose of amendment as these affections can be in children which is to be grieued or wepe for a thing done and to beware afterward for feare of the like but the wise and graue man that hath profited in the schole of Christe his sorrowe sinketh much deeper he
he beginneth his comparison making this as common both to Christ Moses that either of them ruled in the house of God and either of them was faithful in his charge but yet so as Christ was much more honourable therefore to be of vs acknowledged our onely Prophet The place heere alledged that Moses was faithful is written in the 12. of Numbers where GOD giueth him this testimonie and therefore maketh it a warrant that God had chosen him aboue all other Prophets to whom he would more clearely and fully reueale his will and therefore none in all the children of Israel not Aaron not Myriam not any to presume against him A notable place and very fit for the Apostles purpose for directly it teacheth that likewise Christe who of all other was moste faithfull was also most glorified of his Father to be a Prophet aboue al prophets where he saith That Moses was faithful in all his house that is in all the people of Israel whiche was his Church called in the Scripture manie times The house of GOD to shewe in how nighe a bonde God had taken them that he addeth All it sheweth that to euery one Moses was ordeyned of God a Prophet to reueale all the will of God neither any part of it was concealed from him that he knew it not neither kept secret by him that hee woulde not declare it but faithfull in all his house whome in all things euery one should followe and in this was an image of Christ to come who in al the house of God should be absolutely faithful aboue all other that euer were before or after Heere we haue two especial things to learne Christ was faithful in al his house if in all his house then is there no peece of the house of God which Christ hath not built vp vnto perfection for if any little parte or parcel of it be least by Christe imperfect then in it he was not faithfull to finishe the worke that God had giuen him Our Sauiour Christ then if we wil receiue him with all his praise and giue him the glorie of all his work we must confesse he hath built a perset house and made full all the holinesse of his Saincts that they might be washed from all vncleannesse and at the last be presented by him vnto his father a glorious church not haueing spott or wrinckle or any like for he is faithfull in all the house of God our faith our hope our loue our wisedome our woorshipping of God our order our gouernment Christ hath taught vs all and he is vnto vs all and him alone we must set to leade vs in all our wayes If we shoulde attribute vnto him the greate and highest mysteries our predestination our redemption our iustification our sanctification c and say in such hard pointes he hath instructed vs but other thinges he hath leaft to be done by man what were this but to say Christ was faythfull in building the stately roomes of his Fathers house to make the parlour or hall or great chamber but nothing else so manifestly robbing Christe of his glorie that he was not faithfull in all his house And how are we blinded if we do beleeue it he that abased himselfe so lowe that he refused not the shame and curse of the crosse what meane we to think he did not abase him selfe to be with vs in our owne likenesse and reueale vnto vs teach vs all the wil of God what soeuer we ought to know or do Let them go them selues alone and let not vs walke in their counsell who dare require more then Christ hath taught or to presume to speake more then they haue learned of him which is to make him vnfaithfull in some part of the house An other thing in this is to be marked if Christ were faithful in al his house then are they no part of this house whiche are not built vp by him he hath not only made all perfecte but he hath also done it alone and not onely he buildeth the house but they alone are the house who are built by him so that we if we wil be this house we must knowe and feele his workmanship in vs and who soeuer knoweth him not he hath no place in the house of God for the faithfullnesse of Christ is in euerie part of it which faithfulnesse if it haue not wrought in vs we belong not vnto it And thus farre of this comparison with Moses in whiche first the Apostle giueth them both their praise that they were faithful in all the house of God. Now least the comparison should seeme equal or Moses shoulde be accounted as great as Christe euen as before he hath giuen Moses his due praise to testifie how he honoured so great a Prophete of God so nowe he sheweth the greate excellencie of Christ aboue Moses that the Iewes may also learne to honour their Messias as it beecommeth them It followeth Now this man is counted worthie of more glorie then Moses euen as much as he whiche buildeth the house hath more honour then the house for euerie house is builded of some man but he that hath built all thinges is God. Here in one especial point the Apostle reserueth vnto Christe a singular honour aboue all other and aboue Moses that is that Moses was so faithfull a ruler of