Aen. 9 And Nisus that would haue died for his friend Euryalus But al these are nothing to Christs dying for vs. For none of al these was altogither innocent as Christ was none of theÌ„ of mere loue wer willing to venter their liues as Christ did but al of them either by the instigation of the deuill or for ambition and vaine-glory or in desperation when they saw all things aduerse and crosse did chuse rather to dy then to indure that misery In a word they hazarded their liues to procure safety to their Countrey or to their friends both which they were bound to loue But Christ hath purchased eternall life for vs that were not his friends Rom 5 10. but his enemies as the Apostle saith Neither is this repugnant to that speech of our Sauior alledged before Ioh. 15 13 14 15. that hee gaue his life for his friends For without Christ and the reconciliation that is wrought by his blood we are the enemies of GOD but in Christ wee are reconciled vnto him and made his friends So that both is true Christ died for his enemies and he died for his friends hee dyed for his enemies for such we wer by the corruption of our nature and hee died for his friends for such wee were by the reconciliation which hee hath wrought Secondly it serueth to confirme our faith and confidence in Christ Iesus Surely he that layeth downe his life for any man will with-hold from him nothing though it bee neuer so deare which he wil not willingly bestow for his safety But a mans life is the deerest and most precious good thing that he enioyeth And therfore the Apostle reasoneth concerning the loue of God Roman 8 32. He that spared not his own Son but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not with him giue vs all thinges also So may wee reason concerning the loue of Christ He that spared not his owne life but willingly and freely gaue it for vs all how shal he now deny vs any thing Last of all it should stirre vs vp to loue him again and to consecrate our selues wholly vnto his seruice According to the exhortation of the Apostle I beseech you therefore brethren Rom. 12 1. by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God c. And this was his owne practise as himselfe saieth Galath 2 20 In that that I now liue in the flesh I liue by the Faith in the Sonne of God who hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for mee Thereby giuing vs to vnderstand that the greatest and strongest reason why we should liue to the Sonne of God is this euen because he hath loued vs and giuen himself for vs. For so great loue and honor which hee hath done to vs not to do the like for him again to the vttermost of our power were the grossest ingratitude that can bee in the worlde And to conclude this point we must also for Christ his sake loue our brethren as our Sauiour saith Iohn 15 12. This is my commandement that ye loue one another as I haue loued you c. A ransom Some do reade it a redemption but the word in the original doth not signifie the acte of redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the price or ransom wherewith captiues and seruants are redeemed and it is chiefly borrowed from them that are taken prisoners in war and the notation in the Greek is very elegant for it is deriued of a worde that signifieth to loose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For when they that were prisoners were bound and afterwards were to be set at libertie of necessitie they were first to be loosed from their bands and fetters and therefore this ransome was the price that was paide for loosing them out of their chains Now we are to know that there were in times past diuers meanes of redemption Sometimes by Manumission when the Lorde of his owne accord did set his bondman or slaue free In this manner we were not redeemed Sometimes by permutation or by way of exchange as when in the wars one prisoner is exchanged for another Thus were not we redeemed neither For who was there that was fit to be exchanged for vs Sometimes by force and violent rescue Gen. 14 14 15 16. as Abraham rescued Lot when he was taken prisoner by Chedor-laomer and the Kinges that were with him Neither were wee redeemed by this meanes Somtimes most commonly by paying of a price or a ransome and thus were wee redeemed euen with a great price as we haue heard before Heere then we are taught what a wretched estate we were in before Christ paid this price of redemption for vs. Wee were no better then miserable slaues and vassals If we desire to know wherin this slauery consisted generally we were in bondage to the whole power of darkenesse Coloss 1 13 More particularly wee were in bondage first to sinne As the Apostle saith