better of it to be coupled in the same yoke with him 1. He tells them what they are not Wee are not of the withdrawing Either the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be supplyed after the manner of the Grecians or the noune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the custome of the Hebrewes we are not the Children of the withdrawing to the destruction of our soules but we are the Children of faith to the conservation of our soules in this Sea of miseries wherein we are tossed 1. Here wee learne that when the Preacher hath occasion to terrifie the wicked hee must comfort the godly least they take it to themselves and bee discouraged So Hebr. 6.9 1 Thes. 5.4 2 Thes. 2.13 Many weake consciences are soone cast downe and ready to apply that to them which the Preacher never meant of them therefore we must use this wise and heavenly discretion that the Apostle doth 2. Here we see that good Christians must be no withdrawers of themselves Wee must withdraw our selves from the wicked come out come out my people from the middest of them We must not withdraw our selves from the Church of God because of some pretended spots in her as the sectaries doe but we must withdraw our selves from Gods enemies There is a time also when we must withdraw our selves from the company of our friends into our secret chambers and pray to God as Daniel did But in the time of persecution we must not withdraw our selves through infidelity and run out of the field wherein God hath set us We may read of some with-drawers Ioh. 6.66 Demas was a withdrawer so was Iulian the Apostata but let not us be such Let us say with them Ioh. 6.68 to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternall life Iosua would be no withdrawer choose yee whom you will serve but I and my house will serve the Lord Ios. 24.15 Saint Peter would be no withdrawer though all forsake thee yet will not I he did deny him for a time and withdrew himselfe but he wept bitterly for it and stood better to his tackling If the storme and tempest of persequution should arise let us not withdraw our selves and refuse to suffer for CHRIST but let us sticke to him all the dayes of our life Yee are they that have continued with me in my temptations CHRIST loves continuers Be faithfull to the end and I will give thee the Crowne of life Let nothing make us to withdraw our selves from CHRIST but let us cleave stedfastly to him in this world that wee may reigne and triumph with him in the world to come CHAP. XI IN the substance of that exhortation derived out of the doctrine of CHRIST 's Priest-Hood three severall vertues were commended to us the first faith the second hope the third love Now followeth a particular explication of all these Faith is painted out to us in this Chapter Hope in the twelfth Love with the fruits thereof in the thirteenth This Chapter hath two principall parts a definition of faith and an illustration of it 1. By Example 2. By instance Verse 3. It is defined Verse 1. Where the nature of it is expressed It makes them existent not onely in intellectu but also in corde voluntate It is a full perswasion that wee shall have these things which we hope for nay it puts us into a reall possession of them VERSE 1. FAith is the evidence of things which are not seene The holy and celestiall Hierusalem where there is no Sunne but is enlightned with the glory of the Lamb continually where there is no night crying or weeping where all teares shal be wiped from our eyes for ever cannot be seene with mortall eye yet faith makes it evident to us even in this life The blessed and glorious Trinity GOD the Father Sonne and HOLY GHOST cannot be seene no man hath seene GOD at any time yet faith makes GOD visible to us standing by us in all afflictions Our SAVIOUR CHRIST the King of the Church and mediatour of mankinde clothed with our nature sitting at the right hand of GOD in all glory and Majestie cannot now be seene of us Stephen saw him when hee was on earth but that was extraordinary now we cannot see CHRIST in his glory yet by faith we see him and know that so soone as we are dissolved we shall be with him The holy and celestiall Angels that are our guaâ—dians that hold us in their hands that sing prayses to God continually in heaven cannot now bee seene of us yet by faith we see them and are assured that they will take our soules at our dying day and carry them into heaven The spirits of just and perfect men of Adam Eve Isaak Moses David of the Patriarkes and Prophets of the blessed Virgin Mary Saint Paul Saint Peter of the Apostles and Martyrs cannot as yet be seene of us but by faith we know they are in heaven and we our selves one day shall be with them Wee cannot now see or apprehend the joyes of heaven no eare hath heard them no eye hath seene them they cannot enter into the heart of man yet by faith they are evident to us The resurrection of the body cannot now bee seene wee see many carryed to the Church and Church-yard to be buryed but we see none rise again yet by faith it is evident to us so that we can say with Iob our Redeemer liveth and with these eyes shall wee see him and no other for us Faith is an excellent eye The eye of the Eagle is very sharp and piercing shee can see from heaven to earth she can espie her prey a farre of she and her birds can look on the Sun but the eye of faith is farre more piercing that sees Christ the Sun of righteousnesse and by it we looke into the Sanctuary of heaven and behold what is there Some write of one Lynceus that he could see an hundred thirty thousand paces off but wee by the eye of faith can see further this one eye is better than all Argos his eyes Howsoever the eyes of our bodyes waxe dimme let us entreat the Lord to preserve this eye to make it brighter and brighter every day Faith is the evidence of things not seene Let us make much of this evidence If wee have an evidence whereby we hold our lands we will shew it to some Lawyer to see of what validity it is we will keepe it safe under locke and key Let us examine this our evidence of faith if there bee a cracke in it let us seeke to have it amended and let us take up that prayer of the Apostles Lord encrease our faith Lord strengthen the eye of our faith that even on earth we may see heaven VERSE 2. HEre is an illustration of it 1. Ab exemplis 1. In generall If for this faith our fathers were well reported of then this is the true faith but our fathers were well reported of
Gods Councell as the Preachers be at this day the Iewes were honoured that God would speake to them by them but to us hee hath spoken by his onely Sonne therefore our honour is the greater we are set in an high chaire of dignity above them happy are the eyes that see that which we see Many Prophets and Kings have desired to see these things which we see and have not seene them God give us grace to use our happinesse to his glory and the salvation of us all In this the Old and New Testament are equall God is the Author of them both God spake by the Prophets then and he speaketh now by his Ministers The word of the Lord the burthen of the Lord thus saith the Lord. These were the preambles of all the Prophets God spake by the mouth of David as he spake by the mouth of all his Prophets So God speaketh by the mouth of the Preachers at this present day It is not you that speak but the spirit of your Father which speaketh in you Wee are the Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us When we teach God teacheth when we exhort God exhorteth when we reprove sinne God reproveth sin It makes no matter what the man be that speaketh so as he be the lawfull Minister of Christ God speaketh by the man when the man speaketh Gods word When the Ambassadour of the King of Denmark of France or any other Countrey speaketh in the Court the King speaketh whose person he doth represent when my Lord Chiefe Iustice gives the charge at the Assizes the King gives the charge for he sustaines the Kings Person and is a Commissioner for the King so when the Preacher speakes in the Pulpit when he in Gods name gives a charge against pride malice c. God himselfe speakes and gives the charge Oh that this were imprinted in the hearts of all that come to Church the Preacher is a man as thou art but God speakes by him and if thou despise him thou despisest God that speakes in him VERSE 2. WE have seene the estate of them in the time of the Law Now let us take a view of our condition under the Gospell Theirs were the first dayes ours be the last In those that were the first dayes some new Doctrine was daily to be expected but in these last dayes GOD hath opened to us his whole counsell there is no mint of any new Doctrine to be looked for now nothing but the second comming of our SAVIOUR CHRIST is to be expected which hath revealed the whole will of his Father to us If an Angel from Heaven preach any other Doctrine than that which wee have received in these last dayes let him bee accursed 2 In the last dayes there is greatest aboundance of knowledge In the last dayes I will powre out my Spirit on all flesh GOD then was sparing of his Spirit he sent it downe by drops but now he powres it out upon the Church they had the Moone-light we have the Sun-light Therefore if we be ignorant our condemnation shall be the greater as GOD knowes a number of ignorant persons are in this glorious light of the Gospell yea in those Towns where the Candle of Gods Word hath shined brightly these many yeares together The preaching of the Word is a well of water but we will not come with our buckets to fetch water at this Well or if we doe we come with riven buckets the water runs out by and by 3 These last dayes wherein we live are the most dangerous sinne overfloweth with a full streame In the last dayes perillous times shall come Never did sin shew her selfe with such a brazen face as it doth now Men now stick not to set themselves against the Word of GOD it selfe to call the authority of the Scripture in question whether all things be true in it or not To band themselves against the Preachers if not openly yet secretly and to pull downe if possible the Church it selfe these be the last times wherein we live GOD keepe us in them by his holy Spirit 4 Seeing they be the last dayes let us not be so much in love with them Will any be bestowing great cost on his house the last day when he is to goe out of it These are the last dayes of the world wherein we are ready to be turned out of the house of this world therefore let us not be inflamed too much with the love of it In the first dayes when they entred first into the farme of the world they might be merry and jocund we live in the last dayes when we cannot have long to tarry in it therefore let us not be glewed and wedded to it let us use this world as if we used it not for the fashion of this world fadeth away in these last dayes let us so live that whensoever Christ comes to judgement we may meet him joyfully in the Ayre and be translated with him into his kingdome of glory Spoken unto us 1. To the Apostles first that saw and heard him then to all Christians His must be understood Mat. 21.37 But last of all he sent unto them his Son in his Sonne Col. 2.9 For in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily The which Sonne speaketh to us by his Ministers to the worlds end they had servants to speake to them but God hath spoken to us by his Son yet even his Son is little regarded Many of the Pharisies knew him to be the Son of God this is the Heire yet they said come let us kill him I am perswaded if CHRIST were now alive and preached many yeeres together in this Towne yet there be some so maliciously set against the Word and the preachers of it that they could finde in their hearts to kill him Hee that heareth you heareth me and he that goeth about to kill them goes about to kill CHRIST too What a vile age doe we live in What manner of Son not adopted but naturall 1 Heire The Son is the Fathers Heire he hath a right and interest to all his Fathers goods and lands when his Father is dead he hath the same power lordship and authority over all that his Father had So Christ Psa. 2.8 Iohn 16.15 Ioh. 17.10 Yet God his Father never dieth He is Heire as God and Man the King and Mediator of the Church All power is given unto mee in Heaven and Earth God appointed Him He did not intrude Himselfe He was not appointed Heire because being in time made He deserved it by His holy life as Photinus said not only Heire in time but with the Father before all times Of all Of all persons as well as of all things CHRIST hath a right to all he that taketh away any thing bequeathed to the Heire by the Will and Testament of his Father robs the Heire and is guilty of theft if we goe about to take
