it to be garnished with golde and siluer and vaine sightes of a corruptible eye which in time consume and the rust and canker frett them away But in thine heart which Christ hath sāctified there is greater treasure then this If thou loke vpon the earth thine eyes are cleare to see from East to West and all is thine the stones in the streete are at league with thee and the beasts of the field are at peace with thee Let all the tyrants in the earth lift vp their handes against thee they shall not finde any thing vnder heauen to doe thee hurt all creatures are sworne to thy safetie it is not possible for man to breake their faithfulnesse they can do nothing vnto thee but good Loke also without the boundes and compasse of Heauen and Earth and with pure eyes thou seest greater thinges then these thou seest hell abolished death troden vnder feete the first sorrowe cast out into shame Saints Angels are in thy sight immortalitie hath lengthened thy dayes the glorie of God is before thee in a glasse He that can builde thee suche an other tabernacle let him be thy God and where else thou findest suche treasure there settle thy heart or if this only be the greatest reioyce only in this and pray for a sincere faith that thou mayest in deed see it and haue thy soule knit vnseparably vnto it that thou mayest greatly despise all other thinges say as the Prophet Dauid said What is man that thou art mindful of him And thus farre at this time Now let vs pray c. ¶ The ninth Lecture vpon part of the 8. verse vpon the 9. 10. verses 8 But we yet see not all things subdued vnto him 9 But we see Iesus crowned with glorie and honour which was made a litle inferior to the Angels through the suffering of death that by Gods grace he might tast death for all men 10 For it became him for whome are all these thinges and by whome are all these thinges seeing that he brought many children vnto glorie that he should consecrate the Prince of their saluation through afflictions I Tolde you at the beginning that the Apostle in the first seconde chapter setteth purposely out the person of Christ how he is God man how he set out his godhead in y first chapter you heard vnto which hee addeth this earnest exhortation in the beginning of this chapter wherof also we haue already spoken Nowe in these woordes whiche wee haue read he beginneth the other parte of his purpose to teache that our Sauiour Christe is perfect man and taketh his occasion of the text before alledged which he applyed vnto Christe as chiefe and principall though it be ment also of all men for when he had so highly magnified man in consideration of mans present state a doubt is streight moued Howe can this bee sithe we see not these things yet subiect vnto him To this the Apostle aunswereth that it is alreadie accomplished in our Sauiour Christe who is beecome man for our sakes and through death hath gotten this glorie for vs so heere is a full declaration how this prophesie alledged is verified in man and a preperation to teach more at large how Christe is perfect man In the words of this eighth verse But now we see not yet all thinges subiect vnto him he moueth the doubt whiche is easily made against that Scripture whiche so highly extolled man and aunswereth thus vnto it In deed I graunt all things are not yet thus subiect vnto man but yet in Christe wee see this already accomplished for wee haue seene him made lower then Angels and yet againe exalted and crowned with glorie and honour euen as him selfe is witnesse All power is giuen mee in Heauen and in Earth and so hee is risen from the dead that death hath no more power ouer him for euer who beeing made man for vs in him it is accomplished that man is ruler ouer all the workes of God now in parte and after this fullie when our base bodies shal be chaunged and made glorious In this we see how he commeth to speake of the māhod of our sauiour Christ which after he declareth more at large For the suffering of death Some translate this Through the suffering of death as shewing the cause why God exalted him but neither is that so pertinent to the Apostles purpose nor his wordes doe so signifie but thus For the suffering of death that is to the end hee might suffer death So he sheweth the cause why Christ was made lower then Angels and that is because he might die for otherwise in the maiestie of his Godhead all death and all corrupion fall before him and nothing can stand in his sight but life glorie and immortalitie therefore to the end that that immortalitie and glorie of GOD might dye and death might come vnto him it must needes be that he should be humbled beneath Angels In the words that followe That by Gods grace he might taste of death for all men he sheweth here y cause why he dyed As this was the cause of abasing him that he might dye so this was y cause of his death that he might dye for vs that is that he might take our death vpon him so by him we might be deliuered from it Where he saith By the grace of God he sheweth that it was the free loue of God that gaue his sonne vnto vs no desert on our behalfe but when wee sought not after him then hee offered him selfe vnto vs and when we sate as the prophet saith in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death then a great light rose vp vnto vs to this end that we which are the Gentiles might prayse God for his mercie And where it is said that he might tast of death he calleth here To taste of death to haue in deede sense and feeling of the paines not diminishing the passion as a thing lightly touched but warranting the bitternesse and all the sorrow of it euen to the bottome of the graue and deathe to be tasted fealt in deed and saying For all he meaneth not by All good or badd whosoeuer they be but as Sainct Iohn plainely expoundeth it God gaue his sonne to die to the end that al that beleeue should not perish but haue life euerlasting So our Sauiour Christ saith All that beleeue are baptised shal be saued So thus farre the Apostle hath taught plainely both how the former prophesie is accomplished in Christ and is verified in euerie one of vs and he hath aptly begun to teache this doctrine that our Sauiour Christ is perfect man which in this Chapter I saide was his especiall purpose Now touching this greate excellencie of man whereof the Apostle hath spoken howe wee be made partakers of it a little further weighe it He hath spoken greate and maruelous thinges euen as the Prophet had saide Marueilous things
Ioh. 4. 23. Matt. 26. 27. 1. Cor. 14. 19. 1. Cor. 10. 27 Hebr. 13. 3. t. Cor. 1 21. Hebr. 10. 16 Rom. 1. â—…6 Luke 11. 27. Matth. â—…2 50 Iohn 6. What is a Sabboth days work Esal 40. 12. Matth. 6. 30 Psal. 104. 35 Psa. 104. 35. Prouerb Matt. 25. Gal. 2. 20 Psal. 132. 14 Esai 11. 10. Luke 1. 74. Col. 2. 〈◊〉 Deu. 5. 1. Ioh. 2. Amos. 8. 6. Apoca. 4. 1 Iob. 32. 22. 1. Cor. 3. 〈◊〉 Agg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esai 55. 10. Luk. 3. 5. 1. Pet. 1. 23. 1. Cor. 4. 15. Iacob 1. 1â—… 1. Peter 2. 1 Prou. 20. 27 2. Cor. 10. 4. Iere. 3. 29. Iere. 5. 14. 2. Cor. 2. 16. Iere 23. 22. Mal. 2. 6. Esa. 49. 〈◊〉 Ephe. 6. 17. Apoca. 1. 16 19. 15. 1. Thes. 1. 23 Aba 3. 16. Esai 24. 16. Dan. 5. 6. Eze. 11. 13. Acte 5. 1. Our aâ—…ctions lesse then the strenâ—…h thâ—… 〈◊〉 2. Coi 5. 21. What wee must bee leeue of the true humanity of Christ. Iac. 1. 6. Ephe. 3. 12. Rom. 1. 16. Rom. 〈◊〉 15. 2. Tim. 1. 7. 1. Tim. 6. 19. Ephe. 2. 18. Psa. 14. 3. 1. Tim. 2. 5. Chap. 7. 24. Phil. 2. 18. Gal. 6. 1. Luk. 12. 37. Hebr. 2. 13. 〈◊〉 Cor. 1. 4. 2. Tim. 2. 16. Dan. 4. 24. Hab. 3. 1. Leuit. 9. 7. The Papisticall offices offiicers Matt. 26. 4â—… Luk. 22. 41. Psal. 50. 15. Heb. 〈◊〉 12. Ro. 8. 38. 39. Esai 61. 3. Esa. 53. 5. Iaohn 5. 4. Gen. 4. 26. Mar. 1. 41. Mat. 6. 10. Rom. 7. 18. Iere. 10. 14. Rom. 8. 5. verse 16. 27 Luke 1. 38. 2. Pet. 2. 7. Exod. 32. 35. Iere 9. 2. Esai 22. 4. Rom. 9. 〈◊〉 Luke 21. 41 Mar. 3. 5. Luk. 23. 34. Nahum 1. 6 Psal. 29. 8. Psal. 119. 3 〈◊〉 Pet. 4. 3. Gen. 〈◊〉 8. Iob. 1. 2â—… Rom. 〈◊〉 39. 2. Cor. 4. 8. Abac. 3. 16. Col. 3. 3. 4. 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Acte 17. 11. Iohn 〈◊〉 3â—… Iohn 1. 54. Ca. 4. 2. â— Peâ—… 3. 13. 1. Cor. 1. 14. Mar. 13. 10. Mar. 4. 11. 2. Cor. 4. 4. Prouer. 14. 6 Deut. â—…0 10. Ose. 6. 5. Esai 45. 19. Esa. 19. 10. Mat. 15. 8. Illirieus in normaroncilii Sleyd â–ª li 23. Kemp in exam concil Trident. â—…ess 4. câ—…n 〈◊〉 Psal. 19. 7. Pro. 1. 4. 1. Tim. 1. 16. Cusan ad Boaemos Epist. 2. Disti 40. Non nos in glosa Math. 7. 24. Vide pet Crâ—…â—…o 1. conc â—…o â—…o Ant on in sum Par â–ª 3. tit 21. Cap. 5. 33. q. 3. Ephe. 4. 14. 2. Cor. 14. 20 Luke 22. 25 Antichristian pride Mâ—…tt 7. â—…4 Mâ—…tt 16. 18. Ephe. 2. 20. Rom. 2. 18. Luke 2. 32. Iohn 4. Mat. 13. Act 13. 45. Actâ—… 13. 10. 1. Sa. 27. 21. Esai 40. 1. To the Reader Gentle reader I thought good in this vacaÌ„t place to set down an excellent speech vttered by the Authour of this book a litle before his death whereby thou maist clearely see and learne that there is a sweete peace in death to all suche as painefully serue the Lord in life For he being raised vp in bed and his friend requesting him to speake the Sunne shone on his face thereby tooke occasion thus to say THere is but one Sunne that giueth light to the world there is but one righteousnesse there is but one Communion of Saints If I were the excellentest creature in the world If I were as righteous as Abraham Isaac and Iacob for they were excellent men in the world yet we must all confesse that we are great sinners and that there is no saluation but in the righteousnesse of Iesus christ And we haue all neede of the grace of god And for my part as concerning death I feele such ioy of spirite that if I should haue the sentence of life on the one side and the sentence of death on the other side I had rather chuse a thousand times seeing God hath appointed the separation the sentence of death than the sentence of life The prayer which M. Deering vsed before his Lectures O Lorde God whiche hast lest vnto vs thy holie worde to be a lanterne vnto our feete and a light vnto our steppes giue vnto vs all thy holie spirite that out of the same worde we may learne what is thy eternall will and frame our liues in all holie obedience to the same to thy honour and glorie and increase of our faith through Iesus Christe our Lorde Amen Deering DEring in earthly life thy heauenly voice did teache The ruth of sinnes the trueth of endlesse grace And with thy voyce thy life conspired to preache The praise of God with longing to embrace The sweete delights wherin his Sainctes abound O blessed Organ of so noble sound When thou didst cry repentant griefe for sinne When with inspired breath from ghost diuine Thy mouth powrde forth what hart did feele within Thy deepe desire to drawe men to incline Their listening soules vnto the healthful word O happie they that turnd vnto the Lord. And when thou didst his mercie sweete proclame And dist with thankfull and deliteful voyce Set foorth the honour of his sauing name To quench dispaire and make the heart reioyce O happie hearers of so ioyful newes Vnhappie wretches that such ioyes refuse O happie thou and all that shall with thee Wel followe Him that ledde and is the way They followe well whome He hath blest to see The path and trust the guide that cannot stray Oh well he liued whom God did so apply Oh well he dyed that liues eternally Wee thank our God for thee and for thy life And for the good that he by thee hath wrought Thy speech thy trauaâ—…le in his seruice rise Thy writings left wherby we stil be taught And in thy death Gods holy name be blest O blessed dead that in the Lord doe rest FINIS T. N.