the house of God that yet hee was himselfe a part of it But Christe is so a ruler of it that he hath also built it himselfe Now then seeing the workeman is more honourable then the house euerie parte of it Christ is so much more honourable then Moses This reason we see is taken of the similitude of a house a thing vsuall in our life and vnderstood of all and seeing it pleaseth God to teach vs wisedome by so base similitudes we are so much more excuselesse if we will not learne Will you see the difference betweene Christe and Moses Looke vpon a house him that made it When you see a faire house who hathe the praise The stone and timber and other matter or else the workeman that built them vp together So is it with Christ and Moses Moses was faythfull it is true and so is the stone and timber good and sound and verie apt to abide the hewing til you can frame it together But what is this to compare it with the workman â–ª Be it neuer so good it is a lump without fashion and neuer wil haue beautie in it except the workeman set to his hand euen so Moses because hee is fleshe and bloud whiche nature our Sauiour Christ hath sanctified to be a vessell of the grace of God hee was an apt matter to be made euen a beautiful portion of this house but what is this to Christe without whome Moses had perished in his owne corruption and his nature had bene lost no peece of it to come into the house of God Seeing then Moses is as a parte of
here plainely teacheth vs that we be the house of God if wee holde the reioycing of our hope stedfast and sure vnto the ende and if there bee an other people which haue cast their hope from them and taken in stead of it a new fancie worldly minded mē which bring our worldly speeche to measure the trueth of God because in worldly things we say we hope of that which we can not surely tell whether we shall haue or no therefore to make also the hope of saluation a desire in vs whereof we are vncerteine if I say there be any such people let them boast they are the church yet we know they are not the church but an absurde people for let them aunswere mee but this one question I aske of them whether they be sure they are the church of God or no if they be not sure they be blinde leaders of the blind shall we follow them who knowe not whether they go If they be sure doe they thinke the Church of God can perish if it cannot the hope of it is sure and no man can come into it but he must haue his portion in this assurance of hope And al this I speake not as though Gods children are euerie one and alwayes in this assurance for sometime their faith is weake and their hope is shadowed that they might humble them selues vnder the hand of God till they doe acknowledge their owne vnworthines and hunger and thirst after the righteousnes of Christ but in all their weakenesse they wil confesse their sinne and say they ought more assuredly to holde their hope onlie this I say and this the Apostle sayth this is the doctrine of the house of God that they ought to holde the reioycing of their hope stedfast and sure vnto the ende and this doctrine that our hope is doubtfull and can not haue anie assuraunce of the thing we hope for this I say is not the doctrine of Christ nor of the house that he hath built but of some other an Idols house house of idolaters y either knowe not whether their God be faithful iust or but a deceiuer or whether thēselues should beleeue his promises or rather mistrust them And thus farr of the church as here the Apostle hath described it Now the third thing which we must here marke for our instruction is perseuerance for so he sayth We m◅st holde our reioycing continuall vnto the ende A most necessarie thing and such as without which all our labour is lost but a thing hard to atteine vnto ful of difficultie know it by the experience of it for scarce one of a great many doth grow vp into seruēcie of zeale so cōtinueth vnto the end And therfore the more daunger is vnto vs in this behalfe the more watchful we must be to auoyd the perill Let vs first know it persuade our selues in it there is no pleasing of God but in this perseuerāce vnto the end for euen as the prophet sayth so we shal find it true If the righteous man of an hundred yere old shal forsake his righteousnes the Lord wil also forget al y righteousnes y he hath done and a most iust cause why our sinnes should be imputed if at any time we should faint fall away for he y can measure his obedience to God by dayes yeeres accompteth times how long he wil walke before the Lord he is not worthie to be reckoned amonge his seruantes nor to be one of Gods children for God is not as men are nor his rewardes are as the rewardes of princes hee measureth not his giftes by such skant accomptes of yeeres and moneths and times past as though at last he could be enuious at our prosperitie but he filleth his hande with blessing and his loue with immortalitie neither is there any ende of his mercie and if we shall come to such cold reckoning to score vp our yeares and number our doings like prentices or hired mē let vs go serue some God that againe scoreth vp his benefites and with an euil eye loketh vppon his louers