which comes seldome is more reverenced 2. To signifie that CHRIST once entred into heaven for us with his owne bloud Verse 12. his one sacrifice once offered was sufficient this was called the feast of expiation and it was on the tenth of September only 4. With what he went The bloud of a young bullocke which he offered for himselfe Levi. 16.11 the bloud of a goate for the people Verse 15. That is illustrated by the end why the bloud was offered 1. For the expiation of his owne sinnes Verse 17. 2. For the sins of the people Verse 16. Here it is ignorances 1. A Metonymie for the sins committed in ignorance 2. It may be a Synecdoche one particular sin being put for all for all kinde of sins are reckoned up Levit. 16.16 Not one ignorance but many Ignorance is one chiefe and capital sin being put for all because it is the mother in some sort of all sin For in all sins we commit though we be endowed with singular knowledge our understanding for the time is blinded by Satan and our owne corruption Here we may see that ignorance is a sin Some Papists make a vertue of it she is the mother of devotion whereas in truth shee is the mother of destruction yee erre not knowing the Scriptures For the better explication of it there is a double ignorance the one negative the other privative As for that which is by negation when God in wisedome hath denyed to us the knowledge of some things it is no sinne to bee ignorant of them this ignorance was in Christ which knew no sin he was ignorant of the day of judgment but privative ignorance is a sinne for us to bee deprived by the fall of Adam of that excellent light wherein we were created this is a sin and may justly be required of us There was a sacrifice for sins of ignorance a prayer for ignorances Christ shal come in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that know him not Therefore let us not sooth up our selves in our ignorances let us read the Scriptures heare Sermons confer with learned men pray to God to illuminate the eyes of our understanding that wee may be plucked out of the pit of ignorance dayly more and more 2. Here we learne that there is ignorance in the best of us all the High-Priest himselfe had ignorance in him and so hath the Pope by his leave which challengeth to himselfe the title of the highest Priest in the time of the Gospell It may be an axiome with them that he cannot erre in Cathedra docentis yet he hath filled the world with his errors Not the most profound Divine nor learned Preacher in the world but hath his ignorance Ezra was a perfect Scribe in the Law of the God of heaven yet he had his ignorance Apollos an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures had his ignorance he was faine to be put to Schoole to tent-makers to learne of them The Apostles themselves though in writing and preaching they could not erre yet they had their ignorances even after Christ his Ascension into heaven and the powring downe of the Holy Ghost on them St. Peter as yet was ignorant of the conversion of the Gentiles and it seemed a while as a Paradox to him All the learned men of this age as of precedent ages have their ignorances there bee many places of Scripture which our best commentators professe they understand not Therefore let none be proud of their knowledge but let us all bee humbled with the cogitation of our ignorance and mourne for it to our dying day Let us desire to be in that place where we shall see not any longer in a glasse as now we doe but face to face and have the full knowldge of God Almighty There is no man that sinneth not Noah a Preacher of righteousnesse yet he sinned Ezra the Priest of the High God of heaven yet he sinned all the Priests of the Old Testament had their sins and infirmities they offered for themselves as well as for the people The Ministers of the New Testament have their sins too Paul and Barnabas worthy Preachers were sinners they were at variance one with another St. Peter that famous Champion of Christ had his sin So have wee all Ministers and people therefore we must offer up the sacrifice of fervent prayer for our selves and for the people too It is Christ's prerogative to be separate from sinners all we have our sins He doth not say for the Idolatry of the people for the blasphemies of the people for the murders thefts adulteries of the people but for the ignorances of the people Ignorance is a grievous sin Remember not how ignorant I have beene of thy truth As ignorance is a great sin in all so chiefely in them that have the meanes For them to be ignorant that are nusled up in places where the Scriptures are locked up in an unknowne tongue is no great wonder for them in England to be ignorant where a Sermon once a quarter is not much to be admired but to live in a Towne where the word hath beene plentifully preached many yeeres together line upon line Sermon on Sermon catechizing c. this is wonderfull and they shall be inexcusable at the day of judgment Woe to thee Corazin c. woe to thee ô England ô Suffolke ô Barfold if the preaching and prayers had been in Constantinople that hath beene in thee they would have brought forth better fruits than thou Shall a man that hath eyes live in the open light of the Sunne and see nothing Shall a Child goe to Schoole five or sixe yeeres and learne nothing will you not grieve at it Some have been in Christ's Schoole ten twenty yeeres and yet they are ignorant of the principles of Religion Wee reade of some that could not tell whether there were any Holy Ghost or not and there be some it is to be feared in this towne that cannot tell what Christ is what is his person which are his offices what faith is c. A lamentable thing It shall be easier for Sodom then for Capernaum easier for them that live among Turkes and Indians then for us that sit in the lap of the Church and yet are ignorant Let us make much of the meanes come to Sermons cheerefully heare attentively look on the text mark the notes how they are derived out of it call them to remembrance when yee come home write them in the Tables of your hearts that yee may know God in Christ to the comfort of you all VERSE 8. NOw followes the signification of the typicall actions 1. Generall 2. Speciall Not Moses not I of mine owne braine but the Holy Ghost and celestiall Spirit by whom the Scriptures were written therefore yee may be bold to give credite to it Where there is 1. The Author 2. The thing signified In the Greeke it is but of the Holies yet that is put for the Holy
yee shall meete with bad examples every where but let us not be seduced by them To this he induces us by a forcible reason Ye may see it with your owne eyes Almost all the signes are passed already they be blind that cannot see this Here then it is cleere that there is a day of judgment and that day drawes neere If it were neere in the Apostles time how neere is it now a thousand and odde yeeres being passed since Let not us bee like them that put farre from them the evill day not like that servant which saith my Master defers his comming and falls a beating of his fellow servants not like those mockers that say where is the promise of his comming but let us make a just reckoning that this day is drawing neere indeed that CHRIST is ready to open the heavens and to descend in the cloudes and to assemble all nations before him Behold I come quickly said he in the Revelation he comes and he comes quickly therefore let us so live in a carefull discharge of all duties to God and man that our account may bee joyfull at that day that then wee may meete Christ in the ayre and be translated with him into the kingdome of glory If the Assizes at Bury draw neere will not they that have nisiprius to trye provide their Lawyers and have all things ready the generall Assizes of the world is neere therefore let as consider how we shall answer then VERSE 26. WEE had need to make much of the fellowship we have among our selves and provoke to love and good workes for the danger is great if we doe not If we It is good for all to looke to it He doth not simply say if we sinne for then it were woe with us all because in many things we sinne all Neither doth he say if we sinne contrary to our knowledge or if we sinne upon weakenesse and infirmitie as the deerest children of God may doe David sinned against his knowledge when he committed adultery and murder So did Peter when he denyed Christ. But if wee sinne willingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yeelding our selves voluntarily to Satan maliciously opposing our selves to Christ and his Gospell and rending our selves from the society of his Church and members suffocating and choking the knowledge of the Lord Iesus revealed to us as appeareth by the next words There is a great difference betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 volens and voluntariè A man may sinne willing his will consenting to it yet upon a suddaine passion of the minde drawne to it in some sort against his will But he that sinneth willingly doth it upon a mature deliberation with a resolute purpose to doe it come on it what will which indeed is rather a wilfulnesse than a willingnesse Such as doe wilfully and maliciously resist Christ and his Gospell that fall utterly away Not being blind and ignorant but when we have received of Gods gracious goodnesse and as it were with both hands taking some delight in it at the beginning having a taste of the good Word of God Hebr. 6. What the acknowledging of the truth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acknowledging it to be the truth of God it being sealed up to them in their hearts and consciences by the HOLY GHOST Their own consciences did tell them that it was the truth of God yet they sinned willingly and oppugned it That Christ is our only King Priest and Prophet that hee by the sacrifice of his owne body hath purchased to us remission of sins and the kingdome of heaven That there is no way to be saved but by him yet this blessed truth they afterwards condemne and resist it by might and maine Their estate is lamentable For the expiation of their sinnes this sacrifice being rejected by them wherewith alone the sinnes of the world are taken away there can be no sacrifice for the abolishing of their sinnes they can have no remission of sins and therefore no place in the kingdome of heaven Their sins are sealed up in a bagge This is it which he said before Heb. 6. It is impossible they should be renewed to repentance and that which Christ said Matth. 12. This sin cannot be forgiven neither in this world nor in the world to come For the better explication of this place errors are to bee avoyded The Novatians have egregiously abused this place sucking this poysonfull doctrine out of this sweete flower that whosoever sins after baptisme is damned no hope of forgivenesse of sin for them In baptisme we have remission of our sins therefore if any sinne after this generall pardon there remaineeh no remission of sinnes for them In baptisme we receive the HOLY GHOST therefore to sin after baptisme is to sin against the HOLY GHOST and there is no expiation of that sin Who then shall be saved Alas then we are all in a wofull case and none should set a foote into the kingdome of heaven Peter sinned after baptisme and after the receit of the HOLY GHOST yet he wept bitterly for his sinne and was received into mercy The incestuous man in the Church of Corinth that lay with his fathers wife sinned fowly after baptisme yet Saint Paul would not have him to bee swallowed up with griefe but admitted into the Church againe The Church of Ephesus had fallen after shee was baptised yet CHRIST raises her from that fall againe Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and doe the first workes At what time soever a sinner repenteth him of his sinnes though it bee twenty times after hee bee baptised I will put his sinne out of my remembrance We are to know that not all sins after knowledge are the sinnes against the Holy Ghost Aaron knew the Commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any graven Image yet he made the Israelites a golden Calfe for all that he obtained mercy at the hands of God David knew adultery and murther to be grievous sins yet he fell into them St. Peter contrary to his knowledge denyed CHRIST hee said I know not the man yet hee knew him well enough hee denyed him not once but thrise he added an oath a curse an execration to his denyall yet hee sinned not against the HOLY GHOST It is a dangerous thing to sinne against our knowledge for hee that knowes his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes It had bin better for them they had not knowne the way of truth c. yet not every sin against knowledge is the sin against the Holy Ghost But this may be a fruitfull caveat to all whom God hath enriched with knowledge They are the most subject to the sinne against the Holy Ghost Ignorant persons may be condemned for the Lord Iesus shall come in flaming fire rendring vengeance unto them that doe not know God
