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
meanes that as man by sin had deserved death so by the death of a man he should be redeemed from sin and death The necessity of Christs incarnation he proves first from the end of it He that by suffering for men was to bring men to salvation must be man Christ by suffering for men was to bring men to salvation ergo Christ was to bring many to glory This he could not do but by afflictions and namely by death it selfe for the Crosse must goe before the Crowne therefore it was requisite that in our humane nature he should first suffer It became this was most comely fit and convenient for him namely that God ver 9. which so graciously gave his Son for us that is God the Father by whose grace and mercy Christ died for us It became him for the better illustration of his owneglory for a more lively demonstration of his mercy and justice to the world of his mercy in not sparing his owne Son but giving him up to the death for us of his justice in punishing the sins of the world so severely in his owne Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. These words are to be referred to Christ not to God the Father 1. They are affirmed of him in Scripture 1 Cor. 8.6 Col. 1.16 2. Before hee spake of his humiliation it was meet to premise something concerning his glory power and dignity 3. For so much as it is said he was to be perfected through afflictions by afflictions to mount up to glory that concerning his Deity was well premised that we might know it was no new glory which he took but that which hee had from all eternity as hee was GOD Ioh. 17.5 It became God the Father to perfect the Prince of our salvation through afflictions for whom are all things and by whom are all things after he had brought many children to glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having made them willing by his holy spirit Wee are said also to be drawne Sed trahit sua quemque voluptas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Syntaxis might better be referred to CHRIST than to the Father otherwise the participle should have beene in the dative case to agree with the pronoune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then in the accusative case It ought to bee translated thus for it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things to consecrate the Prince of their salvation through afflictions bringing many Children to glory Children not friends but Children begotten by the word made the Sonnes of God by faith Iohn 1.12 knowne by the spirit Rom. 8.14 Not a few but many for he is a powerfull SAVIOUR many shall come from the East c. Not all men because all imbrace him not being offered to them Sundry were called to the feast that came not To glory in the kingdome of heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some translate it Sanctifie because of the next Verse but the words are diverse To perfect CHRIST is said to bee perfected because after his suffering hee was glorified in his Humanity as well as in his Deitie CHRIST his afflictions are so farre from being a shame or ignominie to him that they bee solemne rites or sacred ceremonies whereby he was consecrated Bishop of the universall Church Through afflictions in the whole course of his life especially at his death and passion The Arch-duke the Captaine the leader in whose steps wee are to tread the Author of their salvation Acts 3.15 If CHRIST had not become man afflicted and put to death he could not have carryed men into the kingdome of heaven for a purgation must be made for the sinne of man by the fiery furnace of affliction and especially by death therefore it became Christ to be made man too though he were God GOD is the efficient and finall cause of all 1. There is nothing but it is by GOD the Host of heaven the Sunne Moone and Starres are by him the birds of the ayre the fishies of the Sea the beasts of the field the greene and flourishing coat that the earth hath is by him All men yea Angels even the Devils themselves are by him not as Devils .i. malicious accusers of the Saints but as they be invisible and immortall spirits all are by him nay to proceede a little further and yet to keepe our selves within compasse of sound Divinity sin it selfe is not without the providence of God it is not à Deo creante sed disponente he disposeth of all the grosse sins that be in the world to his owne glory as a wise Physition makes a good use even of poyson in his confections Furthermore as all things are by GOD so all for him all serve his holy will and blessed pleasure some unwillingly some willingly GOD makes Satan and his instruments to be for him whether they will or no but the faithfull are willingly for him and serve him with all cheerefulnesse Let us remember that wee our selves and all that we have is for God he made us he redeemed us with the bloud of his Sonne therefore we are his not our owne our wit wealth honour worship learning our soules our bodies our eyes tongues hands feete all are for him with all that wee have we must glorifie him Our tongues are our owne sayd the wicked that is false all that we have is Gods therefore all must be at his commandement The pot is for him that made it and the servant must be imployed about his Masters businesse he must be his masters man not his owne therefore as we were created by God so let us be wholly for him Now it became this high and mighty God for whom are all things and by whom are all things which worketh all as seemeth best to him to consecrate the Prince of their salvation through afflictions bringing many children to glory CHRIST brought them to glory which he could not doe but by enduring many afflictions 1 Here we see that CHRIST could not bring us to heaven without innumerable afflictions which our sinnes had deserved he himselfe knew no sin but he was afflicted for our sins And indeed he was wonderfully afflicted for them from his cradle to his grave A man of sorrowes as the Prophet termeth him he was borne not of a wealthy Lady but of a poore woman base and contemptible to the eyes of the world at his first comming he was not laid in a costly Cradle but in a Cratch not in a Chamber well furnished but in a Stable borne in Winter and in the night when he was an Infant banished into Egypt hee wrought as is thought in the trade of his Father and was a Carpenter he had not a hole to hide his head in women were faine to minister to him of their owne substance as he went up and downe preaching the Gospell he had not bags of silver and gold about him but was faine to send to the Sea for a peece of 20d.
