diverse qualitie of both Priest-hoods The Priest-hood which is everlasting and abideth for ever is more excellent than that which is momentany and continueth but for a time Christs Priest-hood is eternall the Leviticall Priest-hood lasted but for a time ergo This Argument hath two branches the comparison betweene them 23.24 and an effect 25. the comparison is in the number and continuance That the Priest-hood of the Levites was temporarie is evinced by the relatives If the Priests continued but a time then the Priest-hood but they continued but for a time which is illustrated by the number of them and the reason of the number And they verily being many were made Priests And why were they many because they were forbidden by death to endure Death would not suffer them to continue long therefore it was necessary that there should bee many of them one to supply the roome of the other There were not onely many inferiour Priests but many high Priests not at one and the same time but successively After Aaron came Eleazar after him Phinees c. for the same cause there be many Kings one King succeedeth another because death will not suffer them to live death forbids them to abide He brings an inhibition against their continuance I command thee here to stay and to goe no further and all Kings Priests Lawyers Physitians must obey him A paucity is a greater argument of perfection then a multitude The kingdome is better governed that hath one King then that which hath many that house is better ruled that hath one Master then many the world is better with one Sun then if there were many the Phaenix is the most famous of all birds because there is but one of them at a time God being but one is farre more glorious then man being many So is it betweene the Priests of the Law and CHRIST they were many but CHRIST is but one which remaineth alwayes therefore his Priest-hood is more excellent than theirs But why were they many because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death As it is here said of the Levites So it may be said of us all A man walking in London streets or in a corporation is on the suddaine arrested by a Sergeant and commanded to stay so as wee are walking in our race in the world comes death as the LORDS Sergeant and bids us stay here yeeld up thy life I will not suffer thee to tarry any longer Adam was the ancientest man that ever was the first that breathed on the earth yet hee was not suffered to endure by reason of death Methusalem was the longest liv'd man that ever was he lived almost a thousand yeeres yet dyed Sampson a mighty strong man with the jaw-bone of an Asse he slew a thousand Philistims he carryed away the great Gates of the Citty on his Shoulders yet he was arrested by death Saul a goodly tall man higher than any of the people Absalom a faire beautifull man not a blemish in him from the Crowne of his head to the soale of his foote Salomon the wisest man that ever was Saint Paul a learned man he spake with tongues more than they all a profound divine taken up into the third heaven a painfull and powerfull Preacher he converted a great part of the world to Christ yet they were not suffered to continue by reason of death This is the condition of us all high and low rich and poore learned and unlearned none of us all can bee suffered to endure long by reason of death Death is a cooling Card in all our mirth and jollity that comes at length with his Axe and cuts all downe Kings are not suffered to endure by reason of death there is a succession of Kings as well as of other men Dukes Earles Lords Knights Gentlemen are not suffered rich Merchants Lawyers Divines Physitians are not suffered to continue by reason of death The Physition that hath saved the life of many in the end surrenders his life into Deaths hands none of us can endure here long by reason of death The Priests of the Law dyed and the Ministers of the Gospell must dye none but CHRIST endures for ever therefore seeing Death will not suffer us long to tarry here let us so live the little and uncertaine time wee have in this world that wee may live eternally with Christ our everlasting Priest and Saviour in the world to come VERSE 24. HEre in the Priest-hood of Christ there is but one Priest and why because hee is not mortall and taken away by Death as they were but immortall and endureth for ever Indeed in respect of his humanity he dyed but hee continued not long in that death not past three dayes and three nights After he rose againe sitteth now at the right hand of God and lives for ever whole Christ both God and man Rom. 6.9 whereas the Priests in the Law shall not live againe for ever in their bodies till the day of judgement And our Saviour Christ in respect of his deity endureth for ever continually and therefore hee hath an everlasting Priest-hood intransibile which passeth not by succession from one to another as the Leviticall Priest-hood did but continueth for ever in the person of one man Chrysost. expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee hath not a succeeding Priest-hood In the time of the Law there were many sacrificing Priests but now in the time of the Gospell there is but one sacrificing Priest and that is our SAVIOUR CHRIST which offered one sacrifice once for the sinnes of the world This cutâ—eth off the whole rabble of the massemonging Priests Indeed spiritually wee are all Priests Apoc. 1.6 to offer spirituall sacrifices to God but there is no Priest to offer an externall sacrifice for sin but Christ. The Iesuites chafe at us for this collection yet it is firme VERSE 25. THe eternity of Christs Priest-hood is illustrated by an effect that ensueth thereupon As he is willing so he is able Also which necessarily is inferred on the other To save all that belong to him Thence hee hath his name Iesus because he saveth Matth. 1.21 This is amplified 1. By the manner how he saveth us 2. By the description of them whom he saveth 3. By the cause why he is able to doe it For the manner wholly omnino leaving no part of our salvation to be accomplished by others Acts 4. Verse 12. he needs not the helpe of the Virgin Mary of Thomas c. he can save us wholy of himselfe They that are saved are such as come to God by him not by the Virgin by any Saints or Angell in heaven The reason why because he ever liveth to make intercession for us he discharges the office of a Priest for us still in heaven Romans 8.26 it is said that the Holy Ghost maketh intercession for us yet the HOLY GHOST is not our Mediatour hee doth not in our nature pray for us as Christ doth but
Gospell of Christ are now changed they now receive Mahomet for their God and Saviour England which was once rude and barbarous is now become civill and religious The time was when Church-men were the greatest men in this kingdome now the Lawyers carry all away but that naile of the Cart wheele which is now aloft may hereafter be in the dirt Daily experience teacheth us what changes there be in townes and citties A towne that had many wise and grave governours in it hath now scarce any that will looke to the government of the towne A towne which a whyle agoe was wealthy a great number of rich men in it in the turning of an hand becomes poore and beggarlie Men themselves change sometimes they love sometimes hate sometimes they are whole sometimes sicke one while in their thousands as Iob was shortly after scant worth a Groat Here is nothing but changing The Leviticall Priest-hood was changed and there shall be a change of the Ministery of the Gospell too the time shall come when as there shall be no Churches to goe to no Scriptures to read over no Ministers to preach to us and shew us the way to heaven for when wee be in the celestiall Ierusalem what need shal we have of the Ships and Charrets that carry us thither when we be in heaven we shall not need the ladder of the Ministery to climbe up into heaven Nay there shall be a change of the world it selfe the earth whereon wee tread shall bee changed this earth shall be burnt with all the workes thereof the Sunne the Moone the Starres the goodly firmament over our heads shall be