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
they that thought most highly of him tooke him to be but some admirable Prophet like Moses or an Angell in the shape of man Therefore here he shewes him to be above the Angels Where 1. A proposition comprehending in it the excellency of CHRIST above the Angels 2. A confirmation of it by diverse strong and invincible arguments 1. CHRIST is the Sonne of God So are not the Angels 2. The Angels worship CHRIST therefore hee is their superiour 3. The Angels are Ministers and servants Christ is the Lord to whom they minister 4. CHRIST is an everlasting King So are not the Angels 5. CHRIST made heaven an earth So did not the Angels 6. CHRIST sits as an equall at the right hand of GOD whereas the Angels are ministring spirits and stand round about his throne therefore it must needs bee confessed that Christ hath a chaire of dignity above the Angels and for that cause is the high and eternall God and is become by vertue of his Deity being from all eternity with the Father better than the Angels by many degrees they are not worthy to be named with him the same day A more surpassing name above them .i. greater honour and dignity then they Phi. 2.9 Eph. 1.21 he hath given him a name .i. A prerogative and priviledge this name came to him jure haereditario by descent as it doth to the Sonne from the Father CHRIST is exalted into a chaire of dignity above the Angels This is a singular comfort to the Church The Angels are great mighty puissant and glorious creatures wee men cannot endure the presence of an Angell many of the Saints have fainted for feare at the sight of Angels yet our Saviour Christ that hath dyed for us our elder brother the Lord protectour of his Church and Children is farre more excellent than the Angels If he be above the good Angels then above the bad therefore let us not feare all the Devils in hell Christ our captaine is above them and able to trample them under his feet VERSE 5. I But how proves he this that Christ is more excellent then the Angels 1. By a relation betweene GOD and him which agreeth not to the Angels He brings it in by the way of an interrogation after the manner of Rhetoritians That CHRIST is the Sonne of GOD hee doth not prove by his preaching which made some to confesse it never man spake as this man doth not by his miracles the stilling of the Sea and Windes which made some come and worship him not by his resurrection ascension and sending of the Holy Ghost from heaven the Iewes would have cavilled at these but he proveth it by two places of Scripture What Sonne The naturall Sonne of GOD begotten of Gods essence the Angels are made by God but not begotten of God as Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discretivè thou alone whereby he distinguishes him from other Sonnes The Angels Iob 1.6 The Magistrates Psalme 82.6 are called the Sonnes of God in regard of the Majestie of that rule and dominion which they exercise in the name of God whose sons they are in respect of their office but they not begotten of the essence of GOD as Christ is God begetteth us by the word of truth but that is mediately hee begat Christ immediately of himselfe To day some referre it to the Virgins Wombe to day i. When thou wast conceived begotten and borne of the Virgin Athanas. and Cyril others interpret it de hodie quodam infinito To day .i. from all eternity in such a day as lasteth for ever Hebr. 13.8 So Augustine To day In this cleere light of the Gospell I have manifested thee to be my begotten Son Matth. 3.17 So the word hodiè is used Hebr. 3.13 as he was begotten of the Father from all eternity so hee was begotten by him anew againe in the mindes and hearts of men when he was revealed to them by the preaching of the Gospell after Christ his resurrection and ascension into heaven Rom. 1.4 This first text of Scripture the Rabbins themselves expound of Christ 2 Sam. 7.14 No doubt but that was spoken of Salomon that was to build a Temple unto God Many things are peculiar to him as the words immediately following yet Salomon was a type of Christ which is our true pacificus who built a more glorious temple to God which was the Church And some things there be in that prophesie which cannot be applyed to Salomon but to Christ as Verse 12. the seed that shall proceed out of thy body Salomon was come out of Davids loynes already CHRIST was to come of him which is called the seed of David and the Sonne of David 2. Verse 13. Salomons kingdome was not established for ever 11. Tribes were rent from his Sonne By Christ we also are made the Sonnes of God and God is our Father I goe to my God and your God to my father and your father We are all the Sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus the Spirit cryeth in our hearts that is makes us to cry Abba Father 1 What an honour is this Seest thou a man that beleeves in Christ though never so poore a man he is a Kings Son the Son of the King of Kings and Prince of Princes 2 As Christ hath made us the Sons of God so let us live like the Sons of God If I be your Father where is my honour will a child play the wag in his fathers sight he will reverence his Father more then so we are continually in the sight of our heavenly Father He compasseth our pathes round about not a thought in our hearts but he searches it out therefore let us feare Him let us commit no sin in any secret closet because our father seeth us Potiphers Wife picked out a time when no man was in the house then shee sayd to Ioseph come lye with me I pray thee here is no man to looke on us I but our Father is in the house therefore let us not sin because of him let this bee a bridle to restraine us from all Sin VERSE 6. ANd when againe hee bringeth in the Prophet or rather God the Father a trajection of the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As if it had beene said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rather no trajection For once He brought him into the world in the Verse going before when at His exhibition in the flesh Hee manifested it to the world that Hee was His onely begotten Sonne as Matth. 3 17. chap. 17 5 27 54. He brought Him in first when Hee sent Him to take flesh of the Virgin 2. When after His Ascension Hee manifested Him to the world by the propagation of the Gospell over all the earth therefore when Hee sends Him at the day of judgement to judge the World He brought Him into the World to take possession of it as His owne house Chrys. He is the first begotten Sonne of Blessed Mary in respect of His
humanity of God in respect of His deity because He was the first begotten of Him before any creature was Col. 1.15 He is unigenitus respectu naturae primogenitus respectu dignitatis The first begotten had a priviledge above all his brethren So had Christ In Hebr. elohim which may bee applyed to the Angells or Magistrates the Seventie expound it of the Angels which hee followeth Divine worship is proper to God Matth. 4.10 CHRIST must be worshipped Ergo He is God 2. The Angels must worship Him therefore they are inferiour to Him Not some but all the highest of them all God alone is to be worshipped thou shalt worship the Lord thy God There is a civill and humane worship that may bee ascribed to men So Abraham worshipped the Hittites in bowing himselfe to them So Iacob worshipped Esau in bowing to him seven times Thus the Subject may be said to worship the Prince when he kneeles to him in token of reverence thus the Husband is said to honour the Wife as the weaker vessell which is counted a kinde of worship but divine worship is proper to God alone Saint Paul and Silas were worthy men yet would not bee worshipped by the Lycaonians when they were about to offer Sacrifice to them as if they were Gods they rent their clothes and would none of it Saint Peter was a famous Apostle yet he would not bee worshipped nay the Angels themselves refuse divine worship Reve. 19.10 none but God must have a divine worship given to Him Then how sharply are the Papists to be reproved that worship the images of our Lady and other Saints Nay what a presumptuous man is the Pope that will have Kinges and Princes fall at his feete He takes on him to command the Angells of Paradise even they also must worship him They pray to images they offer to images they expect ayd and Succour from them What could they doe more to God Himselfe They praise their Idols for benefits received Christ is worshipped and that by the Angells the highest creatures of all therefore He is God 1. Laud and magnifie Him subject your selves to Him as to your Lord and Master acknowledge Him for your King So they doe in the Apocal. they cast downe their crownes at his feet they sing praises to him Day and Night Now if the Angels worship Christ shall not we men that be dust and ashes worship Him If the Lords of the Privie Councell stand bare to the King shall not we silly men of the Country doe it The Angels that dwell in the Court of Heaven with God worship Christ and shall not we on earth doe it Let us worship Him and Him alone let us not worship our gold and silver as Covetous men doe and come within compasse of Idolatry let us not worship our pleasures as Epicures doe and make their bellies God but let us worship Christ as the Angels doe If thou lovest any thing more then Christ if thou fearest any above Christ if thou trustest to any more then to Christ thou art not a right worshipper of the Lord Iesus We worship Christ with our lips we have His Name in our mouth but we worship Him not with our hearts and lives A great number of Christians are like the Souldiers that sate a Crowne of thornes on Christs head put a reede in stead of a Scepter into His hand cloathed Him with a purple garment and in the end did nothing but mocke Him So wee talke gloriously of CHRIST and of His Kingdome in words wee professe Him to be our King but wee doe not worship Him in truth and sincerity and serve Him in holinesse and righteousnesse as we ought to doe VERSE 7. Î Ïὸς for πεÏὶ ad for de unlesse it be in regard of the antithesis verse 8. or quod ad angelos attinet It is an other argument taken from the Angels whereby he proves Christ to bee Superiour to them The Son is greater than the servant Christ is the Son the Angels are servants Ergo. Hebr. createth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which useth for it is ad usum adhibere Beza translates it which made his Angels windes and his ministers a flame of fire which useth them as windes and lightning 1 The Angells are Created Christ is the Creator 2 They be finite Spirits He an infinite Spirit 3 They be messengers Christ the Lord that sendeth them Spiritus est nomen naturae angelus officij ex eo quod est Spiritus est ex eo quod agit angeus est Mat. 4.11 His Angells Spirits of a lively and swift nature not flesh which is lumpish and heavy They all agree together have one minde in praysing God and doing good to the faithfull and elect of God therefore there needs no superiority among them as there doth among men that are of jarring dispositions One may be called an Arch-Angell in regard of some peculiar businesse committed to him for the time as the Subject is sent Embassadour from the Prince for the time And His Ministers a flame of fire 1 Fire is lightsome and strikes a terrour into men so doe the Angels when they appeare 2. Reg. 6.17 they be called Seraphim urentes ab ardore seu inflammatione Esay 6. 2 Fire is of a subtile and piercing nature So are the Angels they are quickly heere and there 3 Fire consumes and burnes up so doe they the wicked our enemies This is the greatest honour of the Angells to be Gods Ministers and Messengers So must we count it the greatest dignity of all men on the face of the earth Though thou beest a rich trades-man a wealthy Merchant a gentleman of great revenewes a Knight a Lord or a King yet the most magnificent stile thou canst have is this to bee GODS Minister and Servant to be his messenger and to goe on his errands As the Centurion said of his Souldiers I say to one goe and he goeth c. So God has Angels under him If he say goe they goe The counsell and Parliament house have their messengers whom they send into all quarters of the land So the high Court of Parliament held in heaven hath his messengers namely the Angels whom God sendeth into all the world Let us be his Ministers and messengers as the Angels bee let us not bee the Devills messengers for to runne on his errands if he say dwell in malice kill thy brother c. Let us not doe this but if God injoyne us any thing let us be his messengers We say in the Lords prayer thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven the Angels in heaven doe the will of GOD with all cheerfulnesse so let us doe on the earth VERSE 8. HE doth not call him his messenger or Minister but he gives him his owne title and here he speakes of his authority In his throne is signified his inauguration into his kingdome by the scepter the administration of his kingdome That Psalme is first to