sin as we have but the greatest of all is his owne goodnesse and mercy Isai. 9.6 Iohn 3.16 Both had sinned Angels and men Why was Christ made a man to dye for men and not an Angell to redeeme Angels from everlasting death because it was his owne good will and pleasure his singular love to mankinde Let us therefore magnifie him for it from generation to generation Some as Augustine observeth tooke occasion from hence to be proud and insolent See Christ tooke on him our nature not the Angels therefore we are exalted above Angels we have just cause to thinke highly of our selves As if a sick man should boast the Physitian came to my house not to my neighbours therefore I am a better man than my neighbour the reason why Christ tooke on him thy nature not the Angels was because thou wert sick of sin so were not the good Angels Neverthelesse it is a preferment to us that Christ should assume our nature to his our corruptible nature to his incorruptible as if a King should take the patcht cloake of a beggar and annex it to his royall cloake decked with Pearles and precious Stones Now as Christ hath honoured our nature in becomming man so let not us men dishonour our owne nature by drunkennesse uncleannesse covetousnesse nor by wrangling and contending one with another Christ hath graced our nature let not us disgrace it VERSE 17. WHereupon he returnes to his conclusion which he would have to be infixed in our memories I will declare thy name to my brethren which he could not doe unlesse hee were a man as his brethren are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 debuit he ought because it was his fathers will and his owne will too necessitate non coactione In all things appertaining to the substance not to the corruption of our nature He was like unto us in all things sin only excepted He was like to us in all the faculties and members of soule and body He had the same affections that we have yet unstained with sin We are sorrowfull so was He My soule is heavie to the death We are joyfull so was He Luke 10.21 In that houre Iesus rejoyced in spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are zealous so was He the zeale of thy house hath eaten me up We are hungry so was hee Marke 3.5 Wee wonder at all things so did He. We are afraid of death so was He My soule is heavie to the death Come to the Body We are little ones grow in stature so Christ Luke 2. ult We are hungry thirsty sleepy so was He He slept in a Ship Mat. 8.24 not in a Church We are weary so was he He rested himselfe on Iacobs-Well Iohn 4 6. We dye so He died also As He is like to us so let us be like him in meekenesse patience charity in praying for our enemies Brethren All are his brethren quoad naturam the faithfull quoad gratiam Iohn 20.17 He will not be ashamed to call us Brethren at the day of judgement Mat. 25.40 and shall not we call one another brother The King and Subjects are brethren the Ministers and their People rich and poore are brethren and let us not be snapping and snarling one at another but live lovingly together as brethren Both members are unfolded in the words following that is he was a faithfull High Priest Appertaining to God In divine not in humane matters The High Priest made an attonement for the people Levit. 16. So did Christ for his people GOD and man were fallen out Christ made us friends God was displeased with us he pacified his wrath towards us which the Father by an audible voice witnessed from heaven Matth. 3.17 This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased How by the bloud of his Crosse which was Gods bloud Acts 20.28 We were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1.18 19. In many things we offend all who then can be saved our sins for number exceed the sands of the Sea the least sin is sufficient to throw us into hell without Christ. But by Christ we are reconciled to his Father and have peace with him Col. 1.20 Luke 2.14 Rom. 5.1 Oh I have sinned but 1 Iohn 2.2 Christ is the propitiation for our sins Worthy then is the Lamb the Lord Iesus to receive all glory Men at Christ-masse use to take a greater liberty to sin to quaffe swill and carowse to open the floud-gates of all impiety but the consideration of Christs comming into the world should be a bridle to restraine us from sin Christ came now to make a reconciliation for our sins and shall we plunge our selves deeper into the Sea of sin God forbid The love of Christ should constraine us to forsake sin it should not make us wallow in the filthy puddle and sinke of sin Wilt thou make much of the knife that cut thy Fathers throat David though he longed for the water of the Well of Bethlehem yet when it was brought to him by three of his Worthies he refused to drinke of it saying Is not this the bloud of the men that went in jeopardie of their lives 2 Sam. 23.17 Sin