death the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6.23 First hee entises men to sin and then he hath power and autoritie from God to give them the wages they have deserved that is death thus he has the power of death as a thiefe and murderer Not to hold us in suspence he names him the Devill who compasses the earth to and fro ranging up and downe like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devoure 1 Pet. 5.8 There be three that have the power of death God Man and the Devill 1. GOD He strikes men dead and that suddenly he rayses up from the dead as Hannah speakes in her song The Lord killeth and maketh alive he bringeth downe to the grave and raiseth up 1 Sam. 2.6 hee hath supremam potestatem Gods power is immediate absolute and unlimited 2. Man a King or a Iudge hath the power of death As Pilate said to our Saviour Iohn 19.10 Knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee and have power to release thee True man hath a delegatam potestatem 3. The Devill hath power that is rule and empyre sed consequutam potestatem tanquam carnifex he may not kill us at his owne will and pleasure no more than the hangman may execute a malefactor at his will but according to the appointment of the Iudge VERSE 15. NOw he comes to the second end of Christs incarnation and death that hee might deliver us from the divels hands non liberaretur humanum genus nisi sermo Dei factus esset humanus August Deliver them set them free quaking at the cogitation of death in regard of eternall damnation which it brought with it for their innumerable sinnes whereof their owne consciences accused them Deliverance is a comfortable thing most welcome unto all Galley-slaves and Prisoners are glad to heare of their deliverance Not some but all so many as imbrace his deliverance Not onely those which were bound but subject to bondage that had willingly subjected themselves to the Devill which had bound themselves apprentises to him Rom. 6.16 The Indentures were made betweene them and the devill we will serve thee thou shalt be our Master this was our estate Why were we subject to him what kept us in subjection the feare of death all our life time they were subject to bondage that is to the stroake of death which they expected every moment The devill threatned death to us all our life time every houre being sinners we might looke for death every moment not onely for a temporall death but for an eternall in hell-fire Death is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we quaked at the mention of death this kept us in bondage to the devill A miserable condition but Christ hath delivered us out of it he hath taken away the feare of death that made us to shake the fetter wherewith the Devill kept us bound Now death is but a sleepe a passage to a better life yea it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Basil speakes Thus he hath rescued us out of the divels clawes and made us free Iohn 8.36 The devill sin and death are left still ad agonem to exercise us withall as Antagonists to wrastle withall but the victory through Christ is ours We sin we dye and the devill like a roaring Lion walkes up and downe seeking how to devoure us but none of these shall be able to prevaile over us Sinne though it remaines yet it doth not reigne in us 2. The guilt and the punishment of it is taken away so that it shall not condemne us Rom. 8.1 The sting of death is gone O death where is thy sting Cogitur non abesse sed non obesse hence the servants of God have wished for it Phil. 1.23 I desire to be dissolved c. Neither can it separate us from the love of God in Christ Iesus The malice of Satan that shall turne to our good GOD may suffer him to tempt and assault us he walkes up and downe like a roaring Lion 1. That wee should not be secure 2. To stir us up to pray but 1. we are no longer in his jurisdiction 2. we shall be conquerors over him God will tread him under our feet Rom. 16.20 and will give us an issue with the temptation 1 Cor. 10.13 Satan may plot against us 1 Thes. 2.18 Luke 22.31 but God will confound him he may make us sin but he cannot make us continue in sin Sin the Divell and Death are three of the mightiest enemies that we have all these are destroyed by Christ for us therefore let us be thankefull to Christ that hath wrought for us so great and gracious a deliverance Let us not stand in an immoderate feare of death Death is a Serpent without a sting Though he gripe us yet he cannot hurt us Damocles the Parasite extolled the magnificence of Dyonisius affirming that there was not an happier man in the world than he wilt thou have a taste of my happinesse I he caused him to be set in a chaire of state the Table furnished with all delicates singing-men and women making melodie with voices and Instruments noble attendants to wait on him but therewithall he commanded a sharp naked sword to be hung over his head by a slender Horse-haire the which he espying tooke no pleasure in that Paradise but besought him earnestly to take him out of his happinesse againe So though we have the world at will though we be Gentlemen c. yet the sword of death hanging over our heads continually must needs quaile the courage of the greatest Gallant O quà m pulchrum esset dominantibus hic dominari Si mors non posset dominantibus insidiari It is appointed for all men once to dye when and how suddenly we know not our breath may be stopped on the sudden as Valentinians Luc. 12.20 We are all obnoxious to the feare of death but Christ hath delivered us from a slavish feare of it VERSE 16. HEre you have the amplification of it by the comparison of a more excellent nature refused by him the Angels far surpasse us yet he tooke not on him their nature but ours Not the seed of Adam of Noah but of Abraham because the promise was made to him In thy seed shall all Nations of the earth bee blessed If he should have taken on him the nature of Angels it was either for the good Angels or the bad The good needed it not because they never fell as for the evill Angels there was no such reason because they sinned in a more high degree than men 1. They sinned of themselves without the instigation of any man fell by the subtile provocation of the Serpent 2. They sinned in heaven in the Court of the King of Kings we sinned on earth which is his footstoole 3. They were indued with more excellent gifts of wisdome knowledge and understanding we are but babes and children to them 4. They were only of a spiritual essence they had no flesh to intise them to
profits of the world seldome or never thinking of the joyes of the world to come Who will serve a Master that is ready to dye Such a one as cannot preferre thee the world hath one foote already in the grave therefore let us serve him no longer CHRIST hath not redeemed us by the bloud of a Calfe Ram Sheepe c. not with the sacrifice of an Angell of his mother or any Saint but by the sacrifice of Himselfe no other sacrifice could save us Now as Christ in wonderfull love hath sacrificed Himselfe for us so let us offer up our selves as an holy sacrifice to him VERSE 27. THe application of the use is set forth by an elegant antithesis betweene the cursed condition of men by nature and the blessed condition of men by grace through CHRIST IESUS The lamentable condition of men by nature is double 1. They must all dye then there remaines a Iudgement for them Vnto the common death of men is opposed the death of our Saviour Christ that taketh away the sins of the world In regard whereof death cannot hurt the faithfull Vnto the fearefull judgment to come is opposed Christ's second comming amplified by the persons to whom he shall come by the manner how and the end of his comming Layd up in Gods secret Counsell Why for sin at what time so ever thou eatest thou shalt dye the death To all men It an indefinite proposition is equivalent to an universall Man that is borne of a woman is but of a short time c. that is every man Object 1 Cor. 15.51 Sol. That change shall be instar mortis Object 2. Lazarus dyed twise That was extraordinary ordinarily men dye but once But after this the judgement immediately without delay 1. The particular then the generall Then there is no Purgatory We have two purgatories in this life the fire of affliction and the bloud of Christ then wee neede feare no purgatory after this life Here we see an appointment a decree a sentence wherein foure circumstances are to be observed 1. By whom this appointment is made namely by God Almighty in whom there is not a shadow of turning and which is able to bring that to passe which he hath appointed What I have written I have written said Pilat and would not alter his writing so what God hath appointed hee hath appointed and hee will accomplish it Men are mutable they appoint and disappoint it is not so with God hath he said it and shall he not doe it Therefore as sure as God is in heaven this appointment shall stand Who at any time hath resisted his will who can breake his appointment 2. What it is that is appointed once to dye What is death properly to speake it is a separation of the soule from the body Man was made with two parts the body of the dust of the ground the soule breathed into him by God Life is a conjunction of these two death is a separation of them There is an improper death which is a change of these two conjoyned still together which shall happen to them that be alive at the day of judgment but the Apostle here speaketh of the proper death 2. There is an extraordinary dying and an ordinary Some have dyed twise as Lazarus and those that rose with Christ at his resurrection but ordinarily it is appointed to all men once to dye It is not appointed to all to be rich wise learned but to dye 3. Why was this appointment made because of sin Rom. 5.12 at what time thou eatest thou shalt dye the death Sinne is the cause of death Then why should wee bee in love with sin Wee shunne poyson because it will kill us drunkennesse adultery swearing and other sins brought death into the world therefore let them be hated by us Why are wee afraid of the plague because it will kill us Sinne will kill both soule and body therefore let us all bee afraid to sinne 4. The persons to whom this appointment is made to men to all men There is no man living but shall see death it is appointed to Kings to dye to Dukes Earles Lords Knights Gentlemen Merchants Clothiers Husbandmen to high and low rich and poore learned and unlearned It is appointed to the Ministers to dye and to the people to the Master and servant to the Husband and to the Wife We read of a Woman that had seven Husbands they all dyed and in the end the Woman dyed also None can avoid the stroake of death the Physitions that cure others at the length dye contra vim mortis non est medicamen in hortis the godly dye good Women bring forth with sorrow as well as bad so good men and women dye as well as bad as the faithfull are sicke as well as the unfaithfull so also they dye as well as others Oh that this were carefully remembred by us and that wee would lay it close to our hearts We see our neighbours Townsmen one or other almost everyday carryed to the earth yet wee lay it not to heart it workes not in us a death to sin we follow the world with such earnestnesse as if we should never leave the world Let us so live that wee may dye in the LORD IESUS rise againe and live with him for ever When or where we shall dye wee cannot tell that is in Gods hands but this is most certaine wee shall dye quocunque te verteris incerta omnia sola mors certa In all other things we may use a fortè fortè eris Dives fortè habebis liberos but when wee speake of death we may put fortè under our girdles and say certè morieris If any should aske a reason why the godly should dye seeing CHRIST hath dyed for them the answer is easie because CHRIST dyed to free them from death eternall not from the corporall death which is imposed upon all because all have sinned Christ hath taken away the curse of the corporall death but not death it selfe cogitur non obesse sed non abesse wee are all sinners therefore we must all dye Let us bee carefull to feare God while wee bee alive that wee may not greatly feare death whensoever he shall come Death is a bitter cup all of us in some sort feare to drink of it CHRIST feared it non est fortior miles quà m Imperator wee feare it as it is a dissolution of nature but let us not feare it after a slavish manner Take this sugar to sweeten this bitter Cup withall 1. CHRIST hath taken away the sting of it 1 Cor. 18.57 thankes bee to God which giveth us the victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. Death is a great Goliah yet stripped of his armour as a roaring Lion yet without jawes or pawes as an hissing Serpent yet without a sting the sting of death is sinne Christ hath taken away the sins of the world In his owne body upon the tree he
Emperour to his God and ours But how by pure prayer 2. Of learned and godly Preachers that may winne many thousands to Christ. 3. Of extraordinary common-wealths men 4. Of rare Christians as Philemon was Alexander counted Achilles happie that he had such a trumpetter of his praises as Homer was PHILEMON might count himselfe happie that hee had such a worthie man to pray for him as Saint Paul was KING Abimelech was beholden to Abraham for his prayers and Iobs friends to him for his prayers Constantine thought his pallace strong because it was fenced with the prayers of holy Bishops Let us rejoyce in this that we have Pauls to pray for us VERSE 5. BVt what was the motive of his thanksgiving The excellent graces wherewith GOD had adorned him where there is 1. Fama bonorum the report of them 2. enumeratio bonorum an enumeration of them 3. Objecta eorum the objects of them For the fame or report Saint Paul heard of them an admirable hearing from Phrygia to Rome sayes Chrysostome and Oecumenius There are two things that are wont to be carried in the Wagon of fame bad and good the one swiftly the other slowly the one lamely the other lustily of the one we shall heare all and more than all and scant halfe of the other as it fell out in the Wisedome of Salomon What did he heare His love and faith where is hope then tanquam media in ijs intelligitur sayes Aquin. as a midle vertue betweene both it is comprehended in both These three in a golden chaine are linked together faith sayes parata sunt mihi magna great things are prepared for me hope sayes mihi servantur magna great things are reserved for me love sayes curro ad illa magna I make hast to those great things But why hath ' love the precedencie Love is the daughter faith the mother and must the daughter bee placed above the Mother It is so 1. Because it is Saint Pauls drift in this whole Epistle to procure PHILEMONS love to Onesimus 2. Because love is Notior Nobis better knowne to us then faith which is more hid and secret These are illustrated by their objects CHRIST and the Saints The Papists refer both to both objects whereupon they inferre As we love God and the Saints too So we must believe in God and in the Saints too yet diversely in God principaliter principally in the Saints consequenter consequently There is no consequence in this argument for God hath commanded us to love all but he hath not commanded us to believe in all that hee hath reserved as a regall prerogative to himselfe and his glory he will not give to another He sayes owe nothing to any man save love but he doth not say owe nothing to any man save to believe in him 2. Here the Apostle speakes of living Saints to whom Philemon extended his liberalitie now the Papists will not have us to believe in living Saints but in dead Saints therefore this place makes not for them 3. It is said to him that worketh not but belieueth in him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Aug. makes a worthie collection upon it whosoever dares say justifico te I justifie thee may consequently say crede in me believe in mee which none of the Saints can truly say save only he which is Sanctus Sanctorum the Saint of Saints Ye believe in God believe also in mee Credimus Paulo sed non credimus in Paulum wee believe Paul but not in Paul we believe Peter but not in Peter As we believe the Catholike Church but not in the Catholike Church because the Creed sayes I believe in the Holy Ghost Nazian concludes from thence that the Holy Ghost is God for we must believe in none but God 4. Quid est credere in cum nisi credendo in cum ire ejus membris incorporari What is it to believe in him .i. In CHRIST but by believing to goe into him and to be incorporated as members into his body Now we are not incorporated into the Saints therefore we are not to believe in them 5. They can erect no such building out of this place for the praepositions in the Greeke distinguish the objects Hearing of thy love and faith there hee pauseth a while which thou hast towards the Lord Iesus there he restraines faith and towards all Saints .i. Thy love towards all Saints regulating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before mentioned 6. Paul is a good expositour of himselfe Since we heard of your faith in the Lord Iesus and of your love towards all Saints Here he reduces them to their proper objects so that no question can be made of it 7 If we must believe in the Saints we must hope in the Saints It is St. Basil's reason But we must hope in God alone Maledictus qui sperat in homine cursed be he that hopes in man As Saint Paul heard of PHILEMONS faith and love So it were to be wished that all the world might ring of our faith and love these be necessary for all Christians faith in the first place love in the second nec palmes sine vite nec virtus sine fide there can be no branch without the Vine no vertue no not love without faith Faith makes a Christian love makes and showes a Christian No CHRIST no heaven no faith no CHRIST Faith is the hand that layes hold on CHRIST The high Priests and Pharisees gave a strait charge that if any knew where CHRIST was he should shew it that they might take him Would yee faine take him sayes Augustine I will tell you where he is and how yee may take him He is in heaven there ye may take him Sed quomodo mittam manum in Coelum ut ibi sedentem capiam How shall I send my hand into heaven to take him mitte fidem tenuisti Send thy faith thither and thou hast taken him By faith we apprehend him and all his benefits by faith we put on CHRIST as a garment wherewith our sinnes are covered from the sight of God and as Iacob got the blessing in the clothes of his elder brother so doe we get heaven clothed with Christ like the Woman clothed with the Sun CHRIST dwelleth in our hearts by faith O happie house where the Sonne of God dwelleth Faith is the victory whereby we overcome the world we are more than Conquerours through him that hath loved us Insomuch that we may take up that triumphant song O death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory the strength of death is sinne the strength of sin is the Law but thankes be to God through Iesus Christ that hath delivered us from you all By Faith Moses saw him which is invisible by faith wee see the joyes of heaven and Christ standing at the right hand of GOD ready to receive us into them
reconciled to thy brother then come and offer thy gift first seeke the kingdome of God GOD should bee first served yet he will have his owne service to stay till thou beest reconciled to thy brother If I speake with the tongues of men and Angels if I come to Church heare never so many Sermons receive never so many Communions talke never so gloriously of Religion and dwell in hatred be not reconciled I am as a sounding brasse and as a tinckling Cymbal 3. Wee can have no assurance of our reconciliation to God without it Matth. 18. ult As the King dealt with his servant So God will cast you into the prison of hell for ever This should make us all to quake 4. We have no certaintie of our lives This night may our soules be taken from us Iovinian the Emperour supped plentifully went to bedde merrily yet was taken up dead in the morning And if death take us before we take one another by the hand as a token of hearty reconciliation what shall become of us Wee should not suffer the Sunne to goe downe on our wrath Iohannes Eleemosynarius Arch-Bishop of Alexandria being angrie in the day with Nicetus a Senator towards night sends this message to him Sol est in occasu vir maximè honorande My honourable brother the Sunne is a setting let there be a setting of our anger too if we do it not within the compasse of a day and a night yet let us doe it within the compasse of our lives let not our anger be like the fire of the Temple that went not out day nor night Let us not say with Ionah I doe well to be angry to the death let our anger bee aculeus apis not aculeus serpentis the sting of a Bee that is soone gone not the sting of a Serpent that tarries long and it may be proves lethall Let us receive one another in all brotherly love and kindnesse as Saint Paul entreateth PHILEMON to receive Onesimus But who is Onesimus that PHILEMON should receive him Pauls owne bowels he doth not say my owne eyes though they be precious to us and we use to terme our deere friends Ocelli mei not my own hands which minister to my necessities my own feete which carry mee from place to place but my owne bowels our internall and vitall parts the longues the liver especially the heart the seat of love and affection Whom I doe most tenderly affect teneritudinem rarissimi amoris declarat he poynts out hereby the tendernesse of a most rare love As Saint Paul sayes of the Philippians I desire you all in the bowells of IESUS CHRIST 1. In an heartie love in CHRIST IESUS One Christian should be exceeding deere to another 1. It is a token of election As the elect of God put on the bowels of mercie Without these bowels no assurance of salvation 2. The affinitie betweene Christians require it We have one Father which is GOD one Mother the Church we are of one house the household of faith one Elder brother which is IESUS CHRIST one inheritance the kingdome of heaven 3. We are all bought with one and the same deare price the invaluable bloud of CHRIST therefore wee should bee deare one to another 3. Every one is tender over his bowels our brethren are our bowels he that toucheth them toucheth our owne bowells Oh that we did so esteeme and commiserate one another When the child was to be divided by Salomons sword the bowels of the true mother yerned within her So should our bowels doe if we see any hurt towards our brethren VERSE 13. IN the next place he unfolds the reason of his sending 1. Negativè not as if he had not beene usefull to him In that respect he would willingly have reteined him still that he might have ministred to him in the bonds of the Gospell There bee the bonds of impietie such were Zedekiah his bonds and there bee the bonds of piety Such were St. Pauls bonds not for any sinne of his but for the Gospell which were famous throughout all the judgement hall and in all other places That in thy stead he might doe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for thee in this hee supplies thy roome and discharges thy office The Gospell is the common cause that concernes us all if any suffer for it we are all bound from the highest to the lowest to assist them with our purses our prayers and personall presence too if conveniently it may be yea though we be never so great personages It is like that obadiah himselfe hid the Prophets in Caves from the rage of Iesabel though peradventure he might send the bread and water by his servants Our SAVIOUR himselfe washed his Disciples feet Saint Cyprian writes to the Priests and Deacons to provide all things necessary for them that were in prison wishing that he himselfe were present with them Promptus lubens readily and willingly hee would performe Cuncta dilectionis obsequia all obsequious duties of love unto them Helena the mother of Constantine being at Hierusalem served in meate her selfe to the Virgins that were there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Placilla the Wife of Theodosius the Emperour in propria persona pauperibus ministravit ministred to the poore in her owne person and PHILEMON himselfe should have ministred unto Saint Paul The Angels minister to us yea when we be in prison as to Saint Peter and shall we scorne be we never so wealthie worshipfull honourable to minister to them that be in bonds for the Gospell Let us count it an honour to us In ministring to them we minister to CHRIST and he will reward it at the latter day Mistake me not I pleade not for them that are buffeted for their faults nor doe I reckon them to be in bonds for the Gospel who worthily suffer for their folly VERSE 14. WE have had the negative cause of his sending not because Saint Paul had no use of him but because he would not keepe him without his good will without thy minde thy sentence thy judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would I doe nothing In hoc negotio in this businesse otherwise in every thing he would not tye himselfe to Philemons minde Servants must not be detained without their Masters liking Eustathius Byshop of Armenia was deposed from his byshop-ricke quia servos praetextu pietatis heris abstulerat because under a colour of piety he had taken servants from their Masters Therfore the Papists themselves will not permit servants to take upon them a religious course of life to vow chastity without the consent of their masters yet children may invitis parentibus whether their parents will or no so as they be of age a man 14. a woman 12. and that their Parents need not their helpe A strange thing that servants may not but Children may But servants may not Bellar. Reason is without reason because
though we be never so rich have never so many bags of gold and silver lye on beds of downe have never so many friends and Physitions about us yet if the worme of conscience lye gnawing on us for our sins our murders adulteries drunkennesse c. That we have no hope that Christ died for them in what miserable case are we The Hypocrite would give 1000. Rams 10000. Rivers of Oile the fruit of his body for his soule as a man that is dangerously sick would give any thing for health so a man that is oppressed with the burthen of his sins would give any thing that they were removed Now CHRIST IESUS alone hath purged us from our sins Apply this purgation to thy selfe by the hand of a true and a lively faith and then thou art a happy man if CHRIST had not purged us from sin we had fried in hell for ever Therefore let us magnifie the Lambe that was killed for us and give prayses to him for ever Worthy is the Lambe who hath purged us from our sinnes to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and blessing Againe hath Christ purged us from our sinnes and shall we tumble in them Hath the Physitian purged thy body and made thee whole and wilt thou by ill diet make thy selfe sick Christ the heavenly Physitian hath purged us from sin that made us sick to death and shall we run into sin againe O that men would effectually consider of this great benefit the purging of our sins by Christ Who hath purged us not an Angell but the Son of God with what hath He purged us not with the bloud of Martyrs but with His owne bloud to what end hath He purged us not that like swine we should still wallow in the myre of our sinnes but that we should be an holy Nation a royall Priest-hood a peculiar people to Himselfe zealous of good workes Therefore as CHRIST hath purged us from our sins so let us hurle away our sins and have nothing to doe with them least we crucifie againe the Lord of life That proverb is knowne to us all the Hogge to the myre a Hogge is washed cleane and faire he runs into the myre againe what a filthy sight is that So it is for one whom Christ hath purged from sin to returne to them againe a Dogge to his vomit Who can abide to see a Dogge take up that which he hath cast out of his belly and a loathsome sight it is to see men daily yea hourely to take up the Vomit of their old sins againe How hath Christ purged us from sin when as sin still remaineth in us all If we say we have no sin we deceave our selvs c. The answer is easie there is in sin materia forma the matter still remaines to exercise us withall but the guilt that is the forme of sin which gave an esse to it that is taken away by Christ. In so much as we may say death where is thy sting hell where is thy victory the strength of death is sin but thankes be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. The sixth and last Argument to prove the deity of Christ is taken from His exaltation which is fitly inferred upon the former humiliation He that sitteth on the right hand of the Majesty on high is GOD but CHRIST sitteth on the right hand of the Majesty on high Ergo. He doth not say standeth that belongs to Servants and inferiors but he sitteth Kings Senatours Iudges sit when they heare causes He sits not at the commandement or appointment of another but of Himselfe He knowes His place and takes it not at the left hand but which is higher at the right hand His fathers equall Regia majestas the Kings Majesty is more magnificent then to say the King Prov. 25.27 Scrutator majestatis opprimetur à gloria Heb. 8.1 We have such an High Priest who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens Christ could not purge our sinnes but by dying He was faine to shed His bloud and to dye for us yet He rose againe ascended into Heaven and fitteth on the right hand of the Majesty on high Out of this we have two notable comforts 1 If Christ sitteth above in the highest places then he beholdeth all things here below A man that is upon the top of some high Tower may see farre and Christ being in the high Steeple and Tower of Heaven can see all things on the earth He that is upon the top of an high Tower may see men but he cannot discerne who they bee Christ sees them and discernes them too If the wicked bee laying of plots and snares against His Children Christ being in Heaven sees them and in due time will overthrow them and He that sitteth in Heaven laugheth them to scorne This is a singular comfort that our Head King and defender is in Heaven and hath equall Power Glory and Majesty with God If thou hast a friend in the Court that sits daily by the King and is in favour with him wilt thou care for any in England we have a friend that siteth on the right hand of God and hath all power in Heaven and earth therefore let us feare nothing he will keepe us none shall doe us any harme but it shall all turne to our good in the end 2 As Christ sitteth in the heavens so we shall one day sit there with Him Many shall come from the East and from the West and from the North and from the South and shall sit downe in the Kingdome of God Yee shall sit on the twelve Seates and Iudge the twelve Tribes of Israel Which is not spoken of all the Apostles for Iudas never sate there nor yet of the Apostles onely but of all Christians Know yee not that wee shall judge the World wee shall one day sit in Heavenly places with Christ wee sit there already in our head but we shall likewise sit there in our owne persons with our head Let this comfort us against all the calamities of this life here the children of God are oftentimes made the wickeds footstooles they sit on them and tread on them no reckoning is made of a godly man A rich man that is a common drunkard and whore-master shall be more esteemed of by many then a godly poore man Here they sit as forlorne persons none regards them Many times they sit weeping and wayling for their sinnes for their children for crosses in goods in bodies in good name the wicked deriding them jesting at them making songs of them in the Ale-houses but let this comfort us against them all how contemptible soever we sit here wee shall sit with CHRIST IESUS though not in that degree of glory yet in the same kingdome of glory with him for ever VERSE 4. THe Iewes in generall were bitter enemies to Christ