But ignorant persons cannot commit the sin against the Holy Ghost they must be men of knowledge that fall into this sinne therefore the more knowledge we have the more carefull wee should be that we be not carryed by little and little into this sinne Knowledge puffeth up knowledge breeds pride and pride may tumble us into hell before we be aware The Devill at the first and so hee is still was of wonderfull knowledge he saw what was in heaven yet he was carryed into the sinne against the Holy Ghost he sinned maliciously against the knowledge which hee had received The Pharisees were men of singular knowledge sitting in Moses chaire reading Divinity lectures to the people most skilfull in the Law of God these fell into this horrible sinne many of them as is apparant in the Gospell Therefore let them that have knowledge looke to themselves Let us not thinke highly of our selves for our knowledge least we fall into the condemnation of the Devill To whom much is given of them much is required Therefore the more knowledge GOD hath given us the more often let us be in prayer that we may employ it to the glory of the giver The more we know the more humble let us be and crave the gracious assistance of God's Spirit to guide our knowledge to his glory the good and benefit of our brethren As wee have science so let us have conscience and as we abound in knowledge so let us abound in practice and be plentifull in the fruits of righteousnesse by Iesus Christ. 3. Every sin that is done willingly is not the sinne against the Holy Ghost David lay with Bathshebah willingly and for the most part we sinne willingly with joy and delight but this sinne hath malice annexed to it as we shall see afterwards They fall toti à toto in totum scienter volenter malitiosè irrevocabiliter It is as cleere as the noone day that the sinne against the Holy Ghost cannot be forgiven it is peccatum irremissibile This is so cleere in Scripture as that the Papists cannot deny it yet they will smooth it with the oyle of distinction it is called irremissibile ordinariè non absolutè as Bellarmine speaketh because ordinarily it cannot be forgiven not because forgivenesse is absolutely denyed unto it aegrè difficulter it can bee forgiven yet with much adoe and seldome it is forgiven But Christ sayes it can never bee forgiven neither in this world nor in the world to come not it can hardly be forgiven but never Saint Iohn calls it a sinne to death not a sinne neere death that cannot be forgiven without great difficulty but such a sin as strikes the party with the dart of death without recovery Every sinne is to death without the mercy of GOD in CHRIST but this is a sinne to death without a remedy The death of CHRIST cannot cure this sinne Without Repentance none can bee forgiven These men cannot repent Ergo it cannot bee forgiven There remaineth no sacrifice for this sinne the sacrifice of CHRIST cannot abolish this sinne because it is contemned by them and was never ordained for them A lamentable sin Let us entreat the Lord above all sins to keepe us from this There is a sacrifice for Idolatry for common swearing for prophanenesse for theft treason adultery murder these bee horrible sinnes and the Lord preserve us from them yet these may be washed away in the bloud of Christ sacrificed on the Crosse for us but there is no sacrifice for these sinners Lord keepe mee sayes Dauid from presumptuous sinnes But much more let us pray Lord keepe us from this sinne of sinnes the sinne against the HOLY GHOST and undoubtedly hee will keepe all his from it for they that are borne of God cannot sinne unto death VERSE 27. BVt on the contrary side Hee doth not say the present judgement of GOD shall light on them but that which is a mervailous torture to their conscience a fearefull and continuall expectation of it being assured it will one day come upon them as a condemned man lookes every houre to dye The godly stand in a joyfull expectation of CHRIST his comming and wish for it Come Lord Iesu come quickly but the expectation of his comming strikes a continuall terrour to the wicked which is as a racke to them in the meane season The devils believe there is a God and tremble so these apostats believe there is a day of judgement and quake at the recordation of it And the Zeale or fervency of fire goe ye cursed into everlasting fire Fire is terrible therefore the paines of hell are described by it Fire is devouring it devoures an whole towne This is a devouring fire it shall alwayes be a devouring of them and yet never fully devoure them they shall ever be burning and never burned Whom them that are opposite to Christ that wage battle against him open and professed enemies set on the other side against Christ yet under a kind of pretext and colour as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth import inverting to themselves some colourable reason why they should doe so This is that which hee said Heb. 6. They are a reprobate earth whose end is to be burned Here it is evident to us all that there is a day of judgement There is a lake burning with fire and brimstone The wicked would not looke for that which is not they looke and that with feare and horrour for the judgment to come Felix trembled therefore there is a judgement The thieves would not be afraid of the Assizes if there were no judgement The very devils and all the wicked know there is a judgement to come Why art thou come to torment us before the time they knew there was a time when they shold be tormented but they complained that CHRIST with his holy presence tormented them before the time Therefore let us all after a godly manner feare this judgement As for them that thinke there is no judgement they are worse than the Devill 2 Thes. 1.8 There is a violent fire that shall devoure the adversaries an unquenchable fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels Doe not imagine that ignis gehennae is ignis fatuus It is said of the Sodomites that they suffer the vengeance of eternall fire God hath appointed a day wherein hee will judge the world in righteousnesse and wee must all appeare before the judgement seat of CHRIST Therefore let us often thinke upon it and let it be as a bridle to restraine us from sinne Whether I eate or drinke said Ierome mee thinkes the trumpet soundeth in my ears surgite mortui venite ad judicium Even now when wee are eating and drinking making merry at the Nativitie of our Blessed SAVIOUR even now when wee are in the middest of all our mirth and Christmasse games let us remember there is a judgement and let us live here that wee may stand without trembling before the Sonne of
by the sacrifice of his own body hath made satisfaction for our sins and hath reconciled us to God the Father that by his bloud alone wee have an entrance into the holy place this truth was revealed to them by the Holy Ghost this they once acknowledged and professed before all men but afterwards maliciously they oppugne this truth by blasphemous speeches rayling and reviling books and by all the force they can go about to suppresse it by fire and fagot treading under foote the Sonne of GOD and counting the bloud of the Testament as an unholy thing Paul was a blasphemer and a persecutor of the Lord Iesus Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee yet hee sinned not against the HOLY GHOST because hee did it on ignorance Peter sinned against his owne knowledge when hee denyed and forswore CHRIST yet he sinned not against the Holy Ghost because he did it on weakenes for the preservation of his life Malicious impugning of every truth of the Gospell is of the essence of the sinne against the Holy Ghost To malice a member of Christ a Preacher an Ambassadour of Christ as Ahab did Michâ—aiah is a grievous sinne a step to the sinne against the Holy Ghost yet not the sinne against the Holy Ghost That is a malicious oppugning of the truth it selfe As Saint Paul sayes of Alexander the Copper-smith that he resisted not his person but his preaching and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all his might Such a one was Iulian the Apostata that had beene a Christian baptised into the name of Christ in outward shew a zealous professour of the Gospell a publike reader in the Church of Nicomedia he and his brother Gallus together built a Temple to Mammas the Martyr This simulata Sanctitas proved duplex iniquitas Afterward in contempt of Christ and Christian religion he washed away his baptisme with bloud he was a scoffer and derider of Christ a cunning persequutor of the Gospell not by fire and sword but by sleights and devices because he thought open persequution would make Christianity more glorious In despight of the true God revealed to him in Scripture he worshipped the Gods of the heathen To the last gaspe hee spewed out malice against our Saviour Christ. When the arrow was in his side that gave him his deadly wound he took some of his own bloud into his hand threw it into the ayre and said Vicisti Galilaee c. and so dyed miserably Bellarmine sayes l. 2. de poen c. 15. there bee some among us that knowing the Scriptures and the Fathers yet sinne against their owne knowledge and that of malice to the truth But as for us we will not judge them An horrible sin Let us all take heed of it The damned commit not this sin for men may be damned for lesse sins If thou continuest in adultery unrepented thou mayest be damned nay the least sinne without repentance may throw us into hell but questionlesse they are damned that sin against the HOLY GHOST A sore punishment is reserved for them Therefore let us all beware of this sinne Let us bee thankefull to GOD for the Truth of the Gospell revealed to us let us make much of it Let us not quench the light of the spirit but nourish it in our hearts Let not the least thought against the truth finde any entertainment in us Let us never open our mouthes against it but blesse God for it and defend it by all possible meanes Let us say with that worthy Apostle we can doe nothing against the truth but for the truth yea let us be content if God shall see it good even to lay down our lives for the Truth Let us take heede how upon pride vaineglory or singularity we maintaine any opinion against the truth how upon malice we set our selves against the truth For by these degrees the Devill at the length may carry us into this fearefull sinne against the HOLY GHOST Let us not grieve the good Spirit of God any kinde of way but let us suffer our selves to be guided by him all the dayes of our lives that we never fall into this horrible sin nor be partakers of the punishment due to it but that wee may be preserved from it and all other sinnes and reigne with CHRIST our blessed SAVIOUR in the life to come There is an outward and an inward sanctification hee is not a Iew which is one outward but he is a Iew which is one within Iudas seemed to be a Saint yet he was a Devill Let us entreat the Lord to sanctifie our hearts as well as our hands our soules and consciences as well as our tongues That is true sanctification that beginneth at the heart and from thence floweth to all the parts and members of the body What should we doe with a faire and beautifull Apple if the core be rotten A straw for an outward glorious profession and if there be no truth in the inward parts Therefore let us desire God to sanctifie us in soule spirit and body throughout VERSE 30. The second argument is taken from a divine testimony containing in it the nature of God Where 1. The allegation of the testimony 2. The Application of it In the allegation 1. The manner how 2. The matter of the testimony alleadged which hath two branches the one out of Verse 35. the other out of Verse 36. If GOD bee a just judge and a severe revenger of all impiety even among his owne people then those vile wretches must not thinke to escape that tread under foote the Sonne of God But God is such a one Ergo. Quà m verax potens sit They that bee Christians must bee acquainted with God they must know him of what nature and disposition he is ye erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Heb. 9.11 If sitting in the lappe of the Church we know not God our condemnation shall be the greater Where hath he said it In the Scripture Moses was the pen-man of that booke out of the which this testimony is desumed yet it is God that speaketh in that booke God spake by the mouth of David by the mouth of all his Prophets Art thou desirous to heare God speake as who would not bee glad to heare the King speake but art thou desirous to heare the King of Kings speake come to the Scriptures and there thou shalt heare him speaking Which ought to enflame us with a love of the Scriptures and cause us to read and heare them with al reverence because not man out God speaketh in them What sayes he he thunders with a vehement voice Vengeance and retribution are mine What may none revenge but GOD Surely no by his owne authority The Magistrate may revenge for he carryeth not the sword in vaine But his throne is Gods throne his sword Gods sword his vengeance Gods vengeance no private man may revenge The King sayes White-Hall is mine the Scepter and Crowne of
that we ought to have we thinke too basely of it we imagine it not to be of halfe the power it is VERSE 13. THE third reason to excite us to this heavenly study is taken from the omniscience and unspeakable knowledge of God Almighty who is a spectator of all our doings and sees whether we have a care or not to enter into that rest prepared for us That God knowes all he shewes by a distribution of the persons and of the things he that knowes all creatures and all things knowes all but God knowes all creatures and all things ergo Not man alone but no creature no not the Angels are unknowne unto him whether they be Angels or Archangels Cherubins or Seraphims they are all manifest in his sight He beholds Angelum in Coelo vermiculum in Coeno the Angels in heaven for they are continually in his presence the fowles in the heaven are manifest in his sight hee knowes them all from the Eagle to the Sparrow that hoppeth on the ground not a Sparrow falls to the ground without his providence all the beasts of the field are knowne unto him Beares Lions c. are all at his Commandement yea the little Pismere is known to him the Fishes that play in the Sea from the great Whale to the little Sprat the waters under the earth the grave yea hell it selfe is manifest in his sight Much more then is Man yea the very heart of man he knowes the hearts of all the Children of men hee knew Saul when and where he prayed Act. 9.11 Not only all creatures but all things are knowne to him with whom we have to doe Some things he knowes in superficie some in profundo All things are naked When a mans Coat or shirt is pulled off wee may then see any skars wrinckles or blemishes that be in his body The faire coats the velvet gownes that be on the backes of men and Women will not suffer us to behold their bodies many soares and blemishes may bee in the body which wee see not No Coates can keepe us from GODS eyes Though Herod have his Royall apparell on him though a Lady or Gentlewoman never so many Coats or gallant attyre yet God sees through them all the darkenesse is no darkenesse to him and the coats are no coates to him God sees likewise in profundo For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are all opened unto his eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all agree of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a Metaphor taken from them that plucke the skinne from the sacrifices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As when the beast is slaine and the skinne plucked of all that is within is open to the eyes of man So all things are open to the