cost the bloud of Christ let us not then drinke iniquity like water VERSE 18. HEE prosecuteth the former branch touching mercy As CHRIST was like to us in nature so hee was tempted as we are Saepius ipse miser miseris succurrere disce Art thou tempted whether thou art the child of GOD or not A shrowd temptation wherewith the best men and women are shaken So was CHRIST If thou beest the Sonne of God the Devill calls it into question and would have had CHRIST to doubt of it Art thou tempted with povertie with want of things necessarie for this life So Was Christ from his Cradle to his grave he was borne in a stable laid in a cratch had not an hole to hide his head in he had no money in his purse but was faine to send to the Sea for some he kept his Passeover in an other mans chamber was buryed in an other mans grave Art thou tempted with malevolent tongues with some that are ever rayling on thee So was Christ hee was termed a Wine bibber a glutton c. Art thou tempted with sicknesse the toothach the headach the cholike the gout c. We never read that Christ was sicke because he had no sinne in him yet being clothed with our nature hee knowes what belongs to paine and will succour us in all our distresses Art thou persecuted Herod sought his life as soone as he was borne A rich man that hath a good fire continually in his house a table furnished with all delicates that lyes soft on a bed of dowlne he cannot so well pitty a poore man as one poore man may doe another CHRIST being rich would become poore he would bee a man
Aegypt greater in glory and perpetuity The reason is rendred Hee did not looke on their present but future estate Genesis 15. Verse 1. They should be greatly rewarded in the life to come therefore he would be one of them Mockes and taunts banishment imprisonment losse of goods burning at the stake for the name of Christ these are greater riches than all the treasures in the world without Christ and so let them bee esteemed of us al after these follows heaven and at the taile of them comes hell in that respect it is the greater 2 Cor. 4.17 for this light affliction which is but for a moment causeth unto us an eternall weight of glory The councell of Trent Bellar. Stapleton and our English Iesuites in their annotations on this place doe falsely father this assertion on us that wee teach it to bee unlawfull benè operari intuitu mercedis whereas wee hold no such opinion It is a meere slander of theirs We confesse there is a reward layd up for the godly and wee may lawfully looke up to it yet in that our looking two things are to be observed 1. We must not respect that Solùm nor praecipuè it must neither be the only thing nor the chiefe thing that sets us on worke The principall motives to good workes must be Gods glory and the love of Christ. GOD hath created all for his owne glory our light must so shine before men that they seeing our good workes may glorifie our Father in heaven I will abstaine from sinne because it dishonours GOD. I will adorne the Gospell with good workes because they glorifie God 2. The love of Christ must constraine us thereunto As he hath dyed for my sins so I will dye to sinne 3 The consideration of our owne duty must presse us to it All that wee can doe is a debt which wee owe unto our GOD therefore wee must alwayes bee paying our debt to our lives end The 4th is that rich and ample reward reserved for us which is as a bell to toll us to good workes this we may respect but it is not the chiefest thing propounded to us in well doing The Philosophers could say that nuda virtus is to be desired so God is to bee loved and served for himselfe alone without any other by-consideration They that doe good workes only for the reward are mercenary as a labourer will not doe a dayes worke unlesse hee may have a shilling and they that have no respect to the reward that regard it not at all are unthankefull to God who hath prepared a reward for us Let us looke to the reward by the which he allures us as a father doth his Children to well doing but let that neither bee the sole nor principall marke wee ayme at but the glorifying of our heavenly father for whose glory we were created and redeemed 2. Let us expect a reward for our well doing yet not upon merit but upon promise Paul being ready to dye looked at the reward from henceforth there is layd up for mee a Crowne of righteousnesse But what Crowne not which hee had merited but which GOD had promised and for his promise sake would give to him This is the surmise of some Papists that merces meritum bee relatives though promissum merces are relatives yet merces meritum are not Wee looke for a reward because God hath promised it not because wee have merited it for when we have done all that we can we are unprofitable servants Otherwise let us be bold to cast up our eyes to the reward