crowned with glory and honour in that he raised up himselfe from the dead ascended into heaven in a cloud in the sight of his Disciples the Angels attending on him in that Stephen saw him sitting at the right-hand of God in that he sent downe the Holy Ghost from heaven and by a few simple men to look to through the preaching of the Gospell conquered all the world We may all see him crowned with glory and honour Thus he is higher than the Angels though through the suffering of death he was for a time lower than they Christ truly suffered death not phantastically in a phantasticall body as the Manichees and Apollinarists dreamed he felt and indured the bitter pangs of death Which is illustrated by two causes the efficient and finall the efficient is the grace love and mercy of God Iohn 3.16 the finall that as much as lay in Christ all men might be saved CHRIST's death was sufficient for all 1 Tim. 2.4 effectuall only to them that beleeve Isay 9.6 Mat. 26.28 Physick is offered to many sicke Patients that may doe them good if they will receive it but many are so froward that they will none of it the fault why they doe not recover is not in the physicke nor in the Physitian but in themselves so CHRIST offers the soveraigne medicine of salvation purchased by his death to all but some reject it and will not beleeve it can save them It is effectuall for all those that be sanctified that be his brethren as it is expounded afterwards Whereas it is said that Christ tasted death therein he dealt as the Physitian doth he needs not the physike prepared for his patients yet the better to induce them to take it he tastes of it himselfe before their eyes So death belonged not to Christ because he had no sinne yet he would taste of it that we might be more willing to taste and drink of that cup. The Metaphor must not be pressed too farre as if Christ did but sip and taste of the cup of death as a man tastes vinegar but drinkes not of it for he swallowed it up quite 1 Cor. 15.54 It is a borrowed speech Death is resembled to a cup whereof CHRIST did taste let this cup passe from me This hath reference to the time that hee continued in death not to the sharpenesse of his death They that taste of a thing tarry not long at it their lips are quickly removed from it so CHRIST did not continue long in death not past three dayes and three nights hee did but tast as it were of it and so away yet he truly dyed and it was a most bitter taste to him Thus the tasting of death was no dishonour but an honour to Christ. By it hee brought many to eternall life for all that hee is above the Angels and all other creatures whatsoever CHRIST hath tasted of death before us therefore let not us that be Christians be too much afraid of death There is a potion brought to a sicke Patient which the eye loathes and the mouth distasts The poore sick man is loath to drinke of it the Physitian takes it into his hand tasts of it before his eyes by that he is encouraged to receive it so is it with us death is a sowre cup which nature abhorreth we are all unwilling naturally to drink of it but for so much as Christ our loving and heavenly Physitian hath tasted of it before hand let us not be afraid of it The godliest men in the world cannot but in some measure feare death Christ feared it Et non est fortior miles quà m Imperator yet let this be as Sugar to sweeten this bitter Cup to us CHRIST tasted of it and overcame it so shall wee doe by his vertue and power As after the receit of a purgation the body is the better more sound than before so after we have drunk this bitter Cup of Death both in soule and body we shall be the better farre more glorious than before therefore let us be willing whensoever it shall seeme good to the Lord for us to taste it All of us should have died eternally At what time thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye both thou and all thy posterity Wee should have trodden the Winepresse of GOD's wrath and beene tormented with the Devill and his angels in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever but CHRIST hath tasted death for us all O the wonderfull and unspeakable love of Christ as if a company of Traytors were going to the Scaffold to be executed the Kings Sonne should step forth to dye for them what an admirable thing were that We by nature are enemies to God traytors to his Majestie the Son of the King of Kings comes from heaven and dies for us Is not this to be admired of us all scarce will any dye for a righteous man we were unholy unrighteous defiled with the scab of sin in soule and body yet the Lord Iesus died for us Life is sweet who will dye for his friend but will any dye for his enemy The consideration of the death of Christ should occupie our mindes continually we should ever be thinking of it it should cause us to be alwayes singing of that song Worthy is the Lambe that was killed for us to receive all honour c. But why did Christ tast death for us what moved God to send his Son to dye for us Surely his owne grace mercy and favour eternall life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So God loved the world that he gave c. There was no goodnes in us that might procure Christ to die for us no praevisa opera nor praevisa fides it is the grace of God that we are preserved from eternall death by grace ye are saved not by workes Let us not part stakes with the Lord give halfe to our selves and halfe to him but let us ascribe the whole praise of our salvation to the grace of God alone not to us O Lord not to us but to thy owne name and mercy in thy Sonne Christ Iesus be given all praise for ever and ever VERSE 10. NOw he descendeth to Christs humanity by preventing an objection of the adversaries Well you have affirmed Christ to be God above the Angels and all other creatures and that his suffering of death was no derogation from the glory of his Deity but a declaration of Gods grace and mercy to mankinde by his death to preserve men from death eternall but seeing hee was GOD what need was there that hee should become man suffer afflictions and dye Hee might have saved men by the power of his Deity yea even by his bare and naked word whereby he made all things at the first Answer indeed GOD being omnipotent might have saved mankinde if it had seemed good to him by some other meanes than by the incarnation and death of his Son yet this seemed to be the most fit and convenient
darke night wee may imagine a tree to bee a man but when the day comes it is easily discerned So the Word of GOD is the bright day and glorious sun-shine whereby we discerne truth from false-hood sound doctrine from that which is corrupt and hereticall Therefore let us exercise ourselves in Gods Word continually that we may discerne betweene the purity of the Gospell and the impurity of Popery and all Errours and Heresies whatsoever that being enlightned by the candle of the word we may see and take the way that leadeth to the kingdome of heaven CHAP. 6. BEfore wee had Saint Pauls objurgation that they were so great non proficients in the Schoole of Christ. Now follows an exhortation to pricke them forwards to greater perfection in Religion Where 1. The substance of the exhortation 2. The pressing and urging of it by foure arguments 1. A ridiculo 2. Ab exemplo 3. A Deo 4. A periculo 1. From a ridiculous absurditie set forth by a comparison 2. From an enumeration of the chiefe rudiments which they are to leave 3. From the efficient cause of the spirituall progresse which they are to make namely God 4. From a fearefull danger that will ensue if upon a carelesse neglect or contempt of the heavenly doctrine they stand at a stay and goe not forward by that meanes they may goe backeward and at the length may fall into the sin against the Holy Ghost Therefore it stands them in hand in feare and humility to aspire to perfection dayly more and more VERSE 1. THe exhortation hath two branches 1. What they are to leave 2. What they are to contend unto 1. Terminus à quo 2. Terminus ad quem Seeing it is a shame alwayes to be babes let us as men growne seeke after stronger meat The principles .i. that which begins us and enters us into Christianity leaving that How Not casting it for ever behinde our backes suffering it quite to slip out of our memories never thinking of it any more we must remember even the principles of Religion to our dying day but wee must not insist in those and set downe our staffe here but as good travellours goe on forwards As if one should say to a Grammer Scholler leave thy Grammar and goe to Logick Rhetoricke Philosophie to more deepe and profound points of learning his meaning is not that hee should leave his Grammar quite and never thinke on it any more but that he should passe from that to greater matters As if one should say to a Traveller going to London that sits eating and drinking at Colchester leave Colchester and goe on to London So leave this doctrine of the beginning of Christianity leave your A. B. C. be not alwayes beginners but proceede till ye come to some maturity Let us goe on to perfection with all cheerefulnesse and celerity Both we that are the teachers and you that are to be taught by us that we may aspire to perfection dayly more and more Wee cannot goe of ourselves we must be led namely by the hand of GOD Almighty as little Children cannot goe unlesse their mothers and nurses lead them Let us therefore intreat the Lord to lead us forward by the hand of his spirit to perfection dayly more and more Wee cannot climbe up to the highest staire of the ladder of perfection in this world we must be climbing all the dayes of our life Saint Paul was rapt into the third heaven yet he professed he was not yet perfect We know in part we believe in part and we must be as Schollers learning of our part so long as we live Though with Moses wee have beene brought up in all the learning of the Aegyptians though wee bee as perfect Scribes in the law of GOD as Ezra as eloquent and mightie in Scripture as Apollos though wee have as many tongues as Saint Paul who spake with tongues more than they all did yet wee must bee carryed on still to perfection wee must be as Travellours that are ever walking and going on and on never resting till wee come to our journeys end which will not bee till death it selfe shall come Our SAVIOUR himselfe as hee was a man did grow up in wisedome and shall any of us thinke our selves so wise that wee neede not to grow in wisedome Let us all goe on forwards to perfection every day more and more The first reason is taken from a ridiculous absurditie set forth by a comparison Not laying againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because foundations are layd exceeding deepe in the earth All men laugh at those builders that are alwayes laying the foundation but never set up the Walls lay on the roofe tyle and glaze the house c. but every day are laying the foundation Those bee foolish builders So we that be Christians must not always be laying the foundation of religion but wee must build up ourselves as a glorious house to the Lord. Then hee sets downe the particular stones of this foundation which wee must not ever bee laying hee reckons up the chiefe points of the Christian catechisme which all ought to have at their fingers ends which it is a shame to be ever learning Of these some concerne this life some the life to come they that appertaine to this life are private or publike 1. Repentance which is illustrated by the things we are to repent of There be living workes which we doe when CHRIST liveth in us these are not to bee repented of but to be practised by us and there bee dead workes which be sinnes and are so called 1. Because they come from dead men that are dead in trespasses and sinnes 2. Because they tend to death and destruction the wages of sinne is death All sinnes are dead workes covetousnesse malice pride drunkenesse uncleannesse lying swearing c. are dead works therefore let us have nothing to doe with them Men are afraid to touch dead bodies or to come neere them we flye away from a dead and stinking carkasse Every sin is a dead carkasse that sends up an unsavory smell into the nostrills of God therefore let it be abhorred by us all let us turne away our eyes and hearts too from all dead workes Repentance hath two parts thâ— mortification of sin and vivification to newnesse of life Isa. 1.16 Zacheus repented him when he left his peeling and griping and became a liberall man made restitution to those whom hee had defrauded and gave the one halfe of his goods to the poore Peter repented of his denyall of Christ when he did not only weepe bitterly for it for a time but stood in defence of Christ to the very death Then an adulterer repents of his adulterie when hee leaves quite his Whores and harlots and possesses his vessell in holinesse and honour Repentance is a forsakâ—ng of the sinne and an imbracing of the contrary vertue It is not the laying aside of sinne for a time
ashes of that ashes a certaine water was to be made which being sprinckled on them that were uncleane by the touching of a dead body c. it did sanctifie them and made them capable of the Tabernacle being purified by that water they might goe with the rest of the people into the place of Gods worship This Cow was a type of Christ. 1. As shee was Red So was hee dyed red in his owne bloud 2. As she was without spot or scab or any disease So Christ was without the spot of sin 3. As shee was never used to the yoke no more was Christ to the yoke and servitude of sin 4. As she dyed so Christ. Therefore if the water made of her ashes was precious much more the bloud of Christ sprinckled on our consciences In the proofe of this hee doth not insist because it was confessed by the Iewes So I thinke holy water may sanctifie touching the purity of the flesh If a man have dirt on his face when he is about to enter into the Church their holy water may take it away but it cannot helpe for any spirituall thing to scare away Devills or to put away veniall sins VERSE 14. THerefore he proceeds to the Apodosis Where 1. The sacrifice of Christ. 2. The end of it Not equally but much more Then the bloud of a beast The which he illustrateth by diverse circumstances 1. By the Person that offered this bloud he was Sacerdos victima 2. By the Party or power by the which he offered it Some by the eternall Spirit understand the Holy Ghost as by him he was conceived in the Virgins wombe by him lead into the wildernesse to bee tempted Mat. 4.1 So through his assistance he offered up himselfe but by the eternall Spirit is rather meant the eternall deity of our Saviour Christ 1 Pet. 3.18 19. As hee was man consisting of flesh and bloud So he was also God an eternall and incomprehensible spirit From this his infinite and unspeakeable deity the bloud of CHRIST received a power to make satisfaction for our sinnes Whereupon it is called the bloud of God Acts 20.28 The bloud of none that was a meere man could doe it if CHRIST 's bloud had not beene offered up by his eternall spirit it could not have purchased our redemption The bloud of Martyrs was offered up by the assistance of the HOLY GHOST yet it was not meritorious it was not that but the power of the deity that made Christ's bloud meritorious 3. By the thing offered not any brute Creature not a man an Angell but Himselfe 4. By the quality of the thing offered even in respect of his humanity and for that cause his bloud was more forcible 5. To whom to God As a full satisfaction for the sins of the world Then he comes to the efficacy of the bloud of Christ deduced out of the former the bloud of Goats and Bulls did purge the flesh and outward man this the conscience and inward man In some Greeke copies it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our consciences All stand in need of purging We have a double benefit by the bloud of Christ justification and sanctification from dead workes that is sins Now from these dead workes that lay as an heavy loade on our consciences the bloud of Christ purgeth us Sinnes are called dead workes 1. Because they come from dead men 1 Tim. 5. Verse 6. Eph. 2. Verse 1. 2. Because they engender death Rom. 6. ult The bloud of CHRIST purgeth our consciences from all sinnes so as our consciences cannot accuse and condemne us for sinne because it is washed away in the bloud of CHRIST Hebr. 10.2 Rom. 8.1 The second fruit issuing from the former is our sanctification that being thus justified wee may be sanctified in soule and body to serve the living God Luk. 1.74 He is stiled the living God 1. Because he lives of himselfe and that for ever 2. Because hee makes us by his spirit to live a spirituall life in this world 3. Because hee will raise us up from a corporall death at the latter day and cause us to live with him for ever in the world to come 1. Grievous is the sting of Conscience This chest worme gnaweth sore this made Iudas to cry out I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud This made Iosephs brethren to condemne themselves when no man laid any thing to their charge verily wee have sinned in that wee saw the anguish of his soule when hee besought us and wee would not heare This made those Iohn 8. that seemed holy men to the eye of the world to depart out of the Temple one by one being convicted of their owne consciences This was truly said to be mille testes Now how shall wee stoppe the mouth of these thousand witnesses We are all miserable sinners our consciences accuse us of innumerable sinnes but here is our comfort the bloud of Christ sprinkled on our consciences purgeth us from all sinne being justified by faith wee have peace with God Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God 's Elect it is CHRIST that hath dyed yea rather that is risen againe that with his owne bloud hath entred into the holy place and hath made an eternall expiation of our sinnes Let us all entreat the Lord to apply the force of this bloud to our consciences dayly more and more 2. There bee living workes a reverent using of the name of GOD a cheerefull and reverent hearing of his word temperance chastitie sobriety liberality c. these come from us when wee live by faith in the Sonne of GOD there bee also dead workes blasphemie swearing lying covetousnesse pride oppression envie hatred malice and these are to bee abhorred of us all 1. Dead things stincke If wee meete with a dead carkasse by the way wee hold our noses even so sinnes blasphemie prophanations pride envie hatred malice covetousnesse these stincke in the nostrills of God Almighty therefore let them be detested by us 2. Dead men are forgotten I am as a dead man out of minde So let not our mindes run on these dead workes on the profits of the world the pleasures of the flesh let these dead things bee no more remembred 3. That which is dead must be buryed give me a place to bury my dead out of my sight as Abraham said to the sons of Heth Gen. 23.4 Idolatry blasphemy all sins are dead things therefore let them be buryed 4. Dead things are abhorred of us We shun dead things by the way we will not come neere them so let these dead workes be abhorred of us Wee decline those things that bee deadly wee will drinke no poyson because it will kill us we will not goe where the plague is least wee dye All sins are deadly they will bring us to everlasting death therefore beware of them If wee meet with a dead body by the way wee decline it yet the savour that comes from it can but
kill our bodies the filthy stincke that issues out of these dead carkasses of sin will kill both body and soule therefore let them be detested by us These dead workes of sinne will poyson us all therefore have nothing to doe with them as wee love our life which is most deere to us all skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life so let us avoide these dead workes that deprive us of eternall life in the world to come 5. Dead things are heavy a dead man So these lye heavy on our consciences Caine Iudas they were not able to beare that intollerable burden Sins may very well be termed dead workes 1. Laedunt vitam naturae they make our naturall life more unpleasant to us in the end they cut the threed of it for the wages of sinne is death if we had never sinned against God we should never have dyed 2. Carent vita gratiae So long as we are dead in our sins we are out of the favour of God 3. Auferunt vitam gloriae they deprive us of the kingdome of heaven in the life to come therefore they are worthily termed dead workes Thirdly the end of our redemption is to serve God we are redeemed from our old conversation not to our old conversation we are bought with the bloud of Christ not to serve the Devill our selves the flesh the world we have served them too much already but from henceforth we must serve God And how must we serve him 1. Integraliter in soule and body not in body alone as hypocrites doe that draw neere to GOD with their lippes but their hearts are farre from him nor in soule alone as some fearefull Christians doe which say they have a good heart to God-ward and yet give their bodyes to the service of the Devill As God by Iesus Christ hath redeemed both soule and body so we must glorifie him with them both 2. Wee must serve God peculiariter him and him alone I am a jealous God Thou shalt have no other Gods besides me We must not make our belly our God as Epicures doe our money our God as covetous misers doe but wee must serve God alone hee must have all our service Matth. 4.10 3. Perseveranter not a while but continually to our lives end bee faithfull to the end and I will give thee the Crowne of life If wee persevere not in his service to our dying day wee shall loose our reward 4. Totaliter all the time of our whole life Wee must serve him not only when wee bee old drie and withered but in our fresh and flourishing yeeres wee must beare the yoke of the LORD when wee are young hee must have the first fruits of our service But alas though wee professe that wee are redeemed by CHRIST yet wee serve our owne lusts and affections wee serve not the living GOD as wee ought to doe Let us have a care to serve the living GOD in this short and transitory world that we may live eternally with this everliving GOD in the world to come There is no fishing to the Sea no service to the Kings nor no service to the King of Kings 1. Some Masters are poore and cannot reward their servants our master is rich heaven and earth are his Hester though a poore mayde yet because she served him he made her a Queene 2. Some masters are churlish and will not reward their servants as Nabal was wee have a kinde and loving master not the least service we doe if we give but a cup of cold water in his name but he will reward it 3. Earthly Masters give but earthly rewards they may give good wages while yee be with them and peradventure bestow a farme on you but our master will give us a kingdome 4. Earthly masters dye Gentlemen Knights Noblemen dye yea Kings themselves dye and then their servants seeke abroad but our master lives for ever Therefore let us serve him with all cheerefulnesse let us serve him in this life and we shall enter into the joy of our Master Will the Son of Iesse give you all Vineyards Our Master will give us all a kingdome We are servants here we shall bee Kings there have palmes in our hands and Crownes on our heads and raigne with him for ever VERSE 15. SEcondly the truth and substance of the Tabernacle is applyed to Christ as to a testatour Where 1. The constitution of the Testament Verse 15. 2. A confirmation of it In the constitution of it there be foure circumstances 1. The legatour 2. The death of the testatour that strengthens the Testament 3. The legatarie every believer 4. The legacie an eternall inheritance The instrumentall cause whereby wee attaine to our legacie was the death of Christ which hath a double use 1. To purchase redemption for us as a Priest we are redeemed by the bloud of Christ from the bonds of sins wherewith we were tyed by vertue of the former Testament 2. To ratifie the covenant and Testament to us as a Testatour he is a Priest in regard of God making an attonement for us with his bloud hee is a Testatour in respect of us bequeathing that to us which hee hath bought with his bloud It is ratified by the death of the Testatour Which is confirmed by two arguments 1. Iure humano Verses 16.17 2. Iure legali Where 1. A generall assertion Ver. 18. 2. A particular explication of it Verse 19.20 Here may seeme to be some contradictions 1. There it is said when Moses had read the booke here it is said when hee had spoken every precept that is appertaining to the booke of the covenant So that there is no jarre but a sweete harmony 2. There is mention only of the bloud of Beeves here of Calves and Goates they are by a Synecdoche comprehended in the other 3. There is nothing said of water wooll and hysop but there he speakes of sprinkling and these were used in all sprincklings 4. It is not said that the booke was sprinckled but that may well bee collected Verse 6. for having made an Altar and set the booke of the covenant on it with halfe of the bloud he sprinckled the Altar and the booke afterwards hee sprinckled the people too 5. There it is said this is the bloud of the Testament which God hath made with you Here which GOD commanded to bee brought to you This in sense is all one it was made according to the booke and being made was brought to them comprised in the booke Exod. 24.9 The force of the argument is this the former Testament was confirmed with bloud by the death of Calves Goats c. therefore it was requisite that the latter Testament should be ratified with bloud namely by the death of Christ the Testatour Because by his owne bloud hee hath purged our consciences which the bloud of beasts could not doe in the Law He by whose meanes and mediation the New
writing by his Apostles The Testatour is Christ the thing bequeathed is an inheritance the legataries are the faithfull the witnesses to it are his Apostles Act. 1.8 The seales are the Sacraments the exequutor is the HOLY GHOST Ioh. 14.16 which is CHRIST 's Vicar on the earth a faithfull exequutor that will give us our legacies to the full and deprive us of nothing Our SAVIOUR is dead therefore his Testament is of force Object If CHRIST 's Testament was of no force till his death then how could they in the time of the Law have remission of sinnes and eternall life Sol. In seeing the day of Christ by the eye of faith as Abraham did it was not in force complemento till Christ dyed acceptatione it was This eternall inheritance could not have come to us without the death of our Saviour Christ. If hee had not dyed wee could never have had possession of this inheritance therefore how are wee to love the Lord Iesus that hath ratified this inheritance to us by his bloud Let the consideration of the death of Christ worke a death to sinne in us all that as he hath dyed for us to procure this inheritance so we may dye to sin daily more and more Seeing the Testatour is dead we may assure our selves of this inheritance bequeathed to us by his will It is a rule in Law debts must be payd before legacies and oft-times under the colour of paying debts the legataries goe long without their legacies It cannot be so here our Saviour Christ left no debts to pay he ought nothing he departed cleere with all men therefore we may be sure of our legacie All the devils in the world cannot keepe us from it VERSE 18. DEdicated to God by certaine Solemne rites and ceremonies Hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the feast of dedication Ioh. 10.22 Much lesse should the latter bee ordained without bloud VERSE 19. TO the Law as God required Exod. 24.8 Every precept being spoken by Moses Some thinke that all the people are said to be sprinkled because the twelve pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel were sprinckled Others thinke that some few of the elders were sprinckled instead of all the rest Or all may be put for a great part In a manner all of them were sprinckled VERSE 20. YEt it was the bloud of heifers or of Goates but it is called the bloud of the testament because by it was signified Christ his bloud which is the maker of the Testament to this did our Saviour allude Matth. 26.28 this is the bloud of the New Testament which was shed for you Beza translates it that God hath commanded to you as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but rather expound it which God hath commanded subaudi to be carryed to you The bloud of Calves and goates sprinckled on the people in the time of the Law was a figure of Christ's bloud sprinckled on our consciences Object Here wee may learne say the Rhemists that the Scripture containes not all necessary truths when neither the place to the which the Apostle alludeth nor any other doth mention halfe these ceremonies but he had them by tradition Sol. I but all these are contained in the Scripture The booke was sprinckled on the Altar or at least with the respersion that was cast on the people For the purple wooll and hysop Levit. 14.51 there is the water too Ribera sayes all these are necessarily collected for there could be no sprinckling without them Vnder the peace offerings Exod. 24.5 are comprehended Goates appointed to peace offerings as wee may see Levit. 3.12 The meaning of these words is nothing else but this is a significant token of the bloud of the New Testament that is to bee shed for your sins This bloud sprinckled on the people was a significant type and figure of the bloud of our Saviour Christ whereby the New Testament is confirmed to us That was the bloud of Goates and Heifers this of Christ the immaculate Lamb of God 2. Moses was the sprinckler of that bloud the Holy Ghost is the sprinckler of this 3. That was sprinckled on the face or garments of the people this on our hearts and consciences 4. The aspertorium the sprinckling sticke there was made of purple wooll and hysop the aspertorium here is faith With that doth the Spirit or God sprinckle on us the bloud of Christ. 5. That sprinckling did but sanctifie the outward man this the hid man of the heart 6. The force and power of that sprinckling lasted but a while the efficacy of this sprinckling continueth for ever Therefore let us all be desirous of this sprinckling As the Woman of Samaria said Lord give me of that water So let us say LORD sprinckle us with the bloud of CHRIST continually It is a comfortable thing for a man to bee sprinckled with sweet water it is a sweet smell and refreshes him but nothing so sweete as the bloud of CHRIST sprinckled on our soules and consciences by faith Let us desire the Lord to sprinckle this bloud on us dayly more and more that being washed with it wee may bee made fitt for the Holy Hierusalem and remaine with Christ for ever and ever Hebrewes 9.21 NOw followes an application of the rites and ceremonies belonging to the Tabernacle 1. A narration of them Verse 21.22 2. An accommodation of them The rites are two 1. The rite of consecration or sanctification Lev. 16.14 16. 8 15 18. 2. The rite of purification some by fire some by water Num. 31.23 In all things are comprehended also all persons An accommodation is made of these rites by the way of an antithesis or opposition whereof there be foure members 1. An application of the things Verse 23. 2. Of the place Verse 24. 3. Of the actions Verse 25.26 4. Of the use Verse 27.28 The things are applyed by way of opposition It was necessary that the types of heavenly things should be purified with such externall things for the purification of the flesh or outward man But c. The sacrifice of Christ is termed sacrifices in the plurall number and yet is but one because the fruit and efficacy of it is derived unto many So the wisedome of Christ is set forth by seven eyes his power by seven hornes Apoc. 5.6 The Holy Ghost being but one spirit it is called seven spirits Apoc. 1.4 The place is applyed by way of opposition 1. In respect of the nature that was made with hands this without 2. Of the use or end there the High-Priest did appeare before the Arke and Mercy-seate which were figures of Gods presence here our High-Priest appeares before GOD immediately without figures for us The third is an application of the action or service the dissimilitude whereof consisteth in three things 1. There the High-Priest went often into the holy place here our High-Priest went into heaven but once 2. He went with other bloud ours
an interrogation yet it is better to read it affirmatively otherwise they should have ceased to have beene offered Once purged from the guilt and punishment of sinne Should no more be pricked in conscience for their sins their consciences accusing them and drawing them before the tribunall of Gods justice for their sins If a medicine have once throughly cured a man it needs not againe be ministred to the man So if the ceremoniall Law with her sacrifices had healed the people of their sins those sacrifices might have ceased to bee offered but they were offered every yeare therefore they did not purge them from their sinnes The often iteration of those sacrifices shewed their inability to take away sin If the sacrifice of Christ once offered on the Crosse have purged us from all sinne then Christ must be no more offered but the sacrifice of Christ once offered on the Crosse hath purged us from all sinne which the Papists deny not Therefore Christ is no more to be offered as they say he is in the sacrifice of the Masse The Iesuites affirme that the Apostle here strikes at the legall sacrifices but not at the sacrifice of holy Church I but with one stroake hee woundeth them both The repetition of a sacrifice argues the weakenesse and debility of it for if it have once abolished sinne it needs not bee repeated againe CHRIST by his sacrifice on the Crosse hath taken away the sins of the world therefore Christ is not to be offered up any kinde of way neither bloudily nor unbloudily to expiate sin There is a conscience in every man that keepeth a register of all his sins It is scientia cum alia scientia There is a generall knowledge of the Law written in the hearts of us all and conscience is a particular application of it to our selves As for example the Law of God sayes Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge My conscience sayes to mee if I be guilty of that sinne thou art an Adulterer thou hast had thy Queanes in many corners therefore God will judge thee this is conscience which setteth our sins in order before us For the better unfolding of it we know that there be sundry kindes of consciences 1. There is an erring conscience a blind conscience as was in them that thought they did God good service when they killed the Children of God Such a conscience was in Paul before his conversion for the which hee was grieved afterwards when the eyes of their minde come but once to bee opened then their conscience will accuse them for it 2. There is a sleeping conscience A man knowes the will of God yet his conscience being a sleepe for a time he lyes snorting in the bed of sinne So did David in his sin of numbring the people but his conscience awoke at the length and his heart smote him for it A man may lye sleeping in covetousnesse drunkennesse adultery and God at the length awaken him out of that sleepe which is good for him 3. There is a seared conscience such as was in them 1 Tim. 4.2 when men are past feeling and hardned in their sins Custome becomes another nature They are so accustomed to drinking whoring oppressing and deceiving of their neighbours as that they thinke those to be no sins Their consciences never checke them for them These are in the ready way to Hell 4. There is an accusing conscience which is as a scolding queane in the house of a mans heart and will never suffer him to bee quiet day nor night They are like the raging Sea continually foaming In that case were they that went out of the Temple one by one being convicted of their owne consciences Such a conscience had Iudas when he cryed I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud This may prove a tragedy both in the end and in the beginning too as it did in him and it may end with a comedy in Gods Children It may lead some to hell and for others it may bee the way to heaven Mordeat nunc ut moriatur It is better for us that this Worme gnaw on us here to the vexation of our hearts for a while then gnaw on us eternally hereafter This accusing conscience more or lesse wee shall have in this world at one time or other they that fall into grosse sins and yet never feele a hell in their consciences in this life shall never finde an heaven in the life to come Therefore it was well said of one being demanded which was the way to heaven hell sayes he For if thou goest not by hell thou wilt never get to heaven 3. There is an excusing and cleering conscience When the bookes are cleered betweene GOD and us A debter is cleered when the booke of his Creditour is crossed so our consciences are quiet when our sins are out of Gods booke then we shall have no more conscience of sin This could not be effected by the sacrifices in the time of the Law neither can it bee obtained by any thing that we can doe in the time of the Gospell It is neither our comming to Church nor hearing of Sermons though these bee good things not our prayers fastings almes deeds receiving of Communions noe though wee should give our bodies to be burnt These are excellent duties yet these cannot acquit our consciences of sinne for when wee have done all we are unprofitable servants and we sinne in our best actions The only way to come to a quiet and excusing conscience is the application of Christ's merits to our selves being justified by faith we have peace with God If wee have laid hold on CHRIST by a lively faith wee may take up that song death where is thy sting c. Therefore let us repent and then entreat the Lord to assure our consciences that CHRIST hath dyed for all our sinnes and then wee shall have no more conscience of sins So we shall sing for joy when wee lye on our death beds and shall stand without trembling before God in the life to come VERSE 3. BVt the offerers of them have still conscience of sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not onely of their present sins but of their sinnes past too All of them doe lye as a loade still on their consciences whereof the yeerely sacrifice by the High-Priest putteth them in minde Levit. 16.21 As they in the time of the Law had many sacrifices to put them in remembrance of sinne so wee in the time of the Gospell have many remembrancers of sinne Sundry Monitours to admonish us that we be sinners The Raine-bow may be a remembrance of sin to us that the world was once drowned for sinne and that it might be so still but for the goodnesse and mercy of God Baptisme daily ministred in the Church putteth us in minde of sinne for if we were not sinners we needed not to be baptized The Lords Supper puts us in minde of
