who thus professeth of himselfe I was a blasphemer a persequutor and injurious but I did it ignorantly and therefore hee sinned not against the Holy Ghost If they do it on weaknes as St. Peter did who cursed and swore he knew not Christ it is a grievous sinne yet not the sinne against the Holy Ghost An Eunomian or Macedonian that deny the deity of the Holy Ghost may repent and be received into mercy Sabelliani or Patripussiani that oppugne his person may also repent and bee forgiven but if they doe it on malice then they commit that sinne that cannot bee forgiven in this world nor that which is to come these bee the thornes and bryars which the Apostle pointeth out in this place Such a cursed earth bringing forth thornes and bryars were some of the Pharisees they could say of CHRIST this is the heyre yet they said let us kill him Such a thorne was Alexander the copper-smith which resisted Saint Pauls preaching very soare hee set his feet against Saint Pauls feete hee resisted not his person but his preaching not sleightly but vehemently with might and maine Such a thorne was Iulian sirnamed the Apostata that fell quite away hee was baptized into the name of Christ hee was a professour of the Gospell and that a zealous one as it seemeth he was a publike Reader in the Church of Nicomedia who so forward as he yet afterwards hee proved a vile pricking thorne hee washed away baptisme with bloud in contempt of it he abjured Christ and sacrificed to the Gods of the Gentiles he scoffed at Christianity mocking them that would believe in a crucified God If they came to have wrongs righted he sent them away with a flouting speech why your Master bids you put up wrongs turne the other check when you be smitten To the last gaspe he spewed out his malice against Christ taking the arrow out of his side that gave him his deaths wound he tooke the bloud into his hand hurled it up into the ayre crying vâ—cisti Galilaee he was but a plaine Galilean with him to the end These be the speciall thornes that the Scripture speaketh of in this place whose end is to burne in hell for evermore O cursed ground that hath the raine of the Word of God falling on it and yet bringeth forth such thornes The Lord grant that we bee never such ground For the preventing of it let us bring forth good fruit answerable to the raine that falleth on us let us take heed of the staires that may carry us headlong into the sinne against the Holy Ghost let us not bee patrons and defenders of bad men and evill actions against the light of our conscience that is a step to this fearefull sin Let us beware how on any sinister affection we oppose our selves to the preachers of Gods Word The Devill by little and little may cause us to set our selves against the Word of God it selfe Let us not carelesly neglect or any way contemne those heavenly points of doctrine that are delivered to us As we have the raine of the Word of God in great plentie among us so let us bring forth fruits in some measure worthy of it that we may not only escape the fire where these thornes burne but may bee received into GOD his kingdome there to reigne with him in eternall happinesse for evermore VERSE 9. NOw least they should imagine that they are the men hee shewes that they are perswaded better of them that they are the elect Children of GOD and shall bee eternallie saved Here is 1. The substance of the perswasion 2. The foundation on which it is builded In the former 1. The matter of it 2. A qualification of it by the mitigation of the harshnesse of his former speech that is a fearefull piece of earth which thou hast mentioned that brings forth bryars and thornes c. doest thou take us to be such a ground No sayes he be it farre from us we have a better perswasion of you Beloved of God and us too He winds himselfe into them by a kinde appellation of them Hee doth not say wee expect better things from you wee are in good hope you will prove better than thus or the like but we are perswaded and nothing can remove us from this perswasion wee take you to bee other manner of men farre different from the former The things that bee in them are starke naught but wee perswade our selves most excellent things of you They are reprobates but we are perswaded that you are the elect Children of God This is a goodly commendation may some say as if a man seeing a company going to execution should say to one that stands by him I am perswaded that thou art a better man then these I but this is a good perswasion there are but two sorts of people godly and wicked reprobates now being perswaded that they are better then the reprobate he is perswaded they be elect and what greater perswasion can there be then that therefore hee addeth such things as accompany salvation Saint Augustine reades it cohaerentia saluti ad Crescen Such as have salvation we are perswaded you are in the number of them that