was made a curse for vs. For the plainer vnderstaÌ„ding of this so great a misterie marke a familiar similitude There is a king whose lawes are iust and good and by the law al his enemies which haue rebelled and are founde guilty of high treason ought to suffer death and the sentence of condemnation is already denouÌ„ced against them and there is no hope of life remaining Yet the king hath no pleasure in the death of these rebelles but the law which declareth that he is a most iust king must be fulfilled and therefore the kings owne sonne doth offer himselfe to die to satisfie the law to the end that these men may be acquitted from the iudgment that hath passed against them and now these condemned persons are ransomed and set at liberty but the price of their redemption was paide by the kings owne sonne and it cost him his life Thus was the cause with al the children of Adam We had al rebelled against the king of heaven and earth and there was founde none that kept his lawe none that was righteous 〈◊〉 not one And therefore death was gone over Rom. 3. 10 ail men for asmuch as all men had sinned and Rom. 5. 12. now the sonne of God Christ Iesus taketh our nature vpon him and beeing made like vnto one of vs sinne only excepted he suffereth the cursed death of the crosse for our redeâ—â—tion Here appeareth the loue of God to vs ward and herein standeth the assurance of our salvation that Gods son the king of kings was wounded for our traÌ„sgressions and broken for our iniquities that the chastismeÌ„t Isâ— 53. 5. of our peace was vpon him that with his stripes we are healed And that we might be sure that he hath paid our debts to the vttermost farthing by susteining the infinite wrath that was due to vs the same Prophet saith that he was plagued and smitten of GOD and that hee povvred out his souls vnto death and all this for our transgrestion Isa 53. 4. 8 12. And therefore thou that art a Christian and beleevest vvithout vvaveringe that CHRIST hath suffered these thinges for thee and for thy deliveraunce out of the handes of thine enemies havinge that feeling of thy sinnes that thou feele thy selfe to stande in neede of every droppe of that precious bloode which was shedde vpon the tree of the crosse for the redemption of mankinde thou that hast this faith if thou holde if faste vnto the ende art made partaker of CHRIST And now it is vnpossible that thou shouldest bee damned For there is no condemnation to them Rom. 8. 1. that are in CHRIST IESUS Yea as a Godly Doctor faith Christ the redeemer Martin Luther must bee damned before the elect man can be damned for whom he delivered him selfe to death And another faithfull teacher Bradford the Martyr in his ser of repentance saith if the sufferings of Christihad not bin inough he would yet once more come again yea God the father if the death of his son incarnate would not serue would himselfe the holy Ghost also become incarnate die for vs. Hereof then is that assurance which the elect haue of their health and salvation through the grace of GOD in CHRIST IESVS accordinge to that notable testimony of the Apostle I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Rom. 8. 38. 39. principalities nor powers nor thinges present not thinges to come nor beight nor depth nor anie other creaâ—ure shal be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus If this bee not true why doest thou say in thy creed I beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes For to beleeue to doubt or to be vncertaine can never go togither The other property of faith that iustifieth is to be assured not only of forgiuenesse of sinnes and deliverance from death but also of eternall life and that we shall be coÌ„municants with our redeemer Christ in the glory that shall bee revealed For if we bee iustified by faith ingraffed into his misticall body according to the meaning of our baptisme we are not onely acquitted from the iudgement of condemnation and saved from wrath but we are also made partakers of all the merits of Christ and they are as surely sealed to be ours as if wee our selues had wrought them For now the kingdome of heaven and the inheritaunce of the blessed life is due vnto vs as to heires annexed vvith Rom. 8. 17. Christ And whereas of our selues wee are without vnderstanding full of iniquity vnholy and lost sheepe The holy Ghost saith that Christ is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnes 1. Cor. 1. 30. sanctification redemption For as the same Apostle speaketh in an otherplace if God spared not his owne son but gaue him for Rom. 8. 32. vs all to death how shall bee not with him giue vs all things also This is most true as it may be illustrated by example the spouse after shee be once marryed to her husband is not only called after his name but is also made partaker of all things that her husband hath right to his honour is her honour his wealth is her wealth what estimation what dignity and what deserts soever the husbande hath the spouse his wife is made partaker of the same because they two are made one flesh as Mat. 19. 