is true dearely beloued and the Angels are witnesses with vs this is true but to this day God hath not giuen some a hart to beleeue we owe them a dutie and let vs perfourme it vnto them Let vs pray that God may open their mindes and let vs speake vnto them the word of God that they may learne wisdome that at the last in their happie conuersion we may glorifie God who hath and will deliuer his out of all tentations We must farther marke in these words that the Prophet sayth Beholde the children which thou hast giuen me In y it is said God hath giueÌ„ vs to his Sonne Christe it teacheth vs to acknowledge his free gift and grace And let none of vs think there was any wisdome in our selues why we wold choose him nor any constancie in vs by which we could cleaue vnto him but God in his grace drewe vs that wee might coÌ„e vnto him with his power he streÌ„gthned vs that we should abide with him This is it that our Sauiour Christe said vnto the Iewes All that my father giueth me coÌ„meth vnto me shewing in an other place that his children can not perish he sheweth this reason Because my father who hath giuen them to me is greater then all and in the long prayer which he maketh for all that do beleue in the 17. of Iohn he repeateth this often times that God his father had giuen them vnto him that we by so many instructioÌ„s might be taught humilitie that in vs that is in our flesh there dwelleth no goodnes but y he chose vs he did it of his free grace and mercie which he would shew vnto vs And as we knowe that thus God hath once freely giuen vs to his sonne Christe to inherite with him eternall life so we knowe our election standeth sute beecause it is according to this purpose who hath loued vs and is not changed for euer But the time is past Now let vs pray c. ¶ The eleuenth Lecture vpon the 14. 15. 16. 17. and 18. verses 14 For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also him self likewise tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the diuel 15 And that he might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage 16 For he in no sorte tooke on him the Angels nature but he tooke on him the seede of Abraham 17 Wherefore in all things it behoueth him to be made like vnto his brethren that he might be merciful and a faithful high Priest in things concerning God that he might make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people 18 For in that he suffered was tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted NOw after that the Apostle hath proued y our Sauiour Christ was perfect man and dyed for our sinnes he maketh in the 14. and 15. verses his conclusion in plaine woordes shewing how hee was man and wherefore he dyed Touching his humanitie according to the wordes last alledged out of the Prophet Beholde mee and my children so he concludeth of it If then other children be partakers of flesh and bloud euen he also in like sorte is partaker of the same This is therfore our faith and thus we beleeue as wee are so is our Sauiour Christ his nature like to ours a resonable soule humane flesh in him as wel as in vs he differeth in nothing except sinne but all is alike in him and vs Euen as other children so he hath taken his parte of flesh and bloud a cleare and manifest place for the humanitie of Christe and suche a one as hath confounded all the aduersaries of it So it pleased the liuing God he that in his meruaylous prouidence hath mercie ouer al his works euen he who sometime in these earthly thinges to shewe his power makethe the flowers to springe and fruites to growe where they were neither sowen nor planted hee I say in his great mercie and goodwill to man did bring it to passe that our Sauiour Christe should bee made man and by the woorke of the holie Ghoste should bee conceiued and fourmed in the wombe of the virgine Marie euen as all other Children as the Apostle heere sayeth afterwarde Like vs in all thinges onely excepâ—…e sinne Heere dearely beloued wee must not onely reiect the foule and rotten thoughts of such Heretiques as haue denyed the humanitie of our Sauiour Christe but manie other vaine fancyes of men who graunt in deede a naturall bodie to our Sauiour Christe but they giue it suche qualities as no bodie in the worlde hathe 〈◊〉 had Some saye it may be euerie where whome God will teache better in his good time Others say it may bee made with fiue wordes spoken with one breath Hoc est enim corpus mâ—…m For this is my bodie a foolishe people and of no vnderstandinge and yet they are more vaine then this they thinke it may be made of a peece of breade without fourme or figure and into breade they thinke it may returne againe if the wicked doe eate it or if it beginne to digest in the good mans stomache Is this to make him like vnto vs sinne onely excepted Nay dearely beloued it is to be drunken or else to bee madde in dallying with the bodie of Christe we cannot tell howe But they alledge Scripture for this and saye Christe hathe shewed suche miracles in his naturall bodie as he walked on the Sea He came in when the doores were shutte he became inuisible to the men that would haue throwen him downe the hill Therefore notwithstanding his likenesse with vs yet he may be in euerie Church in the pixe ouer the Altar In deede if wee sawe him in the pixe as wee sawe him walke vppon the Sea there were some reason in their foolish vaine talke but of things done bodily by Christ in visible plaine fourme to imagine another thing quite contrarie to our eyes eares what force is in such an argumeÌ„t or what reason is in such wordes Besides this in all these things Christ did nothing but he hath made man do the like that eueÌ„ in this also he might shew his likenesse with vs Christ walked vppon the sea so did Peterâ—… he was conueyed away soudenly out of his place so was Elias he entred when the dores were shutt so did all the Apostles if maister Harding say true and came into the Chappel to helpe Basil to masse If all this may proue Transubstantiation then Peter and Elias all the Apostles might be transubstantiate with him But the follie of this confuteth it selfe and let vs leaue it Now it followeth in the Apostle wherefore this man Iesus Christ dyed he saith That by death he might abolish him who had the power of death that is the deuil And that he might deliuer all theÌ„ which for
sorrowful euen vnto death at the entr◅e into it Saint Marke saith He beganne to be astonished at his griefe was ouerwhelmed with his sorrow in which agonies Saint Luke saith his sweat was as drops of bloud falling from him and God sent an Angel from heauen to strengthen him And can we thinke al this came vnto our sauiour Christ for feare of the death of the bodie His seruants that receiue of his fulnesse do they so easily despise this death that either they wish for it to be with Christ or they reioyce in the middes of it before the persecuter and did our sauiour Christ himself in whom is the fulnesse of the spirite so feare and tremble at the remembrance of it Did the Apostles sing in prison and went away reioycing when they were whipped scourged Did Paul glorie in so manie tribulations which he reckoneth vp and did our Sauiour Christ in the like paine crie with a fainting heart My God my God why hast thou forsaken me No dearly beloued it is not so but that which made Christ to tremble would haue crushed his Apostles in peeces and that which made him to sweat bloud so plentifully would haue made them sink into the bottom of hell and that which made him crie would haue holden both men and Angels vnder euerlasting wo and lamentation If then our Sauiour Christ were as the prophet saith like water powred out and all his bones out of ◅oynt if his hart were like wax mol ten in the midds of his bowell if his strength were dried vp like a potsherd and his toung cleaued vnto his iawes if he were brought with his sorowes into the dust of death fie vpon their blasphemous speaches cursed words which say he suffered nothing but bodily paine I would those which are Papistes among vs and in their simplicitie are deceiued with the errour of many I would I say they knewe the wickednes of this one point of their doctrine that they say the soule of Christ suffered nothing but onely for the bodies sake as our soules suffer when our bodies are weake or are sicke or die If God impute this their ignorance vnto them howe shal they be saued from the death of sinne and condemnation Do they not know what the scripture saith He bare our sinnes in his bodie he submitted himselfe to the death of them and by the wounds of his stripes we be healed Did our sinnes deserue only a bodily death or did they not deserue the second death which is the wrath of God holding bodie and soule in an euerlasting fire And how shall they escape it if they know not this death in the bodie of Christ by whose stripes they may see themselues healed Let them pray and let vs pray for them that if it be the will of God they may soone be conuerted know the vnspeakable loue of our Sauiour Christe who was accursed for our sakes suffered for vs not onlie the torments of his bodie but the anguishe of his soule and the wrath of his Father ▪ which wounded his flesh and spirit vnto death and would haue holden him in that condemnation for euer if he had beene no stronger then we that deserued it But because he was also the Sonne of God in whome the fullnesse of the Godhead dwelt bodily the eternall spirite that was within him did lose the chaines of death and hel and mightily arose vp from the power of Sathan of whiche it was impossible that hee should be holden and he hath left those his enimies the diuel death hel in ignominie and darcknesse and hath abolished them for euer and euer not to hurt vs any more worlde without end In this hope dearlie beloued is our delight and dwelling place and they that knowe not these sufferings of Christ our soules shall haue no pleasure in their counsels And thus farre of the firste benefite mentioned of the deathe of Christe that he hath abolished the diuel The second benefite is that we be set at libertie from the bondage of the feare of death For so the apostle sayth And should set them free as many a◅ with the feare of death all their l◅fe long were hold◅n i◅ bōdage In these wordes let vs now consider what bondage we were in without Christe ▪ and what libertie wee haue obteyned through him Without Christe all our life is a miserable bondage in feare and terrour of eternall condemnation to come vpon vs for our sinne in the day of death through Christe wee see our sinnes purged the diuell vanquished death and condemnation abolished and our selues in the libertie of the childrē of God to say Our father whiche art in heauen This is the difference of estate betwene the children of God and the children of this world And what miserie trow we then do the wicked of the world liue in There is in deede no peace vnto the wicked as the Lord hath said when in all their life is feare and terrour when they carrie in their breastes tormenting furies to holde them day and night in feare of endlesse destruction God hath don it and no doubt they feele it there is giuen vnto thē a spirit of bondage and of feare in which they tremble at their owne estate they are the children of the handemayde Agar borne in the bondage of her wombe and dwell in the deserte and are in mount Sinaie where is the burning fire and blacknesse and darknesse and tempest and sounde of trumpet at which they tremble for they are without Christ and therfore must needes be in bondage and in the feare of death all their life But thou wilt say The wicked prosper reioyce in their dayes they are bound in no such bondage nor feare no such feare Thou canst not tell nor thou knowest not the heart of a wicked man howsoeuer hee boast in his substance and hath peace in his riches peraduenture there is a bitter remembrance of death ▪ within him When Pharaoh the proud tyrant had hardened his heart boasted exceedingly against the people of Israel yet he sawe no sooner the death of the first borne but he feared trembled as the leaues in the wildernes and I remember Solomon sayth There is in deede a way that a man thincketh streight and pleasant when the issues of it leade vnto death But what pleasure is that and what delight Solomo◅ addeth euen in that laughing the heart is sorrowfull and that mirth doth end in heauinesse they doe indeede strengthen them selues striue mer◅eilously to cast out feare sometime with one pastime somtime with an other but if they could cast it out as out of a cannon yet would it euermore returne againe and vexe their heart that so flieth from it Balaam would faine haue comforted himselfe with riches and honor which he loued so much yet was he not without feare but at the last it brake out and he spake Let my soule die
if it should happen you to fall downe into hell Christe hath descended also you should then be moste like him in his agonies and bloudie sweates The third cause at this time which I will touch is this God sendeth vs sundry chasticementes and especiallie that which is moste grieuous of al other the anguish of spirite and affliction of the soule for this purpose that we should be warned in time how to turne vnto him be free from the plague when it commeth for the iudgements of God that are dayly preached vnto vs they pearce deepe into the heartes of the true beleeuers and the worde that they heare it woorketh mightilie in them more sharp in their eares then a two edged swoord it entreth thorough them euen to the diuiding a sunder of the soule and of the spirite and of the ioyntes and of the marrowe and examine all the thoughts and the intentes of the heart so that it is vnpossible that any part of them should be hidde but they are all open vnto iudgement and heare the voice of the Lorde Then their sinne is reuiued in the midst of their bowels their coÌ„science hath no rest they feele death working in their hearts and hel is before theÌ„ they see sinne on their right hande and Satan on their left shame vnder their feete and an angrie Iudge aboue them y world ful of destructioÌ„ without and a worme gnawing the heart within the poore sinner knoweth not what to do to hide him selfe it is impossible and to appeare it is intollerable then hee breaketh out into lowde cryinges O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death he giueth no rest vnto his eyes nor sleepe vnto his eyelids vntill hee finde him that is able to saue him from this wrath in his bedde by night he seeketh him whome his soule loueth in the streetes and open places he inquireth after him and after many dayes in whiche he cannot finde him Christ sheweth him selfe at the last a perpetual deliuerer a victorious Lion of the tribe of Iuda in whome he hath strong saluation when hee hath mourned because of y plague that was before him Christ will approch neere and wipe away the teares from his eyes This y Prophet Abacuch setteth forth in his own person WheÌ„ I heard saith he the word of God my bellie trembled my lips shooke at the voice roâ—…nnesse entred into my bones I trembled in my selfe that I might haue rest in the day of trouble Euen so dearely beloued it is with vs all The plagues of God because they are pronounced against iniquitie it maketh the childe of God to feare and tremble that so foreseeing the harme he might prepare him helpe and because of the destroyer seeke without wearines vnto the sauiour though he hide him selfe at the first the wounded spirite and troubled hart must nedes finde him-out A great cause of vnspeakeable gladnesse though wee seeme swalowed vp of pensiue sorrowe We are full of griefe but we are chastised of the Lord because we should not be coÌ„demned with the world we die with Christ but because we should liue with him wee lament and weepe but because that Christe might wipe away all teares from our eyes we are deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake but because the life of Iesus should be made manifest in our flesh we beare about in our bodies the mortification of the Lord Iesus but because the life of Iesus might be manifest also in our bodies we haue anguishe of spirite and vexation of minde such as hath not bene from the beginning but for this cause that when souden destruction shall come vpon the carelesse world we might lift vp our heades and beholde our redemption at hande Let vs then be bolde and in patience possesse our soules for these causes we are nowe afflicted that wee might receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in the time of neede for this cause we tremble and are affraide that after many praiers and supplications we might be deliuered from the things which we haue feared It followeth in the Apostle And beeing consecrate he was made the authour of saluation to all them that obey him In these wordes wee ate taught what 〈◊〉 and coÌ„moditie we haue through these bitter sufferinges of our Sauiour Christ and also by what meanes we are made partakers of it the fruite is eternall saluation the meanes to go vnto it is obedience in the first we learne that all promise and hope of life is in Christe alone hee hath alone the wordes of liâ—…e he is alone the breade of life the water of life the authour of life the word of life the tree of life the onlie life hee that beleeueth in him hee hath euerlasting life and he that dwelleth not in him shall see no life but the wrath of God abideth on him Take holde of Christ and take holde of life reach foorth thine hand to any other thinge and thou reachest vnto vanitie which cannot helpe Looke not for life but where it dwelleth in the flesh of Christe alone there it resteth Death hath reigned in all the world beside and led euery creature into bondage If thou looke vnto the heauens there is but vexation and anguishe if thou looke vnto the earth there is but darknesse and sorrow if thou call vnto Abraham he knoweth thee not if thou cry vpon Angels they can not helpe thee if thou looke vnto thy workes they are all vncleane if thou truste in thy prayers the Lorde hath no pleasure in them call for the helpe of al creatures they are subiect to vanitie there is no life but in Christ alone The elders the Angels the baestes and all creatures they giue this honour vnto Christe Saluation is of him that sitteth vppon the throne and of the Lambe and altogether they cry Amen And if all the creatures which yet are excellent good are not of power to giue anie peece of this life then what shall we think of those people enimies to God and murderers of his Saincts which so long haue made vs beleeue that they haue life in them selues that they can forgiue vs our sinnes for yeares euen as they will manie or fewe that they can make sacrifices propitiatorie for vs y they can purge vs by purgatorie fiers that their Pilgrimages their pardons their vowes their holie orders and such other spiritual drunkennesse of their sicke braines that these be auailable to purchase life If they will not be reclaimed let vs rest in the counsels of our God and say with Iohn He that hurteth let him hurt still and hee that is filthy let him be filthy still It is inough for vs that Christ is our life that our life is hid with Christe in God when Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glorie Now while we are in the dayes of our pilgrimage the way that wee must walke vnto this