shall be saved 1. His perswasion is propounded then strengthened against that which might seeme to overthrow it Though we have somwhat sharpely chidden you and introduced a fearefull example of vile and wicked apostates a father may set before the eyes of his child thieves murderers drunkards blasphemers and yet be perswaded that his child is none of them only he doth it to warne him not to treade in their steps so as a loving Father I have told you of these men yet I am perswaded better if you A Preacher must not alwayes be inveighing against the faults weaknesses and imperfections that bee among the people hee must sometimes speak kindly and lovingly to them manifesting the good opinion he hath of them they are the fathers of the people they must bee wise and discreet fathers they must neither bee like to David that never reproved Adonijah and said to him why doest thou so neither like the contentious woman in the Proverbs as the continuall droppings of the raine ever scolding with the people they must play the part of the Samaritane that after Wine which made the wound to smart powred in oyle for the suppling of it So wee must sometimes come with the sharpe wine of reprehension sometimes againe with the oyle of consolation Before Saint Paul came with salt and vinegar when hee spake of the reprobate earth now hee comes with hony and sugar but we are perswaded better things of you Generosus animus magis ducitur quà m trahitur sweet and comfortable words will prevaile more with some then rough and hard speeches both in wisedome must be used by Gods steward severity and lenitie must be tempered together if by any meanes we may save the people committed to our charge Before Saint Paul like
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
of Iericho Ioshua was a type of our Saviour Christ. Iericho hath her name of Iareach the Moone Now the Moone in Scripture represents the world As Ioshua made Iericho to fall by trumpets of Rams hornes So Christ our spirituall Ioshua subdued the world by twelve men as by twelve trumpets but that is farre fetched even beyond the Moone The Apostle maketh choyse of this because Iericho stood in the entrance of the Land of Canaan now we may ex ungue leonem As their first victory came of faith so did all the rest by faith at the length they conquered the whole Land of Canaan Heere we have many instructions 1 Faith is the best weapon to goe to warre withall not Bils Bowes and Guns Swords and Daggers Muskets Pistols Cannons and Demi-Cannons strong Iron Engins to undermine and scall wals withall As Christ sayd of Mint Cummin and Annis these ought yee to have done but not to leave the weightier matters of the Law undone So these externall weapons are to be provided but the greatest of all is faith All these without faith can doe little good faith without all these can doe much good By faith Gideon with three thousand men overcame the Midianites by faith little David and unarmed too slew great Goliah that was well armed by faith Iehosaphat put three Nations to flight an exceeding great multitude that came against him by faith Ionathan and his Armourâ—bearer discomfited the Philistims and by faith the walls of Iericho fell downe What got us the victory in the yeere 88. when the invincible Navy of the Spanyards were on the Sea Their ships were as mountaines to our Molehils they in number exceeding us Surely it was the faith of diverse that made us so gloriously to triumph over them By faith one shall chase a thousand and an hundred put ten thousand to flight Therefore it were to be wished that when we are to fight in battell choyse might be made of honest Souldiers When a muster is made we chuse stout and valiant men expert Souldiers such as can handle a Sword or a Gunne well they bee good but Souldiers indued with faith are the best warriers As the heathen man sayd he had rather have one Vlysses then ten Aiaces so it were better for us to have one faithfull honest godly man in a Camp then ten Souldiers that can quaffe and swill sweare and swagger yea though they bee lusty men of body Why was Elias called the Charets and horsemen of Israel for his faith and prayers that hee made for Israel not in regard of any bodily strength If wee will be conquerers over our enemies let us pray to God for faith this will cast downe walls subvert Citties overthrow towers and make us famous conquerers 2 How meane soever the meanes be let us by faith depend on GOD. What were Rams hornes to blow downe the walls of Iericho withall what were pitchers and three hundred men to vanquish the Midianites what was a stone in it selfe against a great mighty Gyant that was armed from top to toe what was clay and spittle to open a blind mans eyes withall The power of God is seene in weakenesse Though the instruments bee weake Hee is strong that worketh by them What is Preaching if we looke on it with a carnall eye