of Remaliahs sonne For albeit they determine to depose thee and to dispose of thy Kingdome purposing to set vp in thy throne the sonne of â—abeal vers 6 Yet thus saith the Lord God their counsell shall not stand neither shall it bee for the head of Aramis Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin and within threescore and fiue yeeres Ephraim shall be broken from being a people As if he should say these two kingdomes shall haue their limits and their two Kings must be content with their owne greatnesse they both aspire to the Crown but I haue set them their bounds which they shall not passe Beleeue my words and it shall goe well with you but if ye will not beleeue surely ye shall not bee established vers 9. And therefore that Ahaz and his people might giue credit to this promise the Lord saith our text spake once more to Ahaz Where note Gods long suffering and patience toward an Idolatious and a wicked King who did not vprightly in the sight of the Lord his God 〈◊〉 Dauid his father â— but made his sonne goe thorow the fire after the abominations of the Heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel and offered and burnt incense in the high places and on the hilles and vnder euery greene tree The Lord desired not the death of a sinner but that he may turne from his euill waies and liue speaking to him as heere to Ahaz againe and againe turne you turne you for why will ye die O yee house of Israel He doth inuite to mercie not onely such as are godly men according to the prayer of Dauid Do well O Lord vnto those that be good and true of heart But he maketh his Sunne to rise on the euill and sendeth his raine on the iust and on the vniust Matth. 5.45 Hee is not slacke faith Peter in comming to iudgement as some men count sâ—â—icknesse but is patient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentance Wherefore thou whosoeuer thou bee which art in the gall of bitternesse selling thy selfe to worke wickednesse nay giuing thy selfe to wantonnesse to commit all vncleanenesse euen with greedinesse How dost thou thinâ—e thou shalt escape the iudgement of God or despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance The Lord spake to Ahaz againe yet not onely for his sake nor for the wicked alone but rather to prouide for the weake which had some seeds of Godlinesse For albeit they did offend the Lord very much in their distrust and Idolatrie yet God as being the father of mercies in wrath remembers mercy Habac. 3.2 Compassion and forgiuenesse is in the Lord our God albeit wee haue rebelled against him Dan. 9.9 Require a token of the Lord thy God As if Esay should haue said I perceiue you giue credit to my report entertaining my speech as the words of a meere man and not as the word of God Wherfore to demonstrate that I come not in mine owne name but from the Lord of Hosts Aske a signe not of Idols or of strange gods vnable to helpe thee but of thy God Aske a signe not of me but of the Lord which onely doth wondrous things Aske of him Ahaz and thou shalt vnderstand that it is the Lord who speakes vnto thee God for the confirmation of our faith addeth vnto his promises as proppes of our infirmitie signes and tokens which Augustine calles aptly visible words And these signes are of two sorts extraordinarie whereof the Prophet in our present text and that which was giuen to Hezekiah in the 38. chapter of this prophesie vers 7. Ordinarie in daily vse as Baptisme and the Lords Supper the which are signes and seales of Gods holy couenant with vs. And wee must so ioyne faith vnto the word that wee despise not the Sacraments which Almighty God offereth as helps for the strengthening of of our faith It is a true saying that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners And this saying ought by all meanes to bee receiued and one chiefe meane is the ministration of the Sacraments and therefore the frantick spirits in our time who make no reckoning of Baptisme nor of the blessed Eucharist but esteeme them abces onely for little children are worthily censured by reuerend Caluin to separate those things which God hath ioyned together Whether it be toward the depth beneath or toward the height aboue The Prophet prescribes not what token Ahaz should aske lest happily the truth of the miracle might be suspected but hee leaueth it to the Kings owne free choice whether hee will haue it toward the depth or height that is in earth or heauen Or it may be the word depth is of some deeper signification as if Esay should say God will openly shew thee that his dominion is farre aboue all the world yea that it reacheth euen from the heauen of heauens to the very depth of depthes insomuch as hee can at his good pleasure fetch Angels out of heauen and also raâ—e the very dead out of their graues Here then obserue Gods omnipotencie who can doe whatsoeuer hee will in heauen and in earth and in the sea and in all deepe places