newes that such and such be gone such wise Counsellours such godly and religious common-wealths-men be gone let us in some measure grieve at it the faithfull dye and no man considers it that is not well There should not be such blockishnesse among us yet let us not be too much daunted at it let this be a castle of refuge for us to flye unto Iesus Christ our Captaine keeper and defender remaines for ever He is the same and His yeares never faile Now as the head remaines for ever so shall we that be His members our soules never dye at all but are immediately in Paradise with Christ our bodyes though they dye putrifie in the Earth and and there sleepe for a season as in beds yet they shall bee raised up at the latter day wee shall meete CHRIST in the ayre and remaine with Him for ever Let this be a singular comfort to us all VERSE 13. NOe Angell sitteth at the right hand of God CHRIST doth Ergo. That Psame 110.1 must needes bee understood of CHRIST 1 S. Peter expoundeth it of Him Acts 2.34 2 That verse 4. cannot bee applied to David he was no Priest all the Priests were according to Aaron not Melchizedec none of them were for ever 3 The Pharisees are mute when CHRIST presseth them with this testimony Matth. 22.46 Whereby it is evident that all tooke it as confessed that this Psalme was meant of Christ. 1 God the Father honours Him with the title of Lord therfore He is God equall with Him 2 Hee places Him at His right hand as His equall Ergo. Til 2 Sam. 6.23 Matth. 1.21 it denotes continuationem temporis then thou shalt sit quietly with me for ever Foot-stoole that is extrema subiectio 1 Cor. 15.24 25. As Christs enemies shall be made His foot-stoole so shall ours be for His enemies are our enemies the Captaine and the Souldiers the Head and members have common enemies Wee are here the foot-stoole of the wicked but the time will come when they shall bee our foot-stoole The Israelites were the Aegyptians foot-stoole on the earth they drowned their children they oppressed them with many burdens but they shall bee their foot-stoole in heaven The wicked now for a short time may domineere over the godly they may make long furrowes on their backes put them to much slavery they may feede them with the bread and water of affliction as Achab did Micaiah they may cast them into stockes prisons and dungeons as they did Ieremiah they may spit on their faces as they did on the blessed face of our Saviour CHRIST they may rayle on them with reprochfull termes as Shimei did on David they may gibe and jest at them mocke and deride them as base Varlets did Iob whose Fathers he disdained to set with the dogges of his flockes and as impudent wretches doe now a dayes even at the Preachers and Ministers themselves stone them saw them in pieces put them to the sword and fire But let us bee of good comfort we shall one day be Lords over them they shall be our slaves and vassals yea the Lord will tread Satan and all of them under our feet and make them our very foot-stooles the gates of hell may avayle but cannot prevaile against us we shall be Conquerours yea more than Conquerours over them all This Hamans Wife her selfe could see If Mordecai be of the Iewes seede If he be a faithfull man appertaining to CHRIST thou doest but strive against the streame to set thy selfe against him be thou never so great never so mighty never so malicious thou shalt be his foot-stoole in the end let this encourage us against all enemies whatsoever VERSE 14. YEe have heard what CHRIST is Will yee know what the Angels be for their nature they be spirits yet created and finite for their office Ministers Officers Apparitours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 publike ministers for the publike good and benefite Servants not Lord as CHRIST is sent forth at the will and commandement of an other CHRIT is sent into the world yet as a Sonne not as a servant of his owne free will not by the simple authoritie of an other as the Angels be All Angels are Ministers Some are not ministrantes some assidentes as Dionysius collecteth Dan. 7.10 They all stand about GOD expecting his pleasure to be sent by him They are principally for the elect they are occupied about the wicked as an Angell destroyed the hoast of Senacherib and slew Herod but it is for the godly their sake Psal. 34.7 Psal. 91.11.12 They minister to God as their Lord and Master to us as their fellow servants at the appointment of the Lord. Sometimes they are sent to instruct the godly in the will of God as Isaiah 6. to the Prophet in the Apocalyps to Iohn to Cornelius to the Shepheards c. Sometimes to deliver them out of danger as Lot out of Sodom Peter out of prison to carry Lazarus soule into Abrahams bosome 1. Here wee may see that the name of a Minister is an honourable name the Magistrate is a Minister the Angels are Ministers CHRIST himselfe was a Minister even the Minister of circumcision when hee lived on the earth Some prophane fellowes there be that thinke basely in their hearts and speake irreverently of the Ministers I tell you it is an Angelicall name an high and magnificent title Is it not an honourable office to serve the King or the Queene We that be the Ministers are servants to Christ the King of Kings and to his Church the Lambes Wife therefore thinke highly of us because of our office Is it a grace to the Angels to be called Ministers and shall it be a disgrace to us Nay we will glory in it and shame shall light on them that contemne the Ministers of CHRIST 2. Whose Ministers are the Angels They be our Ministers they Minister for our sakes and what be we in comparison of the Angels They are spirits we flesh and bloud they holy wee unholy they immortall we mortall they in heaven we on earth yet they be our Ministers they Minister to CHRIST as to their Lord and Master to us as to their fellow servants But what an honour is this to wretched and sinfull man that the Angels should be his Ministers As if the King should command an honourable Lord of his privy Counsel to waite on a poore man in the Country to conduct him from the Court to his owne house the Angels are of Gods Court in heaven and see his face continually Wee are sillie wormes on earth yet the Lord hath appointed them to attend on us to be our nurses to carry us in their armes that wee dash not our foot against a stone Let us praise and magnifie God that hath provided such keepers for us What is man O Lord that thou regardest him thou hast made him a little lower nay a little higher than the Angels The Angels are our Ministers but
off-spring of man what a vile and contemptible thing of no worth of no value In respect of his originall he is dust for the course of his life on the face of the earth he is subject to all griefes sorrowes sicknesses diseases a continuall sinner against thee for his end he is wormes-meat That thou once mindest him that thou hast such a fatherly care over him that thou carriest him in thy remembrance that thou hast written him in thy Table-bookes and art mindfull continually to doe him good Non vacat exiguis rebus adesse Iovi said the Poet. Visitest him There is Visitatio irae gratiae not in judgement but in mercy as appeareth by that which followeth as a Physitian his Patient or a Father his Son Elizabeth wondred that the Virgin Mary should visit her Whence commeth this to me that the Mother of my Lord c. Much more may we admire this visitation that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords should visit us Forsomuch as this Psalme is applyed to the Messiah by our Saviour Christ Mat. 21.16 and by Paul 1 Cor. 15.27 the Author of this Epistle doth directly apply it to him in the words following Sundry learned and godly men apply it first and principally to our Saviour Christ but I see not how that can be shall wee say of CHRIST What is he that God should be mindfull of him his beloved Son in whom he is well pleased that never did any thing amisse that never transgressed his Commandement though hee bee a man as wee are yet hee is an unspotted man separate from sinners higher than the heavens as hee is man so he is GOD too and shall we say of him What is he that God should visit him Sundry things in this Psalme must needs be applied to him but not the whole Psalme It is not so in any Psalme First it is understood of the type then of him that is figured by the type What is man He doth not speake of man in his first creation he retained that estate but a while therefore he would rather have deplored than admired it He doth not speak of man as he is after his fall for in that respect he is most miserable not glorious therefore he must needs speake of man as he is ingraffed into Christ by whom he is advanced to wonderfull and unspeakable glory What is man Not onely considered in his first creation but even in his renovation what is the best man that ever was What is Abraham Isaac and Iacob What is Moses David Peter Paul What is the holiest man on the face of the earth that God should have any respect to him by creation indeed he is the workemanship of God the image of God Almighty yet for all that in respect of his originall he was taken out of the ground he is but a peece of earth since the fall he is a masse of sin though he be regenerate and by faith ingraffed into Christ yet still he hath sin in him and must dye Therefore what is this man that thou shouldest powre downe so many blessings on him That the Sun Moone and Stars should give him light That the birds of the Ayre fishes of the Sea the beasts of the field should be his meat That he should walke as a King on the earth especially that thou shouldest send thy only Son to dye for him make him a member of his body and provide an everlasting kingdome for him in the life to come What is vile wretched sinfull corrupted man that thou shouldest be so farre mindfull of him Protect him with the shield of thy fauours from all dangers That thou shouldest vouchsafe him thy word and Sacraments That thou shouldest give him thy holy Spirit to helpe him to pray and to comfort him in all miseries We should not be like the Peacock spreading forth our golden feathers and say within our selves what goodly men be we wee ought to thinke basely of our selves what are we that God should regard us What am I and my Fathers house said that regall Prophet that thou hast brought me hitherto What are we miserable wretches wormes meat that God Almighty should doe any thing for us we are lesse than the least of all his mercies Yet we are wont to vaunt of our selves doe ye not know who I am Doest thou not consider to whom thou speakest yes very well I speake to dust and ashes Let no high conceit of our selves enter into our minds let us thinke basely of our selves What am I O Lord that thou