witchcrafts and adulteries were in great number A man that sinneth is like one that is tumbled downe from a steepe hill he cannot stay till he come to the bottome unlesse there be an extraordinary stop by the way there is no stay in sinning unlesse God stay us by the hand of his spirit Not content therewith neither doth he himselfe receive the brethren which notwithstanding he ought to doe for in receiving of them hee receives Christ When I was a stranger yee lodged me Yet not content with that he forbids them that would like the dog in the maunger that would neither eate provender himselfe nor suffer the horse to eate it like the Pharisees that shut up the Kingdome of heaven before men neither goe in themselves nor suffer others to enter in these be vile wretches neither give to good uses themselves nor suffer others disswade others these are guilty of their owne damnation and of the damnation of others too like those that be infected with the plague and desire to infect others too The heighth of his insolencie was he casteth them out of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he throweth them out with spite and indignation Whom Et suscipientes susceptos both the receivers and the strangers received Aquinas supposeth he did cast them é loco publici conventus out of the place of publique assembly non e consortio fidelium not out of the company of the faithfull it is like he intended both he excommunicated them Excommunicatio est ejectio e communione fidelium an ejection out of the company of the faithfull first in publique then in private the publique is either an exclusion from the Sacraments alone which is called minor the lesser excommunication or from the publique prayers of the Church too and that is major the greater excommunication to use the schoole termes a fructu suffragio from the fruit they might have by the Sacraments and from the prayers and suffrages of the Church Touching private wee must withdraw our selves from them we must not eate with them familiarly that so they may be ashamed of themselves repent and be received into the lap of the Church againe The persons to be excommunicated and throwne out of the Church are grosse open notorious offenders by whom the name of God is blasphemed the Church grieved and offended as adolaters blasphemers heretiques sowing the seede of damnable doctrine adulterers drunkards egregious covetous persons wide mouth'd railers and despisers of authority and government If we be throwne out of the Church for these and such like vices our case is to be deplored wee are to grieve and lament for it Within the Church Christ ruleth without the Church the devill ruleth the incestuous person in the Church of Corinth was delivered to Sathan so was Hymeneus and Alexander 1. A fearefull condition to be in the jurisdiction of the devill 2. They that be in the Church are blessed they that be out of it are cursed 3 They that be rebellious against the Church are as heathen and publicans and they are odious to all 4. They that be cast out of the Church militant are likewise for the time so long as they remaine obdurate in their sinnes cast out of the Church triumphant For whosoever the Church bindeth upon earth is bound in heaven too therefore let us feare just excommunications But if we be cast out of the Church by them that are usurpers in the Church as Diotrephes was or if wee bee cast out not for ill doing but for well doing as these were not because we be heretiques indeede But because after the way that they call heresie so Worspip we the God of our fathers for adoring of Christ and refusing to adore the Pope Let not that grieve us but let us rejoyce in it The Pharisees cast out the blind man but Christ tooke him in Our Saviour armeth us against such thunderbolts not to be scared with them they shall excommunicate you but be not daunted with that for they excommunicated me before you futurum erat saith Saint Augustine ut foras emitterentur cum illo ab eis qui esse nollent in illo qui non possent esse sine illo It shall come to passe that they should be cast out with him by them that would not be in him nay by them that could not be without him VERSE 11. WEE have had a description of him now a caveat for the avoyding of him where 1. the precept 2. the reason the precept is partly negative partly affirmative Follow not that which is evill no not in Diotrephes though he be a man of credit and estimation with some Evill is soone imitated especially in great persons they are a countenance to it their actions seeme to be lawes Such a great man sweares profanely Why may not I sweare too no Follow not that which is evill in any no not in good men follow not Lots incest David his adultery Peters denyall but especiall decline that which is evill in bad men though they bee never so great in Church or Common wealth 1. Evill is agreeable to our nature it is soone followed a little perswading will serve the turne therefore we had neede to beware of it 2. There be many instigators to that which is evill the devill and his instruments to thrust us forward 3. Evill is common a weede that growes every where goodnesse is a flower that growes in few gardens Broad is the way that leades to destruction and many there be that finde it Narrow is the way that leadeth to life and few that walke in it many Sodomites but one Lot 4. Evill since the fall is of greatest antiquity there was a Cain before an Abel an Ismael before an Isaac an Esau before a Iacob therefore we had neede to watch over our selves else wee shall follow evill ere we be aware 5. Whether doth evill leade us even to hell to the bottomelesse pit of eternall damnation follow her not let her goe alone for all us yet she hath too many followers even in the light of the Gospel We are compassed about with evill men before and behinde on the right hand and on the left yet let us be among them but let us not follow them let us be like to fishes they live in salt water yet they themselves are fresh Noah lived in the corrupt world yet he himselfe remained incorrupt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he had beene cloathed with another nature Iob saith the same Father was as a Dove among Hawkes a Lambe among Wolves a Starre among Cloudes a Lilly among Thornes yet he persevered in his uprightnesse We shall meete with evill wheresoever we be yet let us keepe our selves undefiled of evill What must we know then That which is good which is commanded in the Law of God the rule of all goodnesse for the squaring of our actions yea in the
speaking to them by his servant Moses Whereby wee are given to understand that one of the greatest things that provokes the wrath of God is the contempt of his Majesty in the preaching of the Word When they heard they provoked him to anger therefore take heede how yee heare if ye despise the messengers by whom God speaketh if ye regard not their word God will be mightily offended with you They made God bitter against them Furthermore whereas he saies some not all it teaches us that the word of God is never without some fruite some or other profit by it The thorny ground the stony the ground by the high way side received not the seed yet some good ground received it and brought forth fruit When the booke of the Law was read the hearts of all that heard it were not hardned Iosiahs heart melted at it The greatest part of the assembly at Athens the wise and learned Philosophers mocked at Saint Paul when he preached Christ and the resurrection yet some believed at his Sermon as Dionysius amongst the women to whom Saint Paul spake one Lydia believed Let this encourage us that be Christs Ambassadours our labour is not altogether fruitlesse we shall carry some sheaves or others into the barne of the Kingdome of heaven Though many in a towne where the word is preached provoke God to anger they heare and regard it not yet some there be in whom we may rejoyce and though there were none yet our reward is with God A fisherman is to bee commended for his painefulnesse in his calling though he get never a fish So God will reward us His Spirituall fishermen though we should not catch one fish in the net of the Gospell yet for the most part there be some in the worst towne that is that profit by the ministery of the Word these some though they be few shall be our crowne of rejoycing at the latter day Againe heere we see the estate of the Church militant the bad are alwayes mingled with the good Cockle and Corne in the field chaffe and wheat in the barne floore In this house there be earthen and golden vessels In the Church triumphant no uncleane thing all dogs enchanters c. stand without and are not admitted in but in the militant Church there be many dogs prophane persons as Esau was there is a Cain as well as an Abel a Saul as a David an Ishmael as an Isaac a Iudas as a Peter neither let us be discouraged at it It hath been so from the beginning and it shall be so till the day of judgment when Christ shall come to purge this floore of his Moses whom God used as his hand to carry them out of Aegypt God will not have those famous instruments to be buried in silence whom he hath used for our good the sword of the Lord and of Gideon S. Paul thankes Priscilla and Aquila and heere an honourable mention is made of Moses though he were dead long agoe We in England were lead out of the Spirituall Aegypt of blindnesse superstition and ignorance by Queene Elizabeth and other good Princes of worthy memory therefore let them bee remembred still with thankesgiving to GOD. VERSE 17. SEcond branch with whom he was grieved in the ninth verse the terme of forty yeares was annexed to their tempting of God heere the time that God was displeased with them But we have shewed that this is all one They with whom God was grieved are set forth 1. By their action 2. By their passion 1. By that which they did 2. By that which they suffered That persisted stubbornely in their sinnes and would not be reclaimed from them GOD is displeased with none but with them that sin against Him He strikes not as a blind man every one hand over head that comes under his reach all is fish that comes to his net he is angry with a godly man as well as with an ungodly man The Sodomites were destroyed but Lot was saved Sinne not and though thou dwellest amongst sinners yet GOD will not powre downe the Vialls of His wrath upon thee the soule that sinneth shall surely dye 2 By that which they suffered Whose members The parts put for the whole yet the word members is very emphaticall Come into a field where a sore battell hath beene fought and you shall finde heere a legge and there an arme one member in this place an other in that which is lamentable to behold So their members were scattered in the wildernsse some lay in this place some in that They fell some one way some another Some devoured by wild beasts some stung to death by Serpents some the earth swallowed up quicke some swept away with the pestilence They all fell in the wildernesse by one death or an other namely all the impenitent sinners It is to be restreined to them for Moses and Aaron and sundry others are to be exempted Gods wrath was not thus extreamely kindled against them All those that dwelt in their sinnes fell thus in the wildernesse The consideration of these temporall plagues inflicted on sinners should scare us from sin the water wherewith the old world was drowned the fire and brimstome that consumed the Sodomites the casting of Iezebel that filthy strumpet out of a window and the eating of her by dogs the hanging of Absalom by the haire of his head the fal of the tower of Siloam upon eighteen persons and the falling of the carkasses of the Israelites in the wildernesse Though we feare not hell because we see it not yet let us feare the arrowes of GODs wrath which he may shoot at us in this world and pierce us through If ye will not feare him because he can kill the soule which is the greatest yet feare him because he hath infinite wayes to destroy your bodies He can make the French Pox to eate up the body of an Whore-monger He can make the body of an ominous and malicious person to consume away to the very bones He can wash away the flesh of a drunkard He can give all our bodies if it please Him as foode to the foules of the ayre he can make them to lye rotting on the earth and not to have the honour of buriall as Iezabel and these in the wildernes but make us to be buried as an Asse is buried as it fell out to Iehojakim Therfore in respect of these bodily punishments at least let us feare God and take heed of displeasing him VERSE 18. THE third branch who they were that God by an oath excluded out of his rest he sayth not to whom spake he that would not be perswaded by all the heavenly Rhetorique he used but still persisted in their sins He doth not say them that heard him not they gave him not the hearing as we saw before but because they obeyed not they were shut out of his rest Obedience is better then Sacrifice Hearing is good to heare many Sermons is a