Roman 6 16. Know ye not that to whomsoeuer ye giue your selues as seruants to obey his seruants ye are to whom ye obey whether it be of sinne vnto death c. And Saint Peter telleth vs of some that promise to others liberty 2 Peter 2 19 and are themselues the seruants of corruption For saith hee of whomsoeuer a man is ouercome euen vnto the same is he in bondage And our Sauior affirmeth Iohn 8 34. that he that committeth sinne is the seruant of sin Secondly to the Law for so saith the Apostle that Christ came to redeeme them that were vnder the Law Galath 4 5. Thirdly to death as S. Iohn saith 1 Iohn 3 14. Wee know that wee are translated from death vnto life because we loue the brethren Fourthly to the deuill 2 Tim. 2 26. beeing taken of him in a snare And last of all to hell and condemnation Ephâ—â— 2 3. beeing by nature the Children of wrath Now there was neuer any bondage comparable vnto this bondage Great was the bondage wherein the Egyptians kept the children of Israel foure hundred yeeres insomuch as God said of their deliuerance Leuitie 25 13 that he broke the bonds of their yoake and made them go vpright Psalme 81 6. And that he withdrew their shoulders from the burthen c. Miserable was the slauery of those seuenty Kings vnder Adoni-bezek that cruell tyrant Iudges 1 7. who cut off the thumbes of their hands and the toes of their feet and made them gather bread vnder his Table like dogges Greeuous was the bondage of Sampson vnder the Philistims Iud. 16 21 21. who hauing preuailed against him Put out his eyes and bound him with fetters and made him grinde in the prison-house and afterwardes insulted ouer him in his misery Great was the thraldome which Zedekiah endured vnder the proud King of Babel Ierem. 52 11. who put out his eyes bound
wherein soeuer he is able For many This is the last circumstance noting the persons for whome our Sauiour Christ paide this price where we are taught that all haue not benefite by the death of Christ This our Sauior testifieth in another place when hee instituted and administred his last Supper in deliuering of the cup he said Math. 26 28. This is my blood of the new Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes If any man shall demand who these many are I answer they are all the beleeuers and all that do belong to Christ As hee himselfe saith Iohn 3 16. God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten Son that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And this was signified by the angell before hee was borne Mathew 1 21 in the giuing of his name Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes Whereby it is plaine and euident that hee saueth none by his death but them that are his people Iohn 10 15. So hee saith in another place I lay downe my life for my sheepe But wee know that all are not the sheepe of Christ Mat. 25 32 33 There are manie Goats that belong to another folde But it may be obiected that Christ gaue his life for many and the beleeuers are but few as our Sauiour saith in diuers places as namely The gate is straite Mathew 7 14 and the way narrow that leadeth vnto life and few there be that finde it And againe he saith to his Disciples Feare not little Flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome Luke 12 32. The flock of Christ then is but a little flocke I answer that if the children of God bee compared with the multitude of the wicked then indeede they are but a fewe euen an handfull A small remnant Isaiah 1 9. as the Prophet Isaiah saith but if wee consider them in themselues they are innumerable as it is said in the Reuelation where besides the manie thousands Apoc. 7 â— 9 euen 144000 that were sealed for the seruants of God of the Tribes of Israel there was a great multitude which no man could number of all Nations and kindreds and people tongues which stoode before the Throne and before the Lambe clothed with long white Robes and palmes in their handes 2 Cor. 5 15. But it will bee further obiected that the Scripture saith plainely that Christ dyed for all I answere that there the Apostle speaketh of the Church or of the elect alone Beza vniuersallie considered And therefore of necessitie the particle or note of generality must be restrained to the point whereof the Apostle intreateth And this is verie vsuall in the Scripture Our Sauiour alledgeth a place out of the prophesie of Isaiah in this maner Iohn 6 45. Isaiah 54 13. It is written saith he in the Prophets and they shall all be taught of God Now in the Prophet it is thus And all thy children shall be taught of God That which our Sauiour speaketh vniuersally the Prophet restraineth onely vnto the children of God