let vs worshippe with the papists al their abhominations Saint Cornellis who can only keepe vs from the falling sicknes S. Apolline who wil helpe vs of the toothache or some other Gods of the mounteines or Gods of the vallies if thou haue suche a God that can do so litle good make thy bargeine therafter and serue him by times moments But if thou serue y Lord God of hostes whose mercie is ouer all his workes and whose infinite goodnesse doth endure for euer thou seruest a bountifull Lord who giueth thee all things vpbraideth none thou maiest not be a nigardly seruant to giue vnto him either thy hand or thy foot but all is of him withal y must serue him Thou seruest a louing lord who wil not cha◅g his fauour towards thee for euermore thou maist not serue him by account of days but to the last houre thou must euer be faithfull A perfect God a perfect seruant an euerlasting God a perpetuall seruant if thou fall at the last thou art fallen from him and not he from thee thy condēnation is of thy self Therfore our sauiour Christ hath giuen vs a cleare warning that He that setteth his hand◅ to the plowe and looketh backward he is not meete for the kingdome of heauē but thus his promise is vnto vs He that persenereth vnto the ende he shal be safe and in this assurance Sainct Paule helde the reioycing of his hope I haue strouen a good strise I haue finished my course I haue kept my faith Now the crowne of righteousnes onely is behinde which he will giue mee who is the righteous iudge Euen ◅o dearely beloued let vs be constant let vs cast away the burthen that presseth vs downe and this sinne which so easily compasseth vs about and let vs runne with patience all out the race which is set before vs so we shal be like vnto our sauiour Christ who for the ioye that was set before him did despise the crosse and is nowe the authour and finisher of our faith The greatest enimie we haue to make vs slumble and fall that we should not holde this constancie and perseuerance vnto the ende is our owne fleshe And if it may haue any rule in this worke or if we consult with it in these heauenlie thinges wee are vndone and all our labour is lost for our fleshe will like of nothing long All delightes must haue their change and the greater the pleasure is the neerer is safetie in any thing what so euer apperteineth vnto the bodie Wouldest thou neuer so faine sell thy selfe to serue any thing thou shalt finde nothing that will giue thee a perpetual pleasure to buy thy seruice hunger thirst are soone satisfied the heauie cyclid is easily filled with sleepe labour hath wearinesse and rest is soone tedious all play and pastim◅ whiche
haue so greate gladnesse of hearte O Lorde what are the Heauens of Heauens where we are citizens which is our countrie where our bodie is glorious and crowned with life where thy maiestie shal shine in perfect beautie before vs where all thinges shal be our owne and we shal bee thine A happie lordship a happie Earledome a hap pie man whose honour teacheth him thus to know the Lord who hath had mercie vppon him These and such like meditations thoughts which carrie vp our mindes from the Creatures to the Creatour and from our worldly calling to him that hath called vs these doe leade vs into the rest of the Lorde these are our holie woorkes on the sabbaoth dayes and this is our wisedome in enioying all the benefites of god But of this meditation I spake before vnto you in the exposition of the sixt verse of the second chapter Nowe touching this woorde whereof we haue heard so much that is the rest of God we must marke how the scripture vseth it sometime for the trueth which is euer one somtime for the figures whiche haue beene diuerse The true and perfecte rest is that which is now begonne in vs the resting from our owne workes that is our dyinge vnto sinne the crucifying of the olde man that wee may giue ouer our bodies vnto the Lord to be seruants of righteousnesse and that onely his spirite may reigne in vs that as Paule saith it be not nowe we that liue but that it be Christ that liueth in vs and this rest shal be made perfecte in the resurrection of the iust when we shal be ioyned vnto Christe our head and God shal be vnto vs all in all The figures of this rest as I saide haue beene diuerse The first figure was the rest of the sabboth day called our rest because wee were without bodily labour only in spirituall exercise to consider the works of God his greatnesse and power and goodnesse therby to learne with al our harts to serue him to glorifie him as our only god so y al the seuenth day longe while the sunne shined it preached vnto the people that they should ceasse from sinne and serue God die vnto the world and liue in him An other figure of this spirituall rest was the lande of Canaan called their rest because they ceassed from the fearefull trauell of the solitarie wildernesse and from feare of enimies which alwayes rose againste them from their bondage before in Egypt now inhabiting a quiet countrie full of all fruit and pleasure and their spirituall exercise in this rest was to see from what miseries God had deliuered them what blessings he had giuen them howe mightilie he