changed they all waxe old as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou change them yet here is nothing but labouring for these changeable things these reeds feathers weather-cockes these fading flowers are the chiefest things wee seeke after there is moyling and toyling for these men are at daggers drawing for them all our striving and contending is about them as for the favour of God in CHRIST the blessed hope of our election and salvation in the kingdome of heaven few strive for them Peradventure wee wish to bee in heaven as Balaam did but we strive not for it as we ought to doe all that we hunt after is silver and gold houses and lands the trash of this transitory world but we seeke not for that which is unchangeable and lasteth for ever In other things wee cannot away with change we would not willingly take a piece of Cloth which wee know will change the colour We all know that this miserable world will change colour the glory thereof will fade away yet we are most greedy of it Who will buy an house that hee knowes will change and that speedily that stands to day and is ready to fall to morrow Such an house is this world yet there is nothing but beating our braines about it all things in this world are changeable therefore let us love them and use them as if we loved and used them not Let us especially long after that change when Christ shall change our vile bodies and make them like his glorious body where wee shall remaine with him without change for ever and ever VERSE 13. THe law being taken away with the Priest-hood hee comes againe to proove the change of the Priest-hood à pari The Tribe is changed therefore the Priest-hood The Leviticall Priests were all of the Tribe of Levi this is not of that Tribe but of another To whom these things are referred as to their scope and marke Spoken in the Psalme that is the promised Messias for the Iewes themselves confesse that the Psalmist speakes this of him Matth. 22. ver 46. Is partaker of another Tribe As the Levites did None of that Tribe did therefore he could not Did so much as draw neere to the Altar gave themselves to the Altar medled with the Altar Temple or Ceremonies All the Priests in the time of the law were of the Tribe of Levi Our Saviour Christ is a Priest as the Scripture testifieth of him thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedec yet he is not of the Tribe of Levi therefore that Priest-hood is abolished and Christ's Priest-hood is to continue another Priest is risen up that is not of the order of Aaron Christ pertaineth to another tribe whereof none served at the Altar The Altar being a principall part of the Leviticall service is put for the whole All the lawfull Ministers of the Old Testament were of the Tribe of Levi this is an axiome in this place Sundry of the Pharises which were interpreters of the Law were not of the Tribe of Levi. Saint Paul was a Pharisee yet of the tribe of Benjamin notwithstanding our Saviour wills the people to heare them therefore though Ministers are not such sometime as were to be wished yet so long as they preach sound doctrine they are to be heard that by the way What though he appertaine to another Tribe yet he may be a Priest after the order of Aaron nay for none of this tribe served at the Altar Every one in the Common-wealth of Israel might not bee a Priest though the Messiah came of the Tribe of Iudah yet none of that Tribe might serve at the Altar In an armie every one must keepe his station the common Souldier must not bee a Captaine unlesse he be called thereunto a Bow-man must not be a Bill-man unles he be appointed thereunto So is it in a well ordered estate every man must not presume to expound Scripture to Minister the Sacraments to bee a Preacher unlesse hee bee called as Aaron was Vzzah put his hand to the Arke when it was in danger of falling but hee was stricken with sudden death Vzziah being a King presumed to offer incense but he was a Leaper for it all the dayes of his life Then what malepart boldnesse is it for a private man to step up into the Pulpit and to take upon him without warrant to be as GOD's mouth to the people Yet some in a jolly humour have done it whom God hath punished one way or other None of the Tribe of Iudah served at the Altar Let every man abide in that calling wherein God hath set him Let us serve in those places which GOD in wisedome hath allotted to us But though they served not at the Altar yet they served in other functions none of what Tribe so ever of what condition soever must bee idle wee must all serve God in some place or other Some serve as Kings it is a service to be a King The Philosopher calls a King Servum publicum and the Lord himselfe calls David his servant when hee was a King Nebuchadnezar that mightie Monarch was Gods servant Some serve as Counsellours to the King for the good of the common-wealth some serve as Iudges some as Lawyers some as Merchants Clothiers Weavers Husbandmen c. We must all serve
Widdow he gives her this charge go sell the Oile pay them thou art in debt unto and live thou and thy children of the rest We may not live wee and our children on that which is another mans that is an unlawfull living and Gods blessing cannot be expected on it 2. GOD will have his owne worship to give place unto it I will have mercy not sacrifice We may not sacrifice to GOD of that which is another mans The Athenians came to Phocion for money towards a solemne sacrifice to whom he returned this answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It were a shame for me to give to you and not to pay this man pointing out his creditor that which I owe him GOD will have thee to serve him with thine owne not with that which is other mens yet small reckoning is made of it We goe a borrowing with Asahels feet a paying with Mephibosheths Augustus Caesar would needs buy the Senators bed that slept so securely being so much in debt he wondred how he could sleepe it never breakes our sleepe we take thought how to borrow none to pay VERSE 19. HE gives him a bill of his hand for it I Paul have written it with my owne hand Noverint universi per praesentes me Paulum firmiter teneri obligari c. Thou hast my word and my hand too therefore doubt not of it I but what is Saint Pauls word or his bond worth he made many rich yet he himselfe was poore his wealth consisted in a cloake a few bookes and parchments Though his estate was not great yet his credite was great He could take up upon his bare word among well disposed Christians many hundred pounds I will repay it It is my owne debt now and I will see it discharged we ought to be mervailous circumspect before we give our word or bond for any He is a foole in the judgement of wise Salomon that does it rashly he is worthie of no favour take his garment that is surety for a stranger take his bed from under him Before hee was a free man now he is a bondman nay he is taken in the snare of his owne mouth he is as a bird in a snare Let us looke carefully before wee leape The best cast at dice say some is to cast them quite away the best surety is not to be surety for any hee that hateth suretiship is sure but if we be once in bonds let us labour to unbinde our selves so soone as wee can as deere to deliver our selves out of the hands of the hunter and as birds out of the hand of the fowler Regulus though an heathen stood to his word to the death If we did live as it becommeth Christians there should need no greater bond then the word of a Christian. The saying is by the word of a King who would not take a Kings word so royall are they in their performances CHRIST hath made us all Kings to GOD his Father therefore we should have a singular care of any of our bare words though the witnesses dye yet God that heard our word lives for ever But we are fallen into such an age that many mens bonds are of no validity Sampson broke the coards and some breake the seales of greene waxe at their pleasure they make no account of paper or partchment bonds till they bee cast into iron bonds Some put their hands and seales to a writing that make no conscience of the accomplishment of that