eyes of God Erasmus translates it cervicata of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as when a beast is cut into two pieces by the backe bone all his entralls and bowells are seene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a necke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to lift up the necke that it may be apparant to all which a man may doe when he lies along upon his backe with his face upwards An Horse is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he lifts up his forefoot aloft that his whole necke and breast may be seene When a man holds downe his face there may be a wart or blemish in his necke under his chinne that cannot bee seene but when he lies with his face upwards all may bee seene so all things to God lie with the face upward he sees whatsoever they have Omniscience or the knowledge of all things is peculiar to God none but God knowes all things The Angels are of great knowledge yet they know not the day of judgement nor the heart of man they learne many things by the Church as St. Paul speaketh it is proper to God alone to know all things Thou knowest all things sayd the Disciples to CHRIST Iohn 16.30 his eyes are over all the ends of the world to behold the things that are done therein Nothing but is open to him He knew the murder of Caine and saw when he raked up the body of his brother Abel in the field Hee saw the theft of Achan that was hidde from all Israel the incest of Amnon in his Chamber the quaffing and swilling of Belshazzar in his palace he saw Zimri and Cosbi together that were taken in the act of Adultery But men are come to this passe that they imagine God knowes nothing tush God sees it not though we bee as drunke as beggars lie like beasts in blinde Ale-houses God sees it not though we lye coozen purloine steale secretly one from another God seeth not est aliquid spectare deos adesse putare The Schoole-master is not alwayes in the Schoole the eye of the Tutour is not alwayes on the pupill to see how he studies but Gods eye is ever on us Thy knowledge sayes David is too wonderfull for me Oh that this were carefully remembred Wee are not to deale with a one eyed Polyphemus with blind Appius with Argus who had a hundred eyes but he that we deale withall hath a thousand eyes wherefore let us be afraid to sinne any where Potiphars Wife watched a time when none of the men of the house were within yet God was in the house Let us remember that God is every where and that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his Omniscience is upon us that wee may learne to walke with God as Enoch did live as in the presence of the eternall God approving our conversation to him in this world that wee may rest with Christ in the world to come VERSE 14. NOw the Apostle comes to CHRIST whose Word it is and makes a transition to his Priest-hood wherein consider 1. A description of this our high Priest 2. The use we are to make of it He is described 1. In regard of his excellency and power 2. In regard of his piety love and kindnesse The use is partly exhortatorie in this Verse consolatory in the rest Where First the foundation whereupon the consolation is built Secondly the consolation it selfe Our Priest is described 1. By the adjunct of greatnesse 2. By a wonderfull effect performed by him 3. By his name 4. By his nature Having therefore It is not alwayes a note of illation but sometimes it is put in the beginning of a sentence Ornatus gratiâ yet it may have a coherence with that which went immediately before Seeing we have a great high Priest whose Word is so lively and mightie in operation before whose eyes all things are naked He doth not say seeing that we heare of so great an High Priest seeing that wee see him afarre off but seeing we have so great an High Priest we have a right and interest to him Not an inferiour Priest but an High Priest the chiefe of Priests to whom all
that are to be taught The presumptuous boldnesse of those men Iac. 4. is utterly to be condemned that say peremptorily we will goe to such a City buy and sell and get gaine whereas there should bee an If alwayes in our determinations either expressed or understood wee will doe this or that if God permit I will goe to the Church and heare a Sermon if God permit I would goe home to my house and take my dinner if God permit I will goe to bed and sleep quietly I will rise betimes in the morning and goe about my businesse I will refresh my selfe in such an honest sport and pastime I will encrease in knowledge c. If God permit The servant must alwayes say I will doe this or that if my master will give me leave a subject must say if the King will God is our Master and Soveraigne therefore let us presume to doe nothing without him Let us never reckon without this our heavenly Fathers leave Iac. 4.15 1 Cor. 16.7 Let us alwayes referre our selves to his blessed will In him we live breath and have our being he may take the breath out of our nostrils while we are speaking hee may strike us with lamenesse while wee are going he may bereave us of our wits and sences while we are learning therefore let us doe every thing if God permit and without his permission let us attempt nothing We will not tarry alwayes in our Catechisme but we will be deepe Schollers in divinity if God permit Gods permission is not a naked sufferance but an helping and assisting of us by his grace The constable may permit a man to passe and yet give him nothing towards his passage The King may permit one of his Subjects to goe beyond Sea and yet furnish him with nothing for his journey but as God permits us to doe a thing so hee aides us by his power to the doing of it If God not only gives us leave but also assists us by his holy Spirit and grace we will goe on to perfection VERSE 4. 1. A Description of them that sinne against the Holy Ghost 2. A perswasion that the Hebrewes are none of them They that sin against the Holy Ghost are described 1. Simply 2. Comparatively In the simple description of them 1. God his bounty 2. Their ingratitude 3. The punishment 1. An enumeration of the graces wherewith God hath adorned them 2. Their ungracious falling from them 3. The punishment inflicted on them for it In the enumeration of the graces 1. A narration of them 2. An illustration of them The graces are in number two the one for the understanding the other for the will heart or affections For the understanding they were once enlightned by the bright beames of the Gospell the Sunne of righteousnesse Iesus Christ shining in their hearts in so much as they see plainely the worke of mans redemption performed by him acknowledge it confesse and professe it and embrace it with a kinde of joy 2. For the heart they have tasted of the heavenly gift that is either Christ who Ioh. 4.10 Is called the gift of God or of faith in him which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 They have a tast of that faith and what an excellent thing it is to bee ingraffed into Christ. Which faith is an heavenly not any earthly gift It comes from heaven not from earth Iac. 1.17 Every good and perfect gift is from above and commeth downe from the Father of lights Then followes the illustration of them by the causes and the effects 1. By the efficient cause which is the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 2.10 but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the spirit searcheth all things yea the deepe things of God And the Apostle here affirmes of them that they were made partakers of the Holy Ghost Partakers participes partem capientes for Christ hath him totally We have the Spirit in part and in measure hee was given to Christ totaliter to us partialiter Therefore it is called the sin against the Holy Ghost not because it is committed against his deity or person as some Hereticks have done which denyed the Holy Ghost to be God and no subsisting person by himselfe but because it is committed against the office of the Holy Ghost which is to reveale tâ—e mysteries of God to us VERSE 5. THe instrumentall cause is the Word of GOD whereof they have a tast Such were the stony hearers Luk. 8.13 Who received the word with joy and such also were Iohn Baptists auditors who rejoyced in his light for a season Ioh. 5.35 It is called a good Word Pro. 12.23 Sweet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nunc dicenda bono sunt bona verba die The Gospell is opposed to the law which is sower this is sweeter than hony This cannot bee meant of CHRIST de verbo increato for in the Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it must bee understood de verbo creato doctrinam evangelicam Ambrose interprets it 2. It is illustrated by the effects And the powers of the world to come So that there is no true felicity in this world but is to be expected in the world to come The joyes of heaven are called powers 1. In regard of their stablenesse and perpetuity they are so full of might and power as that no power of the enemy can overâ—hrow them 2. Because they have a powerfull effect in mens hearts to affect and allure them quid possit futurum saeculum The consideration of the joyes and paines to come makes them to forsake sin and to walke in the wayes of Godlinesse Oecumen 3. Because they require a mighty power to bring us to them VERSE 6. FAll Prolapsi .i. procul lapsi Gorr Totaliter lapsi The just man falls seven times a day but he rises againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fall besides If a man fall on the bridge he may ryse againe if he falls besides it he is drowned Vltra cadunt Cajet If they shall fall away from all these points of doctrine mentioned before if they reject the doctrine of repentance counting it but a policie to keepe men in awe withall if they reject the doctrine of faith counting it but a meere and idle device that will have no use of the sacred Ministery to the which men were consecrated by the imposition of hands that say baptisme is of no force the water in the river is as good as the water in the font if they make a mocke at the resurrection and the day of judgement it is impossible they should be renewed againe unto repentance But what is every man in the state of damnation and doth he sinne against the HOLY GHOST that being once enlightned c. falls away Noe. All falling after knowledge is not the sinne against the Holy Ghost Noah fell Lot David Salomon c. In many things we sinne all
man at the latter day The very conscience of a man doth tell him at one time or other whether hee will or no that there is a day of judgement Why are men vexed in their soules when they have sinned when they have committed such sinnes as the Law cannot take hold off as oppression and wrongs offered to their brethren secret adulteries c. Why are they grieved for these and can find no rest in them if there were not a judgment to come VERSE 28. HEre is the equity of it He that abrogates it that pulls it out of place that violates it elata manu Num. 15.30 Not he that in a small offence transgresseth the Law but that breaketh it in some monstrous and notorious manner either by blasphemy by contemptuous prophaning by contumacy against father and mother and hee that doth transgresse these lawes in a despite and contempt of them hee must needs be put to death there is no remedy No mercy is to be shewed in it the Law must have his course without respect of persons whether hee bee high or low rich or poore hee must dye for it No bribe may save his life Deut. 19.21.13 8. Yet good advice must bee had in putting him to death there must be an orderly proceeding against him his fault must be convinced by sufficient witnesses All Moses lawes were not written with bloud as Draco's were but only great and capitall crimes Such were to dye without mercy Mercie is an excellent vertue a divine vertue draweth neere to the nature of God which is the Father of mercies be yee mercifull as your heavenly father is mercifull Yet for all that mercy in some actions is to be shut out of doores We must sing of judgement as well as of Mercy as David did Mercy is not so to be imbraced as that Iustice should bee forgotten they that have transgressed the Law especially in contempt of the Law are to dye without mercy the Lord often toucheth upon this string We must not be more mercifull then God will have us Saul spared Agag but it cost him his kingdome Some will say of a thiefe a murderer condemned to dye is it not pitty such a proper man as he should dye no verily foolish pitty marrs the Citty If such a one be permitted to live hee may doe much hurt in the common-wealth therefore no pitty is to bee shewed to him mercy must bee stretched no further than God hath appointed But how must he dye orderly being convicted by the due course and order of Law The fact must be sufficiently proved before sentence of death passe against him and how must it be proved either by his owne confession or by the testimony of others Now one man may be partiall or he may speake on spleene and malice therefore two witnesses at least must be produced Iesabel procured two witnesses against Nabal Two witnesses were brought in against our SAVIOUR CHRIST Timothy must not receive an accusation against an Elder but under two or three witnesses There was thought no probability that two would conspire in an untruth the one at the length would bewray the jugling of the other Therefore if there were two then he dyed but now the world is growne to such an height of impiety as that it is as easie a matter to suborne two false witnesses to get two knaves to sweare an untruth as to take the pot and drinke A most vile age wherein we live but from the beginning it was not so VERSE 29. THe interrogation is more forcible then if it had beene a plaine affirmation they dyed the death of the body but these are worthy of the death where soule and body shall dye for ever Be you Iudges in the matter I dare appeale to your own selves Then he sets forth the greatnesse of their sin which ariseth by three steps or degrees 1. They in the Law despised Moses which was but a man these Christ which is the Son of God therfore they are worthy of a sharper punishment they broke but one particular Law these renounce the whole Gospell of CHRIST the Son of God They have not Christ actually to tread upon he is in heaven at the right hand of God but metonymically in treading his truth under their feete which they make no reckoning of in conculcating the benefits of CHRIST offered to them they tread CHRIST Himselfe or they carry such a spitefull minde against him as if possible they would pull him out of heaven and tread him under their feete They did it not actu but affectu This is the vilest indignity that can be offered to any to make him as dirt to tread on The Souldiers crucified CHRIST but they did not treade him under their feete For Traytors to tread the King under their feete is a monstrous thing yet these as arrant Traytors did tread Christ the King of Kings under their feete Horrible wretches In this they opposed themselves to his kingdome In the next to his Priest-hood Christ by his last Will and Testament gave us a Legacie of the kingdome of heaven Luk. 22.29 the which Testament was confirmed by the bloud and death of the Testatour Matth. 