remitted so Christ forgot the cruelty that his persecutors used towards him Mat. 18.3 All good turnes let us remember but as for all wrongs let them bee forgotten for ever Why will he not remember our sins any more Surely because his Son Christ Iesus hath dyed for our sins and offered himselfe for them him that knew no sin he made to be sin for us therefore he will remember our sins no more To that purpose is this testimony alleadged in this place VERSE 18. WHereupon he inferreth this conclusion Of these things that is of sins and iniquities is There may bee spirituall oblations and sacrifices of prayer thankesgiving and almes deeds Hebr. 13.17 but there remaines no more offering for the expiation of sinnes If all sinnes be forgiven for the one oblation that Christ hath offered there needs no more offering for sin but for the worthinesse of that one oblation all sins are forgiven us Ergo there needs no more offering for sin Object There is Christ's As for the Masse it is the same sacrifice that Christ offered on the Crosse therefore that may still remaine as propitiatory for sinne Sol. 1. It is not the same for Christ's body is in heaven there he tarryes still Verse 13. and Act. 3.21 therefore it is not in the sacrifice of the Masse here on earth for that cause it is not the same sacrifice that was on the crosse 2. Here it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That was bloudy this unbloudy Which differ as much as light and darkenesse death and life and if unbloudy then no remission of sins in it Hebr. 9.22 3. If Christ be offered in the Masse then he must suffer there Hebr. 9.26 but he doth not suffer there ergo 4. If CHRIST be there offered then hee is there consumed for sacrificabile must be destructibile as Bellarmine confesseth and in all sacrifices there is a consumption of the thing sacrificed the Goate the Sheepe the Heyfer was consumed and Christ was consumed or destroyed on the Crosse he is not destroyed in the Masse ergo he is not in the sacrifice of the Masse Yes sayes Bellarmine he is destroyed sacramentally because he is eaten by the Priest though not physically and really I but in a sacrifice there must be a physicall and reall destruction of the thing sacrificed otherwise no sacrifice Againe a repetition of the same sacrifice is here excluded If CHRIST must bee offered up often then that one offering on the Crosse was insufficient for the taking away of sinne but the Apostle proveth that CHRIST was to be offered but once If he be offered up often it is an indignity to him for so were the sacrifices in the Law The Masse I conclude still is no propitiatory sacrifice Here we have a most sweet and comfortable doctrine by the offering of our SAVIOUR CHRIST we obtaine remission of sins his bloud purgeth us from all sin In sin we are warmed in our Mothers belly in sin we were conceived and borne We sucke sinne as milke from our mothers breasts before wee bee regenerate wee doe nothing but sinne draw sin with Cartropes and iniquity with the cordes of vanity After we are regenerate In many things we sinne all The just man falleth seven times a day If God should enter into judgement with us for our sins we were not able to answer one for a thousand We sin in preaching praying hearing our best sort of actions are defiled with sin But here is our comfort by the oblation of Iesus Christ on the Crosse once made wee have remission of all our sins In so much as wee may say death where is thy sting Let us desire the Lord to apply this oblation of Christ to us by a true and lively faith And as by CHRIST alone we have the forgivenesse of our sins which all the sacrifices in the Law could not purchase nor any thing that we can doe under the Gospell so let the love of Christ in dying for our sins cause us to dye to sinne dayly more and more and as he in wonderfull love offered up himselfe as a sacrifice for the putting away of our sins so let us offer up our selves our soules and bodies as a holy living and acceptable sacrifice to him all the dayes of our lives that the power of Christ's passion appearing in us in this world we may reigne with him in the world to come Now hee makes an application of that discourse hee had of Christ. analysis 19 1. The foundation Then the building 22. The doctrine and the use The doctrine hath three branches 1. Our entrance into heaven 2. The way whereby we enter Verse 20. 3. Our guide and leader in the way Verse 21. In our entrance 1. The manner of it 2. The place whereinto we enter 3. The meanes whereby analysis 20 In the way 1. A commendation of it 2. The conservation of it 1. For his office he is a Priest analysis 21 2. For his dignity great 3. For his dominion over the house of God The use is threefold 1. An appropinquation to God Verse 22. 2. A profession of God 23. 3. A declaration of it by provoking one another 24. analysis 22 Our appropinquation 1. Ex parte subjecti 2. Ex parte formae 3. Ex parte medij Internall externall analysis 23 Our profession must be held fast Where 1. How 2. Why. In the provocation 1. How it must be done with consideration analysis 24 2. To what we must provoke VERSE 19. 1. WE must make a profitable use of all doctrines propounded to us The High-Priest in the time of the Law could not enter into the Sanctum Sanctorum without bloud Hebr. 9.7 no more can wee into heaven hee entered by the bloud of a Goate and an Heyfer we by the bloud of Iesus Act. 20.28 We have boldnesse of entrance into the holy places How Thieves enter into an house so doe sacrilegious persons into a Church but it is with quaking and trembling least they should be apprehended because they have no right of entring wee enter boldly into the sanctuary of heaven because we have a right to it by Iesus Christ. Not to see it afarre off on an hill as Moses did the land of Caâ—an but to enter into it Into what Into the holy places which is expounded to be heaven Hebr. 9.24 In the time of the Law none but the High-Priest went into the Holy of Holies and that but once a yeere here all both Ministers and people Magistrates and subjects high and low rich and poore all that believe in Christ have entrance into heaven We may be bold by prayer to enter into it in this life and in soule and body we shall have a comfortable entrance into it in the life to come None but Gentlemen of the Privie Chamber may enter into the King we may all goe to the King of Kings and that boldly because we are reconciled to him by
299. our comfort thereby 299 Christs body a Tabernacle so is ours 310 311. Christ is the sole Mediatour 361. so long as Christ appeares in heaven for us our sinnes cannot appeare 369. Christs second comming notably described 376. Christs flesh called a vaile why 404. Christ more manifest to us than to those of old with the use of it 534 535 Christ his death a cruell death in three respects 541. hee suffered foure kinde of wayes ibid. None so spoken against as he 543 Christians All Christian souldiers especially Christian Ministers 6 7. Reasons why one Christian should be deare to another 28. how and wherein wee are Christs fellowes 67 wee are called Christians of Christ. 68. a Christians dignity 92 93. they should not feare death 95. they are the house of God 121 122. their dignitie 138 139. their dutie ibid. Christians must be simple not subtill 30â— cunning cruell Christians are like dogges that will bite before they barke 30â— they must be undefiled 302 303. as soone as we become Christians we must looke for afflictions 428. Christians must not be cowards 430 Church how a house or household may be called a Church 7.8.119 All true Churches agree in substance of Religion though not in ceremonie 328. the Arke a lively representation of the Church 334. the Churches protectors and protection how shaddowed out 335. the uses of it 335 336. the Church is Gods house 406. the Ministers are in some sort over it ibid. Vniversalitie no necessary note of the Church 451 452. the Church is compared to a mountaine 572. to a city 573. the Churches universality dignity and stabilily well handled 579 580 c. City the Church compared to a citie 573. Heaven is a city which how we have already see 574 Cloud Its properties applied to the faithfull 536 Comming Christs second comming notably described 376. the joy conceived by Christs comming 390 the differences of Christs commings ibid. the comming of Christs day is fearefull to the sinfull joyfull to the Saints 419 Compasse there are two compassers 539 Condemnation many things condemne a man 452 Conscience It is the soules register to keepe a note of all our sinnes 344. what can secure our consciences ibid. no outward thing can purge the conscience 345. the sting of conscience is grievous 356. there is a conscience in every man what it doth with its divers kindes 385 386. Ministers ought to have a good conscience 635 what a good consciencâ— is 635 636. divers definitions of the word 636. Wherein a Minister should examine his conscience 637. a good life is the meate of the conscience 644 Consideration the greatnesse of the word 116. it must goe before provocation 411 Constancie Christians must be constant 622 675. Foure impediments to constancie 677 678 Covetousnesse all a mans doings smell something of it 915 reasons against it 616 remedies against it ibid. a covetous man is never contented 7â—4 Countrey how sweete a mans owne country is to him 455 Abrahams forsaking it was a great triall ibid. we must not forsake it without a calling ibid 456. the world is not the Saints countrey 469 Creatures All Creatures are servants to Gods children 510 Cow a red cow in the sacrifice what it signifieth 354 a tipe of Christ. 355 D. DAy how the word to Day is taken 127. Festivall dayes warrantable 333 Dead Dead things and dead workes compared 357 Death good Christians should not feare death 95. there are three that have the power of death 1. God 2. Man 3. the Devill 108 Death is a Serpent without a sting 110. Death common to all men 372. 37â— the use of it ibi why the godly should die seeing Christ died for them 373. death is a bitter cuppe but sugared by Christ 374. two benefits come by death 374. after death comes judgement 375. an instance of sudden death 377. they are oft deepest in Gods bookes that are soonest taken away an instance of it 443. Death cannot hurt the godly it rather benefitteth them 4.65 yet the thought of it is bitter to some 469 happy they are that die in the faith 466 a patterne of our behaviour in death 486 487. Death a pretty story against the feare of death 574 Debts they are to be paid before we be too forward in the charges of sacrificing 37. there is little quiet in the honest debter ibid. wee must be marvellous carefull how wee come in debt for others ibid. what debt wee owe to our Ministers 38 Deceive Deceivers there are many 137. sinne deceiveth us many wayes ibid. Deliverance what it is and whom Christ delivereth 109. God doth deliver three wayes 434 Desperation we must beware of it 517 518 Despise Christ is despised two wayes 590 Devill why God suffers the devill to walke up and downe like a Lyon 109 Diligence wee cannot goe to heaven without diligence 231. to diligence we must adde perseverance 232 Diotrephes his name interpreted with the use of giving of names 997 998 Doctrine we must not looke for any mint of new doctrine 55 Doubt Christians must keepe a meane betweene doubting of their salvation and presuming 139 Draw Draw neere the vertues whereby we must draw neere to God 381. what this drawing neere is and how we must doe it 407. Christians must be no with-drawers except it be from the wicked 435 Drunkennesse it pulls on fornication 565 Dulnesse the causes of Dulnesse in hearing 203 E EArth man compared to earth 220 Education wherein childrens Education doth consist 668 Elect Election God hath his chosen among all 25 Enoch of his person and translation to heaven with many cirstances thereof 441 44â— c. Esau his Acts especially that of selling his 〈◊〉 right 564. his punishment 566 Erre Errours how Israel Erred 131 Evidence Faith is our Evidence and we must make much of it 431 Evill it is soone imitated 706 what we must doe that are compassed about with Evill men ibid. c. Examples they are more avayleable than precepts 17. we must make use of the Examples of old 134. if good then to be followed 179. Patternes how prevailent 233. wee must follow our Patterne in goodnesse 314. even in all good ibid. three Reasons of the prevailencie of Examples 536 537 Excommunication its definition 705. to be excommunicated is a fearefull condition ibid. Exhort we should mutually Exhort one another 136. Exhor if it be timely taken it will awaken us out of sinne 136 F FAlling whether every falling away be a sin against the Holy Ghost 215 216. the conditions of that falling away 216 Fame of both good and bad with their feete and wings 134. it is compared to a Shippe receiving all passengers 688 Father our Fathers must not bee a Rule for us alwayes to follow 127. foure speciall duties wee owe to our spirituall Fathers 629 630 Faith it is its property to apply God to our selves 11. A justifying Faith cannot be without love 15. unto Faith must bee annexed Hope 122. we must
1. A relation of them 2. A communication of them 4. Quare Why he gives thankes because he hath a joyfull experience of them in himselfe He doth not say I commend thee I extoll thee to the skies for this great love thou shewest to the Saints and for the faith thou hast in the LORD IESUS but I thanke GOD for them He is to be praised for all The Oratour would thanke God for honour but himselfe for vertue It was the Donatists song Scientia ex Deo charitas ex nobis knowledge is of GOD love is of our selves Whereas God is to bee blessed for them all for what have wee poore beggars but that which wee have received Eo quisque pessimus quo optimus fi adscribat sibi quòd optimus He that is best is worst if he ascribe his excellencie to himselfe Ioseph indeed saies Augustine found silver in Benjamins sacke but it was of his owne putting in So God findes silver and golden graces in us but he put them in before therefore he is to be thanked for all Homo est exceptorium bonitatis Dei Man is an emptie vessell that receives all which it pleaseth God to powre into it Whose God is he whom he thankes My God What is he Saint Pauls God and not Saint Peters God Yes verily It is not his meaning to monopolize God to himselfe as it is the manner of some to doe God is their God alone they are the Sole children of God all others are reprobates St. Paul was not of such a proud spirit he speakes this Non Deum restringendo sed Deum applicando not restraining God to himselfe but applying God to himselfe Aug. makes a sweete commentary upon it Dicis Deus meus thou sayest my God Securus dicis verum dicis thou speakest it securely thou speakest it truly at non fecisti ut non sit alterius yet thou hast not hereby brought it to passe that he should not be other mens God as well as thine Non enim sic dicis Deus meus quomodo equus meus for thou doest not so say my God as thou doest my horse equus tuus est non alterius he is thy horse and not anothers Deus tuus est alterius he is thy God and anothers too not of the Iewes only but of the Gentiles too yea the God of the whole world The Sunne is ALEXANDERS and Diogenes too But this is the propertie of faith to applie God particularly to our selves My Redeemer liveth sayes Iob there is no peace saith my God to the wicked my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour sayes the Virgin Mary My God and my Lord sayes Saint Thomas I thanke my God sayes Saint Paul which hath loved me and given himselfe for me Meus Iesus sayes Origen my Iesus frequent in his bookes Erasmus reports of Dr. Colet Deane of Saint Pauls that he was often heard to speake these words O Vtinam essem cum meo Christo. The Devill can say God and he trembles at it but he cannot say my God this is proper to the faithfull The Lord is my strength and my salvation whom shall I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I bee afraid though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no evill he will be my God in life and in death too he will never forsake me till he hath brought me to his everlasting kingdome But where or when did he give thankes for him in his prayers making mention of thee He was not unmindfull of him he did not forget him as Pharaohs butler did Ioseph he remembred him he made mention of him Not now and then but alwayes Where Not in his cups but in prayers There were some in Saint Ambrose time that would make mention of the Emperour in their cups but St. Paul made mention of Philemon in his prayers as he praised God for him so he prayed to God likewise for him The best men cumulated with the greatest graces of the Spirit had need to be prayed for St. Paul was rapt up into the third heavens where he saw secrets not to be uttered yet he desires the Ephesians prayers Saint Peter was a stout champion yet CHRIST prayes that his faith should not faile Philemon abounded in all good gifts of knowledge faith and love yet St. Paul ceased not to pray for him 1. The best of all know but in part believe in part love in part therefore wee had need to pray for them that their defects may be supplied that they may encrease daily more and more 2. Here we are viatores non apprehensores wayfaring men we are not come to our journeyes end therefore wee had need to be prayed for that wee may persevere to the end and have the crowne of life Paul had his prayers So we must all Isaack went into the field to pray and hee prayed oft in his tent too David prayed at all seiles of the day morning evening noone and he prayed in the night too David was encumbred with the weighty affaires of the kingdome yet he prayed thrise a day Cornelius prayers went up into remembrance before God Our Saviour in the dayes of his flesh was full of prayers there was one that payd three hundred prayers to God every day as a daily tribute Constantine was stamped in his coine praying he would especially be marked for that 1. Our necessities are many for soule and body therefore let our prayers bee many We are as houses that stand in continuall need of reparations therefore let us pray to him that made us to repaire us that we may be fit buildings for his Majestie 2. Our enemies are many within and without too Now there is no strength in us against this great multitude let us pray to God to stand by us and for us But let us pray first in faith else we are like the Waves of the Sea and shall obtaine nothing 2. In fervencie remembring the Apostles If dignior sequeture effectus quem ferventior praecedit affectus that prayer shall have the greatest efficacie which hath the greatest fervencie 3. In humility omnis rogatio humilitate eget all requests must be preferred in humility This poore man cryed and the Lord heard him thou prayest and art not heard quia diveses because thou art rich in thy own conceit he sent the rich empty away 4. Pray with importunitie a kinde of godly impudency sayes Nazianzen is to be used in prayer 5. Perseveringly Speciall mention is to be made of some in our prayers 1. Of Kings which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pillars of the people they are worth tenne thousand of us therefore let us pray for them nominatim by name Sacrificamus pro salute Imperatoris Deo nostri ipsius sed quomodo pura prece we sacrifice for the safety of the
So the graces of the spirit clense us from many sinnes which are the corruptions of the soule 6. Oyle swims aloft above all other things it will have the preeminence above all liquid things So the oyle of the Spirit carries us aloft makes us to have our conversation in heaven 7. Oyle makes the lampe to burne the five foolish Virgins went to buy oyle for their lamps So the oyle of the Spirit makes us to continue burning in zeale and all good workes 8. Oyle makes a man chearefull he hath given him oyle to make him a cheerefull countenance when men would looke cheerefully they annoint their faces with oyle So the graces of the spirit infuse unspeakable cheerfulnesse into the faithfull for this cause it is called the oyle of gladnesse none so merry none so cheerfull as they that bee anoynted with this oyle There was great joy in Samaria when this oyle came to the City when the Gospell of Christ was planted among them The Iaylor rejoyced with all his household that by Saint Pauls Preaching he believed in God the Christians in the Primitive Church being for the most part poore folke eate their meate with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart praising God This oyle makes us exceeding cheerefull in all estates and conditions Sometimes indeed we have cause of weeping for our selves and others Saint Peter wept bitterly for his denyall of Christ. There be some of whom I tell you weeping yet this cheerfull oyle of the Spirit comforts us in the middest of all calamities whatsoever in Sicknesse poverty in the losse of goods and friends too yea in the houre of death it selfe David was in a pittifull taking the City was burnt wherein he was his wives taken prisoners the people ready to stone him yet having this oyle in him he was of a cheerefull heart It is said of him yet David comforted himselfe in the Lord his God Some are afrayd to become strict livers because they suppose there is no mirth in that way Christians must be ever weeping with Heraclitus they may not goe to the Taverns and Ale-houses they may not bee dancing skipping and rejoycing as other men yes verily they that be right Christians anointed with this oyle of the Spirit are the merriest men in the world they may in some respect though not as he did be alwayes laughing with Democritus There is no peace saith God to the wicked if no peace then no true joy they may be merry in their cups as Belshazzar was but the soundest mirth is among the godly that are anointed with this oyle of gladnesse Come Warre peace health sicknesse death life they are merry in the Lord ready to sing as the Swanne doth at the sight of death What a joyfull man was Saint Paul when he was in the Lions mouth at Rome I am now ready to be offered henceforth there is laid up for me a Crowne of righteousnesse Therefore let us intreat the Lord to anoint us with this oyle of gladnesse it surpasseth all the joy and mirth in the world All the faithfull have some of this oyle but Christ is anointed with it above us all Semper excipio Platonem said hee So when we talke of rare and excellent men we must say we alwayes except our Saviour Christ. Noah was a famous man Abraham a notable man Moses David Salomon were of great renowne Peter Paul Thomas were adorned with singular graces yet Christ is many degrees above them As he sayes of a good huswife many women have done valiantly but thou surmountest them all So though many of GODS children were beautified with the oyle of the spirit yet CHRIST surmounts them all he is annointed above his fellowes they were as starres he as the Sunne Therefore let us all doe reverence to him we are Saints but he is Sanctus Sanctorum and of his fulnesse we all receive The principall scope of the place is this CHRIST is above all above all men above all Angels above all creatures whatsoever Which must needs bee a pillar of singular comfort for us to leane upon that the King and protectour of the Church is the high mighty and eternall God all stoope to him Let Satan spew out the Sea of his malice against us let his instruments rage never so much let the cruell and bloud thirstie Iesuits be continually plotting against us as out of all question they are never idle yet let us not be dismayed CHRIST our head and keeper is above all he hath all power in heaven and earth hee sits in the high tower of heaven sees all their doings and laughs them to scorne This doctrine concerning the deity of CHRIST in the pressing whereof the Holy Ghost is so large and ample is not lightly to bee passed over let us all apply it to our owne hearts that it may bee a bultwarke to us in the time of need that seeing he is God blessed above all for ever and ever so we may boldly put our trust in him in this world count our selves safe under the shadow of his wings and reigne with him in the world to come VERSE 10. AN other Argument from the Creation of the world Christ is the maker of heaven and earth therefore GOD Ier 10.11 Psalme 102.25 This Psalme intreateth of the deliverance of the Church out of captivity in Babylon of the re-edifying of the Temple and the repairing of the Walls of Ierusalem which is further to bee applyed to our deliverance from sinne to the building up of the Walls and Temple of the Church whereupon the Psalmist converteth his speech to CHRIST the true instaurator of the Church Lord to whom all Creatures are subject as servants to their LORD In the beginning therefore CHRIST was before that beginning Io. 1.1 Before Abraham was I am Io. 8.58 CHRIST is the beginning of the world who was before it had a beginning Layd the foundation of the earth made it firme sure and solid so as it cannot be moved contrary to those Philosophers that are of opinion that the heavens stand still and the earth moveth though it cannot be discerned with the eye And the heavens i. all the heavens the firmament and the ayre are the workes of thy hands it is a metaphor borrowed from Carpenters and Masons else God hath no hands CHRIST in setting up the building of the world observed an other order then earthly Artificers When they goe about to build they lay the foundation first and set on the roofe afterwards for they cannot build otherwise but this celestiall builder made the roofe first and the foundation afterwards first he spread forth the heavens as the roofe and afterwards laid the foundation of the earth which was a lively demonstration of his unspeakable power Heaven and earth is the workemanship of CHRIST the high and eternall God In that respect it should be admired by us all if thou haddest a picture of Apelles making that famous and renowned Painter wouldest
meanes that as man by sin had deserved death so by the death of a man he should be redeemed from sin and death The necessity of Christs incarnation he proves first from the end of it He that by suffering for men was to bring men to salvation must be man Christ by suffering for men was to bring men to salvation ergo Christ was to bring many to glory This he could not do but by afflictions and namely by death it selfe for the Crosse must goe before the Crowne therefore it was requisite that in our humane nature he should first suffer It became this was most comely fit and convenient for him namely that God ver 9. which so graciously gave his Son for us that is God the Father by whose grace and mercy Christ died for us It became him for the better illustration of his owneglory for a more lively demonstration of his mercy and justice to the world of his mercy in not sparing his owne Son but giving him up to the death for us of his justice in punishing the sins of the world so severely in his owne Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. These words are to be referred to Christ not to God the Father 1. They are affirmed of him in Scripture 1 Cor. 8.6 Col. 1.16 2. Before hee spake of his humiliation it was meet to premise something concerning his glory power and dignity 3. For so much as it is said he was to be perfected through afflictions by afflictions to mount up to glory that concerning his Deity was well premised that we might know it was no new glory which he took but that which hee had from all eternity as hee was GOD Ioh. 17.5 It became God the Father to perfect the Prince of our salvation through afflictions for whom are all things and by whom are all things after he had brought many children to glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having made them willing by his holy spirit Wee are said also to be drawne Sed trahit sua quemque voluptas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Syntaxis might better be referred to CHRIST than to the Father otherwise the participle should have beene in the dative case to agree with the pronoune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then in the accusative case It ought to bee translated thus for it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things to consecrate the Prince of their salvation through afflictions bringing many Children to glory Children not friends but Children begotten by the word made the Sonnes of God by faith Iohn 1.12 knowne by the spirit Rom. 8.14 Not a few but many for he is a powerfull SAVIOUR many shall come from the East c. Not all men because all imbrace him not being offered to them Sundry were called to the feast that came not To glory in the kingdome of heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some translate it Sanctifie because of the next Verse but the words are diverse To perfect CHRIST is said to bee perfected because after his suffering hee was glorified in his Humanity as well as in his Deitie CHRIST his afflictions are so farre from being a shame or ignominie to him that they bee solemne rites or sacred ceremonies whereby he was consecrated Bishop of the universall Church Through afflictions in the whole course of his life especially at his death and passion The Arch-duke the Captaine the leader in whose steps wee are to tread the Author of their salvation Acts 3.15 If CHRIST had not become man afflicted and put to death he could not have carryed men into the kingdome of heaven for a purgation must be made for the sinne of man by the fiery furnace of affliction and especially by death therefore it became Christ to be made man too though he were God GOD is the efficient and finall cause of all 1. There is nothing but it is by GOD the Host of heaven the Sunne Moone and Starres are by him the birds of the ayre the fishies of the Sea the beasts of the field the greene and flourishing coat that the earth hath is by him All men yea Angels even the Devils themselves are by him not as Devils .i. malicious accusers of the Saints but as they be invisible and immortall spirits all are by him nay to proceede a little further and yet to keepe our selves within compasse of sound Divinity sin it selfe is not without the providence of God it is not à Deo creante sed disponente he disposeth of all the grosse sins that be in the world to his owne glory as a wise Physition makes a good use even of poyson in his confections Furthermore as all things are by GOD so all for him all serve his holy will and blessed pleasure some unwillingly some willingly GOD makes Satan and his instruments to be for him whether they will or no but the faithfull are willingly for him and serve him with all cheerefulnesse Let us remember that wee our selves and all that we have is for God he made us he redeemed us with the bloud of his Sonne therefore we are his not our owne our wit wealth honour worship learning our soules our bodies our eyes tongues hands feete all are for him with all that wee have we must glorifie him Our tongues are our owne sayd the wicked that is false all that we have is Gods therefore all must be at his commandement The pot is for him that made it and the servant must be imployed about his Masters businesse he must be his masters man not his owne therefore as we were created by God so let us be wholly for him Now it became this high and mighty God for whom are all things and by whom are all things which worketh all as seemeth best to him to consecrate the Prince of their salvation through afflictions bringing many children to glory CHRIST brought them to glory which he could not doe but by enduring many afflictions 1 Here we see that CHRIST could not bring us to heaven without innumerable afflictions which our sinnes had deserved he himselfe knew no sin but he was afflicted for our sins And indeed he was wonderfully afflicted for them from his cradle to his grave A man of sorrowes as the Prophet termeth him he was borne not of a wealthy Lady but of a poore woman base and contemptible to the eyes of the world at his first comming he was not laid in a costly Cradle but in a Cratch not in a Chamber well furnished but in a Stable borne in Winter and in the night when he was an Infant banished into Egypt hee wrought as is thought in the trade of his Father and was a Carpenter he had not a hole to hide his head in women were faine to minister to him of their owne substance as he went up and downe preaching the Gospell he had not bags of silver and gold about him but was faine to send to the Sea for a peece of 20d.