which they have written They are content to goe so farre with Pilate as to acknowledge their hand writing what I have written I have written but they will not say what I have written I will performe Saint Paul was of another minde as he gave him his hand for the payment so he gives him his heart and faithfull promise to pay it I will repay it Then there followes a mitigation not an abrogation of the debt Albeit I doe not say quamvis veraciter dicere possem sayes Carthusian though I might truly say it how thou owest to me a farre greater matter than this even thine owne selfe also or besides That which the Minister receives of us is not a benevolence but a debt you are bound to pay it for you owe it But what is it that we owe to the Ministers and Preachers 1. Love not a single but a singular love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an over-abundant and overflowing love Nebridius said of Saint Augustine that he did nimium amare and was nimium amatus he loved too much and the people loved him too much Where is that nimium now especially on the peoples side 2. Wee owe them reverence Herod reverenced Iohn Baptist. Alexander honoured Iaddus the high Priest to the admiration of all his followers Gratian wrote letters to Saint Ambrose with his owne hands Valentin the elder called him father Valentin the younger though an Arrian rose up to him in token of reverence when he came into the Consistory Cornelius gave too much respect to Saint Peter we give too little to Saint Peter and Saint Paul too 3. We owe them maintenance Who goeth to warfare on his owne cost Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof Who feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milk thereof yet many great cowes in many parishes that give little milke to the shepheards nonne vides arcam inanem praepositi tui sayes Saint Augustine dost not see his chest emptie that is over thee in the Lord Saint Basil complaines of want Nazianzen sayes of himselfe that hee was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little and a poore shepheard the like complaint may many painfull Preachers take up in England 4. Wee owe them obedience Obey them that have the oversight of you and submit your selves As the people said to Iosua so must we say to the Preacher in the pulpit speaking to us in the name of God all that thou commandest us we will doe and whithersoever thou sendest us wee will goe if they command us to goe out of the Church we will doe it but if they command us to observe the orders of the Church we will not doe it we will give them the hearing but not the obeying nay we will heare at our leysure and doe at our pleasure Wonderfull is the debt we owe to the Ministers wonderfull is our negligence in paying of it we owe them our goods He that is taught in the word make him that teacheth him partaker of all his goods we owe them our eyes we owe them our lives Priscilla and Aquila layd downe their neckes for Saint Paul We owe them our selves as it is in this place for we have the salvation of our soules and bodies from them Instrumentally they be called Saviours In so doing thou shalt save thy selfe and them that heare thee VERSE 20. HAving used his Christian Rhetoricke for the receiving of Onesimus he shuts
crowned with glory and honour in that he raised up himselfe from the dead ascended into heaven in a cloud in the sight of his Disciples the Angels attending on him in that Stephen saw him sitting at the right-hand of God in that he sent downe the Holy Ghost from heaven and by a few simple men to look to through the preaching of the Gospell conquered all the world We may all see him crowned with glory and honour Thus he is higher than the Angels though through the suffering of death he was for a time lower than they Christ truly suffered death not phantastically in a phantasticall body as the Manichees and Apollinarists dreamed he felt and indured the bitter pangs of death Which is illustrated by two causes the efficient and finall the efficient is the grace love and mercy of God Iohn 3.16 the finall that as much as lay in Christ all men might be saved CHRIST's death was sufficient for all 1 Tim. 2.4 effectuall only to them that beleeve Isay 9.6 Mat. 26.28 Physick is offered to many sicke Patients that may doe them good if they will receive it but many are so froward that they will none of it the fault why they doe not recover is not in the physicke nor in the Physitian but in themselves so CHRIST offers the soveraigne medicine of salvation purchased by his death to all but some reject it and will not beleeve it can save them It is effectuall for all those that be sanctified that be his brethren as it is expounded afterwards Whereas it is said that Christ tasted death therein he dealt as the Physitian doth he needs not the physike prepared for his patients yet the better to induce them to take it he tastes of it himselfe before their eyes So death belonged not to Christ because he had no sinne yet he would taste of it that we might be more willing to taste and drink of that cup. The Metaphor must not be pressed too farre as if Christ did but sip and taste of the cup of death as a man tastes vinegar but drinkes not of it for he swallowed it up quite 1 Cor. 15.54 It is a borrowed speech Death is resembled to a cup whereof CHRIST did taste let this cup passe from me This hath reference to the time that hee continued in death not to the sharpenesse of his death They that taste of a thing tarry not long at it their lips are quickly removed from it so CHRIST did not continue long in death not past three dayes and three nights hee did but tast as it were of it and so away yet he truly dyed and it was a most bitter taste to him Thus the tasting of death was no dishonour but an honour to Christ. By it hee brought many to eternall life for all that hee is above the Angels and all other creatures whatsoever CHRIST hath tasted of death before us therefore let not us that be Christians be too much afraid of death There is a potion brought to a sicke Patient which the eye loathes and the mouth distasts The poore sick man is loath to drinke of it the Physitian takes it into his hand tasts of it before his eyes by that he is encouraged to receive it so is it with us death is a sowre cup which nature abhorreth we are all unwilling naturally to drink of it but for so much as Christ our loving and heavenly Physitian hath tasted of it before hand let us not be afraid of it The godliest men in the world cannot but in some measure feare death Christ feared it Et non est fortior miles quà m Imperator yet let this be as Sugar to sweeten this bitter Cup to us CHRIST tasted of it and overcame it so shall wee doe by his vertue and power As after the receit of a purgation the body is the better more sound than before so after we have drunk this bitter Cup of Death both in soule and body we shall be the better farre more glorious than before therefore let us be willing whensoever it shall seeme good to the Lord for us to taste it All of us should have died eternally At what time thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye both thou and all thy posterity Wee should have trodden the Winepresse of GOD's wrath and beene tormented with the Devill and his angels in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever but CHRIST hath tasted death for us all O the wonderfull and unspeakable love of Christ as if a company of Traytors were going to the Scaffold to be executed the Kings Sonne should step forth to dye for them what an admirable thing were that We by nature are enemies to God traytors to his Majestie the Son of the King of Kings comes from heaven and dies for us Is not this to be admired of us all scarce will any dye for a righteous man we were unholy unrighteous defiled with the scab of sin in soule and body yet the Lord Iesus died for us Life is sweet who will dye for his friend but will any dye for his enemy The consideration of the death of Christ should occupie our mindes continually we should ever be thinking of it it should cause us to be alwayes singing of that song Worthy is the Lambe