remembreth by good accompts what things the Lord hath done for him how he hath blessed him from what present perils he hath saued him how againe him self hath bene euer vnthankfull vnworthy of the least of al Gods mercies yea by many speciall crimes deseruing wrath and anger which thoughtes doe worke in him a troubled spirite and pensiue soule so that not onely teares but the state of the whole bodie sheweth the griefe of his minde and not the bodie onely but in all his life it worketh great care much praying anger with our selues feare desire zeale punishment also that by iudging our selues we may preuent the iudgement of God it maketh vs detest our sinne and the remembrance of our sinne as in the Acts of the Apostles they burne their bookes of sorceries which were of great price value and as Saint Iude sayth They hate euen the coate spotted with the flesh and according to this is the amendement of their life with all loue and desire If they haue beene extortioners they will make restitution if they haue beene vsurers they will giue back increase if they haue giuen their handes and knees and members of their bodyes to the Popish Masse with all their strength now againe they will deteste it and make it knowen they hate their firste sinne this manner of repentance is stronge meate of perfect men The second point heere spoken of is faith toward God of which so much as may be apprehended of children is called milke as to beleeue that God the father of his greate loue gaue his onely begotten sonne Iesu Christe to be made man who in his bodie might fulfil all righteousnesse and beare the punishment of sinne which also by the power of his spirit he ourcame and hath gotten eternall redemption for all that shall beleeue But so to examine this faith wisely and according to Scripture that when we finde the beginning in God the father the work in God the sonne the applying and bestowing of it in the holie Ghoste and when we be wise so to distinguish these graces in euery person that yet wee diuide them not as taking away from the one vtterly what soeuer especially wee giue vnto the other this I say when we haue so learned that wee see all the glorie of sauing health is in God no merit or desert in man but that without the law the righteousnesse of God is laid open vnto vs witnessed by the law and by the prophets then we be perfect to fede of this strong meate that faith alone iustifieth Againe when we knowe that this is the gifte of God with whome there is no chaunge nor shadowe of chaunge but he is constant in his loue for euer whē faith hereof taketh boldnesse that nether heigth nor deapth nor life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor any creature shall euer be able to remoue me from the loue with whiche God hath looued mee this assured boldenesse is the meat of the man of God who is perfect in faith Likewise Baptisme the thirde thing here mentioned the milke of it is to knowe that by it they be sealed into the couenant of Gods grace and mercy which he hath to the fathers and their children but to knowe by this how to be baptised into the death of Christ that as he is rysen againe from the deade so wee should walke in newnesse of life that is to knowe that our Baptisme presenteth vnto vs the free forgiuenesse of our sinnes washed away with the bloud of Christe While as hee dyed and was buried for our sinnes so wee also should dye vnto sinne that it haue no more rule in our mortal body and as he rose againe from the deade so that death hath no more rule ouer him so we should after liue in newnesse of life offering vp vnto God our bodies and our soules who hath redeemed them and purchased them vnto him selfe To knowe all this according to the scripture is the perfect knowledge of our Baptisme Imposition of handes that was a solemne ceremonie vsed with prayer in whiche it was declared that the parties were accepted of GOD into his Church according to the faith of Christe whiche then they professed this was the milke which children had fead on But to see in it a free and bolde profession of faith before all men to be holden and a holy vowe or promise in whiche they bounde them selues to perpetuall holinesse by the laying on of handes as by a solemne othe to haue it witnessed of the Lord they were his children and to witnesse it in them selues they woulde abide the temples of the holie Ghoste to be short to promise a persourmaunce of all what so euer was hoped for in vs in the day of our baptisme this is the strong meate And this which this day ought to be practised as a thing verie profitable in the Churche of God it is miserably defaced by the Papistes for where it was in the Churche of God an vse that Christian children should be taught the principles of fayth which when they had wel learned and could giue a good accompt of their faith then in y open congregation with prayer and laying on of handes on their heades they were declared to be receiued as partakers of the graces and sacramentes of the church this good order the Papistes haue chaunged and made them a sacrament of confirmation onely by the Bishop to be ministred and by him to little children of no knwledge to whome hee giueth a newe Godfather or godmother which should speake for them when they cannot speak for them selues And whereas in the scripture this hath beene euer a ceremonie in solemne blessinges in sacrifices in admitting ministers in giuing spirituall giftes and no where vsed but onelie with prayer this order seemed base to them that knewe no end of their owne inuentions and they would needes haue crosses tapers oyle miters surplices c. without which there was with them no confirmation thus in this as in all thinges prophaning the holie ordinaunce of God. The resurrection of the bodie another poynte here mentioned was for Children that they might knowe their bodies should not die as the bodies of beastes to consume in earthe and not returne but that they shoulde rise againe at the latter daye and their owne bodies should be made immortall but in this also to see the glorie what a bodie it is whiche shall liue for euer which shal be made like to the body of Christ which shal be made able to stand in the presence and behold the glorie God of which shal be set free from sorrow care sicknesse death al aduersitie This mysterie which the Angels of God desire to behold when we can wisely see it know therefore we are here but pilgrimes and straungers another countrie is our owne whiche God hath made and not man in which we set our heart with all the delight and pleasure of it in this to reioyce this
Our Sauiour Christ being y eternall sonne of God through the work of the holy ghost was made man of the virgin Marie and borne without originall sinne and by the same spirit filled still his manhood more and more with grace till the fulnesse of all righteousnesse was within him that so his manhood might inherit saluation according to the promisse Do this and thou shalt liue But hitherto as he is righteous so he is righteous for him selfe and only that man is yet blessed which was conceiued by the holie Ghost and borne of the virgin Marie Our sinnes doe yet remaine and we abide holden vnder the death of them and therefore as his first woorke sanctified him self so yet there remained more that he might sanctifie vs For when he commeth to vs he findeth vs in sinne through sinne in death and in the condemnation of the diuell who had the power of death So that he had nowe another worke then in his first righteousnesse to sanctifie his owne bodie He must also abolish sinne and death and hel in which we were holden if he wil be a sauiour vnto vs And heere he must multiplie all his former righteousnesse and make it infinite for a greater worke is behind and a new law is giuen vnto him a law neuer giuen to all flesh a singular law out of the depth of Gods wisdome and goodnesse which without the fall of Adam had neuer beene seene neither of man nor Angel a law of a redeemer that is a law by which he might bring man from death to life from hel to heauen from hatred to loue and from the diuell to God a work farre greater then to make the worlde of nothing This law was to loue God his brother not in vsual things of life whervnto al we were appointed but in taking vpon him sin and death and treading the winepresse of the anger of almightie God. And this thing he hath also done For being righteous pure holie and without spot the sinne that abounded he tooke it all vpon him and deathe that reigned he submitted him selfe vnto it and went as despised among men in shame in ignominie in affliction of the flesh for the sinne of our bodies and in anguishe of spirite in mourning and in sorrowe to beare the sinnes of our soules before GOD feeling the heauinesse of his wrathe whiche was the sting of death and condemnation and before man shewing the signes of it vpon a cursed crosse in agonies bloudie sweates and in wofull crying according to the sense and feeling of sorrowe that was vppon him And all this he endured not vnwillingly for then he had done nothing but with exceeding ioy of heart that he had found out the miserie in whiche he might seale it howe muche he loued his father and make it manifest howe he loued vs So went he willingly vnto death and that he might satisfie the iustice of his father and purge the sinnes of his people with all his heart he gaue his bodie vnto the crosse and his soule a sacrifice for our sinne which obedience was accepted of his father the iust punishment of all sinne and full redemption of all his elect And this the Apostle here meaneth when he sayth that by himselfe he purged our sinnes And because he saith by himselfe he purged our sinnes in this we see a cleare discharge giuen to the Tabernacle and all the sacrifices at the doore of it not one of them purged sinne And though some wee called sinne offeringes and the sinnes of the people in such sacrifices were saide to be forgiuen yet they had that name and calling not according to the merite of the woorke but according to the vertue of the thing they signified euen as the Lordes supper is called the communion of the bodie of Christe and baptisme is saide to bee the washing away of our sinnes not in trueth of the thing but in mysterie of the signe The phrase being so vsed for more assurance and warrant of the promise not to carrie the grace of God from our sauiour Christ and his spirit to the dumbe elements of bread or water And if the Iewes are here instructed to leaue their vaine trust and confidence in the lawe and to knowe that the forgiuenesse of their sinnes was not in meates drinkes and diuerse washings and carnall rites of the temple nor in the bloud of Goates and Calues or in the ashes of an heifer sprinckling thē which are vncleane but onely in the precious bloud shed and the bodie crucified of Iesus Christ notwithstanding all these ordinaunces were giuen them of God what could our fathers say who sawe the Lawe abrogate the temple pulled downe the lande prophaned the Iewes scattered the wordes of faith preached and that they should glorie in nothing but in the Crosse of Iesu Christ what could they say either Tertullian for fasting crossing oyling whiche he learned and had of Montanus the heretique Or Cyprian for satisfaction or Theodoretus for martyrs merits or Cyrill for iustification of woorkes or Augustine for prayer for the dead or Ierome for so many superstitions of lights garments vessels c. Nay what can we say who haue seene all that the olde fathers haue seene why at this day we should loue their errours nay why we should deuise new of our owne which the oldefathers knew not why haue we loued the popes woful Iubileis or his damned pardons why do we yet think that the masse is a sacrifice propitiatorie for the quick dead why was purgatorie first drempt on as much hotter thē our fire as ours is hotter then a painted fire or why was the building of chapels chauntries or religious houses thought to be a meanes to deliuer vs from such burning A thousand such things why we haue loued them what cause can wee alledge before the Lord The lawe of God giuen by Moses his faithfull seruant a lawe which had bene a scholemaister to leade many thousands vnto Christ could it not stand with Christ without darkening of his glorie and can the lawe of the pope giuen by Summists Canonists a people not knowē in y house of God which lawe onely leadeth to the obedience of the church of Rome can it be that it should bring any light to the gospel of Christ I nede not stand in ma ny words to confute so great folie I leaue it to the conscience of all that be wise hearted whether God abrogating his ownelaw ment that the pope shuld institute a new or whether he ment to take away all earnall ordinaunces that hee might make it plaine whiche the Apostle heere teacheth that by Christe alone all our sinnes are purged But heere some man by a subtile enimie may bee easily deceiued who will saye All this neede not they attribute not the forgiuenesse of sinnes to the popes pardons or to any masses but to Christ alone The Pope and masses are onely the applying of the fruit of Christes death vnto
senses more exqisite then wee and we haue turned the heartes of men into the heartes of beastes who with wisedome prudence vnderstanding knowledge reason can do nothing And the wordes of the prophet are fulfilled in vs Man when he was in honour had no vnderstanding he was compared to the bruite beastes and was made like vnto them I speake this with the more wordes and the more earnestly that you might see and detest the shame of some who do not onely not see in the creatures of God the glorie of God to feare before him and to giue him honour but quite contrarie in all his creatures they prophane his name which eate till they surfeit and drinke till they be drunken who put on pride with all their apparell and make their lands and houses priuiledged places for muche iniquitie which fill their mouthes with cursed swearing euen in the sight of the Sunne and commit their whoredomes and feare not at the darkenesse of the night Flee dearely beloued farre from suche hate them as the prophet saith with perfect hatred al their assemblies The earth that mourneth vnder the burden of them one day will spue them out and the creatures which they hold in this miserable bondage of sinne one day God will heare their sighes and they shall giue a speedie witnesse against their oppressers And thus much of the creatures of God which here are saide to be made by the sonne of God and to be the workes of his hands An other thing heere we haue to consider that the Apostle teacheth the excellencie of Christ in respect of his continuance before whome the heauen and earth are but a moment for so in this comparison he speaketh of their age as a thing of nothing They shall perish they shal waxe old as a garment they shal be folded vp as a vesture making al the continuance of the heauen to be vanitie and of none account for although it may seme he might haue made this comparison with things of a more expresse shewe of vanitie then a garment as to haue compared them with smoke with the shadowe of smoke with the dreame of a shadow or such like yet in comparing the time of the heauens whiche are so many ages with a garment which is scace a yeare it is as cleare a testimonie al is nothing as if al were not a minute of an houre Besides this the cause of this comparison with a garment was the similitude in whiche God hath sette the Heauens who hath spred them like a corteine and made them as a couering to all his creatures it was not to make the comparison lesse in shewe of their vanitie Then heere let vs be wise hearted as the prophet was as oft as our hope is before our eyes to see our Sauiour Christ liuing for euer let vs not only cōfesse that our owne age is nothing in respect of him but let vs boldly continue euen the continuance of the heauens and account all thing nothing that hathe an ende for let the dayes be neuer so manie whiche you can call into account and multiplie yeares into the longest continuaunce which your thoughtes can comprehende that thousand thousandes be before you and tenne thousand thousandes are in your minde with one worde you shall confute them all with the breath of your mouth you may blowe them away and as the prophet sayth make them all as a garment that is rent and worne for reckon vp all thy thousandes that thou canst and put this worde Past vnto them and where are they nowe become a thousand thousand thousand yeares past what are they And if time be such a tyrant to breake the delight of the long age of the verie heauens that the wise hart of a man doth say euen they are vanitie wax old as doth a garment what foolishnesse hath wrapped vp all our vnderstanding and what blindnesse is in our hearts that we see not our owne life what it is Not one of a hundred that hath three score and tenne yeares and of those a great parte are slept out so that we feele them not and a greate parte consumed with sorrow either in losse of credit or feare of punishment or paine of sicknesse or griefe of our labour or pensmenesse of our wants or anguishe of our desires or at least euen with a wearinesse of time it selfe so that of three score and tenne yeares let him speake that can glorie most and he shall finde that in them all he hath scarce tenne full yeares of pleasure and this verie pleasure euen then when it is greatest what is it Surely suche as if hee loke downe into his owne thoughts he should say in the mids of it his heart is heauie And shall yet this life so short so troublesome so without pleasure so fast holde vs bounde with blinde desire that we neither long for nor looke after Iesu Christ who liueth euer and hath cast forth of his presence all sinne and sorrowe and deathe it selfe Could the Prophet so shewe him in immortalitie all his elect with him in the glorie of his father that he bewayled the vanitie of his owne life yea though it should haue lasted as long as the heauens and while the Sunne and Moone endureth though he should haue abiden king of Israel was al this vnto him as a shadowe or an idle dreame in comparison of Christe who is for euer and whose yeares shall neuer faile And shall we think wee haue the spirite of God or any portion in Iesu Christe who in his euerlasting continuaunce cannot finde such pleasure as in our visard of vaine life that soudenly appeareth and is no more who in the glorie of his presence and maiestie of his Father can see no such delighte as in carding diceing daunsing and such like works of reproche and shame and horririble confusion Nay I will tell you dearelie beloued and I will tell you true your owne eyes and eares shall beare witnesse with mee that I lie not These men that thus serue in the vile bondage of these pastimes they carrie with them the badge and cognisaunce of another maister then of the liuing God for tell me from morning to night are not their mouthes full of adulterie of wrath of hatred and swearing without shame◅ in whiche God is dishonoured and the crosse of his Sonne Christ made despised Then doubt not what these men do nor what maister they serue but pray that God may haue mercie vppon them as vppon vs this day who loue not their delights that they may repent and withdrawe them selues from the snare of the diuell in which they bee holden according to his will and begin while yet it is good time to despise this and regarde the life of Christe in comparison of which they may say with the Prophet The Heauens shall perish and consume as a garment but thy yeeres O Lord they haue no end One other thing foloweth in the Prophet which the Apostle