to cast downe the holds of sin to overthrow Satan to bring men to the kingdome of Heaven yea the foolishnesse of preaching too as the Apostle calleth it If our Preachers were flaunting oratours if their Sermons were such eloquent orations as Demosthenes's and Tullies it were something but shall a rude kinde of speaking accompanyed with the power of GODS Spirit save soules I verily because GOD hath appointed it and it pleaseth him to worke by it The breath of CHRISTS mouth overthrowes Antichrist and wee though silly weake men shall overcome immortall Divels wee shall bee more then Conquerers through Him that loved us 3 Walls as yee see are no strong munitions An horse sayes the Psalmist is a vaine thing so an high and mighty wall is a vaine thing unlesse GOD be the keeper of the wall The townes of the Canaanites were walled up to the Heavens yet they were made even with the earth The tower of Siloam fell Ierusalem as Iosephus writeth was compassed about with three walls A threefold thred is not easily broken much more a threefold wall Yet all these three walls were rased to the ground the Citty taken and the Iewes miserably slaine There bee some that make gold their hope and the wedge of gold their confidence and there be some that make walls their hope but they bee weake pillars to leane upon There bee two walls which wee may be bold to trust unto a good conscience and God Almighty hic murus aheneus esto nil conscire sibi They whose consciences doe not pricke them for sin may bee bold in the middest of all dangers even as bold as Lions as Salomon speakes and they that have bad consciences shall be afraid of their owne shadowes The other wall is God Almighty I will be unto thee sayes Hee to Ieremiah as a brazen wall against all thine enemies and the Lord as it is in Zechary will be as a wall of fire round about Ierusalem Let us not provoke GOD by our sinnes and wee shall bee safe within paper walls Let us exasperate him by our sinnes and walls of stone nay walls of Iron shall not defend us from our enemies The proverbe is that hunger breaketh through a stone wall but I am sure sin will breake through any wall As the moth eats the garment So sinne will eate through the strongest wall that is and call in our enemies after it Therefore if we will be secure in our houses Towns Citties and Castles let us be at peace with GOD and serve Him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our lives It is sayd that Iericho was compassed about seven dayes Now one of those seven must be the Sabbath therefore some works might be done on their Sabbath day and so on the Lords day now Here we are to distinguish some are our own workes and some Gods works our owne workes are the workes of our calling and the workes of our Nature which are sinnes both these must cease on the Sabbath day wee may not goe to plow and Cart on that day much lesse may wee kill steale commit adultery bee drunken on that day But as for GODS workes they may bee done on that day and they are either extraordinary and immediately commanded by GODS owne voyce as this was the compassing of Iericho on the seventh day or mediately and ordinarily prescribed and set downe in the Word and they bee the workes of mercy Christ healed on the Iewes Sabbath day Hee defended His Disciples for rubbing the eares of Corne on that Sabbath day An Oxe or an Asse might be plucked out of a ditch on the Sabbath day Wee may visite the sicke
downe of all pernicious weedes of Anabaptisme Brownisme Popery in this garden of the LORD IESUS Pray for all faithfull Preachers and Ministers whatsoever that all the people from the highest to the lowest may know CHRIST and live obediently to the Gospell One principall reason why there be so many disorders in the Church is this because the people have no care of their Ministers seldome or never commend them in their prayers to the God of heaven Earnest prayer was made by the Church for Saint Peter and the Ephesians prayed for Saint Paul till they wept againe but there is no praying for our Pauls and Peters If it had beene said prate of us the people would readily have put that in practise they make the Preachers their table talke they speake evill of the Rulers of the people in all places If it had beene sayd prey upon us wee should have had a number of preyers That which the Papists gave to the Ministers they that be called Protestants take from the Ministers Pharaoh would not have the lands of the Priests touched in the time of a famine and scarcity We in the time of a plenty take away their lands Heeretofore the leane kine devoured the fat and were more ill favoured now the fat devoure the leane and are never satisfied Heretofore the people gave their very earrings to the Priests now they are ready to pull the coate over the Priests eares Every one in the parish will prey upon him but scarce one will pray for him If it had beene