that was killed for us to receive all honour c. But why did Christ tast death for us what moved God to send his Son to dye for us Surely his owne grace mercy and favour eternall life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So God loved the world that he gave c. There was no goodnes in us that might procure Christ to die for us no praevisa opera nor praevisa fides it is the grace of God that we are preserved from eternall death by grace ye are saved not by workes Let us not part stakes with the Lord give halfe to our selves and halfe to him but let us ascribe the whole praise of our salvation to the grace of God alone not to us O Lord not to us but to thy owne name and mercy in thy Sonne Christ Iesus be given all praise for ever and ever VERSE 10. NOw he descendeth to Christs humanity by preventing an objection of the adversaries Well you have affirmed Christ to be God above the Angels and all other creatures and that his suffering of death was no derogation from the glory of his Deity but a declaration of Gods grace and mercy to mankinde by his death to preserve men from death eternall but seeing hee was GOD what need was there that hee should become man suffer afflictions and dye Hee might have saved men by the power of his Deity yea even by his bare and naked word whereby he made all things at the first Answer indeed GOD being omnipotent might have saved mankinde if it had seemed good to him by some other meanes than by the incarnation and death of his Son yet this seemed to be the most fit and convenient
blessing takes away veniall sinnes But that sounds ill for the bloud of CHRIST taketh away all sin yet there is great force and efficacy in the blessing of faithfull Ministers their curse if it bee lawfull is terrible The Children whom Elisha cursed were torne in pieces with Beares and their blessing is powerfull and effectuall when they preach God preaches and when they blesse GOD blesseth Therefore they that runne out of the Church before the blessing despise GOD Himselfe GOD by us blesseth you and will you not set a straw by this blessing 2. To blesse is taken for giving of thankes So wee blesse God we give him thankes for all his mercies 3. To blesse is to consecrate a thing to an holy use So God blessed the seaventh day So the Cup is called the Cup of blessing because it was blessed by Christ and set apart to an heavenly use This is a lively demonstration of the Ministers superioritie above the people without all contradiction wee blesse you you are blessed of us therefore wee are greater than you Isaac blessed Iacob therefore he was greater than Iacob Iacob blessed his twelve sonnes therefore he was greater than they we as spirituall fathers blesse you therefore we are greater than you Some of you may bee more honourable more worshipfull more wealthy then wee yet in respect of our office wee are greater than you If there be a Gentleman a Knight a Lord an Earle in the Parish he must bee willing to be blessed by the Minister we as Gods deputies blesse you in the name of the Lord in that respect wee are your superiours highly to bee esteemed and reverenced of you all You are to receive us not simply as men but as men of God for we are spirituall fathers that blesse you in the name of God and are as Gods armes to pull you up into the kingdome of heaven VERSE 8. NOw he comes to the amplification of Melchizedech's greatnesse by comparing him with the Levites The 1. argument to proove Melchizedech's advancement above the Levits is layd downe in this verse he that is immortall is greater than they that be mortall Melchizedec is immortall the Levites are mortall ergo They dying had those that succeeded them we read of no successour that Melchizedech had because if we respect the historie he lives still Heere that is in the Leviticall priesthood though they be superiour to the people yet they dye as the people doe But there that is in Melchizedech Though the ministers as God his Lievtenants in spirituall matters receive tithes and in that respect are above the people yet they must not be puffed up with pride and swell against their brethren Heere is a cooling card for us all They that take tithes dye as well as they that give tithes the most famous ministers in the world dye Noah a preacher of righteousnesse he was saved in the Arke when all the world was drowned yet he dyed Moses a renowned prophet brought up in all the learning of the Egyptians catechized and instructed by God himselfe with whom the Lord talked familiarly as one friend with an other yet he dyed Elias and Elisha were worthy men honoured of all in their time the chariots and horsemen of Israel yet they dyed Iohn Baptist was admired of all all Iudea came flocking to him yet he dyed The Apostles were taught by Christ's owne mouth the Holy Ghost descended on them in the similitude of Cloven tongues they were the silver trumpets that carryed the sound of the Gospell over all the world yet they dyed Let not the high and magnificent office which we susteine in the church because wee stand in a pulpit of wood as Ezra did above all the people because we are as Gods stewards to dispose the food of eternal life to them let not this make us proud though we be as perfect Scribes in the Law of the God of heaven as Ezra was as eloquent a man and mightie in the Scriptures as Apollos as learned a man as Paul was that spake with tongues more than they al as powerful a Preacher as Elias or Iohn Baptist as thundering a Preacher as the Sons of Bonerges Though thou haddest the Bible by heart as Origen had of as great variety of reading as Athanasius yet die thou must They that receive tithes dye yea all other receivers dye too Though thou beest a Lawyer that receivest many hundred Angels in a yeere though a Merchant that receivest much by traffike a Clothier that receivest a great deale by thy Clothes a Physition that receivest much by thy physicke though a Gentleman a Nobleman that receivest great rents per annum it may be a thousand two thousand three thousand pounds nay though a King that receivest much by the crowne lands by taxes subsidies by imposts and other meanes how great a receiver soever thou beest the grave must one day receive thee all must dye givers and receivers too Therefore let us so live the short time we have to tarry here that whensoever death comes the Angels may receive our soules and carry them up into Abrahams bosome On the other side Melchizedec and Christ live for ever hee Secundum historiam Christ Secundum veritatem Our King our High-Priest lives continually In respect of his humanity he dyed and gave up the Ghost on the Crosse but in respect of his deity he lives for ever of his life and kingdome there is no end Which may be a singular comfort to all that belong to him Our friends dye our fathers and mothers dye our Ministers and Preachers dye our Magistrates and Governours dye but Christ Iesus the Protectour of the Church never dyeth He lives for ever and will provide for those that appertaine to him Though we heare of the death of never so many good men yet let us not be cast downe with griefe Christ our Saviour liveth for ever VERSE 9. THe second argument whereby the Apostle proves that Melchizedec is greater than the Levites the Levites payd tithes to him ergo he is greater than they therefore Melchizedec must needs be a great man Because this might seeme to bee too acute more subtile than solid the Apostle mollifies it If I may so speake if I may use so light a reason as it may seeme in so weighty a matter The reason is pregnant and needeth no excuse therefore translate it and to say as the thing is The tithe-taker was a tithe-giver Which was wont to receive tithes A participle of the present tense imports an use and custome as Matth. 17.24.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may bee put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet here it hath his force by Abraham as a meane betweene them both as one that came betweene them Here wee see wee may doe many things before we are borne All wee sinned in Adam When hee eate of the forbidden Tree we eat of it when he was banished out of Paradise we were banished when he pulled the wrath of