1.20 From the testimony cited in the former verse he reasons in this They did not enter therefore some others shall for Gods promise shall take effect and not fall to the ground If a man having prepared a sumptuous dinner shall say if these dine with me then never trust me againe thereby we may safely collect that there bee others that dine with him Hath he said it and shall he not doe it They that shall not enter into this rest are described by a prerogative vouchsafed to them and by the contempt of that prerogative The Prerogative hath two branches the 1. is the preaching and manifesting of this rest to them 2. is the order of time in respect whereof they were preferred before others They were the first that had this glad tydings of peace offered to them yet they were stubborne froward and disobedient they would not beleeve GOD and his promise for that cause they never sate a foote into that rest Yet some there be that shal take possession of it namely they that believe in God heaven and earth shall passe away but not one jot of Gods word shall be unfulfilled Though diverse regard it not and thinke it to bee but a fooles Paradise yet undoubtedly some shall have it There be first that shall be last sayes CHRIST Many may have this priviledge to have the Gospell first preached to them and yet not be saved by the Gospell Christ gave commandement that his Apostles should beginne their preaching at Ierusalem The Gospel is the power of God to salvation to the Iew first Yet easier for Tyrus and Sydon at the day of judgement then for many of them We in England in this last age of this world have had the Gospell againe revealed unto us before a number of places in the world we even in these parts have had it a long time in most plentifull measure above and before sundry places in the land yet let us not flatter our selves in that Some of them that be still in darkenesse may goe to heaven before us Howsoever they that have the first offer which is a singular priviledge regard it not yet some out of all question shall have it Many come from the east and from the West and shall set downe with Abraham Isack and Iacob in the kingdome of heaven and the children of the kingdome shall be cast out into outer darkenesse Matth. 8.11.12 Those that were first bidden to the marriage would not come they made excuses yet the Lord sent into the high wayes and hedges and his house at the length was filled God is not tyed to any If the first refuse the last shall have it therefore while this rest is preached to us let us take hold of it and not reject it as the ancient Israelites did VERSE 7. 2. HEE proves it by the circumstance of time For David spake this a long time after they were setled in the land of Canaan by Iosua even foure hundred yeares after therefore he must needs meane another rest then the land of Canaan In David 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Hebr. 1.1 2. Not that voice that spake in the wildernesse but which soundeth now in the preaching of the Gospell Christ speaketh to us at this present day he that heareth you heareth me As if God did beseech you through us Therefore let us take heede that wee harden not our hearts against him VERSE 8. Iosua which was a type of CHRIST hath the same name with our Saviour CHRIST yet in a diverse manner Iosua was a Saviour for them in temporall things CHRIST in spirituall and eternall things hee saved them from the Canaanites earthly enemies CHRIST from sinne death hell and Satan spirituall enemies He gave them a land flowing with milke and hony in this world CHRIST gives us an everlasting habitation a celestiall paradise in the world to come If Ioshua had given them this rest then would not the Holy Ghost have spoken of another VERSE 9. WHereupon hee inferreth the conclusion 1. Introduced then confirmed Verse 10. There remaineth therefore By necessary consequence by the force and strength of reasoning A rest besides the land of Canaan wherein yee now rest In this place he reteineth the Hebrew word There remaineth a sabbatizing a keeping of a Sabbath in heaven for whom not for the people of the Devill but of GOD an holy nation a people zealous of good workes Many Atheists make a mocke at the kingdome of heaven The Preachers talke much of a glorious and wealthie kingdome which we shall have after this life but God send us wealth peace joy and pleasure in this world let them looke for that kingdome I but there remaineth a rest a Sabbath where we shall never be molested any more For whom doth it remaine and who be this people of God All nations in the world are his people by Creation but these bee his people by adoption whom hee hath adopted in his Sonne Christ Iesus whom he hath constituted a Prince and ruler over this people Rebels and traitours are not the Kings people they be the kings people that obey the Kings lawes 1. Every people is gathered together by some meanes or other a people is a collection of many men So we that are the people of God are gathered together with the trumpet of the word 2. A people gathered together must have lawes to rule them by otherwise they will soone be out of order leges à ligando because they are the bond that ties the people together otherwise they will range beyond limits even so Gods people have Gods lawes set downe in his word 3 Every people must have a King or ruler which is lex loquens even so the Ruler of Gods people is Iesus Christ they that will not have him to rule over them are none of Gods people 4 A people must have some Country to dwell in some in Denmarke some in France c. So the Country where this people dwell is the Church militant in this life and triumphant in the life to come 5 All people are distinguished by some outward habite and attyre French men goe not as English men Spanyards goe otherwise then Turkes c. So GODS people have the Sacraments to distinguish them Baptisme which is Christs marke and the Supper which is his Seale 6 People must live in obedience to the lawes of their King Traytors and rebels are not the Kings liege and loyall people So we that be GODS people must live obediently to Gods lawes If we be abominable swearers that rend GODS name in pieces contemners of his word if wee bee beastly drunkards and impure adulterers and adulteresses if we wallow in the mire of all sinne we are none of GODS people neither can we have any assurance of this rest therefore let us shew our selves by our workes to bee GODS people in this life that we may have this rest in the life
shadowes Not of bad things he is no High-Priest of evill things as Annas and Caiphas were but of good things that is of most excellent things the positive being put for the superlative A good worke that is a worthy worke he that findeth a Wife findeth a good thing that is an excellent thing Some think that by the first Tabernacle was signified the militant Church as by the second the Church triumphant Christ by the Church militant gathered by God not by man entred into heaven all went into heaven by the Church militant Some more speciall thing is here avouched of Christ. Some againe by it understand Heaven but that cannot bee for then by Heaven he should enter into heaven for V. 24. the Holy of Holies is expounded to be heaven But rather by this tabernacle was signified the body of Christ. As the High-Priest came into the first Tabernacle and by it passed into the Holy place So the deity of our SAVIOUR CHRIST came into his sacred humanity and by it entred into heaven Thus is CHRIST's body compared unto a Temple Ioh. 2. and to the vaile Heb. 10.20 As God dwelt in that Tabernacle of the Iewes so the deity dwelt in Christ's humanity bodily This Tabernacle is illustrated by the adjuncts and the efficient cause the adjuncts are two 1. A greater not in quantity but in quality as the King is greater than any in the Realme that is more worthy Christ was greater than Salomon not in stature or bignesse of body but in excellency the greatest of these is love that is the chiefest So Christ's body was a greater that is a farre more excellent Tabernacle That was perfect in his kinde being finished according to GODS direction but this is more perfect that could perfect nothing touching our salvation but only shadowed out things to come by and in this Tabernacle was perfected the worke of our redemption consummatum est The efficient cause is set downe negatively whereby the affirmative part may be easily collected Of men not of the like structure and fabricke that the other Tabernacle was that Tabernacle was made by the hands of Aholiaâ— and Bezaleel this Tabernacle of Christ's body was made by the hands of the Holy Ghost Hebr. 8.2 that Tabernacle was made of Wood Gold Silver hayre c. this Tabernacle of Christ's body was made of the flesh of the Virgin not by the copulation of a man but by the shadowing of the Holy Ghost a Tabernacle farre more glorious than that was There yee have the truth of the Tabernacle A thing come is better than that which is to come A child come into the world is more acceptable then one to come a feast come then one to come CHRIST was to come in the time of the Law now he is come Let us receive him with joy as old father Simeon did Hee is not a laick but a Priest not an inferiour but an High-Priest All were subject to the High-Priest in the time of the Law and let us submit our selves to Christ our High-Priest in the time of the Gospell Here we may see what they be that in truth deserve the name and title of good things Not silver and gold houses and lands Sheepe and Oxen faire houses large lands and ample possessions CHRIST at his comming brought none of these yet hee brought good things with him namely remission of sins the glorious robe of his owne righteousnesse to cover us withall faith and other graces of the spirit and habitation in his owne kingdome in the life to come these indeed are worthy the name of good things Projicimus nomen boni Seneca when we adscribe it to these inferiour things Why callest thou me good sayes Christ to the young man So why doe we call these earthly and transitory things good The onely good things are the spirituall blessings that Christ bringeth The greatest sort crave worldly goods but let us entreat the Lord to fill our store-house with these good things The Philosophers made three kindes of good things bona animi as wit and wisedome learning bona corporis as beauty strength bona fortunae as riches honours c. to speake the truth none of them all are good things they be good things that can make the parties good that have them these doe not Esau had a good wit could readily descant on Iacobs name yet he was no good man Iulian the Apostata had great variety of learning yet a vile man Haman had great honour his throne exalted above all yet hee a wicked man Og King of Bashan had strength Ahsalom beauty yet evill men Health is a good thing A man may come to Church heare service and Sermons which he cannot when he is sicke Wealth is good A man may bee liberall to all good uses laying up a good foundation against the time to come but these are not worthy to be named with those which we have in Christ. Therefore let us desire those good things that can make us good to engraft us into Christ in this life and make us heyres of his kingdome in the life to come Forsomuch as our Priest bringeth such excellent things with him let him be most welcome to us David said of Ahimaaz he is a good man and bringeth good tidings much more let us say of Christ our High-Priest he is a good man he bringeth good tidings that by the bloud of his Crosse he hath reconciled us to God the Father hath obtained a generall pardon for all our sins he hath prepared a place for us in his own kingdome therefore let us receive him with all joy The High-Priest in the time of the Law could bring no such good newes hee only came with the bloud of a Goate Bullocke c. That was a representation of the bloud of CHRIST The Pope that challengeth to himselfe the title of an High-Priest in the time of the Gospell sendeth forth his pardons and indulgences but they are little worth they cannot free us from one sin it is Christ alone that is the messenger and author of all good things to us therefore let us skip for joy at his comming and embrace him with both armes As Christ's body is a Tabernacle So is ours 2 Pet. 1.14 2 Cor. 5.1 1. The name of a tent or Tabernacle imports a warfare Souldiers have their tents Abraham Isaac dwelt in tents the Iewes had the feast of Tabernacles Wee fight against Satan and his instruments in the tents of our bodies 2. There is a difference betweene a Tabernacle and an house for an house is made of solid matter Wood Stone c. A Tent is made of old clothes patched together so our bodies are not made of the Sun of the Starres of the firmament but of the earth which is a brittle thing 3. A Tent is weake easily pierced through so our body a knife a pin may pricke it a flie may choake it A Tent is quickly up and quickly downe So is our body wee