26.28 Now this holy precious and pure bloud wherewith we are washed from our sinnes these impure wretches account an unholy a common a polluted thing Mark 7.2 Acts 10.15 They make no more account of the bloud of Christ then of the bloud of a thiefe nay of a dogge or swine yet they had some benefit by this bloud Last of all they opposed themselves to the prophesie of Christ. It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they abuse him with some notable reproach and contumelie Which is the fountaine and bestower of all graces He had given them many graces of knowledge of some faith hope love and zeale yet they contumeliously reproach this spirit revile him terming him a spirit of errour that had deluded them all this while For this cause they have sinned against the Holy Ghost In these respects they are worthy of most severe punishment no sacrifice for this sinne Is any pitty to bee shewed to them that In this world there is Mercy but none to bee expected in the world to come Then judgement mercilesse Now CHRIST standeth with open armes venite ad me omnes but then he shall say ite maledicti no mercy to be found for the wicked at the day of judgment God shew mercy to the house of Onesiphorus at that day there is mercy for the godly that be in Christ but none for the wicked that be out of Christ. And who be they that shall be so severely punished From hence may be collected a true definition of the sin against the Holy Ghost It is a malicious oppugning of the truth of the Gospell sealed up in their hearts by the HOLY GHOST they were enlightned in the mysterie of redemption purchased by Christ that he is the only Priest which
the Papists have two pillars for their hope Protestants but one and that is the stronger 410 Hospitality It is commended 40 41.597 598. the conditions of hospitality 598.690 many reasons for it 599. fond excuses for not keeping hospitality answered by S. Basil. 691 House or Houshold vid. family how called a Church 7 8.119 all Christians are the House of God 121. the difference betweene a House and a Tabernacle 349. what a priviledge it is to be of Gods Houshould 452 Hypostasis what it properly signifieth 139 I IAcob his faith and facts 484 485. c. Iephte his faith facts and fame 524 525. Iesting we must beware of jesting at the Word 182 Ierecho of its fall and meanes how it was effected 512 Iesus why Iesus and Iosua have one and the same name 152. the sweete name of Iesus admired and adored 586. whose office and fruite of it is enlarged ibid. c. Ignorance twofold 131. it is a capitall sin 338. yet the Papists make it the Mother of Devotion 339. It s horrid punishment ibid. It is a great sinne in all but specially in them that have the meanes 340 Impatience A notable remedy against it 433 Imposition Imposition of hands why used 209 210 Incarnation Christs Incarnation described and applyed 106 107. the difference betweene his and ours in foure things 107. How the flesh of Beasts and Birds excells ours ibid. the Ends of his Incarnation 108. the cause ibid Infidelity It is a great sinne 129.135.143 what 134. Infirmities As Christ so Chrstians especially Ministers must beare their brethrens infirmities 169. no Saint but hath his sinne 306 307 Intercession how Christ doth now make intercession for us 298 Iohn his name and office 662. An Elder ibid Ioseph of his faith and facts 487 488 c. Why bound by an oath for his fathers buriall 488. Iosua why Iosua and Iesus have one and the same name 152. of Iosuahs faith and facts 512 Ioy Christians may be Ioyfull 662 Iudgement day which is called Eternall 211. we should oft thinke of that day ibid. the fruit of such a thought 212. Iudgement followes on the necke of death 375. to whom it shall be comfortable 376. the day of Iudgement draweth nigh 415. the certainty of its being to come though none know when 419 420 Iudgement Gods Iudgements on others should teach us 142. wee must reverence Gods Iudgements 450. examples hereof ibid K KIsse it is a token of Love 665 Knowledge the knowledge of God is unspeakeable 184 L. ΛατÏευουσι unde 313 Law the Reason of disanulling the Law 289. the excellencie of the Gospell above the Law 289 290 294 295. All that was in the Ceremoniall Law were Shaddowes 313 Lex-Talionis examples of it 510 511 Limbus Patrum see it falsly Forged 340 341 Love its preheminence above Faith and Hope 13. A Christian cannot be without it 15 16. Love must not be verball but Real 16. It must be to the Saints specially but not wholy ibid. Love hath a greater Attractive force then Feare 22. Our Love how set or setled on one more than another 34. the mutuall love that should be among us 136. Love is Laborious 228. Gods incomprehensible Love is set forth by many similitudes 319. Love is alwayes working 412. Love though an excellent grace yet rare to bee seene 595. It hath many enemies 596. Its fruites 597. divers men Love diversely 665 666. Loves commendadations 670 671. the manifold allurements to be in Love with this grace of Love 671 M MAgistrate he must rule according to Gods word 312 Man what he is 89 90 91. hee is sometimes called an Angel 91. the difference in respect of excellency betweene man and Angells 91. his dignitie as a Christian 92 93. altogether uncleane without Christ 100. all men are one and equall but that sin and sanctification puts a difference 101. man compared to earth 220 Manna a type of Christ 332 333 Marriage a strange conclusion of Pope Siricius against marriage 443. a sweete estate yet not without some soure 552. It is commended 601. Three Etymons of the Latin words for marriage 601. its definition ibid. it is honourable 602. no Sacrament ibid. how disgraced ibid. why to be had in honour 602 603 604 605. the things and wayes that make marriage honorable 605. Ministers may marry 607. its confessed by some Papists 608 Masse a Iesuits wit in reaching above the moone for that monster the Masse 287. a cut for Masse-mongers 297. arguments against it 30â— what the Papists hold the Masse to bee 351. other arguments against the Masse answered 367 371 376 401 Maundy-Thursday whence it comes 287 Meanes how meane soever the meanes be we must by Faith depend on God 514 Mediatour Christ is the sole Mediatour 361 587 Melchizedek of his name offiice kingdome c. 247 c. much more â—54 255 c. Christ prefigured by Melchizedek 275 Mercy we ought to be merciful one towards another by Christs exa 113. Gods former mercies a paune of future 130. mer. is a divine vertue yet it must go with justice 421 Merits the Popish doctrine of merits doth derogate from Christ â—0 God gives not heaven for our merits 227. opus operatuÌ„ is not enough to merit 44O Milke it is for Babes 204 Minister all Christians especially Ministers are Souldiers 1 6 7. They should be fellowes 7. their boldnesse 20 21. they may not onely entreate but enjoyne 21â— they should rather draw by love than force by feare 22. they are spirituall Fathers and how much men are beholding unto them 24. their love to their people ibid. what debt we owe to our Ministers 38 39. the people should so carry themselves to their Minister that they may be his joy 39. the name of a Minister is an honorable name 76 310. not to be contemned 193. by them God saveth men 194. what a Ministers lists are and what a Magistrates 194. the sacrifices that Ministers must now offer are either comon or proper 195. a Minister must not have a heart of flint but of oyle 196. they have their infirmities 197. they must have a calling to it 197. examples of a number of intruders into this calling ibid. c. A Ministers president 203. their light must shine 231. they are great men 257 258. yet they must acknowledg their brethren 259. greater in time of the Gospel than in time of the Law 313. the Minister is Gods mouth to speake to his people 323. to rebuke a Minister is a sinne of sinnes 333. Ministers duties learned of the Priests of old 337. no Minister can bee exempted from service 395 396. foure speciall duties that wee owe to Ministers 629. they are watchmen 630. they must give account for mens soules 631. we must not grieve them ibid. c. how we should love them 632 633. the great force of their preaching 634 635. they ought to have a good conscience 635 c. and how to keepe it 637. how he should be furnished 638.
he that believeth hath eternall life he is as it were in heaven already therefore let us be suiters to God because faith is the gift of GOD to bestow it where it is not and to encrease it where it is yea let us all pray for the faith of Iob though thou kill me I will believe in thee It is an axiome with the Papists that faith may be without love we grant it fides Daemonum but not fides Christianorum an Historicall faith which is the faith of the Church of Rome defined by a Catechisme authorized by the Councell of Trent may be without Love and a miraculous faith may be without love 1 Cor. 13.2 But a justifying faith cannot he that is perswaded of the love of God towards him in Christ God so loved the world c. cannot but love the brethren and members of Christ. Every one which loveth him that begate loveth him also which is begotten of him They that bragge of faith and have no love are like empty vessels that give a lusty sound and have nothing in them Though I speake with the tongues of men and Angels and have not love I am as sounding brasse and as a tinkling Cymball though I had the gift of Prophecie and knew all secrets and all knowledge If I had all faith that I could remove mountaines and had not love I were nothing Though I feede the poore with all my goods and giue my body to be burned and have not love it profiteth me nothing So though I talke of Religion with a silver yea with an Angelicall tongue though I goe which is the glory of many to never so many Lectures heare Sermons receive Communions and have not love I am nothing Saint Augustine amplifies it further Signent se omnes signo crucis Let them signe themselves with the signe of the Crosse Let them say Amen that the Church rings of it let them sing Hallelujah let them fetch deepe sighes and groanes at Sermons that may be added Let them enter into Churches let them build Churches all this is to small purpose non discernuntur filii Dei à filiis diaboli nisi charitate nothing distinguishes the children of GOD from the children of the Devill but love Hereby shall all men know yee be my Disciples if yee love one another Faith without love is as a lampe without oyle vita corporis anima vita fidei charitas Bern. the life of the body is the soule and the life of faith is love faith that worketh by love Not a verbal love like them warme your selves fill your bellies and give them nothing but a reall love to feede the hungrie to cloath the naked to be an eye to the blind a foote to the lame to be a father and mother to the poore and fatherlesse to be a covering to them that their loynes may blesse us as they goe in the streets to be bountifull in our almes to all the people as Cornelius was to prepare garments for poore widowes as Dorcas did Such was the love of PHILEMON an actuall love he refreshed the bowells of the Saints Such must be the love of all true Christians My little children love not in word and tongue only but in deede and in truth PHILEMONS love extended it selfe to the Saints as is here avouched of him yet it was not couped up within the penne of the Saints the Saints must have the prime place in our love but not the whole Doe good to all men chiefely to them of the household of faith they chiefely but not they wholly Aristotle gave an almes to an unworthy man one reproved him for it Sayes he I gave it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the nature of the man not to the man the nature is Gods and must be sustained the vice is his owne and the Devills and must be reformed Their flesh is as our flesh and we must not hide our eyes from our owne flesh Neverthelesse the Saints must drinke most deepely and frequently of the cup of our love All my delight is in the Saints that be on the earth Saint Paul ordaines a collection for the Saints every first day of the weeke He himselfe was content to be a messenger to carry a contribution to the poore Saints at Hierusalem and requesteth the prayers of the Romans that that his service might be accepted of the Saints Know yee not that the Saints shall judge the world God honours them to bee the judges of the world therefore the world ought especially to be relievers and lovers of them VERSE 6. LAst of all quorsum To what end We give thankes and pray that the communication of thy faith Where 1. There is a narration of it 2. A confirmation of it Ver. 7. In the narration 1. The act of communication 2. The effect of it 3. The end of it As there is a communion of Saints so there must be a communion of gifts bonum quò communius eò melius a good thing the more common it is the better it is the Sunne communicates his light to all the world and shines the brighter for that the springs and fountaines communicate their water and are the fuller for that a nurse or mother communicates her milk to the infant and her breasts are replenished still the communication of faith of knowledge and other gifts is not a diminution but an augmentation of them Let us joyfully communicate that which we have one to another May become effectuall In some Greeke copies it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conspicuous manifest but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rather to be embraced having an effectuall operation in others to provoke them to the like So Saint Paul provokes the Corinthians to liberality by the example of the Macedonians one student provokes another one Merchant an other and one Christian an other Sanguis martyrum semen ecclesiae the burning of one Martyr made many and the liberality of one Christian makes many liberall examples are more availeable then precepts But how By the acknowledging of every good thing Wee must acknowledge the good things that be in others The Queene of Shebah extolled the good things that were in Salomon and blessed GOD for them The elders of the Iewes acknowledged the good things that were in the Centurion God set the good things that were in Iob as on a stage and the Devill himselfe could not but acknowledge them though maliciously he depraved them Christ though he were the giver of them acknowledged the good things that were in Nathaniel Peter acknowledges the good things that were in St. Paul St. Augustine acknowledged the good things that were in St. Hierome and Hierom also the good things that were in Saint Aug. as appeares by their Epistles one to another We are injurious to God if we doe not acknowledge them No Painter