Againe it is certaine that our Sauiour Christ died for all sorts of men of whatsoeuer nation degree or condition they are According to that speech of Peter in his sermon to Cornelius Of a truth I perceiue Act 10 34 3â— that God is no accepter of persons But in euery Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him And this is agreeable to other places of Scripture where the word All is restrained in this manner Genesis 7 1. As where it is saide That euery beast and all cattle and euery thing that creepeth and moueth vpon the earth and euery Towle and euery bird came into the ark vnto Noah Now it is certaine that all the beasts and all the cattle and all the soules that then were did not vniuersally come into the Arke for there came but two and 9. 21. a male and female of euery kind and all the rest were drowned in the flood And therefore the meaning of the place must needs bee that there came all kind of cattle and fowles c. into the Arke So likewise it is said of our Sauiour Christ That he healed euery sicknesse Math. 4 23. and euerie disease among the people Now there is no man can imagine that hee healed all diseases generally for doubtlesse there were many died in his time but he healed all kinds and sorts of diseases So when it is saide that our Sauiour Christ died for all wee may safely vnderstand it that he died for men of all sorts and conditions whether they be high or low rich or poor bond or free But it wil be obiected again that our Sauior saith Iohn 3 16. God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Son c. and therefore hee was giuen for the whole world I answer that our Sauiour saith in another place I pray for them that is for my disciples Iohn 17 9. I pray not for the world Heere the worlde is excluded from the benefite of Christ his prayer So that wee haue a Worlde opposed to a World There is a World of them that shall bee saued for them Christ was giuen there is a Worlde of them that shall bee damned for them Christ doth not pray I doe not deny but that the death of Christ is sufficient to saue al men for his blood as wee haue heard is of infinite value But it is not effectuall to saue all because many do reiect it trample it vnder their feete This serueth for the reproofe of them that thinke that all shall be saued by the death of Christ It is a fearefull error where-with the deuill carried many thousandes of poore soules to hell But they shall finde and feele the contrarie to their woe vnlesse they preuent it by repentance For certainely there are many in the world to whome it may be saide as Simon Peter saide to Simon Magus Acts 8 21 They haue neither part nor fellowship in this businesse There are vessels of wrath prepared to destruction Rom. 9 22 23 as well as vessels of mercy prepared vnto glory Iude verse 4. There are some that were before of olde ordained vnto condemnation that were appointed to bee damned before euer they were borne There are many vngodly personnes 2 Thess 7 8 9 Which know not God and obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ which shall bee punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power And our Sauiour describing the maner of his comming to iudgement telleth vs plainly that at that day there shall be a separation made betweene the sheepe the Goats though heere they graze all in one pasture and the Sheep shall be set on his right hand and shall heare a most comfortably sentence Math. 25 32 33 34. Come ye blessed of my Father inherite yee the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world But the Goates shall bee set on his left hand shall heare a fearefull doome denounced against them Depart from mee ye cursed into euerlasting fire 41. which is prepared for the deuill and his Angels And therefore let euery one of vs be admonished according to the exhortation of the Apostle to giue al diligence to make our calling and election sure 2 Peter 1 10. We are very careful to make sure our outward estates in the world and we had neede to doe so in respect of this cunning and subtle age wherein we liue Much more should we make it our cheefe care by all good means to assure our hearts that we are in the number of those that shal be saued by the death of Christ Otherwise wee can haue no sound comfort neither in life nor in death FINIS