saued them from al hurt of man and beast and euerie creature and therfore now in a holy rest and quietnesse to be thankful vnto him to serue him to trust in him to rest vnder the shadow of his wings An other figure of this rest was also y tēple of whiche it was said This is my rest for euer here wil I dwel for I haue a delight therin called also the rest in respect that before the tabernacle and the Arke was carried from place to place but nowe it was settled for euer in mount Sion the spirituall exercise of this rest was that God had now made knowen vnto them his statutes and ordinaunces in which they should liue his couenauntes and promises were sure vnto them and that they shoulde not immagine vaine thoughts or followe their own deuises but abide in the waies of God acknowledging them alone to be the wayes of life and so giue ouer them selues to walke in them These were the figures of this spirituall rest which abideth for euer and vnto vs nowe to whō figures haue ceassed this rest is set out clearlie in it self that we should liue in it ceasse from our owne workes doe the woorkes of our God and worship him in spirit and trueth hauing according to this exhortation of our Apostle our Sauiour Christ our onely prophet to rest in his woorde our onely priest to rest in his sacrifice for sinne our only king to rest in his defence our only head to rest in his nourishment who only with his blessed spirite feedeth vs to eternall life and worketh in vs all in all This is that kingdome of God whiche we are taught to pray that it may come and prosper and this is that the prophet Esay sayth of the roote of Ishaie that in those dayes his rest should be glorious this is the trueth sigured in all the former restes of the Sabboath of the lande of Canaan of the temple as Zacharias ful of the holie ghost doth most plainly shew This is saith he the othe which he sware to our father A brahā that he would graunt vnto vs that we beeing deliuered out of the handes of our enimies might serue him without feare in holines righteousnes al the dayes of our life and this rest hath in it as Paul saith a pure heart that is vn◅ed cōstant loue a sincere saith that is holy and true religion and a good corscience that is peace toward God through Iesus Christ and these properties of our rest deerely beloued mark them wel that we may knowe the place where we dwell in peace and lest we thinke foolishly that we are at rest when yet we are tossed in the tempestuous sea our religion must be pure and vntouched from the curious and entising fancies of Philosophie from traditions and decrees of men from superstition of the elements of the worlde as meate drinke daies times and such other to be short pure from al thinges which Christ our only prophet hath not taught vs And how can we thinke then that we are yet in this rest if we be holden with decrees Touch not tast not c. if counsels and fathers whiche are diuerse and daily renued do lead vs with their sūdrie indgments what rest is in my religion if thus I muste walke vncerteinly It was said of the first rest What I commaund thee do that onely this rest is nowe abundantly confirmed vnto vs more amplie thē before as Christe is greater then Moses and how then do we seeke after any instruction but onely after the word of Christe alone Againe seeing in our rest is vnfeigned loue contention and strife quarels are cast out how do we say we are entred into our rest when this dissention is amōg vs one with another let vs looke vnto it wel to whom it belongeth It is a greuous thing to trouble the peace of the church so is it a greuous thing to see trueth lye hidden or despised therfore iudge not you rashly nor condemne any mans worke before it be tried We are called vnto a rest and let vs nourish our peace who soeuer fall out with vs let vs not fall out with them but let vs seeke the truethe in loue and so shall be built vp the
decayed places of Sion and to our selues euery one of vs this I say yet not I but Saint Iohn That He that loueth his brother he hath no offence in him whereat another should fall therfore in any controuersies that can arise in the church if we feare God let vs follow this rule let vs not doe any thing for vaine glory for honour for riches for pleasing men for if we do we may be assured offeÌ„ces wil arise we shall be guiltie of theÌ„ but if only Gods glory the loue of our brethren do constraine vs God will giue vs the spirit of wildome peace and we shall not be offences vnto any but this let you me coÌ„mit vnto the Lord with our hartie praires he wil bring to passe a good worke in our eyes Againe our rest must bee in all trueth and howe doe suche men seeke the glorie of this rest which fil the world with lying and flattering which call good euil and euil good light darknesse and darknesse light The Prophet Amos complayneth of the Iudges of his time that they were so corrupte through brybes that they were redie to sell the people for old shooes if he were aliue now he would add to this another complaint that some preachers are also so corrupt that they wil sell the trueth for a mounrning gowne Let a man be now neuer so blinde that hee walke as at midnight