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
as a man doth his Coate at night and puts it on againe in the morning but it is an utter relinquishing of sin a shaking of it off as St. Paul did the viper never resuming it againe It is not a changing of sin but a putting away of sin Then a man hath repented when of an old creature hee is made a new It is not onely a sorrow for sinne a weeping and howling for sinne though these be good steps to repentance Caine was grieved for his sinne Esau howled for it Iudas was pierced with the dart of sorrow for it but it is an abandoning of the sinne There may bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where there is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is one of the principles of religion as it were a piece of our A.B.C. Iohn Baptist cryed repent Matth. 3.2 Our Saviour in his owne person at his first entrance into the Ministery preached it after his resurrection injoyned the preaching of it to his Disciples Luk. 24.47 and it was the subject of St. Peters Sermon at the day of Pentecost Acts 2.38 Which doctrine of repentance in respect of practise ought to sound continually in the Pulpit but not in respect of knowledge But it is to be feared that many where the Word hath beene long preached are ignorant of it at the least we doe not practise it as we ought to doe we must be repenting in act continually the best of us all but we must not alwayes be learning the doctrine of repentance The consideration of our dead workes and manifold sins might carry us into the pit of destruction therefore followeth faith in Christ by whom we have the remissiâ—n of them And of faith towards GOD that is faith in the LORD IESUS CHRIST as St. Paul exhorts the Iaylour Act. 16.31 Some interpret it what wee are to believe of God but then hee would have said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ratheâ— than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Then this branch might have served for all the rest and so all the other might have bâ—ene buryâ—d in silence It is called faith towards GOD in generall though the speciall object of faith be Christ which is God as well as the Father and the Holy Ghost VERSE 2. AFter that men had testified their faith and repentance they were baptized incorporated into the Church and publikely gave up then names unto Christ. But why doth he speake of baptismes in the plurall number When as Ephes. 4.5 There is but one baptisme Not because men were wont oftentimes to be baptized As we are borne once So baptized but once They were but once circumcised in the time of the law and we are but once baptized in the time of the Gospell 1. By the negligence of the Printers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might quickly be turned into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Syriack reads it in the singular number and so doth Augustine de fide oper cap. n. Yet because this reading hath beene of a long and ancient continuance let it remaine unchanged Some thinke he names baptismes because diverse kindes of persons were wont to be baptized infants and elder folke Others because certaine times were appointed to baptisme as Easter and Whitsuntide Others in regard of the three immersions that were used in baptisme to signifie the Trinitie Baptisme properly is a dipping the party was wont to be three times dipped in the water and therefore he calls it baptismes or dippings Some because there was a baptizing into Christ to come which Iohn used and a baptizing into Christ already come which the Apostles used after Christs Ascension Rather because the Apostle alluding to the manifold baptismes or washings in the law calleth the Christian Sacrament baptismes too therefore he calleth it the doctrine of baptismes because many doctrines as it were many baptismes are contained in it And of laying on of hands There were diverse uses of this ceremonie 1. Hee that offered a sinne offring layd his hands on it to signifie that he was the sinner for whom it was offered 2. It was a signe of healing Luk. 4.40 Mark 16.18 3. By it the extraordinary gifts of the HOLY GHOST were conferred 4. By it men were ordained to the Ministery 1 Tim. 4.14 This was a necessary point to be catechised in that all might know the autority of the sacred Ministery and reverence it How can they heare without a Preacher 5. It was used in the blessing Mark 10.16 6. It was a custome in the Primitive Church when the Children had beene well instructed in their Catechisme and given notice of their knowledge to the Church then by the laying on of hands they were confirmed and approved and allowed to come to the Lords Supper at the which laying on of hands publike prayer was made by the congregation for them that they might proceede in the race of Christianity as they had begun to Gods glory and the advancement of the Gospell This was called Confirmation and this we still retaine in our Church The Church of Rome prefers it before baptisme In baptisme say they we have our esse in Confirmation a more perfect esse Every hedge Priest may baptize only a Bishop or a Suffragan may confirme ex jure divino A Priest may not doe it nisi per dispensationem sayes Bellar. This seemes to bee implyed in this place and a good use might bee made of it still among Christians our race being finished in this life wee looke for the resurrection and judgement in the life to come It is a worthy saying Ioh. 5.28 Mervaile not at this for the houre is comming in the which all that are in the grave shall heare his voice yet the Philosophers and wise men of this world mocke at the resurrection and count it an impossible thing When Paul preached CHRIST and the resurrection at Athens they laugh at it and it may be so doe some close Atheists that sit in the lap of the Church But there bee foure Pillars for the Resurrection to leane upon 1. The Power of God 2. The Iustice of God 3. The Solemne funeralls 4. The Resurrection of CHRIST For the first Idoneus est reficere qui fecit hee that made man at the first of the dust of the ground can fetch him out of the ground againe when he is quite consumed to dust and ashes hee that made an house can set it up againe though it bee defaced God made this body the house of clay therefore hee can erect it againe though pulled downe The second pillar is the Iustice of God If there were no resurrection God should bee unjust The wicked flourish in this world their eyes sticke out by reason of fatnesse they have more than heart can wish they are not in trouble as other men Baals Priests in some parts of the world sit at Iesabels table when the Lords Prophets live in a Cave with bread and water the rich glutton fared deliciously when Lazarus lay starving and full
not be so shie of sin Though we live in drunkennesse uncleannesse pride covetousnesse yet wee may bee in the favour of God Indeed God is of wonderfull mercy hee is called the father of mercies in the plurall number not of Iustices There is a whole Psalme of his mercie and so not of his justice Yet wee must not imagine that his mercy can put his justice out of place To penitent sinners as the Publican was as Mary Magdalen was that Christ's feete with her teares he is mercifull but to them that continue in their sins hee will shew himselfe to bee just and powre down the vials of his wrath on them he cast off the Israelites his own chosen people for their abominable sins and doe you think that we shall escape which are but wild Olives and adopted Children in comparison of them There is no dallying with God if we continue not in his covenant he will reject us VERSE 10. YE have seene what it is not now consider what it is which hath three branches 1. A renovation of their hearts to keepe his lawes Verse 10. 2. An illumination of their understanding to know his will Verse 11. 3. The remission of all their sins against his Law and so consequently eternall happinesse Verse 12. He points out this New Testament much discrepant from the other which I will dispose As we say I ordaine this my last will and Testament in manner following So this is the Testament which I ordaine the Testament which I testate With the house of Israel under the which the house of Iudah is comprehended that is the whole Church In those dayes when Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse shall clearely shine in the preaching of the Gospell saith the LORD which is not as man that he should repent nor the Sonne of man that hee should lye I will put my Lawes In the Hebrew it is the singular number in the Greeke the plurall All my Lawes appertaining to the first and second table I will leave none of them out Into their minde the discoursing faculty of the minde whereby they shall conclude within themselves that it is the best course they can take to serve me That they may understand it Into their hearts that they may love embrace and keepe it Hebrew into the middest of them Not in Tables of stone as at the first but in the fleshie tables of their heart This is the difference betweene the Law and the Gospell 2 Cor. 3.3 and 6. God will not only put his Lawes into our eyes eares tongues hands feete In these parts the wicked may have the Law of God they may looke on the Scriptures talke of them heare Sermons c. but he will put them into our hearts and the heart shall set all the members of the body on worke He will write them there engrave them that they shall never be rased out nothing shall blot out that writing Then followes the conditions of the covenant on both parts as it is in all covenants On Gods behalfe he will be our God hee will protect and defend us provide all good things for us for this life and the life to come no enemy shall hurt us he will give us all things that bee good On our part we must be his people that is worship him depend on him by a lively faith live in obedience to him serve him and no other Happy is the people that have God for their Lord. God is a good God to us but we are an ungracious and unthankefull people to him VERSE 11. THe second branch of the covenant there shall bee then more plentifull knowledge then was in the time of the Law which is declared negatively and affirmatively The lesson taught by them is this know the Lord this shall not neede then earthly Schoolemasters may be removed and put up their pipes wee shall all have an heavenly Schoolemaster which is the Holy Ghost Ioh. 6.45 Ioh. 14.26 1 Ioh. 2.27 But what shall not one neighbour instruct an other in the time of the Gospell yes verily exhort one another edifie one another in your most holy faith Priscilla and Aquila taught Apollos Augustine and others think that this is spoken of the Saints in heaven but the text will not suffer it Sol. 1. Then there shall not be so many particular ceremonies the signification whereof one should teach another as there were in the time of the Law 2. This is spoken not simply but comparatively The Holy Ghost shall bee powred downe in such plentifull measure upon all the light of the Gospell that was hidden under darke shadowes in the time of the Law shall now shine so brightly to all as that the teaching by friends and neighbours shall in a manner bee superfluous yet for all that this neighbour-like instruction one of another shall remaine still but there shall not be so great necessity of it as there was before The affirmative part If all shall know the Lord then there shall be no need to teach one another who the Lord is but all shall know the Lord ergo Which is confirmed by a distribution great and small shall know him ergo all shall know him Hee doth not meane the least in age for little infants and children are not now capable of the knowledge of God no more then theirs in the time of the Law but from the meanest in estate and condition to the highest Not Schollers alone and book-learned men shall know the Lord but even artificers Plowmen they that be least in the reputation of the world All all estates and conditions of men Or as much as lies in me that am the teacher all shall know me A Preacher teacheth in the Pulpit and all that bee in the Church may learne of him if they will The Sun shineth in the firmament and all may be comforted by it yet the bleared eyes are not It is their fault if all know me not Ob. 2. If all shall know the Lord then the Scriptures shall be unnecessary we shall all be taught by the Holy Ghost therefore wee need not the dead letter of the Scripture such a dumbe Schoolemaster as the Scripture is Sol. Yes verily for the Holy Ghost teacheth us by the Scripture he unfoldeth to us the meaning of the Scripture he instructed the Eunuch by the Scripture They might as well reason an excellent learned man shall teach in such a towne therefore the Schollers taught by him shall need no bookes The Scripture is the booke whereby God teacheth us therefore that still must bee turned over by us Our Saviour sendeth us to the Scriptures Ioh. 5.39 Rom. 15.4 2 Pet. 1.19 1 Tim. 4.13 Object 3. If all shall know God then away with Schooles of learning and Vniversities to traine up men to the ministery in yea away with the ministery it selfe what need we any Ministers and Preachers in every towne to instruct us in the knowledge of the Lord Sol. Yes they are Gods mouthes by whom he