So the graces of the spirit clense us from many sinnes which are the corruptions of the soule 6. Oyle swims aloft above all other things it will have the preeminence above all liquid things So the oyle of the Spirit carries us aloft makes us to have our conversation in heaven 7. Oyle makes the lampe to burne the five foolish Virgins went to buy oyle for their lamps So the oyle of the Spirit makes us to continue burning in zeale and all good workes 8. Oyle makes a man chearefull he hath given him oyle to make him a cheerefull countenance when men would looke cheerefully they annoint their faces with oyle So the graces of the spirit infuse unspeakable cheerfulnesse into the faithfull for this cause it is called the oyle of gladnesse none so merry none so cheerfull as they that bee anoynted with this oyle There was great joy in Samaria when this oyle came to the City when the Gospell of Christ was planted among them The Iaylor rejoyced with all his household that by Saint Pauls Preaching he believed in God the Christians in the Primitive Church being for the most part poore folke eate their meate with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart praising God This oyle makes us exceeding cheerefull in all estates and conditions Sometimes indeed we have cause of weeping for our selves and others Saint Peter wept bitterly for his denyall of Christ. There be some of whom I tell you weeping yet this cheerfull oyle of the Spirit comforts us in the middest of all calamities whatsoever in Sicknesse poverty in the losse of goods and friends too yea in the houre of death it selfe David was in a pittifull taking the City was burnt wherein he was his wives taken prisoners the people ready to stone him yet having this oyle in him he was of a cheerefull heart It is said of him yet David comforted himselfe in the Lord his God Some are afrayd to become strict livers because they suppose there is no mirth in that way Christians must be ever weeping with Heraclitus they may not goe to the Taverns and Ale-houses they may not bee dancing skipping and rejoycing as other men yes verily they that be right Christians anointed with this oyle of the Spirit are the merriest men in the world they may in some respect though not as he did be alwayes laughing with Democritus There is no peace saith God to the wicked if no peace then no true joy they may be merry in their cups as Belshazzar was but the soundest mirth is among the godly that are anointed with this oyle of gladnesse Come Warre peace health sicknesse death life they are merry in the Lord ready to sing as the Swanne doth at the sight of death What a joyfull man was Saint Paul when he was in the Lions mouth at Rome I am now ready to be offered henceforth there is laid up for me a Crowne of righteousnesse Therefore let us intreat the Lord to anoint us with this oyle of gladnesse it surpasseth all the joy and mirth in the world All the faithfull have some of this oyle but Christ is anointed with it above us all Semper excipio Platonem said hee So when we talke of rare and excellent men we must say we alwayes except our Saviour Christ. Noah was a famous man Abraham a notable man Moses David Salomon were of great renowne Peter Paul Thomas were adorned with singular graces yet Christ is many degrees above them As he sayes of a good huswife many women have done valiantly but thou surmountest them all So though many of GODS children were beautified with the oyle of the spirit yet CHRIST surmounts them all he is annointed above his fellowes they were as starres he as the Sunne Therefore let us all doe reverence to him we are Saints but he is Sanctus Sanctorum and of his fulnesse we all receive The principall scope of the place is this CHRIST is above all above all men above all Angels above all creatures whatsoever Which must needs bee a pillar of singular comfort for us to leane upon that the King and protectour of the Church is the high mighty and eternall God all stoope to him Let Satan spew out the Sea of his malice against us let his instruments rage never so much let the cruell and bloud thirstie Iesuits be continually plotting against us as out of all question they are never idle yet let us not be dismayed CHRIST our head and keeper is above all he hath all power in heaven and earth hee sits in the high tower of heaven sees all their doings and laughs them to scorne This doctrine concerning the deity of CHRIST in the pressing whereof the Holy Ghost is so large and ample is not lightly to bee passed over let us all apply it to our owne hearts that it may bee a bultwarke to us in the time of need that seeing he is God blessed above all for ever and ever so we may boldly put our trust in him in this world count our selves safe under the shadow of his wings and reigne with him in the world to come VERSE 10. AN other Argument from the Creation of the world Christ is the maker of heaven and earth therefore GOD Ier 10.11 Psalme 102.25 This Psalme intreateth of the deliverance of the Church out of captivity in Babylon of the re-edifying of the Temple and the repairing of the Walls of Ierusalem which is further to bee applyed to our deliverance from sinne to the building up of the Walls and Temple of the Church whereupon the Psalmist converteth his speech to CHRIST the true instaurator of the Church Lord to whom all Creatures are subject as servants to their LORD In the beginning therefore CHRIST was before that beginning Io. 1.1 Before Abraham was I am Io. 8.58 CHRIST is the beginning of the world who was before it had a beginning Layd the foundation of the earth made it firme sure and solid so as it cannot be moved contrary to those Philosophers that are of opinion that the heavens stand still and the earth moveth though it cannot be discerned with the eye And the heavens i. all the heavens the firmament and the ayre are the workes of thy hands it is a metaphor borrowed from Carpenters and Masons else God hath no hands CHRIST in setting up the building of the world observed an other order then earthly Artificers When they goe about to build they lay the foundation first and set on the roofe afterwards for they cannot build otherwise but this celestiall builder made the roofe first and the foundation afterwards first he spread forth the heavens as the roofe and afterwards laid the foundation of the earth which was a lively demonstration of his unspeakable power Heaven and earth is the workemanship of CHRIST the high and eternall God In that respect it should be admired by us all if thou haddest a picture of Apelles making that famous and renowned Painter wouldest
we are not the Angels Ministers This is thy gracious goodnesse towards us thy name be blessed for it for ever and ever Whether he have appointed to every one of us a particular Angell or not let us not be too curious in the discussing of it this is comfortable for us that wee have many Angels to Minister to us Their Angels saies CHRIST of those that believe in him not their Angell not one Angell but many carryed Lazarus his soule into Abrahams bosome 3. What an unspeakable comfort is this for us What a Tower of defence against Satan and his Angels The Devill compasseth the earth to and fro hee walkes up and downe like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devoure and there be many 1000s of devils there were a legion in one man These by Gods permission raise up tempests stirre up extraordinary windes blow downe houses Nay if God did not bridle them they would quickly teare us all in pieces but let this be our castle to flye unto as there be bad Angels to hurt us so there be good Angels to defend us There were Charrets and horse-men of fire round about Elisha and the Angels of God though we cannot see them with our eyes pitch their Tents round about us these be stronger than the Devill and his angels because they never sinned and have God on their side In the time of Popery the people were much deluded with the walking of spirits they durst not go through a Church-yard in the night for feare of them Sundry are afraid of Fairies and of ill spirits that haunt their houses no doubt but the evill angels are busie in all places yet let us feare none of them all we are guarded with the celestiall guard of holy Angels that are able to protect us from them all especially Christ Iesus is on our side which is above all Angels he sits at Gods right-hand hath all power in heaven and earth he will preserve us from all dangers in this life and bring us to his everlasting Kingdome in the life to come 4 Seeing that God hath ordained the Angels to be ministring-spirits for our sakes which undoubtedly looke carefully to their charge seldome or never are they absent from us some or other are present with us continually Let us do nothing that may grieve these Heavenly Spirits let the Women be covered because of the Angels So let not us sweare and blaspheme the Name of God c. because of the Angels Men would blush to commit filthinesse in the presence of an honourable Personage the Angels are alwayes present with us therefore even in respect of them let us absteine from sin CHAP. 2. IN the former Chapter the Author as in a Glasse shewed the Deity of CHRIST and both simply and absolutely ratified it Now he applies it to them to whom he writeth Where 1. An application 2. A transition to his humanity In the Application 1. the Vse 2. the Reasons whereby it is pressed 1. From the incommodity 2. From the punishment set forth by a comparison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forsomuch as CHRIST the Author of the Gospell is not onely above the Angels but is the high and eternall God being the naturall Son of the everlasting Father and engraven forme of his Person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we ought So then it is not left to our discretion we are tied with the bond of necessity to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intend our mindes that the things may be imprinted in our hearts and practised in our lives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more aboundantly We should abound more in hearing attention and practice than they did in the time of the Law we should excell them by a more rare and singular attention for though the things are the same yet the party is not the same by whom they are delivered It is not enough to heare Sermons every weeke which is good and commendable but we must yeeld a diligent attention to the things that we heare we especially now in the time of the Gospell when God speaketh to us by his owne Son The people were bound to heare attentively in the time of the Law when the Prophets of God spake to them but much more are we when the Son of God the Prince of Prophets the Prophet of the Prophets speakes to us All Samaria gave heed to Simon Magus that bewitched them and lead them to the Divell and shall not we give heed to Iesus Christ that labours to carry us to Heaven Doe not onely heare but attend to that which ye heare Take heed how ye heare whether loosely or carefully profitably or unprofitably Lydia attended to the things that Paul spake Acts 16.14 We must not only heare the Preacher but attend to the things which he uttereth An Infant doth not only take the dug into his mouth but he sucketh at it and that with greedinesse So we must not onely lye at the big of the Word but we must suck sweet doctrines and heavenly instructions from it The ground that receives not the seed into it will never be fruitfull if it lye aloft and be not hidden in the bowels of the earth it can never yeeld fruit so when the seed of the Word is sowne if we doe not marke it and lay it up in our hearts hide it within us as David did the birds of the Ayre that is the divels that flie up and downe in the Church will pick it up and run away with it Therefore let us diligently give heed to the things which we heare hearing is good and they be commended that heare yet that is not sufficient a diligent attendance must be given to that which we heare When Christ reades a Divinity Lecture to us we that be his Schollers must attend to it It is said of the people that they hung on Christ watching the words that came from his mouth ready to receive them before they came so with all care and diligence we must hang on the Preacher marke his words and be ready to receive them into our eares and hearts even before they are delivered so eager should we be of the Word Especially now in the time of the Gospell what attention is there in the Starre-Chamber when the Lords of the Privie Counsell speake But if either the Prince or the King himselfe make an Oration then there is wonderfull attention In the time of the Law the Prophets spake which indeed were of Gods counsell by whom God revealed his will to the people but now the Prince of peace the everlasting Counsellor the Kings owne Sonne that lay in his owne bosome in whom all the treasures of wisdome are hid speaketh to us Therefore let us listen with all diligence to the things which he speaketh And how doth Christ now speak Not daily from Heaven as he did to Saul but by the mouth of his Ambassadours He that heareth you heareth me will ye have an experience of Christ that