when it is noone dayes yet you shall finde some Preacher will commende his sight if a man were as black as the black horse spoken of in the Apocalypse that nothing were in him but shadowe darknesse yet he shall finde a black prophet with a black mouth and a headlong tongue to make him as white as the white woll or as white as the white snowe and if a false tounge coulde colour him more then that it is set to sale and it is easily bought But haue such men care of our blessed rest or do they delight in the glorie of it Do they thinke that in the church of Christ it wil be euer suffered that the sweete and costly garments of Gods sainctes shal be taken from them and made a spoyle for straungers or he that goeth about this shall hee not disquiet our peace Leaue off then you that feare the Lorde leaue off to sell the praises of faith and of religion to those which neuer sought and inquired after them Remember Elihu saith If I shoulde giue titles my maker woulde destroy mee Do not therefore iustifie the sinner while thou liuest Thou foolish praiser thou folish praised what substance is there in you but a blast of winde Let vs then leaue off lying and speake euerie man the trueth froÌ„ our hearts and so let vs enter into our rest dwell in the peace of Gods Church together Nowe one worde more touching this rest the seuenth day is called the Lordes rest the land of Canaan is called his rest the temple his rest the Gospell his rest yet were not all these his rest but figures and presentations of it as times places meanes by whiche we should rest in him yet had they the name of the rest as things liuely presenting the rest vnto vs in whiche we enioyed the spirituall rest thus it is in all sacraments because they present vnto vs Gods graces and his holy spirite worketh in the ministerie of them the more to assure our faith they are also named by the thinges which they preseÌ„t vnto vs Now touching the sabboth day which is here mentioned you see from the beginninge it was a figure of our spirituall rest in Christ so that as al figures in him haue ceassed are complete so the obseruation of that seuenth day hath also ceassed and the trueth of it must shewe it selfe which is that not the seuenth day but all the days of our life our thoughtes should be with God and our workes to his glorie and thus the olde Sabboth was ceremoniall and is now abrogate euen as you see for that Sabboth is now our saturday in which we lawfully occupie our selues in all honest labour of our calling An other end of that Sabboth was according to the manners of men necessarie for them then and now necessarie for vs and that was that thei might haue a time to meet together to worship God in the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ to make publique prayers vse his sacramentes for strengthening their faith heare his law and his prophets that they might learne his iudgments and edifie one another in the knowledg of God this end of the Sabboth must needs be perpetuall as long as our weaknesse needeth mutuall helpe and as long as it is meete we should openlie serue the Lord to this end the commaundement is stil read vnto vs Remember thou keepe holie the Sabboth day which now is our sunday ordeined by the apostls exaÌ„ples that the superstition of the Iewish Sabboth should be taken away and kept holie that thus we should occupie our selues in that day otherwise the olde Sabboth can possiblie be kepte of vs no other way but as the Apostle here teacheth vs in the tenth verse that as we see God rested in it from all his works so we in all our life must rest from our own woorkes that is wee must rest from our care or regarde of the flesh to accomplish the desires of it but as we are bought with a price so wee muste yeelde our selues seruants vnto our Lord and offer vp our selues a holie liuely sacrifice to doe his will and thus farre of this text Now let vs pray c. ¶ The xx Lecture vpon the 11. 12. and 13. verses 11 Let vs studie therefore to enter into that rest lest any man fall after the same example of disobedience 12 For the word of God is liuely and mightie in operation sharper theÌ„ any two edged sword entreth through euen vnto the diuiding a sunder of the soule the spirit and of the ioyntes and the marrowe and is a discerner of the thoughtes and the intents of the heart 13 Neither is there any creature which is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open vnto his eyes with whome he hath to doe IN this eleuenth verse the Apostle maketh his last proofe of Christe to be our prophet because y â— â—…ce of this word of God agreed â—…t but with the maiestie of his person and so entreth into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 description of the vertue power of this word making earnest exhortation that wee would vse the great benefite of it and therefore hee saith first Let vs therfore studie to enter that is let vs labour let vs be careful let vs giue all indeuour let vs care trauell that we may enter thus shaking off al sluggish dulnesse quickening them froÌ„ heauinesse of spirite as vnto a thing of great weight he calleth vs with great care and studie to giue our selues vnto it And