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
profits of the world seldome or never thinking of the joyes of the world to come Who will serve a Master that is ready to dye Such a one as cannot preferre thee the world hath one foote already in the grave therefore let us serve him no longer CHRIST hath not redeemed us by the bloud of a Calfe Ram Sheepe c. not with the sacrifice of an Angell of his mother or any Saint but by the sacrifice of Himselfe no other sacrifice could save us Now as Christ in wonderfull love hath sacrificed Himselfe for us so let us offer up our selves as an holy sacrifice to him VERSE 27. THe application of the use is set forth by an elegant antithesis betweene the cursed condition of men by nature and the blessed condition of men by grace through CHRIST IESUS The lamentable condition of men by nature is double 1. They must all dye then there remaines a Iudgement for them Vnto the common death of men is opposed the death of our Saviour Christ that taketh away the sins of the world In regard whereof death cannot hurt the faithfull Vnto the fearefull judgment to come is opposed Christ's second comming amplified by the persons to whom he shall come by the manner how and the end of his comming Layd up in Gods secret Counsell Why for sin at what time so ever thou eatest thou shalt dye the death To all men It an indefinite proposition is equivalent to an universall Man that is borne of a woman is but of a short time c. that is every man Object 1 Cor. 15.51 Sol. That change shall be instar mortis Object 2. Lazarus dyed twise That was extraordinary ordinarily men dye but once But after this the judgement immediately without delay 1. The particular then the generall Then there is no Purgatory We have two purgatories in this life the fire of affliction and the bloud of Christ then wee neede feare no purgatory after this life Here we see an appointment a decree a sentence wherein foure circumstances are to be observed 1. By whom this appointment is made namely by God Almighty in whom there is not a shadow of turning and which is able to bring that to passe which he hath appointed What I have written I have written said Pilat and would not alter his writing so what God hath appointed hee hath appointed and hee will accomplish it Men are mutable they appoint and disappoint it is not so with God hath he said it and shall he not doe it Therefore as sure as God is in heaven this appointment shall stand Who at any time hath resisted his will who can breake his appointment 2. What it is that is appointed once to dye What is death properly to speake it is a separation of the soule from the body Man was made with two parts the body of the dust of the ground the soule breathed into him by God Life is a conjunction of these two death is a separation of them There is an improper death which is a change of these two conjoyned still together which shall happen to them that be alive at the day of judgment but the Apostle here speaketh of the proper death 2. There is an extraordinary dying and an ordinary Some have dyed twise as Lazarus and those that rose with Christ at his resurrection but ordinarily it is appointed to all men once to dye It is not appointed to all to be rich wise learned but to dye 3. Why was this appointment made because of sin Rom. 5.12 at what time thou eatest thou shalt dye the death Sinne is the cause of death Then why should wee bee in love with sin Wee shunne poyson because it will kill us drunkennesse adultery swearing and other sins brought death into the world therefore let them be hated by us Why are wee afraid of the plague because it will kill us Sinne will kill both soule and body therefore let us all bee afraid to sinne 4. The persons to whom this appointment is made to men to all men There is no man living but shall see death it is appointed to Kings to dye to Dukes Earles Lords Knights Gentlemen Merchants Clothiers Husbandmen to high and low rich and poore learned and unlearned It is appointed to the Ministers to dye and to the people to the Master and servant to the Husband and to the Wife We read of a Woman that had seven Husbands they all dyed and in the end the Woman dyed also None can avoid the stroake of death the Physitions that cure others at the length dye contra vim mortis non est medicamen in hortis the godly dye good Women bring forth with sorrow as well as bad so good men and women dye as well as bad as the faithfull are sicke as well as the unfaithfull so also they dye as well as others Oh that this were carefully remembred by us and that wee would lay it close to our hearts We see our neighbours Townsmen one or other almost everyday carryed to the earth yet wee lay it not to heart it workes not in us a death to sin we follow the world with such earnestnesse as if we should never leave the world Let us so live that wee may dye in the LORD IESUS rise againe and live with him for ever When or where we shall dye wee cannot tell that is in Gods hands but this is most certaine wee shall dye quocunque te verteris incerta omnia sola mors certa In all other things we may use a fortè fortè eris Dives fortè habebis liberos but when wee speake of death we may put fortè under our girdles and say certè morieris If any should aske a reason why the godly should dye seeing CHRIST hath dyed for them the answer is easie because CHRIST dyed to free them from death eternall not from the corporall death which is imposed upon all because all have sinned Christ hath taken away the curse of the corporall death but not death it selfe cogitur non obesse sed non abesse wee are all sinners therefore we must all dye Let us bee carefull to feare God while wee bee alive that wee may not greatly feare death whensoever he shall come Death is a bitter cup all of us in some sort feare to drink of it CHRIST feared it non est fortior miles quà m Imperator wee feare it as it is a dissolution of nature but let us not feare it after a slavish manner Take this sugar to sweeten this bitter Cup withall 1. CHRIST hath taken away the sting of it 1 Cor. 18.57 thankes bee to God which giveth us the victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. Death is a great Goliah yet stripped of his armour as a roaring Lion yet without jawes or pawes as an hissing Serpent yet without a sting the sting of death is sinne Christ hath taken away the sins of the world In his owne body upon the tree he
it CHRIST the Saviour of the world was promised to them that he should come of Abrahams seed but as yet he was not come the kingdome of heaven whereof the land of Canaan was a type was promised to them but as yet they received it not yet they believed certainely that they should have them and dyed in that faith Faith is an evidence of things that are not seene The victory over sinne death and the Divell is promised to us we shall bee more than conquerors yet sinne gives us many a fall the Divell assaults and tempts us death seaseth on us and takes us away yet let us believe Gods promise As yet we have not received the resurrection yet believe it nor the kingdome of heaven yet believe it and dye in that beliefe though thou kill me I will believe in thee The affirmative 2. Though they received them not yet they saw them not neere hand but farre off not with the eye of the body but of the soule which is faith Abraham in the birth of Isaac saw CHRIST In thy seed that is in CHRIST shall all nations be blessed Isaac was borne of a woman which by the course of nature was never like to have Children so was CHRIST of a Virgin that never knew man In the oblation of Isaac he saw the oblation of Christ on the Crosse. When Isaac bore the wood wherewith he should be burnt hee saw Christ bearing his owne Crosse when he saw Isaac bound on the Altar he saw Christ fastened to the Crosse. So the Israelites afterwards saw CHRIST afarre off in the Paschall Lamb and the rest of the sacrifices but blessed are our eyes wee as yet see the kingdome of heaven but afarre off but one day we shall see God face to face 3. They were perswaded they should