5. saith the scripture even so the faithful soule which is iustified by faith and married to the bridegrome Christ Iesus is fully beautified withall the graces of Christ with his righteousnesse with his innocency with his holynesse with his honour with his glory yea the faithfull are so honored that they shal sit Luk. 22. 30. on seats and iudge not only men but also the Angels themselues Know yee not that wee shall 1. Cor. 6. 3. iudge the Angels how much more thinges pertaining to this life such is the honour that they haue in whose hearts Christ dwelleth by true iustifying faith And thus are they made partakers of Christ But let none of theÌ„ that are hardened in sinne and which delight and take pleasure in the workes of the flesh thinke that they aâ— made partakers of this gâ—ace For without that sure faith wherof you haue heard there is no saluation and where no workes of the spirite nor any token of regeneration appeareth there can be no sound faith and therfore where the Apostle saith that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Rom 8. 1. he addeth and sheweth who they are which waelke not after the flesh but aâ—â—er the spirit These three things are proper to a sauing faith that thou stedfasthe beleeue in thâ—â—â— heart that thou make consession of thy faith to the worlde be confessing Christ before Mat. 10. 32. Col. 1. 10. m 〈…〉 and that thou be fruitfull in all good vvorkes adorning thy faith with workes worthy amendments of
clemencie favour you wil accept of it as a mite of a willing minde and vnfained good will And in that I haue therein alleadged other authors beside the holyscriptures I did it of care to haue every truth confirmed in the mouth of approved witnesses I neede not heere speake of your Lordships good desertes I know that a vertuous man loueth not to heare his owne praise for it is better to be a good man indeede then in mens opinion to bee so accompted Wherefore as GOD hath exalted you to honour and dignitie and as a learned young man hath lately written to you hath made you a keeper of many vines and as we see hath wrought in you a notable care vnder her Maiestie to provide for the well-fare of his Church so I beseech him that is Lord of Lordes long to preserue your honour in al safety and to increase in you his giftes of grace to the setting forth of his glory to the continual good of his church finally to your owne eternal comfort through the merits of his sonne Christ Iesus And wheras the world is in danger of eternal perdition as great part through irreligiousnes and atheisme without either knowledge or true feare of God and a great part through affected ignorance and obstinate frowardnesse in Popish customes wee are to pray dayly that it may please God to wake men out of the sleepe of sinne and voluptuous living and by the power of his holy word still to weaken the kingdome of sinne and of Antichrist and to call those that are to bee called to the knowledge of his trueth while it is yet called To day Your Honours most bounden Oratour HVGH ROBERTS THE CONTENTS OR BRIEFE summe of the Lecture vpon the latter part of the third Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes set downe in order as followeth 1 The first Lecture vpon the 7. 8. 9. 10. and 11. verses of the authoritie of the word of God of the speciall causes why this scripture being part of one of the Psalmes of David is alleadgeâ— by the Apostlâ— writing to the Hebrewes 2 The second Lecture vpon the 12. and 13. verses of the fruâ—t of an evill heart of mutuall exâ—â—â—tation and of the dectit fullnesse of sinne 3 The third Lecture vpon the 14. verse of faith and of the assurance of salvation and ever lasting felicitie to the true beleevers 4 The fourth Lecture vpon the 15. verses of the necessitie of hearing the word of God how the bardening of the heart is to be vnderstood and of the errour of praying in the church specially in the time of publique 〈◊〉 or of câ—mmon prâ—â—ers 5 The fifth Lecture vpon the 16. and 17 verses of the wickednesse of mâ—ns nature all â—en are naturally bent to idolatrie we must imitate the faithfull though they be but few in number or in one age whom God raiseth vp in all ages to confesse his name of Gods long sufferance bountifulnes towards inners of sinne and the fruit thereof 6 The sixth and last Lecture vpon the 18. and 19. versest of the punishment of theâ— that obey â—â—t the Gospell though for a time they be borne with and liue in a floâ—rishing states what the tokens of Gods iudgâ—ents which befal in the world and wherewith some men are visited should profit vs the word of God is the iudge of men which word is to be obeyed while the day of grace lasteth THE FIRST LECTVRE VPON the wordes of the Prophet David alleadged by