to the throne of grace with broken hearts and contrite spirits that so we may find favour in this life by Iesus Christ that came into the world to save sinners and eternall happinesse with him in the life to come Now followes the manner of the punishment and the guilt of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to their owne condemnation Rom. 2.5 But after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous Iudgement of GOD. There can bee no renewing but by the death of Christ now Christ dyed and was crucified once for all that believe and abide in him If any fall quite away from CHRIST they cannot bee renewed unlesse CHRIST bee crucified againe but that is impossible therefore the other That they should bee renewed to repentance They tread under foote the Sonne of God Hebr. 10.29 The greatest indignity that can be offered greater than to spit in a mans face The foot is the lowest member of the body they will have Christ the King of Kings under their feet the greatest contempt that can be before they had an honourable opinion of him that hee was the Sonne of God the Saviour of the world but now they count basely of him They count the bloud of the Testament a prophane thing what is the bloud of Christ shed on the Crosse the bloud of a malefactor is as good as that ô horrible blasphemy And despise all the graces of the spirit which they have received And put him to an open shame exemplificantes make a mocke Matth. 1.19 Then Ioseph her husband being a just man and not willing to make her a publike example as those that be made publike examples and pointed at by all exposing him to the reprochfull death of the Crosse on the which he was derided of all or CHRIST being once crucified and dead is made immortall and living for ever To crucifie him againe were to make him mortall againe which were an egregious mockerie Or they despise CHRIST once crucified and would faine have him to be crucified for them againe which is to make a mock of him Or it may be a reason drawne from the malice of men seeing they are so spitefully set against Christ as that they could finde in their hearts to crucifie him againe if it lay in their power and so to make him a mocking-stocke to all the world accounting the crucifying of CHRIST to bee but a ridiculous thing to make sport withall of no moment to life eternall therefore it is impossible they should bee restored As much as lyeth in them they crucifie the Sonne of GOD and make a mocke of Him which are such horrible sinnes as that GOD cannot in justice give them Repentance for them Now he describeth them that sin against the Holy Ghost comparatively hee sets them out by a lively similitude taken from the earth As the earth that is painefully tilled and hath plentifull raine powred downe on it and yet for all that instead of good fruit bringeth forth pricking thornes and scratching brambles is good for nothing but to be burnt So those men who having bin washed with many sweete showres of the Word of God and enriched with diverse excellent graces yet prooving pricking thornes in the end hurtfull to men and God too they are good for nothing but to burne in hell fire for evermore Before he comes directly to this lamentable end of the reprobates he doth illustrate it by a comfortable Antithesis in the good and godly which might provoke them with all cheerefulnesse to contend to perfection in Religion VERSE 7. THe Protasis only is set downe the Apodosis is to bee supplyed 1. For the Protasis The earth which is apparant to us all none can be ignorant of it As a thirsty man taketh in drink which is dispersed into his bowels So doth the drie and thirsty earth the raine she takes it and conveys it into her bowels It comes into the earth but because it must come upon it before it can come into it therefore the HOLY GHOST useth that phrase not seldome but often God being bountifull to the earth to send it much raine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bringeth forth as a mother her Children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a Synecdoche is put for all the fruits of the earth because the herbe is one of the first fruits that it bringeth forth Not onely herbes but trees and all kinde of corne for hee speakes of such an earth which is tilled whereas herbes spring up without tillage What manner of fruit Which doth benè reponere gratiam requites the cost and charges which the dressers have bestowed on it Receiveth blessing from God without whose blessing the earth would be as brasse and yron for all the labour of the husbandman As such an earth is blessed of God God blesseth it with a rich and plentifull harvest to the joy and comfort of men so is it with all those that profit by the Word of God For a more particular opening of every branch in the similitude The earth is every Christian man and woman in the lap of the Church Man was taken out of the earth and therefore may fitly bee resembled to the earth bad hearers are called bad ground and good hearers good ground Luke 8. verse 15. The raine that falls upon it is the Word of GOD Deuteronomie 32. ver 2. Isaiah 55. ver 10. 1. Raine comes downe from heaven So the word 2. Raine comes down to us by the clouds So the Word by the Preachers 3. Raine refresheth the earth So the Word our soules 4. Raine never returnes in vaine So the Word accomplishes that which the Lord pleases and prospers in the thing whereunto he sends it it never returnes voyd either we are the better or the worser by it through our owne fault The fruits that they bring forth is increase of knowledge and of all vertues The dressers of this ground are God and the Ministers Ioh. 15.1 1 Cor. 3.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The blessing that good hearers receive is a further increase of all graces in this life to him that hath shall be given c. Mat. 13.8 and eternall blessednesse in the life to come Blessed are they that heare the Word of God and keepe it 1. All people are as the ground that stand in need of the Raine of the Word of God the earth must have Raine all the yeare long more or lesse else it dryeth and withereth away So doe we if wee want the Raine of the Word In what a miserable case were they in Israel when there fell no raine by the space of three yeeres and sixe moneths and in what a pittifull taking are those townes and countries though they feele it not which want the Raine of the Word of GOD You that have it be thankfull to God for it and learne to esteeme more highly of this blessing than ye doe If it raine on your wheat
and it is good for Preachers to draw their matter into a summe We have such a worthie High Priest as all the High-Priests in the Law were not worthy to be named with him the same day Then he comes to shew his magnificence Hee doth not say standeth as a Lord Earle Duke may stand by a King bare-headed but sitteth Indeed Act. 7.5 6. he is said to be standing on the right hand of God but then he is seene standing as ready to pull Stephen out of the jawes of his enemies He doth not sit at his foot-stoole but at his hand not at his left hand but on the right hand God the Father as Prince and Potentate sitteth on his throne and Christ sitteth by him Of that Majestie which excelleth the Majesty of all the Kings in the world either Majesty is put for Majesticall Prince to whom is due Majesty Iude 25. or it may be an Hebraisme the throne of the Majesty for a majesticall throne Not in earth but in heaven In the heavens where there bee many mansions and in them hee prepareth a place for us The High-Priests in the time of the Law sate in Moses chaire heere upon the earth but our High-Priest sitteth in Gods chaire in heaven and thinkes it no robbery to bee equall with God In this respect he is not only higher than all the Priests in the Law but higher than the Angels Here hee sitteth as a ruler for the welfare of his Church From hence it cannot be gathered that Christ's body is every where because Gods right hand is every where for this his sitting is restrained to a place namely to heaven Stephen saw him in heaven Acts 7.55 Love is an excellent vertue because it is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the whole Law The Lords prayer carries away the bell from all prayers because that is the summe of all the prayers that can be made by all men in the world Here we have the summe of this large and famous epistle Therefore let it be reverently regarded and diligently marked by us all This may bee a singular comfort to us that wee have such a mightie High-Priest as hath all power in heaven and earth The High-Priests here on the earth were controlled by Kings and Princes Salomon deposed Abiathar and Saul put Abimelech to death but this our High-Priest is above all the Kings and Princes in the world they must all cast downe their Scepters at his feete hee can take the breath out of their nostrils when hee pleases In what an happy ease are we that have such a LORD protectour of the Church He may suffer us to be tryed as gold in the furnace of affliction but he will not suffer us to perish at the length he will deliver us out of the hands of all our enemies only let us have a care so neere as we can not to displease this our high-Priest As the people were obedient to the high-Priest in the time of the Law So let us be to our high-Priest in the time of the Gospell kisse the Sonne least he be angry and yee perish from the way All Papists kisse the Popes feete yea Kings Princes and Emperours But let us all from the highest to the lowest in meekenesse and humility kisse this our high-Priest that sitteth at the right hand of the throne of the Majestie in the heavens and he will defend us from all enemies whatsoever VERSE 2. THe second argument Those high-Priests were Ministers of an earthly Sanctuary this of an heavenly Ergo more glorious than they Of the Sanctuary The Greeke is Ambiguous of the masculine or neuter gender Some interpret it Minister of the Saints So indeed he is not the Angels alone but Christ Himselfe is our Minister O unspeakable honour Rather as the word is taken in this Epistle of the Holies that is of the Sanctuary the Holy of Holies Hebr. 9.12 and 24. The place where he Ministers is Heaven there he appeares in the sight of God for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 publicus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui facit opus publicum So are the Angels Hebr. 1.14 the Magistrate Rom. 13.4 The third argument hee that hath the more worthy Sacrifice is the more worthy Priest Christ's sacrifice is more worthy Ergo. This sacrifice is set forth to us 1. Figuratively 2. Properly Figuratively it is resembled to a Tabernacle Some by Tabernacle understand heaven too as well as the Sanctuary but rather by it is meant the body of our Saviour Christ. 1. It is not like that in so few words he would use a tautology 2. The Tabernacle was for the Priests not for the High-Priests 3. The reason following Verse 3. doth evince that by the Tabernacle is signified the body of Christ wherewith hee did sacrifice It is an usuall thing to resemble the body to a Tabernacle 2 Cor. 5.1 2. 2 Pet. 1.13 14. As a man dwelleth in an house or Tabernacle So doth the soule in the body And as God dwelt in the Tabernacle among the Iewes so doth the deity dwell in the humanity of Christ therefore it hath the name of a Tabernacle This similitude is fitly introduced by the Apostle As the high-Priest by the Tabernacle went into the Sanctum Sanctorum so Christ by his body offered on the Crosse went into heaven Hebr. 9.11 Hence it is that Christ's body is compared to a Temple Ioh. 2.21 to a vaile Heb. 10.20 This Tabernacle is illustrated by an adjunct and the efficient cause The other was but a counterfeit to this True is not opposed to false that was not a forged Tabernacle it was of Gods institution and made by his direction But it is called the true Tabernacle as Christ may be called the true David Salomon Melchizedec the true Manna that came from heaven Iohn 6.32 And as the picture of a man is nothing to the man himselfe So that Tabernacle was but a picture of this this is the true Tabernacle indeed The shadow of the Sun in the water is not the Sunne that is the true Sun that is in the firmament so that was but a shadow of this Tabernacle this is the true Tabernacle 2. It is illustrated by the efficient cause Moses Aholiab Bezaleel and other artificers pight that Tabernacle which were mortall men though they did it by Gods appointment this Tabernacle was framed immediately by God Himselfe the body of our Saviour Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost The name of a Minister is no base name seeing Christ being now in heaven doth not thinke scorne of it He was a Minister of the circumcision when he lived on the earth and he is a Minister of the Sanctuary now in heaven Therefore let none have a base opinion of the name and office of the Ministers Christ is the head Minister and we inferiour Ministers under him therefore let us be reverently regarded for his sake There by presenting of his owne sacred body