come out then they murmure against God despaire of his providence and are ready to exclaime against God This was the Israelites fault and thus often times they tempted God in the wildernesse If they wanted water to quench their thirst withall then they must needs dye God was not able to provide them water If they wanted bread So they did likewise and in a pelting chafe were ready to stone Moses and Aaron Then they would back againe to Aegypt then they wished themselves dead as if the same God that had miraculously beyond the expectation of men provided for them heretofore was not able to doe so still So when some told them of the walled townes that were in the land of Canaan of the mighty Gyants that were in the Country in comparison of whom they were but Grasse-hoppers then they brake forth into this exclamation God is not able to bring us into this land wee and our Children shall perish in this wildernesse They had seene with what a strong hand God had brought them out of Aegypt how miraculously he divided the red Sea that the waters stood as a wall on both sides till they safely passed over yet for all that when they were in any difficulty then God was no body of no power or willingnesse to doe for them This was a vile tempting of God which highly displeased him But there is no reason why we should thus tempt God casting off the hope and confidence we have in him He is subject to no changes yesterday and to day the same for ever Men may change but God changes not a man may be strong to day and weake to morrow whole to day and sick to morrow rich now and poore afterwards alive now and dead a while after a man may love us this houre and hate us the next as Amnon did his sister therefore we may make a question of the helpe of man But God is one and the same continually not a shadow of turning in him his arme is never shortned the welspring of his mercy and goodnesse is never dryed up Therefore in all distresses let us trust in him though all worldly meanes fayle us in sicknesse and health in poverty and wealth in death and life let him be our pillar to leane upon The Prince that would not believe the plenty that GOD had promised was troden to death 2 Reg. 7.17 and the carkasses of these men that thus tempted God fell in the wildernesse therefore let us beware of incredultie As Faith is the best vertue so infidelitie is the greatest vice CHRIST could doe nothing among his owne kinsfolke because of their unbeliefe Shall any thing bee impossible with God Indeed that which he wills not that he cannot doe it is his will that CHRIST in respect of his humanity should be in heaven till the day of judgement therefore he cannot doe this make his body to be here on the earth The Papists set Gods omnipotency on the tainters and stretch it too farre as some bad clothiers deale with cloath But if God have once given us his faithfull promise to doe this or that let us believe it though all the world say nay to it God had promised to bring them into the land of Canaan though there were never so many blockes in the way they should have depended on this promise So God hath promised us the kingdome of heaven feare not little flocke it is your Fathers pleasure to give you the kingdome Luke 12.32 though now and then through weakenesse we fall into sinne though Satan and his instruments rage though we be sicke dye be buryed our bodyes consumed to dust and ashes yet let us certainely know wee shall have this kingdome This is amplified by an excellent meanes which they had to pull them out of this infidelity which was a continuall view and contemplation of the wonderfull workes of God although they saw my workes in the Hebr. they saw the Aegyptians drowned in the red Sea and themselves safely walking through it they saw the cloudy pillar conducting them day and night water gushing out of a stonie rocke Manna descending from heaven that the clothes on their backes and shooes on their feet did not waxe old many yeares together they might have felt with their hands the power and goodnesse of GOD protecting them yet they would not believe in him whereas the sight of Gods former workes should strengthen our faith in all future calamities That use did David make of the workes of GOD. The LORD delivered mee from the clawes of the Beare and pawes of the Lion therefore hee will deliver mee from this Philistim GOD was gracious to mee in such a sicknesse therefore hee will be in this GOD provided for mee when I was a child and could not shift for my selfe therefore hee will provide for me being a man growne GOD preserved mee in such a plague and pestilence therefore I will depend on him still when I was in such an extremity GOD helped me therefore he will helpe me still God delivered England in the yeare one thousand five hundred eightie eight therefore if England serve him hee will deliver it still When Queene Elizabeth the mirrour of the world was taken away we looked for a wofull day yet God gave us a joyfull day after it therefore alwayes let us trust to him let the sight of his wonderfull workes dayly before our eyes be as oyle to nourish the lampe of our faith that it never dye The last circumstance appertaining to this sinne is the time how long it continued they tempted and proved him 40. yeares though they saw his workes These words in the Hebr. are coupled with that which followeth 40. yeares was I grieved with that generation Yet there is no jarre betweene Paul and David for these two are convertible and depend the one on the other They be both true they tempted God 40. yeares and he was grieved with them 40. yeares If they tempted him 40. yeares then he must needs be grieved with them and if God was grieved with them 40. yeares then they tempted him so long so that the one cannot be separated from the other They dwelt in this sinne a long time and would not bee plucked out of it VERSE 10. THe punishment of the sinne Gods wrath was kindled against them In the end after hee had borne the burden of their sinnes many yeares together his wrath did breake out against them for it They were irksome and tedious to me I could beare them no longer after that I had striven with them fortie yeares when there was no remedy I cast them off God is grieved similitudinariè That rebellious that obstinate generation Hee was not grieved with their Children but with them The Children doe not smart for the fathers faults if they make not their fathers sins their own sinnes Their Children went into the land of Canaan though they did not Least it should seeme to be a griefe or anger without reason
but as faithfull souldiers let us continue with Him to the end If we goe from Him we depart from our owne life and throw our selves into death and destruction Therefore let us tarry with Him Let us believe this our Prophet and never depart from Him VERSE 13. NOw as a Sovereigne remedy against infidelity and hardnesse of heart he prescribeth a mutuall exhortation unto them that will be as a trumpet singing in our eares to keepe us out of the sleepe of sin Call one to another as Souldiers doe in the battell Still hee persisteth in the same metaphor As souldiers when they be in the fight and conflict call one to another saying ô be of good cheere play the men start not aside cleave to your company be not afrayd of enemy the victory shall be ours So we that be CHRIST's Souldiers must stirre up and provoke one another Cast not off your confidence that ye have in CHRIST let neither Satan nor any of his instruments pull you from Christ the author and finisher of your salvation be not faint hearted but hold out to the end This mutuall exhortation one of another is amplified three kind of wayes 1. By the time when it is to be performed 2. By the occasion which is not to be neglected 3. By the end for the which it is worthy to be practised The time when is not once or twise but daily 1. We are forgetfull of heavenly matters therefore we have need to be put in mind of them every day 2. We are dull and slow in practise of them lazie horses that will scarcely go therfore we must be put forward with the spurre of dayly exhortation As Christ sayd concerning the forgiving of our brother that wee must forgive him 77. times so it may be affirmed of the exhorting of our brethren we must exhort them 77. times we must be continually exhorting them Many thinke if they have called on their brethren once or twice to pray to goe to Church c. they have done their duty I have told him of it often I will speake no more to him of it I but thou must exhort him every day That which is not effected to day may be effected to morrow gutta cavat lapidem non vi sed sape cadendo Therefore exhort him every day if thou doest no good on him yet he is left without excuse and thy reward is with God 2 To this duty of exhortation he stirreth us up by the opportunity of the time which he wishes us to lay hold of What is this day Some interpret it of the time of the Gospell which hath the name of day in regard of the great light that is in it whereas the time of the Law may be compared to the night in comparison of it But I take that to be curious Others expound this day to be the whole course of our life which in respect of the brevity of it is termed by one Diecula While our life lasteth which is but short let us exhort one another That is good counsell yet I take it not to be the direct meaning of the place By day he meaneth that gracious time wherein God stretcheth forth his armes to us in the ministery of his Word to call us unto his Kingdome We are to take the opportunity offered to us and not let it slip walke while yee have the light while our peace lasteth that we may conveniently goe one to another while we have the Scripture amongst us whereby we may learne how to exhort one another while GOD speaketh unto us by His ambassadours from whose mouth we may have instructions for a wise execution of this duty while the candle of truth shineth among us let us be carefull to exhort one another in these peaceable dayes in this flourishing time of the Gospell let this Christian duty be performed by us all 3 The third is the danger that will ensue if exhortation be omitted hardnesse of heart will grow and so our brethren shall bee incureable The which hardnesse of heart is amplified by the efficient cause of it the deceitfulnesse of sinne carrying us like a thiefe out of the way and leading us to destruction that is the nature of the word There be many to deceive us 1. We deceive our selves Iames 1. 1 Iohn 1.8 2. The Divell that sly serpent deceiveth us 3. Sin deceiveth us and that she doth three kind of wayes 1. by putting on the visard of vertue Adultery is but a tricke of youth a sweet sin that may easily bee borne withall covetousnesse is but thrift and good husbandry every man must have a care of his owne estate swearing is the part of a Gentleman of a generous and heroicall spirit they be nice fellowes base minded men that will not sweare there is no life in them drunkennesse is good fellowship they be misers that wil not spend a penny in an Ale-house we mault-men are the only companions in the world Thus we are coosened by sin 2 Sinne deceiveth us by shrouding it selfe under the coate of Gods mercy But let us not be so afrayd of sin God is mercifull he will wincke at such light sinnes as these be we shall never be called into GODS counting house for them whereas he is a severe punisher of sin even in his owne children 3 Sinne deceiveth us by custome in sinning Many sins at the first we were afrayd to commit our consciences checked us for them but in processe of time being inured to them we commit them without feare or shame A custome in sinning makes sin at the length seeme to be no sin The children of the Lacedemonians being used to stripes had no feeling of stripes and after we have beene used to sin we have no sence or feeling of sin Thus especially we come to be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin our owne consciences feared up with an hot iron Therefore for the avoyding of this let us exhort one an other dayly that the fire and heat of exhortation may cause our hearts to melt and so keepe us from being hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin Exhortation if it be used in time will be as a trumpet to waken our selves and others out of sin Saint Paul and Barnabas went from towne to towne exhorting the brethren Acts 14.22 Exhort one an other and edifie one another 1 Thes. 5.11 have compassion on some putting difference and others save with feare pulling them out of the fire Iude verse 22.23 But alas this duty is neglected every one for himselfe and God for us all Am I my brothers Keeper I will looke to my owne soule as well as I can what have I to doe with my brothers soule Let not us that be Christians have such a thought in us Let us as the Scripture willeth us exhort one an other dayly labour to preserve one an other from being hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin and let us be as Bells to toll one another to the
Kingdome of Heaven that we and our brethren glorifying CHRIST in this world may be glorified with Him in the world to come VERSE 14. THe reason of the Caveat is taken from the common estate and condition of Christians which is illustrated by a condition carefully to be observed by them They that are partakers of one Christ and of one Saviour ought to have a care of the Salvation one of an other and labour by the cable-rope of exhortation to pull one an other out of sin but we that professe the Gospell are partakers of one Christ therefore let us exhort one another and save one an others soule One member must respect an other If the foote be ready to fall into a ditch the hand must pull it up We are members of the same body whereof Christ is Head therefore we should keep one an other from the pit of sin They that be brethren that have one Father and Mother should be jealous of the good estate one of an other We are brethren in Christ he is the elder brother to us all therefore let us have a tender care of the salvation one of an other As we are partakers of Christ so let us participate the grace which we receive from Christ one to another They that passe not whether their brethren sinke or swim goe to heaven or to hell doe argue that they have no portion in Christ for if they had the preservation of all Christians would be deare unto them Let us exhort one an other daily because we are partakers of Christ. Here likewise wee behold the singular dignity of Christians they are partakers of Christ they are Christ's partners and fellowes There is a mutuall participation betweene Christ and us he partakes with us of flesh and bloud he takes the load of our sinnes on his back and beares them for us and we partake with him in all his benefits There is nothing that Christ hath but we have part of it his wisedome holinesse his righteousnesse is ours yea his kingdome is ours We are heyres yea coheyres with him of his kingdome As the man at the day of marriage sayes to his Wife with all my worldly goods I thee endow so the Lord Iesus our Husband that in mercy hath married us to himselfe endoweth us with all his goods by reason whereof being poore of our selves and worth nothing we become exceeding rich Christ is ours death life the world is ours O unspeakable prerogative vouchsafed to dust and ashes Let us walke worthy of this honour whereunto we are advanced being Christs partners let us not be the Devils partners Let us not partake with the Devill in sinne in blaspheming the name of GOD contemning of his Word in pride malice and other abominations but as we be partakers of Christ so let us participate of Christs vertue Let us be holy as he is holy humble as he is humble let us contemne this world with all the vaine pleasures that bee in it as hee did What fellowship is there betweene CHRIST and Belial If CHRIST be ours let not the Divell be ours This is good newes we are partakers of CHRIST therefore we may sleepe soundly on both Eares we need take thought for nothing Not so such a thought cannot be incident into Christs partners for we be partakers of Christ if we hold c. All interpreters with one consent referre this to faith and indeed it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 11.1 the beginning of that lively faith hope and confidence that we have in him which is as a sure foundation that cannot be shaken I do not deny but it is a good sence yet without any circumloquution or violence offred to the words it may fitly be translated if wee hold fast the beginning of the subsistence and being that we have in him For Hypostasis most properly doth signifie a subsistence according to the etymologie of the word If as we have begun by faith to have a being in Christ so wee hold fast this our being to the end growing up daily in him till wee come to a perfect age in Christ Iesus Christians must not needlesly doubt of their salvation Why doubtest thou ô man of little faith as Christ hath promised to us a kingdome so hee will undoubtedly performe his promise for there is not in him a shadow of turning We must say with Paul I am perswaded neither life nor death shall bee able to separate us from the love of CHRIST Yet we must distinguish between faith and presumption Christians must not set all at six and seven be not high minded but feare Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes A Child may feare to displease his father and yet not doubt of his fathers love As we have begun in Christ so let us continue in him Yee are they that have continued with me in my temptations therefore I appoint to you a kingdome Luk. 22.28 Be thou faithfull to the end Let us hold fast to the end the beginning of our subsistence in CHRIST Remember Lots Wife She begun well but ended ill So runne that yee may obtaine runne not your selves out of breath at the first never leave running till yee have the gole of eternall life We have begunne in sound and pure Religion let us not end in prophanenesse in Atheisme in Brownisme and Anabaptisme Let us hold our beginning fast and continue with CHRIST to the end let neither the slie temptations of Satan nor the sweete allurements of the flesh nor the dangerous baites of the world nor the stormy tempest of persecution if it should arise hereafter cary us from CHRIST but let us hold fast the beginning of our being in him and remaine firmely engraffed into him to the end VERSE 15. WHy what is that end to the which wee must hold out even so long as yee live and GOD speakes to you in the Ministery of the Gospell While it is said for that voice spoken to the Israelites appertaineth to us So long as the voice of God soundeth to us in the trumpet of the Gospell let us hold fast that being that we have in CHRIST take the time while the time serveth VERSE 16. SO much of the Application of the testimony of the caveat and the reason whereby it is enforced Now let us come to the commentary and explanation that the Apostle maketh of it In this he expoundeth foure branches of the testimony 1. Who they were that provoked God to anger 2. Who they were with whom God was angry 3. Who they were which by oath were excluded out of his rest 4. The cause why they were excluded In the latter end of the fifteenth Verse he made mention of the provocation First of all he shewes who they were that provoked God They that provoked him to anger are described 1. By the number of them they were some not all 2. By a gracious benefit contemned by them namely the word preached when they heard that is Almighty God
sharpe not with one edge but two which pierceth more speedily and throughly with two mouthes The edge of a sword is as a mouth that biteth Isai. 49.2 Ephes. 6.17 Apoc. 1.16 it is said to have two edges in respect of the two testaments Aug. de civ Dei Not sharper then some but any Let all the swords in the world be put together and they are nothing to this Piercing as water and oyle to the dividing asunder bearing downe all that is in the way as a floud doth Of soule and spirit that is of the inferiour and superiour part of the minde the affections and understanding Isai. 26.9 1 Thes. 5.23 And of the joynts and marrow Some Greeke copies have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all the members of the body Nothing so firmely compacted and united together as joynts so hard as bones so deepe as the marrow that lyeth hid in the bones but it passeth through all Goliah's sword not like to this David sayd of that none to it but none to this LORD give it to us This sword can hew in peeces the most stonie flintie and rockie heart in the world to see what blindnesse in the understanding what frowardnesse in the affections it will lay the heart open and bewray the secret filthinesse and all the sluttish corners of sinne that be in it When the Preacher is a speaking the word doth so pierce the harts of the hearers as that many in the Church imagine that the Preacher is acquainted with their sins What doth this man know of my drunkennes of my adultery of my backbiting of my oppression the Word so ransakes their hearts as that they think the Preacher knows their particular sinnes wheras he speakes in generall and the spirit by the Word doth so dive into their harts as that it summons them before God his tribunall seate and makes them cry guiltie so powerfull is the Word Plato said a Poet was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word is not so It is said of Pericles that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suada the goddesse of eloquence sessitavit in ejus labris and hee left Aculeos behinde him The infinite and admirable wisedome of GOD Almighty is couched in the Word and it leaves its effects behinde in the hearts of the auditors You shall finde it to be a lively and mighty Word one way or other either to save you or to condemne you It is lively and mighty in the good and bad The one it doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodor. Isai. 11.4 Ezek. 11.13 Act. 5.1 It is lively and mighty in the godly to kill sin within them to rayse them up unto newnesse of life to be as a wing to carry them to heaven Was it not mighty in David making him cry peccavi In Iosiah making his heart to melt in Manasseh when of the most horriblest Idolater that was ever heard of it made him a zealous worshipper of the true God in Zacheus when it made him to forsake his oppression and to restore fourefold in Mary Magdalen when it cast out seven Devills out of her in those three thousand soules when pricked in their hearts they went to the Apostles in the Citie of Samaria when it made them to abjure Simon Magus and to lysten to Saint Philip Was it not mighty by twelve men over all the world when it subdued by their Ministerie all nations to CHRIST in us by making us leave swearing covetousnesse adulterie drunkenesse c. and renewing us to the likenesse of CHRIST in righteousnesse and true holinesse it is a mighty word There may be a darke and misty morning the Sun comes scatters the mist cleares the ayre and makes it a bright day So the whole world was shadowed with the mist of blindnesse and â—he fogge of sin the word comes forth like the Sunne and introduces the knowledge of CHRIST and of his Gospell into all the world O mighty word Let us all acknowledge the power of this wonderfull word who is able to stand before this mighty word It is lively and mighty too even in the very reprobate Somtimes they may bee sencelesse and have no feeling of the cutting of the Word as those in Ieremiah nay they may even scoffe at the Word preached as the Pharisees did Luke 16.14 their consciences may be seared up and feele not the sword when it cutteth as they that be in a lethargie they may inwardly fret and fume be in a pelting chafe with the Preacher for reproving sins as Achab with Micajah and Iesabel with Elias yet but like madd dogges that sit biting of the chaine wherewith they are tyed but not break the chaine So they may snap at the Preacher and the Word but they themselves have the hurt yet for all that at one time or other God will make them to feele the power of his Word and the strength of this mighty arme of his Did not Belshazzar quake and were not his joynts loosed and his knees smote one against another when hee saw the hand writing upon the wall Did not the very officers themselves wonder at CHRIST did not the very enemies wonder at the boldnesse of Peter and Iohn Acts 4.13 was not Herod moved with Saint Iohn Baptist's preaching Marke 6.20 did not Felix tremble when Saint Paul discoursed of righteousnesse and judgement to come Acts 24. ver 25. was not Agrippâ— made an halfe Christian by Saint Pauls preaching Act. 26.28 did not the very Devill crye in the maide these are the servants of the most high God Act. 16. The preaching of the word makes the Devill himselfe to quake for it batters the walls of his kingdome and makes him fall like lightning from heaven Luk. 10.18 This should cause us to come with all reverence to the hearing of this lively and mighty word if it save us not out of all question it will condemne us it is like the raine that comes not in vaine if it bring not up flowers it will weeds Therefore let us pray to God to blesse this word to us that it may be the savour of life unto life not to death to any of us all 1. This should cause us to stand in a reverent awe of the word of God When yee come to a Sermon doe not thinke yee come to heare musicke to delight your selves withall to heare a man that hath a sweete and delectable voyce as the people sayd of Ezekiel that yee come to heare an eloquent oration finely penned by a flowing Rhetorician to tickle the eare withall that yee come to heare the song of some Syren to â—ull you asleepe that ye come to heare the word of a King that is able to inflict some corporall punishment on you if you doe not obey it but yee come to heare the Word of the King of Kings that is able to cast soule and body into hell if yee disobey it yee come not to heare a man There is
of sores at his gate ever under one Crosse or another If there were no resurrection where this should be righted that sentence of the Psalmist might bee inverted verely there is no reward for the righteous verily there is no God that judgeth in the earth The third pillar is the Solemne funeralls that be in all nations All which are so many glasses wherein wee may behold the resurrection When we goe to a buryall we goe to a sowing the seede that is sowen lies covered in the earth all winter in the spring it shoots up againe and a goodly harvest ariseth of it So the body is sowne in corruption it rises in incorruption more beautifull then ever it was before The fourth pillar is that which Saint Paul urgeth to Christians 1 Cor. 15.12 Christ is risen therefore we shall ryse As Ionas was three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly So Christ was three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth on Thursday he kept his Maundy he eate the Passeover and supper with his Disciples on good Friday he suffered and was crucified all Saturday being the Iewes Sabbath he lay in the earth on Sunday morning the first day of the weeke the Lords day the Lord Iesus rose triumphantly from the dead and this is the day of his resurrection on this day hee rose victoriously from the dead This is the day that the Lord hath made let us rejoyce and hee glad in it for Christs resurrection is a pledge of ours The first fruits are in heaven therefore the second fruits shall be there the head is in heaven therefore the members shall be there The Husband is in heaven therefore the Wife shall bee in heaven also we shall meeâ—e him with joy in the clouds and be translated with him into the kingdome of glory and abide with him for ever After the resurrection comes judgement it is appointed to men once to dye and then commeth the judgement Death were nothing if there were no judgement The Assiâ—es were nothing if there were nothing if there were no Gallowes no execution but as we must arise so wee must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that hee hath done whether it be good or bad Let us all thinke seriously of this eternall judgement It is called eternall judgement 1. Because it is of things eternall eternall life or eternall death 2. Because the sentence of that judgment is eternall the force and power thereof remaines ever both to the elect and reprobate they all goe eternally to the place appointed by the Iudge 3. Because the Iudge is eternall 4. Because the persons judged are eternall Some are to enjoy eternall happines some to suffer eternall punishment The judgement it selfe is not eternall that lasteth not ever but the fruit and event of it is eternall Oh that the cogitation of this judgement were deeply fixed in the harts of us all A great number even in the lap of the Church laugh at it in the closet of their hearts the Preachers talke much of a generall judgement that shall be after this life but if God let us alone till that day we shall doe well enough GOD grant we may escape the judgements here a flie for that judgement Yet Felix himselfe trembled at 〈◊〉 when Saint Paul spake of righteousnesse and the judgement to come though he were a judge himselfe he quaked at it Let us all feare this eternall judgement after an holy and religious manner and tremble at it In these judgements we may have Lawyers to plead for us then none shall be for us all against us especially our owne consciences as a thousand Lawyers and witnesses if our sinnes are not washed away in the bloud of CHRIST Therefore let us judge our selves here that wee bee not judged by the Lord hereafter let us bewaile our sinnes here that wee come not into the place where is weeping wayling and gnashing of teeth for ever Let us remember this eternall judgement that it may bee as a bridle to restraine us from sinne That godly Father St. Hierome professed of himselfe whether he did eat or drinke or whatsoever he did this trumpet rang alwayes in his eares surgite mortui venite adjudicium When wee goe to bed in the evening when wee arise in the morning when we are about the affaires of our calling when Satan provokes us to stealing lying coofening purloyning c. Let us remember this eternall judgement let us call our selves to an account for our sins in this world repent seriously of them let us cast away our sins not as we do our coates when we goe to bed and put them on againe in the morning but throw them away and have no fellowship with these unfruitfull workes of darknesse then wee shall have fellowship with Christ both in this life and in the life to come then we shall not need to feare this eternall judgement The Iudge is our SAVIOUR our elder brother our head our husband to whom we are married therefore we may lift up our heads at that day because our redemption is at hand we may rejoyce at his comming for we shal sit on the bench with him and judge the world and reigne with him for ever The Iesuits collect from hence that the Christians had a Catechisme delivered to them by tradition which they learned before they were acquainted with the Scriptures If every one should pick his faith out of the Scripture there would be madd rule Indeed if they had such heads as the Papists have that are bold to call the Scripture a nose of Wax But to answer 1. These Hebrewes to whom St. Paul writeth were exercised in the Scripture for Rom. 3.2 Vnto them were committed the oracles of God 2. Here is nothing in this Catechisme but is derived out of the Scripture 3. How shall men picke their faith out of the Pater-noster Ave-Mary c. being in an unknowne tongue Here wee have a short Catechisme consonant to the Scripture that was used in the Primitive Church Such as is at this day the Lords prayer the ten Commandements and the Articles of our beliefe These be profitable points but we that professe the Gospell must not always be in these they are to be propounded continually in the Church unto Children to them that bee rude and ignorant but Christians must not dwell in these wee must bee carryed to perfection till wee come to a ripe age in CHRIST IESUS wee must be able to answer all Heretickes and gaine-sayers and to defend the sacred truth of Christ his Gospell against them all VERSE 3. LEst hee should seeme to have presumed upon his owne strength when he said let us be lead forward to perfection here he referreth all to God that must be the leader of us all hee must give us feet to walke to perfection by Wee both we that are to teach and you