shouldest give me the least thing in the world A drop of drinke a crust of bread an hole to hide my head in especially that thou shouldest give me thine only Son and together with him all things that be good What is any man in the world Art thou a rich man God can puffe away thy riches and make thee poore Art thou a wise man God can take away thy senses and make thee a foole art thou a beautifull man God can send the pox and many diseases to take away thy beauty art thou a strong man God can send sicknes and make thee weak art thou a Gentleman a Knight a Lord yet thy breath is in Gods hand This night he can take away thy soule from thee and what art thou then therefore let us all have an humble opinion of our selves let us cast downe our selves at Gods feet and say What are we O Lord that thou art mindfull of us that thou so graciously visitest us especially with thy everlasting mercies in Christ Iesus VERSE 7. MAclohim Some interpret it then God as Hierome Bucer But the seventy Interpreters translate it Angels so doth the Chalde Paraphrase and the word in Scripture is most commonly applied to them The Angels are glorious creatures and when we speake of an excellent man we call him an Angell 1 Sam. 29.9 2 Sam. 14.20 Acts 6.15 There is not much ods betweene the Angels and us they are immortall wholly we immortall in part they have no sin because they never fell we that are ingrafted into Christ have sin within us yet it is covered with the garment of Christs righteousnesse so that it is not imputed to us They have a rule and dominion under GOD in the world whereupon they are called principalities powers thrones dominations and wee have a rule in the world too all things through CHRIST being subjected to us they are in heaven and behold the face of God So wee one day shall be in heaven and like the Angels they are endewed with wisedome knowledge and understanding So are we though we come short of them by many a mile they are our brethren and fellow servants in sundry things there is not much difference betweene them and us We are but a little inferiour to them we have massie heavy sinfull corruptible bodies So have not they They tooke to them true bodies for a time but those bodies were no essentiall parts of
them they were not personally united to them as ours are Otherwise there is no great difference no not betweene the Angels and us How are wee to magnifie God that hath so highly exalted man The consideration hereof should cause us to lead a life in some acceptable measure worthy of that honour whereunto we be advanced We are not much inferiour to the Angels yet a number of our lives are as ill nay worse than bruit beasts The Oxe knowes his owner the Asse his masters crib but wee will not know love and feare that God which feedeth us A Dogge will love his Master that makes much of him wee will not love no not those that deserve well at our hands A Dove will keepe her selfe to her owne mate many of us will not keepe our selves to our owne Wives bring an horse to the water to the sweetest water in the world he will drinke no more than will doe him good we are excessive and more than brutish in drinking all places ring of this sinne this beastly sinne of drunkennesse what a vile thing is this How doe wee forget our selves Hath GOD made us but a little inferiour to the Angels and shall we live like bruit beasts and give over our selves to all uncleannesse How doe we disgrace that worthy estate whereunto God hath advanced us As we draw neere to the Angels any kinde of wayes so let us so farre as is possible lead an angelicall life with the Angels in this world that we may remaine with them in the world to come Thou crownedst him He shewes wherein our excellency doth consist he hath made him a King and set a Crowne on his head With many glorious gifts that are a wonderfull honour to man both externall and internall especially with the knowledge of CHRIST wherein consists eternall life One part of that glory is that he hath a Soveraigntie and dominion over all creatures which was given him at the creation Genesis 1. renewed and ratified by GODS seale after the floud Genesis 9. enlarged no doubt to the faithfull by CHRIST 1 Cor. 3.21 VERSE 8. VNder his feete This agreeth to all men in generall to the faithfull in speciall whom God hath made Kings and Lords over all his creatures by CHRIST But principally it is to be understood of our SAVIOUR CHRIST who is the chiefe Lord of the world the King and mediatour of the Church he hath all power in heaven and earth All things yea even the Devils themselves are put in subjection under his feete God hath given him a name above every name that at the name of IESUS every knee should bow Phil. 2.9 We also by him because wee are members of his body and his brethren we have an interest to all creatures all things throughout the wide world are ours The heaven the earth the birds the beasts the fishes the trees the flowers are ours Death is ours the very Devill himselfe is our slave and subject God hath put him under our feet 1. Here we may behold the dignity of Christians all things by IESUS CHRIST are under our dominion O what a bountifull GOD is this that hath given us so large a possession Let us sound forth his praises for it and use his liberalitie to his glory As God said to Peter arise kill and eate when the sheete full of all kinde of creatures was let downe to him from heaven so doth hee say to us all we may freely eate of all creatures whatsoever but let us not abuse GODS creatures to his dishonour and our destruction Let us use them soberly religiously to make us more cheerefull in the service of our God 2 Let us not stand in a slavish feare of any creature of the stars the windes no not of the Devils themselves for all are put in subjection under our feet by Iesus Christ that loved us and hath given us a superiority over all we shall be conquerers over them all a singular comfort to the faithfull Satan may tempt and assault us but God will tread him under our feet 3 For this dominion let us thanke the Lord Iesus Christ. Of our selves we are worth nothing starke beggars in CHRIST and by CHRIST we have all that we have Let us magnifie him for it Then he concludeth from the generall to the speciall If all things be subject to him then nothing is exempted from his Dominion no not the Angels themselves To the former the adversaries againe replied thou talkest of a glorious Empire Rule and Dominion whereunto Christ is advanced but it is an imaginary conquest for we see not all things subdued to him The Kings and Princes of the earth cast away his yoke and submit not themselves to the Scepter of his Word Satan and his instruments rebell against him sin and death still play the tyrants and are not subdued to him VERSE 9. TO that he answers 1. Though we see it not yet all things may be subject to him we see not God yet there is a God we see not our owne soule yet we have a soule Here it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is a difference betweene videre and cernere wee doe discerne so as it cannot be denied a man may see a thing and yet not discerne it 2 He answers it by a distinction of submission or subjection The one is externall conspicuous to the eye of the world the other internall seene by the eye of faith Christ's kingdome is not of this world it is not temporall but spirituall all things are subdued to him though he suffer his enemies for the triall and exercise of his children to tyrannize over them for a time A Beareheard may have a Beare under his rule and authority though he suffer him now and then to range abroad so hath Christ the Devill Yet we see Iesus that was made a little lower than the Angels through the suffering of death to be crowned with glory and honor These words Through the suffering of death may be referred to that which goes before or followes after after he had suffered death he was crowned with glory as Phil. 2.9 But rather refer them to the former he was made a little lower than the Angels through suffering of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little while refer it to the time that is during his death passion continuance in the grave 3. dayes and 3. nights all this while he was inferior to the Angels not at the time he lived upon the earth for Mat. 4.11 The Angels Ministred to him as servants to their Lord. But in his Passion and Death the Deity withdrew his power and the humanity was left alone then he was lower than the Angels the Angels are immortall and dye not Christ was mortall and died in that respect he was inferior to them But he was afterwards exalted to all glory and dignity placed at the right hand of God and so superior to the Angels We that are the faithfull see him
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
and it is good for Preachers to draw their matter into a summe We have such a worthie High Priest as all the High-Priests in the Law were not worthy to be named with him the same day Then he comes to shew his magnificence Hee doth not say standeth as a Lord Earle Duke may stand by a King bare-headed but sitteth Indeed Act. 7.5 6. he is said to be standing on the right hand of God but then he is seene standing as ready to pull Stephen out of the jawes of his enemies He doth not sit at his foot-stoole but at his hand not at his left hand but on the right hand God the Father as Prince and Potentate sitteth on his throne and Christ sitteth by him Of that Majestie which excelleth the Majesty of all the Kings in the world either Majesty is put for Majesticall Prince to whom is due Majesty Iude 25. or it may be an Hebraisme the throne of the Majesty for a majesticall throne Not in earth but in heaven In the heavens where there bee many mansions and in them hee prepareth a place for us The High-Priests in the time of the Law sate in Moses chaire heere upon the earth but our High-Priest sitteth in Gods chaire in heaven and thinkes it no robbery to bee equall with God In this respect he is not only higher than all the Priests in the Law but higher than the Angels Here hee sitteth as a ruler for the welfare of his Church From hence it cannot be gathered that Christ's body is every where because Gods right hand is every where for this his sitting is restrained to a place namely to heaven Stephen saw him in heaven Acts 7.55 Love is an excellent vertue because it is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the whole Law The Lords prayer carries away the bell from all prayers because that is the summe of all the prayers that can be made by all men in the world Here we have the summe of this large and famous epistle Therefore let it be reverently regarded and diligently marked by us all This may bee a singular comfort to us that wee have such a mightie High-Priest as hath all power in heaven and earth The High-Priests here on the earth were controlled by Kings and Princes Salomon deposed Abiathar and Saul put Abimelech to death but this our High-Priest is above all the Kings and Princes in the world they must all cast downe their Scepters at his feete hee can take the breath out of their nostrils when hee pleases In what an happy ease are we that have such a LORD protectour of the Church He may suffer us to be tryed as gold in the furnace of affliction but he will not suffer us to perish at the length he will deliver us out of the hands of all our enemies only let us have a care so neere as we can not to displease this our high-Priest As the people were obedient to the high-Priest in the time of the Law So let us be to our high-Priest in the time of the Gospell kisse the Sonne least he be angry and yee perish from the way All Papists kisse the Popes feete yea Kings Princes and Emperours But let us all from the highest to the lowest in meekenesse and humility kisse this our high-Priest that sitteth at the right hand of the throne of the Majestie in the heavens and he will defend us from all enemies whatsoever VERSE 2. THe second argument Those high-Priests were Ministers of an earthly Sanctuary this of an heavenly Ergo more glorious than they Of the Sanctuary The Greeke is Ambiguous of the masculine or neuter gender Some interpret it Minister of the Saints So indeed he is not the Angels alone but Christ Himselfe is our Minister O unspeakable honour Rather as the word is taken in this Epistle of the Holies that is of the Sanctuary the Holy of Holies Hebr. 9.12 and 24. The place where he Ministers is Heaven there he appeares in the sight of God for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 publicus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui facit opus publicum So are the Angels Hebr. 1.14 the Magistrate Rom. 13.4 The third argument hee that hath the more worthy Sacrifice is the more worthy Priest Christ's sacrifice is more worthy Ergo. This sacrifice is set forth to us 1. Figuratively 2. Properly Figuratively it is resembled to a Tabernacle Some by Tabernacle understand heaven too as well as the Sanctuary but rather by it is meant the body of our Saviour Christ. 