speaketh to us by whom hee revealeth the knowledge of his Majesty to us Christ knew there should be plentie of knowledge at his comming yet he bade his Apostles goe and teach all nations The Lord opened the heart of Lydia yet it was by Saint Pauls preaching the Lord catechized the Eunuch yet it was by Saint Philip the Lord added three thousand soules to the Church yet it was by Saint Peter How can they heare without a Preacher These be the Schoole-masters by whom God teacheth us to the end of the world The head Master of a Schoole doth not take away the Vshers Saint Augustine tract 3. in 1. Iohann Si unctio docet de omnibus nos sine causa laboramus Let us put you all over to the annointing then they might reply why doest thou write this Epistle to us why doest thou teach us nos extrinsecus admonemus magister intùs est qui docet Matth. 23.8 Nos abusivè magistri appellamur Neither doth hee send downe the HOLY GHOST on them in the similitude of cloven tongues as he did on the Apostles at the beginning they must be brought up in Schooles and Vniversities to attaine to the knowledge of the tongues and the right interpretation of the Scripture Paul mentions it as a blessing that he was brought up at the feete of Gamaleel hee disputed in the Schoole of Tyrannus but hee never wished the Schoole of Tyrannus to be pulled downe This doth declare to us the wonderfull abundance of knowledge that shall bee in the time of the Gospell above that which was in the time of the Law yet there bee a number of ignorant persons in the lap of the Church like them that knew not whether there was an Holy Ghost or no They have a confused knowledge of God but they doe not know him so distinctly in CHRIST as they ought to doe they have the more to answer for that living in so great light are still overwhelmed with darkenesse like to Tantalus up to the chin in water and yet drie like carelesse and negligent Schollers that have beene long at Schoole and learn't nothing the fault is not in God who gives them the meanes but in themselves that neglect the meanes 2. As wee have greater knowledge so greater obedience is required of us The servant that knowes his masters will and doth it not shall bee beaten with many stripes Wee know much and practise little therefore our condemnation shall bee the greater at the latter day VERSE 12. THe third branch of the new covenant is remission of sins In sence it agreeth with the Hebrew only the Apostle following the seventie hath for our further comfort enlarged it by the addition of one clause which is not in the Hebrew The first part of Verse is not in the Hebrew In my Sonne CHRIST IESUS I will be mercifull to their unjust and unrighteous dealings to all the injuries they have offered me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faults in manners when as we swarve from the marke of the Law of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in generall signifies all transgressions of the Law He useth many words to signifie to us that all our sinnes by what names soever they be called are forgiven us In acquittances we use to put in words enow for the declaration of a full discharge So doth the Lord when he acquitteth us of all our sinnes whether they be unrighteousnesse slips or violations of the Law they bee all forgiven hee professeth hee will remember them no more hee will cast them behinde his backe rase them out of the booke of his remembrance If wee minde to be revenged of a man wee say well I will remember thee I will one day pay thee home for it but God will not so much as remember our sinnes Oh blessed thing The just man falls seven times a day yet GOD will not remember his falls Hee remembred the sin of Amalek and of some hee sayes their sins shall be written with a penne of a diamond and sealed up in a bagge but he will keepe no register of our sins they shall bee quite forgotten Hee doth not say because they by their workes of penance have made satisfaction to my justice for their sinnes therefore I will remit them I will doe it of my sole mercy and goodnesse for my owne sake c. Object Was he not mercifull to the sinnes of the people in the time of the Law Sol. The forgivenesse of sins is now more cleerely manifested to us To them it was shadowed out by sacrifices and washings but now the Lamb is come offered on the Crosse whose bloud purgeth us from all sin This is a comfortable covenant the heavenly triacle and hony of the soule Our sins are innumerable besides our blasphemies besides the abhominable drunkennesse and whoredome that is amongst us our greedy scraping in the dunghill of the earth seldome or never lifting up our hearts to heaven wee sin daily in our best actions we sin in preaching of the Word for who preaches with such wisedome sincerity and zeale as he ought to doe wee sin in hearing our mindes oftentimes are on wooll-gathering our bodies in the Church our hearts on our Sheep and Oxen we heare more like Iudges to censure Gods Ambassadour than as Schollers to learne of him wee sinne in praying no sighes no groanes no fervency in our prayers no Amen at the end of them wee sin in giving of our almes wee give rather for vaine glory then for Gods glory we sin in our dayly talke and conferences one with another in them we seeke the ostentation of our own witte and learning not the edification one of another Who can cleere himselfe of pride wee are proud of our wit wealth beauty learning yea some are proud of nothing Good Lord then if God should call us into the counting house for our sins alas what shall we doe we cannot answer him one for a thousand and the least sinne deserves eternall death Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy thought if one evill thought remaine unforgiven we are in a miserable case Against all these let us hold up the buckler of this new covenant of the remission of our sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sins are bitter accusers In what a pittifull case was Caine who said my sinne is greater than can bee forgiven what a howling kept Iudas O I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud what makes men to hang themselves as Achitophel did to drowne themselves to lay violent hands on themselves save that they cannot be perswaded of the forgivenesse of their sins Therefore let us blesse God for this covenant and let us entreat him to seale in our hearts a comfortable perswasion of the remission of our sinnes dayly more and more VERSE 13. HEre followes a collection inferred on the former testimony which he gathereth out of the word new it hath his force from the contraries New and Old cannot stand together
the peace and unity of the Church but we must doe as Saint Augustine did submit our selves to the authority of the Christian Magistrate not only for feare but for conscience sake if he command any thing we are sure is repugnant to the Word of God then obey God rather than man but if it be a thing indifferent then obey both God and man Beza himselfe sayes of the Crosse in baptisme that is used in the Church of England utantur libertate sua for these things all Churches have their liberty and let them use it in the feare of God The Old Testament had her ordinances the New Testament hath hers one Church hath this ceremony another that For the peace of Sion let us not contend about these things but bee thankefull to God for the pearle of the Gospell continuing among us And as they had a Sanctuary to the which they resorted unto the publike worship of God so have we our Churches and places of holy meetings which are carefully to bee frequented by us O how love I the place of thy habitation sayes David and that where thy honour dwelleth but wee love our owne houses our burling parkes loomes shops barnes and stables above the place of Gods worship 2. We have here a cooling epithete Whatsoever things are worldly wee ought not to bee too much in love with them The Iewes Sanctuary how sumptuous soever it was the glorious Temple at Hierusalem the wonder of the whole earth was but a worldly thing The great Cathedrall Churches that be in this land so stately and magnificent all inferiour Churches and Chappell 's where wee serve God yea even the kings Chappell if you looke at the fabricke of them are worldly things all faire and costly buildings the Royall Exchange the new Burse all Lord-like and regall pallaces are but worldly things silver and gold which we all hunt after silkes and velvets all fine and gallant apparell a table richly furnished with all kinde of delicates large lands and ample revenews a great troupe of serving men following us at our heeles all these are but worldly things vaine fickle transitory they vanish away like the smoake We our selves are but worldly things out of the earth we were taken to the earth we must returne therefore let us not be enflamed too much with the love of these worldly things the glory of this world fadeth away like a flower therefore let us use it as if wee used it not let not this world be our Paradise let us remember it is but a strange Country by the which we passe as travellers They be the wicked that are the men of this world let us be men of another world and have our conversation in heaven VERSE 2. HE begins with the tabernacle which hee tells us was divided into two parts for the tabernacle was disposed of after this manner so the word Verse 6. The first verely wherein c. It is described 1. By the things it had in it 2. By the name of it It had three things in it The Candlesticke which was so framed that it had seaven lights on it three on either side one aloft Some reade it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plurall number but it comes all to a reckoning Exod. 25.31 This did signifie that the Ministers should bee full of light Matth. 5. You are the light of the world The shaft that sustained the branches whereon stood the Lampes was a figure of Christ which sustaineth those lights that be in the Church without him the light of the ministery would bee extinguished and fall to the ground 2. The Table on the which stood the shew bread Here it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an hypallage they were so called because they were apposed or set upon the Table by the Priests Matth. 12.4 Exod. 25.30 Lechem panim Hebr. panis facierum because they were set face to face one over against another and because they were set on the table before the face of the Lord. It is called Panis jugis Num. 4.7 because it was to be continuall and holy bread 1 Sam. 21.5 The Table did signifie Christ which is as a rich Table well furnished for us all The Shew-bread set upon it did signifie the preaching of the Gospell the subject whereof is Christ or it did signifie the Church as bread nourishing the body so that the soule 1 The shew-bread might never be wanting no more must the preaching of the Gospell where prophesie faileth c. 2 As Matth. 12.4 So we must be made spirituall Priests before we can truly feede upon the Gospell In the Old Testament there was one Table in the New wee have two Tables the one is a Sacramentall-table in this life 1 Cor. 10.21 We call it the Communion-Table but we might call it the Lords Table the Table of the Lord Iesus whose Ghests we are at his Table Vpon that Table stood the Shew-bread upon this Table stands Christ Iesus the Bread of Life to be eaten of us all after a spirituall manner the other is an heavenly Table in the life to come Luke 13.29 Let us behave our selves well at this Table in this life comming to it with all reverence and feeding on Christ to the comfort of our soules that we may be partakers of that celestiall Table where we shall eat of the hidden Manna for evermore Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular number holy but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plurall as the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 3. how thou my God walkest in the Sanctuary VERSE 3. FOr there were two vailes the one in the entrie of the first tabernacle which separated it from the place where the people were the other at the end of the first tabernacle which separated it from the Holy of Holies Exod. 26.33 and 36.40.27 The Holy of Holies deus Deorum the song of songs that is the most holy place This Tabernacle is described by the scituation the name the things contained in it VERSE 4. ANd that had two things in it The golden censer it may bee in Davids or Salomons time a golden censer was put into the Sanctum Sanctorum The word doth signifie either a censer to hold incense or an Altar to burne incense now neither of the significations seeme to agree to the place 1. We read not in Moses of any censer that was laid up in the Holy of Holies if there had beene one he specifying lesse matters then that would not have buryed it in silence 2. As for the Altar of incense that stood in the first Tabernacle not in the second Exod. 40.26 in the same Tabernacle where the Table was Verse 24. Iunius is of opinion that the Holy of Holies had two parts the one a Porch or entrance into it the other the magnificent place it selfe Now in the entrance stood the Altar of the incense Exod. 30.6 the Holy or Holies had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