have them and dyed in that perswasion they saluted them as Marrinors espying the shoare afarre off skip for joy hoping shortly to bee at it so these seeing the celestiall Canaan afarre off rejoyced at it and embraced it with the armes of faith So we must rejoyce at the sight of death as Simeon and Paul 4. They confessed themselves strangers here Whereby it is apparent they looked for a Country in heaven and dyed in faith expecting that Country 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Citizens that have a râ—ght and interest in the City may goe up and downe boldly strangers are fearefull standing at the curtesie of others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that come as wanderers from another people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without house and home They confessed it 1. By deeds by their dwelling in tents 2. In words before all men It is not to be extended to the Patriarcks before the floud for some of them as Enoch dyed not It is to be restreyned to them after the floud Hee doth not say all these were rare and excellent men beautified with singular graces of GODS spirit deepe in his bookes therefore they were exempted from death there is none that hath that priviledge Death is a Cup whereof all must drinke there is no man living but shall see death Wise Solomon godly David that was a man after Gods owne heart is dead strong Samson faire Absalom wealthy Nabal is dead Lazarus dyed and the rich man also dyed and was buryed Beggars dye and Kings dye Have I not said yee are Gods yet yee shall dye as men It is well observed by Saint Augustine that it fell out by the providence of GOD that the verb morior should not be declined after the same manner that other verbs of that kinde be orior ortus est morior mortuus est to declare that death signified by it cannot be declined Mors non cogitur abesse sed cogitur non obesse Death cannot hurt the godly it is rather a benefit to them yet they dye This we can all say nothing so certaine as Death yet we make no use of it for all that we bathe our selves in the pleasures of sin we are set on the merry pinne we follow the world so earnestly so greedily as if we should live for ever We are like the fishes that are skipping and leaping in the water and yet by and by are taken in the Net We know that the Net of Death is continually spread for us all yet we are as jocund as if no net were laid for us It is said Eccles. 7.4 That the living shall lay it to heart Wee talke of Death wee carry Death about with us we see it daily in other men Almost every weeke a buryall in many Townes yet wee live as if we should never dye Damocles the Parasite was set in Dionysius chayre he had all the honour and pleasure that could be devised but when hee considered the sword hanging by a slender horsehayre over his head hee tooke delight in nothing Death as Gods sword hangs over our head continually it is senibus prae foribus adolescentibus in insidiis The staffe of death stands before the doore of old folkes and it may steale on young men ere they bee aware yet we regard it not It causeth us not to have our conversation in heaven but we are as great earth wormes as if we should never dye All these dyed but how did they dye in the faith All dye but all dye not in the faith 1 Thes. 4.16 some dye in CHRIST and some live to the world and dye in the world Achitophel dyed but it was not in faith hee dyed a malecontent in a proud conceit of his wit and wisedome that his counsell should not bee followed which was wont to bee reputed as an oracle from heaven Iudas dyed but it was in desperation in infidelity not in faith he could not be perswaded that his sins were washed away in the bloud of CHRIST and therefore tooke a rope and hanged himselfe Cain dyed but not in faith for he cryed my sin is greater than can be forgiven Happy are they that dye in faith The Scripture doth not simply say blessed are the dead but that dye in the Lord. Iob dyed in the faith I am sure my Redeemer liveth Old Father Simeon dyed in the faith with CHRIST in his armes LORD now lettest thou thy servant Saint Paul dyed in the faith the time of my departure is at hand From henceforth A sweet thing to dye in the faith All that dye quietly to the eye of the world dye not in the faith The Psalmist sayes of the wicked there are no bands in their death Good men may have sore temptations when they lye on their death beds through the distemperature of the braine and the vehement paine of the body they may deliver some fearefull and impatient speeches savouring of infidelity as Iob did in his pangs and yet for all that dye in the faith Live in the faith bee plentifull in the fruits of faith and thou shalt bee sure to dye in the faith It is the
come on it what will O the magnanimous spirit of a right heroicall man resurrectio mortuorum fiducia Christianorum It is the principall pillar that Christians have to leane upon if we had hope only in this life of all others wee were most miserable Therefore let our faith bee firmely grounded in the resurrection as was the faith of Abraham the Father of the faithfull We have strong inducements thereunto 1. Is potentia dei idoneus est reficere qui fecit hee that made our bodies of nothing at the beginning can remake them when they are consumed to nothing 2. Is bonitas dei I am the GOD of Abraham of Isaac and Iacob that was spoken after they were dead though they were dead yet he was their God the God not of their soules only but of bodies too Absit ut Deus manuum suarum operam ingenii sui curam afflatus sui vaginam liberalitatis suae haeredem testimonii sui militem Christi sui sororem Spiritus sancti templum in aeternum destituat exitium Bee it farre from God to forsake the worke of his owne hands the care of his owne witt and invention let us make man after our Image the bladder or sheath whereinto he breathed the breath of life they heyre of his liberality the Souldier of his testimony that hath fought for him as well as the soule the sister and member of Christ the Temple of the Holy Ghost Be it farre from God that hee should leave this in eternall destruction As the soule and body have beene consorts in labours in this life so shall they be in rewards in the life to come 3. Exempla resurgentium the examples of them that have risen from the dead in the Old and New Testament Christ raised up three the one in domo which was the daughter of Iairus the other in feretro on the beere the widdowes Sonne of Naim the third in Sepulchro in the grave which was Lazarus when he began to stincke These are praeludia nostrae resurrectionis forerunners or pledges of our resurrection 4. Dulcis titulus mortis a sweete description of death It is but a sleepe I would not have you ignorant concerning them that are fallen asleepe Those that sleepe in IESUS will GOD bring with him LORD said they of Lazarus if hee sleepe hee shall doe well enough The dead are but asleepe they shall doe well enough Philip slept securely while Antipater was awake and the dead sleepe safely while God is awake the keeper of Israel that neither slumbers nor sleepes Therefore let us be firmely perswaded of the Resurrection as Abraham was hee believed that God was able to rayse up Isaac from the dead and let us believe that GOD can rayse us all from the dead Abraham was a good considerer At the first when God promised Isaac he considered not his owne body that was dead Now when he is to loose Isaac he considers that God was able to raise him up O heavenly consideration in all extremities let us consider the power of God as Abraham did Art thou grievously sicke yea even to death is there but a step betweene thee and death yet consider that God if it be his pleasure can set thee on thy legges againe Art thou fallen to poverty of a mighty rich man art thou become an exceeding poore man as Iob was yet consider that God is able to raise thee up againe Is thy Sonne or thy daughter dead is thy Wife or thy Husband dead is thy friend dead that was as thine owne soule Weepe not over much consider that God is able to raise them up from the dead they bee not amissi but praemissi they are