diverse qualitie of both Priest-hoods The Priest-hood which is everlasting and abideth for ever is more excellent than that which is momentany and continueth but for a time Christs Priest-hood is eternall the Leviticall Priest-hood lasted but for a time ergo This Argument hath two branches the comparison betweene them 23.24 and an effect 25. the comparison is in the number and continuance That the Priest-hood of the Levites was temporarie is evinced by the relatives If the Priests continued but a time then the Priest-hood but they continued but for a time which is illustrated by the number of them and the reason of the number And they verily being many were made Priests And why were they many because they were forbidden by death to endure Death would not suffer them to continue long therefore it was necessary that there should bee many of them one to supply the roome of the other There were not onely many inferiour Priests but many high Priests not at one and the same time but successively After Aaron came Eleazar after him Phinees c. for the same cause there be many Kings one King succeedeth another because death will not suffer them to live death forbids them to abide He brings an inhibition against their continuance I command thee here to stay and to goe no further and all Kings Priests Lawyers Physitians must obey him A paucity is a greater argument of perfection then a multitude The kingdome is better governed that hath one King then that which hath many that house is better ruled that hath one Master then many the world is better with one Sun then if there were many the Phaenix is the most famous of all birds because there is but one of them at a time God being but one is farre more glorious then man being many So is it betweene the Priests of the Law and CHRIST they were many but CHRIST is but one which remaineth alwayes therefore his Priest-hood is more excellent than theirs But why were they many because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death As it is here said of the Levites So it may be said of us all A man walking in London streets or in a corporation is on the suddaine arrested by a Sergeant and commanded to stay so as wee are walking in our race in the world comes death as the LORDS Sergeant and bids us stay here yeeld up thy life I will not suffer thee to tarry any longer Adam was the ancientest man that ever was the first that breathed on the earth yet hee was not suffered to endure by reason of death Methusalem was the longest liv'd man that ever was he lived almost a thousand yeeres yet dyed Sampson a mighty strong man with the jaw-bone of an Asse he slew a thousand Philistims he carryed away the great Gates of the Citty on his Shoulders yet he was arrested by death Saul a goodly tall man higher than any of the people Absalom a faire beautifull man not a blemish in him from the Crowne of his head to the soale of his foote Salomon the wisest man that ever was Saint Paul a learned man he spake with tongues more than they all a profound divine taken up into the third heaven a painfull and powerfull Preacher he converted a great part of the world to Christ yet they were not suffered to continue by reason of death This is the condition of us all high and low rich and poore learned and unlearned none of us all can bee suffered to endure long by reason of death Death is a cooling Card in all our mirth and jollity that comes at length with his Axe and cuts all downe Kings are not suffered to endure by reason of death there is a succession of Kings as well as of other men Dukes Earles Lords Knights Gentlemen are not suffered rich Merchants Lawyers Divines Physitians are not suffered to continue by reason of death The Physition that hath saved the life of many in the end surrenders his life into Deaths hands none of us can endure here long by reason of death The Priests of the Law dyed and the Ministers of the Gospell must dye none but CHRIST endures for ever therefore seeing Death will not suffer us long to tarry here let us so live the little and uncertaine time wee have in this world that wee may live eternally with Christ our everlasting Priest and Saviour in the world to come VERSE 24. HEre in the Priest-hood of Christ there is but one Priest and why because hee is not mortall and taken away by Death as they were but immortall and endureth for ever Indeed in respect of his humanity he dyed but hee continued not long in that death not past three dayes and three nights After he rose againe sitteth now at the right hand of God and lives for ever whole Christ both God and man Rom. 6.9 whereas the Priests in the Law shall not live againe for ever in their bodies till the day of judgement And our Saviour Christ in respect of his deity endureth for ever continually and therefore hee hath an everlasting Priest-hood intransibile which passeth not by succession from one to another as the Leviticall Priest-hood did but continueth for ever in the person of one man Chrysost. expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee hath not a succeeding Priest-hood In the time of the Law there were many sacrificing Priests but now in the time of the Gospell there is but one sacrificing Priest and that is our SAVIOUR CHRIST which offered one sacrifice once for the sinnes of the world This cutâ—eth off the whole rabble of the massemonging Priests Indeed spiritually wee are all Priests Apoc. 1.6 to offer spirituall sacrifices to God but there is no Priest to offer an externall sacrifice for sin but Christ. The Iesuites chafe at us for this collection yet it is firme VERSE 25. THe eternity of Christs Priest-hood is illustrated by an effect that ensueth thereupon As he is willing so he is able Also which necessarily is inferred on the other To save all that belong to him Thence hee hath his name Iesus because he saveth Matth. 1.21 This is amplified 1. By the manner how he saveth us 2. By the description of them whom he saveth 3. By the cause why he is able to doe it For the manner wholly omnino leaving no part of our salvation to be accomplished by others Acts 4. Verse 12. he needs not the helpe of the Virgin Mary of Thomas c. he can save us wholy of himselfe They that are saved are such as come to God by him not by the Virgin by any Saints or Angell in heaven The reason why because he ever liveth to make intercession for us he discharges the office of a Priest for us still in heaven Romans 8.26 it is said that the Holy Ghost maketh intercession for us yet the HOLY GHOST is not our Mediatour hee doth not in our nature pray for us as Christ doth but
undefiled we are bought with a price and that a deere price even the bloud of the Sonne of GOD. Our swearing drunkennesse c. these cost the bloud of the Sonne of GOD we are washed from them in the bloud of Christ and shall we wallow in them is not this the water said David for the which three worthy men ventured their lives he would not drinke of it though very thirsty So when we are provoked to sinne to drunkennesse covetousnesse adultery let us reason with our selves Indeed the water of these sins is sweete but did it not cost the bloud of CHRIST therfore away with it we think sin to be nothing yet all the Martyrs on the earth all the Angels in heaven could not have freed us from sin The Son of God must shed his bloud for it therefore let the consideration hereof bee a perpetuall bridle to restraine us from sin CHRIST 's bloud is the price of our redemption he sweat drops of bloud when hee was in his agony in the garden at the commandement of Pilat hee was extreamely whipped so that the bloud came exceedingly out of his holy body he had a Crowne of thornes platted on his head that made the bloud runne about his eares being nailed hand and foote to the Crosse the bloud came out in great measure a Souldier thrust him through with a speare and out of his side came water and bloud So that this our High-Priest redeemed us not with the bloud of beasts but with his owne bloud How then are wee to love CHRIST IESUS that spared not his heart bloud for us There was no bloud almost left in this immaculate Lamb he spent all for our sake Wee will love them that give their money for us and shall wee not love CHRIST that gave his bloud for us yet the love of Christ is not so deepely fixed in us as it ought to bee We love the trash of the world the pleasures of the flesh above Christ. This love of Christ should constraine us to forsake our sinnes Wilt thou make much of the knife that cut the throate of thy friend or father Sinne was the knife that cut CHRIST 's throate therefore let us hurle it away but this bloud of CHRIST by the which we are washed from our sinnes is little regarded for all that wee wallow in the mire of our sinnes forgetting the LORD that bought us as Saint Peter speaketh Wee are redeemed from our drunkennesse covetousnesse pride c. by the bloud of CHRIST therefore let us have no fellowship with these sins 2. Heaven is an holy place there dwells the holy God there bee the holy Angels and holy Saints they that remaine unholy shall never enter into it dogs enchanters c. are without By nature we are all unholy borne in sin conceived in iniquity pulling sinne to us with Cartropes and iniquity with Cords of vanity but wee are made holy by the spirit of Sanctification Such were some of you drunkards c. but yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 They that continue in sin without repentance shall never set a foote into the kingdome of heaven Noah was once overtaken with Wine but he forsooke that sin David fell into adultery but hee washed it away with his teares Peter denyed Christ but he wept bitterly for it Manasseh left his idolatry Paul his persecuting of the Church of God Mary Magdalen her uncleannesse even so if through the corruption of our nature wee have beene carryed into any sin let us by repentance rise up out of it againe Let us strive to be holy in this world holy in heart in conversation that wee may enter into the holy Hierusalem in the world to come Follow peace and holinesse without which none can see God The wicked mocke at them that be holy I but except yee likewise be holy ye shall never reigne with Christ in the Holy Hierusalem 3. By CHRIST wee have a plenary redemption of soule and body out of the clawes of Satan As the Bird is in the fowlers net so were we in the Devills snare but we may say with them in the Psalme the net is broken and we are delivered yea wee are delivered eternally we shall never fall into that bondage againe The afflictions whereunto we are incident in this life are temporall but the redemption is eternall sicknesse poverty malevolent tongues imprisonment death it selfe is temporall our joy is eternall Let that comfort us in all the calamities of this life A burning agew the tooth-ach the stone lasts not alwayes but my joy in heaven shall be eternall here I may be in griefe for a time but there I shall reigne with Christ for ever Wee love them that obtaine a temporall redemption for us If a young man bee bound Prentise to an hard master for tenne or twelve yeeres and if one should buy out his apprentiseship and set him free would hee not take himselfe much beholding to him Wee were bound Prentises to Satan hee kept us in his snare at his will and pleasure being his bond men wee should have remained in hell fire world without end Now Christ Iesus hath redeemed us and made us the free men of God Cittizens of heaven how are we indebted to him If thou wert a Gallislave under the Turke and one should rid thee out of it wert thou not much obliged to him Christ hath brought us out of the gally of sinne and damnation therefore let us sound forth his praises all the dayes of our life Let us say with them in the Revelation worthy is the Lamb that was killed and hath obtained eternall redemption for us to receive all honour and glory and blessing for ever and ever VERSE 13. THat Christ by the shedding of his owne bloud hath obtained an eternall redemption for us is confirmed by an argument à pari à minore from the sacrifices of the Law to the sacrifice of Christ. 1. What they were 2. What was the fruit and effect of them If the bloud of Bulls and goates c. being an outward thing could sanctifie the flesh that was an outward thing then the bloud of Christ being a spirituall thing in force and power everlasting must needs sanctifie the conscience which is a spirituall and internall thing yea this rather than that for many respects as we shall see but the one ergo the other The Protasis is in this 13. Verse Because hee would enwrap the whole Ceremonial Law hee reckons up other sacrifices and rites then those which the High-Priest used when hee went into the Holy of Holies 1 Chron. 29. Verse 21. Among the rest he makes mention of one solemne ceremony whereunto the Iewes adscribed much Num. 19.1 A Red Cow was commanded to bee taken which was without spot and never accustomed to the yoke she was to be burnt to
man at the latter day The very conscience of a man doth tell him at one time or other whether hee will or no that there is a day of judgement Why are men vexed in their soules when they have sinned when they have committed such sinnes as the Law cannot take hold off as oppression and wrongs offered to their brethren secret adulteries c. Why are they grieved for these and can find no rest in them if there were not a judgment to come VERSE 28. HEre is the equity of it He that abrogates it that pulls it out of place that violates it elata manu Num. 15.30 Not he that in a small offence transgresseth the Law but that breaketh it in some monstrous and notorious manner either by blasphemy by contemptuous prophaning by contumacy against father and mother and hee that doth transgresse these lawes in a despite and contempt of them hee must needs be put to death there is no remedy No mercy is to be shewed in it the Law must have his course without respect of persons whether hee bee high or low rich or poore hee must dye for it No bribe may save his life Deut. 19.21.13 8. Yet good advice must bee had in putting him to death there must be an orderly proceeding against him his fault must be convinced by sufficient witnesses All Moses lawes were not written with bloud as Draco's were but only great and capitall crimes Such were to dye without mercy Mercie is an excellent vertue a divine vertue draweth neere to the nature of God which is the Father of mercies be yee mercifull as your heavenly father is mercifull Yet for all that mercy in some actions is to be shut out of doores We must sing of judgement as well as of Mercy as David did Mercy is not so to be imbraced as that Iustice should bee forgotten they that have transgressed the Law especially in contempt of the Law are to dye without mercy the Lord often toucheth upon this string We must not be more mercifull then God will have us Saul spared Agag but it cost him his kingdome Some will say of a thiefe a murderer condemned to dye is it not pitty such a proper man as he should dye no verily foolish pitty marrs the Citty If such a one be permitted to live hee may doe much hurt in the common-wealth therefore no pitty is to bee shewed to him mercy must bee stretched no further than God hath appointed But how must he dye orderly being convicted by the due course and order of Law The fact must be sufficiently proved before sentence of death passe against him and how must it be proved either by his owne confession or by the testimony of others Now one man may be partiall or he may speake on spleene and malice therefore two witnesses at least must be produced Iesabel procured two witnesses against Nabal Two witnesses were brought in against our SAVIOUR CHRIST Timothy must not receive an accusation against an Elder but under two or three witnesses There was thought no probability that two would conspire in an untruth the one at the length would bewray the jugling of the other Therefore if there were two then he dyed but now the world is growne to such an height of impiety as that it is as easie a matter to suborne two false witnesses to get two knaves to sweare an untruth as to take the pot and drinke A most vile age wherein we live but from the beginning it was not so VERSE 29. THe interrogation is more forcible then if it had beene a plaine affirmation they dyed the death of the body but these are worthy of the death where soule and body shall dye for ever Be you Iudges in the matter I dare appeale to your own selves Then he sets forth the greatnesse of their sin which ariseth by three steps or degrees 1. They in the Law despised Moses which was but a man these Christ which is the Son of God therfore they are worthy of a sharper punishment they broke but one particular Law these renounce the whole Gospell of CHRIST the Son of God They have not Christ actually to tread upon he is in heaven at the right hand of God but metonymically in treading his truth under their feete which they make no reckoning of in conculcating the benefits of CHRIST offered to them they tread CHRIST Himselfe or they carry such a spitefull minde against him as if possible they would pull him out of heaven and tread him under their feete They did it not actu but affectu This is the vilest indignity that can be offered to any to make him as dirt to tread on The Souldiers crucified CHRIST but they did not treade him under their feete For Traytors to tread the King under their feete is a monstrous thing yet these as arrant Traytors did tread Christ the King of Kings under their feete Horrible wretches In this they opposed themselves to his kingdome In the next to his Priest-hood Christ by his last Will and Testament gave us a Legacie of the kingdome of heaven Luk. 22.29 the which Testament was confirmed by the bloud and death of the Testatour Matth. 26.28 Now this holy precious and pure bloud wherewith we are washed from our sinnes these impure wretches account an unholy a common a polluted thing Mark 7.2 Acts 10.15 They make no more account of the bloud of Christ then of the bloud of a thiefe nay of a dogge or swine yet they had some benefit by this bloud Last of all they opposed themselves to the prophesie of Christ. It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they abuse him with some notable reproach and contumelie Which is the fountaine and bestower of all graces He had given them many graces of knowledge of some faith hope love and zeale yet they contumeliously reproach this spirit revile him terming him a spirit of errour that had deluded them all this while For this cause they have sinned against the Holy Ghost In these respects they are worthy of most severe punishment no sacrifice for this sinne Is any pitty to bee shewed to them that In this world there is Mercy but none to bee expected in the world to come Then judgement mercilesse Now CHRIST standeth with open armes venite ad me omnes but then he shall say ite maledicti no mercy to be found for the wicked at the day of judgment God shew mercy to the house of Onesiphorus at that day there is mercy for the godly that be in Christ but none for the wicked that be out of Christ. And who be they that shall be so severely punished From hence may be collected a true definition of the sin against the Holy Ghost It is a malicious oppugning of the truth of the Gospell sealed up in their hearts by the HOLY GHOST they were enlightned in the mysterie of redemption purchased by Christ that he is the only Priest which
fall into Gods hands especially let us take heede how wee doe maliciously impugne the truth sealed up in our hearts and consciences by the Holy Ghost let us beware how we wage battell against CHRIST and despise him the Saviour of the world if by such a sinne wee fall into the hands of the Almighty GOD there is no getting out of his hands againe VERSE 32. SO much of the exhortation in generall Now followes the ripping up of the particular branches of it Wherein 1. A preface to the explication of it 2. The explication it selfe A preparation is made to it 1. By calling to remembrance their valiant behaviour in time past 2. By confirming them in their profession Verse 35. We must not remember old injuries there must be an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of them they must bee raced out of our remembrance yet there â—re three things which we must remember 1. Beneficia accepta wee must never suffer Gods benefits to slip out of our minde we must keepe a perpetuall catalogue of them 2. Mala commissa I remember my faults this day said Pharaohs Butler We must call our sins to remembrance and weepe for them 3. Exemplaria bona praeterita both of other men and of our selves too The Apostle here would have them call to their remembrance what manner of men they had beene in times past how forward how zealous of religion what afflictions they endured for it and to continue the same men still rather to encrease then to decrease Remember from whence thou art fallen sayes Christ to the Church of Ephesus which had forsaken her first love Many are hot in the beginning that waxe key cold in the end therefore let us remember the dayes of old that our latter dayes may bee as good if not better than our former dayes Grow in grace 1. What they must remember a notable exploit of theirs 2. The time when it was done After yee were enlightned with the knowledge of the truth and had given up your names to Christ. Yee did not fall under the burden but very manfully stood under it Hee doth not simply say afflictions but a fight not a little one but a great one Ye wrastled with many afflictions So soone as we become Christians we must looke for afflictions All that will live godly in CHRIST IESUS shall suffer persecution These were no sooner enlightned but they had a great fight of afflictions Hee that will bee my Disciple let him take up his Crosse and follow mee If thou wilt be a Christian thou must have the Crosse. So soone as CHRIST our Captaine was baptised hee was led into the wildernesse to bee tempted of the Devill and so soone as wee in baptisme professe our selves to bee his Souldiers wee must expect a great fight of afflictions Apoc. 7.14 Wee need not to fight one with another Ephraim to eat up Manasseh and Manasseh Ephraim wee shall have enemies besides to fight withall the Devill and his instruments sicknesse malevolent tongues poverty losse of goods and life too Therefore let us all prepare our selves for this fight We cannot have an heaven here and an heaven hereafter too wee must looke for paines here with Lazarus if we will have joyes hereafter with him VERSE 33. THis fight is illustrated by a distribution of the afflictions which they sustained either in themselves or with others In the afflictions which they endured in their own persons is to be considered the manner and the matter of them For the manner they were set on a theatre 1 Cor. 4.9 exposed on a stage to the laughter of the whole world for the matter of their afflictions they concerned their good name or their goods and life For good name they had many reproches layd on them called Heretickes Galileans maintainers of the sect of the Nazarites foolish Asses that would believe in a crucified God besides that they had such afflictions as touched goods and life Neither did they suffer in their owne persons alone but in the persons of others or that were conversant in the like afflictions If the toe bee full of paine the whole body suffers with it If one Christian be in affliction we must have a fellow-feeling of it I Iohn even your brother and companion in tribulation Apoc. 1.9 In being companions with them we are companions with Christ. When I was in prison yee visited me We will be companions with drunkards with adulterers and shall we not be companions with them that are afflicted for the name of Christ Let us be companions of their misery weeping praying and relieving them in this life that wee may bee companions with them of felicity in the life to come VERSE 34. BOth these are confirmed For the former they sorrowed Where whether at Hierusalem Rome or any other place is not expressed but the Apostles bonds were as their owne bonds Hebr. 13.3 For the latter they suffered the snatching of goods the persequutors playd the harpies violently taking away their goods Silver Gold house-hold Sheep Oxen c. yet they suffered it how not contentedly alone but with joy they rejoyced to be spoiled of their goods for Christ's sake they were not only not grieved but glad of it why they were on a sure ground not only guessing or conjecturing but That ye have where in your selves fide spe Ioh. 3.36 What A better substance ratified by the place and qualitie of it for place it is not in earth where thieves breake and steale but in heaven as in a strong castle where it is safe But say some what tell you mee of goods in heaven Let me have my goods on earth A bird in the hand is better than two in a bush For the quality not a fading but an enduring substance These were excellent professours that suffered joyfully the spoyling of their good for Christ's sake Men had as leave loose their lives as their goods Whereupon the Grecians comprehend them both in one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet if we were right Christians indeed we will be content and that with joy to part with all we have in the world for CHRIST and his Gospel Hee that loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me much lesse is he worthy of Christ that loves his goods more than him 1. God gave us all why shall he not have all if he require it can they be bestowed better than on him that gave them 2. We shall have better in the roome those goods tarry but a while we may loose them by casualties in this life at least when death comes wee must forsake all these endure for ever Who will not change for the better give me a better house and take mine a better horse we love the better If we loose these goods for Christ's sake we shall finde better therfore let it not grieve us to part with them But this is an hard thing this made the young man goe sorrowfull away Now in the time
for this faith Ergo. Elders whom we are to reverence which went before us and lived longer than we Reported of adorned by the testimony of God and man the testimony of the Lord is pure As the Father testified of Christ this is my beloved Sonne So also of Noah that he was a just and upright man and one that walked with God Abraham the friend of God Moses the meekest man upon the earth David a man after Gods owne heart hast thou not considered my servant Iob how none is like him in the earth an upright and just man one that feareth God and escheweth evill Of Nathaneel Christ said behold indeed an Israelite in whom there is no guile This also got them a goodreport among men all their famous exploits were done by faith Verse 29. A good name is above Gold and silver it is greatly desired of all but all take not the right course of getting it Some thinke to get them a name by building as they that set up the tower of Babel they imagine to be famous by sumptuous buildings some by hunting as Nimrod some by drinking as Fâ—cidius some by whoring as Hercules some strive to get them a name by their courteous behaviour as Absalom did by a counterfeit kinde of kindnes towards all some by liberality and house keeping and I would there were moe of them some by their great variety of learning but all these misse the marke they begin at a wrong end The best foundation for a good name is faith she will leave a sweete savour behinde her wheresoever she become she will procure us favour with God and man when the name that the wicked have gotten shall rot the faithfull shall be had in perpetuall remembrance therefore let us all beg faith at the hands of God that we may be renowned in this world and eternally famous in the world to come VERSE 3. SEcondly it is illustrated by an instance in one particular which is famous by this we understand the world was made of things not seene therefore faith is the evidence of them Ages or times The world mas made in time hath continued in time and shall end in time Omnibus numeris absolutus no commoditie no pleasure wanting To this end that we might all understand c. We believe the Scriptures as Agrippa did they tell us that the world was made by GOD. In principio creavit Deus therefore we believe the creation of the world Aristotle held that the world was eternall Plato that GOD made the heavens and Angels but the Angels made the bodies of men and beasts but we by faith understand that God made the world yea that all creatures were of his making and that without him nothing was made he made the high and celestial Angels the Sun Moone and the whole host of heaven birds of the ayre fishes of the Sea all trees men and beasts on the earth and all these did he make by his owne bare word he commanded and they were created let there be a firmament and there was one let there be a Sea birds and it was so only he paused and deliberated at the making of one creature which was man because he was to be his vicegerent and a King over all creatures By his omnipotent word all were made And of what was the world made what timber what stones had God to make this building withall Surely nothing yet hee made it Not so much as any atomes even materia prima was made of him he found it not in the world before O mighty and puissant God! Let us all feare him that made heaven and earth O how wonderfully am I made said David of himselfe much more of the whole world how wonderfully was the world made of nothing The world came not by chance or fortune it was framed by no earthly artificers Aholiab Bezaleel made the Tabernacle Hyram the Temple God the world and this did he make principally for sinfull man All creatures were made for us the Sun Moone Birds Fishes c. that we might freely eat of all yea the Angels were in a sort made for us that they might be ministring spirits for our salvation Therefore let us praise God all the dayes of our lives that made the glorious pallace of the world for us Now as the world was made so it must have an end 2 Pet. 3. therefore notwithstanding all the pleasure and wealth of this world let us use it as if wee used it not for the glory thereof fadeth away they waxe old as doth a garment Therefore let us lay up our treasures in a better world From hence the Iesuites make this collection we must believe the world was made out of nothing though wee doe not see it so we must believe that the body of CHRIST is corporally in the Lords Supper though we cannot see it But they might see there is a different reason Wee believe the world was made of nothing though we see it not because the Word of God hath avouched it God's Word never teacheth us that the body of CHRIST is in the Sacrament corporally but in heaven therefore there is no cause why we should believe it VERSE 4. NOw hee returnes to the examples 1. At large then summarily Verse 32. before the floud and after before the entrance into Canaan and after 1. A commendation of Abels fact 2. An approbation of it In the former 1. What it was that gave a relish to his sacrifice 2. To whom it was offered 3. The eminencie of it Caine had the more worthy name Caine acquisitio as if she had gotten the Messiah Abel vanity or weeping 2. He had the worthyest trade bread is the staffe of life 3. He was the first borne 4. He built a City Yet Abel is preferred before him A fuller sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kissed Caines sacrifice was voyd of faith therefore empty Cain tooke absque delectu Abel chose 2. Corne was not so lively to represent CHRIST as Sheepe and Lambes 3. His more sparing Abels more plentifull rather better for his faith By the which faith not sacrifice as Verse 2. and in the end of this Verse The second thing is the approbation 1. In his life 2. After his death In life internall in his owne heart and conscience that he was righteous believing in the Messiah externall either by word Gen. 4 4. or by action as Levit. 9.24 1 Reg. 18.38 1 Chron. 21.26 2 Chron. 7.1 Some have beene of opinion that Adam was damned because he is left out of the catalogue of the faithfull but if none should be saved save those that be in this calender few should be saved The salvation of Adam and Eve may bee concluded by probable reasons rendred by Irenaeus Epiphan Chrys. Aug. 1. It is not like that GOD would cast away the first man that he made the first borne is greatly beloved Seldome doth any father disinherit his first borne Adam was the first that God