sayed pry into us we would have done it with a narrow eye the foot of a Preacher shall not slip but he shall be taken tripping by and by a moate shall be made a beame a mole-hill a mountaine But he doth not say prey upon us prate of us pry into us but pray for us and as ye love the glory of GOD the beauty of Sion the peace of Ierusalem the salvation of your owne soules pray for us Some there be that will pray for the Ministers but it is because they are bound to pray for their enemies There is one Michaiah sayd Achab but I hate him So some will say indeed wee have a Minister but he is ever rubbing on my soares therefore I hate him Yet because CHRIST sayes pray for them that hate you I will pray for him I but thou must pray for him as for the greatest friend in the world that thy soares being lanched with the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of GOD they may bee suppled with the oyle of GODS mercy in CHRIST and thou saved at the day of Iudgement Heere wee may see the wonderfull humility of Saint Paul hee was a master-builder of the Church had seene CHRIST he was adorned with singular gifts of learning and of piety he spake with tongues more then al he was taken up into the third heaven c. He was a man deepe in GODS bookes in prayers often in fastings often he had travelled all the world over in the propagation of the Gospell of CHRIST A man would have thought that his owne prayers had beene sufficient hee needed not the prayers of others Indeed the prayers of Prophets of Preachers are of great force with God The LORD told Abimelech that Abraham was a Prophet he should pray for him Yet the prayers of common Christians are also to be desired Vis unita fortior The prayers of the people and Ministers joyned together will the sooner prevaile with the Lord. The King may adscribe much to the request of one of his privy Counsell yet hee rejects not the petition of the meanest Subject The Preachers are of Gods privy Counsell He revealeth his secrets to them yet the prayer of a righteous man is avayleable if it bee servent Cornelius was no Minister yet his prayer went up into remembrance before God The head needes the ayde of the foote the King needs the prayers of the Subjects the Minister of the people Therefore let us all require the prayers one of an other But why should wee pray for you you are bad men God will not heare our prayers for you It is not so for wee trust wee have c. Some take it to be an argument à pari We have discharged a good conscience towards you in all things delivering unto you all things necessary to salvation therefore discharge you a good conscience againe in praying for us But it is rather a procreant cause of their praiers We are holy men such as feare God as labour to keepe a good conscience and to live honestly therefore praie for us You are to praie for all chiefely for them that be of the household of faith Wee are of that household and bring forth the fruits of faith therefore pray for us Vngodly men that have no good conscience had most need to be praied for yet we may pray more boldly for the godly God will sooner heare us for them These words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may either bee understood of the persons or of the things they are indifferent in the Greeke Some connexe them with the words following and referre them to the persons thus Wee are assured that wee have a good conscience there they make a Comma amongst all men desiring to live honestly The matter is of no importance Yet I see no reason why our English translation may not be reteyned It agreeth with that protestation of Saint Paul I have walked with all good conscience to this day As here he sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See how confident he is in this point he doth not say we hope we thinke wee haue some probable conjecture or light perswasion but we are assured this with boldnesse and confidence we are able to protest not to our commendation and glory but to the praise and glory of God that we have a good conscience in all things Whereby wee are given to understand that it behooveth all Christians especially Ministers to bee assured of a good conscience in all their doings Nothing is more terrible then an ill conscience It is the onely hell as Luther calls it If the Divell had not an ill conscience he were in heaven in comparison As on the contrary side nihil in hac vita securius nihil jucundius possidetur bona conscientia sayes an ancient Father Premat corpus trahat mundus terreat diabolus illa tamen semper erit secura Wherefore let us first search out what a good conscience is then what be the things wherein a Minister must keepe a good conscience First for the conscience in generall It is called conscientia sayes Bern. quasi cordis scientia that etymologie is not to be rejected if it be taken with his meaning Scientia sayes he is when the heart knowes other things conscientia quando cor novit se. Yet as any may see according to the nature of the word conscience is a knowledge with an other