gone into heaven before and we shall follow after Doest thou thy selfe dye is thy body layd in the grave doth it there putrifie to dust and ashes yet consider that God is able to raise thee up againe Say with that holy man I am sure my Redeemer liveth The consideration of Gods power must comfort us in all calamities We have had the Tragedy now to the Comedy Hereupon followed a joyfull event he did not receive him in a parable but truly and indeed he received him from the dead that is from the state of the dead in a parable he was not deceived in his expectation In a parable that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a figure sayes Chrysostome in a darke and obscure figure or as hee unfolds it more plainely afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an example in similitudine quadam as Henry Stephen expounds it quodam modo as Beza after a sort as it was in the translation before this In a parable in a similitude for all parables are similitudes Neerenesse to death is a lively type and figure of death whereupon it hath the name of death 2 Cor. 1.10 blessed be God that hath delivered us from so great a death Yet Saint Paul did not dye then So the neerenesse of death wherein Isaac was was a similitude of Death the Altar was built the wood laid on the Altar Isaac bound on the wood the fire was ready the knife was comming to his throat to kill him Therfore Abraham received him from the dead in a similitude Old Father Iacob received his Sonne Ioseph as it were from the dead he verily thought he had been torne in pieces by wild beasts yet at that time he was alive and ruler of the land of Aegypt Hezekiah received his life in a similitude from the dead for sentence of death was pronounced against him by Gods own mouth The Iewes in the provinces of Ahasuerus received their lives in a similitude from the dead The Kings letters were sent by Posts into all quarters to roote them out kill and destroy them all even Men Women and Children in one day S. Paul and all that were in the Ship with him received their lives in a similitude from the dead For all hope that they should bee saved was taken away Act. 27.20 The King and Queene and Prince that then was the Lords spirituall and temporall the Gentlemen of the lower house in them wee Protestants in England received our lives in a similitude from the dead at the powder treason Thirty seven barrels of Gunpowder were cunningly couched under the vault of the Parliament house Vaux the same morning had his match in his hand to set them on fire we were in the mouth of death in a manner as neere as Isaac but by Gods miraculous providence through the quicke apprehension of the wise and learned King wee were delivered as Isaac was which deliverance requires hearty thankesgiving to God Gods tryalls begin with a tragedy and end with a Comedy The Psalmist sayes of the faithfull Psal. 126. ult they went out weeping and carryed precious seed but they shall returne with joy and bring their sheaves with them So Abraham poore desolate Father went out weeping with his precious Sonne Isaac to be offered up but hee returnes
mother only is mentioned Exod. 2.2 shee did it with the consent of her husband Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because his Grandfather was alive then and had an hand in the businesse their names we have Exod. 6.20 Amram and Iochabed Brought up in the Citty who goe not much abroad to be scorched of the Sun Act. 7.20 divinitus venustus by the disposition of God Nineveh a City Gedolah laelohim 2 Cor. 10.4 But are they so highly to bee extolled for that is it a worke of faith to respect beauty A naturall man might have done that His beauty was one motive but not all faith was the greatest He was by the gift of God of extraordinary beauty In the which by faith they saw an expresse Image of God that hee was like to prove some rare and notable instrument Hyperius affirmeth that as Simeon Luk. 2. by the revelation of the spirit knew CHRIST to bee the Messiah so his Parents by his beauty that he should be the deliverer of the people but there is no certainty of that they did not sticke in the outward baauty that was as Gods hand to lead them to higher matters they did it not in a naturall affection Others loved their Children and had fayre Children Simiae suum pulchrum but by faith Decree or ordinance The King ordained on paine of death The King had given a streight charge that the Male Children should be drowned but they looked to the King of Kings that was able to preserve them from his fury Though it were the hazzard not of their goods alone but lives too they looked to Gods promises that they should multiply that out of Israel should come a deliverer and the Messiah too therefore they will not drowne their Male-child They did not so feare it as that it should hold them from the preservation of their Child Three moneths not three dayes or three weekes yet at three moneths end they commit him to the water then their faith began to stagger Some thinke they did it in faith too being assured that God would deliver him Exod. 2.4 If he had beene in danger they would have taken him home againe They were the first and all that wee read of that kept their Children against the Kings decree That they hid him three moneths was commendable All that whyle they were in feare and hazarded their lives but that at the three moneths end they expose their Child to the wide world that argues a weakenesse in them yet this weake action this weake faith of theirs is registred to their commendation God alloweth and commendeth a weake faith he doth not quench the smoaking flaxe nor bruise the broken reed he chides Peter for his weake faith ô thou of little faith but he doth not cast him away for it Though a Child be weake yet the Father loves it so doth our heavenly Father us though he find weakenesses in our best actions There was a weakenesse in the Mid-Wives when they preserved the Children with a lye there was a weakenesse in Abraham when hee thought he could not be safe unlesse he dissembled there was weaknesse in the Parents of Moses in thrusting their Child at length out of doores there is weakenesse in our praying hearing of Sermons in our giving to the poore and maintenance of the word preached in our preserving of our Children in dangers and calamities yet if these things bee done in sincerity though there be weakenesses in them they are accepted at the hands of God in Christ. Let that encourage us in all good actions though they be stained with some imbecillities 2. Beauty is a precious pearle a picture of the heavenly Appelles a singular ornament wherewith God hath graced his Children Ioseph was a fayre person and well favoured Gen. 39.6 David 1 Sam. 16.12 Daniel and his fellowes The base fare they had could not impaire their beauty This the LORD in wisedome hath used for the preservation and advancement of his Children Moses beauty was a load-stone to draw the favour of Pharaohs daughter to him It was as a stirrope for Hester to mount up to a Kingdome yet for all that let us not dote too much upon externall beauty 1. Though some of GODS Children have it yet all have it not it is not proprium quarto modo Ebedmeleck the blacke-more was no fayre man neither be they all the Children of GOD that have it Absalom was a beautifull man not a blemish in his whole body yet a wicked man who by all probability never set a foote into the kingdome of heaven and many a filthy strumpet is fayrer than an honest woman 2. It is a transitory gift here to day gone to morrow beauty is a goodly flower yet there be many wormes to consume it sicknesse griefe old age c. Let us chiefely desire that beauty that lasteth for ever 3. Let us consider there is a double beauty the one outward the other inward the one proper to Gods elect the other common to the reprobate together with them The Kings daughter is glorious within Psal. 45.13 It is the inward beauty of the heart that is acceptable to God Let us all pray to God for that to bestow it on us that is better then the beauty of all Ladies in the world this is the true beauty Prov. 31.30 3. It is spoken