1. It is not like that in so few words he would use a tautology 2. The Tabernacle was for the Priests not for the High-Priests 3. The reason following Verse 3. doth evince that by the Tabernacle is signified the body of Christ wherewith hee did sacrifice It is an usuall thing to resemble the body to a Tabernacle 2 Cor. 5.1 2. 2 Pet. 1.13 14. As a man dwelleth in an house or Tabernacle So doth the soule in the body And as God dwelt in the Tabernacle among the Iewes so doth the deity dwell in the humanity of Christ therefore it hath the name of a Tabernacle This similitude is fitly introduced by the Apostle As the high-Priest by the Tabernacle went into the Sanctum Sanctorum so Christ by his body offered on the Crosse went into heaven Hebr. 9.11 Hence it is that Christ's body is compared to a Temple Ioh. 2.21 to a vaile Heb. 10.20 This Tabernacle is illustrated by an adjunct and the efficient cause The other was but a counterfeit to this True is not opposed to false that was not a forged Tabernacle it was of Gods institution and made by his direction But it is called the true Tabernacle as Christ may be called the true David Salomon Melchizedec the true Manna that came from heaven Iohn 6.32 And as the picture of a man is nothing to the man himselfe So that Tabernacle was but a picture of this this is the true Tabernacle indeed The shadow of the Sun in the water is not the Sunne that is the true Sun that is in the firmament so that was but a shadow of this Tabernacle this is the true Tabernacle 2. It is illustrated by the efficient cause Moses Aholiab Bezaleel and other artificers pight that Tabernacle which were mortall men though they did it by Gods appointment this Tabernacle was framed immediately by God Himselfe the body of our Saviour Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost The name of a Minister is no base name seeing Christ being now in heaven doth not thinke scorne of it He was a Minister of the circumcision when he lived on the earth and he is a Minister of the Sanctuary now in heaven Therefore let none have a base opinion of the name and office of the Ministers Christ is the head Minister and we inferiour Ministers under him therefore let us be reverently regarded for his sake There by presenting of his owne sacred body
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
shall we passe through it Christ himselfe will be our leader in it As hee is both the sacrifice and the Priest so he is the way and the guide the way Hee doth not say an High-Priest but simply a Priest because there is no other sacrificing Priest save CHRIST in the New Testament Not a small one but a great one great in person being God and man great in power for heaven and earth are his great in goodnesse and mercy that will have compassion on our weaknesse and if we happen to faint he will support us by the way For his superiority and preheminence over the house of God that is the Church 1 Tim. 3.15 Heb. 3.6 Moses was over the house of God yet as a servant Hebr. 3.5 Christ as the Lord and King the commander in the house he over a part of Gods house in Iudea Christ over the whole house dispersed over all the earth All Ministers in some sort are over the house of God Who is a faithfull servant that his Lord may make rule over his house that bee over you in the Lord 1 Thes. 5.12 So Moses was over the house Yet a great difference betweene them and Christ. A noble man is over his house and his steward is over his house Christ as the Lord and owner of the house wee as his stewards to give you your meat in due season A singular comfort to all that be of this house that such a one as Christ is over it Some houses have tyrannicall governours which scrape all to themselves and have no care of them in the house Christ is not such a one he hath a loving and fatherly care of all in the house Some householders would provide for their house and cannot they want ability Christ Iesus that is over this house is both able and willing to provide all things necessary for us Therfore let us be of good comfort we shall not want the thing that is good The Church is God's house All England is the Kings dominion White-Hall is his Chappell so all the world is Gods empire but the Church is his house therefore let us behave our selves wisely and religiously in the house of God Will any make the Kings house and Ale-house to quaffe and swill in A brothel-house to commit adultery in and shall we that be in the Church the house of God be drunkards adulterers wicked and lascivious livers As wee bee in Gods house so let us demeane our selves accordingly VERSE 22. HAving such a wise loving and mighty Priest let us come unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely to God by him by the invocation of his name asking boldly all things necessary for this life and the life to come as also let us draw neere to him by an holy life and blamelesse conversation They that make an outward profession and deny him in their lives are farre from him the others are neere and walke with God as Enoch Some interpret it Let us draw neere to that heavenly Sanctuary which is opened to us whereunto we draw neere with a true heart But especially this is to be understood of prayer This drawing neere is not so much with the feete of our bodies as with the feete of our soules The way whereunto is chalked out to us and wherein our High-Priest directeth us for it must have relation to all that went before Now we draw neere to heaven by prayer and an holy life A true heart voyd of hypocrisie and dissimulation for God heareth not hypocrites though they make never so goodly a shew and have never so glorious words 2. An assured faith which purifieth our hearts Act. 15.9 there must be no doubting in faith Iac 1.6 Though thou beest as tall a man as Saul yet thou art not the neerer to heaven but if thou sendest many prayers to heaven and hast thy conversation in heaven then thou drawest neere to heaven Being sprinckled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to our hearts from an evill conscience There was a sprinckling water in the time of the Law made of the ashes of the red Cow wherewith the people were sprinckled Num. 19.9 their bodies were sprinckled with that but our soules must be sprinckled with the bloud of Christ. From an accusing conscience that our sins are washed away in the bloud of Christ. We should have no more conscience of sin Heb. 10.2 our consciences should no longer pricke us for sin because being justified by faith we have peace with God and there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus This afterwards breedeth sanctification 1 Pet. 1.2 There be many false-hearted wretches in the world such as Iudas was that kissed Christ and betrayed him at the same time there bee many that pretend love to religion and yet have none in them such were those Ezek. 14.1 Such were the Pharisees whited tombes and painted Sepulchers such were the Sadduces that came with a notable glosse to our Saviour Christ and there is a number of Hypocrites at this day that maske under the Vizard of Religion He that made the heart knowes the heart and will one day discover them to their shame Therefore if we draw neere to God let it be with a true heart least hee say to us as to them this people draweth neere to mee with their lippes but their hearts are farre from me If wee be falsehearted men though we carry never so glorious a shew God cannot abide us but if we be true-hearted men though there be many weakenesses and infirmities in us he will accept us in Christ Iesus Behold a true Israelite said Christ of Nathaneel There bee true Israelites and false false cloathes glasses clockes c. Faith is like the Moone sometimes at the full sometimes in the wane But seeing Christ hath merited our salvation God hath promised for Christ's sake to bestow a kingdome on us therefore let us not doubt of it That is to doubt of the sufficiency of Christ's merit and of the Word of God How shall wee come to this full assurance If our hearts bee sprinkled from an evill conscience by the bloud of Christ. By nature have we all bad consciences accusing us for sinne In many things we sinne all All those sinnes lye as an heavy loade on our consciences and make us to cry out ô my sinnes they will not suffer mee to bee quiet day nor night but being sprinckled in our hearts with the bloud of CHRIST we shall no more be vexed with the sting of an evill conscience because Christ hath dyed for all our sins Happy are they that be thus sprinckled Our hearts being sprinckled from an evill conscience our bodies must be washed with pure water It is not enough to have a good soule to God-wards though that is the chiefe but our bodies also must be washed with the pure water of the HOLY GHOST Our eyes must be washed from unchast lookes our eares from rash receiving of reports one against another our
England is mine and shall any goe about to wring them out of his hands The King of Kings sayes vengeance is mine and wilt thou wrest Gods sword out of his hand Take heede how thou doest it lest thou beest found a fighter against God Say not such a one hath angred mee I will be even with him ô saucy Merchant wilt thou intrude thy selfe into Gods office The second branch of the testimony The greatest part of Interpreters are of opinion that the Apostle alleadgeth this to his purpose indirectly by the way of consequent If God will bee avenged on the enemies of his people much more on the enemies of his Sonne They thinke that to judge his people is to judge the enemies of his people for his peoples sake But this is alleadged directly and to judge is put for to punish The Lord shall judge his owne people even so many of them as revolt from him the living God to dumb and dead idols That is the scope of the whole Chapter as yee may see from Verse 15 to this place and Saint Paul citeth Verse 21. Rom. 10. to prove the rejection of the Iewes Though they be his owne people whom he hath honoured with the Word and Sacraments that have given up their names to him and taken upon them the profession of his holy truth yet if they fall from him he will severely punish them Therefore those men that have beene enlightned with the Spirit of grace that have had CHRIST IESUS revealed to them and yet contumeliously despise that spirit count the bloud of the Testament a prophane thing and tread the Sonne of God under their feete undoubtedly they shall drinke deepely of the cup of Gods vengeance for vengeance is Gods and he will powre it in full measure on them It cannot bee denyed but that God is exceeding mercifull his mercy reacheth to the clouds is higher than the heavens his mercy is over all his workes There is not halfe a Psalme of Iustice but an whole Psalme of his Mercy The foote of that song is this for his mercy endureth for ever yea he is the Father of mercies of a great number of mercies yet for all that hee is just too As mercy is his so vengeance is his he is a Iudge as well as a Father As he is wonderfull kind and beneficiall to his people when they serve him so he will judge his people when they depart from him David said concerning the government of his house and kingdome I will sing of Mercy and Iudgement Wee sing of Mercy but we let Iudgement goe like bad Musitions wee leave out one part of