the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews cha 3. ve 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. of the authority of the word of God and of the speciall causes why this scripture of the Prophet is here alleadged with the application thereof 7 Wherfore as the holy Ghost saith to day if yee will heare his voice 8 Harden not your hearts as in the provocation according to the day of temptation in the wilderâ—esse 9 Where your fathers tempted mee proved mee and saw my workes for â—iâ— yeares long 10 When fore I was grieved with that generation and said they erre ever in their heart neitheâ— haue they knowne my waieâ— 11 Wherefore I sware in my wrat if they shall enter into my rest IN the begining of this chapter men and brethren beloved in Christ the Apostle that was the author of this epistle exhorteth the Hebrewes or Iewes to whom he writeth to consider Christ Iesus the Apostle high Priest as he faith of our profession of Chrstianisme he compareth him with that great and renowned Prophet of God Moses because the lewes did magnisie the remebrance of Moses by whom God had planted and established both the religion civill government of the people of Israel and therfore it is writen of him there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like vnto Moses who the Lord knewe Deut. 34 10 face to face And for this cause in the ninth of Iohn the Iewes stand so precisely vpon the authoritie of Moses and say we be Moses diseiples To 9. 28. 29. we know that God spake with Moses Now to proue that Christ far excelleth Moses in honour and authoritie the Apostle vseth two notable and familiar arguments The one he draweth from a comparison betweene the builder the house which he hâ—th builded Châ—ist is the builder of his spirituall house which is the church Moses was but one part of the building therefore Christ is aboue Moses The other from a comparison betweene the heire or the naturall sonne and the servant of his house Christ is the sonne Moses was but a servant therefore Christ is more honourable then Moses Here vpon the Apostle inferreth thâ—t all the faithfull which professe Christian religion are the house of Christ if they persevere and continue in his grace vnto the end But because without faith it is vnpossible Heb. 11. 6. Row 10. 17 to pleâ—se God and without the hearing of the word of God faith is not attained and without a good heart there cometh no prosite Heb. 42. by hearing Therefore that they which heare the word of God may be effectually ioined to this building of the house of God and that they may be so prepared to heare this word that it may be so prepared to heare this word that it may not be vnto them a favour of death vnto death but of life vnto life the Apostle â—â—leadgeth this scripture out of the Psalmes of David the authoritie whereof Psal 95. he attributeth to the holy Ghost who spake by the Prophets And here we learne that the holy scriptures which we heare or read thought they be named after that Prophet that Apostle or that Evangelist by whom they were ministred or written are not with standing the liuely oracles of God and the very words of the holy Ghost who inspired the Prophets â—nd holy Ghost who inspired the Prophets and holy men and moved theÌ„ to speake as they were taught and directed from aboue according as
he is nothing ashamed of his sinne The sinne of whoredome cometh to the leacherous and to the wanton naminge it selfe sweete loue or a tricke of youth and then it is receiued as a delectable guest and not as sinne which stayeth â—he soule Pride in apparel deceiveth the prowd vaine glorious soule vnder the title of cleanlines and decencte because if it come vnder the name of pride it is more odiouse and is knowne to be sinne Neither is there any sinne so soule or detestable which is not smoothed with some faire name and title to cloake it with all For herein is the deceitfollnesse of sinne and here with are men deceyued and hardened that they sinne as with cart ropes and drinke vp iniquitie like water But woe vnto them saith the Prophet thas speake good of euil and euill of good which put Isa 5. 10. darknesse for light and light for darkensse that put bitter for sweete and sweete for sâ—wre Now if you haue not an evill heart of vnbeliefe call vpon the name of the Lord seeke the Lorde while he may be fouÌ„d seeke the knowledge of his waies while it is called to daie that so you may be able to exhorte and instruct one another and to avoide the deceitfulnesse of sinne before you bee hardened and blinded through the craftinesse thereof let vs nowe â—oâ—e togither and pray The thirde Lecture vpon the 14. verse of faith and of the assurance of salvation and â—verlasting felicitie to the true beleevers 14 For we are made partakers of Christ â—f we keep sure vnto the ende the beginning wherevvith we are vpholden THE Apostle having already prooued by plaine and strong argumentes