things Abraham gave tithe of all things to Melchizedec so ought yee to doe howsoever you flatter your selves to the contrary Our best workes are too often defiled with sinne many strange by-thoughts creepe into our minds while we are a praying we pray not with sighes and groanes of the spirit as wee ought to doe we preach not with such wisedome love zeale and power as we should we give not our almes so sincerely as becommeth us we receive not the Communion so penitently and thankfully as we should we heare not the word with such reverence and attention as becommeth us every one of us may knocke on our breasts after the best action we have done with the Publican and say Oh God be mercifull to mee a sinner I have no righteousnesse of mine owne to appeare before thee withall cloath us with the righteousnesse of thy deere Sonne the King of righteousnesse that wee may bee found in him to the everlasting joy and comfort of us all Let the Papists trust to the broken staffe of their inherent righteousnesse scoffing at the imputed righteousnesse of Christ but let us desire this righteousnesse By nature there is Warre betweene GOD and us hee is our enemie and wee his the flagge of defiance is displayed betweene us both Then in what a wofull case are we are we able to encounter with the GOD of heaven and earth that hath all creatures at his becke we must needs goe by the worst he can arme heaven earth and hell against us but here is our comfort IESUS CHRIST is our peace hee hath set at peace by the bloud of his crosse all things in heaven and earth This is the true peace indeed without the which wee can have no sound comfort there is no peace saith God to the wicked What peace said Iehu to Iehoram when as the adulteries of thy mother Iesabel are yet in great number Though a man have the world at will faire houses large lands ample possessions great bagges of silver and gold yet if his adulteries oppressions and other sinnes lye as an heavy loade on his conscience alas what peace can hee have hee is as the raging Sea that cannot bee quiet Achitophel had wealth enough yet because he was not at peace with God by Christ tooke a rope and hanged himselfe Iudas had money enough being the purse bearer and having lately received â—hirtie pieces of silver from the Scribes and Pharisees but alas his sinne vexing his conscience he could have no rest but became his owne butcher Therefore let us all desire God to give us an assurance in our hearts and consciences that wee are subjects appertaining to the King of peace and that Christ Iesus is our Peace It is a singular blessing to have outward peace to sit quietly under our vines and figtrees to have no leading into Captivity no complaining in our streets God hath beene wonderfull gracious to England these many yeares together and that for the admirable peace which it enjoyed we are to praise God that there be no tumults insurrections nor massacres that there is no sword of the enemies to devoure in the land but if in the meane season wee bee not at peace with God by Christ we are most miserable Therefore let us pray especially for this peace that we may be perswaded of the remission of all our sinnes in the bloud of Christ. This is most livelily represented to us in the Lords Supper The breaking of the bread sets before our eyes the breaking of Christs body for our sins the powring out of the Wine represents to us the gushing out of the bloud of Christ out of his Holy side for our iniquities therefore let us come to this heavenly banquet with broken hearts and contrite spirits with a true and lively faith in Christ Iesus the true King of peace that wee may be assured that Christ is ours so that whensoever death shall come we may say with Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seene thy salvation This is that peace which passeth all understanding the God of peace give it to us all VERSE 3. THe thing concealed by Moses is the eternity of Melchizedec not in deed but in respect of Moses History Hee is introduced by him on the suddaine as if he came then presently from heaven and returned thither againe for Moses never spake of him before nor after His father and mother were not onely not knowne but they were not at all namely in the History of the bible Cujus neque pater neque mater scribuntur in generationibus Syr. otherwise he could not have beene a fit type of our Saviour Christ. He doth not say of yeeres but not so much as of dayes dayes goe before yeeres Melchizedec was without beginning of dayes quia hoc scriptum non est Christus quia non habet initium Chrys. Theoph. Nor end of life Not that he was translated as Enoch but because his end is not mentioned So Christ had no father in respect of his humanity no mother in respect of his deity He had kindred according to the flesh but not as God without beginning and ending as God Ioh. 12.34 This he applyeth Likened they are not the same but the one like to the other As the picture of the King is like the King so Melchizedec was as a picture of our Saviour Christ. Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing can overthrow it An immoveable Priest-hood a permanent Priest so was not Aaron and his posteritie Some have affirmed from hence that Melchizedec was not a man but something greater then a man Origen as Ierome testifieth of him Epist. 126. said hee was an Angell others that hee was the HOLY GHOST others that he was the great power of GOD yea greater then Christ because Christ is said to bee a Priest after his order Epiphan l. 2. cont haereses haeresi 55. Aug. de haeresibus c. 34. The same did Theodotus the Heretike avouch and that hee was the mediatour of the Angels praying for them as CHRIST doth for men Tertul. de praescrip adversus haereticos in fine Some have taken upon them to set downe his fathers and mothers name that his fathers name was Eracla his mothers name Astareth or Asteria Vide Epiphanium All these are confuted by the text 1. Hee is said to bee likened to the Sonne of God but nullum simile est idem 2. Hee is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not because hee had no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stocke or kinred but because there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no mention no commemoration of his kinred in the Scripture from whence ariseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verse 6. So Horace lib. 2. Satyr 5. sayes of one that he was sine gente because his nation was not knowne qui quamvis perjurus erat sine
an interrogation yet it is better to read it affirmatively otherwise they should have ceased to have beene offered Once purged from the guilt and punishment of sinne Should no more be pricked in conscience for their sins their consciences accusing them and drawing them before the tribunall of Gods justice for their sins If a medicine have once throughly cured a man it needs not againe be ministred to the man So if the ceremoniall Law with her sacrifices had healed the people of their sins those sacrifices might have ceased to bee offered but they were offered every yeare therefore they did not purge them from their sinnes The often iteration of those sacrifices shewed their inability to take away sin If the sacrifice of Christ once offered on the Crosse have purged us from all sinne then Christ must be no more offered but the sacrifice of Christ once offered on the Crosse hath purged us from all sinne which the Papists deny not Therefore Christ is no more to be offered as they say he is in the sacrifice of the Masse The Iesuites affirme that the Apostle here strikes at the legall sacrifices but not at the sacrifice of holy Church I but with one stroake hee woundeth them both The repetition of a sacrifice argues the weakenesse and debility of it for if it have once abolished sinne it needs not bee repeated againe CHRIST by his sacrifice on the Crosse hath taken away the sins of the world therefore Christ is not to be offered up any kinde of way neither bloudily nor unbloudily to expiate sin There is a conscience in every man that keepeth a register of all his sins It is scientia cum alia scientia There is a generall knowledge of the Law written in the hearts of us all and conscience is a particular application of it to our selves As for example the Law of God sayes Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge My conscience sayes to mee if I be guilty of that sinne thou art an Adulterer thou hast had thy Queanes in many corners therefore God will judge thee this is conscience which setteth our sins in order before us For the better unfolding of it we know that there be sundry kindes of consciences 1. There is an erring conscience a blind conscience as was in them that thought they did God good service when they killed the Children of God Such a conscience was in Paul before his conversion for the which hee was grieved afterwards when the eyes of their minde come but once to bee opened then their conscience will accuse them for it 2. There is a sleeping conscience A man knowes the will of God yet his conscience being a sleepe for a time he lyes snorting in the bed of sinne So did David in his sin of numbring the people but his conscience awoke at the length and his heart smote him for it A man may lye sleeping in covetousnesse drunkennesse adultery and God at the length awaken him out of that sleepe which is good for him 3. There is a seared conscience such as was in them 1 Tim. 4.2 when men are past feeling and hardned in their sins Custome becomes another nature They are so accustomed to drinking whoring oppressing and deceiving of their neighbours as that