made and that immediately with his owne hands 2. Satan the enemy of mankinde did now but begin to peepe out of the window he was not as yet knowne Adam had no experience of him therefore it is like that GOD would bee mercifull to him that was first circumvented by him Iren. l. 3. c. 34.35 3. God cursed not Adam but the earth Gen. 3.17 he is none of those cursed ones to whom CHRIST shall say at the latter day ite maledicti c. 4. When Adam and Eve had sinned they covered themselves with figge leaves which are sharpe and pricking thereby declaring their true repentance as Chrysostome observeth 5. As God made them a promise of CHRIST to come the seed of the woman c. So it is most likely that they layd hold on that promise by the hand of Faith for they brought up their children in the exercises of Religion to offer sacrifice as a figure of the true Lamb that was to be sacrificed on the Crosse for the sinnes of the world Externall sacrifices of Religion have beene practised by all in the lappe and bosome of the Church from the beginning of the world Cain did not refuse to sacrifice he offered a sacrifice as his brother did they therefore that contemne the exercises of Religion that will not come to church offer up the sacrifice of prayse and prayer with the rest of their brethren are worse than Caine. 2. Here wee see that opus operatum is not sufficient It is not enough to doe a good worke which GOD requireth at our hands but wee must performe it in such a manner as the Lord requireth we must not only doe bonum but bono The Pharisee prayed in the Temple and the Publican prayed the prayer of the one was acceptable of the other abominable The Pharisees heard CHRIST preach and many of the common people heard him preach to the one it was the savour of life to life to the other of death unto death Simon Magus was baptised and gave up his name to CHRIST and Lydia was baptised the one sincerely the other in Hypocrisie Peter received the Passeover and Iudas received it to the one it was honey to the other poyson The Pharisees gave almes and Cornelius The one went up into remembrance before God the other did not So Cain sacrificed and Abel sacrificed yet GOD had respect to the one not to the other Therefore we had need to beware with what minde and affection we doe good things It is not enough to come to Church to professe CHRIST to heare Sermons to receive the Holy Communion to offer up the sacrifice of thankesgiving with the congregation but wee must doe these things with a sincere heart da mihi cor not for fashion sake to be well thought of among men to be counted devout and religious persons but we must doe them in faith to glorifie God withall Againe here it is apparent to us all that God hath a care of his Children even when they be dead hee will revenge their bloud and the injuries offered to them when they be gone He remembred what Amaleck had done to Israel many yeeres after the dogs licked up Iesabels bloud a good while after Naboth was slaine Hierusalem that killed the Prophets and stoned them that were sent unto her doth now drinke deepe of the cup of Gods vengeance Abel was dead his body raked up in the earth yet his bloud spake and God heard it he set a brand of his indignation on Cain for it therefore let us take heed how we offer any wrong to God's Saints especially how we imbrew our fingers in their bloud Though they be dead and no man living will follow the Law against us yet God will proceede as a just Iudge against us This should encourage us to serve such a loving and carefull Master as GOD is sleeping and waking living and dying he takes us under the wing of his protection VERSE 5. 1. A Narration of Enoch his translation with all the circumstances belonging to it 2. A confirmation of it Verse 6. That Abel was made famous by faith he hath shewed in the Verse going before Now he comes to Enoch who also by vertue of faith is renowned in all ages None can please God but by faith Enoch pleased God and in token thereof he was translated into heaven Therefore Enoch was justified by faith In his translation there are these branches 1. The cause of it which was faith 2. The end of it that he should not see death 3. An effect of it he was no more found 4. The author of it which was God 5. The reason why because he pleased God Enoch was adorned with many rare and excellent vertues hee walked not after the course of the world in the broad way that leadeth to destruction but in the streight path of Gods Commandements he was full of prayers of almes deeds of fastings yet his translation is adscribed to his faith The just man lives by faith Faith is the wing whereby wee must all flie into the kingdome of heaven Hee was taken from one place and put into another from earth and placed in heaven The end There is a time to be borne and a time to dye It is appointed to all men once to dye Enoch was a man yet hee dyed not hee had a birth day but no dying day Death is a separation of the soule from the body Enoch in soule and body was taken up together into heaven this was his priviledge he escaped the axe of death that cuts of all our heads For a proofe of it he was not found in any place here upon the earth It is like that as some sought for Elias when in a fierie charret he was taken up into heaven so some sought for Enoch but he was no where to be found a writ of non inventus was returned Who tooke him away not the Devill that as some write tooke away some of the Popes but GOD Himselfe tooke him away Why For hee pleased GOD for it is twise said of him Gen. 5.22 24. that he walked with God he was no man pleaser but God pleaser The translation of Enoch is an intricate question that hath exercised the heads of many Divines Some are of opinion that he was turned of a man into an Angell but God makes no such metamorphoses In the kingdome of heaven we shall be like Angels but not Angels The greatest part of the Hebrew Rabbins doe peremptorily avouch that Enoch dyed The Hebrew phrases imply death Enoch was taken away and they that dye are taken away Psal. 39. ult Iob 32. ult Ezek. 24. God hath taken away such a neighbour of ours 2. Aenenu he was not so Gen. 42.36 I but here the Spirit of GOD avoucheth in expresse words making a Commentary of that in Genesis that he did not see death and if he had dyed as other men Moses would have shut up his life with the same clause that he
come on it what will O the magnanimous spirit of a right heroicall man resurrectio mortuorum fiducia Christianorum It is the principall pillar that Christians have to leane upon if we had hope only in this life of all others wee were most miserable Therefore let our faith bee firmely grounded in the resurrection as was the faith of Abraham the Father of the faithfull We have strong inducements thereunto 1. Is potentia dei idoneus est reficere qui fecit hee that made our bodies of nothing at the beginning can remake them when they are consumed to nothing 2. Is bonitas dei I am the GOD of Abraham of Isaac and Iacob that was spoken after they were dead though they were dead yet he was their God the God not of their soules only but of bodies too Absit ut Deus manuum suarum operam ingenii sui curam afflatus sui vaginam liberalitatis suae haeredem testimonii sui militem Christi sui sororem Spiritus sancti templum in aeternum destituat exitium Bee it farre from God to forsake the worke of his owne hands the care of his owne witt and invention let us make man after our Image the bladder or sheath whereinto he breathed the breath of life they heyre of his liberality the Souldier of his testimony that hath fought for him as well as the soule the sister and member of Christ the Temple of the Holy Ghost Be it farre from God that hee should leave this in eternall destruction As the soule and body have beene consorts in labours in this life so shall they be in rewards in the life to come 3. Exempla resurgentium the examples of them that have risen from the dead in the Old and New Testament Christ raised up three the one in domo which was the daughter of Iairus the other in feretro on the beere the widdowes Sonne of Naim the third in Sepulchro in the grave which was Lazarus when he began to stincke These are praeludia nostrae resurrectionis forerunners or pledges of our resurrection 4. Dulcis titulus mortis a sweete description of death It is but a sleepe I would not have you ignorant concerning them that are fallen asleepe Those that sleepe in IESUS will GOD bring with him LORD said they of Lazarus if hee sleepe hee shall doe well enough The dead are but asleepe they shall doe well enough Philip slept securely while Antipater was awake and the dead sleepe safely while God is awake the keeper of Israel that neither slumbers nor sleepes Therefore let us be firmely perswaded of the Resurrection as Abraham was hee believed that God was able to rayse up Isaac from the dead and let us believe that GOD can rayse us all from the dead Abraham was a good considerer At the first when God promised Isaac he considered not his owne body that was dead Now when he is to loose Isaac he considers that God was able to raise him up O heavenly consideration in all extremities let us consider the power of God as Abraham did Art thou grievously sicke yea even to death is there but a step betweene thee and death yet consider that God if it be his pleasure can set thee on thy legges againe Art thou fallen to poverty of a mighty rich man art thou become an exceeding poore man as Iob was yet consider that God is able to raise thee up againe Is thy Sonne or thy daughter dead is thy Wife or thy Husband dead is thy friend dead that was as thine owne soule Weepe not over much consider that God is able to raise them up from the dead they bee not amissi but praemissi they are gone into heaven before and we shall follow after Doest thou thy selfe dye is thy body layd in the grave doth it there putrifie to dust and ashes yet consider that God is able to raise thee up againe Say with that holy man I am sure my Redeemer liveth The consideration of Gods power must comfort us in all calamities We have had the Tragedy now to the Comedy Hereupon followed a joyfull event he did not receive him in a parable but truly and indeed he received him from the dead that is from the state of the dead in a parable he was not deceived in his expectation In a parable that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a figure sayes Chrysostome in a darke and obscure figure or as hee unfolds it more plainely afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an example in similitudine quadam as Henry Stephen expounds it quodam modo as Beza after a sort as it was in the translation before this In a parable in a similitude for all parables are similitudes Neerenesse to death is a lively type and figure of death whereupon it hath the name of death 2 Cor. 1.10 blessed be God that hath delivered us from so great a death Yet Saint Paul did not dye then So the neerenesse of death wherein Isaac was was a similitude of Death the Altar was built the wood laid on the Altar Isaac bound on the wood the fire was ready the knife was comming to his throat to kill him Therfore Abraham received him from the dead in a similitude Old Father Iacob received his Sonne Ioseph as it were from the dead he verily thought he had been torne in pieces by wild beasts yet at that time he was alive and ruler of the land of Aegypt Hezekiah received his life in a similitude from the dead for sentence of death was pronounced against him by Gods own mouth The Iewes in the provinces of Ahasuerus received their lives in a similitude from the dead The Kings letters were sent by Posts into all quarters to roote them out kill and destroy them all even Men Women and Children in one day S. Paul and all that were in the Ship with him received their lives in a similitude from the dead For all hope that they should bee saved was taken away Act. 27.20 The King and Queene and Prince that then was the Lords spirituall and temporall the Gentlemen of the lower house in them wee Protestants in England received our lives in a similitude from the dead at the powder treason Thirty seven barrels of Gunpowder were cunningly couched under the vault of the Parliament house Vaux the same morning had his match in his hand to set them on fire we were in the mouth of death in a manner as neere as Isaac but by Gods miraculous providence through the quicke apprehension of the wise and learned King wee were delivered as Isaac was which deliverance requires hearty thankesgiving to God Gods tryalls begin with a tragedy and end with a Comedy The Psalmist sayes of the faithfull Psal. 126. ult they went out weeping and carryed precious seed but they shall returne with joy and bring their sheaves with them So Abraham poore desolate Father went out weeping with his precious Sonne Isaac to be offered up but hee returnes
rejoycing and brings home the sheaves of heavenly comfort with him Gods dealing with his Children is contrary to Ezekiels scrowle it was sweete in his mouth and bitter in his belly God begins bitterly but ends sweetely as hee did with Abraham Yee remember the patience of Iob and what end the Lord made So remember the tryall of Abraham and what end the Lord made The beginning was sorrow the end was joy Let us beare with patience the bitter beginning that we may be partakers of the sweete ending He that will save his life shall loose it but hee that looseth it for my sake shall finde it hee that will save his goods by the denyall of Christ shall loose them he that will save his Children by dishonouring of God shall loose them as Eli did he cockered his Children and lost them they were both slaine in a day Abraham is content to loose his Child for God's sake and he findes his Child there is nothing lost by obeying God we shall be gainers by it Contemne divitias eris locuples contemne gloriam eris gloriosus contemne filium habebis filium We shall have fathers and mothers Children as it were in this world and in the world to come life everlasting Let this encourage us to submit our selves in all obedience to God in all things as Abraham did VERSE 20. WE have had the Chapter of death here followes that of faith wherein we have an Ilias of examples 1. Of the Grand-father then of the Sonne lastly of the Grand-child Isaac was in a manner dead yet he lives still many a yeere and at his going out of the world blesseth his two Sonnes which was a demonstration of his faith he lived and dyed in faith as Abraham had done But it seemeth the Holy Ghost might have made choyse of other workes of Isaacs serving better for the expressing of his faith then this he was a devout and religious man much given to prayer and heavenly meditation he went into the field to pray or meditate he continued praying twenty yeeres together for a Child and would not give over hee was obedient to God and followed him from place to place why doth not the Apostle make mention of these but of his blessing 1. These were common to others together with him 2. This blessing did most of all argue that he had lively faith in the promises of God made to him and Abraham when as hee doth bestow the things promised with as great assurance as if they were accomplished already This blessing is a fulfilling of all the promises therefore most fit to declare his faith and to publish it to all the world In this blessing there are three things 1. The instrumentall cause whereby it was done 2. The persons blessed 3. The things whereabout they were blessed For the instrument it was by faith Was it so he was coozened in it by Rebeccah and Iacob and he was induced to it against his will and purpose for he was determined to have blessed Esau. 1. Distinguish between the action and the infirmities in it Nature lead him one way and grace another yet for all that all things were governed by GODS providence as Exod. 1.20 and this blessing was an execution of Gods will decree and counsell and in some fort issued from faith in him Some infirmities of a man cannot marre the action of God as a sicke man is a man so a weake faith is a faith 2. His constant resolution after the blessing was ended doth shew it came from faith I have blessed thy brother already and he shall be blessed The voice of faith For the persons Iacob is set first because the birth-right was his his brother having sold it to him and he was the man whom God loved and in whom the promises were continued Esau was a prophane person yet he had some blessings Therefore both are included in the blessing though diversly Concerning what did hee blesse them not things present but to come temporall and eternall in this life and that to come which was an evident declaration of his faith For faith is a ground of things hoped for he pronounced of things to come as certainely as if they were already and they fell out as he had said Neither were the things to come temporall blessings alone but especially spirituall shadowed out by earthly things In the blessing hee said to Iacob Genesis 27.29 Be thou thy brothers Lord yet Iacob was faine to crouch to Esau hee was his Lord but this was accomplished in CHRIST that should come of Iacob All Nations were subject to him In this blessing Iacob saw CHRIST though it were afarre off therefore no mervaile though it bee adscribed to faith The blessing of Parents is highly to be regarded Praerogativa parentum disciplina filiorum Though there be a difference betweene our blessing of our Children and of the Patriarkes Our benedictio is but bona dictio or bona precatio their 's was an actuall and a reall bestowing of things on them yet the curse or blessing of Parents in all ages is to bee respected whom they curse justly God curseth â—nd whom they blesse God blesseth Therefore let Children so behave themselves that they may have their Parents blessing especially at their departure out of the world These temporall blessings are blessings Wealth health honour prosperity these GOD bestoweth on the reprobate these had Ismael and Esau hee was a jolly hunter and abounded in pleasure hee flourished in worldly prosperity more than Iacob So may the wicked doe Psal. 73.4 Dives But let us be content rather to lye with Lazarus then to frye with Dives to be plaine and simple men as Iacob was then to have their felicity here and misery hereafter 2 Sam. 19.30 Faith sees things to come Isaac now was blind yet he saw things to come The eye of faith is the best eye Let us entreat the Lord to make the eye of our faith brighter and brighter to our dying day VERSE 21. TOuching Iacob there bee two facts to be considered which are illustrated by the instrumentall cause and the circumstance of time when they were performed The facts are the blessing of Iosephs two Sonnes and his worshipping of GOD described by the manner how the instrumentall cause faith the time when when he was a dying By faith for without the eye of faith hee could not see the things that should happen to his Childrens Children conteyned in the blessing Which was more than the blessing of his owne Sonnes all fathers will doe that when hee was about to dye when death did approach 1. He adopted them into his family that they might be members of the Church as well as his owne Sons 2. He preferred the younger before the elder Ephraim is put for the tenne tribes Hos. 5. they were both Children Ephraim had no more in him then Manasseh 3. Being a stranger in Aegypt he gave them portions in the land
one that is thy junior thy inferiour lifted up in wealth honour and dignity above thee grudge not at it it is Gods doing be contented with it 3. Here we have a patterne in old father Iacob how to behave our selves at the time of death when wee see and heare death knocking at our doores then especially we must be occupied in heavenly duties we must not be cursing but blessing as Iacob was then above all other times we must be worshipping of God praying to him praysing and magnifying him for his mercies as Iacob was upon our beds and upon our staves Though we be weake and impotent wee must be glorifying of God when Hezekiah received that message set thine house in order for thou must dye then hee turned his face to the wall and prayed earnestly to the Lord. When our Saviour was going out of the world he was blessing his Disciples and here Iacob is blessing and praysing to his dying day so must we be We must not then be swearing cursing and banning quaffing and swilling as many be like the Epicures let us eate and drinke for to morrow wee shall dye Then we must be preparing of our selves for a better life where we shall remaine for ever The neerer the time approcheth that a tenant must goe out of his farme the more carefull he will be to improve it to his best commodity the lesser time that a man is to enjoy money lent to him the greater advantage he will make of it if hee can even so when we perceive wee must depart out of the farme of this world let us use it most to Gods glory and seeing God hath lent us our life as a summe of money to be payd to him praestituto die the neerer the day of payment comes the more conscionably and diligently let us be in the use of it to the honour of God and our owne profit When the steward in the Gospell saw that he was to goe out of his office he makes the best of it he can so let us doe of our life when we are to part with it They that be actours in a Comedy or Tragedy will have a speciall eye to the last act that they may have a joyfull plaudite of the people So this life being as a stage whereon wee play our part let us chiefely look to the last act at our departure out of the world that it may be joyfull to our selves and all those that be round about us our whole life should bee a continuall glorifying of GOD but especially the closing up of our life with death that wee may leave a testimony behind us of that lively faith which wee have in the Lord Iesus Let us be praying meditating blessing talking of heavenly matters to the last gaspe VERSE 22. IN Ioseph there be two things 1. A memorandum given to the Israelites 2. A Charge for the removing of his bones which were both lively demonstrations of his faith Hee presaged his death Gen. 50.24 either by the nature or quality of his disease or by divine revelation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drawing to his end Memoriae prodit brought to memorie Out of Aegypt often promised by God which he had received from his fathers he makes a certaine prediction of it He bound them with an oath Gen. 50.25 Not so much for feare of Idolatry lest the Aegyptians should worship him when he was dead as Chrys. in Genesin and August de mirabilibus Sacrae Script l. 1. c. 15. they had opportunity to doe it before his bones were removed but to confirme the faith he had in the promises of God he was so sure that they should have the land of Canaan as that hee would have his bones carryed away before-hand 2. Because the land of Canaan was a type of heaven he would be there buryed 3. Because in life and in death he would be with the godly Rhemists the translation of reliques or Saints bodies and the due regard and honour wee ought to have to the same are proved hereby Bel. l. 2. de reliquiis Sanct. c. 3. upon this example concludeth non ergo superstitiosum neque novum est transferre ossa Sanctorum 1. The Israelites were bound by oath to translate his bones not so they 2. They kept not those bones to shew to the people or to carry them about on festivall dayes but they buryed them Ios. 24.32 3. Those were translated into the land of Canaan because it was a type of heaven So is no speciall Country now Therefore that is no president Ioseph a great man the ruler of Aegypt yet dieth death over-rules us all The rich man dyed as well as poore Lazarus It is appointed to all once to dye He rubbed their memories put them in remembrance of their departure out of Aegypt whereupon the booke of Exodus hath his name containing the departure of the Children of Israel You are well seated here in the land of Aegypt you are planted in Goshen the fattest of the land It is like for my sake ye shall finde favour for a time yet set not up your staffe here but remember yee must depart hence the land of Canaan is your Country promised to Abraham Isaac and Iacob let your mindes run on that land As for this world it is a kind of Aegypt flowing with all pleasures and profits yet let us know that this is no place of abode for us we must depart from hence The time of my departure is now at hand sayes St. Paul 2 Tim. 4.6 Luk. 9.31 If he had need of such a Memorandum much more we for this end Philip had his Vsher who daily said to him memento Philippe te esse mortalem The Israelites were too much wedded in their affections to Aegypt they desired to be againe with their Onyons and such like fare as they had in Aegypt We are all too much in love with this wretched world it likes us as well as the Mount did St. Peter Many wish that they might make Tabernacles here for ever yet let us all know that this is no abiding place wee must all depart eximus è vita tanquam è theatro Farmers from their farmes Gentlemen Knights Lords from their beautifull houses yea Kings must depart out of their Pallaces A voice came from heaven to Nebuchadnezar Oh King thy kingdome is departed from thee Let us seriously thinke of this departure of ours When a Travellour comes to his Inne hee lookes about him and sayes here is a fayre Inne here I have a brave Chamber and I have plenty of all things for my money yet this is not my home I must not tarry here I must depart even so though we have the world at will and all things as heart can wish beautifull houses large lands ample possessions yet here is no place to abide in we must depart leave all goe away with a Coffin and a winding sheete Let us use this world as if wee used it not let our