that Christ is the sonne of God and the Messias that should redeeme Israell and hauing exhorted the Hebrewes to beware of infidelity and disobedience which waâ— the cause that their forefathers perished in the wildernesse whose example he layeth before them in the scripture of the Psalmist before alledged now he declareth howe and by vvhat means we are made true members of Christ and fellow heires with him of the celestiall inheritance We are made partakers of Christ saith he if vvs keepe sure vnto the â—nd the beginning wherewith we are vpholden These words lead vs to speak of faith and iustification by faith In the 6. of Iohn it is recorded that when the people which had seene the miracles of Christ asked what they shoulde doe that they Io. 6. 28. might worke the works of God Christ telleth theÌ„ this is the work of God that yeâ— cleeue in him whoÌ„ ver 29. he hath sent And in the 2. of the Actes those Iewes which had heard the sermon of Peter being pâ—icked in their hearts said to the Apostles men and brethren what shall we do To whoÌ„ Act 2. 37. the Apostle Peter answereth ameÌ„d your liues ver 38. be baptised every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins And in the 16. of the Acts to the layâ—er or keeper of the prisoÌ„ Act. 16. 30. demanding what he must do to be saued Paule ver 31. Sylas say beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ These the like placeâ— of scriptures my brethreÌ„ do teach vs principally two things the one is that there is a feare of deatâ— eternall and of Gods iudgements naturally remaining in the hearts of all men according as it is written that for feare of death men are Heb. 2. 15. all their life time subiect to bondage And that is because of sinne and the testimony of a guilty conscience which as wee see vpon any occasion of feare bewraveth that sinne lyeth at the dore The other thing which wee doe heere learne is vvhere the remedie against the strength of sinne the sting of death is to be found namely in the Lord Iesus Christ by beleeuinge in him for among in in there as giuen noâ—e other name vnder heauen wherby we must be saued but by the Act. 〈◊〉 11. name of Christ Iesus who vvas deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our instification Rom. 4. 25. As in the time of Moses there was no remedie not cure that could helpe them that were stung with the firie and venemous serpents in the wildernesse but onely the be holding of the braslen serpent which Moses had set vp made the poyson harmelesle Num 21. 9. and saued from death them that were bitten so is there no mediatour nor aduocate in heauen nor in earth nor any oblation or offering of man that can deliuer from the death of the soule and breake the force of the poyson of sinne but onely true faith which is the eie of the soule wherby we behold him that was figured in the brassen serpent and is lifted vpon the tree of the crosse for the health and saluation of all that beleeue This is the wedding garmente which whosoeuer hath not put on is in danger to be cast into vtter darkenesse where shall be weeping and guashing of teeth This is the faith wherby Mat. 22. 12. 13 the iust do liue This is the begining where with wee are vpholde which we must keepe sure vnto the end In the text it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning of the substaunce And some translate it the foundation of the assurance vvhich foundation is the sounde doctrine of the Gospell of CHRIST apprehended by faith or according to Chrisostomes exposition faith it selfe For that is the organe or instrumente whereby we are made partakers of Christ VVee finde in an other place of this Epistle that the Apostle vseth the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Heb. 11. 1. definition of faith By this phrase therefore the beginning of the substance vnto the ende is meant nothing else but continuance or perseverance in the faith of Christ according to that to the Coloss 1. 23. If yee continue grounded Col. 1. 23. and established in the faith These and the like places in the scriptures which speake with this conditioÌ„ if ought not to be so vnderstood as if any of the faithful that are elected to life eternal could perish or fall away froÌ„ grace but they do effectually exhort vs to be the more strengthened in the spirit against the weaknes of the flesh the coÌ„tinual al teÌ„ptatioÌ„s of this life that would gueÌ„ch our faith For there are many imperfectioÌ„s in the faith of the godly so long as they liue vpon the earth And the narrownes of our harts is such that we cannot comprehend as wee ought to doe what God will doe for vs but yet the gates of hell and the stormes of this life that neuer put out the candel of Gods elect which is their faith This faith therfore is here called the substance or vnholding or sure standing by a the vse of building for as no building canne stand vvithout a sure substance or foundation to stande vpon