* Comment in Rom 7. where the death of Christ is duely meditated on in the minde there sinne cannot reigne For such is the force of his crosse that if it be set before our eyes and faithfully kept in minde no Concupiscence no Lust no Rage no Enuie can ouercome vs but presently vppon the sight of it all the army of sinne and the flesh is put to flight The Reason is because when as two contraries such as the passion of Christ and sinne are meete together the weaker must of necessitie giue place vnto the stronger Againe so many vertues doe appeare in the passion of Christ so many arguments and tokens of his loue are therein manifested and such and so great a benefite of our redemption is wrought by it as sinne cannot possibly stand with the diligent consideration thereof * Macrob. Saturnal lib. 2. cap 4. An old Souldier in Rome beeing cited to appeare before the Iudges and being in some daunger came openly to Augustus Caesar and intreated him to stand by him defend him who presently appointed him an Aduocate whomsoeuer he would choose in his Court The man by and by cried out with a lowd voice But I O Caesar when you were in danger in the warres did not seeke a Deputy to defend you but I fought for you my selfe and shewed the scarres which he had receiued in that fight whereat the Emperor was ashamed and came to be his aduocate as fearing lest hee should seeme not onely proude but also vnthankefull In like manner when we shal behold the scarres which our Sauiour Christ receiued in his flesh for our sinnes we shold be ashamed to shew our selues vnthankfull vnto him by continuing the course of our former wickednes We detest Iudas and raile vppon the Iewes and abhorre Pilate for putting him to death but there is more cause why we should detest and abhor our owne sinnes For they were but Instruments to effect his death our sins procured it yea our sinnes sharpened the speare that opened his side and caused his verie hearts bloode to gush out Wee must therefore take heede that We tread not vnder foote the precious blood of Christ Heb. 10 29. and count it an vnholy thing as the Apostle saith For if the bloode of Abel cried vnto God for vengeance against Cain Genesis 4 18. doubtles the blood of Christ will make a farre lowder out-cry in the eares of the Lord against all the despisers of it If thou wert sought for to bee put to death for thy due deserts and some friend of thine should put on thy garments and should suffer himselfe to bee taken condemned and haled vppon the crosse for thy sake if thou shouldest not pittie and greeue for him but rather on the contrarie side shouldest prouoke and stirre vp his Tormentors against him nay shouldest offer thy selfe to be his executioner wert thou not worthy of a thousand deaths Such is the case of euerie wilfull and impenitent sinner who as much as lyeth in him Heb. â— 6. by his sins Crucifieth the Sonne of God againe who for his redemption hath suffered such vnspeakable torments Last of all in token of our thankefulnesse we must be ready and willing to suffer any thing for Christ his sake Vnto you it is giuen saith the Apostle that not onely ye should beleeue in him Phil. 1 ver 29 but also suffer for his sake It is in vaine for a man to boast of faith if hee bee a Coward and refuse to suffer when God shall call him to it Our Sauiour hath drunke vnto vs in the cuppe of his passion as hee sayd to these two sonnes of Zebedeus Mat. 20. ver 22 and wee must pledge him when occasion is offered If we will be his Disciples wee must bee content to Take his Crosse vpon our backes Math. 16 24. and follow him Yea the Apostle Peter telleth vs 1 Peter 2 21. That we are called thereunto For Christ also suffered for vs leauing vs an example that wee should follow his steps This is harsh to flesh blood and we are loath to suffer any trouble we must therfore encourage our selues by his example It was the manner of the Heathen to prouoke their Elephants to fight 1 Macca 6 34 to shewe them the blood of Grapes and Mulberries so the blood that Christ hath shed for vs should put courage into vs to fight in his cause Heb. 12 2. Wee must looke to Iesus the Author and finisher of our faith who for our sakes endured the Crosse and despised the shame c. When Alexander the Great Quin Curtius lib. 5. marched through Persia his way was stopped with snow and ice in so much as his soldiers being tyred before with sore labor were discoraged wold haue gone no further which he perceiuing lighteth off his horse and goeth on foot through the midst of all making himselfe way with a pick-axe whereat they all beeing ashamed first his friends then the Captaines of his army and last of all the common soldiers followed him So should wee all followe our Sauiour Christ by that rough and vnpleasant way of the crosse which he hath gone before vs. Vriah refused to goe home vnto his house and to refresh and solace himself with his wife because as he said The Arke 2 Sam 11 11. and Israel and Iudah dwelt in Tents and his Lord Ioab did abide in the open