the song wee harpe much on the string of Mercy but we never meddle with the string of Iustice. Though wee sweare be drunken commit adultery steale secretly from our neighbours though we make small reckoning of his word raile on it and the Preachers too yet God is mercifull ready to forgive our sins I but remember likewise that vengeance is his and he will judge even his owne people especially if with an high hand they sinne against him hee will wound the hairie scalpe of them that goe on in their sins The Scripture records examples of Gods vengeance as well as of Gods Mercie He threw the Angels out of heaven when they sinned hee drowned the whole world for sinne he rained fire and brimstone on Sodome he made Iesabel a filthy adulteresse though a Queene to be cast out of a window and eaten up with dogs If we know the truth and make no conscience to live according to the truth if we cause his Gospell to be blasphemed by our wicked lives especially if wee choake the truth revealed to us set our selves against it and maliciously despise the spirit of grace whereby wee were in some measure sanctified then the vengeance of GOD will light heavy on us Therefore let us thinke as well on Gods Iustice as on his Mercy VERSE 31. OVt of this divine testimony the Apostle inferreth a fruitfull conclusion shewing what use we are to make of this doctrine it must cause us to feare God Almighty An horrible thing to fall suddenly when we little thinke of it and deepely too into the wine presse of Gods wrath so much the word doth import Into what into the hands of the living GOD. Why God hath no hands therefore we need not feare falling into them True indeed God hath no part or member of a body as we have for he is a spirit yet for our capacitie it is adscribed to him By the hands of God in this place is meant the wrath power and anger of God Almighty As a master sayes to his servant take heede how you come into my hands againe so it is a fearefull thing to fall into Gods hands What is this God A living God that lives for ever not a dead and dumbe Idoll therefore there is no escaping out of his hands if we fall into them For the better explication of it know that GOD hath two hands The one is Manus protegens into thy hands I commend my spirit It is a comfortable thing to fall into these hands The other is manus puniens and that is double the one as he is Pater castigans so David chose to fall into the hands of God the other as he is Iudex vindicans and so it is a fearefull thing to fall into his hands The wrath of a King sayes Salomon is as the roaring of a Lion what is the wrath of the King of Kings An earthly King may be appeased with rewards and requests but his wrath if he be once angry as a Iudge cannot be appeased Some by violence may snatch thee out of a Kings hand which is stronger than he none can deliver thee out of Gods hands if thou beest his prisoner once looke for no Gaole delivery Thou mayest run out of a Kings kingdome but there is no running from GOD whither shall I flye from thy presence in any corner of the earth hee will finde thee out yea though thou haddest wings to mount up into the heavens he can fetch thee downe An earthly King lives but for a time at the length hee dyes but GOD lives for ever Therefore it is a fearefull thing to fall into his hands Yet men little consider this they imagine it is nothing to fall into Gods hands A servant had rather fall into Gods hands by making a lye then into the hands of his master by speaking a truth A number of desperate persons had rather fall into Gods hands by swearing and forswearing then into the hands of an earthly judge We make no account of Gods hands tush God sees it not or if he regard it he is a kinde God it makes no matter for falling into his hands yet it is a fearefull thing for though he beare long with thee in wonderfull patience and long suffering yet he will make thee beare in the end Therefore let us not wittingly and willingly
what Country man he was he answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mundanus The whole world is my Country all Countries are alike to me Yet in truth wee have no Country in the world England is not our Country Heaven properly to speake is our Country as Christ sayes call no man father here on earth so call no Country your Country on the earth Now heaven is our Country so we must seeke it it is worth the seeking and we cannot have it without seeking seeke the kingdom of God We must seeke it by prayer reading of Scripture hearing of Sermons by godly and fervent desire of the heart by heavenly meditations Our whole life ought to be a continuall seeking of heaven but alas we seeke for silver and gold Sheep and Oxen houses and lands and let heaven goe we are like Aesops dogge that snatched at the shadow and lost the substance We seeke more for shadowes then for the substance all the weeke long we are seeking of the world and scant on the Lords Day no day in the weeke doe we seeke heaven VERSE 15. THis is illustrated 1. By a declaration of the Country which they sought 2. By the fruit and reward of their seeking Object They professed themselves strangers because they were out of their soile the land of Chaldea Sol. That cannot be the Country which they had longed after for if their minde had run on that they had opportunity and time enough to returne in they had leysure but they would not take it 1. He shewes what Country it was not which they sought VERSE 16. 2. WHat it was which is first described comparatively then plainly pointed out with the finger The reward 1. A favour or prerogative in this life 2. In eternall happinesse in the life to come Exod. 3.15 he is the God of the whole world in generall he is the God of the wicked for temporall blessings of the faithfull for spirituall and eternall He that is the God of the whole world is now the God of three men Chrys. It is a glory to servants to have a denomination from their Lords and Masters I am servant to such a Noble man but it is no honour for a Lord to say I am the master of such a poore man such a beggarly fellow is my servant yet God glorieth of us that hee is our God Master and Father He makes this a piece of his style as if a puissant Prince would be called the King of Pigmies He hath prepared Hebr. 13.14 Ioh. 14.2 They doe not merit it GOD in mercy prepares it for them When Vide Matth. 25.34 God prepares many excellent things for us in this world but none comparable to this He prepared the world as an house furnished for man at the first We can but prepare temporall houses for our Children Some by this City understand the Church which though it bee on the earth is called heavenly because her chiefest part Christ her head is in heaven and her conversation is in heaven Hyperius But they were in the lap of the Church already within the walls of that City they needed not to seeke that which they had Heaven then is better than earth it is better by many degrees Men chuse that which they thinke to be best we choose earth rather than heaven therefore in our opinion that is the better What fooles what dolts be we men are ready to change for the better who would not change a beggars cottage for a Kings Pallace a patcht Cloak for a Princes robe We say heaven is the better yet we are loath to change our dwelling on earth for it by our good wills we would tarry here still We say heaven is a better country then this but we would faine continue in the earth still Many a Child is ashamed of his Father when hee comes to great honour We were base and ignominious wretches yet God was not ashamed of us If a great man have a kinswoman that is poore yet if a faire and beautifull woman haply he will not be ashamed of her We are all fowle and black by reason of sin yet God is not ashamed of us and shall we one of another A King is not ashamed of a beggar and shall one beggar be ashamed of another Shall one earthen Pot though it be a little guilt and tipt with silver be ashamed of another earthen Pot Though thou beest a rich man and hast more silver and gold than thy brother yet be not ashamed of him thou art earth as well as he yee are Pots of one Potter Constantine was not ashamed of the Bishops the Angels are not ashamed of us they acknowledge themselves to be our fellowes and brethren and shall we be ashamed one of another Though he be never so poore a man if he believe in Christ be not ashamed of him 2. As God is not ashamed of us so let us not be ashamed of him though Christ be afflicted here on earth yet let us not be ashamed of him and his Gospell for if we be he will be ashamed of us when he commeth with his holy Angels How doth it appeare he is not ashamed of us because he disdaineth not to be called our God He doth not say to be called their Lord and Master but God I thank my God that we read often This comprehendeth all good things for this life and that to come happy are the people that be in such a case blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. The Lions shall be hungerbit but they that have God for their Lord shal want nothing that is good This may strengthen us against poverty sicknes and all calamities against sin Satan and death it selfe Will any child feare want that hath a rich and loving father our God our Father is rich heaven and earth are his he is most loving he tenders us as the apple of his eye therefore wee can want nothing that is good The Lord is our God our shield Protectour and defender therefore let us feare nothing If God be on our side who can be against us Nay this may comfort us against death it selfe From this one word our Saviour proves the resurrection he is not the God of the dead but of the living for all live to him Though we dye God is our God he will raise us up againe at the latter day and translate us into his kingdome This may be a pillar of comfort for us to leane upon that God is our God By what token doth he shew himselfe to be our God because he hath prepared a City God is an excellent preparer Hee prepared the world as an house well furnished against the comming of man into it he prepared a Table for the Israelites in the wildernesse he gave them water out of a stony rocke and Manna from heaven he prepared a kingdome for Hester when she was a poore banished maide hee prepared a Whale for Ionah when he was cast into the
mother only is mentioned Exod. 2.2 shee did it with the consent of her husband Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because his Grandfather was alive then and had an hand in the businesse their names we have Exod. 6.20 Amram and Iochabed Brought up in the Citty who goe not much abroad to be scorched of the Sun Act. 7.20 divinitus venustus by the disposition of God Nineveh a City Gedolah laelohim 2 Cor. 10.4 But are they so highly to bee extolled for that is it a worke of faith to respect beauty A naturall man might have done that His beauty was one motive but not all faith was the greatest He was by the gift of God of extraordinary beauty In the which by faith they saw an expresse Image of God that hee was like to prove some rare and notable instrument Hyperius affirmeth that as Simeon Luk. 2. by the revelation of the spirit knew CHRIST to bee the Messiah so his Parents by his beauty that he should be the deliverer of the people but there is no certainty of that they did not sticke in the outward baauty that was as Gods hand to lead them to higher matters they did it not in a naturall affection Others loved their Children and had fayre Children Simiae suum pulchrum but by faith Decree or ordinance The King ordained on paine of death The King had given a streight charge that the Male Children should be drowned but they looked to the King of Kings that was able to preserve them from his fury Though it were the hazzard not of their goods alone but lives too they looked to Gods promises that they should multiply that out of Israel should come a deliverer and the Messiah too therefore they will not drowne their Male-child They did not so feare it as that it should hold them from the preservation of their Child Three moneths not three dayes or three weekes yet at three moneths end they commit him to the water then their