Psal. 135.6 O God the great and mighty great in Counsell and mighty in worâ—e Behold thou hast made the heauen and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arme and there is nothing hard vnto thee This doctrine is comfortable to the godly who dwell vnder the defence of the most high and abide vnder the shadow of his wings hauing his spirit for their guide and his Angels for their guard But it is very terrible to the wicked in that all the creatures in heauen in earth and vnder earth attend the Lord of Hosts euenmore readie to fight against such as fight against him noneâ— This argueth his pride rather then humblenesse Or as other his trust in the strength of the King of Ashor rather then his affiance in the King of Kings And yet hee colours his foule contempt hypocritically with a faire pretence saying I will not tempt the Lord alluding doubtlesse to the text Deut. 6.16 ye shall not tempt the Lord your God He forgate the words in the some chapter a little before yee shall not walke after other gods c. and only wrested that clause which he thought would fit his turne wrest I say for to require a signe when God inuiteth and inioyneth vs is not to tempt the Lord but to trust and obey which is better then sacrifice Gedeon is commended for asking signes of the Lord Iudges 6. the Pharities on the contrary condemned euen by Christ himselfe the wicked generation and adulterous seeketh a
the righteousness of faith in his heart And here we may learne the true doctrine of the Sacraments against Anabaptists ascribing too little to them and Papists attributing too much Anabaptists affirme that Sacraments are bare badges of Christianity distinguishing a Christian from an Infidell as a gowne did a Romane from a Grecian But we teach out of our Apostle that the Sacraments are not onely signa but also signacula certaine sure witnesses and seales of grace whereby God inuisibly worketh in vs and doth not only quicken but also strengthen our faith in him And against our aduersaries of Rome wee conclude from hence that the Sacraments iustifie not ex opere operato for if they bee the seales of the righteousnesse of faith how can they saue by the bare worke done without faith Ista non tribuunt quod per ista tribuitur in the wordes of reuerend Hooker they bee not physicall instruments of our saluation as hauing in themselues any vitall efficacy but onely morall instruments of Gods grace the vse whereof is in our hands the effect in his according to that of Augustine Multi nobiscum manducant bibunt temporaliter sacramenta qui bababunt in fine aeterna tormenta Touching Circumcision see further in the Gospell ensuing and concerning the second argument vsed here taken from Gods promise made to father Abraham Epistle 13. Sund. after Trinity The Gospell Lvke 2.15 And it fortuned assoone as the Angels were gone away from the shepeards into heauen c. ALâ—eit this text commend vnto your consideration a great many of remarkeable vertues of the glorious Angels in preaching Christ of the good sheepheards in seeking Christ of blessed Mary the Virgine in keeping Christ as his mother in her louing armes as his handmaid in her lowly heart yet the more proper and proportionable parts accommodated vnto the present feast are principally two 1 The Câ—câ—â—ciâ—ion of Christ. 2 The imposition of his name Iesuâ— Of these first I purpose to speake ioyntly then seuerally These two were ioyned together to thevv that Christ our Mediatour betweene God and man was both a man in beâ—ng circuâ—â—â—d and God in being Iesius that is a Sauâ—â—r of his people from thâ—◠〈◊〉 or Christ happily was called Iâ—sus and 〈◊〉 at the â—aâ—â—â—me to â—â—gnitie that there is no remission of sinne 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 of blood Heb. 9. â—1 Hee could not therefore become Iesus vntill hee had giuen vs a taste of his blood for wee haue redemption through his blood euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace â—â—pheâ— 1.7 or the dolorous Circumcision and sauing Iesus are coupled together insinuating that there should be persecution and bloodshed in the world for the preeching of this name So Christ in the Gospell assured his Apostles expresly Yee shall â—â—â—â—ted of â—â—men â—â— my name And Paul saith of himselfe while hee was an oppressour of the Church I â—â—râ—ly thought in my selfe that I ought to doem 〈…〉 or these two were conioyned to put vsin minde hoâ— God doth exalt the humble and mecke Christ humbled himselfe quoth Paul and became obedient Wâ—â—efore Go I hath also highly exalted him and gâ—uen him a nâ—me â—houe euery name that at the name of Ieâ—us euery â—nee should bow both of things in â—â—â—â—en and things in earth and things vnder earth Or it may be that these were both at once to witnesse that Christ is the true Physition of the world For when all mankinde was exceeding sicke in head and heauy in heart when from the sole of the