they thinke those to be no sins Their consciences never checke them for them These are in the ready way to Hell 4. There is an accusing conscience which is as a scolding queane in the house of a mans heart and will never suffer him to bee quiet day nor night They are like the raging Sea continually foaming In that case were they that went out of the Temple one by one being convicted of their owne consciences Such a conscience had Iudas when he cryed I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud This may prove a tragedy both in the end and in the beginning too as it did in him and it may end with a comedy in Gods Children It may lead some to hell and for others it may bee the way to heaven Mordeat nunc ut moriatur It is better for us that this Worme gnaw on us here to the vexation of our hearts for a while then gnaw on us eternally hereafter This accusing conscience more or lesse wee shall have in this world at one time or other they that fall into grosse sins and yet never feele a hell in their consciences in this life shall never finde an heaven in the life to come Therefore it was well said of one being demanded which was the way to heaven hell sayes he For if thou goest not by hell thou wilt never get to heaven 3. There is an excusing and cleering conscience When the bookes are cleered betweene GOD and us A debter is cleered when the booke of his Creditour is crossed so our consciences are quiet when our sins are out of Gods booke then we shall have no more conscience of sin This could not be effected by the sacrifices in the time of the Law neither can it bee obtained by any thing that we can doe in the time of the Gospell It is neither our comming to Church nor hearing of Sermons though these bee good things not our prayers fastings almes deeds receiving of Communions noe though wee should give our bodies to be burnt These are excellent duties yet these cannot acquit our consciences of sinne for when wee have done all we are unprofitable servants and we sinne in our best actions The only way to come to a quiet and excusing conscience is the application of Christ's merits to our selves being justified by faith we have peace with God If wee have laid hold on CHRIST by a lively faith wee may take up that song death where is thy sting c. Therefore let us repent and then entreat the Lord to assure our consciences that CHRIST hath dyed for all our sinnes and then wee shall have no more conscience of sins So we shall sing for joy when wee lye on our death beds and shall stand without trembling before God in the life to come VERSE 3. BVt the offerers of them have still conscience of sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not onely of their present sins but of their sinnes past too All of them doe lye as a loade still on their consciences whereof the yeerely sacrifice by the High-Priest putteth them in minde Levit. 16.21 As they in the time of the Law had many sacrifices to put them in remembrance of sinne so wee in the time of the Gospell have many remembrancers of sinne Sundry Monitours to admonish us that we be sinners The Raine-bow may be a remembrance of sin to us that the world was once drowned for sinne and that it might be so still but for the goodnesse and mercy of God Baptisme daily ministred in the Church putteth us in minde of sinne for if we were not sinners we needed not to be baptized The Lords Supper puts us in minde of
sicut Angelorum judicium fuit inexorabilius quà m hominum ita Ministrorum gravius erit quà m Laicorum Therefore let us be types and examples of all goodnesse to our flockes and as we are called the light of the world so let us bee lights indeede Let our light so shine before men that seeing our good workes they may glorifie our Father which is in Heaven Yet more particularly wee must examine our conversation in that speciall calling wherein wee be set The weaver labours in the loome the Merchant on the sea the husband-man is seldome from the plough and our plough must in a manner bee alwayes going ever looking to GODS husbandrie that is committed to us Many there bee that live honestly among their neighbours and are good house-keepers but they neglect their Cure I but innocens absque sermone conversatio quantùm exemplo prodest tantùm silentio nocet sayes Saint Ierome Episcopus est nomen operis Saint Ambrose compares him to a Bee that is ever gathering honey out of the flowers of the Scriptures Id componens arte oris sui and delivers it to the people Saint Chrys. is bold to say Necesse est Episcopum in singulos dies sementem facere ut ipsa saltem assuetudine doctrinae auditorum animi sermonem retinere possint Be instant sayes Saint Paul in season and out of season so often as we can for gifts of minde and body So often as the people can conveniently assemble together let the Ministers of the Lord cast forth the net of the Gospell and be drawing of some