hearts bee on a better world that in the end wee may depart in peace with Simeon and reigne with CHRIST for ever in the world to come Ioseph had beene a brave Courtyer trained up and bearing sway in Pharaohs Court many yeeres together abounding in all wealth honour pleasure and prosperity yet all this while hee forgets not God he lived well and dyed well he is heavenly minded at his departure out of the world he is not now talking of his honours as Haman was the day before he dyed not talking of the injuries which his Mistris offered to him in casting him into prison and taking order for the revenge of it he is not now conferring with his brethren about the solemnizing of his funerall with what pomp they should carry him to the grave but now he is talking of matters belonging to the kingdome of heaven Though we live in never so prophane a place as irreligious as Aegypt as full of carnall entisements as Pharaohs Court yet let us keepe our integrity as Ioseph did let not the pleasures of the earth pull us from the joyes of heaven Obadiah kept his zeale and sincerity in Achabs Court Daniel in Nebuchadnezars Palace Nehemiah in the Kings buttery and at his table and there were rare and excellent Christians in Neroes house most of all they of Caesars house-hold they were more mindfull of the poore Saints of Philippi then others Let us not condemne them that be in heathenish and irreligious places GOD can preserve his pearles even in dunghills his roses among thornes hee will have a Rahab in Iericho a Lot in Sodom a Ioseph in Aegypt wheresoever wee bee let us keepe our selves unpolluted of the world 2. Here we are taught what must be the object of our talke of what matters we must be talking when death approacheth not of worldly matters but of heavenly as Ioseph was Elias was talking with Elisha about profitable matters when he was taken from him into heaven as they were walking and talking the fiery Charriot tooke him away Our Saviour was talking with his Disciples about matters belonging to the kingdome of GOD till the cloud tooke him away and Ioseph here dying is speaking not of those things appertaining to the earthly Court but to the Court of heaven Navita de ventis de tauris narrat arator every man for the most part both in his life time and in the time of death is speaking of those things which hee most mindeth the things that be most in the heart are most in the tongue A covetous miser is talking of his gold and silver houses and lands of the trash of the world even when he lyes on his death bed A drunkard will then bee talking of drinke an adulterer of fayre and beautifull women but a godly man will be talking of Gods matters as Ioseph was It is very like that Ioseph ere this time had made his will and set his outward estate at a stay therefore that doth not trouble him now his minde runs about better matters it is not good to deferre the making of our wills till we see no other way but death the last thing we talke of should be celestiall not terrestriall things 3. Wee must not bee too scrupulous about the place of our buryall Now no land is a type of heaven as the land of Canaan was before the comming of CHRIST Out of any Country on the earth yea out of the bottome of the Sea out of the Lions mouthes out of the fire wherein we are burnt to ashes for the name of Christ we shall have a comfortable passage into the kingdome of heaven yea our buryall with the wicked shall not prejudice our entrance into heaven Saint Peter sitting at the same table with Iudas when he was alive was not hurt by him much lesse should he have beene hindred out of heaven if hee had lien in the same grave with Iudas Though wee bee buryed among Thieves Traytors Idolaters Drunkards Murderers Adulterers c. If our lives have beene good that cannot keepe us out of heaven Yet if conveniently it may be superstition being avoyded as we lived with the godly so let us be buryed with them as we were companions with them in their life so let us be in death if it seeme good to the prouidence of God Ruth sayes to Naomi where thou art buryed I will be buryed and Ioseph would have his bones to lye with the bones of Abraham Isaac and Iacob So wee shall give notice to the world how deere the Saints were to us when they were alive Yet let not the place of our buryall trouble us at our dying day as some take too much thought for that wheresoever wee be buryed God will send his Angels at the latter day to gather our bodies from all the ends of the world and to carry them up into heaven Hee gave no commandement touching his flesh he knew that would be consumed before Then why should we pamper this flesh so much that is so soone brought to dust and ashes caro mea inimica mea onus meum laqueus meus paramus escam vermibus Let us subdue our bodies lest like horses they overthrow their Riders His bones were durable therefore hee gives a charge of them If hee had not looked for the Resurrection of those bones hee would not have beene so carefull for the translating of them into the land of Canaan Psal. 34.20 Ezek. 37.1 The bones of a dead man are scattered hither and thither tumbled out of one grave into another yet these shall rise and come to their place againe Bucers bones were burnt in Queene Maries dayes yet the same bones shall rise againe and be a witnesse against the enemies of the truth Not our bones alone but our flesh every part and member of our bodies shall be restored to us againe with these my eyes shall I see him the very palmes of Iezebels hands that were eaten up with dogges shall rise againe Let us not sing the Epicures song let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall dye Let us not give our selves wholly to pampering of our flesh and the fatting of our bones but let us employ all our members to GODS service in this life that we may be partakers in soule and body of his eternall glory in the life to come VERSE 23. BEfore of the Patriarcks now of the Lawgiver Where wee have 1. The commendation of his Parents faith 2. The commendation of his owne faith The faith of his Parents is commended by a worthy act of theirs the preservation of their Child which is amplified 1. By an attractive cause that drew them to it the beauty of the Child 2. By a retractive or disswasive cause that might have withdrawne them from it 1. The Kings commandement which in an heroicall magnanimity they feared not Moses Exod. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catachresticè he useth this word because his
offered to them if they would have transgressed Gods Commandement Which is illustrated by the end Some interpret it the better Resurrection not that worser of the reprobate that shall rise againe but to everlasting woe but that better resurrection of the godly to eternall glory Others A better that is a more glorious resurrection as martyrs not that common one of all the faithfull 1 Cor. 15.41 Yet by the opposition this is the meaning of it If they would have denied God and broken his Commandements they might have had a kinde of resurrection from the sentence of death pronounced against them and have lived longer in the world yet they refused that for a far better resurrection in the world to come when they shall rise againe with comfort and enter into GOD's Kingdome a better resurrection than they that were raised up by Elias and Elisha they rose to a temporall life So we by faith shall receive our Fathers and mothers brethren and sisters our sons and daughters alive againe by faith we shall receive our owne bodies againe after the wormes have eaten our flesh with the same eyes in substance that we now have shall we see GOD meet CHRIST IESUS in the ayre and be translated into the kingdome of glory Vnspeakable is the force of faith the LORD strengthen the faith of us all If Eleazar would but have dissembled that he had eaten Swines flesh he might have beene delivered If the three children would have fallen downe and worshiped Nebuchadnezzars golden Image they might have beene delivered if Daniel would have praied to King Darius he might have beene delivered from the Lions Master favour thy selfe said S. Peter to Christ when he went to Ierusalem to be crucified and many Syrens sang this sweet song to the Martyrs O favour your selves doe not wilfully cast away your selves have a care of your selves your wives and children Who would not bee intised with this Musick yet it could not prevaile with them And why That they might receive a better resurrection If for the preservation of this short life which is but a span long they had revolted from Christ and his truth they should have had a miserable resurrection they should have risen with a sting of conscience with a worme continually gnawing on them they choose rather to suffer death that they might rise with a cheerefull and joyfull conscience to eternall life All shall rise againe good and bad Cain shall rise with the same hand wherewith he slew his brother Iesabel with the same body that was eaten up by the Dogs Rabsekeh with the same tongue wherewith he railed on the God of Israel Iudas with the same lips wherewith he trayterously betrayed our Saviour Christ Turne-coats like Ecebolius shall rise but they shall rise with horror of conscience The godly that have stuck to Christ that have fought valiantly under his banner to the very death they shall rise with comfortable consciences meet Christ joyfully in the aire bee translated into the kingdome of glory and remaine with him forever Therefore let us all have an eye to this resurrection VERSE 36. THE lesser belong to the Name or to the body Some did incutere pudorem some dolorem some horrorem Were tryed by mockings as Elisha 2 Reg. 2.23 Ieremiah Cap. 20.7 Psal. 38.13 c. They received the triall of mockings and scourgings Yet it is not like they used wyre whips as some now in other parts doe By bonds and imprisonments As Micajah and Ieremiah The drunkards made songs of David Ieremiah Iob. Our Saviour was mocked on the crosse The Scribes the Pharisees the Elders and all the common people mocked him The Martyrs were mocked in the Primitive Church This is a tryall we have daily even in the peace and light of the Gospell There be Atheists Drunkards Adulterers Prophane persons that daily mock the children of God This is an horrible sin 1 Saint Paul cals it persecution Gal. 4.29 and all mockers are persecutors Seest thou a jesting fellow that is alwayes scoffing at good men Thou mayest well say there goes a persecutor 2 The seat of the scornefull is the highest step of sin Psal. 1.1 3 God is a speciall avenger of it he made Beares come out of a Wood and devoure two and forty litle children that mocked Elisha Then let those men looke to themselves that mock the Prophets of GOD the Lord will meet with them one way or other 4 Mocks touch the good name A thiefe is a lesser sinner than a mocker A good name is above gold Prov. 22.1 Therefore let us all take heed of this vice which is frequent among us The Apostle would not have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is when as men presuming on their wit think to turn a thing whither they will he would not have this to be named among us much lesse to bee practised by us Elias scoffed at Baals Priests in an holy zeale being directed to it by the Spirit of God Such Ironies proceed from an extraordinary motion of Gods spirit but let us beware how we scoffe at Gods workes how we make our selves merry with his Word how we mock his Ministers and other his servants It is a vice too rife among us Some had rather lose their friend than their jest nay some had rather lose the friendship of God than their jest It is a great sin to grieve any of Gods children wilt thou grieve him sayes S. Paul for whom Christ died he had rather eat no flesh so long as he lived than he would offend his brother and let not us jest so long as we live if we cannot doe it without the offence of our brethren Mockings are tryals woe to the tryers but blessed are they that with meeknesse and patience endure these tryals And scourgings which must needs be painfull to the body By bonds and prisonments which are uncomfortable to all Though a Bird want nothing in a Cage have bread and water enough yet she had rather an hundred times be abroad Liberty is sweet bondage soure though it bee accompanied with some delights and pleasures But I warrant you their imprisonment was hard enough they were fed with the bread of affliction and the water of affliction as Micaiah was and some as the Story saith in Queene Maries dayes were faine to drinke their owne water instead of drinke they had a miserable imprisonment which they notwithstanding endured cheerefully for the Lord's sake VERSE 37. THey were stoned as Zecharias the son of Iehojadah 2 Chro. 24.21 S. Stephen and S. Paul were stoned They were hewne asunder as Ierome reporteth by the common consent of the Iewes Isaiah was Origen sayes he was sawne in peeces with a woodden saw at the commandement of Manasseh because he affirmed he saw the Lord of Hosts Tempted This is left out altogether by Chrysostome and Theophylact Some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were burnt as some were under Antiochus That might be entertained with some applause
either to try us withall or to humble us for one thing or other 2 The Testimony of thine owne conscience if that accuse thee weepe if that excuse thee laugh that which they speake is either true or false if in be true mourne for it and amend it if it be false rejoyce in it Matth. 5.11 3 Christs example must be never out of minde An ancient Father professeth of himselfe that when hee remembred that prayer of Christs he could not find in his heart to be revenged of any It was as a bridle to restraine him from revenge So as oft as we thinke on these words consider him that endured such speaking against of sinners let them be a Bull-warke to us against evill tongues Did he that was no sinner endure and shall not we that be sinners endure ill speeches There is none that can challenge a priviledge from ill tongues Kings themselves are faine to swallow up many an ill word The persecution of the tongue is a grievous persecution to tender hearts more grievous than that of the hand Mocks and taunts goe to the heart of men and discourage many In all these let us consider our Saviour Christ that endured such contradiction of sinners he had a loade of contumelious speeches lay'd on him yet he endured them Let Christs enduring make us to endure and let them not hinder us in the race of Christianity Let us take heed we be not accessary to his persecution Some there be that are never well but when they be speaking ill of others Their mouthes are like Mils that cannot grinde without foule water A dangerous Plurisy it were well that they were let bloud of that vaine Come say they Let us smite Ieremie with the tongue Let us keep our hands off but let us lay on loade with our tongues This they thinke they may lawfully doe Our tongues are our owne who shall controll us Nay they be not your owne 1 Cor. 6.19 Of every idle word ye must give an account much more of every rayling and back-byting word The tongue is an unruly evill but labour to rule it As we sit at Table by the Chimney side let us not speak ill but sound forth the praises of GOD for CHRIST's comming into the world S. Iames sets two brands on him 1. He is a Coosener whom doth hee deceive not another but himselfe 2. His religion is vaine he may thinke highly of himselfe yet he is a vaine man Some take a liberty to themselves to speake ill of those that be not as they are so holy so religious as they thou shouldest rather pray for them than speak ill of them Acts 26.29 S. Paul wished that Agryppa and all that were then present were he was but he did not raile on them no more must we If defects be in any pray for the supply of them but speake not ill of them behinde their backs Let us remember that in sinning against the brethren we sin against Christ let not one member persecute another let Ismael doe it but let not Isaac doe it Let us all arme our selves against malevolent tongues let us never dreame to live without ill words Nay S. Luke sayes Woe be to you when all men speake well of you Let us alwayes remember this Item of the Holy Ghost Consider him that endured such speaking against of sinners that his example may be as Aqua-vitae to keepe us from fainting VERSE 4. NOw followes the second argument which is taken from a defect in their former affliction We have endured many things already Heb. 10.32 Why doest thou speake to us of enduring more I but ye have not come to the last stroake yee have lost your goods but not your lives for Christ and his Gospell as many have done and you peradventure may doe hereafter As Christ hath shed his bloud for you so must you bee content to doe the like for him if he call you to it Matth. 23.35 Vnto bloud that is unto death Such a one seekes my bloud that is my life Bloud-sucker His bloud be on as and our children that is let us be answerable for his death It is so called because in a violent death there is an effusion of bloud We must never thinke we have resisted enough to our dying-day Phil. 3.13 Striving against sin Some interpret it against the sin of the persequutors labouring by threatnings and promises to draw you from Christ. Rather against sinne in yourselves which is as Cable-rope to pull afflictions on you Though God impose them on you or suffer them to befall you for his Gospell There be Cutters sad Hacksters desperate Ruffians that will resist to bloud they will challenge one another into the field and it may be see the heart-bloud one of another but this is in the Devils cause not in Christs cause Let us resist in the defence of Christ and his Gospell to the bloud Christ hath shed his bloud for us and shall not we shed ours for him Many of the Heathen have given their bloud for their Countrey and shall not wee give it for Christ and the Church for the confirmation of it in the faith of Christ Though we have stood out a long time in Christs quarrell resisting the enemies of the Gospell yet let us not set downe our staffe Let us never think wee have resisted enough till wee have resisted to bloud Christ gave us our bloud Christ redeemed our bloud Christ hath prepared heaven for us that be flesh and bloud therefore it cannot be spent better than in his service But as for us we yeeld our selves Captives to sin we throw downe the bucklers and suffer him to over-master us there is no striving against sin We strive one with another every Towne is full or unneighbourly strifes and unbrotherly contentions We strive not against sin Sin is the greatest enemie that we have it will cut the throat of our soule and banish us out of heaven therefore let us strive against it Leave striving one with another and let us all strive against sinne We shall never bee Martyrs if we doe it not for they that will not lay downe their sins for Christ will never lay downe their lives for Christ. How must we strive against sin 1 By prayer 2 Cor. 12.8 For this thing I be sought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me Let us pray against anger pride uncleannesse covetousnesse continually 2 By Scripture If we be inticed to idolatry let us fight against it with the sword of the Spirit as Christ did saying Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve If we be provoked to adultery let us say Whoremongers and Adulterers GOD will judge 3 By the substracting of the nourishment of that sin Let us strive against lust and uncleannesse by a sober and temperate life The very Heathen could say Sine cerere Baccho friget Venus Eate and drinke sparingly and the fire of
before the earthquake in Phaenicia whipped the pillars in the market-place saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stand ye must dance shortly They may be overflowne by inundations of waters as Rome was by the River Tyber insomuch as they were faine to row with boats in the streets many Churches and houses were overthrowne they may be sacked by the enemies we may meet with many crosses and calamities in them that may make us weary of our lives our houses even in our lives time may goe to our enemies S. Chrysostome professeth he could name some to whom it hath happened When death comes that thrusts us out of these Cities If they remaine till the day of judgement then the world with all the magnificent buildings shall be burnt with fire If a Man were sure the Citie would fall the next yeere who would build in it The world may fall this yeere for ought wee know therefore let us not fix our solace nor repose out confidence in these transitorie Cities let us looke up with the eye of faith to this permanent and abiding Citie whose maker and builder is God where we shall have joyes that eye hath not seene eare heard nor yet can enter into the heart of man But are we come to it already Not by many a mile Saint Iohn came to it by a vision Apoc. 21. S. Peter S. Iames S. Iohn came to a glimmering of it by the sight of Christs transfiguration in the Mount but how are we come to it Credendo venisti sed nondum pervenisti adhuc in via sumus venimus sed nondum pervenimus Aug. de verb. Apost Serm. 12. We have this City already 1. Per virtutem promissionis godlinesse hath the promises of this life and that which is to come He hath promised it that cannot lye nor deny himselfe In him there is no shaddow of turning 2 Per Dei donationem Luc. 12.32 It is your Fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdome 3 Per ejus haereditarium it is an inheritance 4 Per fidei apprehensionem Iohn 3. ult Faith is the evidence of things not seene Abraham saw the day of Christ by faith so doe we the heavenly Ierusalem 5 Per spei expectationem Ye are saved by hope and this Anchor is cast upwards into the heavenly Sanctuary 6 We shall have it one day Per plenariam fruitionem possessionem One Busices a Noble Man of Persia seeing one Ananias an old man goe trembling to death said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shut thine eyes a while be bold and thou shalt see the light of God Soz. l. 2. c. 11. Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God by sicknesse poverty malevolent tongues by death yet we shall have it The light affliction which is but for a moment procureth an eternall weight of glory So let us shut up the carnall eyes of our body let us have the eyes of faith open undoubtedly we shall one day enjoy the glorious light of this heavenly Ierusalem Now let us proceed to the persons to whom wee are come they are in number five The first are the guardians of the Church the second is the Church it selfe the third is the Founder and preserver of the Church the fourth is certaine speciall members of the Church the fifth is our Saviour Christ the Head and Mediator of the Church The guardians of the Church are the Angels the Souldiers that keepe the Citie Nomen spiritus nomen essentiae the name of Spirit is the name of essence If we respect their nature they be Spirits nomen Angeli nomen officii An Angell is a Messenger Ye are come to innumerable messengers sent from God ministring spirits for the salvation of elect men In whom these points are briefly to bee discussed 1 Their Number 2. Their Order 3. Their Wisdome 4. Their Power 5. Their Office 6. Whether every one of Gods elect have a particular Angell or not 1. For their number Wee need spend no time about that because it is here said that they be innumerable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Myriads of Angels One Myriad is ten thousand thousands to many 10000s of Angels Thousands ministred to him and tenne thousand thousands stood before him Dan. 7.10 Such a multitude of them that our Saviour compares all mankinde to one sheepe in comparison of them Luk. 15.4 They are innumerable to us not to GOD. There bee many things that wee cannot number but GOD can We cannot number our sinnes the haires of our heads the sand of the Sea shore the Starres in the firmament but God can So we cannot number the Angels but God can The set number is not defined in the Scripture only it is said to bee a great company of them for the comfort and strengthening of us all 2. Touching their order Where some curious braines put all out of order Nicephorus reports many strange things of Dionysius Areopagita 1. That Saint Paul baptized him with his owne hands yet it is more than Saint Paul himselfe remembers 2. That he constituted him Bishop of Athens but where or when he cannot tell 3. Which is the strangest of all that Saint Paul revealed to him and one Hierotheus the secrets he saw in the third heaven among the which was the hierarchie of the Angels which hee afterwards committed to writing Neverthelesse Tertullian armes us against such phantasticall conceits if any sayes hee shall pretend the knowledge of the secrets which Saint Paul saw in Paradise Paulus secreti proditor reus est either Saint Paul is guilty of high Treason in disclosing the secrets of the King of Kings or another was taken up into Paradise to whom it was lawfull to utter that which St. Paul might not neither of them both can bee because they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ineffable words Therefore no credit is to be given to them Yet for all that Peter Lombard the master of the sentences whom all the Schoole men follow building principally on the authority of Dionysius Areopagita takes on him to determine that there bee nine orders of Angels and those nine are divided into three ternaries for the signification of the Trinity The superiour is Seraphim Cherubim and Thrones the middle is Dominations Principalities and Powers the inferiour Vertues Arch-Angels and Angels A strange thing that Arch-Angels should be set so low An Arch-Bishop is above all the Bishops in his province and one would thinke an Arch-Angell should be above all Angels Saint Augustine is of a more modest spirit quomodo se habeat beatissima illa ac superna civitas how it is in that blessed and supreme city whether there be any difference of Angels they being all called by the generall name of Angels whether there bee Arch-Angels or not and how these foure words differ quid inter se distent 4 Illa vocabula whether they bee thrones dominations Principalities or powers Dicant qui possunt si
on their bodies fornicatio quasi formae necatio many loathsome diseases are on them as the French-pox consumptions c. Men are afraid to drinke of their cups and their bodies many times wast and consume away 3 On their goods the sinne of Adultery hath brought many a rich man to beggery The prodigall Childe quickly wasted his goods on harlots they be as sponges to drink up a mans wealth their riches melt as wax 4 On their good names they be odious to all men Yea one Adulterer will speake ill of another and upbraid one another by this sin one principall thing that the Oratour cast in Catelins dish was his beastly and incestuous life Cane pejus angue 5 On their children Sometimes they be fooles and ideots sometimes lame in their hands in their feet In ancient times they might beare no office in Church or Common-wealth Sometimes they are taken away by an untimely death as Davids childe was which he begat of Vriahs wife they cannot inherit the Lands of their Fathers One way or other the brand of Gods wrath is on their posterity So that the truth of this sentence may be apparent to us all GOD will judge Yea though there bee never so great men in the world against whom the sword of mans authority cannot easily be drawne forth yet GOD will be sure to meet with them Amnon was a Kings Son yet because he defiled his sister GOD slew him and he was slaine at a banquet when his heart was merry with wine and did not so much as dreame of death when he had little time to repent him of his wicked life Absalom was heire apparent to the Crowne nay for the time he was King having put downe his father yet because he had played the incestuous beast the Lord in justice caused him to be hanged by his owne hayre and so he dyed miserably Iesabel was a Queene yet because her adulteries were in great number she was cast out of a window and eaten with dogs Whole Cities have beene destroyed for it as Sodome and Gomorah with those adjoyning to it All the males in Shechem were put to the sword for ravishng one mayde The wrong offered to one woman was almost the utter overthrow of the whole Tribe of Benjamin Therefore let us tremble at this sentence Though men judge them not yet God will judge them though the Iudge of the Assizes will not punish them though for a little money they may escape in the Courts yet the Iudge of the World will punish them severely If for some causes best knowne to himselfe they escape his fingers in this world yet they shall feele the heavie hand of his indignation in the world to come This ye know all that be in the Schoole of Christ know this that no whoremonger wanton buggerer shall inherit the kingdome of GOD. Without the gates of heavenly Ierusalem are Dogs Enchanters Whoremongers Lyars A terrible sin that excludes us out of Heaven Therefore let us all beware of it It is a sweet sinne to the flesh but God hath provided sowre sauce for it therefore let it be detested by us all If we feele the fire of lust burning in us let us not sit at the wine goe to an whore or harlot that will but increase the fire and make us fit matter for the fire of hell But let us fast and pray or let us flye to mariage for the quenching of it for the avoiding of fornication let every man have his wife Mariage is honourable among all and the bed undefiled but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge Demosthenes went to Lais the strumpet for a nights-lodging she asked ten thousand drachmes nay soft sayes Demosthenes nolo tanti emere poenitere So if an harlot say to us as Potiphars wife to Ioseph Come lye with me c. Let us abhor it and say I will not buy repentance so deere We shall one day repent us for it either to our griefe or amendment in this life or to our condemnation in the life to come The Sodomites burned in Lust one towards another now they burne in hell fire They suffer the vengeance of eternall fire as S. Iude speaketh A full sin that banishes us out of Heaven Plutarch makes mention of a certaine King named Lysimachus that being exceeding dry sold his Kingdome for a draught of water after he cryes out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heu pro quà m exigua voluptate regnum perdidi so may the adulterer say for what a little pleasure have I lost the Kingdome of Heaven VERSE 5. 1 AN admonition 2. The reason the admonition consists of a dehortation from covetousnesse and the prescription of a remedie against it He doth not say be ye without covetousnesse but let your conversation all your manners behaviour and actions bee voide of covetousnesse Without the love of silver a part put for the whole Whatsoever some men doe it smels of covetousnesse their buying and selling all the bargaines they make all the journeyes they take all the words that issue out of their mouthes the cloathes on their backs the meat they put in their belly all savours of covetousnesse Any commodity they have they will sell deere they will buy cheape they will watch poore men whom necessity constraines to sell and they will have it of them for little or nothing They will goe meanely fare hardly all that they doe hath a sent of covetousnesse Therefore sayes he so converse among your neighbours that all may see that the world is not the principall marke ye aime at buy and sell without covetousnesse Let your house keeping bee without covetousnesse Let your talke and speeches be without covetousnesse Pay the Minister his due without covetousnesse Let covetousnesse be banished from all your actions 1 It is the root of all evill ye cannot abide bitter roots in your Gardens no root is so bitter as covetousnesse and it will draw all evill after it A covetous man will lye sweare steale kill for mony therefore root it out of the garden of your hearts 2 It excludes men by name out of the Kingdome of Heaven 1 Cor. 6.10 That is provided for liberall men that cloath the naked feed the hungry relieve the oppressed c. Not for greedy covetous misers that doe no good with their wealth 3 It ought not once to be named among us When we speake of filthy and uncomely things we doe it with a preface saving your reverence c. So when thou speakest of Nabal say there is such an one saving your reverence a covetous man it should not be named much lesse practised by us that be Christians 4 Covetousnesse is idolatry A covetous man makes an Idol of his money If the Idolaters Idoll be gone all is gone What have I mâ—re said Michah So if his money be gone his god is gone An Idolater makes a strong Chappell to put his Idoll in a covetous man makes a strong Chest