fields Much more should wee refuse to pamper our flesh by delicacie wheÌ„ we shall consider what hardnesse our Sauiour endured especially for our sakes Gaue. This is the maner how our Sauiour laide downe his life for our redemption namely willingly and freely without compulsion hee gaue himselfe to death for vs. And this the Prophet Isaiah foretold long before when he saith Isaiah 52 10. Hee shall make his soule an offering for sin And the Apostle affirmeth Philip 2 7 8. that he made himselfe of no reputation but humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death And our Sauiour himselfe saith No man taketh my life from me Iohn 10 18. but I lay it downe of my selfe I haue power to lay it downe and I haue power to take it again * Non aufertur quod vliro ponitur Muscui That which a man willingly layeth down of himselfe is not taken from him Hence was it that when hee knew the time of his passion to bee come Hee went with his Disciples ouer the brook Cedron Iohn 18 1 2. into a Garden a place that Iudas which betrayed him was well acquainted withall For as the Euangelist sayeth Iesus oft-times resorted thither with his Disciples This he did of purpose as one * â—yril saith that he might bee more easily found of the traitor and that he might saue them a labor that came to take him If it had pleased him he could haue hid himselfe haue kept himselfe out of the way as hee did
at other times when his houre was not come ohn 8 59. As when they tooke vp stones to cast at him he hid himselfe and went out of the Temple And at another time and 10 39 40 when they went about to take him hee escaped out of their hands and went beyond Iordan Ioh. 11 53 54. c. And when they consulted together to put him to death when hee had raised Lazarus he walked no more openly among them but went thence into a Country nere to the wildernes and there continued with his Disciples But now the time being come indeede which his Father had appointed hee neuer seeketh any starting holes but goeth to a knowne place that he might lye open to his enemies And afterwards when Iudas and his companie came to apprehend him Ioh. 18 3 4. with Lanthornes and Torches and Weapons hee neuer sought to escape their hands but came forth and offered himselfe vnto them saying Whom seeke ye Like a stout and a valiant Champion hee entreth the Listes as to an open combate And indeede if he had beene vnwilling to dye all the power in the world could not haue put him to death as may appear by many examples When he had preached a sermon in the Synagogue at Nazareth Luke 4 29 30 which had netled all his hearers and they being full of wrath were minded to cast him headlong from the edge of the hill whereon their Cittie was built He passed through the middest of them and went his way they could not all hurt him And when Peter at the time of his apprehension drew his sword and beganne to lay about him he biddeth him put vp his sword into the sheath Thinkest thou sayth he that I cannot now pray to my father Mat. 26 53 54 and hee will giue mee more then twelue Legions of Angels If it had pleased him hee could haue had all the Angels in heauen come to rescue him But hee needed not the helpe of Angels his owne power was sufficient if hee would haue vsed it For when they came to take him though they had weapons and he were altogether naked and vnarmed yet hee did but speake a word to them telling them he was the man they sought presently they all went backwardes and fell to the ground That mans presumption as Bernard saith * Vt cognesceret humana prae sumptio nihil se posse aduersus te nisi quantum permitteretur à te Feria 6. in Parase might know that they could doe nothing against him but what they were permitted by him He blew them away with the breath of his mouth as with a strong whirlewinde The lightning of his countenance and the thunder of his voice cast theÌ„ headlong to the ground He could as easily haue cast them into hell but his desire was onelie to conuince their consciences and to let them see their presumption And therfore it is saide so often that hee gaue himselfe for his Church Ephes 5 2 25 Titus 2 4. Luke 22 19. And in the institution of his last supper he saith This is my bodie whieh is giuen for you This serueth to commend vnto vs the singular loue of our Sauiour towards vs as himselfe sayth Greater loue then this hath no man Iohn 15 13. then when a man bestoweth his life for his frends The highest loue of Christ is set out in the highest degree for there can bee no greater euidence of loue then to lay downe a mans life And this the Apostle respected when he saide Galath 2 20. Hee hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me