fishes to the shoare of eternall life Blessed is the servant whom his Lord when hee commeth shall finde so doing To him He will say come thou good and faithfull servant enter into the joy of thy Master O what an excellent thing is it for a minister thus to affirme with Saint Paul that he hath kept a good conscience in all things in his entrance into the ministery and in a faithfull wise diligent and religious exequution of his office to Gods glory and the benefit of the people such a one may sing for joy with the Swan when hee is ready to depart out of the world I have fought a good fight from henceforth is layd up for me a crowne of righteousness which the righteous Iudge will give me at that day It will play Ioab with us it will say nothing while the fact is a doing but when it is done it will cry alarme against us he himselfe will be most against us as the man that left Absalom hanging sayd of Ioab Therefore as Saint Augustine counselleth us let us obturare ei os in hoc mundo ne clamet contra nos in futuro let us doe nothing so neere as we can that may wound our consciences in this life that wee may make a comfortable accompt in the life to come Take heede of the thousand witnesses nay of the thousand armies as Luther calls it If thou beest arraigned of fellony murder treason at the barre of an earthly judge and but two witnesses come against thee Lord have mercy on thee thou art gone and how shalt thou quake before the barre of GODS tribunall seate when a thousand witnesses shall step out against thee then there is nothing to be expected but that fearefull voice goe thou cursed c. Wee of the Ministery are much subject to the tongues of men we are set on an hill and the eyes of all are converted upon us If there bee but a little spot in the face it is quickly espied and a great matter is made of it yea let us walke as warily as we can give no offence to any yet men will take offence and the best Ministers though living under the protection of a gracious Prince we may escape the clawes of men yet certainely not the best of us all can escape the jawes of men and let not that trouble us for if all could not give CHRIST a good word some sayd hee was a good man others nay but he deceiveth the people then let not us thinke that bee sinfull wretches to have every mans good word In all speeches and obloquies let us have recourse to our consciences and heare what they say of us If all the world commend us and our consciences condemne us we can have no comfort On the contrary side if all the world speake evill of us and our consciences speake good to us we need not to care for any of them all Let us remember that worthy speech of a worthy Father nec malam conscientiam sanat praeconium laudantis nec bonam vulnerat opprobrium criminantis We are wont to say if I have GOD and the King on my side I care for no man in England So may we say if I have GOD and a cleare conscience on my side I care for no man in all the world The Papists say it is unlawfull for a Minister to marry Some Protestants say it is inconvenient for Ministers to marry and indeed their maintenance being so small it is so yet for all that I say it is both lawfull and convenient nay necessary for all Ministers to marry for all without exception But wot ye to what wife namely to a good conscience If thou beest marryed to her if thou hast her at home to comfort thee in the house of thine heart though thy living be never so small thou shalt live marveilously well yea more at hearts ease then King Richard the third did in his Kingdome but if thou beest a minister and hast a Xantippe at home the worme of conscience gnawing on thee for they bad comming to thy Benefice for thy bad living in the same si inde te eijcit fumus malae conscientiae alas poore man whither shall thou goe wilt thou run away from thy selfe whither soever thou goest thou carryest thy conscience with thee and that will keepe a yelling against thee in domo in foro in mensa in lecto and in all places Wherefore let us all be assured that we are at peace with our conscience that wee have this loving Wife to cheere us up wheresoever wee bee what is our rejoycing sayes Saint Paul save the testimony of a good conscience Let a man be lying on his death bed let some say to him remember man what faire and beautifull houses thou hast what goodly Lordships what lands and possessions what bags of silver and gold remember in what credit honour and reputation thou hast lived on the face of the earth will this comfort him thinke you truely but a little But if his conscience say to him as Hezekiahs did to him remember that thou hast walked before the Lord with an upright heart this will comfort him and make his heart to skip for joy in his belly recta vita esca conscientiae a good life is the meate of the conscience Live well in thy calling this is meate and drinke to thy conscience this shall comfort