shal descēd down but the word is nigh vs euen in our mouth that we should speake it in our heart that we should knowe it With this spirite the Prophet Dauid sayth I haue knowē long since by thy testimonies that thou hast established them for euer And this spirite maketh vs see in the scriptures a doctrine without all earthly thoughts the wisedome of man boldly troaden downe more force to moue in plaine speache then in all the eloquence of Tullie Demosthenes a doctrine which alone hath stoode euer in honor whē all other doctrines haue bene worne out with time a doctrine which hath ben assaulted with ten thousand imaginations of men yet abideth pure with out all infection of falshood this the spirite of God makes vs see in the scriptures more cleere as I said then we see the Sunne light with our eyes and the word of God hath all his credit in it selfe it needeth not the church it wil not haue the Pope to beare witnesse with it Now dearely beloued if any of you feele not this warrant in reading the worde of God aske of him that giueth and vpbraydeth no bodie and you shall vnderstand all that I haue said Set your heart vpon it loue it with all your soule Chaunge your selues with reading into those affections in which you see euery place written and you shall percelue Solomon is your good warrant Seeke after wisedome as you seeke after siluer and you shall finde it Thus muche I thought good to say vnto you by occasion of this earnest exhortation of the Apostle to hearken diligently to the Gospel of Christe He sayth after How shall we escape if wee neglect so great saluation Let vs note here that the Apostle calleth all transgression of the word of Christ the neglecting of so great saluation Wee must not looke till men either speake open blasphemie or doe all things to the open dishonour of God as men manifestly giuen vp to reprobate senses All sinners did neuer fulfill one measure of iniquitie but we see in the Gospel as wel he is condemned that hideth his talent in the ground and doth no good with it as the other that wasted his maisters goods and liued riottously with drunkards and gluttons Euen so it is with vs a great number of vs will not blaspheme the Gospel as Papists do and call them which professe nothing but it alone scismatiques heretiques Lutherans c. A great number of vs hate the knowen sinnes of manie adulterers drunkards oppressors dissemblers flatterers c. but be not deceiued surely this is not inough if we doe but neglect the Gospel how can wee escape The lawe giuen by Angels forbad not only the open breaches of it but it also required of vs that we should loue it that we should delight in it that it should be more deare vnto vs then all our iewels or other ornaments How much more the word spoken by the sonne of God must we not onely not openly transgresse against it but also how ought we to loue it how to delight in it how to account all things but doung in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Iesu Christ that we may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings beeing made like vnto his death trying howe wee may come to the resurrection of the dead This dearely beloued must be our life and we must bee as men who haue both dwelling and freedome in the heauenlie Ierusalem to reioyce in the Lord alwayes reioyce For if other we be of a dull spirite that we haue no ioy of our hope or when we taste a litle if it be streight forgotten so that the Prophets words be true in vs That our righteousnes is as a morning cloud and as the morning dew it goeth away it is with vs according to the common prouerb As good neuer a whit as neuer the better and all our Religion is in vaine for a spirit of slumber hath ouertaken vs And though we draw not our sinns after vs as with cart ropes yet we do neglect the great saluation of christ This I say that we might stirre vp the grace of God that is in vs not once to be negligent in the care of the Gospel but that it may euer be vnto vs as it is in deede a promise of gladnesse the pleasure of our youth the comforte of our age that all our dayes may be in peace It followeth in the fourth verse God bearing witnesse vnto it with signes c. Heere we learne that all signes wrought by God serue to the setting out of the Gospel The Apostle speaketh plaine and we must needes heare in all the signes that are wrought by God he beareth witnesse with them to the Gospell of his sonne And our sauiour Christ him selfe is the first scholemaister of this doctrine for when he sendeth out his Apostles to preache he giueth them their charge to preache that The kingdome of heauen is at hande and he giueth them this warrant of the doctrine Heale the sicke cleanse the lepres c. And where no opportunitie was to teach the doctrine he giueth them charge there not to tel of any miracle done so that assuredly we know those that are true miracles which strengthen the worde and all other are illusions of Sathan whose ende is superstition A notable testimonie of this trueth God him selfe giueth in his lawe where he saith plainely If a prophet come vnto you and worke signes and woonders though they haue neuer suche effect and be vnfeigned yet if that Prophet call you out of the waye in whiche God commaunded you to walke thou shalt not beleeue that Prophet but thou shalt sley him for they are no signes and tokens in whiche thou art iustified but the word of God is the seede of thy newe birth and the milke with which thou art nourished to be a perfect man of God. If signes and woonders carrie away thine eyes that thou shouldest not see the Gospell cursed are y signes thou too that beleeuest if thou turne not againe from such snares of Satan And let vs here dearely beloued carefully beware for our dangers are exceeding you knowe how the vaine heart of man is not a little moued with euerie shewe of a wonder if it be but a iuggler whole heapes will go after him and be partakers of his sinne If there come to passe any vn◅yonted thing rumour streight inlargeth it and carrieth it farre and wyde The diuel seeing this vanitie of our minde abuseth streight our foolish simplicitie and with many idle signes and shewes he carrieth vs in deede into deadly blindenesse Of this our Sauiour Christ warneth vs and biddes vs beware for there shall come deceiuers which will shew great signes wonders able to seduce if it were possible the verie elect And S. Paule foretelling the cōming of antichrist he sayth that through the working of the
world to come of which we speake whereof the Apostle hath spoken no man can doubt All his speach hath bene to bring vs vnder the rule gouernement of Christ then it is Christs kingdome which heere he calleth The world to come which is through the power of the spirite to renewe the worlde to kill in vs the olde man with all his concupiscence to quicken our soule and bodie into all righteousnesse to vanquishe sinne death hell and to establishe vs in hope of perpetuall inheritance of the glorie of god This did our Sauiour Christ perfectly and fully accomplish in his owne person and we by the same spirit euerie one according to the measure which he hath receiued so he doth shew forth this victorie Thus the Apostle when he had mentioned the giftes of Gods spirite commeth into the speach of the kingdome of Christ which by the gifts of that spirite is set vp in vs not according to the will of mā nor according to the will of Angels but as it hath pleased God we if we wil be partakers in it let vs confesse and serue the Lord Iesu for he giueth this blessinge to whom he will. It foloweth But one testifieth in a certeine place c. that honour of renuing of the world which the Apostle before had denied to angels now by plaine testimonie of the prophete he proueth it to beelong vnto Christ and where he beginneth thus But one witnesseth in a certein place rather then naming the prophet bothe the vnwoonted speache better expresseth the affection of his minde inflamed with the loue of that whereof he spake and it is more answerable with the words of the prophet who not with vsual speach but with a souden exclamation saith What is man that thou art mindeful of him now touching this saying of Dauid it is no doubte but he spake it in extolling the goodnesse of God to all Mankinde both the wordes of the Psalme are plaine in reckoninge vp the benefites which apperteine to all men and here the Apostle expresly so vnderstandeth it in the eight verse where he saith But yet we see not all thinges subiect vnto him How then is it applied vnto Christ rightly truly and according to the prophets meaning for one thing let vs learne which I haue tolde you often bothe of the prophets and of their prophesies they had a continuall desire to see the dayes of Christ and longed after the time of his appearance more then the chased Hart doth long for water brookes or the fainte and thirstie soule longeth for meate and drinke and therefore had a delight euen to speake of his comminge which they do often and with glorious words touching their prophesies because they knew y all benefites which God gaue vnto man he gaue them for Christs sake who was onely beloued therfore bothe in setting out benefites receiued and foretelling the blessings which God would surely bring vpon them in their woords they had respect to him in whom all Gods promises were accomplished and many times vttered such speches as could properly agree to no other but Christ alone to whome alone was giuen and by whome we were partakers of it so that thoughe most of their prophesies had a trueth of the present time and incident vnto themselues yet they are also truely and according to the prophetes sense applied vnto Christ by whome all goodnesse came vpon them and vs So it is here in this prophesie of Dauid the words then are true and spoken of the state of man as it was but yet also are referred to Christ because he is authour of it and the only man to whom God gaue this excellent glorie whiche we also haue but through him and that we may knowe thus the Prophet meant in deede hee added these words thou hast made him a litle while inferiour to Angels thou hast crowned him with honour glorie c which fully wholy agree to none but christ But of all this we shal haue occasion to speake more after Thus we se how this prophesie is applied out of which the Apostles second argument of his exhortation is this In the preaching of the worde of Christ God hath giuen vs his kingdome and eternall life a glorie which no Angel could bring vnto vs how then shall we not moste iustly be condemned if we contemne such a heauenlie blessing God hath not made subiect to angels the world to come we do here consider as it were two worlds the one past made by Adam which was sul of hatred enuie rebellion sorrow shame sinne death the bondage of the diuel the other now restored by Christ ful of loue blessings obedience honour righteousnesse life the fauour of God not distinguishing these worlds by times the one first y other after or making any change of heauē earth or any creature for they stand both together in the light of the same sunne moone but as in man are two estates y one of Adam natural which is in death and condemnation the other of Christe and by grace which is in life saluation so they are called the olde world and the new which phrase is vsuall in the scripture often when God speaketh of sending his sonne hee sayth thus Lo I wil create a new heauen and a new earth And the 70. interpreters whom here the apostle followeth they call our Sauiour Christ y Father of the world to come because I say of this restitutiō which he maketh in the world And though the name properlie be giuen to these dayes in which the gospel is preached yet the fruite benefite was also before neither were Abraham Isaak and Iacob nor the other Patriarches and Prophets of the olde worlde but they also sawe in spirit the day of Christe and were then of his kingdome onely the name is reserued to vs because that blessing is now clearely reuealed in perfect beautie and Christ the author of it hath appeared as one of vs and dwelt among vs in our owne nature This world God hath not put in subiection to Angels that is God hath not made his Angels neither purchasers nor dispensers of this heauenlie treasure It was neuer in their power to haue done this thinge In vaine wee should looke for such blessing at their hands If they should enter into this worke they would fall downe vnder it for it is not an Angel but it is the Sonne of God that shall chaunge the worlde whiche was in sinne and shame to fashion it a new into righteousnesse and glorie This is a verie good place out of which we may learne how to knowe our selues and all other creatures how to giue vnto Christ his own honour for seeing the world to come noteth all the restitution which is by Christ the full chaunge of all that euer was by sinne and therfore named World because wee should assuredly knowe there is nothing excepted if then no parte of this worlde bee
subiect to any creature and if it be Gods eternall counsell that it should neuer be submitted to any no not to Angels in whome else can wee trust or in what other thing can wee put confidence to haue any parte of this wrought for vs We are all as our fathers were men by nature of the olde world our bodies and mindes full of sinne holden vnder the condemnation of the diuell all creatures against vs and God him selfe hateing vs no way to renewe our age no man to chaunge our state no Angel but God hath giuen it to Christ alone Wil I say that I can alter mine owne wil to make it couet goodnes Or put power into the members of my bodie to serue righteousnesse Or doe the things in which is any merite to eternal life Or purchase againe Gods fauour which was remoued from me If I wil boast of any of these I speake too proud words for either man or Angel and say that this seconde worlde is made subiect vnto me all good will all righteousnesse al merite al pleasure in heauenly things al reconciliation all victorie ouer death all loue of God all hope to be short all that is good and all ioy of spirite is of this new world whereof Christ is king And whosoeuer shall thinke that any power of these things is in himselfe he is puffed vp into pride of heart suche as an Angel of Heauen should not beare vnpunished for not vnto Angels but vnto Christ these things are giuen What can we nowe thinke of these men that tell vs the sacraments giue vs grace the masse is propitiatorie for our sinnes our submitting our selues to the Churche of Rome shall saue vs the Pope if we follow him he can not erre Crosses Bells Candels Holie water Vestments Pilgrimage Pardons Reliques euerie one hath his vertue the number of prayers hathe his measure of reward flesh or fishe it hath his holines according to his time These men and all the louers of their Gospell which take away from Christ the only rule of the world wherof we speake and put it in subiection to fleshe and bloud and the elementes of the world what shall we say of them Shall we beleeue them Or shal they prospet Nay they haue plowed wickednesse and they shall reape iniquitie they haue wandered in errour and they shal eate the fruite of lyes Now if this be so that all flesh hathe no goodnesse in it that all his wisedome and trauell can renue no whit of the lost worlde or bring any light into horror and darknesse but all is of Christ what shall we yet do with wordes of louder blasphemie which they call workes of supererogation What shall we doe with the Pope himselfe who by generall voyce of all his Church is saide that he can dispense the abundance of merites whiche were in the virgin Marie and in all Saints by his bulls to applie them Confessis contritis that they shal haue days of pardon as manie as he will number Are they ashamed of these thinges Nay they are not ashamed but euen now they lende vs ouer whole volumes to shewe the fruite of pardons how good they are and of late haue sent vs a bull that we should haue experience howe they holde this doctrine And what shall we say of suche a one Surely dearely beloued euen as the Prophet sayth of the people of Israel His formeations are in his sight and his adulteries are betweene his breastes So his vncleanesse is manifest to all the worlde and his marke is in his forehead that hee might bee knowen to bee Antichriste And you dearely beloued when you talke with your friends who are not yet persuaded in the religion of Christ when they thinke that wee haue free wil or we may deserue by our works or Lent and fasting dayes are holie or flesh or fish doe please God or the signe of the crosse is good or censing and Musicke stirre vpp deuotion or any suche thing Doe but aske of them whether they thinke obedience loue deuotion forgiuenesse of sinnes puritie life grace and such other fruites of Gods spirite and his mercie aske I say whether they thinke them workes of the olde worlde corrupt by Adam or of the new restored by Christe If they be of the new God hath not giuen them neither to our prayers nor fasting not working nor day nor time nor meat nor crosse nor musick nor belles to be short no not to Angels but to Christ alone to be dispensed according to his will If thou were as good as an Angel or thy meate as good as Manna that fell from Heauen or â—…hy garments as precious as Aarons Ephod or thy censinges as sweete as the perfume of all the Tabernacle or the dayes that thou keptst were as honourable as the day in whiche Christ arose againe from the dead yet neither thou nor thy garmentes nor thy meate nor thy dayes can set one of thy feete in this world we speake of it is the kingdome of Christe and be hath done it alone according heere as this prophesie is plaine and manifest Now followeth this prophesie what it man that thou art mindful of him c. by these words the apostle pro ueth this kingdome of Christ both properly and of right to be his and also by faith through Gods spirite giuen vnto vs in our Sauiour Christ they haue this sense Was not thy glorie great inough O Lord in the worke of thy hands but y thou shouldest giue thy sonne to be made man in whom our nature should be so exalted that al power should be giuen to him in Heauen and in earth who by his death should abolish all enimitie against man that he might be crowned with glorie and maiestie and haue eternall life in his owne hand And all this according to the verie sense of the prophet and therfore here alledged as in deed it was to be a prophesie of our sauiour christ Of vs also it is ment thus The prophet considering both the great maiestie of God appearing in his works and the base and lowe estate of a frail man that such a God of so great maiestie should haue any respect of a fraile and wretched man he could not but thus humble him selfe What is man O Lord that thou shouldest regarde him Such thoughts dearely beloued let vs haue and with such secret counsels let vs nourish our fayth This is the meditation to which we are called in all the workes of God and for this cause God hath giuen vnto vs hearts of men full of reason iudgment that we should rightly consider of all his creatures When we see the heauens we cannot chose but confesse before them it was not the hande of man that set them vpp so high We knowe the shining light of the sunne it is not giuen vnto it from earth or earthly thing we are sure y earth is found our owne trauel hath found it so our eyes do see the