Christ himselfe had respect to the recompense of the reward Hebr. 12.2 and we that be Christians may imitate him in that Though a child have a poore man to his Father that is not able to leave him a Groate yet he is bound to honour him but much more if hee be a rich man and willing to leave him a fayre inheritance Our father is rich hee will reward us with a kingdome therefore let us the rather serve and honour him great is your reward in heaven behold I come and my reward is with me Here wee meete with many crosses in our mindes bodies goods name in our Wives Children Cattell here are many occasions of weeping but let us cheerefully endure them all One day we shall be taken up into that place where all teares shall bee wiped away from our eyes for ever Let us looke to this recompense of reward VERSE 27. THe second notable thing in Moses is a necessary crosse imposed on him which is amplified by a corrumpent and a conservant cause of it The corrumpent was the fiercenesse of the King which he feared not the conservant was the sight of God standing by him The greatest part of Interpreters expound it of Moses departing out of Aeyypt when hee carryed the people with him then and in the dispatchall of his message and office he feared not the fiercenesse of the King but contemned it That is true yet it seemes not to be the proper meaning of the place 1. Then the Apostle should invert the order which hitherto he hath not done nor hereafter doth in this Chapter hee should set the departure out of Aegypt before the Institution of the Passeover 2. This departure out of Aegypt is included Verse 29. it should be now unseasonable to speake of it 3. Then Moses did not forsake Aegypt but hee went as a Conquerour out of Aegypt They that forsake a Country leave it for some cause in regard whereof they cannot safely tarry in the Country Therfore it is rather to be referred to the flight of Moses when after the killing of the Aegyptian he left Aegypt and fled into the land of Midian This might seeme to have proceeded from infidelity yet the power of faith is to be seene in it Moses perceiving that now the King being incensed against him and the Israelites as yet not acknowledging him for their deliverer there was no convenient time to prosecute his office therefore he flieth for a season committing himselfe to the providence of GOD and expecting a better opportunity for the delivering of the Israelites in the meane season by faith he forsaketh Aegypt for a time There is one only thing that opposeth itselfe to this Interpretation Here it is said that he feared not the fiercenesse of the King yet Exod. 2.14 it is as cleere as the noone day that he feared it and fled upon it 1. The participle may be rendred in the praeterpluperfect-tense as Verse 31. by faith Moses forsooke Aegypt having not feared the fiercenesse of the King namely in killing the Aegyptian according to his commission received from God not that he feared it not afterwards 2. Though hee feared a little at the first yet that feare was allayed afterwards in a couragious magnanimity he forsook Aegypt and feared not the fiercenesse of the King in pursuing after him It may be this fierce Lion will sent messengers after me
never looke backe but continue with him to the end That this is the native meaning of it is apparant by the words following wherein he corroborateth his exhortation For many deceivers are come into the world which will supplant you if they may therefore walke on stedfastly in the truth VERSE 7. 1. HE warnes them of false teachers 2. He armes them against them verse 8. In the warning 1. There is a signification that they become 2. A marke whereby to know them being come 3. An application of that marke For the former 1. There is the qualitie of them that be come they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 planing subtile cheating deceitfull fellowes they will deceive you with fine words and nise distinctions 2. Here is the quantitie of them They be not a few but many Many Beares many Lions many Foxes If they were but Waspes and Bees yet being many they might scare us and make us circumspect much more these 3. They be not to enter but are already entred 4. Into this wicked world which is a receptacle of good and bad I will give you a marke whereby ye shall discerne them They confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh and so subvert the very foundation of Christianity There be divers kindes of them Some deny that Christ is come in the flesh at all as the obstinate Iewes whose eyes the god of this world hath blinded Some confesse him to be come in a kinde of flesh yet not in true but in phantasticall flesh as Marcion whom Tertullian eloquently confuteth 1. The Angels appeared in true and solid flesh Abraham washed their feete they tooke Lot his wife and two daughters by the