foot vnto the head there waâ— nothing whole but wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption as it is in the Prophet then our blessed Sauiour came to visit his people binding vp their wounds on this day Pelaculae carnis and powring in oile and wine washing them euen with the wine of his blood and mollifying them also with the sweet oile of his sauing name Iesus For some deriue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or as almost all Interpreters obserue these two went together for that it was vsuall among God people the Iewes to giue names vnto children in their circumcision as it is among vs in Baptisme So wee reade in the first lesson appointed to be read this morning praier that God altered Abrams name when he did institute Circumcision Thy name shall not any more be called Abram but Abraham for a father of many nations haue I made thee Now the reason hereof is plaine that as often as we heare our selues named we might instantly call to minde the Couenant betweene God and vs in holy Baptisme to wit how God on his part promised to be our God and we vowed on our part by Godfathers and Godmothers that wee would forsake the deuill and all his workes the vaine pompe of the world the carnall desires of the flesh and continue Christs faithfull souldiers and seruants vntill our liues end Hitherto concerning Circumcision and the name Iesus iointly let vs now treate of these parts apart and first of Circumcision which is Threefold Carnall vnder the Law Threefold spirituall vnder grace Threefold Celestiall in the kingdome of glorie The first is Sâ—cramâ—ntum â—acrâ—res the second sacra 〈…〉 the third res sacramenti The first in it due time was good the second at all timeâ— is better the third in eternitie best of all The first is nascen 〈◊〉 euery manchild of eight dâ—ies old among you shall â—he circumcised Geneâ— 17.12 The second is renascentiâ—â— a circumcision of the heart in the spirit Rom. 229. when as the regenerate by the sword of the spirit which is sharper then the sharpe kniues vsed in circumcision yea sharper then any two edged sword as being a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart doe not onely circumcise the fore kinne but all the power of the soule and all the parts of the body Circumcising their eye 〈◊〉 they looke vpon a damseâ—â— or behold vanitie Circumcising their eares and their lips hedging their possessions â—rit â— tâ—ornes and making doores and bars for their mouth Ecclesiast 28.24 Hedging their eares again't heresie backbiting â—ttery barring their mouth against lying blasphemie foolish â—â—lking Circumcising their hands that they steale no more but worke the thing that is good Ephes 4.28 Circumcising their feet that they be not swift to shed blood Circumcising their very thoughts Esay 1.16 Wash you make you cleane put away your â—â—â—â—tents out of my sight as our olde English translation according to the vulgar Latine In a word cutting of all superfluous lusts of the flesh and all superfluous cares of the world casting off all the old man which is corrupt and putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephes. 4.22 The third kind of circumcision is resurgentium
considered especially 1. An iniurie done to God and that is for giuen 2. An inordinate act the which once being done cannot be vndone but is a blot or staine whereby the soule is defiled and that is laid here to be couered and elsewhere to be washed away 3. The guilt of eternall death and that is not imputed Whosoeuer then is in Christ hath all his sinne and euery thing in all his sinne for giuen couered not imputed for these three signifie the same because that which is couered is not seene and that which is not seene is not imputed and that which is not imputed is forgiuen All his sin is put out of Gods remembrance cast as it were behinde his backe so couered with Christs grace so buried in Christs graue that not so much as the print of one little fault appeares in the words of Augustine Sitexit peccat a Deus noluit aduertire si noluit aduertere noluit animaduertere sinoluit animaduertere noluit punire neliâ—t agnoscere malutt ignoscere so that the saying of the Prophet Blessed is the man whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered containeth a definition of iustification It is Gods free pardon in remitting our iniquities for the Publican is said expresly to be instified in that God was mercifull to him a sinner Luke 18.13.14 This makes against Osianders deified righteousnesse as also the Popiâ—h inherent iustice for God is our righteousnesse and Christ our holinesse 1. Cor. 1.30 Being iustified freely by grace through faith in him who iustifieth the vngodly Imputat ' Dâ—us homini iustitiâ—m vt compatiâ—ns vt dissensans vt beneuâ—lens Dimissio etenim ad compassion â— obiectio ad dispersionâ—m non imputarâ— ad beneâ—â—lenttâ—m pertinet See Epistle 25 Sund. after Trinitie Whereas it is