fraile life is such a bridle in their iawes to pull them back and death such a tyrant ouer thē to appall their courage that they haue no heart to doe as they would yet if they do rage as mad men not seeing their end yet God hath had mercie vpon vs turning their plague into our blessing and hath giuen vs but a shorte life least we should mourne too long so that whatsoeuer temptations we fall into yet but a verie little while the Lord wil deliuer vs from euill and all our troubles haue but a small reckoning to the hinderance of our glorie For it is but a while here that God hath made vs inferiour to Angels It followeth Thou hast crowned him with glory honour thou hast set him ouer the workes of thine hands thou hast put all things in subiection vnder his fete In all these words we learne the exceeding honour vnto which God hath raised his sonne Christe To be crowned with glorie and honour is to haue the excellencie of al dignitie giuē vnto him as the words folowing in the Apostle doe plainely expounde it where he saith In that he put all things in subiection vnder him he left nothing not subiect vnto him And in this according to the Prophet we must see our owne dignitie also as wee are Christes for this honour is not the naturall mans as all the miseries of our life can testifie but it is his that seeth him selfe to be Christs that can say as S. Paule saith I liue not now but Christe liueth in me ouer such a one the prouidence of God watcheth the Angels pitch their tents aboute him and he seeth great securitie in al his wayes Though the mounteines were moued or the seas did make a noyse yet the name of the Lord is his strong tower and he shall not be moued for GOD who hath made him Lord of all maketh that all things worke to him for the best If at any time hee seeme afflicted to the worlde it is but as a shewe or visard that seemeth feareful when the milde face of a man is vnderneath so these are but appearaunces without of a litle mourning when within is nothinge but a perpetuall ioy of the holie Ghoste S. Paule against those that are too much troubled to beholde our sufferings he sayth thus I graunt you we are wroung but we are not crushed in peeces wee are troubled but not at our wits end we are persecuted but not forsaken we are cast downe but we are not killed as if the Apostle should haue said vnto them ô you think vs in great bondage but our freedome is more then you are ware of And in an other place he notablie setteth out these afflictions of the godlie which the worlde thinketh to be so great that men shrinke backe and dare not looke on them I will tell you sayth Saint Paule we are as contemned persons but in deed honorable as dying but in deed aliue as men chastised but there is no death neere vs lamenting but in deede perpetually reioycing as poore men but in deede we make many other rich like men that had nothinge but in deede all the word is ours So we see howe this is true in vs euen now by faith and after this in full perfourmance of our inheritance with Christ in the resurrection of the iust thus euen in outward thinges we are partakers of Christes kingdome so that nothing can hurt vs Now touching y inward things y is a freedome of conscience aboue al things this we know if we be ingrassed into the bodie of Christ we be his he liueth in vs his victorie ouer al is ours we see it by faith all thing is in subiection vnder our feete Paule Apollo Cephas things present things to come life death the worlde it selfe all is ours the fayth of Christ exalteth vs hath made vs higher then the heauens In heauen and earth we haue no Lord but the Lord Iesus all things are vnder his feete our faith hath made vs one with him we are his and all is ours and no man can now beare rule ouer our faith except he wil beare rule ouer Christ by faith we are one with him his power is ours we reigne with him we are risen with him the world hath no more power ouer vs Wil one com to vs forbid vs flesh forbid vs whitmeat cōmand vs fish Heare it not it is the doctrine of diuels I speak not now of ciuil choyce of meates drinkes apparell c. We be Christs and all meats are ours Wil he say this garment is holie this day is fasting this relique is to be honoured this order is religious this crosse is defensiue against the diuell this Cake is thy Sauiour this masse is propitiatorie this worke is meritorious this pope is thy lawgiuer this church of Rome is the warrant of thy faith what shall wee say to such swine y lye wallowing in myre seke for righteousnesse in dounge and clay when Christ the sonne of God hath offered vs his righteousnes What shall we thinke of such seruile men who wil leade vs into bondage of euerie triflle whom Christ hath made rulers ouer all the world For what is it else to make me in bondage of things then to bring me in this feare of them I may not touche them I may not eate them I may not vse them that will make me holie this will defile me and such like Is this y voice of Paul To the cleane althings are cleane Is it the voice of Christ That which entreth in at the mouth defileth not the man. Is this the voice of the Apostle in an other place You be bought with a price be not the seruāts of men No dearely beloued if we haue fayth and be of Christ God our heauenly father hath giuen vs his owne Sonne sure with him he hath giuen vs all things we haue receiued the libertie of the children of God and the conscience of a Christian man is no more in the power of all the world but that is only sinne vnto him which is the breach of the lawe of god Now sith this is the state of a Christian man and thus all things are in subiection vnder his feete we see easily vpon what ground our sauiour Christ said that The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a pretious stone which if a man finde he will sell all that he hathe to buy it for all other riches of all dominions they haue their measure onely this treasure is infinite hath all thinges vnder it Now let euerie man boast himselfe as he will some of chariots some of horsses some of one thing some of an other but thou if thou wilt haue perfect ioy boast thy self of a Christian heart Neither the gorgeous chambers of any princes palace nor the riche iuell houses of the earth are comparable in glorie vnto this for what is
are spoken of thee thou Citie of God. There is neither Sunne nor Moone sea nor land golde nor siluer meate nor drinke no elementes of the worlde no obseruations of Moses lawe no traditions of men that is ouer man but man ruleth all and all is vnder his feete Here streight way bothe Iewe Gentile saith These be in deed golden promises but where are these honourable personages you speake of Are not we as our fathers were and doth not death deuour vs To this the Apostle aunswereth I graunt we do not yet see with our eyes how these thinges are but I say againe our eyes are no iudges in this case The glorie is not earthly and the kingdom is not of this world wherof we speak but the riches spirituall and of the spirituall man they are discerned Know thy selfe y by saith thou art Christs and he thine that he died for thee and thou liuest by him that thou art fleshe of his fleshe bone of his bone a member of his bodie and what soeuer is his is thine haue this faith and now come and see and thou shalt see all the glorie of the worlde lesse then the glorie of suche a man for thou seest Christe humbled in deede once that he might suffer death but euen then when he was in the shape of a seruaunt thou sawest him full of grace trueth euen as the onely begotten sonne of God thou sawest him soft of speache but of merucilous wisedome plaine in teaching but full of grace and power simple in countenaunce but of an inuincible courage of lowe degree but of excellent power of no account among men but great in miracles at which man was astonished Thus thou hast seene Christ euen when he was lowest highly exalted that thou hast no good cause to reason against thy dignitie though thine eye see not euen in this time all things subiect vnto thee but see further into our Sauiour Christ and thou shalt see more of thine owne honour Thou haste seene him in thy fleash raysed from the dead and in thy nature ascended into Heauen that man in his person might be crowned with glorie and honour we haue seene him carrie our fleash into the presēce of God his father and it is no more possible to take this glorie from vs as many as bee one with him then it is possible to pul away againe his personal humanitie from the person of his godhead This I see in Christ and know it in my selfe And what though yet a while the outward man be grieued Thou foole that which thou sowest it reuiueth not againe except it first dye a litle corne of wheate it can not haue vertue to becōe thirtie fourtie times better then it was beeing multiplied to so many all as good as it selfe bringing beside fruitfull increase of strawe and chaffe except it firste bee cast in the ground dye And how shouldest thou haue a change but if thou be first corrupt And how much art thou better then a graine of corne y thou mightest surely know whē through corruptiō thou shalt come into incorruption that thy glorie shal be then vnspekable althings shall serue thee to make thy life infinitely blessed more then it is Thy hope now if thou couldst inlarge it a thousand folde yet it shuld be greter thē thou cāst imagine thy faith if it could comprehend more assurance of immortalitie then y eye doth surely of y light of the sunne yet y shalt finde y fruite of it aboue al thy thoughts This thou seest if thou see Christe and this thou knowest to be thine if thou know thy self to be one with him And for thy sinns howsoeuer they cleaue vnto thy bones hate them as thou hatest hell for from thence they are and the diuel worketh them but care not for them for though they were heauie in weight and manie in number what then thou haste thy hope not in thine owne person but in the bodie of Christ into which thou art graffed and in which there is no ▪ spott nor blemish but perfecte righteousnesse euen before God and in him as all other things so sinne also is putt vnder thy feete and thou art ruler ouer◅t And thus farr of the doctrine of the Apostle heere taught vs in this his Exhortation Nowe let vs returne to his other purpose howe he teacheth the humanitie of our Sauiour Christe the first reason whereof is in these wordes That hee might tast of death for all For as to the end he might suffer death it was necessarie he should be humbled because death else could not come into his presence so suffering death that man might bee deliuered by that death it was necessarie that hee him selfe should be man for so were the iust iudgements of God he gaue man a lawe pronounced a curse to him that brake it therfore whē we had all trespassed we were fallen into the punishment of our sinne for y threatnings of God are not as the words of a man that can alter or by some intercession that they can be mitigated but with God there is no change nor shadow of change that whiche with him is once purposed was euer decreed and his words are not weake but what he hath threatened if we fal into his hands all the creatures of the worlde haue no helpe for thee So that this beeing decreed of God Cursed is he that abideth not in all things written in this booke all people must nedes say Amen And The soule that sinneth must nedes dye redemption from this there is none to be loked for but by suffering of it for y Lord had spoken it must be done so our Sauiour Christ sith he would deliuer vs he must be made man like vnto vs and in our nature dye the death Our sinnes are not imputed vnto vs but they were imputed vnto him The punishment of them is forgiuen vs but it was not forgiuen him Righteousnesse is freely giuen vs but it was not freely giuen him He obeyed the lawe of his father euery iot and euery title that he might fulfill all righteousnesse He bare the condemnation of hell and death that he might abolish it He tooke vppon him the guiltinesse of our sinnes and bare them in his owne bodie y he might nay le them vpon his crosse Whē it pleased God our heauenlie father of his greate mercie to accept the obedience of his lawe for our perfecte righteousnesse and to giue vnto it the recompence of eternall life and when it pleased God to accept this for a full punishment of all the sinnes of man if any man could bee found to beare it before God and ouercome it our Sauiour Christ craued no more but this the residue he perfourmed all in his owne bodie and by his eternall spirite ouercame it so that in him is life in him is righteousnes in him is immortalitie in him is the reconciled good wil of God and that excellent wisdōe
example of this humilitie is our Sauiour Christe him selfe to reache vs modestie that are but men for he who so loued the people of Israel that he weapt ouer their Citie when they would not repent prayed for them when they houng him on the crosse gaue his life for them when they had cast him off and would none of his saluation he that had this vnchangeable loue to his brethren flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone 〈◊〉 yet when he called his humane thoughts to y consideration of the decree of God he humbled him selfe changed his affections reioyced in other thoughts and said I thanke thee O father that thou hast bid these thinges from the wise and prudent and hast reuealed them vnto little ones WheÌ„ he saw he was sent their minister for the trueth of God to confirme the promises made vnto their Fathers he had no other longinge but how to winne them when he sawe an other counsell of God that they were not all Israel which were of Israel he knewe this was best reioyced in spirite gaue glorie vnto God and would not reason of his vnsearcheable iudgements Who is he now or of what wisdome that dare dispute against the counsel of God Are we greater then Moses wiser then the Prophets or higher then our Sauiour Christ Or haue all these helde their peace at Gods workes that we should reason against them Let vs then rule our selues or rather let vs be ruled of the Lord that we may say as the Apostle saide and this may be reason of all our beleefe So the Lord hath thought good A place much like vnto this is in the 24. of Luke when the two disciples y went to Emaâ—…s marueled exceedingly at al the things that had happened vnto Christ so that their faith began to fayle them thus our Sauiour Christe reprooueth them and all the reasoning that was withâ—… them O fooles slowe of heart to beleue all that the prophets haue spoken must not Christ needs suffer these things and so enter into glorie He referreth them first to the prophets to know y this was the decree of God but theÌ„ layeth a necessitie vpon the perfourmance of his word that it must needes be so And if that be not onely good onely iust onely wise in our sight that are but men let vs not boast there is no cause in this worlde of out misliking but because wee bee fooles slowe of heart to beleeue And thus farre the thing it selfe speaketh howe meete it is for vs to humble our selues vnder all the ordinaunces of God. It followeth in the Apostle For whom are al things by whom are all things this is a singular reason why we should be obedient and aske none account of all the dooinges of the lord Is man afflicted Why should he not be so The Lord hath done it and for the Lord hee was made Are the reprobate ordeined to destructioÌ„ Why should they not The lord so ordeined it and for the Lord they were made Are the elect freely saued Why should they not The Lord hath saued them and for the Lord they were made Yea but the reason of these things I see not yea but ô man who art thou that takest a contrarie part to dispute against God Are not all thinges for him and art thou onely enuious against his glorie Thus dearely beloued carrie the word of God to leane on beleeue assuredly it shall be fulfilled and thinke that it is best and you shal not be moued for euer If you come in place with those auncient worne creatures who with a colour of gray haire which is the wisest part in them so long deceiue our people they or their disciples if they reason against you Hath God forsaken his Church a thousand yeare and were all our fathers deceiued before Luther was borne such antiquitie vnitie vniuersalitie was it all in errour These wordes taken vp againe in our dayes and countenanced with the gray heads of our Phariseies Watson Fecknam Cole Heath and other like ô Lorde how manie men doe they deceiue For their owne reason lifteth vp it self they say How can this be so So many wise so many learned so many noble all deceiued Had God forgotten to be mercifull First I would aske of these men but this one question and if they will not willingly be deceiued let them answer as they thinke What one word of all these bothe might not and did not the Phariseies say against our Sauiour Christe And howe dare they nowe reason against the Gospell of Christe with the same argument with whiche the Phariseies reasoned against Christ But they will say now Christ hath made a promise to be with his Churche to the ende And had he not made this promise before It not Iesus Christe bothe to day and yesterday and the same worlde without ende Looke in the 18. of Deut. and in the 59. of Esaie as absolute as full a promise then as nowe But they were not so long in errour put case they were not he who punished the transgression of the lawe giuen by Angels with 400. yeres blindnesse may not he punish the transgression against his Gospell giuen by his onely sonne with 800. or a 1000. yeres blindnesse But for your sakes dearly beloued I do more then I woulde and with reason I confute them whiche haue no reason Let vs come to the text answere out of it Was the world deceiued so many hundred yeres Why should it not The Lord ordeined that there should come an apostasie and a generall fall from the faith of Christ that the world might be seduced with the man of sinne whose age began in the Apostles times and shall not vtterly die till the day of christ Thus the Lorde appointed and so let it be for all thinges are for his glorie And here let vs rest in all the thinges that â—…uer our hearts can thinke vpon if we can see no reason of the word of God we can see humilitie to confesse before him ô the deapth of the riches and of the wisedome and of the knowledge of God! How vnsearchable are his iudgements how are his wayes without finding out And because we knowe that of him by him and in him are all thinges let vs speake it To him be glorie for euermore All counsels all doctours all examples all decrees all what you will they are not our scholemaisters but our fellowe scholers that we may learne together out of the worde of God whose decree shal stand for euer whose iudgements are perfect righteousnes That which followeth in the latter ende of the verse To consecrate him by afflictions or to make him perfect by afflictions the meaning is that Christ in his death accomplished a full redemption and so was prepared to receiue an inheritance of glorie not attributing so this worke to his death as though all his life had ben impertinent for in al his
feare of death were al their life long subiect to bondage Two special vertues of y death of Christ are here set out one y he might vanquish the diuel an other y he might set his people at libertie which both thinges howe they were wrought in Christ in the wordes themselues we shal more plainely see Of the vanquishing of the diuel he sayth thus That by death he might abolish him who had the power of death The diuel hath the power of death that is he is the authour of it by his malicious nature he brought it into the wotlde for god made it noâ—… nor hath any delite in it neither it is good in his eyes nor was euer mentioned among the workes of his handes but from the diuell and of the diuell in the diuel it began and is and abydeth therefore in the Apocalypse his name is giuen him Abaddon that is the destroyer and as death is of him so for this cause also he is sayde to haue the power of it because through his manifold tentations he maketh men sinne by whiche death reigneth for so S. Paule sayth of Adam beeing seduced by the diuell By one man sinne entered into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer al men because all haue sinned this is it then that is said Christe vanquished him that had the power of death that is he abolished sinne and the condemnation of sinne which was the kingdome of the diuel and thereby triumphed ouer him So Saint Iohn sayth for this cause the sonne of God appeared that he might lose the workes of the diuel that is sinne death which are both of the diuel for sinne God condemneth of death he hath said I wil be thy destruction protesting he is author of neither of both And how hath our sauiour Christ done this Euen by death A mer uelous wisedome an vnspeakable mysterie such as could neuer haue bene fouÌ„d or done but by God alone for what els is death but the power of the diuel and the verie miserie of the worlde To make this the vanquishing of the diuel and the meanes to bring all happinesse vnto man what was it else but his excellent vertue who as Saint Paule sayth calleth things that are noâ—… aâ—… though they were and can raise vp light out of darknes And sure if al men should haue laide their heades together to wishe a plague to haue fallen vppon the diuel they coulde not all haue deuised such another that his glorie should be his shame his power should be his ouerthrowe his kingdome his vndooing What could the Prophet Dauid in all his zeale of GOD wishe more againste reprobate men traytours to Christ and to his Gospell then thus to wishe Let their deintiâ—… tables be snares to take them and let their prosperitie be their ruine Euen thus Christe hath vanquished the diuell and yet it is true that he goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whome hee may deuoure and it is true that Iohn saith that he hath great wrath and maketh cruell warre againste the Church of Christ but it is as true his strength is all weakened and his power is broken that it can not hurte vs for Christe hath nowe ouercome him And as Saincte Iohn sayth The time is come in whiche the Prince of the worlde is cast out and Christe hath spoyled all principalities and powers and triumphed ouer them vppon his crosse But how is it then thou wilt saye that his assaultes are so fearefully described that he is sayd to be Prince of this worlde ruler of this darcknesse full of power and authoritie ouer fleash and bloud Because we should knowe no fleash is able to withstand him neither was it according to the power of mortall man that he was vanquished but onely Iesus Christe of the tribe of Iudah was the Lion to crushe him in peeces Wilt thou knowe then where and to whome the diuell is abolished Before Christ our heade and to all the faithfull that are members of his bodie Wilt thou knowe where and to whome the diuel is in ful power and ouercome Before the naturall man and to all those whiche in their owne strength seeke to resist him and therefore Sainct Paule when he had described him in all his greatnesse hee biddeth streight caste away the strength of fleshe and bloude and put on all the armour of God for onely by it we should stande vpright in the day of euill So the diuel is abolished to all those that haue the shield of faith to quenche his firie dartes that is to all those which beleeue onely in Christ to be partakers of his victorie The diuel is in full force to those that are 〈◊〉 trusting in their owne woorkes or in the libertie of their owne will. In that the diuel is saide to haue the power of death as in other places where he is called the God of the worlde the Prince of this darkenesse the Author of sinne wee must note this if we rest in sinne liue in errour and ignoraunce followe the lustes of the worlde or walke in all the wayes of death then let me feare for here is the kingdome of Sathan and my perill is nigh that I should be holden in it But if I be at couenaunt with my selfe to haue no pleasure but vtterly to hate these things if I like not to go in the pathes of death if I loue not the world nor the things of the worlde if I haue my delight in the word of God to vnderstand the mysterie of Christe and to be lightned with it if I hate sinne and all the enticements of it then may I hope I walke in the likenesse of our Sauiour Christ and all the power of Sathan is broken before me Where it is further said that Christe hath done this by his death that by death he ouercame him that had the power of death we see a cleare and manifest testimonie what maner of death Christe suffered euen that ouer which the diuell had his power the same death which is the rewarde of sinne by bearing it he ouercame it and he conquered no more then he submitted himselfe vnto for by death he ouercame death if he suffered no more but a bodily death he ouercame also but a bodilie death we shall all rise againe but in the condemnation of the sinne of our soule or if he haue ouercome death and the power of it both in our bodie and soule then Christ hath suffered the paines of it both bodie soule that we might rise again froÌ„ the bands of death and liue with him for euer For this is true by death he hath ouercome death and he hath broken the force of it no further then he hath felt the sting of it in him selfe Therefore this let vs holde and let vs so beleeue Christ bodie and soule was made a sacrifice for our sinnes so he saide himselfe My soule is exceeding