If his life had beene taken from him against his will it had not bene such an argument of his loue but in that hee was so willing to die for vs it was the greatest loue that could be And therfore Bernard saith well * Amor â—uuâ— nescivit habere modum c. de caena Dom. ser 12. Lacrymae dicant quia voces explicare desistunt Thy Loue knew not how to keepe any meane or measure Thy Charity O Christ could not containe it selfe within the bounds How great that loue was which Christ by dying shewed towards vs no man liuing is able to expresse let teares shew it when words cannot vtter it And a little after * Conscientia mihi testis est O Iesu quid fecerim tibi c. Ser. 13. My conscience is my witnesse O Iesus what I haue don to thee thy crosse doth giue testimony what thou hast done for me Thou wast God and I a man and yet thou God wast made man for me Thou wast the Creator and I thy creature and yet thou hast vouchsafed to redeem me Thou wast the Lord and we thy seruants yet thou hast vouchsafed to saue vs. For vs strangers thou becamest a stranger for vs exiled persons thou becamest an exile for vs that were poore thou becamest poore for vs base wretches thou becamest base for vs that were mortall thou diddest not onely become mortall but diedst for vs and that not any kinde of death but a most cruel a most bitter a most shamefull death euen the death of the crosse What could he haue done more for vs that hee hath not done How could he loue vs more then hee hath loued vs And againe * Parum suit charitati tuae c ser 6. in parasc It was but a small matter to thy loue to appoint Cherubim or Seraphim or one of the angels to accomplish the work of our saluation but thou thy self hast vouchsafed to come vnto vs. And being God of infinite glory thou didst not despise to bee made a contemptible worme and being Lord of all thou wouldest appeare as the fellow-seruant of thy seruants The like example cannot bee found in any historie For as the Apostle saith Doubtlesse one wil scarse die for a righteous man Roman 5 7. It is hard to finde one that will hazard his life for a iust and a good mans fake redeeme his safety by his own death It may be there be some that will run and ride and peraduenture bee at cost with their purses to do him good but when it commeth to the life once O that is sweete Skin for skinne Iob 2 4. and all that euer a man hath will he giue before he part with his life There are indeede some examples among the heathen of such that haue aduentured their liues for others As the three Curiatij * Liu Dei 1. l. 1 and the two Horatij that for the liberty of their Countrey died in single combate And Decius the Consull * Val. Max. l. 5. cap. 6. that for the Roman army deuoted himselfe to death And M. Curtius * Ibid. who for his countreyes sake cast himselfe into the pestilent lake And Codrus the King of the Athenians * Herodotus who for the preseruation of his kingdome offered himselfe to the swords of his enimies * Virgil
it a shamefull thing to cast away themselues for nought Precious things and things that cost much are carefully kept Thinges that are gotten with much labour and sweate and bought with much money are most commonly much set by So should wee esteeme highlie of our selues beeing bought with so great a price and with an holy kinde of pride contemne and despise sinne * Meditat. cap. 3. This whole world saith Bernard is not to be esteemed in comparison of the price of one soule For Christ would not giue his life for the world and yet hee gaue it for mans soule Therefore the price of the soule is greater which could not be redeemd but by the blood of Christ * Noli ergo vilipender animae tuae passionem cui à tanta maiestate tantam vides exhiberi compassionem Heb. 12 16. Ge. 25 29 30. Do not therefore set light by the passion of thy soule whereon thou seest so great a maiesty hath had compassion The Apostle exhorteth Let there be no prophane person as Esau who for a portion of meate sold his birth-right But all vngodly sinners are farre worse then Esau for he was faint and weary and almost dead for want of food therfore sold it to saue his life But these wretched persons doe sweare away their soules drinke and whore away their soules and basely sell theÌ„selues to the deuill to satisfie their owne beastly lusts Secondly it serueth to teach them that in token of their thankfulnesse they must willingly serue Iesus christ The name of seruants as S. Augustine saith * Seruorum nomen proprie à seruari quod eos domine victores seruauere quos iure belli occidere sas illis â—urt de Ciuit. dei lib. 19. c. 15 properly cometh of being saued because they that were