so no man can stande or walke in the way of life without faith vvhich is the thing that quickeneth evene true Christian and is vnto him a rising againe from death vnto life through Christ the saviour For even as the body is dead without the soule so the soule is dead without faith and therefore Augustine writeth Super 10. tract 49. auima â—uâ— anima siâ—es est faith is the life of thy soule And againe where the A postle faith that Christ may dwell in your heartes by Eph. 3. 17 faith How should Christ dwell in my heart hee answereth thy faith in Christ is Christ dwelling in thine heart And nowe speaking of this faith that iustifieth the elect of God we must note that it differeth from other giftes of the spirite which in the scriptures haue the name of â—aith that so we may the better vnderstand what that faith is whereby we are said to be iustified and made the sonns of God There is therefore an illumination or inlightning 4 Kindes of faith of some mens mindes to consent to the doctrine of the Gospell and to receiue it for the infallible truth of God for in the gospel they that ar on the stones which Mat. 13. 20. 21. Mat. 4. 16. 17. Luk. 8. 13. receiue the word with ioy but haue no root are said to beleeue for a tune but in the time of temptation they fall away This beleefe or faith for a time is commonly called temporary faith because it is not permanent nor effectuall to iustification but it is a faith that reprobates haue that are yet in the state of condemnation There is also a gift of doinge Miracles which an vngodlie or reprobate man may haue and this is called the faith of miracles of the which 1. Cor. 13. 2. the A postle speaketh if I bade all faith so that I could remoue mountaines and had not loue I were nothinge This faith or gifte maketh no man partaker of Christ Thirdlie there is a generall kind of acknowledging the word of God and the historie of the Gospell to be true and that Christ is such a sauiour of men as the scriptures do report of him and yet he that so beleeueth cannot apply the grace of Christ nor the comfort of GODS promises confirmed in CHRIST to himselfe He cannot beleeue the remission of sinnes to belong to himselfe for CHRISTES sake This is called faith historicall and is common both to the devilles and to reprobate men And of this kinde of faith the Apostle Iames faith thou beleevest that there is one God thou doest well the devilles also beleeue it and treâ—ble Iam. 2. 19. Lastly the faith which the Apostle speaketh of in this text and which is proper to Gods childreÌ„ only is called a pastifying faith because it apprehendeth and layeth hold on the iustification which is in CHRISTIE-SVS Some learned devines make of these 4. sorts of faith but two wherof the one as they cal it is a faith of Christ and this is such as the de vils false Christians haue the other a faith in Christ such as true Christians haue Yet for difference betweene the faith of repiobate men and the saith that devils are said to haue the former kind of faith to wit a faith of Christ is devided of others as we haue hard into a temporary faith a 〈…〉 h of miracles and a faith historicall Nowe the faith in CHRIST which none but the godly areindued with is defined in the 11. chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 11. 1. to bee the substaunce of thinges vvhich are hoped for and the demonstration of thinges vvhich are not seene It is called the substance or grounde or the state of the soule for that we liue by it I liue faith the Apostle yes not I Gal. 2. 20. now but Christ liveth in me and in that I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the sonne of God VVhen the scripture faith that wee are iustified by faith it signifieth as much as that we are set free from the penaltie of the law and acquitted from the sentence of condemnation For this word iustification is the contrary to condemnation and without Christ it is manifest that all men are in the state of condemnation as it is written like vvise then as by the offence of one the fault came Rom. 5. 18. on all men to condemnation so by the iustifying if â—ne the benefite abounded towarde all men to the iustification of life This is the free gifte of GOD to bee iustified by faith and counted righteous in the sighte of GOD through the imputation of CHRISTES righteousnesse VVee conclude faith the Apostle Rom. 3. 28. that a man is iustified by faith vvithout the workes of the law And againe being iustified by faith wee haue peace toward God through Rom. 5. 1. our Lord Iesus Christ And to the same effect againe being now iustified by his blood we shall be saued from wrath through him Thus we see Rom. 5. 