the death of the righteous and let my latter end be like vnto theirs So I beleeue it is with all these men of reprobate mindes that stoare vp violence and robberie in their palaces that fill their tables with drunkennesse their bodies with vncleannesse their mouthes with blasphemie they know it I think and euen as Iosua saide with all their hearts and with all their soules they knowe it that the righteous mans life is better then theirs they know that a groat wel gotten is better then a pound stolen that sobrietie is better then righteousnesse that the chaste bodie is more blessed then the adulterous fleshe that the mouth that praiseth God giueth a sweeter sounde then all their wicked talke and if they do know this would they neuer so faine ◅eare off their conseiēce as with a glowing y◅on yet sometime it awaketh them as out of a slepe they see a fearefull sight of death and bondage so that let vs not frett our selues because of the wicked nor be enuious at their prosperitie for neither their house nor lande nor hidden treasure can either take from their bodies their quartan agues nor this care from their minde that they should not feare at the remembrance of their sinne And if there be any that feareth least in whome the stronge man so possesseth al that the things he hath seme to be in peace yet for all that he is neuer the better no more then the stalled oxe is the better because he knoweth not that he is taken out to go to the slaughter-house but a souden death shal haue the greater feare and therfore dearly beloued seeing their condition though we make the best of it is yet extreme euil let not our lott be with theirs but with the righteous of whom the Apostle saith that they are seit free from the bōdage of the feare of death But you wil say where is this fredome for the righteous man is yet affeard to die not euerie one for Paule saide I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ no doubt God hathe so reuealed this hope to many sainctes that they despise the graue and death how be it I graunt this is rare and it is natural to all to be loath to lay downe this earthly tabernacle notwithstanding we are free from this bondage to feare at it as thoughe wee had no hope And though we die in bodie yet we are free from eternall death and no feare of it shal ouercome vs so this is our blessing not that we shal not die but that we shal not be holden in death and not that we shall not feare but that we shal not be ouercome with feare he is a true christiā man that nether refuseth to die nor yet sainteth for any feare of death for why should I repine to giue this bodie to death I must needes die because my bodie is full of sinne and I wil willingly die that I may be deliuered from this bodie subiecte vnto sinne I muste needes die because I am full of corruption whiche must be chaunged and I will willingly die because I would put on incorruption that I might see God I must needes dye because I beare the image of an earthlie man and I will willinglie die that I may bee like the heauenlie man Iesus Christe I must needs die because so is Gods ordinance and I will willingly die that I may shewe mine obedience to his wil for these causes I submit my selfe to the de cree of God who hath appointed for al men once to die and I am either not at all afraid of it or the feare of it is not much for I know the sting of it is gone the victorie of it is lost the curse of it is taken away that which remaineth is onelie profitable for vs for it shall bring an end of all our labours and giue vs vp into the hands of Iesu Christ. Thus it is now accomplished that heere is spoken that Christe hath set vs free from the bondage of the feare of death which dearely beloued if we wil learne knowe assuredly it wil worke great increase of grace it will chaunge our mindes more then wee are ware of when we are wise hearted to see in deede no doubt we shal be as bolde as Paul and say vnfeignedly We desire tobe dissolued and to be with Christe It followeth now in the 16 verse For he tooke not at all vpon him the Angels but he tooke vpon him the seede of Abraham These woordes are a further declaration of that he said He tooke parte of fleshe and bloud euen as other children This he maketh plaine thus He tooke not I say any nature of Angels but hee tooke the nature of Abraham and was of his seede naming Abraham bothe in respect of the promises which were first made personally to him and because by his name there was more weight to persuade the Iewes that hee was their Messias and by example the doctrine is more plaine and in dede it is verie plaine as other children tooke fleash so did he flesh I say not the nature of Angels but the seede of Abraham And if the Apostle conclude all this of these wordes of the Prophet Beholde me and my children what may wee conclude and how boldely of the wordes of Matthew Abraham begat Isaak Isaak begat Iacob Iacob begat Iudas and so foorth till hee came to the virgin Marie of whome Christe was borne How faithfully may we beleeue it that hee was borne a man as other children were And how boldely may wee detest all the madnesse of Martion Maniche Nestorius Eutichus Apelles Apollinaris Ennomius Cerdo Valentinus the Pope him self and all their disciples who haue so many way es denied the true humanitie of Christe It followeth in the seuenteenth verse Wherefore in all things it became him to be made like vnto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithful high Priest in things concerning God that he might make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people In these words the Apostle sheweth an other necessarie cause why our Sauiour Christ was man that by experience of our infirmities hee might be mercifull and faithfull to worke the reconciliation betweene God and vs and so concludeth this disputation of his humanitie applying it now vnto his priesthood as before particularly he had done to his kingdome and prophefie These words He ought in all things to be like vnto his brethren which are repeated againe Cap. 4. 15. they are to be marked of vs that wee see how expreslie still the Apostle vrgeth that Christ is a verie naturall man altogether as we be except sinne like nature the same flesh like affections the same soule like properties of bodie the same hunger thirst and other desires And as he is now so we shal be our bodyes glorified as his nor his no more infinite or in manie places then ours shal be and
of health as Sainct Paule saith in which they might haue ben heard But god at the last hath visited vs this vanitie is scattered away I would y remēbrance of it were gon with it An other propertie is here attributed to Christ that he was faythfull that is constant and vnmoueable in his loue til he had finished our reconciliation a lesson vnto vs y loue should not faint within vs nor we be wearie with the labour and trauell of it for true it is loue is not an idle affection to say I would hee were well Or God helpe him but loue is painefull to helpe in time of neede and well willing that no paine can wearie it So S. Paul saith Eternall life is giuen to thē which looke for it in continuāce of wel doing And in another place he bideth vs not to be wery of wel doing for we shal reape the fruit of it not be wearie a thing dearely beloued cōfessed of al men yea the verie Gentiles knew it y all my well doing is nothing worth if at last I would leaue my brother in miserie not help him stil. But it is a thing practised of verie few when I haue once or twise traueled in my brothers cause not to be wearie but to helpe him stil this corruption of y world let vs take heede of it correct the frowardnes of our own nature Tell me I pray if I saw a man like to drowne in y mids of the Thames what if I came vnto him and brought him nigh to the shore and then lest him drowning by the banck side what good did I to him Sure no more then he that looked on and let him alone in the middes only I made him languish with a vaine hope whereby his death was the bitterer And tell me thou fainting wearie friende if Christ should haue done so with thee how great had beene thy miserie If he had endured for thee the paine of his birth the trauel of his life the affliction of his flesh the reproches of men the tentatiōs of the diuel then had left thee in bondage of death whiche thou couldst not escape what hadst thou beene the better Let vs learne then to be faithfull as he was faithfull endure to the ende in well doing I speake this with griefe to see y world how euerie man is left in his righteous cause faire words goodly countenances are not hard to gett but a faithfull heart to deliuer the iust out of trouble I haue seene it in Christ I haue not else found it in one Yet this I am sure of he that is faithful in this behalfe he is like vnto Christ and Christe liueth in him And thus farre of the last verses of this second Chapter Now let vs come to the third Therfore holie brethren partakers of the heauenly calling cōsider the Apostle high Priest of our professiō Christ Iesus Now y Apostle leaueth to make any further description of the persō of Christ wherof we haue heard beginneth a more particular declaration of his offices first how hee is our Prophet to the 14. verse of the next chapter And now let vs learne to be fruitefull hearers and this exhortatiō let it make vs wise that carefully diligently we may hearken and learne the my sterie of y Lord Iesu in which we be saued that we may haue the testimonie in our selues that we be y children of the Newe testament Therefore holy brethren c. Let vs marke diligently euerie woorde in this excellent exhortation for they are not onely a wise persuasion to moue vs to care and diligence in learning but the exhortation is so gathered out of the former doctrine that this one sentence is a plaine expositiō of all the doctrine taught before from the eleuenth verse to the end of the Chapter He saith first Therefore Or for this cause as if he would say Seeing it is so with vs seeing God hath receiued vs into this grace seeing such an excellēt prophet is giuē vnto vs let vs heare him So in the first worde he sheweth that this exhortation is according to his former doctrine Then he calleth them Holie alluding to that he spake in the eleuenth verse He that sanctifieth they that are sanctified are one to teach vs that we be holie that we are one with Christ and y by his spirit sanctifying vs we be receiued into his felowship He calleth them Brethren repeating that he taught in the 11. 12. verse that Christ hath taken our nature we are euen as his brethren fellow-heires with him in the kingdome of his Father and that this is the meaning of Brethren the words following declare Partakers of the heauenly calling these wordes shewe what brotherhood he speaketh of that is a heauenly brotherhood which we haue with Christe for Christ the sonne of God who hath brought downe heauenlie giftes hath imparted himselfe vnto vs made vs fellowes with him in these heauenly blessings first reuealing his fathers wil then defending vs from our enimies and at last presenting vs faultlesse before God abolishing the diuel and the feare of death of whiche heauenlie giftes he spake in the 12. 13. 14. 15. verses After he addeth The Apostle and high priest of our profession In these words he teacheth what offices he had before attributed to Christ in y texts alledged first y he is our prophet calling him by the name of Apostle that is the messinger of God to teach vs our profession verse 12 then y he is our priest to present vs before God as verse 13. And although as I haue often tolde you his kingdome is also manifestly proued by that is saide afore yet by this place I gather that the Apostle hath especially and of purpose onely taught this that Iesus Christ God and man is only our Prophet priest to declare and worke our saluation exhorting vs now to learne carefully so great a mysterie Now let vs consider further this exhortation to see what profitable thinges we haue to learne in it where we are first called Holie Brethren we may see in these wordes a good image of the Churche of Christe Brethren as is said noteth our vnitie with Christ our head by the participation of his spirit so the church is a people graffed into Christ y is made members of Christ and sanctified with his spirite This is our knowledge of the church which is true and catholique it is not in any obseruation of time of place of person but where this brotherhood is a people ioyned to the Lord Iesus and sanctified by him there is the church to talke of any places it is great follie Christ will not haue his Churche to be known by countrie or kinred or respect of persons but only by this that they are graffed in him and made a holy brotherhod And here let vs learn what is true holinesse euen to be made partakers of
from death and from the graue If our Sauiour Christe say If you loue mee keepe my commaundements who hath bewitched vs that we should not beleeue the trueth what meane wee to liue in all excesse of sinne and poure out our selues into riot and yet stil say we loue the Lord Surely dearely beloued one cause is of all an vnbeleeuing heart hath seduced vs Wee think wee eate of the secret Manna when in deede wee seede of asshes We can not see that God resisteth the proude his iudgements are high aboue our reach and therefore we will set vp our owne praise and striue for honour euen vnto death we feare not the shame that we cannot see We knowe not what the kingdome of heauen is neither can we knowe for our eye cannot see it our eare cannot heare it our heart cannot comprehend it neither hath the spirit of God reuealed it vnto vs. and when infidelitie hath thus couered vs it is no maruel though we heare in vaine It is easier for a Camel to creep◅ through a needels eye then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen for we cannot feare where we thinke there is no daunger we can not hope where we loke for no goodnes promises and threatenings are but blastes of wind where infidelitie hath taken away our wisdome let vs now looke into our selues search our heart and reines whether we stand in faith or no for behold this know and the spirite witnesseth it there is no ambitious minde aspiring to honour no vncleane and filthie concupiscence of adulterie no couetous desires of Gold and Siluer no sinful delights of worldly minded men no falling from God for these corruptible and vaine thinges but infidelitie is both roote and braunche the beginning and ending an vnfaithfull heart causeth all in all and let faith but dwell within thee to beleeue the word of trueth know there is glorie and honour and immortalitie and eternall life to those that patiently seeke the Lorde and indignation wrath and tribulation and anguish vpon the soule of euerie man that doeth euill Knowe that the worlde is vanitie and all fleshe is grasse that righteousnesse is perfect blessing and the feare of God is happinesse beleeue this as thou beleeuest thine eyes to see the light of the Sunne or to discerne the darkenes of the night and thou shalt neuer fall were thy ◅ntations neuer so many thou shalt ouercome them till the diuell himselfe doe flie from thee let vs therefore pray and pray continually euen as the Apostles prayed O Lord increase our faith The woordes following heete In falling away from the liuing God they shewe bothe what it is to be vnfaithfull and what worke it hath in vs For to doubt when the Lord hathe spoken or mistrust what hee hathe promised it is to fall away from him and when we beginne in heart to wauer and call into question whether his worde shal be perfourmed or no we lay our selues open to the assaultes of sinne and soone fall away from the liuing God to our owne vanitie And this generall rule that infidelitie maketh vs fall from God wee must particularly applie to all the workes of our life that wee be not hardened as the Apostle saith with the deceipt of sinne If I fall into daunger and mistrust Gods prouidence and seeke worldly meanes and vnlawfull helpe of man for my deliuerance the prophet Ieremie curseth this infidelitie and sayth we withdraw our hearts from the lord If in maintenance of our common wealth we seeke only policies and doe that whiche is wisest with naturall men the Prophet Esay cryeth wo vnto suche for they fall away from God they looke not sayth he vnto the holie one of Israel nor seeke vnto the lord If I vse lying woordes or any deceipte in buying and selling thinking so to wax rich I am a lying merchaunt that am fallen from God and as Solomon saith The bread of deceit shal be sweete but for a while and then my mouth shal be filled with gra◅ell and therfore that we may not at last be ashamed and be guiltie of this great sinne to forsake the liuing God let vs take heede there bee not in anie of vs an euill heart of infidelitie It followeth now But exhort one an other daily while it is yet called to day As before the Apostle taught vs to beware of the sinne so like a wise teacher he telleth vs heere how wee shall doe it that is by daily exhorting one another So Sainct Paule when hee would persuade the Thessalonians to walke as children of the light and as in the day time he setteth out this rule vnto them Exhort one an other edifie one another and this is the discharge of that great commaundement Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe as appeareth by the lawe that is written Thou shalt not hate thy brother from thine heart but thou shalt reproue him suffer him not to sinne Thus the Lord hath ordeyned and this duetie he wil aske at our hands in which he wil iustifie vs or else condemne vs Sainct Iames sayth He that conuerteth a sinner from going astray let him know it he shal saue a soule from death shall couer a multitude of sinnes Solomon sayth The fruite of the righteous is as a tree of life and he that winneth soules is wise And the Prophet Daniel in cleare and absolute words speaketh plainly They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne manie to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer and euer This duetie I confesse is chiefly the ministers then the magistrates then the fathers and maisters who are all accordinge to their calling guiltie of bloud if men perish in their gouernement for want of instruction but yet this duetie is also cōmon to all and none excepted we ought all to edifie and exhort one another There is no excuse of ignorance there is none so simple but hath learned the royal law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe In breach of this duetie who is so simple but he can sometime espie the sinne of his brother In this let him exhorte him after his skill for though hee haue receiued but one talent yet must hee occupie that else hee shal be condemned for a wicked and a faithlesse seruaunt Looke therefore vnto this and watch euerie one ouer his brother that he may confirme him in the grace of Christ. We haue often meetings for the comfort of our life and many brotherly feastinges are amoung vs Take heede we drinke not our wines in carued bolles and haue sweete musicke at our tables and none of vs as the Prophet sayeth remember the affliction of Ioseph that is I meane and none of vs care for the adulterie drunkennesse gluttonie blasphemie of his brethren for if our meetinges be