speaketh to us by whom hee revealeth the knowledge of his Majesty to us Christ knew there should be plentie of knowledge at his comming yet he bade his Apostles goe and teach all nations The Lord opened the heart of Lydia yet it was by Saint Pauls preaching the Lord catechized the Eunuch yet it was by Saint Philip the Lord added three thousand soules to the Church yet it was by Saint Peter How can they heare without a Preacher These be the Schoole-masters by whom God teacheth us to the end of the world The head Master of a Schoole doth not take away the Vshers Saint Augustine tract 3. in 1. Iohann Si unctio docet de omnibus nos sine causa laboramus Let us put you all over to the annointing then they might reply why doest thou write this Epistle to us why doest thou teach us nos extrinsecus admonemus magister intùs est qui docet Matth. 23.8 Nos abusivè magistri appellamur Neither doth hee send downe the HOLY GHOST on them in the similitude of cloven tongues as he did on the Apostles at the beginning they must be brought up in Schooles and Vniversities to attaine to the knowledge of the tongues and the right interpretation of the Scripture Paul mentions it as a blessing that he was brought up at the feete of Gamaleel hee disputed in the Schoole of Tyrannus but hee never wished the Schoole of Tyrannus to be pulled downe This doth declare to us the wonderfull abundance of knowledge that shall bee in the time of the Gospell above that which was in the time of the Law yet there bee a number of ignorant persons in the lap of the Church like them that knew not whether there was an Holy Ghost or no They have a confused knowledge of God but they doe not know him so distinctly in CHRIST as they ought to doe they have the more to answer for that living in so great light are still overwhelmed with darkenesse like to Tantalus up to the chin in water and yet drie like carelesse and negligent Schollers that have beene long at Schoole and learn't nothing the fault is not in God who gives them the meanes but in themselves that neglect the meanes 2. As wee have greater knowledge so greater obedience is required of us The servant that knowes his masters will and doth it not shall bee beaten with many stripes Wee know much and practise little therefore our condemnation shall bee the greater at the latter day VERSE 12. THe third branch of the new covenant is remission of sins In sence it agreeth with the Hebrew only the Apostle following the seventie hath for our further comfort enlarged it by the addition of one clause which is not in the Hebrew The first part of Verse is not in the Hebrew In my Sonne CHRIST IESUS I will be mercifull to their unjust and unrighteous dealings to all the injuries they have offered me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faults in manners when as we swarve from the marke of the Law of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in generall signifies all transgressions of the Law He useth many words to signifie to us that all our sinnes by what names soever they be called are forgiven us In acquittances we use to put in words enow for the declaration of a full discharge So doth the Lord when he acquitteth us of all our sinnes whether they be unrighteousnesse slips or violations of the Law they bee all forgiven hee professeth hee will remember them no more hee will cast them behinde his backe rase them out of the booke of his remembrance If wee minde to be revenged of a man wee say well I will remember thee I will one day pay thee home for it but God will not so much as remember our sinnes Oh blessed thing The just man falls seven times a day yet GOD will not remember his falls Hee remembred the sin of Amalek and of some hee sayes their sins shall be written with a penne of a diamond and sealed up in a bagge but he will keepe no register of our sins they shall bee quite forgotten Hee doth not say because they by their workes of penance have made satisfaction to my justice for their sinnes therefore I will remit them I will doe it of my sole mercy and goodnesse for my owne sake c. Object Was he not mercifull to the sinnes of the people in the time of the Law Sol. The forgivenesse of sins is now more cleerely manifested to us To them it was shadowed out by sacrifices and washings but now the Lamb is come offered on the Crosse whose bloud purgeth us from all sin This is a comfortable covenant the heavenly triacle and hony of the soule Our sins are innumerable besides our blasphemies besides the abhominable drunkennesse and whoredome that is amongst us our greedy scraping in the dunghill of the earth seldome or never lifting up our hearts to heaven wee sin daily in our best actions we sin in preaching of the Word for who preaches with such wisedome sincerity and zeale as he ought to doe wee sin in hearing our mindes oftentimes are on wooll-gathering our bodies in the Church our hearts on our Sheep and Oxen we heare more like Iudges to censure Gods Ambassadour than as Schollers to learne of him wee sinne in praying no sighes no groanes no fervency in our prayers no Amen at the end of them wee sin in giving of our almes wee give rather for vaine glory then for Gods glory we sin in our dayly talke and conferences one with another in them we seeke the ostentation of our own witte and learning not the edification one of another Who can cleere himselfe of pride wee are proud of our wit wealth beauty learning yea some are proud of nothing Good Lord then if God should call us into the counting house for our sins alas what shall we doe we cannot answer him one for a thousand and the least sinne deserves eternall death Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy thought if one evill thought remaine unforgiven we are in a miserable case Against all these let us hold up the buckler of this new covenant of the remission of our sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sins are bitter accusers In what a pittifull case was Caine who said my sinne is greater than can bee forgiven what a howling kept Iudas O I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud what makes men to hang themselves as Achitophel did to drowne themselves to lay violent hands on themselves save that they cannot be perswaded of the forgivenesse of their sins Therefore let us blesse God for this covenant and let us entreat him to seale in our hearts a comfortable perswasion of the remission of our sinnes dayly more and more VERSE 13. HEre followes a collection inferred on the former testimony which he gathereth out of the word new it hath his force from the contraries New and Old cannot stand together
of Holies even as it is termed Hakodesh Levit. 16.2 Loe say some heaven was not opened in the time of the Law till the passion of our Saviour Christ therfore the Patriarchs and others that dyed then went not to heaven but were in place of rest distinct from heaven this is their limbus patrum which they have forged But quickly to stop their mouthes it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Gate in the Kings Pallace may be opened though not knowne The way to the Holiest of all that is to heaven prefigured by their Sanctum Sanctorum was not yet manifested it was obscured under Types and figures darkely revealed to them Not all the people but one man entred into the Holy of Holies a type of heaven and hee but once a yeare The way to heaven was not so cleerely manifested then as it is now when Christ Iesus our fore-runner is gone into it before us and for us The faithfull then knew the way to heaven and immediately after death went to heaven but they had not such a cleare knowledge of it as wee have This is probable The first Tabernacle as yet having his standing whereby he doth not meane the first part of the Tabernacle as hee did before but the whole Tabernacle for indeed it was but one though divided into two parts while the Tabernacle of the Iewes with all the rites and ceremonies belonging to it was yet standing It is called the first in respect of Christ's body which was the second Tabernacle It is the Holy Ghost that speaketh in the Scripture 2 Pet. 1. ult 2 Tim. 3.16 Iacob said of Bethel the Lord is in this place and I was not aware of it So the Holy Ghost is in the Scripture and we are not aware of it The Holy Ghost speaks in Genesis Exodus Leviticus in the Psalmes in the Prophets he speakes in the Gospels in the Epistles of St. Paul and St. Peter therefore when the Scripture is read let us heare with all reverence because God Almighty speaketh in them No place of holy Scripture is idle no not the framing of the Tabernacle the Holy Ghost therby doth signifie to us many holy mysteries in it therefore let no portion of Scripture be lightly regarded by us Wee know the way to heaven better than they did therefore wee should walke more carefully and conscionably in it then they did our Lord and Saviour our Head and Husband Christ Iesus is gone into heaven to prepare a place for us blessed are the eyes that see which we see Therefore if we tread not in this way but rather take the way to hell our condemnation shall bee the greater at the latter day As God in mercy hath opened the way to heaven more cleerly to us then to them So let us be carefull to take this way to the everlasting joy and comfort of us all VERSE 9. THis signification hee doth further prosecute 1. Shewing the use of that Tabernacle 2. The inabilitie of the service of it For the use it was a figure a parable Which signifies both a dark speech Mat. 13.10 and a figurative speech a similitude or likenes Take a similitude from the fig-tree that tabernacle was a similitude of a more excellent tabernacle to come namely of the body of Christ V. 11. that is illustrated by the time and the manner It was to bee a similitude but for the time present during the ceremoniall Law till the fulnes of time came that Christ shold come and be made of a woman The manner how it did prefigurate Christ by certaine gifts and sacrifices that were then offered Which were only figurativa not exhibitiva they did only figure out Christ by whom we are made holy and perfect but they could not make us holy Concerning the flesh and the outward man they might purifie them but they could not purifie the soule and conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the which time Are offered Peradventure that Temple stood when he wrote this Epistle therefore hee uses the present tense or hee speakes according to the custome of the time when they were used Make holy or perfect the word signifies both Him that worshipped God by them that by them performed divine service to God Hebr. 7.19 These did only point at Christ by whom we are made holy and perfect justified and sanctified by him so as our consciences be at peace with God Hebr. 10.2 by the meere offering up of a Calfe a Lamb c. Their consciences could not bee freed from the guilt and punishment of sin our consciences are pacified only by the sacrifice of Christ on the Crosse applyed to us by faith which was prefigured by those sacrificers Rom. 5.1 Conscience is a register that keeperh a note of all our sins Some times he may be a sleepe and say nothing but at one time or other he will awake and bring all our sins to our remembrance then what shall we doe whither shall we flie Where shall we find comfort As the sacrifices in the time of the Law could not pacifie the conscience So it is not the hearing of a thousand masses the going in Pilgrimage to the holy land it is not the building of Churches the giving of almes though these be excellent things if they flow from a true faith it is not the cogitation of our workes simply in themselves without Christ Iesus that can quiet our consciences Saint Paul in this sense disclaimed his workes I desire to be found in him not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith It is only Christ Iesus and the application of his sacrifice to us by a lively faith that can secure our consciences and stay the rage of them being justified by faith wee have peace with God the bloud of Christ purgeth us from all sinne Therefore let us entreat the Lord to assure our consciences upon good grounds that Christ is ours that hee hath dyed for all our sinnes and that his righteousnesse is ours then shall we have comfort of conscience in all calamities yea in death it selfe in this present life and shall triumph with Christ in the life to come VERSE 10. THat they could not purge the Conscience he evinceth by the nature and quality of them No carnall fleshly or outward thing can cleanse the heart or conscience these are only Carnall rites and outward ceremonies a carnall commandement Hebr. 7.16 consisting of meates drinkes c. therefore they cannot pacifie the conscience that is only the bloud of Christ that purgeth us from all sin These are illustrated by the time of their continuance Imposed as an heavy loade and importable burthen Act. 15.10 whereof we are now eased by Christ. There is some question about the grammaticall construction because the participle is of the accusative case plurall and