9. how the faith that iustifieth differeth from other faithes which reprobate men and devils are said to haue VVe see also the vertue and propertie of this faith and what it is to be iustified by it But in that we are said to be made partakers of Christ by a right faith we are further to note two thinges in the vertue and quality of this faith that iustifieth I he one is the assurance of our saluation because our sinns are for giueÌ„ vs. The other is the assurance of our glorification with Christ in life eternall for where remission of sinnes is there is also life everlasting Touching the assurance of our saluation we are sure to be saued because we beleeue and are surely Perswaded that the price of our redemption is * Christ hath in his owne person sustere whatsoever was due to our sins hath therby fully â—reed vs froÌ„ the ire of God the curse of the law Of his sufferings I haue else where spoken more at large which iflets were not should haue beene published fully and sufficiently paid For the holy Ghost witnesseth God so loued the world that he hath giuen his only begotteÌ„ son that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life 10. 3. 16. again he beareth witnesse saying the sonne of man came Wherfore to giue his life for the raÌ„some of many or as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is interpreted of the best translatours for the price of the redemption Mar. 10. 45. of many This assureth vs of full satisfaction made for our sinnes For to ransome or to redeeme is properly vsed to signifie the desiverance of captiues when man for man or life for life is redeemed So Christ being the good shepheard did giue his own life for the life of his sheepe And 10. 10. 11. Gal. 3. 13. thereby hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when he
things nâ—w more theÌ„ a yeere and a halfe agone occasion was giueÌ„ that I could do no lesse then in their owne colour as neere as I wâ—â— able set forth the manifold evills incoÌ„venienceâ—â— of certaine offensiue vnlawful games specialâ—y of 〈◊〉 may poles Which though it be a doctrine not acceptable nor welcome to the world specially to such aâ— be louers of vaine pleasures more thâ—â— louers of God yet must we not for fear of meÌ„ keepe backe those things which may do good These poles sâ—t vp maintained to stand in â—co many places of this lâ—â—d are evident markes of coÌ„tempt of the word of God true godlinesse and therfore â—s we haue alreadie by the late dearth scarcitie of foode that hath bâ—ne by sundrâ—e plagnes straÌ„ge sicknesses tasted of Gods anger against such contempt of his Gospelâ—â— so except as the Propheâ— exhorteth â—sâ— 55. 6. 〈◊〉 seeke the Lord while he may be sound and call vpon him while he is neere it is to be sâ—arâ—a that his wrath wil in greater measure be â—owred out vpoÌ„ the inhabitaÌ„ts of this land to the perpetuallâ—â—â— of them that haue neglected despiseâ— the gratâ—ous time of Gods â—alâ—ng For what can the end of the world which is so set on wickednesse loâ—ke for but blâ—odie warres sudden sorrowes deadly calamâ—â—ies 〈◊〉 that we would iudge our selues that we â—ight not be iudged of the Lord. The magistrate the minister if they do the worke of the Lord either negligently or deceitfully must thinke that other mens blood shall be required at their handes Pray therfore that all which are in authoritie al that haue the charge of mens soules committed vnto them may alwayes be found faithfull and vigilant to resist sinne and offences not fearing nor fauouring the person of any mortall man whose breath is in his nostrelles And pray that we all what calling or condition soeuer we be of may be alwayes mindfull of our vow made in our baptisme to sight against sinne the world the flesh till we become conquerors through Christ Iesus to whoâ— be all prayse dominion for euermore Against fleshly lustes 1. Pet. 2. 11. Deerely beloved I beseech you as strangers and Pilgrims abstaine from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule IN this parcel of scripture which you haue heard this morning as it is vsually read in the church this day the Apostle Peter as an excelleÌ„t instrumeÌ„t of the holy Ghost warneth the Christians of the Iewes of the imminent perill not of theeues nor of violent robbers nor of wilde beasts nor of forraine enemies but of the lustes of their owne flesh which are the more dangerous and the more hard to be avoided because they are inseparable companions of the flesh and nature of man In the former chapter of this epistle exhorting them to holines purity of living he putteth them in Minde that they were not redeemed from their vaine conversation as hee 1. Pet. 1. 18. 