hand and lead them out of the city and doe ye thinke that the Sonne of God would dissemble and deceive the world with phantasticall flesh 2. He was borne of a woman he did not passe through a woman as water through a channel He came not out of her wombe transmeatorio but genitorio more not as one that passed through her but as one that was begotten of her The fruit of her wombe ut homines nascerentur ex Deo primò ex ipsis natus est Deus That men might be borne of God God was first borne of men We are commonly borne of a man and a woman He was singularly borne of a woman without a man 3. If his birth were phantasticall then his death was phantasticall then they are not to be blamed that killed him 4. If his humanity was phantasticall then we may justly imagine that his Deitie was phantasticall too Quomodo verax habebitur in occulto qui fallax repertus est in aperto How shall we beleeve him in that which is secret when he was deceitfull in that which is open Againe Some confesse him to have a true body but no soule as Apollinaris His Deity supplied that whereas he saith My soule is heavy even to the death Father into thy hands J commend my Spirit But let us acknowledge with thanksgiving to his Majestie that he is come in the flesh God manifested in the flesh seene of Angels beleeved on in the world ascended into glory Worthy then is the lamb that was borne and killed for us to receive all honour and glory praise power and might for ever Magna misericordia Domini nostri Iesu Christi Great is the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ. Factum esse eum propter nos in tempore per quem facta sunt tempora that he which made time would be made for us in time that he which made man would be made man least that should have perished which he made Then he applies the marke to them before mentioned This is a deceiver and an Antichrist But why doth he change the number Why doth he not say these be the deceivers and Antichrists Catharinus supposeth he doth it to point out the devill qui est verus primus maximus Antichristus who is the true first and chiefe Antichrist that needeth not the alteration of number is frequent in all Authors There were many Antichrists in the Apostles dayes as forerunners of that great Antichrist in time to be revealed That shall sit in the Temple of God and exalt himself above all that is called God VERSE 8. HItherto he hath warned them of false teachers now he armes them against them 1. He wisheth them vitare errorem to eschew their errors 2. Fugere communionem to flie their communion and society verse 10 11. In the former 1. The Caveat then the reasons the caveat look to your selves and looke narrowly too with both eyes with all the circumspection you can We must looke to others too For no man liveth to himselfe none must say with Cain Am I my brothers keeper We must looke to our brethren too yet first and principally to our selves because every one of us must give an account of himselfe to God A traveller must looke to him that travells with him but chiefely to himselfe we must rather be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops over ourselves then over others that is condemned by S. Peter yet some there be that spend more time in other mens Diocesses than in their owne in looking to others than to themselves Multi multò sciunt scipsos nesciunt alios inspiciunt seipsos negligunt Many know much and know not themselves they looke upon others and neglect themselves This caveat he doth enforce by 4. Reasons 1. A damno from the losse 2. A praemio from the reward in this v. 3. Ab incommodo from the discōmoditie 4. A commodo from the commodity in the next He doth not say ye but wee including himselfe in the number the best of us all have neede to be vigilant that we lose not the things for which we have wrought namely the joyes of heaven for the which we have wrought by prayer and fasting by reading of Scriptures by hearing of Sermons and divine Service by a patient suffering of divers afflictions and shall wee now through negligence lose them We must worke for the meate that endureth to life everlasting We must not be idle not unfruitfull in the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christ. Wee must worke for heaven not to purchase it that hath Christ done with his owne precious bloud but to confirme it to our selves Goe worke in my Vineyard Worke out your salvation with feare and trembling But let us so worke that wee loose not our working be faithfull to the end and I will give thee the crowne of life Ye are they that have continued with me in my temptations therefore I appoint to you a Kingdome Without continuance no Kingdome A traveller loses his labour though hee have gone 40 or 50 mile if he goe not on to the end of his journey Marriners lose that which they have wrought unlesse they worke till they