Sea insomuch as the Psalmist exclameth how great is thy goodnes ô Lord which thou even then preparedst for the sons of men He prepares for us the foules of heaven fishes of the Sea beasts of the field to be our nourishment but of all preparations this is the greatest he prepared for us a City a most glorious Citty All the Cities in the world are not worthy to be named the same day with this thieves may breake into these Citties so cannot they into that These may be sacked by enemies so cannot that These Citties shall be burnt at the day of Iudgment this abides ever these need the Sun by day and Moone by night this needes none of them for it is enlightned with the glory of the Lamb. In these there is good and bad there none but good the spirits of just and perfect men In these there is sometimes dancing sometimes weeping there is no weeping at all but continuall singing to GOD Almighty these Cities may be famished so cannot that we shall eate of the hidden Manna and of the tree of life in the Paradise of God for ever Here our fellow Cittizens are men and sinfull men there we shall be Cittizens with the Angels here Cittizens have their Gownes whereby they are knowne which at length are moath eaten and come to nothing there wee shall be cloathed with the white robe of immortality that lasteth for ever In these Citties some are rulers some ruled there wee shall all be Kings and reigne with CHRIST for ever These Citties are made by Carpenters and Masons this by God O admirable City Let our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bee in it in this life that we may be taken up into it and remaine in it for ever in the life to come Yet this City is little regarded If Yorke Norwich London were ours we would thinke our selves happy men yet we count the preparation of this City nothing Ye talke of a City to come I would I were Lord of one Towne here take thou that City Many a prophane Esau is ready to say so but let us be thankefull to God for this City Hebrewes 11.17.18 19. WE have here a Catalogue of famous Christians in the Old Testament wherof some were before the floud others after as Abraham with whom having begun now he addes and concludes of him in these Verses Wherein we have a tragedy and a comedy a tragedie in a fathers oblation of his Sonne a comedie in the unexpected restitution of his Son to him 19. a sorrowfull tragedie in his going a joyfull comedy in his teturning Touching the former 1. An admirable worke performed by Abraham 2. The motive that set him on worke his stedfast faith in the resurrection Verse 19. In the work the author of it and the exquutioner of it VERSE 17. THe author of it was God that tried him Man tryes the Devill tries and God tries homo tentat ut cognoseat man tries to know what is in another Tentare à teneo wee try that we may quasi manu tenere hold as it were with the hand and have a certaine knowledge of him whom we try As the Queene of Shebah hearing of the fame of Salomon went to try him with hard questions 1 Reg. 10.1 Diabolus tentat ut decipiat to coozen us and to destroy us So the Serpent tempted our great Grandmother Eve and beguiled her Deus tentat ut quis sit homo hominibus innotescat that what is in man may be made manifest unto men hee tryed Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Chrysost. not to learne more than he knew before but to demonstrate the excellent graces that were in Abraham the world how he preferred God before all things even before his onely Sonne Thus CHRIST tempted Philip about the loaves Ioh. 6.6 God knew what was in Abraham but hee tryed him to make others know whereas Gen. 22.12 he speakes it after the manner of men When a man hath tryed the fidelity of his friend he sayes now I know thou lovest me so God applying himselfe to our capacity having tryed Abraham sayes now I know yet no accesse of knowledge to GOD hee knew what was in him before An admirable tryall a wind that might shake the strongest Cedar in Lebanon yee may take a view of it Gen. 22.2 Every word is very emphaticall 1. He doth not say send him by another but take him thy selfe carry this innocent Lamb to the slaughter house thy selfe 2. Not five or sixe yeeres hence but now presently without delay 3. Not thy servant but thy Sonne Tully tooke heavily the death of his servant how might Abraham take the death of his Sonne 4. Not one of many but thine only Sonne though thou hast no more but he take him kill him 5. Hee names him I doe not meane Ismael though thou art loath to part with him but Isaac 6. Whom thou lovest so deerely so tenderly all thy love is contracted into him thou hast no other to love 7. To the land of Moriah which is a great way off three dayes journey Oh what thoughts did trouble him all that while 8. When he comes there he doth not say hang him on a tree drowne him which had beene intollerable for a father to doe but burne him which is the sharpest death of all offer him up for a burnt offering to me 9. Consider the conference that was betweene him and Isaac in the way which might strike Abraham to the heart Father here is fire and the wood but where is the Lamb for the burnt offering alas my Son said Abraham in his heart though hee spake it not with his tongue thou must bee the burnt offering no doubt but the teares went trickling downe his cheekes Oh how wonderfully was he tryed all these were as so many daggers held at his heart 10. Besides all these the Hebrewes report that the Devill appeared to him in the shape of a good Angell and disswaded him from the offering of his Son telling him it was a most monstrous and unnaturall fact greatly displeasing to GOD Almighty No doubt but the Devill was busie with him to withdraw him from Obedience to GOD but that of his apparition is a feyned fable That we see how this holy man was tryed he was tryed indeed to the utmost a wonder he did proceed to the action Thus it pleaseth God to trye his Children A Gold-Smith tries his gold by casting it into the fire and Saint Peter calls it the fiery tryall A Captaine tryes his Souldiers before he brings them into the field One friend tryes another and God in love and wisedome tries us all how we are affected to him he sent false Prophets and dreamers of dreames to try the Israelites whether they would cleave to him with all their hearts and soules or not Deut. 13.3 hee tryed David by Shimei that rayled on him and hurled stones at him being a King A great indignity for a King to beare he tryed Ioseph with sore
are never mentioned in Scripture but to their disgrace Let there bee no Traytor among you as Iudas no grosse and open Idolater as Ieroboam that made Israel to sinne no Strumpet as Iesabel whose adulteries were in great number no worldling is Demas no drunkard as Falcidius qui superavit totam Asiam bibendo If their names be registred to posterity it is with a perpetuall blot of infamy His prophanenesse doth appeare by a Sale that he made The Gardarens were prophane persons which had rather forgoe Christ then their Hogs The Pharisees were prophane persons that laughed at Christ when he preached against covetousnesse That Iudge was a prophane person that neither feared GOD nor reverenced man Those Philosophers that mocked at the resurrection and those Epicures were prophane persons that said Let us eat and drinke to morrow wee shall dye They that sit quaffing and swilling in Tavernes and Ale-houses in Sermon time they know there is a Sermon in the Church yet wittingly and willingly they continue in the Ale-house still What are these but prophane persons For a little drinke they loose the sincere milke of the Word whereby they might grow to everlasting life All covetous Misers that are glued to their wealth that had rather lose the Kingdome of Heaven than their riches are prophane persons the pottage of this world is sweeter to them than the joyes of Heaven Let mee live merrily while I am here let me have the world at will and let them take Heaven that can get it O miserable wretches Farre unlike Moses that preferred the rebuke of CHRIST before the treasures of Egypt They count Heaven but a Tale of a Tub whereas we ought to Count all as Dongue that wee may winne CHRIST Let there bee no such prophane persons among us where the sound of the Word ringeth daily in our eares let us have holy and heavenly mindes Yet are there not prophane persons among us that count all preaching prating that no credit is to be given to the Scripture full of contradictions shall we beleeve them They have gotten such a savour in drinking and whoring that the very Scriptures seeme bitter to them VERSE 17. THE second thing considerable in Esau is the punishment of his fact Where 1. A desire to have it againe 2. A denyall of it He would have had it againe but could not his repentance was too late Ratified by their owne testimony for ye know how that afterward being exercised in the Scriptures The blessing which depended on the birthright Then hee would have had it with all his heart but could not get it he begged it earnestly at his Fathers hand but could not get it Shall a man seeke repentance and not finde it At what time soever a sinner repenteth of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart c. Esau sought not repentance but was grieved for the punishment not for the sinne he grieved non quia vendiderat sedquia perdiderat primogenita as one speaketh Neverthelesse this is not referred to Esau his repentance but to Isaac His Father Isaac would by no meanes repent of that which hee had done Iacob hee had blessed and hee should bee blessed Esau could not move him to reverse the blessing doe what hee could 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sought it earnestly with teares with howling and crying too There is no necessity in the Greek to supply the word blessing The pronoune may be referred to the word repentance immediately going before he found no place of repentance that is of his fathers repentance though hee sought it with teares All his crying would not make his father repent Iacob had the blessing and hee should enjoy it Esau had a kinde of blessing too concerning temporall things but not like that of Iacobs For ye know I speak to such as are acquainted w th the word of God The Sadduces did erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God but all good Christians must know the Scriptures they must have their senses exercised in them they must search them daily as the Bereans did that when the Preacher speakes of any History in the Bible he may speake as to men of knowledge But now a dayes a number even in the Countrey are better Lawyers than Divines more skill in the Statutes and Lawes to wrangle with their neighbours than in the Law of God This is the foolish nature of man There be many rich and excellent blessings which we make no reckoning of when we have them which afterwards we would willingly have and cannot get them When David had free liberty to come to Gods house hee was not so much inflamed with the love of it but in exile he longed after it then the Sparrowes and Swallowes that build their nests by GOD's Altar were in better case than he When the prodigall Son was at home in his fathers house where he had aboundance of all things he set light by it but when he was keeping Swine ready to starve for hunger than hee would bee as one of his fathers hired servants his fathers Table could not content him before now hee would bee glad to sit at the servants Table While Esau had the birth-right and the blessing too he regarded it not now he howles for it and cannot get it Let us make much of good things while we have them So it is with us we live now in peace and prosperity there is no leading into captivity nor complaining in our streets we may come to Church without any feare of the enemy sicknesse doth not keepe us at home as it doth many Yet these benefits are now scarse worth a good mercy What care we we will not set a foot over the threshold to go to Church now But I pray God that the time come not that we shall not onely wish but howle and cry for them and not get them Let us use with all thankfulnesse the gracious mercies of GOD while we have them least afterwards we seeke for them when it is too late While we have the light let us walke worthy of the light while ye have the word make much of the word while ye have health use your health to Gods glory and the salvation of your soules 3 Esau found no place to repentance All that he could doe or say could not make his father to repent If we have done a thing that is agreeable to the will of God we must never repent of it Psal. 15.4 Iacob had laid his righthand on the head of Ephraim Ioseph would have removed it but he could not Isaac had blessed Iacob he would not reverse the blessing Pilat had written The King of the Iewes the Scribes and Pharisees could not move him to alter it What I have written I have written If it be a bad thing let us repent quickly of it Let us not persist in an evill thing for that is stubbornnesse and wilfulnesse but in a good thing let us persevere to
tamen possunt probare quod dicant let them speake that can speake yet so as they prove that which they speake Ego me istaec ignorare confiteor I confesse I am ignorant of these things Let the like humility bee imitated of us all Let no man presume to understand above that which is written The Scripture makes mention of Arch-Angels Michael the Arch-Angel disputed with the Devill about the body of Moses An Arch-Angell shall sound a Trumpet at the last day 1 Thes. 4.16 Some interpret it of a created Angell that hath the title and office of an Arch-Angell onely for a time for the accomplishment of some weighty and extraordinary worke no perpetuall superiority above the rest Cornelius à lapide saies it is Gabriel who as hee did foretell CHRIST 's first comming to the Virgin so hee shall publish his second comming to the world Saint Ambrose and Aquinas are of that opinion Yet that Arch-Angell rather is CHRIST who is termed Michael our Prince Daniel 10. ult The name is sutable to him and to no other Micha ael Who is like to God Almightie none so like him as his Sonne the ingraven forme and character of the Father 3. For their wisedome and knowledge it is admirable The devils know much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much more doe the good Angels they have matutinam vespertinam scientiam as Augustine speakes their morning and evening knowledge their morning knowledge they have by creation and a continuall contemplation of GOD their evening knowledge they have by observation from the creatures and a diligent inspection into the Church They bee no fooles they be wise guides that have the custody of us 4. For their power it is wonderfull surpassing the power of evill Angels for it is very probable that as the rest of their gifts so their power is weakened since their fall 5. For their office it is to serve God and the Lambs wife the Church they performe many fruitfull offices to us As Souldiers they pitch their Tents about us defending us from the devill and his Angels Isai. 5. I have hedged in my Vineyard that is Custodia Angelorum Gainas sent a great multitude in the night to burne the Emperors Pallace at Constantinople a multitude of Angels met them in the forme of armed men of a great stature they supposing them to bee magnum strenuum exercitum ranne away As nurses they hold us in their armes Psalm 91.12 that wee dash not our foote against a stone Some interpret it to bee Christ the stone of offence but it is to bee extended to all dangers whatsoever They comfort us in our griefes sorrowes and calamities though we bee not able to discerne it An Angell was sent to comfort our Saviour Christ when he was in his agony in the Garden Luk. 22.43 There was one Theodorus a young man that