3. an explication of it in the former clause of the 7 verse It is commended 1. by a negation of the newnesse of it 2. by an affirmation of the oldnesse of it New things are suspicious and not readily entertained What new doctrine is this say they of our Saviour the Philosophers at Athens came flocking about Saint Paul saying May we not know what this new doctrine whereof thou speakest is Tertullian calls Marcion hesternum a bird of yesterdayes hatching so is not this It is no new commandement Yet Christ calls it a new one A new Commandement give I unto you that ye love another It is both new and old old ratione substantiae new ratione circumstantiae old in regard of the substance new in regard of the circumstance 1. because being corrupted by the glosses of the Pharisees it was purged and made new as it were by Christ as a rustie sword if it be scowred is a new sword 2. because it is pressed by a new example the example of all examples the example of Christ himselfe Even as I have loved you 3. Because it should never waxe old but bee alwayes fresh and new in memory and practise 4. Because then it lay hid in the darke and obscure mint of the old Testament now it commeth out of the fresh mint of the new testament It is now delivered and made knowne to the world more apertly and plainely than before a picture done over with new colours is a new picture The newnesse of it hath beene disclaimed now the oldnesse of it is proclaimed that which we had from the beginning of the creation of the promulgation of the law or from the beginning of our conversion and calling to Christ howsoever it is old written in codice cordis in the booke of our heart by the pen of nature and in codice legis in the booke of the law published to the world To put us out of doubt he names it That we love one another 1. Love is eum complementum legis the fulfilling of the law It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a recapitulation of the whole Law Hee that hath love keepes the Law He that wants love is a continuall breaker of the Law 2. Love is indicium Christianorum the badge of Christians Hereby shall all men know that ye be my disciples if ye love one another No love no disciple of Christ. 3. It is condimentum omnium virtutum actionum the sauce that seasons all vertues and actions without that they be all unsavory If I speake with the tongue of men and angels if I had all knowledge all faith that I could remove mountaines if I fed the poore with all my goods gave my body to be burnt yet if I have not love I am nothing Though we come to Church never so diligently heare Sermons never so frequently receive the Sacraments never so devoutly discourse of Religion never so eloquently yet if we have not love we are nothing Let them be Baptized in the name of Christ saith Augustine let them signe themselves with the signe of the Crosse let them answer Amen sing Halleluja in the Congregation let them goe to Church yea let them make Churches yet if they have not love they are not the Sonnes of God but the sonnes of the devill What an admirable thing is love If we have that all things are well had if that be wanting it is in vaine to have all things Quanta est Charitas quae si desiit frustra habentur caetera Si adsit recte habentur omnia Aug. in pirmam Eppst. Ioan. 4. Love is vinculum perfectionis the bond of perfection this ties us together We are as shaves scattered without love 5. It is Sigillum electionis a seale of our election Hereby we know that we are translated from death to life because we love the brethren He that loveth not his brother abideth in death No assurance of salvation without love 6. God is love saith Saint Iohn a golden sentence Saint Paul in his whole Chapter of love 1 Cor. 13. Spake not so much in the commendation of love as Saint Iohn doth in this one short and pithy sentence The devill is hatred Of that he hath his name Satan an hater and all spitefull and malicious persons are of the devill all loving men and women are of God Many allurements to make us in loue with love yet sincere love is as a stranger among us Rara avis in terris a blacke Swan upon the earth Where is there a Damon and a Pithias Scant two neighboures in a Towne that entirely love one another yet never a page almost in the Bible but one way or other harpeth on this string When Saint Iohn was so old that he was faine to be lead to the Pulpit he went up spake these words sundry times My little children love one another and so came downe as if that were the most necessary thing to be inculcated to the people and so it is indeede VERSE 6. IN the winding of it up he gives us a touchstone for the triall of love This is love that wee walke after his commandements Whereof this is a maine and principall to love one another according to that of our blessed Saviour If you love me keepe my Commandements If the subject love his Prince he will observe his Statutes as neere as he can If a friend love his friend he will doe what he requests him if he may lawfully doe it and it be in his power If a child love his Parents he will obey his Parents in the Lord. How can we say we love Christ when we cast his commandements behind our backs Now there followeth the other branch of the exhortation to constancie in the truth which is 1. propounded then corroborated and urged verse 7. This is the Commandement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that commandement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after a kind of excellencie I will raise you up a Prophet like to me him shall ye heare This is my beloved Sonne heare him This commandement he doth illustrate by the antiquitie of it as ye have heard from the beginning How the Rhemists say by tradition from the Apostles which is come to us from man to man from Bishop to Bishop Heresies may goe from man to man from Bishop to Bishop as Arianisme did and in a short time overspread all the world It is a manifest argument of infidelity and a sure token of pride saith Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reject that which is written and to bring in that which is unwritten This is the commandement that as ye have heard from the beginning by God himselfe The seede of the Woman shall breake the head of the Serpent Which is explained at large in the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles whereon the Church is built That having set our hand to Christs Plough we should
Gods glory Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good workes they may glorifie your father which is in heaven so we shall doe all faithfully as Gajus did The persons to whom his well doing extended were the brethren and strangers Some interpret brethren the faithfull And indeede they were honoured with that title in the Primitive Church Strangers those that be not yet called but are strangers from the common wealth of Israel Rather by brethren are meant Iewes For my brethren the Iewes By strangers Gentiles converted to Christ as appeares by the opposition verse 7. Hospitality is in speciall manner commended to us in the Scripture Love ye the strangers for yee your selves were once strangers We in England were strangers in Queen Maries dayes Some faine to flee into France some into Germany some to Frankford some to Emden Therefore let us have pitty on strangers Be given to hospitalâ—ty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pursuing it as the hunters doe the Deere we must not invite them summis labijs saith Hierom coldly for fashion sake but toto mentis ardore with a fervent affection and desire to have them We must pull them to our houses as Abraham did Origen observeth of Lot We read of no good workes of his that are registred in Genesis save onely hospitalitie for this alone evadit incendia he escapes burning when all Sodome was burnt hospitalem domum ingressi sunt Angeli The Angels entred into the house of hospitality Clausas hospitibus domus ignis ingressus est the fire entred those houses that were shut up against hospitality Audite hoc qui hospitem velut hostem vitatis Heare ye this O ye covetous misers that shun a stranger as ye would do an enemie whereas indeed ye should make your selves friends of this unrighteous Mammon Iulian writing to the high Priest of Galatia excites all to hospitality by a saying out of Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All strangers poore folke are sent to us by God himselfe peradventure to try us with all Let us be courteous even to strangers as Gajus was In entertaining of them we entertaine Christ and he will reward us at the latter day Mat. 25. VERSE 6. I But how knowest thou Iohn that I am so full of charity Many have related it to me Who both brethren and strangers they have borne witnesse of thy charity comming from thee to me It was religiously and gratefully done of them For we must all acknowledge our benefactours Of what charitie did they beare witnesse Non habitus sed actus saith Aquinas non affectus sed effectus Not of the habite of the charitie which can not be seene but of the act of charity which all the world might see not that thou haddest a good affection to doe good but of the fruits and effects of thy charity that is poore charity goe in peace warme your selves fill your bellies and give them not a crumme to fill them withall Christ shewed no such charity to the people in the wildernesse hee fed them with loaves and fishes Dorcas did not say to the widdowes warme your selves but shee made them coats to warme them withall Such was Gajus his charity he lodged them in his house they sate at his fire he fed them at his table Such must be the charity of us all wee are full of excuses to keepe us from charitable workes which S. Basil most pithily meeteth with all 1. I have not to give no saith he looke upon the rings that be upon thy fingers tell thy tongue that thou lyest if thou canst not give Zacheus gift give the widdowes gift Diversa dederunt sed ad unum pervenerunt quoniam non diversa amaverunt they gave diverse gifts yet they came both to one and the same Kingdome because they both loved one and the same thing which was God It is not the Coffer but the heart which God respecteth Habet semper unde det cui plenum est pectus charitatis hee that hath a heart full of love to Christ and his members shall ever have something to give that fountaine will never be dried up Coronat Deus voluntatem ubi non invenit facultatem God crownes the will where he findes inability of doing 2. I have children to provide for 1. Sayes S. Basil didst thou say when thou prayedst for children Give me children that might keepe me from the Kingdome of heaven 2. As thou hast children on earth so thou hast a brother in heaven which is Christ reckon him among thy children He that loveth Father or mother wife or children more than me is not worthy of me 3. How knowest thou whether thy children shall live or no death may sweepe them all away and that with one beesome too as it did Iobs 4. If they live art thou sure thy goods shall come to thy children strangers may eate them up they may come to thine enemies as Sauls Kingdome did to David 5. Take not too much thought for thy children he that feedes the young ravens will feede thy young children the rather if thou honourest him with thy goods and lettest him to have a portion among thy children The third excuse I will give by will after my death to that S. Basil answeres 1. Thy breath may be stopped on the suddaine that thou shalt have no time to make a will as Valentinian the Emperour was 2. If thou dost a dash with a pen may invert thy meaning and overthrow thy will 3. Then we may thanke death for the good thou dost if thou couldest have lived ever thou wouldst never have done good like a rotten tree that doth no good till it be cut downe 4. Were it not better for thee to have the praise of a liberall man when thou walkest on the ground than when thou art put into the ground 5. No dead creature was brought to the Altar God requires a living sacrifice 6. Thy life is the time of working not death Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy goods wee must doe good with them in our life not in our death 7. Wilt thou commit thy good workes to Inke and Paper rather than to the disposing of thine owne hands 8. If thou didst receive a Noble man into thy house wouldst thou set the reliques of thy table before him and wilt thou serve God with the reliques of thy life while we have time let us doe good to all We are fallen into those dayes whereof our Saviour Prophesied The love of many shall waxe cold now not the charity of many but in a manner of all is not onely cold but starke dead few or none can witnesse of our charity wee are more wedded to our wealth than to our wives many a one can be content to part more readily with his wife then with his money to good uses yet they be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
very Heathen The Sunne is ours wheresoever it shineth though it be upon a dunghill good is ours wheresoever it be though among the Heathen Follow the patience of Socrates the chastitie of Lucretia the temporance of Zeno the just dealing of Aristides the contempt of money that was in Lucullus Fabritius but especially follow it in the godly the members of Christ. Follow the faith of Abraham the zeale of Phineas the sincerity of Nathaniel the liberality of Zacheus and Cornelius listen to the admonition of Saint Paul Whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just are pure appertaining to love whatever things are of good report if there be any verture if there be any praise thinke on these things But let us come to Saint Iohns Reason 1. For goodnesse Hee that doth good is of God not by propagation but by imitation he is full of goodnesse be you so too in some measure Be you mercifull as your heavenly father is mercifull be yee bountifull as he is bountifull be ye loving as he is loving He doth good to his very enemies so doe you 2. He doth that which is acceptable to God he is of his family he serves and obeyes him therefore God will reward him for it on the other side He that doth evill hath not seene God Why then none hath seene him for all doe evill the meaning is that doth accustome himselfe to doe evill The godly man doth evill but it is upon weakenesse the wicked doe it upon wilfulnesse the one accidentally the other properly and naturally Such a one hath not seene God No more hath the holiest man in the world No man hath seene God at any time That is spoken of the essence of God and of a perfect seeing of him But here he entreates of an experimentall seeing of God Taste and see how good the Lord is he hath not seene the power the wisedome the justice the mercy of God He knoweth not God Hee hath no acquaintance at all with God like to them that never saw him he is a stranger from God and so consequently from all happinesse If they knew God aright they would not take such evill courses as they doe He that walketh in the darke cannot see wicked men walke in the darkenesse of sinne and ignorance they lie wallowing in the workes of darkenesse therefore they can not see God Therefore let us abhorre that which is evill It will blind our eyes and keepe us from seeing of God VERSE 12. WEE have had the bad man to be eschewed Now to the good man that is to be followed That is Demetrius We reade of a Demetrius the father of Antiochus that once reigned in Israel in the bookes of the Maccabes There are but two mentioned in the new Testament The Silver-smith that made shrines for Diana and raised a tumult in Ephesus and Demetrius here spoken of Who he was cannot certainely be defined By all probability he was one of the Preachers before mentioned who at this time was with Saint Iohn and as some thinke was the carrier of this Epistle Whatsoever he was he was a good man opposed to Diotrephes he was a proud man this an humble man he an hard hearted man that shut up the bowels of compassion against poore strangers this is a mercifull man to his ability ready to entertaine strangers he himselfe against Saint Iohn this was a lover and a reverencer of Saint Iohn God will not have us to be utterly dejected by the examples of wicked men he stirreth up some good men that may countervaile them As the Iewes had a Haman to pull them downe so they had a Mordecai to lift them up As Christ had many enemies among the Pharisees so he had some friends among them Nicodemus and Ioseph of Arimathea As Saint Paul had a Smith against him in Ephesus so hee had the Towne-Clerke of Ephesus by Gods providence to pacifie the tumult as Gajus might grieve for Diotrephes so he might rejoyce in Demetrius This Demetrius had an excellent report 1. Of all men in generall 2. Of the truth itselfe 3. Of Saint Iohn in speciall To Demetrius is witnessed of all men all have witnesse to him to be a good man neither is it a lying but a true witnesse the truth it selfe doth testifie it his deedes being answerable to the generall report that goeth of him Yea and I too doe justifie the same He shall have my pen my hand to testifie the same I but thy testimony is of no great weight for that I appeale to your owne knowledge Ye know having had so long experience of me that my record is true Christ knew it the faithfull ever since have verified it and you your selves know it to be true he is very earnest in the commendation of Demetrius But is this such a praise to Demetrius to have the good report of all men Our Saviour seemes to be of another judgement O be to you when all men speake well of you for after this manner did their fathers to the false prophets 1. That is spoken of men-pleasers which accommodate themselves to all mens humours sooth up all in their sinnes that they may get the good will and good word of all as appeareth by the example of the false prophets alleadged Demetrius was none of that ranke 2 Here by all men is meant all good and godly men although a good man sometimes may in some things so carry himselfe that the very wicked shall be compelled to speake well of him 3 As Demetrius had the testimony of men so he had the testimony of the truth it selfe the truth did beare witnesse of him as well as men There be two things which we ought all to procure bona conscientia a good conscience in respect of God bona fama and a good name a good report in regard of men 1 A good name is sweet and comfortable it is preferred before the most precious things that men have in greatest estimation A good name is to be chosen above great riches and loving favour is above silver and gold 2 It is profitable A good name maketh the bones fat an ill name maketh a man leane a good name maketh a man fat he eates hee drinkes he sleepes the better for it 3 It secures a man while he is alive they that have a bad report for their injurious dealing are shooted at and maligned they goe in some sort in danger of their lives they that have a good report walke cheerefully and safely 4 It is a consolation to a man even on his death bed hee hath the lesse then to vexe and trouble his minde 5 It leaves a sweet savour after us When we be dead it is an odoriferous oyntment the house wil smell of it a good while after Therefore let us so live that we may be well reported of so far as it is possible of all men I say so farre
sicut Angelorum judicium fuit inexorabilius quà m hominum ita Ministrorum gravius erit quà m Laicorum Therefore let us be types and examples of all goodnesse to our flockes and as we are called the light of the world so let us bee lights indeede Let our light so shine before men that seeing our good workes they may glorifie our Father which is in Heaven Yet more particularly wee must examine our conversation in that speciall calling wherein wee be set The weaver labours in the loome the Merchant on the sea the husband-man is seldome from the plough and our plough must in a manner bee alwayes going ever looking to GODS husbandrie that is committed to us Many there bee that live honestly among their neighbours and are good house-keepers but they neglect their Cure I but innocens absque sermone conversatio quantùm exemplo prodest tantùm silentio nocet sayes Saint Ierome Episcopus est nomen operis Saint Ambrose compares him to a Bee that is ever gathering honey out of the flowers of the Scriptures Id componens arte oris sui and delivers it to the people Saint Chrys. is bold to say Necesse est Episcopum in singulos dies sementem facere ut ipsa saltem assuetudine doctrinae auditorum animi sermonem retinere possint Be instant sayes Saint Paul in season and out of season so often as we can for gifts of minde and body So often as the people can conveniently assemble together let the Ministers of the Lord cast forth the net of the Gospell and be drawing of some fishes to the shoare of eternall life Blessed is the servant whom his Lord when hee commeth shall finde so doing To him He will say come thou good and faithfull servant enter into the joy of thy Master O what an excellent thing is it for a minister thus to affirme with Saint Paul that he hath kept a good conscience in all things in his entrance into the ministery and in a faithfull wise diligent and religious exequution of his office to Gods glory and the benefit of the people such a one may sing for joy with the Swan when hee is ready to depart out of the world I have fought a good fight from henceforth is layd up for me a crowne of righteousness which the righteous Iudge will give me at that day It will play Ioab with us it will say nothing while the fact is a doing but when it is done it will cry alarme against us he himselfe will be most against us as the man that left Absalom hanging sayd of Ioab Therefore as Saint Augustine counselleth us let us obturare ei os in hoc mundo ne clamet contra nos in futuro let us doe nothing so neere as we can that may wound our consciences in this life that wee may make a comfortable accompt in the life to come Take heede of the thousand witnesses nay of the thousand armies as Luther calls it If thou beest arraigned of fellony murder treason at the barre of an earthly judge and but two witnesses come against thee Lord have mercy on thee thou art gone and how shalt thou quake before the barre of GODS tribunall seate when a thousand witnesses shall step out against thee then there is nothing to be expected but that fearefull voice goe thou cursed c. Wee of the Ministery are much subject to the tongues of men we are set on an hill and the eyes of all are converted upon us If there bee but a little spot in the face it is quickly espied and a great matter is made of it yea let us walke as warily as we can give no offence to any yet men will take offence and the best Ministers though living under the protection of a gracious Prince we may escape the clawes of men yet certainely not the best of us all can escape the jawes of men and let not that trouble us for if all could not give CHRIST a good word some sayd hee was a good man others nay but he deceiveth the people then let not us thinke that bee sinfull wretches to have every mans good word In all speeches and obloquies let us have recourse to our consciences and heare what they say of us If all the world commend us and our consciences condemne us we can have no comfort On the contrary side if all the world speake evill of us and our consciences speake good to us we need not to care for any of them all Let us remember that worthy speech of a worthy Father nec malam conscientiam sanat praeconium laudantis nec bonam vulnerat opprobrium criminantis We are wont to say if I have GOD and the King on my side I care for no man in England So may we say if I have GOD and a cleare conscience on my side I care for no man in all the world The Papists say it is unlawfull for a Minister to marry Some Protestants say it is inconvenient for Ministers to marry and indeed their maintenance being so small it is so yet for all that I say it is both lawfull and convenient nay necessary for all Ministers to marry for all without exception But wot ye to what wife namely to a good conscience If thou beest marryed to her if thou hast her at home to comfort thee in the house of thine heart though thy living be never so small thou shalt live marveilously well yea more at hearts ease then King Richard the third did in his Kingdome but if thou beest a minister and hast a Xantippe at home the worme of conscience gnawing on thee for they bad comming to thy Benefice for thy bad living in the same si inde te eijcit fumus malae conscientiae alas poore man whither shall thou goe wilt thou run away from thy selfe whither soever thou goest thou carryest thy conscience with thee and that will keepe a yelling against thee in domo in foro in mensa in lecto and in all places Wherefore let us all be assured that we are at peace with our conscience that wee have this loving Wife to cheere us up wheresoever wee bee what is our rejoycing sayes Saint Paul save the testimony of a good conscience Let a man be lying on his death bed let some say to him remember man what faire and beautifull houses thou hast what goodly Lordships what lands and possessions what bags of silver and gold remember in what credit honour and reputation thou hast lived on the face of the earth will this comfort him thinke you truely but a little But if his conscience say to him as Hezekiahs did to him remember that thou hast walked before the Lord with an upright heart this will comfort him and make his heart to skip for joy in his belly recta vita esca conscientiae a good life is the meate of the conscience Live well in thy calling this is meate and drinke to thy conscience this shall comfort
thee at the houre of death When CHRIST had exhorted His Disciples to watching and prayer because the day of Iudgement was uncertaine in the conclusion of His speech He turnes Him to the people and sayes and the things I say to you I say to all watch Even so in the shutting up of this exhortation that which I have sayd unto my brethren in the Ministery I say to you all bee all assured that yee have a good conscience in all things Let the Magistrate be assured that he hath a good conscience that he hath winked at no sinne for favour nor punished any for wrath malice and displeasure but as the Iudgement is Gods so he hath executed it with all good conscience Let the father keepe a good conscience in a religious education of his Children not suffer them to run at randome as Heli did but bring them up in the feare and nurture of the Lord. Let the Master keepe a good conscience in the usage of his servants knowing that hee also hath a Master in heaven Let them that have the oversight of the Clergy committed to them keep a good conscience in that office looking alwayes to the maine point the feeding of the flocke of CHRIST Let them use the Ministers as Christs Ambassadours reverently at least in regard of that heavenly person Christ Iesus whose person they susteyne Let the Proctors Advocates all officers in the court be assured they have a good conscience in all things Let them not pill and pole but bee content with honest gaines for their paines let them not make worke for the inriching of the Court when there neede none Francis Spira an Italian who himselfe once had beene an advocate in such Courts complaineth of it and his Conscience made an out-cry against him for it when hee dyed in desperation Let all Christians in their places bee assured they have a good conscience in all things But the world the love of mony makes all to make shipwracke of a good conscience The Divell offered Christ all the Kingdomes of the world to worship him but if he offer us but a groate or six pence we are ready to worship him Money makes all in Church and Common wealths to smother the checke of conscience to nip them in the head and not to regard them but though we can put conscience to silence in this life hee will open his mouth against us in the life to come When we dye as a father observeth we must leave all books behinde us Saint August workes Saint Basils workes the booke of the Court yea and the Bible the Booke of bookes but the booke of our consciences we must carry with us and that when it is opened shall either accuse us or excuse us at that day therefore let us looke well to this booke heere let us examine it as the Father willeth us let us conferre it with the booke of life let us put out all the blots that bee in it that it may speake for us not against us at the dreadfull day of judgement VERSE 19. HIS suite is in this verse renewed Abundans cautela nonnocet Restored set at liberty being now in bonds at Roome Which shall be for your good Sooner If it be Gods will out of hand not in respect of Gods purpose but in regard of outward impediments Saint Paul at this time was in Prison at Roome as the subscription of the Epistle doth intimate His imprisonment was an hinderance to the Gospell therefore he earnestly requests their prayers for his restitution to his former liberty Saint Peter was in prison and irons betweene foure quaternions of Souldiers earnest prayer was made by the Church for him God sent His Angell and brought him forth Pray earnestly for mee and I trust I shall bee delivered by your prayers Let us pray for the Preachers that the Word of God may run and be glorified in all places VERSE 20. IN the former part of the Chapter he commended to them many excellent duties of brotherly love hospitality constancy in the truth obedience to spirituall Governours now because Saint Paul may plant Apollos water but it must bee GOD that gives the encrease hee prayeth to GOD for them to worke all these graces in them In this prayer 1. The person to whom he prayeth 2 The matter of it verse 21. The person is described by a Title and an effect his Title is this dator amator pacis 2 Cor. 13.11 1 Cor. 14.33 Peace is an union of the hearts of men men will never bee at peace if they be not of one heart and one minde as they were in the Primitive Church Now God alone rules in the hearts of men therefore he onely can make peace There is a double peace the one betweene GOD and us Romans 5.1 Luke 2.14.29 GOD is the giver of that the other is a peace betweene our selves 1 Thes. 5.13 wherewith God is greatly delighted They be both herbes that growe in his Garden He is the God of them both We must be at peace one with an other 1 We have a peaceable Prince Isai. 9.6 therefore let us that be his Subjects and Souldiers bee peaceable 2 There is no one string in all the Scripture harped so much on as this 3 Without this wee cannot see GOD. Hebrewes 12.14 Blessed are the peace makers for they shall bee called the Children of GOD. 4 Rom. 12.18 It is to be embraced with all much more with them that professe the same Gospell with us Owe nothing to any man save love Let us looke to discharge this debt unto all 5 The Divell according to his name is a maker of debate Satan signifies an enemy The enemy came and sowed tares He is that enemy that sowes the tares of dissention in the world The Divell dwels in contention as the Salamander in the fire Contentious persons are like the Divell who sowes the seed of contention betweene man and man they that be of a wrangling disposition that are never well but when they have their hand in contention are like Ishmael whose hand was against every man and every mans against him They are not of God but of the Divell we have a peaceable GOD let us bee like Him My peace I leave with you sayes CHRIST If we be right Christians we will be at peace one with an other 6 Peace is a credit to the Gospell as contention is a discredite Gen. 34.21 So must we be peaceable Pursue peace and follow after it Yet some run away from peace Let them bee sent for to make peace they will not come they will professe so much a fearefull thing We have one Father one Mother one Elder Brother believe in one Saviour hope for one Kingdome therefore let us be at peace let no jarres be among us In the building of the Temple the noise of an hammer or toole was not heard and let there be no knocking with the hammer of contention among Christians which are Gods