wee haue with Christe he is our substance being in y inheritance of Glorie so his righteousnesse is our righteousnes his loue is our loue his life is our life his spirit is our spirit of his fulnesse we receiue all this is a great mysterie which neither our eye seeth nor our hearte can vnderstand but yet it is a reall ioyning of vs with him which our faith doeth easily comprehend when we shal see that wisedome which could vnite in one person God and man we shall see the wisedome which hath made all vs the bodie of that head and members one of another This great benefite is here set out vnto vs in a sure promise We be partakers of Christ that we should as I said e be more moued with so great a blessing And here we haue al to learne a good lesson that is how we are all set free from sinne presented faultlesse before the presence of gods glorie and that is by being made one with Christe and appearing in his countenance for of him only it is true This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased if vnto him wee be giuen and with him be ioyned then in him we are also beloued and throughe him we be accepted This is y saluation we haue by him to be graffed in him and made partakers of his life Euen Abraham our father before Abraham Noe Enoch Abel or whosoeuer since haue had highest praise Iob Daniel Samuel Iohn Baptist the virgin Marie all are one before God not one in himself excepted but all were vnited to Iesus Christ in whome they were righteous Were we neuer so full of good works our wel doing extendeth not vnto the Lord nor they can possibly either deserue his fauour or once come in his sight but we muste leaue all our workes in the earth where they are done and they must die with the corruptible hands and feete with whiche they are wrought we must goe naked and bare offer nothing but that which is Christes yea our selues we must present in his bodie for in our owne persons we can not possibly be accepted haue therefore a wise and vnderstanding faith knowe how you are made one with Iesu Christe and there lay the anchorhold of thy hope for in him it is impossible thou shouldest perishe It followeth If we hold the beginning of our substance sure stedfast vnto the end this is the condition vnder which we shal be partakers of Christ perseuerance and constancie vntill the end Our Substance as the Apostle calleth it that is our beeing our vpholding our settled standing this our estate of vniting vnto Christ the beginning of this nowe wrought in vs we must hold it and streÌ„gthen it vnto the end then we knowe we be partakers of Christe this beginning of our Substance is faith by the preachinge of the gospell by which we be nowe spiritually vnited vnto Christ this faith by hearing y voice of Christ through which we are one with him by the same worde wee must nourishe it and keepe it stedfaste vnto the ende this is the same thing whiche Paule teacheth to the Colossians that Christ hath reconciled vs in his bodie if we abide in saith grounded and settled and be not moued from the hope of the Gospel whiche we haue hearde preached vnto vs touching this I saide muche in the exposition of the sixt verse now this I will adde if you will knowe the churche of Christe know it by this marke it holdeth the beginning of her substance stedfast vnto the end the beginning of our substance he called before in the sixte verse the assuraunce and reioycing of our hope Saint Paul as I told you in plaine words expoundeth it thus a sure faith in the gospel preached Now you know the marke of the church of Christ a sure faith by the preching of the gospel take away assuraunce you take away the faith of Gods electe for it must bee sure stedfast settled vnmoueable vnto the end if hunger thirst nakednes if the sword of the Tyrant if the stormie seas if fearfull visions of euil spirites if any of these make thee feare in all these thus Christ reprooueth thee O thou of litle faith for if he that made all be stronger then al if in him thou trust thou must feare at nothing but knowe for trueth that neither height nor depth nor death nor life nor Angel nor power shall euer separate thee from the loue of God this therfore I say first marke take away suretie and take away the faithe of Gods Churche Againe take away the preaching of the Gospell and you take away faith for so Paul saith Our faith is grouÌ„ded in the gospel preached vnto vs as in another place he speaketh expresly faith is by heaâ—…ing of the word of God therfore the gospel hath this name to 〈◊〉 called the worde of faith the hearing of faith the preaching of faith and our receiuing of the gospel is called the obedience of faith neither is it possible to haue faith where thou hast no woorde which thou caust beleeue Now consider I beseâ—…ch you what Church is the church of Rome their fayth they conceale it not but thus reach preach that it hath no certeintie and for the gospel to warrant their faith they seeke it not but say ignorance wil stirre vp deuotion and wil not suffer the people to knowe the Scripture nay they say they neede it not but onely beleeue as the Church beleeueth are these the people to whom the Apostle writeth that they should surely beleeue the Gospel vnto the end if light be darcknesse if good be euill if holinesse be sinne then are these men the Church of Christ but the time is past Nowe let vs pray that it would please God to strengthen in vs a true and liuely faith c. The seuenteenth Lecture vpon the the residue of the chapter 15 So long as it is said To day if you heare his voice harden not your heartes as in the prouocation 16 For some when they heard prouoked him to anger howbeit not all that came out of Aegypt by Moses 17 But with whome was he displeased fourtie yeeres Was he not displeased with them that sinned whose carcases fell in the wildernesse 18 And to whome sware he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that obeyed not 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of vnbeliefe HEre the Apostle proceedeth to amplifie this exhortatioÌ„ of the prophet in these words If you heare his voice harden not your hearts as in the bitter murmuring touching these wordes you haue heard theÌ„ before expounded vnto you therefore we now wil let them passe only noting this vnto you the Apostle saith while it is yet called to day that the prophet had said to day the apostle saith yet that exhortatioÌ„ is yet it is called to day wherby we learn the prophesies were not for the present
vs in the scripture â–ª their destruction therefore is our example to beware and to feare before the angrie iudgementes of God for their deathes were no common deaths but as Paule noteth souden and greate destructions as in one day when 23000 were slaine for their fornications againe a great multitude destroyed by fierie serpentes for murmuring against God and at other times the angel of God brought many plagues vppon them in which they perished theâ—… lieauâ—… iudgements were not executed of God nor written for vs that wee should forget them The prophet Dauid in the hundred and sixt psalme reherseth these and many other punishmentes of that people in consideration of all which he finally maketh this exhortation to vs al Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for euer and euer and let all people say Amen praise ye the lord If Sainct Paule applie this to make it our instruction that we shoulde feare and flee farre from the like sinnes if the propher Dauid in the remembrance of these so many and so righteous iudgements do so earnestly prouoke vs to prayse the Lorde in all his noble actes and to shewe foorth his praises and to runne vnder the protection of his hand to be saued from our enimies why should wee lightly let goe these admonitions and not rather with faithfull hearts see what great things the Lord hath done and consecrate our selues to do his will who is the God of glorie if we doe not what hope can wee haue to escape his iudgements He that spared not his owne people the children of Abraham the naturall plants which he had planted howe should he spare vs that were straungers from his couenant and wilde oliue braunches which contrarie to our nature are by his loue graffed into the naturall oliue tree Let vs therefore beware by their harmes and the great iudgements which God hath executed in our eyes let them make vs feare before him and walke with reuerence in his ordinaunces and wayes It followeth nowe in the Apostle Towhom sware he that they should not enter into his rest was it not to those that obeyed not This is but a repetition of the other wordes of the prophet all to one purpose that by a double testimonie as it were wee might haue sure hope that the punishments of God shall not come if our rebellion do not pull it downe vppon vs for the promises of God are for euer true that at what time so euer a sinner do repent him of his sione the Lorde will also repent of all punishmentes whiche he threatned to bring vppon him neither can wee possiblie stumble and fall downe in our wayes except we be solde vnder our sinne to worke wickednes in his sight without repentance And thus farre the Apostle hauing clearely taught that sinne is all the cause of Gods anger Now in the latter end he saith further And we see that they could not enter for their â—…liefe in these wordes concluding what is the roote and founteine of all disobedience in vs and that is vnbeliefe infidelitie a heart that can not giue full credite to all the threatnings and promises of God of this by occasion of the Apostles woordes I spake vnto you in the former Lecture now that the Apostle repeateth it we may be sure as Paule sayth as it was not grieuous vnto him to tell vs the same thinge often so it is for our saftie often to heare it and therfore I say vnto you as I sayd before let there bee in none of you an euil heart of vnbeliefe for hence is the prouocation to all euill Bring a faithful heart which with an assured assent shall receiue the woord that is preached vnto thee and thou art armed with a stronge shielde which shall quench all the fierie darâ—…es of the diuel No man can beleue what things God hath reserued for his Saincts but hee must needes accompt all the worlde to be but dung to the ende hee may winne Christe No man can see what are the threateninges of Hell fire whiche is not quenched but hee will abhorre his sinnes more then hee abhorreth anie death and flee from them least they should bringe him to so great condemnation let vs then be armed that the darts of infidelitie do not wound vs and all the shoâ—… of other temptations they shal scarce strike through our eyelids true it is that our flesh is weak but an armour of proofe bringes it strong defence so we may be easily â—…educed with y 〈◊〉 decâ—…it of sinne but a liuely faith wil sone lighten our eyes that we shall not sleape in death Though the world be full of all euil concupiscence yet This is the victorie that euer commeth the world euen our â—…th And see I beeseech thee iudge of the first sinne of our first parents Adam and Eue and by one offence iudge all was not Eue ouercome by infidelitie and first did shee not dout of Gods threatnings before she eate of the Apple when God had saide yee shall dye the death did she not fall to halting and began with pâ—…aduenture shee could not tell well whether it were so or no and from this staggering fell shee not away to sinne and turned not till she fell into the wrath of God for euer â–ª did not Adam also follow her example and this corruption let vs be sure we haue taken from his loines and sucked from her breasts by it the diuel is strong against vs but let vs beware of it and be faithfull and his strength is broken The Lion of the tribe of Iudah hath ouercome the crooked serpent and by fayth in him wee shall surely liue This dearely beloued the Apostle heere doeth teach vs a blessed lesson if we can happily learne it and in which we shal be saued foreuer more and all our enimies shal be our footestoole And the Lorde graunt for his Christes sake that we may be made riche in all knowledge of his will and abounde in a great measure of faith that we may cleaue vnseparablie vnto God and vnremouablie to be ioyned as chaste virgines with a pure faith vnto his Sonne Christe And let vs pray c. The eyghteenth Lecture vpon the 1. 2. verses of the fourth Chapter 1 LET vs feare therfore least at any time by forsaking the promise of entering into his rest any of you shoulde seeme to be depriued 2 For vnto vs was the Gospel preached as also vnto them but the word that they heard profited not theÌ„ because it was not mixed with faith in those that hearde it YOV haue hearde two especiall poinctes in whiche the Apostle doth amplifie this exhortation alledged out of the prophet To dâ—…r if you heare his voice harden not your heartes c. The first was that he saith To day therefore we ought not to foreslowe the time of our calling but take the occasion opportunitie while it is offered Say not vnto the Lorde when he knocketh 〈◊〉 and come
of God in so much that if they should bee made causes of our lustification and the glorie of Christe should be so giuen vnto them wee might iustly call them the beggerlie elements of the world and vnprofitable things What shall wee say or thinke of so manie childishe toyes and foolishe fancies as wee haue seene of late when men will attribute saluation vnto them When our owne woorkes haue this honour giuen them When Holie water Belles Candles Crosses Palme bowes Ag◅us deies the beginning of Saint Iohns Gospel hanging aboute your necke when to these thinges we attribute power against the diuel whom Christe vanquished onely vppon his crosse what name shal wee giue these beggerly thinges When pilgrimages fastinges visiting of mens tumbes kissing of reliques purchasing of Masses when these things are exalted and said to purge our sinnes what shal we cal them what drunkennes what witchings what madnesse what brutish astonishment hath couered our spirits that we should beleue such things what strange illusions and sleights of Satan haue hid our vnderstandings that we should know nothing The ceremonies ordeined of God himselfe the sacramentes of his eternall testament they are but helpes of our infirmities to leade vs vnto Chr◅ste from whom whē you shal separate them they are no more Gods holie sacramentes but beggerly elementes and our owne fansies and fonde immaginations which are contrarie to Christe euen from our cradle to exalt them thus what is it but a proude liking of our owne presumption This is a cleare proofe that in nothinge is saluation but in Christe alone and that one saluation hath beene from euer whyle these outwarde thinges haue had manye chaunges And againe in that Christe was then the prophet we are sure the patriarches and forefathers did not worship God after their owne will and deuice but onely as the spirite of Christe did teache them from which testimonie of spirite when they fell away all their religion was reiected for onely in Christ God was also well pleased so that thoughe they had no lawe written yet were they taught of God and his sonne was their scholemaister to lead them in al trueth reuealing his will vnto them euer by such meanes as best pleased him and after when God wrote his lawe he wrote this also as a decree for them to holde euer that they should neuer adde nor take away but do onely what they were commaunded and much more now in these last dayes in which our Sauiour Christe hath appeared vnto vs in our owne nature man like vnto vs vppon whome we sawe the holie Ghost to come downe and God him selfe hath sealed him in making manifest the owne glorie speaking out of his cloude This is my beloued sonne heare him much more I say we ought now only to heare his voice because now more clearly thē euer before he hath reuealed all the counsell of God vnto vs but nowe the diuel hath beene no lesse enuious against the saluation of man then he hath beene before now also he hath made some to set forth the imaginations of their owne hearts and hath bewitched many to followe their damnable wayes by whom the way of truth is blas phemed and for their owne traditions sake he hath made the woorde of the Lorde Iesu of none effecte This worke hath he wrought in all the Papacie yet we cānot or wil not se his rebellious doings Christ saith his kingdom is not of this world yet hath he taught them to make their Bishops Princes and hathe giuen them power ouer life and goods Christ saith The princes of the nations beare rule ouer thē but it shal not be so among you yet hath he made his firste begotten sonne to weare a triple crowne and al the kinges of the nations to come kisse his feete So Christe hath taught vs to worship in spirite and trueth to drinke the wine in the sacrament of his bodie and bloude to praye in a knowne toung to eate of any meates without scruple of conscience to vse holie matrimonie in all estates as a remedie against sinne but as though Christ were no prophet vnto vs we haue abrogated these his lawes and made other con◅ratie of our owne This our eyes haue seene our eares haue hearde and whether we will or no wee must needes confesse it yet some flatter them selues in a maruelous madnesse and doing all things contrarie to the Lorde Iesu they say still they cannot erre but they shall one day see and knowe that Christ is the onely prophet of the new Testament and blessed be the Lorde God who hath made vs this day to beleeue it and while yet the day of health and acceptable time is to hearken onely vnto him and refuse all the vaine inuentions of men It followeth now in the Apostle But the worde that they heard prof◅ed thē not ▪ because it was not mingled with faith to those that heard it As before the Apostle concluded repeating againe his exhortation so in this verse he repeateth the cause why they profited not by the word of exhortation that wee againe hearing the cause of our sinne should be made more wise to take heede of it the cause was their infidelitie because saith he The word was not mingled vnto them with faith the word of God preached is as a cup offered vnto vs of which we must drinke whether we wil or no one way it is made vnto vs a cup of the water of life another way a cup of destructiō and such a liquor as is of death vnto death euen as saith or infidelitie is brought vnto it so it is a cup of life or death In this similitude the Apostle speaketh thus The word was not mingled to them with faith As men that loue to sit at the tauerne do mingle their drink with spices or their wine with sugre so we in that most blessed tauerne in which the worde of God is offered vs to drinke we must mingle it with the sweete spice of faith and it is a cup of eternall life vnto vs otherwise if we be vnsaithfull we haue lost our blessing and are fallen from the hope of life Christ who is the head corner stone in whō the building doth stande he is nowe to vs a stone of offence at which we haue stumbled are fallen downe because we haue not receiued his worde with faith It is true the gospel is the power of God to saue man but yet to saue the man that doth beleue whether he be Iewe or Gentile here we see how God hath ioyned vnseparablie his word our faith wherfore it is also called the word of faith neither is it possible to be faithful without the knowledge of the word neither is any knowledge of the worde profitable but beeing mingled with faith This dearly beloued is no obscure doctrine that you should not vnderstād it neither is it taught vs in ambiguous wordes that ye can doubt of it but it