faith began to stagger Some thinke they did it in faith too being assured that God would deliver him Exod. 2.4 If he had beene in danger they would have taken him home againe They were the first and all that wee read of that kept their Children against the Kings decree That they hid him three moneths was commendable All that whyle they were in feare and hazarded their lives but that at the three moneths end they expose their Child to the wide world that argues a weakenesse in them yet this weake action this weake faith of theirs is registred to their commendation God alloweth and commendeth a weake faith he doth not quench the smoaking flaxe nor bruise the broken reed he chides Peter for his weake faith ô thou of little faith but he doth not cast him away for it Though a Child be weake yet the Father loves it so doth our heavenly Father us though he find weakenesses in our best actions There was a weakenesse in the Mid-Wives when they preserved the Children with a lye there was a weakenesse in Abraham when hee thought he could not be safe unlesse he dissembled there was weaknesse in the Parents of Moses in thrusting their Child at length out of doores there is weakenesse in our praying hearing of Sermons in our giving to the poore and maintenance of the word preached in our preserving of our Children in dangers and calamities yet if these things bee done in sincerity though there be weakenesses in them they are accepted at the hands of God in Christ. Let that encourage us in all good actions though they be stained with some imbecillities 2. Beauty is a precious pearle a picture of the heavenly Appelles a singular ornament wherewith God hath graced his Children Ioseph was a fayre person and well favoured Gen. 39.6 David 1 Sam. 16.12 Daniel and his fellowes The base fare they had could not impaire their beauty This the LORD in wisedome hath used for the preservation and advancement of his Children Moses beauty was a load-stone to draw the favour of Pharaohs daughter to him It was as a stirrope for Hester to mount up to a Kingdome yet for all that let us not dote too much upon externall beauty 1. Though some of GODS Children have it yet all have it not it is not proprium quarto modo Ebedmeleck the blacke-more was no fayre man neither be they all the Children of GOD that have it Absalom was a beautifull man not a blemish in his whole body yet a wicked man who by all probability never set a foote into the kingdome of heaven and many a filthy strumpet is fayrer than an honest woman 2. It is a transitory gift here to day gone to morrow beauty is a goodly flower yet there be many wormes to consume it sicknesse griefe old age c. Let us chiefely desire that beauty that lasteth for ever 3. Let us consider there is a double beauty the one outward the other inward the one proper to Gods elect the other common to the reprobate together with them The Kings daughter is glorious within Psal. 45.13 It is the inward beauty of the heart that is acceptable to God Let us all pray to God for that to bestow it on us that is better then the beauty of all Ladies in the world this is the true beauty Prov. 31.30 3. It is spoken comparatively not simply they did not so feare the Kings commandement that they should banish the commandement of the King of Kings out of their minde The King said drowne the child God said save the child from drowning What are not Kings to be feared have I not said yee are Gods a King is a certaine God on the earth therefore to be feared and reverenced he carrieth not the sword in vaine sayes the Apostle Balaams Asse feared when he saw the Angels sword and shall not we feare that glittering sword of authority in the hand of Kings and Princes they are rather to be condemned then commended for not fearing the Kings Commandement The answer is easy Wee must distinguish betweene the authority and the commandement of a King There is no power but it is of God but there may be a commandement which is not of God Feare the power the throne the dignity the authority of a King the office of a King but feare not every commandement of a King if wee be sure they are against plaine Scripture In doubtfull things we must believe that our Governours are wiser than our selves VERSE 24. BEfore we have spoken of his Parents faith now let us speak of his owne faith In Moses there are three notable things which are as shrill trumpets to sound forth his faith 1. A voluntary crosse undertaken by him 24.25 26. 2. A necessary crosse imposed on him 27. 3. An institution of a perpetuall Sacrament among the Iewes 28. In the voluntary Crosse 1. A fact committed by him 2. The causes of it which are three election 25. judgement 26. faith The fact was a refusall
of condemnation This Iudge is rather the Father than the Son for of him hee entreats in the next Verse Though Christ be the sole Iudge secundum executionem Iohn 5.22 yet judiciaria potestas is in the whole Trinity chiefly in the Father There was an unrighteous Iudge Luke 18. but this is the righteous Iudge of the whole world Gen. 18. These Iudges are wise and learned it is meet they should be so Lactantius writes of a Iudge that was very learned and set forth divers bookes but they are all fooles to him the onely wise God These Iudges are subject to partiality for that cause the Iudges of Mars street were wont to sit in judgement in the night that they might not bee moved with the contemplation of the party This Iudge is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 day and night These are mutable there is not a shaddow of turning in him These Iudges dye this remains for ever and ever this is He to whom we are come The name especially the sight of a Iudge is terrible especially to a malefactor The Great Men the Kings of the Earth cry out Apoc. 6. O ye hils fall on us hide us from him that sitteth on the Throne When Ahasuerus held forth his golden Scepter Q. Hester went boldly to him The King of Kings hath held forth the Scepter of his favour to us by his Sonne CHRIST IESUS Therefore wee may come with all cheerefulnesse to him because this Iudge now is become our Father 1 Pet. 1.17 When Foelix did but heare Saint Paul preach of the judgement to come he trembled We shall stand without trembling before the Iudge himselfe It is Gods office to judge There is one Lawgiver and one Iudge There be Iudges under God and the King for civill matters and wee must all judge and try the spirits whether they be of God or not Of apert and manifest things we may judge Wee may call a spade a spade a knave a knave a drunkard a drunkard c. but of secret things we may not judge The heart is a secret thing judge not rashly of that the number of GOD's elect is secret judge not then who shall be saved and who damned true sanctification is a secret thing many may be holy without that are not within as the Pharisees some holy within as the Kings daughter is all glorious within If a man or woman follow not the bent of thy bow if he make not as great an outward shew as thou shall he by and by be an unsanctified person This is too great rashnesse Who art thou that judgest another mans servant Shall one fellow-servant judge another Let us referre that to the Iudge of all Let us judge our selves throughly and we will not be such severe judges of others The next persons to whom we are come are certaine speciall members of the Church the Saints triumphing in heaven These quoad essentiam are spirits as yet they have no bodies quoad qualitates they are just and perfect To the spirits of just men Not to the pulling spirits in purgatory for there be none such Purgatorium sayes Erasmus est tertius locus quem ignorat catholica ecclesia Nor to walking spirits in Church or Church-yard they be figmenta or ludibria either the devises of politique Priests or the delusions of the devill that lying Spirit nor to the damned spirits in hell they be the spirits in heaven Not to the Angels of whom he spake before but to the soules of the godly assumed into heaven to the spirit of Adam Abel Patriarcks Prophets Apostles of all that have departed in the faith of Iesus 1 They are just clothed not foliis ficulneis but with the robe of Christs justice and righteousnesse while they were here and now covered with the white robe of immortality for ever They have primam stolam the first robe for their soules and they shall have the second for their bodies in the resurrection 2 They are perfect We are a perfecting they are perfected the body of sin is wholly abolished and the graces of the spirit perfected in them perfect in knowledge affection and life without spot and wrinckle We must not imagine to finde absolute perfection in this life Diogenes came with a Candle at noone-day to seeke for a Man neither by Sun-light nor Moone-light shall we finde a perfect Man Absoloms body was without blemish so is no Mans soule in this life In many things we sin all The just man fals seven times a day I doe not utterly dislike that commendation that is so frequent among us if it were not to the disgrace of another indeed hee is a good man a good woman but they have these blemishes these imperfections as Nazianzen observeth of them that were famous among the Heathen Solonis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 covetousnesse Socratis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loving of boyes Platonis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gulosity Diogenis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scurrility So may we of all Christians they have one blemish or other Noah had a staine of drinking Abraham of dissembling David of adultery and murther S. Peter of deniall of Christ S. Paul and S. Barnabas of contention As the Psalmist sayes there is none good no not one so there is none perfect no not one If ye will have perfect men and women ye must goe to heaven for them there be none on the face of the earth Nostra siqua est humilis justitia recta forsitan sed non pura The vertue that is in a just Man hactenùs perfecta nominatur ut ad ejus perfectionem pertineat etiam ipsius imperfectionis in veritate agnitio in humilitate confessio S. Aug. cont duaes Epist. Pelag. l. 3. c. 7. Our perfection is an unfained acknowledgement of our imperfection and an humble confession of the same Indeed Hezekiah lying on his death-bed as he thought was bold to put God in remembrance that hee had walked before him in truth and with a perfect heart 2 Reg. 20.3 The Seventy translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet in the Hebrew it is Lebab shalom with a peaceable heart because there was no hypocrisie in him but a sincere desire to please God Yet he came short of that perfection which the Law requires There may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plenitudo but not perfectio Apoc. 3.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Weaver may fill his cloth yet there may be defects in it Zachary and Elizabeth walked in all the Commandements of God without reproofe A wonderfull commendation 1. They did not goe but walked on without ceasing 2. Not in their owne phantasies but in Gods Commandements not in some but in all and so as they could not be reproved for it They walked in all yet in all imperfectly There is perfectio partium graduum An infant hath all the parts of a man but not the breadth and stature of a man So they walked