19. saith with corruptible things as silver and golde but with the precious bloode of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled and without spot in the consideration wherof they might more clearly see what they were before their calling what they are now being called sanctified in Christ Iesus They must walke therfore in their Christian race to withstand the continualâ—assaults of their spirituall enemies among which the lusles of the flesh are not the least nor the casiest to be subdued for that they fight against the soule so long as this life lasteth and bring forth fruite vnto eternall death Peter directeth this doctrine to theÌ„ which beleeued of his owne nation the Iewes notwithstanding it appertaineth to all Christians which haue obtained the like saith to become the true seede of Abraham For as the beleeuing â—ewes to whom hee writeth this Epistle were at that time strangers scattered among the gentiles had lost the lande of Iudea so as they were ChristiaÌ„s they were also strangers vpon earth and so are all the faithfull what nation of people soeuer they be of albeit that they liue and dwell in their natiue countrie where they were borne and brought vp It behoueth them therfore being strangers to be more circumspect and carefull to resist their enemies these enemies are the lustes of the flesh which fight against the more excellent part of man euen against the soule Here we may learne that man as he hath a body of flesh wherein his soule dwelletâ— is an enemie vnto himselfe This may seeme to bee a strange Paradox or a thing that most men because of the ignoraunce that is in them will not beleeue But the true Christian that walketh not after the flesh but after the spirite findeth and feeleth it to bee true according as it is vvritten I see another lavve in my members Rom. 7. 23. 24. rebelling against the lavve of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the lavve of sinne vvhich is in my members O vvretched man that I am vvho shall deliuer me from the body of this death And the heathen man by the lighte of Socrates nature coulde finde out the true cause of mans wretchednesse vvhereof hee thus speaketh the chiefe cause of all evilles that happen to man is man himselfe for hee through his greedy lustes and desires troubleth both himselfe and all other creatures Chrysostome in a certaine treatise of his Nâ—â—â— lâ—dâ—tur nisi aseipso doeth notablye prooue that no manne is hurt but of himselfe for as he saith hee that hurteth not himselfe can of none be hurt as Kaine sudas Iscartot king Pharaoh such others could not haue perished if the cause of their confusion that is the lusts of their own flesh which prevailed against them had not beene within them And contrary wise Iob Ioseph Daniell the Apostle Paule and al good men could not be hurt though for a time they did suffer and tooke in good worth the spoyling of their goods slaunder imprisonment persecution and al â—â—â—ury at the hands of them which did hurt and yet did to them no hurt because with patience they resisted not giving place to the motions of fleshlie lustes These lusts are those mighty enemies which overthrow the stoutest and the wisest among the sonnes of men King David and Salomon his son with other godly men haue beene grievously wounded herewith But the prowd man is overcome of them as Nebuchadn 〈…〉 r was of his prowd lusts The voluptuous man the drunkard and the vaine glorious in Apparell is overthrowne of his owne lusts as Dives was The covetous man as â—udaâ— was and the wanton fornicatour As if that story be true the vniust Iudges were that condemned chast Susanna Seeing therfore that our flesh is as a strong castl that defendeth so many lustes which fight against the soule as there be diversities of sinnes we are well admonished of the Apostle as strangers pilgrims to looke to our selues and to
abstaine from such enemies Strangers and pilgrims doe commonly stand in more feare of enemies theÌ„ they that dwell in their knowne country and among their acquaintance as it appeareth by Iacob howe Gen. 34. 3 〈…〉 he feared the Cananites when his sonnes had slaine Hamor and Sechem He feared because he was a stranger in the land few in â—â—mber in comparison of his enemies So Lot is despised of the Sodomites because Gen. 19. 〈◊〉 he was a stranger and one that had not been borne in that country therefore they regard not his praiers nor his intreaty he made vnto them but bid him bee paâ—king as a stranger This pride of insulting against strangers lyeth as poison within vs all what nation soeuer we be of and vpon any light occasion sheweth it selfe It pleased God therefore Acta 10. 34. who is no accepter of persoÌ„s to bridle such insolencie by his holy word as it is written loue the stranger and againe thou shalt loue the Deut. 10. 19 stranger as thy selfe With a memento that wee haue iust cause so to do For yee were strangers Levi. 19. 34. â—n the land of Egypt Io 〈…〉 hes brethren do behaue themselues in the lande of Egypt with greate humility and a 〈…〉 nde at the rough wordes of Ioseph which they woulde not haue done but for that they were stâ—â—gers in the land few in number And that is it that should cause al strangers and pilgriâ—s to looke to their owne waâ—es to liue warily because they are coÌ„pâ—â—led about with strange people of strange conditions which are many in nuÌ„ber they few Now the state of all true Christians here vpon earth is by the condition and nature of strangers most â—iâ—ly expressed For in the sacred scriptures â—hey are called straÌ„gers The Prophet speaking in the person of the faithfull confesâ—eth that they are so saying I am a Psal 119. 