comparatively not simply they did not so feare the Kings commandement that they should banish the commandement of the King of Kings out of their minde The King said drowne the child God said save the child from drowning What are not Kings to be feared have I not said yee are Gods a King is a certaine God on the earth therefore to be feared and reverenced he carrieth not the sword in vaine sayes the Apostle Balaams Asse feared when he saw the Angels sword and shall not we feare that glittering sword of authority in the hand of Kings and Princes they are rather to be condemned then commended for not fearing the Kings Commandement The answer is easy Wee must distinguish betweene the authority and the commandement of a King There is no power but it is of God but there may be a commandement which is not of God Feare the power the throne the dignity the authority of a King the office of a King but feare not every commandement of a King if wee be sure they are against plaine Scripture In doubtfull things we must believe that our Governours are wiser than our selves VERSE 24. BEfore we have spoken of his Parents faith now let us speak of his owne faith In Moses there are three notable things which are as shrill trumpets to sound forth his faith 1. A voluntary crosse undertaken by him 24.25 26. 2. A necessary crosse imposed on him 27. 3. An institution of a perpetuall Sacrament among the Iewes 28. In the voluntary Crosse 1. A fact committed by him 2. The causes of it which are three election 25. judgement 26. faith The fact was a refusall
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
on their bodies fornicatio quasi formae necatio many loathsome diseases are on them as the French-pox consumptions c. Men are afraid to drinke of their cups and their bodies many times wast and consume away 3 On their goods the sinne of Adultery hath brought many a rich man to beggery The prodigall Childe quickly wasted his goods on harlots they be as sponges to drink up a mans wealth their riches melt as wax 4 On their good names they be odious to all men Yea one Adulterer will speake ill of another and upbraid one another by this sin one principall thing that the Oratour cast in Catelins dish was his beastly and incestuous life Cane pejus angue 5 On their children Sometimes they be fooles and ideots sometimes lame in their hands in their feet In ancient times they might beare no office in Church or Common-wealth Sometimes they are taken away by an untimely death as Davids childe was which he begat of Vriahs wife they cannot inherit the Lands of their Fathers One way or other the brand of Gods wrath is on their posterity So that the truth of this sentence may be apparent to us all GOD will judge Yea though there bee never so great men in the world against whom the sword of mans authority cannot easily be drawne forth yet GOD will be sure to meet with them Amnon was a Kings Son yet because he defiled his sister GOD slew him and he was slaine at a banquet when his heart was merry with wine and did not so much as dreame of death when he had little time to repent him of his wicked life Absalom was heire apparent to the Crowne nay for the time he was King having put downe his father yet because he had played the incestuous beast the Lord in justice caused him to be hanged by his owne hayre and so he dyed miserably Iesabel was a Queene yet because her adulteries were in great number she was cast out of a window and eaten with dogs Whole Cities have beene destroyed for it as Sodome and Gomorah with those adjoyning to it All the males in Shechem were put to the sword for ravishng one mayde The wrong offered to one woman was almost the utter overthrow of the whole Tribe of Benjamin Therefore let us tremble at this sentence Though men judge them not yet God will judge them though the Iudge of the Assizes will not punish them though for a little money they may escape in the Courts yet the Iudge of the World will punish them severely If for some causes best knowne to himselfe they escape his fingers in this world yet they shall feele the heavie hand of his indignation in the world to come This ye know all that be in the Schoole of Christ know this that no whoremonger wanton buggerer shall inherit the kingdome of GOD. Without the gates of heavenly Ierusalem are Dogs Enchanters Whoremongers Lyars A terrible sin that excludes us out of Heaven Therefore let us all beware of it It is a sweet sinne to the flesh but God hath provided sowre sauce for it therefore let it be detested by us all If we feele the fire of lust burning in us let us not sit at the wine goe to an whore or harlot that will but increase the fire and make us fit matter for the fire of hell But let us fast and pray or let us flye to mariage for the quenching of it for the avoiding of fornication let every man have his wife Mariage is honourable among all and the bed undefiled but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge Demosthenes went to Lais the strumpet for a nights-lodging she asked ten thousand drachmes nay soft sayes Demosthenes nolo tanti emere poenitere So if an harlot say to us as Potiphars wife to Ioseph Come lye with me c. Let us abhor it and say I will not buy repentance so deere We shall one day repent us for it either to our griefe or amendment in this life or to our condemnation in the life to come The Sodomites burned in Lust one towards another now they burne in hell fire They suffer the vengeance of eternall fire as S. Iude speaketh A full sin that banishes us out of Heaven Plutarch makes mention of a certaine King named Lysimachus that being exceeding dry sold his Kingdome for a draught of water after he cryes out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heu pro quà m exigua voluptate regnum perdidi so may the adulterer say for what a little pleasure have I lost the Kingdome of Heaven VERSE 5. 1 AN admonition 2. The reason the admonition consists of a dehortation from covetousnesse and the prescription of a remedie against it He doth not say be ye without covetousnesse but let your conversation all your manners behaviour and actions bee voide of covetousnesse Without the love of silver a part put for the whole Whatsoever some men doe it smels of covetousnesse their buying and selling all the bargaines they make all the journeyes they take all the words that issue out of their mouthes the cloathes on their backs the meat they put in their belly all savours of covetousnesse Any commodity they have they will sell deere they will buy cheape they will watch poore men whom necessity constraines to sell and they will have it of them for little or nothing They will goe meanely fare hardly all that they doe hath a sent of covetousnesse Therefore sayes he so converse among your neighbours that all may see that the world is not the principall marke ye aime at buy and sell without covetousnesse Let your house keeping bee without covetousnesse Let your talke and speeches be without covetousnesse Pay the Minister his due without covetousnesse Let covetousnesse be banished from all your actions 1 It is the root of all evill ye cannot abide bitter roots in your Gardens no root is so bitter as covetousnesse and it will draw all evill after it A covetous man will lye sweare steale kill for mony therefore root it out of the garden of your hearts 2 It excludes men by name out of the Kingdome of Heaven 1 Cor. 6.10 That is provided for liberall men that cloath the naked feed the hungry relieve the oppressed c. Not for greedy covetous misers that doe no good with their wealth 3 It ought not once to be named among us When we speake of filthy and uncomely things we doe it with a preface saving your reverence c. So when thou speakest of Nabal say there is such an one saving your reverence a covetous man it should not be named much lesse practised by us that be Christians 4 Covetousnesse is idolatry A covetous man makes an Idol of his money If the Idolaters Idoll be gone all is gone What have I mâ—re said Michah So if his money be gone his god is gone An Idolater makes a strong Chappell to put his Idoll in a covetous man makes a strong Chest