obiected that the blessed man is iustised by workes in part because in his spirit there is no guile as the text runnes in Dauid how soeuer omitted here by Paul Augustine answereth aptly that the blessed man hath in his heart no guile for that he doth not disseâ—nble his sinne but humbly confesse his faults I said I will acknowledge my sinnes vnto the Lord and so thou for gauest the wickednesse of my sinnes Euery Christian may â—â—y with our Apostle When I am weake then am I strong And God also saith vnto such as feele their infirmities as hee did vnto Paul My grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through weaknesse 2 Cor. 12.9 And therefore the true penitent bragges not or his vertueâ— as the Pharisie but of his infirmities as Paul acknowledging ingeniously that his happinesse consists in the remission of his sinnes Heâ— omnibus solâ— perfectio si se mueriur imperfectos And whereas some further obiect how Dauid saith elsewhere Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsell of the ungodly c. And blessed is he that considereth the poore c. And blessed are they that are vndefiled c. Our Diuines answer that those place and the like presuppose faith a waies according to that Apostolicall axioâ—e Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Faith is the neâ—t of 〈◊〉 albeit our birds be neuer so faire yet they will bee lost except they bee brought forth in true bâ—lâ—efe The sparrow hath 〈…〉 an house and tâ—e swallow a rest where â—he may lay her young euen thine Altar O Lord c. Psalm 84.3 Such as are faithfull hauing their 〈…〉 for giuen and their sinne couered are blessed men and all their worker as being laid vpon Christs Altar are most acceptable to God But faith Augustine Heretickes and â—â—â—â—dels in doing glorious acts and honourable deeds haue not where to lay their young and therefore they must of necessitie come to nought as the Fathers of our Common Law speake Meritur actâ— cum personâ— their a lions are damnable with their persons See Gospell on all Saints day Came this blessednesse then vpon the Circumcision It is fit in vrging Abrahams example to reconcile S. Iames affirming in his Epistle cap. 2. vers 21. that Abraham was instified through workes and S. Paul auowing heere that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousnesse Our Diuines answer that S. Paul speakes of the causes of his iustifying before God but S. Iames of the signes of his iustifying before men S. Paul of Abrahams iustification expriorâ— S. Iames of Abrahams iustification ex posteriori S. Paul of the iustifying of Abrahams person Saint Iames of the iustifying of a particular act in offering Isaac be sonne Now Paul proues Abraham to be iustified by faith ex ordine canâ—arum in the 9.10.11.12 verses And then ex causa promissionis in the 13.14 The cause preceeds or at the least is alway conioined with his effect but Abraham was iustified when he was yet vncircumcised Ergo Circumcision was not the meritorious cause of his iustification Abraham as Melanâ—thon obserues out of the Scriptures euidence was called out of Haran and iustified when he was seuentie fiue yeeres old Gen 12.4 But circumcised in the ninetie ninth yeere of his age Genesis 17.24 Abraham then was iustified 24. yeere before Circumcision was instituted and as our Apostle theweth elsewhere foure hundred and thirtie yeeres afore the Law was giuen Ergo father Abraham had the pardon of his sinne not by Circumcision or any other worke of the Law but only by faith apprehending and applying Gods holy promise concerning the blessed seed See Epistle 13. Sunday after Trinitie Wherefore then serued Circumcision It was vnto him a signe and a seale of the righteousnesse of faith verse 11. Signum Memoratiuum a signe of commemoration of the Couenant betweene God and Abraham and of the promise which he receiued to wit 1. Of the multiplying of his seed 2. Of inheriting the land of Canaan 3. of the Messias which should be borne of his seed And for this cause the signe was placed in the generatiue part Representatinum a signe representing Abrahams excellent faith as it is afterward called a seale of the righteousnesse of faith Distinctinum a signe whereby the Iewes were distinguished from all other people Demonstratinum a signe shewing the naturall disease of man euen originall â—inne and the cure thereof by Christ. Prafiguratinum a signe prefiguring Baptisme and the spirituall circumciâ—ion of the heart A Seale For that it is a witnesse of faith receiued As being an expresse signe of the thing signified Abraham beleeued his seed should be multiplied ideo congrueuter accep it signum in membro generationis As sealing vp secretly this mysterie that the Sauiour of the world should be borne of the seed of Abraham Because it was a confirmation of Gods promise to father Abraham as the Letters Patent of Kings are sealed for better assurance Vt obsignaret iustitiam fidei to seale