19 Psal 39. 12. stranger vpoÌ„ earth And againe I am a stranger with thee a soiournor as all my fathers were in another place where he coÌ„fesseth his own and his peoples vnworthines he saith we are strangers before thee soâ—ourners â—ike all our fathers our dates are like the shadow vpon the earth 1 〈◊〉 29. 15. and there is none abiding We see that this is true for man so long as hee dwelleth in the tabetnacle of his flesh dwelleth as a stranger among his spirituall enemies vvhich are the lustes of his flesh daily fighting against him and wounding his soule more deadly theÌ„ the multitude of any strange and barbarous people can wound or hurt his bodie vvhen they are mooved to fight against him Man can kill but the bodie but fleshly lustes kill both the soule and bodie too This the Apostle Paule sheweth where hee saith if yee liue after the Rom. 8. 13. flesh yee shall die VVee reade in an heathen vvriter that D 〈…〉 C 〈…〉 de bâ—th Tre. lib. 4. the arrowes of Hercules had beene dâ—pt in the blood of the venimous monster Hidrâ— And therefore whosoeuer was shot of wounded with any of them perished and dyeil without recovery The lustes of the flesh may be compared to such Arrowes for the flesh of al men hath euer since the fal of Adam been infected with the vemme of â—lie old serpent the Deuill And therefore the lustes thereof â—lay the soule with endlesse death of they be not refisted with great vigilaâ—ty For as Iames saith when lust hath conceived Iam. 1. 15. it bringeth forth sin sin when it is finished bringeth foorth dâ—ath Here is the wounde that lust giueth to the soule to wâ—t death which shall neuer haue an end againe the sâ—nâ—e Apostle saith from whence are vvarres Iam. 4. 1. and contentions among youâ— are they not hence even of your lustes that sight in your members here note that he saith your lustes and in your members For if they were not in our members within our bodies we might be safe from the danger of them if they were in our garmeÌ„ts we might haue them washed out or change and put on such as shoulde bee cleane or if they were in some one kinde of meate wee might abstaine from that and liue by other meate But the Prophet saith of them that had fasted from meate your lust remaineth still Isa 58. 4. Or if they were as a plague in some towne or citie or in some mens houses the inhabitants there of might change their dwelling and so avoide them Or if they were in some one countrey more then in another men would be content to leaue that as a wildernesse rather then to die in it even as Abraham forsooke Gen. 12. 10 Canaan and went into Egypt in time of a famine Nay if these lustes were but in some one outward member of the body as in the hand or the foote some men would bee content to cut of that member to saue the rest of the body from infection or death But the scripture saith the heart is deceitfull and wicked Ier. 17. 9. aboue all thinges who can know it here wee see that the principall part of the fleshis infected even the heart and no man can make him a newe heart no man can go out of his own flesh nor change the dwelling place of his soule so long as this life lasteth Luther writeth of one that was grieued Martin Luther of one that intended to bee an Heremite with himselfe for sinne weary with seeing hearing the iniquities of the world which made him forsake the societie of meÌ„ goe into a desert place thinking there to be safe from evill froÌ„ all occasion of sinne but herein he was greatly deceyued for being in the desert he had with him an eartheÌ„ vessell to hold water in this vessell with often falling downe from the place where he would haue had it to stand did moue him to such angerâ— that at the last it caused him to breake it in peeces Then he beganne to consider what his nature was saw that he could haue no peace with himselfe though no maÌ„ disquieted him If this be true as most true it is that in maÌ„s flesh dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7. 18. what excelleÌ„t thing do the Heremits such people as forsake the felowshipe of men vnder a pretense of religion if they abstayne from offending when they want occasion to offende you know that the theese cannot steale so long as nothing is lesâ—e in his way If ther be no battell there caÌ„ be no victorie but we see that the Christians victorie is not gotten by alteâ—â—ng the dwelling place of his body oâ— by going out of the woâ—ld that is out of the â—oâ—ieâ—â—e of men but it must be in the world by â—eâ—iâ—â—ing his daylâ—e aduersaries to keepe himselfe as â—â—mes sâ—â—th vnspoâ—ted of the Iam 1 27. world For Christ will not haue his disciples to be exempâ—ed from the