shall we passe through it Christ himselfe will be our leader in it As hee is both the sacrifice and the Priest so he is the way and the guide the way Hee doth not say an High-Priest but simply a Priest because there is no other sacrificing Priest save CHRIST in the New Testament Not a small one but a great one great in person being God and man great in power for heaven and earth are his great in goodnesse and mercy that will have compassion on our weaknesse and if we happen to faint he will support us by the way For his superiority and preheminence over the house of God that is the Church 1 Tim. 3.15 Heb. 3.6 Moses was over the house of God yet as a servant Hebr. 3.5 Christ as the Lord and King the commander in the house he over a part of Gods house in Iudea Christ over the whole house dispersed over all the earth All Ministers in some sort are over the house of God Who is a faithfull servant that his Lord may make rule over his house that bee over you in the Lord 1 Thes. 5.12 So Moses was over the house Yet a great difference betweene them and Christ. A noble man is over his house and his steward is over his house Christ as the Lord and owner of the house wee as his stewards to give you your meat in due season A singular comfort to all that be of this house that such a one as Christ is over it Some houses have tyrannicall governours which scrape all to themselves and have no care of them in the house Christ is not such a one he hath a loving and fatherly care of all in the house Some householders would provide for their house and cannot they want ability Christ Iesus that is over this house is both able and willing to provide all things necessary for us Therfore let us be of good comfort we shall not want the thing that is good The Church is God's house All England is the Kings dominion White-Hall is his Chappell so all the world is Gods empire but the Church is his house therefore let us behave our selves wisely and religiously in the house of God Will any make the Kings house and Ale-house to quaffe and swill in A brothel-house to commit adultery in and shall we that be in the Church the house of God be drunkards adulterers wicked and lascivious livers As wee bee in Gods house so let us demeane our selves accordingly VERSE 22. HAving such a wise loving and mighty Priest let us come unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely to God by him by the invocation of his name asking boldly all things necessary for this life and the life to come as also let us draw neere to him by an holy life and blamelesse conversation They that make an outward profession and deny him in their lives are farre from him the others are neere and walke with God as Enoch Some interpret it Let us draw neere to that heavenly Sanctuary which is opened to us whereunto we draw neere with a true heart But especially this is to be understood of prayer This drawing neere is not so much with the feete of our bodies as with the feete of our soules The way whereunto is chalked out to us and wherein our High-Priest directeth us for it must have relation to all that went before Now we draw neere to heaven by prayer and an holy life A true heart voyd of hypocrisie and dissimulation for God heareth not hypocrites though they make never so goodly a shew and have never so glorious words 2. An assured faith which purifieth our hearts Act. 15.9 there must be no doubting in faith Iac 1.6 Though thou beest as tall a man as Saul yet thou art not the neerer to heaven but if thou sendest many prayers to heaven and hast thy conversation in heaven then thou drawest neere to heaven Being sprinckled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to our hearts from an evill conscience There was a sprinckling water in the time of the Law made of the ashes of the red Cow wherewith the people were sprinckled Num. 19.9 their bodies were sprinckled with that but our soules must be sprinckled with the bloud of Christ. From an accusing conscience that our sins are washed away in the bloud of Christ. We should have no more conscience of sin Heb. 10.2 our consciences should no longer pricke us for sin because being justified by faith we have peace with God and there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus This afterwards breedeth sanctification 1 Pet. 1.2 There be many false-hearted wretches in the world such as Iudas was that kissed Christ and betrayed him at the same time there bee many that pretend love to religion and yet have none in them such were those Ezek. 14.1 Such were the Pharisees whited tombes and painted Sepulchers such were the Sadduces that came with a notable glosse to our Saviour Christ and there is a number of Hypocrites at this day that maske under the Vizard of Religion He that made the heart knowes the heart and will one day discover them to their shame Therefore if we draw neere to God let it be with a true heart least hee say to us as to them this people draweth neere to mee with their lippes but their hearts are farre from me If wee be falsehearted men though we carry never so glorious a shew God cannot abide us but if we be true-hearted men though there be many weakenesses and infirmities in us he will accept us in Christ Iesus Behold a true Israelite said Christ of Nathaneel There bee true Israelites and false false cloathes glasses clockes c. Faith is like the Moone sometimes at the full sometimes in the wane But seeing Christ hath merited our salvation God hath promised for Christ's sake to bestow a kingdome on us therefore let us not doubt of it That is to doubt of the sufficiency of Christ's merit and of the Word of God How shall wee come to this full assurance If our hearts bee sprinkled from an evill conscience by the bloud of Christ. By nature have we all bad consciences accusing us for sinne In many things we sinne all All those sinnes lye as an heavy loade on our consciences and make us to cry out ô my sinnes they will not suffer mee to bee quiet day nor night but being sprinckled in our hearts with the bloud of CHRIST we shall no more be vexed with the sting of an evill conscience because Christ hath dyed for all our sins Happy are they that be thus sprinckled Our hearts being sprinckled from an evill conscience our bodies must be washed with pure water It is not enough to have a good soule to God-wards though that is the chiefe but our bodies also must be washed with the pure water of the HOLY GHOST Our eyes must be washed from unchast lookes our eares from rash receiving of reports one against another our
what Country man he was he answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mundanus The whole world is my Country all Countries are alike to me Yet in truth wee have no Country in the world England is not our Country Heaven properly to speake is our Country as Christ sayes call no man father here on earth so call no Country your Country on the earth Now heaven is our Country so we must seeke it it is worth the seeking and we cannot have it without seeking seeke the kingdom of God We must seeke it by prayer reading of Scripture hearing of Sermons by godly and fervent desire of the heart by heavenly meditations Our whole life ought to be a continuall seeking of heaven but alas we seeke for silver and gold Sheep and Oxen houses and lands and let heaven goe we are like Aesops dogge that snatched at the shadow and lost the substance We seeke more for shadowes then for the substance all the weeke long we are seeking of the world and scant on the Lords Day no day in the weeke doe we seeke heaven VERSE 15. THis is illustrated 1. By a declaration of the Country which they sought 2. By the fruit and reward of their seeking Object They professed themselves strangers because they were out of their soile the land of Chaldea Sol. That cannot be the Country which they had longed after for if their minde had run on that they had opportunity and time enough to returne in they had leysure but they would not take it 1. He shewes what Country it was not which they sought VERSE 16. 2. WHat it was which is first described comparatively then plainly pointed out with the finger The reward 1. A favour or prerogative in this life 2. In eternall happinesse in the life to come Exod. 3.15 he is the God of the whole world in generall he is the God of the wicked for temporall blessings of the faithfull for spirituall and eternall He that is the God of the whole world is now the God of three men Chrys. It is a glory to servants to have a denomination from their Lords and Masters I am servant to such a Noble man but it is no honour for a Lord to say I am the master of such a poore man such a beggarly fellow is my servant yet God glorieth of us that hee is our God Master and Father He makes this a piece of his style as if a puissant Prince would be called the King of Pigmies He hath prepared Hebr. 13.14 Ioh. 14.2 They doe not merit it GOD in mercy prepares it for them When Vide Matth. 25.34 God prepares many excellent things for us in this world but none comparable to this He prepared the world as an house furnished for man at the first We can but prepare temporall houses for our Children Some by this City understand the Church which though it bee on the earth is called heavenly because her chiefest part Christ her head is in heaven and her conversation is in heaven Hyperius But they were in the lap of the Church already within the walls of that City they needed not to seeke that which they had Heaven then is better than earth it is better by many degrees Men chuse that which they thinke to be best we choose earth rather than heaven therefore in our opinion that is the better What fooles what dolts be we men are ready to change for the better who would not change a beggars cottage for a Kings Pallace a patcht Cloak for a Princes robe We say heaven is the better yet we are loath to change our dwelling on earth for it by our good wills we would tarry here still We say heaven is a better country then this but we would faine continue in the earth still Many a Child is ashamed of his Father when hee comes to great honour We were base and ignominious wretches yet God was not ashamed of us If a great man have a kinswoman that is poore yet if a faire and beautifull woman haply he will not be ashamed of her We are all fowle and black by reason of sin yet God is not ashamed of us and shall we one of another A King is not ashamed of a beggar and shall one beggar be ashamed of another Shall one earthen Pot though it be a little guilt and tipt with silver be ashamed of another earthen Pot Though thou beest a rich man and hast more silver and gold than thy brother yet be not ashamed of him thou art earth as well as he yee are Pots of one Potter Constantine was not ashamed of the Bishops the Angels are not ashamed of us they acknowledge themselves to be our fellowes and brethren and shall we be ashamed one of another Though he be never so poore a man if he believe in Christ be not ashamed of him 2. As God is not ashamed of us so let us not be ashamed of him though Christ be afflicted here on earth yet let us not be ashamed of him and his Gospell for if we be he will be ashamed of us when he commeth with his holy Angels How doth it appeare he is not ashamed of us because he disdaineth not to be called our God He doth not say to be called their Lord and Master but God I thank my God that we read often This comprehendeth all good things for this life and that to come happy are the people that be in such a case blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. The Lions shall be hungerbit but they that have God for their Lord shal want nothing that is good This may strengthen us against poverty sicknes and all calamities against sin Satan and death it selfe Will any child feare want that hath a rich and loving father our God our Father is rich heaven and earth are his he is most loving he tenders us as the apple of his eye therefore wee can want nothing that is good The Lord is our God our shield Protectour and defender therefore let us feare nothing If God be on our side who can be against us Nay this may comfort us against death it selfe From this one word our Saviour proves the resurrection he is not the God of the dead but of the living for all live to him Though we dye God is our God he will raise us up againe at the latter day and translate us into his kingdome This may be a pillar of comfort for us to leane upon that God is our God By what token doth he shew himselfe to be our God because he hath prepared a City God is an excellent preparer Hee prepared the world as an house well furnished against the comming of man into it he prepared a Table for the Israelites in the wildernesse he gave them water out of a stony rocke and Manna from heaven he prepared a kingdome for Hester when she was a poore banished maide hee prepared a Whale for Ionah when he was cast into the