God is and what power it hath both to quicken the faithfull and wounde the disobedient vnto death wherevnto so euer the Lorde doeth sende it it shall do his will no time no place no person can possiblie chaunge it no creature can breake the force of it the worke that is appointed for it to do it wil assuredly bring to passe Let soule spirit ioynts marow heart and thoughtes striue still against it it will wound all and pearce through as a sharpe sworde euen as al things are naked and bare before the eyes of the lord who speaketh neither let any man euer thinke whosoeuer he be that heareth or readeth this worde of God but that it worketh in him the will of god Euen all we here present this day when after this sermō ended we shal returne to our calings know it assuredly think on it as you are in your way y the word spokē is entred into you if it haue quickned your faith it is the word of life if it haue kil led your old affectiōs it is the seed of your new birth if it haue don you no good it hath detected your cor ruption accuseth you in your own cōscience for change it you shal not make it fruitlesse you cannot there is no defence against the strokes of it but it pearceth through to the place to which it is sent if it light in faithful places it bringeth the power of God vnto saluation if it fall where infidelitie is or disobedience it maketh the hart as flint or as an Adamant stone This is the effecte of the Apostles meaning in these wordes whiche you haue hearde The prophet Esaie to the same purpose vseth an apt similitude who speaketh thus in the name of the lord Surely as the rayne commeth downe and the snowe from Heauen and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it to bring forth and budde that it may giue seede to the sower and bread to him that eateth so shall my worde be that goeth out of my mouth it shal not returne vnto me in vaine but it shall accomplish that which I wil it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it This Iohn Baptist taught vs going before Christ to prepare his way when hee cryed to the people Euery vallie shal be filled and euery Mounteine and hill shall bee brought lowe crooked things shal be made streight the rough wayes shal be made smoothe and all flesh shall see the saluation of God meaning hereby that all offences and stumbling blockes should bee taken away no power in the worlde should be so greate which should not giue place to this word whiche is the power of God to saue all that doe beleeue The scriptures are ful of suche testimonies of the nature and strength of Gods worde to teache vs bothe to feare before it and to humble our selues for it wil preuaile and also to try our heartes that it may haue in vs a good and profitable work rather to renue vs in the spirit then to harden vs in the deceits of sinne but let vs now come to the words of the Apostle examine thē in all their proper meaning It is said first The word of God is liuing which propertie may be atttributed to the worde of God in diuerse respects first in respect of vs because it quikneth vs into a spirituall life and without it we are in darknesse in the shadow of death therfore it is a liuing word and the seede of our new birth So Sainct Paul saith to the Corinthians In Christ Iesu I haue begotten you through the gospel And S. Iohn sayth Of his owne wil hath he begotten vs with the word of life expreslie calling it the liuing worde or the worde of life because it quickneth vs as I saide into a spirituall life wherin without all doubting we are taught assuredlie to know that if euer we will become the children of GOD that we shall no more liue our selues but what Christ may liue in vs thus we must be borne and thus we must be made a new in takeing into vs the seede of the worde of God and then as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of it that we may grow thereby in the fulnesse of our agee in Christe If the Papistes did well vnderstande this they should also vnderstand with it that them selues were bastards no children as being borne of mortall seede of fathers of counsels of decrees of Popes not of the immortall seede whiche is the woorde of god Another cause why the word is called liuing is in respect of it selfe because it is eternall and abideth euer according to the nature of the liuing God whose word it is so Sainct Peter expresly calleth it where he saith we be borne of a newe immortall seede by the word of the liuing God and abiding for euer therefore attributing life and immortalitie vnto the worde because it is of the liuing and immortal God of which we ought to learn that there is no wisedome no instruction no discipline by whiche we can apprehend eternall life but only the wisdome and instruction of the worde of God for what an absurd thing is it that the wisdom of man which is vaine as man is vaine which is transitorie earthly is abolished should leade mee into that life which fadeth not but is eternall in heauen yea what an absurd thing I say is it seing we ourselues and all that is in vs before the presence of the Lord must needes be changed so that no man possible cā see him and liue yet to think that our wisdome can leade vs vnto him or our reason can approche vnto the places where his glorie dwelleth Surely dearly beloued this is much more folie then to seeke to gather grapes of thornes or figges of brambles for it is to seeke for light in darkenesse and for life in death for out of a corrupt minde a froward heart we seeke for holie obedience and immortalitie as many as say that without the word of God they can please him the papists do not yet vnderstād this and therefore they wearie them selues with their owne inuentions and multiplie ceremonies in their churches which God will cast out as he hath begon til their madnesse be made manifest to all nations An other cause yet there is why the worde of God is called Liuing and this cause moste agreeable to this place That is because it enteret◅ with power into euerie part of vs so that as our life is dispersed into euerie parte and we feele it both in griefe and pleasure euen so the vertue of the woord of God pearceth into euerie member to bruise as the prophet saith the verie bones or to fill them with marrow and fatnesse this sense is plaine and agreeable to al the words following and in this same meaning Solomon calleth it also A liuing worde as his words are plaine The
the Maiestie of GOD when them selues are but spirites and therefore Christ that he might be highe Priest tooke not an Angels nature but was made of the seede of Abraham like vs that as there is but one God so there might bee but one Mediatour betweene God and man euen the man Christe Iesus in this respect as able to bee high Priest as Aaron him selfe beeing as naturally and as truely cloathed with our flesh as Aaron was The second propertie of the Prieste is that hee should be ordeyned not onlie for him selfe to make his owne atonement but also for other men to accomplish whatsoeuer was betwene God and them that where they were before enimies and straungers they might by him be reconciled and haue free accesse vnto the throne of grace to finde mercie and succour in due time and for this cause Christe alone is a perfect Priest more excellent then Aaron who was incumbred with his owne sinnes to make first reconciliation for them and therefore could not profit other And as this was the Priests office to be a mediatour for other so the meanes he must vse and the mediation to bee wrought in this woorke was to offer vp gifts and sacrifices of sinnes that is to present vnto God the sacrifice of righteousnesse pure and holy in his sight in whiche hee might be pleased the sinnes of the people might be taken awaye the whiche sacrifice because it must be so pure that in it they for whom it was made must be sanctified and so precious that it must be a sufficient purchase to redeeme man from all transgression therefore it coulde not bee made with the bloud of Calues or Goates whiche can not take away sinne nor with golde nor siluer whiche can not redeeme our soules nor with meates and drinkes which profited not thē that were exercised therein nor in any suche carnall rites for whiche the priesthood of Aaron was ordeined and therefore as an other priest must make this sacrifice whiche can not be any other then Iesus Christe who beeing made high Priest of the good things to come by a greater tabernacle and a more precious sacrifice euen by his owne bloude hath obteined for vs an euerlasting redemption and therefore is nowe to be acknowledged our onely Priest the first Priesthood and the first lawe beeing altogether abrogated One other propertie of the priesthood is y none thrust in himselfe beeing not appointed nor take vnto himselfe this honour being not called vnto it And God euer shewed himselfe a readie reuenger against all such as should defile his Priesthood to take to themselues the dignitie to which they were not appointed But this calling also was giuen vnto Christ from God his father as before vnto Aaron both by word and by othe that no flesh shoulde resist it euen as it is written The Lord hath sworne and will not repente thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech so that in this behalfe our faith must be euer strong that the callinge of Christ is of the Lord euen as the calling of Aaron was and with so much the greater iudgment it shal be reiected because it was confirmed with an othe The last propertie in this comparison is that the highe priest of the law should haue an inwar compassion to ward them that were ignorant and were deceiued in which perfect knot of vnfeigned loue his ministerie was accepted of God and his sacrifices receiued accounted holy and lest he should cast from him this brotherly aflection God printed deepe in his owne bodie the infirmities of his brethren that according to the measure of grace which he had receiued he might in deede be moued with his brothers harmes as with his owne so that he did not withdrawe him selfe from the seruice of the Sanctuarie but put on the holy garmentes was annoynted with the holie oyle bare the names of his brethren before the Lorde presented their sacrisices absteined from wine and strong drinke mourned not for his friendes that were departed taught diligently the people prayed for their transgressions and bare the burthen of his people as God had laid it vpon him But yet this propertie exceeded more in Christe then in all the tribe of Leuie and the bowels of all compassion were more large within him then the vtmoste braunches of it in any other creature And this the Apostle noteth in this place which now we haue in hand in which we may see as in a moste liuelie glasse the perfect beautie of all excellent loue The thinges they were not light nor the sorrowes small nor the sighings few in number nor the prayers faint nor the anguish of spirite little nor the death easie by which hee hath sealed it vnto vs that he had compassion on his people but as the Apostle saith in the dayes of his flesh while hee was heere clothed in mortalitie like vnto one of vs to the end he might be faithfull for our sakes hee did offer vp prayers and supplications with strong cryings and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was also heard in things which he feared and beeing him selfe the Sonne yet hee learned obedience by the thinges which he susuffered and being consecrate was made the authour of eternall saluation to them that obey him These wordes my deare brethren we haue now in hande to search and examine what the spirite teacheth vs so much y more carefully to be harkened vnto of vs how much the more plainly it setteth foorth vnto vs the greate loue and compassion that Christ beareth towardes vs Two things especiallie here the Apostle testifyeth First the sufferings of our Sauiour Christe and then the benefite that wee enioy by the same according as his sufleringes were onely for our sake His sufferinges what they were and howe great sorrow oppressed him hee sheweth by those effectes whiche his sorrowes brought forth that is prayers supplications cryings teares feare and anguish of spirite whiche things waited euer vppon him euen to the accomplishing of all his passions which was the death of his crosse The fruite that we doe reape of these afflictions which hee suffered is the saluation of our soules and eternall life if we will obey him In this description of his sufferinges though the things are set forth which were common and vsuall vnto him all his life yet it appeareth especiallie the Apostle meaneth that greatest conflicte of sorrowe which hee had a little before his passion described by the Euangelistes in all s◅ilitude like vnto this which the Apostle heere declareth For as it is here said He made prayers noting by the worde that they were many in number so it appeareth in the Gospell that beside other prayers three times he tepeated this one Father if it be possible let this cup passe from mee and as it is said hee made supplications humbling him selfe lowe vnder the hand of his Father so it is said in the Gospel that then
he kneeled downe fell vppon his face and so prayed vnto God. And as the cause of his prayers is here mentioned To be deliuered from death so the wordes of his prayer in the Gospel are like Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me meaning the death of his crosse to which he was condemned And as heere is mencioned his great and lowde crying so there the Euangelist saith he cried out with a lowde voyce My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee and like as heere is said He prayed with weeping teares so there is witnessed that he was sorrowfull and greeuouslie troubled that his soule was heauie euen vnto deathe and that in a great agonie his sweate was like vnto drops of bloud a wofull kinde of weeping but suche was his compassion that we might haue sure hope and as heere is said he was deliuered from his feare so at that time when all his spirites were troubled the Angell came from heauen to bring him comfort These similitudes they are all so agreeable that it is euident the Apostle respected especially aboue other this part of his passion in which his perfecte loue and vnchaungeable affection toward vs shined in most fulnesse of beautie in that it was so seruent and so deepely rooted that neither feare nor trembling nor any anguishe of spirite could make him shake nor the force of death nor any bloudie sweates coulde pull it out of his bowels In this one sentence dearely beloued there is more for vs to learne then either eye hath seene or eare hath heard or all flesh in this life shal atteine vnto it is the depth of the glorious Gospell whiche the Angels doe desire to beholde But to note vnto you some thinges in which our faith may be strēthened we haue to learne by y example of our sauiour Christ in this place that in all temptations wee should approch vnto our God and make our complaints vnto him who is onely able and readier for to helpe vs He hath not forgot his promise that he hath made of old Cal vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I wil deliuer thee he is a place of refuge and of sure defence a strong tower against all assaults the righteous man that shall hasten vnto him hee shall be surely saued the author finisher of our fayth he is gone before vs we shal be surely partakers of y same mercie It skilleth not how great our temptations are into which we are fallen nor how manie in number the Lord will deliuer vs out of all It skilleth not how many our sinnes are nor howe great in our eyes that haue procured our troubles the Lord will scatter them as the cloudes from the heauens and they shall not turne away his louing countenance from vs Let vs looke on this patterne Iesus Christ that is set before vs it woulde crushe our fleshe in peeces to beare with him the weight of his afflictions from which he was deliuered and it would make our teares to be as drops of bloud to be partakers of so great anguishe of spirite as he susteyned and yet it was not so great but the comfort of the Angell sent from his father was much greater so that by prayer hee obteined a most excellent victorie and hath brused the serpents head and broken all his force and why should we then be discouraged If our sinnes be as crimson or if they bee red like skarlet yet they are the sinnes of our owne bodies but not ours only but also the sinnes of the world they rested all vpon Christ our Sauiour and yet he prayed for deliuerance and hath obteined and therfore we may say with boldnesse forgiue vs our trespasses If the loue of Christ were so greate to beare the sinnes of vs all of them euerie one hath gotten forgiuenesse how should not we that are laden but with our owne sinnes lift vp our heades into great assurance of hope and heare with ioyfulnesse the worde of promise I will be merciful to their vnrighteousnesse I will remember their sinnes and their iniquities no more And what though our afflictions are exceeding many that the whole head be sicke and the whole heart be heauie that from the sole of the foote vnto our heads there be nothing whole in our bodies but all wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption yet all this is nothing vnto his passions by whose stripes we are healed And these troubles are nothing vnto his mightie cryinges who was compassed about for our sakes with feares and horrors till his sweate was as drops of bloud and his bones bruised in his fleshe Then let the whips and scourges of our chasticement be grieuous let vs yet be beaten if the will of God so be with scorpions Christ in great compassion suffering with our infirmities hath borne yet a more heauie weight of iniquities and hath been deliuered So that if we obey we are partakers of his mercies we haue full persuasiō that neither death nor life nor Angels nor prin cipalities nor powers nor things prefét nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to separate vs frō the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Yea and greater boldnes then this if it be possible to dwell within vs the Apostle here hath offered it in Christ Iesu. If all the sinnes were vppon him and all sorrowes in his fleshe and yet from them all God hathe hearde his prayers why should we not be sure that our sinnes and sorrowes shal be done awaye why should we not be sure that God him selfe hath appointed vnto all that mourne in Sion as the Prophet saith to giue vnto them beautie for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning the garment of gladnesse for the spirite of heauinesse Let vs therefore behold dearly beloued for he was woūded for our transgressiōs brokē for our iniquities the chasticement of our peace was vpon him these praiers are ours these supplicatiōs for vs auailable for moe sinnes then we are able to commit this is our victorie that shal ouercome the world euē our faith in al miseries and multitudes of woe we are not sunken so deepe in sorrow as he that for our sakes made prayers and supplications with strong cryings and with teares and was deliuered from his feare The second point that we haue here to learne in this example of our Sauiour Christe is to knowe vnto whome we should make our prayers in the day of trouble which the Apostle testifieth in these wordes that Christ made his prayers vnto him that was able to deliuer him from death a rule to bee kept of vs in al manner of our petitions and supplications whatsoeuer to make thē knowen vnto him that can graunt our request that is vnto God this rule was kept of the Church of God from the beginning When men were once turned from their Idols