that comforts us with the promises of the Gospell Therefore our righteousnesse should exceed theirs I beseech you by the mercies of God sayes S. Paul not by the terrours of GOD. Gods mercies have beene wonderfull therefore let us serve him more cheerfully than they have done the love of Christ ought to constraine us As he hath died for our sins and shed his bloud for them so let us dye to them continually Let us serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life that when this life is ended wee may raigne with Christ for ever They had short winter dayes that were full of shadowes we have summer dayes the Son of righteousnesse shineth forth brightly to us they had the bloud of Goats Lambes Calves Oxen as a representation of the bloud of Christ we have Christs bloud actually shed on the Crosse for us they saw Christ afar off Your Father Abraham saw my day and was glad we see him already offered on the Altar of the Crosse for our sinnes and crucified before our eyes in the preaching of the Gospell Happy are the eyes that see that which we see Many Kings and Prophets desired to see them and could not Let us walke worthy of this kindnesse of the Lord. Now followes the use we are to make of it which is double the one negative that we despise not our Saviour Christ the Mediator of the New Testament the other affirmative that we serve and honour him Vers. 28. He disswades us from despising him by two arguments the one from the worthinesse of the person 25. the other from the dignity of the Gospell the thing it selfe VERSE 25. FOr the caveat hee doth not simply say despise him not but with a watch-word looke to it the danger is great if ye doe Christ is despised two kinde of wayes openly and secretly openly by refusing to heare him at all as they in the Gospell wee will not have this man to raigne over us How often would I have gathered you together and ye would not some will not come to Church to heare CHRIST they had rather heare a Fidler than heare a Preacher 2 When as men heare yet contemptuously as the Pharisees did Luke 16.14 these are open despisers of Christs speaking The other are close and secret despisers They doe not peremptorily say they will not come but they make excuses for not comming I have bought a yoke of Oxen sayes one a Farme sayes another I have burling in hand spinning in hand I have a journey to take on that day I cannot come This is a despising of Christ speaking as the word importeth The other secret despisers are carelesse and negligent hearers we will give him the hearing but if we were out of the Church we would not thinke of it againe They looke themselves in the glasse of the Word see many spots but have no care to wipe them away This is a kinde of despising the voice of Christ and it shall be required at our hands despise not him that speaketh any kinde of way but heare him with all reverence He is worth the hearing 1 He speakes vera nothing but the truth for he is the Truth it selfe 2 Suavia that which is sweet and comfortable to us all sweeter than the honey or the honey combe Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavie laden I will give you rest 3 Vtilia that which is profitable he tels us of a Kingdome prepared for us 4 Manifesta he speakes plainely evidenter that any may understand him there be no aenigmata no riddles in his speech 5 Efficacia he speakes efficaciter powerfully with authority never did any man speake as he doth 6 Sublimia heavenly things therefore despise not him that speaketh but receive the honey drops of his speeches to the joy and comfort of you all Why what though we despise him the matter is not great yes there is great danger in it If they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth namely Moses yet tanquam ex divino Oraculo which revealed the Oracles of God to them on the earth They that rejected him were severely punished The man that with an high hand gathered sticks on the Sabbath-day contrary to the Law of Moses was stoned Corah Dathan and Abiram that murmured against him were swallowed up by the earth they that tooke their parts were destroyed Num. 16.49 Some vengeance or other wil light on us if we turne him away and refuse him that speaketh from Heaven But how doth Christ now speake from heaven Surely by the mouthes of his Embassadours he that heareth you heareth me Will ye have an experiment of Christ speaking in me When a learned Ezra standeth up in the Pulpit to speake to the people Christ speaketh The wicked will reply on Christ at the day of judgement and say Lord when saw wee thee hungry and gave thee no meat So some will say O if we might heare Christ speaking from heaven we will sit with reverence and heare attentively When any of his Stewards and Ministers speake He speaketh therefore beware how ye despise him that Moses's ministery and shall they escape that despise Christs ministery Many heavie judgements will light upon the contemners of Gods Word Manasseh though a King was carried into captivity for it Pelatiah died Ierusalem that would not heare Christ when he clocked to her as a loving Hen heard the cry of the Romanes to their destruction If we at this day turne away our eares from hearing Christ speaking to us from heaven the sword of the enemie famine pestilence tedious Agewes not heard of before some plague or other will fall on us If they escaped not that despised Moses shall they escape that despise Christ speaking from heaven VERSE 26. THE second reason is taken from the dignity of the Gospell Then at the delivery of the Law The voice of God did but shake the earth Exod. 19.18 Now at the exhibition of the Gospell It shooke earth and heaven too The which he proveth out of Hagge where we have 1. an Allegation of the Text then a Commentary on the Text. The people mourned that the second Temple was not so glorious as the first GOD comforts them promising to make it more glorious not in sumptuous building but by the comming of the Messiah into it Before he did shake but the earth when the Law was given now he will shake heaven and earth heaven and earth was moved with the comming of Christ when he was borne Herod and all Ierusalem was shaken Wise-men directed by a Starre came out of the East to worship him At the Passion of Christ the earth shooke the graves opened many dead Saints came out and appeared Heaven also was shaken at his comming the Angels in great multitudes came from heaven and sung for joy at his comming the voice of the Father was heard from heaven at his Baptisme This is my beloved Son c. At the passion of
house and Temple Remember that our God is a God of peace let us be peaceable Wee have had the Title now to the effect the raising up of Christ from the dead elementia in collatione pacis potentia in suscitatione filij The party raised is set forth 1. By his Sovereignty 2. By his Name 3. By his Office For his Sovereignty He is our Lord. Ye call me Master and Lord. Not every one that sayeth to me Lord c. He created us He redeemed us He hath marryed us to Himselfe therefore we are to call Him Lord as Sarah did Abraham For His Name it is IESUS the onely SAVIOUR of the world There is no other name whereby wee can be saved but by the Name of IESUS Moses was the giver of the Law yet not he but Iosuah brought the people into Canaan So they be not the workes of the Law but Christ alone that carryes us into heaven the celestiall Canaan For His Office Hee is the Shepheard of the sheepe Cyrus my Shepheard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where observe 1. What manner of Shepheard he is 2. How hee comes to bee our Shepheard If ye will know what manner of Shepheard he is he is a great one There be little Shepheards as the Rectours Curates of every Congregation but Hee is the great Shepheard 1. Great in the extent of the flocke the universall Shepheard of the whole Church throughout the world the Shepheard of Iewes and Gentiles so is none but he 2 Great in authority The sheepe are His Hee ownes them Simon feede my sheepe feede my lambes Peter as other Pastors feede them but the sheepe are Christs Iob had 7000. sheepe he had many Shepheards that kept them yet the sheepe were Iobs So Christ hath many thousands of sheepe in Christendome in the world Sundry Shepheards he places over them yet the sheepe are Christs not ours 3 Great in the charge which hee hath taken on him hee is the Shepheard of soule and body too the great Shepheard of our soules 1 Pet. 2. ult He hath care of body and soule too 4 Great in humility the King of Kings yet hee abased himselfe to be a Shepheard 5 Great in knowledge Iohn 10.3 6 Great in love and kindenesse Hee gave Himselfe for the sheepe 7 Great in power none can take them out of his hands All the Divells in hell all the wicked men on the earth cannot cozen him of one sheepe Be thankefull to God for this great Shepheard Of whom of the sheepe that is the righteous They are most fitly resembled to sheepe 1 Sheepe are humble Learne of Me I am humble and meeke 2 Sheepe are harmelesse be as innocent as Doves as harmelesse as sheepe 3 Sheepe are profitable for backe and belly 4 They are ruled by their Shepheard So whatsoever thou commandest us we will doe 5 Sheepe are lead into pastures and folds 6 They are obnoxious to many dangers to Wolves Briers Theives Dogges So many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivers them out of all Happy are the sheepe that have such a Shepheard But how came He to be Shepheard Sayd the chiefe Captaine with a great summe of money obteined I this burgeship But it cost Christ a greater summe even His bloud whereby the everlasting covenant is confirmed Acts 20.28 The wine in the Lords Supper is a lively representation of this bloud The wine is red So was the bloud of CHRIST the wine is powred out into the cup So the bloud of CHRIST was powred forth for our sinnes The grapes are pressed before there is any wine So was CHRIST Wine comforts a man hee hath given him wine to make him a glad heart So the consideration of the bloud of Christ that was shed for the remission of our sins is a singular comfort to the soules of Christians By this bloud He came to be the Shepheard of the Church and this is that bloud that ratifies GODS everlasting Covenant The Covenant I am thy GOD and the GOD of thy seede is an everlasting Covenant Such as the man is such is his bond and word It is good dealing with honest men A man may be bold to build on their word And such as GOD is such is His Covenant an everlasting GOD and an everlasting Covenant of His Kingdome there shall bee no end and of His Covenant there shall be no end As He is our GOD now So he will be for ever Let this stay us up when we are ready to faint in all distresses This is that great Shepheard of the sheepe which GOD hath brought againe from the dead But was hee not able to bring himselfe from the dead Yes verily He raised up this Temple Himselfe He presented Himselfe alive Acts 1.3 Yet in respect of His humanity GOD is sayd to have brought Him from the dead which He did after a glorious manner the Angels waiting on the Sepulcher the earth trembling the graves opening sundry of the Saints rising with Him and appearing to many Our Saviour truely dyed on the Crosse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the breath went out of His body it was wrapt up in linnen cloathes layed in the Sepulcher there it continued three dayes and nights yet God brought Him againe from the dead Hee was seene of His Apostles and others fourty dayes together they beheld the print of the nailes in His hands and feet they eat and dranke with Him and looked on Him when Hee went into Heaven Even so the same God shall bring us againe from the dead The Head is risen therefore the members shall rise the first fruits are in the barne of Heaven therefore we that are the second fruits shall be gathered thither The husband is in Heaven therefore the wife shall be in Heaven Where I am they also that believe in mee shall bee there Hee brought CHRIST from the dead the third day there was an extraordinary reason in that because His Sacred body might see no corruption Our bodies corrupted with sinne must lye putrifying in the earth till the day of Iudgement Adventus Domini clavis resurrectionis then wee shall meete CHRIST in the ayre and bee translated with Him into His Kingdome of glory Christs resurrection is a pledge of ours VERSE 21. WEE have heard of the person to whom he prayes now to the thing for which he prayes It is perfection in all good workes the which is first set downe then amplified It is comprised in these words make you perfect c. Hee doth not say in faith but in workes workes are a demonstration of faith shew me thy faith by thy workes Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall not enter into the Kingdome of heaven Their righteousnesse was to say not to doe Matth. 23.3 ours must be to say and doe too else wee shall not set a foote into the Kingdome of heaven Not every one that sayeth unto mee Lord Lord c. Therefore