If Moses quake how shall Ahab quake if St. Peter how shall Iudas Let us labour before hand to bee reconciled to GOD by IESUS CHRIST that wee may stand without trembling before the Son of man Yee see their condition in the time of the Law there was blacknesse and darkenesse all things were then obscure We have the cleere light and bright Sunne shine of the Gospell All things were terrible to them all things are comfortable to us God the Father speakes to us sweetly from heaven this is my beloved Sonne heare him They could not abide the voice of God it sounded with such terrour in heir eares GOD the Sonne speaketh amiably to us come to mee all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest therefore f much holinesse were required of them how much more of us At the delivery of the Law they were to sanctifie themselves from the highest to the lowest they were to wash their garments they might not come at their Wives all the while then how holy ought wee to bee with whom GOD deales so lovingly in the time of the Gospell If a servant that hath a sower Master that lookes fiercely on him and speakes angerly must obey how much more obedient ought hee to bee that hath a kind and loving Master that lookes on him alwayes with a cheerefull countenance and speakes friendly to him God in the time of the Law was terrible master hee is most kinde to us now in Christ Iesus Therefore let us serve him with all cheerefulnesse We have had a view of the terrible estate of the Church in the time of the Law Now let us see the comfortable estate of the Church whereunto we are come in the time of the Gospell What Saint Basil speakes of the Scripture in generall may be avouched of this in speciall Hexam Hom. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VERSE 22. THe estate of the Church in the time of the Gospell is set forth 1. By a narration of the places to the which we are come 2. By an enumeration of the persons to whom we are come The places are two one a Mountaine the other a City Every word is to bee observed We must not pretermit the adversative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but. Yee have heard how it was with them they were in a pittifull case nothing but feare and terrour it is otherwise with you the case is altered with you You are in a more blessed condition illi procul stabant they stood afarre of they might not touch the bottome of the Mount if a beast touched it he dyed for it Vos prope est is you are come neere Not to Mount Sinai full of smoake blacknesse darkenesse and tempest but to Mount Sion a sweet and amiable Mount Sion speculatio dei as Gregory doth interpret it Moral l. 33. c. 1. GOD is to bee seene by manifest tokens in the Church contemplatio Dei nos fortes reddit The contemplation of God in Christ Iesus infuseth courage into us all it makes us more strong and valiant Thus God hath beene more gracious to you if yee can make a good use of it The Church is resembled to a Mountaine not to a valley 1. Propter altitudinem for the height of it a Mountaine is higher than the ordinary earth the Church is high it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above Gal. 4.26 and they that be of the Church must carry high and regall mindes they must not bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 10. not Crowes that hover below on the earth but Eagles that Mount up into heaven Whereupon Saint Hierome Epist. 17. hath a witty observation of the blessed Virgin Mary When she saw her wombe to be domum Dei the house of the Son of God relictis campestribus ad montana perrexit leaving the low Champion Countries she went up into the hill Country Luk. 1.39 So after we begin to beare Christ in the wombe of our soules by faith we must leave earth and mount up in our affections into heaven wee must seeke the things that be above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God 2. The Church is compared to a Mountaine propter securitatem for the security of it A City seated on an high Mountaine furnished with munition and victualls within it selfe strongly fenced against blustering windes and stormy tempests cannot easily be overcome no more can the Church the gates of hell may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valere avayle for a time but they cannot praevalere 3. Propter ascendendi difficultatem for the difficulty of ascending to it A man may not goe up an high hill but it must cost him paines sweat and labour so it is a laborious thing to get to heaven Labour for the meat that endureth to life everlasting strive to enter in at the strait gate if by any meanes sayes S. Paul I may attaine to the resurrection of the just 4 Propter immobilitatem for the immobility of it mons à movendo by Antiphrasis quia minimè movet The Church is as Mount Sion that standeth fast for ever and cannot be removed Happy are they that be of the Church When S. Peter was on Mount Tabor where he saw but a glimmering of the joyes of heaven he was so ravished with it that he cryed out Master it is good for us to bee here let us here make our Tabernacles That was unadvisedly said of him But let us all be earnest suitors to GOD Almighty that wee may make our Tabernacles in Mount Sion for ever and ever The second place unto which wee are come in the time of the Gospell is a Citie The Church in the time of the Law was in the wildernesse now it is a Citie and that a most worthy and famous Citie Where is to be considered 1. Cujus sit civitas whose Citie it is 2. Quae qualisue sit what Citie it is It is the Citie not of a Man but of God Rome was Romulus's Citie Philippi was Philips Citie Alexandria was Alexanders Citie Constantinople was Constantin's Citie but this is GOD's Citie Not the Citie of a dead and forged God of Iupiter Apollo Mars Mercurie but the Citie of the living God Therefore as he never dyes but lives for ever so that Citie shall abide for ever And if ye will needs know what Citie it is not to hold you in suspence it is Ierusalem Visio pacis the vision of peace Here is all peace no warre in this Citie Not earthly Ierusalem which was a renowned Citie in her time but Heavenly Ierusalem the Mother of us all Theodosius the Emperour was wont to say Solus Ambrosius dignus Episcopi nomine Only Ambrose is worthy of the name of a Bishop We may better say Solum Coelum dignum civitatis nomine only Heaven is worthy the name of a Citie These Cities may be overturned by earthquakes Simeon a little
offerebant antequam Aaron in Sacerdotium eligeretur Hier. trad Hebr. in Genesin So must wee in speciall manner bee consecrated to the Lord and as so many Nazarites serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Israel is my first borne though all the world bee mine All the world is Gods yet wee are his first borne What an honour is this A noble man hath many sonnes the yonger may goe a begging the elder hath all the land Among us there is never a yonger brother all elder brethren and shall all have the inheritance of the Kingdome of Heaven Let us be thankefull to GOD for it Israel was his even so wee being Gods first borne are his not our owne wee are bought with a price and must glorifie God in our spirits and bodies which are his The third point is the Stabilitie of the Church which are written in Heaven Not mentioned with the tongue which soone vanishes but written Littera scripta manet hee hath written us on the palmes of his hands wee are ever in his sight GOD needs no pen paper writing tables for helpe of memorie but this is spoken for our capacitie The Senatours of Rome were called Patres Conscripti because a Register was taken of their names A Captaine sets downe the names of his souldiers in a booke So GOD Almighty to shew what account hee makes of us hath our names written Where not in water not in loose papers not in the earth where peradventure they may be blotted out but in heaven whither none of our enemies can have accesse to race out our names In what Booke are our names written not of death but of life Whose the lambes booke of life Wee are not in the hands of an Angel but of CHRIST himselfe To what end A King takes the name of one of his owne subjects to preferre him to make him a Lord c God takes our names to preferre us to a Kingdome How shall wee know whether our names be written in heaven A posteriori not à priori 2 Tim. 2.19 First the Elect know Christ Ioh. 17.3 2. They beleeve in Christ Gal. 3.26 They are plentifull in the fruits of righteousnesse by Iesus Christ they adde vertue to Faith This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chrys. termeth it 1 Cor. hom 3. to conclude by workes I have workes therefore I have Faith I have Faith therefore I have Christ I have Christ therefore I have heaven Tà m certus esse debes de requie de foelicitate si mandata ejus custodieris quà m certus es de perditione si ea contempseris Ob. 1. Workes may bee hypocriticall 2. uncertaine 3. imperfect But being sincere they may assure us of our salvation A ring may be imperfect not fully perfected by the skill of the Artificer it may have a crack in it yet it assures us of the love of him that gave it so imperfect workes may assure us of Gods love and of the Kingdome of Heaven too issuing from the roote of unfained Faith Therefore unfaithfull doubting is excluded Let us make our calling and election sure by good workes then an entrance shall bee ministred unto us abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour IESUS CHRIST Psal. 37.24 Yet wee must not dormire in utramque aurem I care not how I live I shall bee saved There may bee a Christian assurance but no unchristian securitie nusquam securitas sayes S. Bern in Psal. 15. Nec in coelo nec in paradiso nec in mundo In coelo cecidit Angelus sub praesentia Divinitatis in paradiso cecidit Adam in loco voluptatis in mundo cecidit Iudas in schola Salvatoris Let us never be high minded but feare with a reverent feare all the dayes of our lives I feare all my wayes said that holy man If you abuse this comfortable doctrine setting all at six and sevens then thou art most unsure As ye beleeve in Christ so be plentifull in the fruits of righteousnesse by Iesus Christ and as your names are in heaven and ye looke for a place in heaven so live as Cittizens of heaven live not as earth-wormes alwayes groveling on the earth but live as men of another world by having your conversation in heaven 1 Here it is as cleere as the noone-day that the Catholicke Church consists onely of the elect Notwithstanding it is an axiome with Bellarmine Non solum praedestinati sed etiam reprobi ad ecclesiam pertinent A strange position indeed as Augustine distinguishes excellently well the wicked are Paleae inter frumentum In domo Dei sed non domus Dei de bapt cont Donat. l. 7. c. 12. Cant. 4.12 CHRIST's Spouse is a Garden enclosed a Spring shut up and a Fountaine sealed up Haec intelligere non audeo nisi in sanctis justis de bapt cont Donat. lib. 6. cap. 27. It a munitur sayes Greg. ut nullus reprobus ingrediatur Ecclesia est Templum aedificatum ex diis quos facit non factus Deus Aug. Tom. 3. Enchyr. ad Laur. c. 6. p. 172. A. Our blessed Saviour affirmes of the Church Ioh. 10.3 for it is the Church of the first-borne whose names are written in Heaven 2 It is evident that the elect cannot perish Non perit filius promissionis sed filius perditionis August De corr grat l. 2. cap. 9. The third person to whom we are come is the founder and defender of the Church Who is described by his nature and office For his nature he is God for his office a Iudge The Lord chiefe Iustice of all the world God is a consuming fire Heb. 12. ult and dare we be so bold as to come to him He is ignis consumens to the wicked ignis muniens to the godly Zach. 2.5 I a wall of fire round about Ierusalem to protect her from all her enemies All are come to God secundum praesentiam Whither shall I goe from thy face Secundum potentiam his power is over all none can avoide it but we are come to him Secundum bonitatem Happy is the people that be in such a case blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. He is Dominus omnium more peculiarly he is Deus fideliū The Philistims said God is come into the Host woe be to us but we are come to God and joy with us Not onely to God as he is a Father but as he is a Iudge too yea the Iudge of all High and low rich and poore just and unjust good and bad Iren. l. 1. c. 9. writes of some called Gnostici who had their name of knowledge which affirmed they were incomprehensibilis judicii The Iudge could not catch them at the latter day But he will finde them out A Writ shall be returned reperti sunt in baliva nostra We must all appeare either ad judicium discretionis or damnationis as S. August speaketh of Absolution being severed from the Goats or