conquerors in the wars did saue them whom by the law of armes they might haue slaine But it is also applied to them that being taken prisoners were ransomed and so set free * Nomen admonet beneficij officii The name putteth vs in mind of the benefite we haue receiued of the duty that we owe. You are bought with a price sayeth the Apostle therfore glorifie God in your body 1 Cor. 6 20. and in your spirit for they are Gods And this vse doth Zacharias make of it in his song when he saieth Wee are deliuered out of the hands of our enemies that we should serue him without feare in holines and righteousnesse all the daies of our life He hath Saued vs wee must Serue him And this we must do not only in the generall duties of Christianity but also in the seuerall places and callings wherein the Lorde hath set vs. The Magistrate must serue God in his place as Dauid exhorted Salomon 1 Chron. 28 9 wheÌ„ he was to succeed him in the kingdom And thou Salomon my son know thou the God of thy Father and serue him with a perfect heart and a willing minde So must euery Magistrate serue the Lord in labouring to promote and aduance his seruice in looking carefully to the obseruation of the Sabbath and in punishing all dishonour that is done to his Name So likewise Ministers must serue the Lord in their places by faithfull and diligent preaching of the word in season 2 Timoth. 4 2 and out of season And euery priuate man must also serue God in the conscionable performance of those duties that appertaine vnto him And indeed it is the greatest glory of all meÌ„ though they bee neuer so highly aduanced in the world to be the seruants of God Dauid though hee were a King yet he glorieth more in this that he was the seruant of God then in all the titles that belonged to his crown Behold Lord saith he I am thy seruaÌ„t Psalm 116 16 I am thy seruant and the sonne of thine handmaid c. And at the least twelue seuerall times in the 119. Psalme hee calleth himselfe the seruant of God And the blessed Virgin though shee were preferred before all other women to be the mother of the Sonne of God yet shee boasteth not of anie such title but stileth her selfe the seruant of God Behold saith she Luke 1 38. to the Angel that brought her that heauenly tidings the seruant of the Lord be it vnto me according to thy word And againe in her song she saith and 48. Hee hath looked on the poore estate of his seruant And all the holy Apostles thogh they were aduanced to the most honorable calling that euer was in the church yet in all their Epistles they call theÌ„selues the seruants of Iesus Christ And no maruel for the seruice of God is perfect freedome yea to serue him is to reign as a king Apoc. 1 ver 6 For our blessed Sauior hath made vs Kings priests vnto God his father Onely we must take heede that wee content not our selues with the outward name and bare Title onely but labour to bee the seruants of God indeede and to approue our selues to be so by performing acceptable seruice and obedience vnto his will as the Prophet Malachi saith Malachi 1 6. A sonne honoreth his father a seruant his Master If then I bee a Father where is mine honor And if I be a master where is my feare saith the Lord of hostes Thirdly and last of all it serueth for our imitation that we by the example of our Sauiour Christ should to the vttermost of our power deliuer them that are in captiuity Diuers is the captiuity of men according to the diuers calamities whereunto they are subiect The poore man is a captiue to want and penury hee that is rich 1 Iohn 3 17. hath the worlds good as the Apostle saith must be his redeemer by releeuing of him A man that is sicke is a captiue to his disease he that is able any way to helpe him must seeke to redeeme him by what meanes hee can And he that is not able to redeem the body if he comfort the mind that is afflicted he playeth the part of a redeemer He that liueth in errour and blindnes is a bondslaue to satan as he also that serueth sin whosoeuer relieueth this man with the worde of doctrine and admonition is his redeemer According to that speech of the Apostle What knowest thou ô wife 1 Cor. 7 6. whether thou shalt saue thy husband or what knowest thou ô man whether thou shalt saue thy wife And S. Iames saith to the same purpose Iames 5 20. Hee that hath conuerted a sinner from going astray out of his way shall saue a soule from death In these such like things let vs follow our Sauiour Christ and euery man labor to deliuer another out of bondage And he that is endued with any faculty let him imploy the same 2 Cor. 12 15. yea let him bee willing to bestow himselfe as the Apostle saith to doe seruice to his brethren