of timber for my house Dancers have their Schoole sayes Nazianz. Fidlers and Musitians are trained up to it and is the ministerie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is it such a light thing that whosoever will as it was in Ieroboams time whether hee bee a Weaver a Tapster a Taylor may bee a Minister it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sometimes he must be taught sometimes confuted comforted reprooved and Who is sufficient for these things None fully The great Doctours in Divinitie must bee Schollers all the dayes of their life yet if thy conscience tell thee that thou hast no gifts in any acceptable measure how canst thou say with Saint Paul I am assured I have a good conscience in all things when not in the first thing in the gate and porch to the ministery The best furniture of all is a sincere and upright heart As God gave Saul an other heart when hee advanced him to the kingdome So the Lord gives a good heart to all good Ministers Learning and knowledge is as water in the well a good heart is as the bucket to draw it out for the watering of Christs Garden if this bee wanting even a learned man will doe little good in the ministery Therefore examine with what heart thou camest hither to feede thy selfe or the lambes of Christ to enrich thy selfe or to make them rich in Faith 2. Let us come to active gifts When wee have the Testimonie of a good Conscience that the Lord in some measure hath given us gifts from Heaven Let us consider what gifts wee give on earth whether Lady Pecunia be the janitrix that lets us into the Church or not whether wee come in by Simon Magus or Simon Peter Qui vendunt vel emunt praebenda Ecclesiarum dicuntur tales à Simone Simoniales Simonie is well defined by Brulifer to whom the rest of the Schoole-men agree Est studiosa voluntas emendi vel vendendi aliquod spirituale seu spirituali annexum Pactum is not onely Simonie a compact or agreement betweene the Patrone and a Minister or any other for them but Simonie is peccatum voluntatis as the heart commits adultery if thou lustest after a woman as the heart commits murder if thou hatest thy brother thou art a murtherer So not the hand onely but the heart commits Simonie if thou hast a lustfull desire after a benefice in an unlawfull way In their judgement thou art a Simonist And this they proove by the Father of Simonists There was no pactum betweene Simon Magus and the Apostles but onely voluntas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee made an offer of money to them and that was condemned If thou hast a desire in thine heart to get a benefice by any sinister meanes thou art a Simonist then almost in this age who can say hee is assured to have a good conscience in this thing Yet further to lay it open let us come to the branches of Simonie It is committed foure kinde of wayes The first and the greatest per pecuniam which no man will denie Saint Ambrose reports as a monstrous thing in his dayes I heard a Minister say Centum solidos dedi ut Episcopalem gratiam ass equerer But how would hee have wondred if hee had lived in our time when wee may heare that some have given centum minas for a benefice when solidi are turned into minae what doth this but minari the vengeance of God to the Ministerie The second way is per adulationem when as a Minister which is the Doctour of the truth hath no truth in him but will lye flatter cosen and dissemble doe any thing for a Benefice This is Venenum mellis dulcedine palliatum poyson wrapped in honey yet as many Popes came to the Popedome by poyson so many Ministers so woefull is our time come to a benefice by this poyson They cannot bee assured with Saint Paul that they have a good conscience in it The third way is Per importunas preces ambientium by the importunate suit of Ministers either by themselves or by their great friends for a benefice Est orare Ducum species violenta jubendi The request of great men in high places is a violent kinde of commanding hee that comes thus to a living in their opinion cannot avouche that he came to it with a good conscience The fourth is Sordidum obsequium a base kinde of service performed by a Minister As the devill confessed in the maide he is the Servant of the high God the Ambassadour of Christ as it were Christ in the Church Yee received mee sayes Saint Paul as an Angell of Christ yea as Christ himselfe and it is a shame for Christ for Christs deputy or vicegerent that susteines his person to be too servile to any To them may bee replyed that Sentence of the Apostle If I labour to please men I cannot be the Servant of Christ and have wee not many that by this base ladder climbe up to the livings in the Church Heretofore Cornelius threw down himselfe at Saint Peters feete but now a Peter yet in truth a Pseudo-peter throwes himselfe downe at the feete of a meane Gentleman for a Benefice This is a kinde of Simonie as the very Schoole-men have affirmed an horrible vice hee that is tainted with it cannot protest with Saint Paul I have a good conscience in all things Saint Ambrose doth excellently paint out this sin I would to GOD all Ministers would have his words engraven in their hearts If thou comest in by Simonie Caro suscepit dignitatem anima perdidit honestatem Caro dominatur populis anima servit daemonibus Caro Sacerdotium comparavit anima detrimentum paravit and what shall it availe a Minister to win the whole world and loose his owne Soule O it is a comfortable thing for a Minister if hee may truly protest with the Prophet I have not thrust in my selfe to bee a Pastour over this people neither have I desired the day of miserie Lord thou knowest to be set over a people to have the charge of many Soules for the which we must answer at the day of Iudgement if a man will faithfully discharge his Office it is rather a miserie then a felicitie hee shall have many difficulties to wrastle withall Every drunkard fornicatour adulterer c. if his vices bee ripped up will bee against him Wherefore if thou hast thrust thy selfe into this miserie GOD will leave thee to defend thy selfe if thou hast beene thrust in by him hee will defend thee But as for this vice of Simonie I will shut it up with those verses which were not amisse to be imprinted in the hearts of us all Haec duo damna feres si tu sis Simonis haeres Mortuus ardebis vivus semper egebis These two losses shalt thou beare if thou beest Simons heyre A beggar live shalt thou heere and after burne in hell feere Of the one that for the most part they bee beggars all the world
non ut servemus sed ut utamur not to lay them up till they rust but to use them to the glory of the giver especially to bestow them on Christ and his members many things are worse for using these are better Si amaveris divitias peribis cum illis perde ne pereas dona ut acquiras semina ut metas If thou lovest thy riches so well as to doe no good with them thou shalt perish together with thy goods part with them when God will have thee that thou perish not with them give that thou mayest take sow that thou mayst reape Sowe in earth cheerefully and thou shalt reape in heaven plentifully Where did they beare witnesse of his charity not in secreto but in publico not secretly but openly not in the house but in the Church Some of them being preachers did speake openly of it in the Pulpitin the audience of all the people The best and the next way to be famous is to be full of charitable workes they after the flood sought to get them a name by setting up a tower the height whereof should reach to heaven but the works of charity proceeding from a true faith shall bring us to heaven indeed they will make us to be spoken of both in this life and in the life to come The Centurions Synagogues shall make him volitare per ora virum to flye through the mouthes of men more than Ahabs yvorie Pallace shall doe him Emanuel Colledge W r I sometime lived founded by Sir Gualter Mildmay that learned Knight and lover of learning shall make all posterity to speake of him and to praise God for him Suttons hospitall shall continue his name more than all his houses and lands gold and silver could have done The name of Gajus shall remaine in the Church to the worlds end The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance If we bee desirous of a name no speedier way then by the workes of charity the godly will speake of us in this life and Christ will set them on a stage at the day of judgement in the life to come Now hee stirreth him up to a proseqution of his charity not onely to entertaine them kindely while they bee with him but to stretch forth his kindenesse to them at their departure where there is 1. The enjoying of it 2. The pressing of it verse 7. In the enjoying 1. the fact 2. the manner how it is to be done 3. a commendation of it being done The fact is this To bring them forward on their journey when they goe to other places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 send them on before with competent provision It seemeth to be a kindnesse performed to all strangers at their departure Abraham went With the Angels on their way but chiefely to preachers of the word Paul and Barnabas were conveyed by the Church toward Ierusalem the Elders of Ephesus accompanied Paul to the shippe all that were at Tyrus accompanied Paul with their wives and children he presumed to be brought on by the Saints at Rome in his journey towards Spaine he charged the Corinthians to convey Timothy in peace to him he willed Titus to bring Zenas the expounder of the Law and Apollos on their journey diligently that they lacked nothing there is a Court courtesie usuall among us if a man of account come to our house we will goe a little way with him It hath some similitude with this but it is not the same it comes short of it by many degrees Then hee tels him how he should doe it after a godly sort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let your conversation be worthy of the Gospell of Christ walke worthy of God as it beseemeth Legats and Ambassadors sent from God as ye would doe to God himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 digni deo i. as Lorinus expounds it not much amisse divinè regie largiter divinely princely largely divinely as sent from God princely because they come from the Prince of Princes not sparingly but largely too Porus being asked of Alexander how hee should use him answeres in one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 regie regally how else saith Alexander nay in that saith hee all manner of royall usage is comprehended So Saint Iohn heere wisheth Gajus to bring them on worthy of God hee could say no more We must receive a Prophet in the name of a Prophet as a man of God sent from God himselfe little respect now a dayes is given to Prophets When a Legate came from the Pope into England how royally was he entertained many Lords would meete him as far as Dover and convey him honourably to the Court Gods Legats among us shall not have a quarter of that honour no not they that be in most eminent places In honouring of them wee honour God in dishonouring of them wee dishonour God yet it is little regarded There followeth the commendation of it Thou shalt doe well exceeding well the positive for the comparative excellently well God will reward thee for it in this life for he is not unrighteous to forget our worke and labour of our love which wee have shewed towards his name in ministring to his Saints In the life to come then Christ will applaud us and say Euge serve bone Well done thou good and faithfull servant enter into the joy of thy master VERSE 7. HE presseth it by a forcible reason deduced from the piety of those preachers which is set forth 1. By the end of their journey 2. by the small fruit of it Because for his names sake that is for the propagation of the Name of God by the preaching of the Gospell They went forth out of their native Country There be divers kindes of travellers Some travell upon curiosity to fit their eyes eares and tongues that they may see and be seene heare strange things and relate them when they come home and it were better for us to beleeve them then to goe and trie Some leave their Country for debt that carries many into Ireland and other places some because of some notorious offences committed by them which makes them to flye the Country Some doe it impiously to sucke in the dregges of Popery and to make proselytes of their owne religion as the Pharisaical Iesuits doe and in fine they make them threefold more the children of hell than they were before few travell for the name of Christ for the spreading of the Gospell as these did Touching the fruit of their travell it was fruitlesse taking nothing of the Gentiles to whom they preached hee doth not say asking nothing but taking nothing though it were offered to them I these were good preachers indeed if ours would doe so they should be welcome They tooke nothing not because it was unlawfull for them to take but because it was inexpedient It is a maxime