was cast into a scalding lead an Angell in the similitude of a man stood by him with a napkin in his hand that wiped the drops of sweat that trickled downe his body insomuch as it seemed to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pleasure rather than a conflict as he himselfe after reported to Ruffinus They observe our doings and behaviour 1 Cor. 11.10 they grieve if we doe ill and rejoyce in our well-doing Luc. 15.10 They make us rhetoricall nitor eloquii per bonos Angelos ministratur the glory brightnesse of eloquence is conveighed unto us by the good Angels They keepe us carefully while we be alive and at our dying-day they take our soules and carry them up into Abrahams-bosome as they did the soule of Lazarus and Greg. in his Dialogues names many holy men whose soules were seene after a visible manner to be carried by the Angels into heaven The Angels sung at the funerall of the Virgin Mary Nicephor lib. 15. cap. 14. They be apparitores Dei as Lactant. calleth them Gods Apparitors for Mat. 24.31 They gather the elect together from the windes and bring them to God at the last day I but you bring us into a fooles Paradise We see none of these things performed by the Angels What then we must walke by faith not by sight Thou seest not GOD yet thou beleevest there is a God thou seest not thine owne soule yet beleevest thou hast a soule So though we see not the Angels ministring to us yet let us believe it It is divinely and elegantly set forth by Bernard Quid si non videmus obsequium cùm experiamur auxilium what though we see not their service when we have experience of their aid quid si non mereamur aspectum cum sentiamus effectum What though we behold not their ministration with our eyes when we feele the fruit and effect of it in our lives This is the Lords doing and it ought to be marvellous in our eyes What am I O Lord said David and what is my fathers house that thou hast brought me hitherto What are we miserable sinners wormes-meat dust and ashes that the high and holy Angels should wait on us This is Gods unspeakable goodnesse his Name be blessed and magnified for it The last question remaineth whether every one of GOD's elect have a particular Angell or not The greatest part of the Fathers affirme that we have Among the Greeke Basil Naz. Theod. Chrys. Theoph. Among the Latin Origen Ierome Aug. Greg. Yet there is some discrepance betweene them Greg. sayes that we have two a good one ad nostri custodiam for our preservation an evill one ad nostri exercitium for the exercising of us Yet the greater sort contend but for one and there is a controversie about that one whether he be assigned to us à nativitate or à baptismo from our birth or from our baptisme Origen disputes it in utramque partem Zanchius a late Divine thinks that both may wel be conjoyned together Extraordinarily as the Lord sees it meet and expedient we have many Angels for our protection yet ordinarily every one of Gods elect hath a particular Angell appointed to him from his cradle to his grave The principall places whereon they build are these 1. Gen. 48.16 The Angell which hath delivered me from all evill blesse the children In the Hebrew it is not Maloac but ham maloac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ille Angelus that Angell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ Iesus the Prince of Angels which oftentimes appeared to Iacob and delivered him and especially at Bethel insomuch as he stiles him selfe The God of Bethel Gen. 31.11.13 This Angell is expresly called GOD Vers. 15. The God that hath fed me all my life long to this day blesse thee he that fed him sayes Chrys. and he that delivered him is all one 2. Mat. 18.10 Cajetan the Cardinall hath a remarkable annotation on that place bene nota note it well Non dixit singuli Angeli eorum sed Angeli eorum not
downe of all pernicious weedes of Anabaptisme Brownisme Popery in this garden of the LORD IESUS Pray for all faithfull Preachers and Ministers whatsoever that all the people from the highest to the lowest may know CHRIST and live obediently to the Gospell One principall reason why there be so many disorders in the Church is this because the people have no care of their Ministers seldome or never commend them in their prayers to the God of heaven Earnest prayer was made by the Church for Saint Peter and the Ephesians prayed for Saint Paul till they wept againe but there is no praying for our Pauls and Peters If it had beene said prate of us the people would readily have put that in practise they make the Preachers their table talke they speake evill of the Rulers of the people in all places If it had beene sayd prey upon us wee should have had a number of preyers That which the Papists gave to the Ministers they that be called Protestants take from the Ministers Pharaoh would not have the lands of the Priests touched in the time of a famine and scarcity We in the time of a plenty take away their lands Heeretofore the leane kine devoured the fat and were more ill favoured now the fat devoure the leane and are never satisfied Heretofore the people gave their very earrings to the Priests now they are ready to pull the coate over the Priests eares Every one in the parish will prey upon him but scarce one will pray for him If it had beene sayed pry into us we would have done it with a narrow eye the foot of a Preacher shall not slip but he shall be taken tripping by and by a moate shall be made a beame a mole-hill a mountaine But he doth not say prey upon us prate of us pry into us but pray for us and as ye love the glory of GOD the beauty of Sion the peace of Ierusalem the salvation of your owne soules pray for us Some there be that will pray for the Ministers but it is because they are bound to pray for their enemies There is one Michaiah sayd Achab but I hate him So some will say indeed wee have a Minister but he is ever rubbing on my soares therefore I hate him Yet because CHRIST sayes pray for them that hate you I will pray for him I but thou must pray for him as for the greatest friend in the world that thy soares being lanched with the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of GOD they may bee suppled with the oyle of GODS mercy in CHRIST and thou saved at the day of Iudgement Heere wee may see the wonderfull humility of Saint Paul hee was a master-builder of the Church had seene CHRIST he was adorned with singular gifts of learning and of piety he spake with tongues more then al he was taken up into the third heaven c. He was a man deepe in GODS bookes in prayers often in fastings often he had travelled all the world over in the propagation of the Gospell of CHRIST A man would have thought that his owne prayers had beene sufficient hee needed not the prayers of others Indeed the prayers of Prophets of Preachers are of great force with God The LORD told Abimelech that Abraham was a Prophet he should pray for him Yet the prayers of common Christians are also to be desired Vis unita fortior The prayers of the people and Ministers joyned together will the sooner prevaile with the Lord. The King may adscribe much to the request of one of his privy Counsell yet hee rejects not the petition of the meanest Subject The Preachers are of Gods privy Counsell He revealeth his secrets to them yet the prayer of a righteous man is avayleable if it bee servent Cornelius was no Minister yet his prayer went up into remembrance before God The head needes the ayde of the foote the King needs the prayers of the Subjects the Minister of the people Therefore let us all require the prayers one of an other But why should wee pray for you you are bad men God will not heare our prayers for you It is not so for wee trust wee have c. Some take it to be an argument à pari We have discharged a good conscience towards you in all things delivering unto you all things necessary to salvation therefore discharge you a good conscience againe in praying for us But it is rather a procreant cause of their praiers We are holy men such as feare God as labour to keepe a good conscience and to live honestly therefore praie for us You are to praie for all chiefely for them that be of the household of faith Wee are of that household and bring forth the fruits of faith therefore pray for us Vngodly men that have no good conscience had most need to be praied for yet we may pray more boldly for the godly God will sooner heare us for them These words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may either bee understood of the persons or of the things they are indifferent in the Greeke Some connexe them with the words following and referre them to the persons thus Wee are assured that wee have a good conscience there they make a Comma amongst all men desiring to live honestly The matter is of no importance Yet I see no reason why our English translation may not be reteyned It agreeth with that protestation of Saint Paul I have walked with all good conscience to this day As here he sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See how confident he is in this point he doth not say we hope we thinke wee haue some probable conjecture or light perswasion but we are assured this with boldnesse and confidence we are able to protest not to our commendation and glory but to the praise and glory of God that we have a good conscience in all things Whereby wee are given to understand that it behooveth all Christians especially Ministers to bee assured of a good conscience in all their doings Nothing is more terrible then an ill conscience It is the onely hell as Luther calls it If the Divell had not an ill conscience he were in heaven in comparison As on the contrary side nihil in hac vita securius nihil jucundius possidetur bona conscientia sayes an ancient Father Premat corpus trahat mundus terreat diabolus illa tamen semper erit secura Wherefore let us first search out what a good conscience is then what be the things wherein a Minister must keepe a good conscience First for the conscience in generall It is called conscientia sayes Bern. quasi cordis scientia that etymologie is not to be rejected if it be taken with his meaning Scientia sayes he is when the heart knowes other things conscientia quando cor novit se. Yet as any may see according to the nature of the word conscience is a knowledge with an other
The Hebrewes have no fit name for it in all the old Testament the word conscience is not to be found Yet the old translation hath foisted it into the Text Gen. 43.22 Non est in nostra conscientia quis posuerit eam in marsupijs nostris as also Prov. 12.18 It is in the booke of Wisedome and Ecclesiastic but they were written in Greeke But the Hebr. put leb the heart for it Davids heart smote him that is his conscience Give not thine eare to every word that men speak of thee for thy heart knoweth that thou also hast cursed others that is thy conscience In Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latin conscientia a joynt knowledge or a knowledge with an other either cum alio that is with the high and eternall God for none besides God and a mans owne selfe hath an immediate knowledge of himselfe or rather scientia cum alia scientia there is a knowledge whereby we know that we know and that is conscience but the nature thereof shall better be manifested by a definition I might propound sundry to you Damascen defines it thus it is lex nostri intellectus Origen est correptor paedagogus animae Saint Bernard est inseparabilis gloria vel confusio uniuscujusque The Schoolemen say it is applicatio Scientiae ad factum seu faciendum The best of the new wryters est practicus Syllogismus hominem excusans aut accusans In my poore judgement it may bee thus defined conscience is a function of the understanding whereby wee apply the generall knowledge that is in us to our particular thoughts words and actions 1 It is not a part of the will but of the understanding not of that which wee call theoricall but of that which is termed practicall Therefore it is in worke and action As a dead man is no man but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So a dead conscience is no conscience but nomine tenus A seared conscience that is past feeling and doth nothing Whereupon the Schoolemen contend that it is neither habitus nor potentia but actus His whole worke is to apply the generall knowledge engraven in us by the pen of nature to our particular thoughts words and actions There be generales notitiae or maximes written in our hearts as it is an horrible thing to commit murther a beastly thing to commit adultery a fowle vice to lie and dissemble to have an heart and an heart whereas God hath given thee but one heart This the law written in our hearts teacheth us Now comes conscience and doth her duty Thou hast committed murder thou art an adulterer a lyar a dissembler therefore thou art abhominable in the sight of God The knowledge that is in us gives us the major Conscience infers the minor and the conclusion necessarily followes of it selfe This is conscience in generall whereby it is easie to see what a good conscience is One defines a good conscience thus Quae habet in corde puritatem in ore veritatem in actione rectitudinem and it is not amisse yet it expresseth not the power of a good conscience A good conscience is a comfortable applying of the knowledge that is in us to the joy of our hearts whereupon ariseth boldnesse and confidence so that a man thinkes himselfe as it were in heaven I will give you an example of it in a minister Knowledge gives Saint Paul the major every minister of CHRIST that hath walked faithfully in his calling shall have a crowne of righteousnesse a good conscience in Saint Paul makes the minor and brings in the conclusion I have fought a good fight kept the faith therfore for mee is reserved a crowne of righteousness This is a good conscience which ought in some measure to be in us all That wee may the better be assured that we have a good conscience as Saint Paul had let us examine our consciences in these things First for our entrance into the ministery then for the execution of our ministery being entred First let us examine our conscience about our entrance into this high and magnificent calling wherein two especiall points are to be observed namely the gifts passive and active 1 Let us call our selves to accompt what passive gifts we have received from GOD Almighty A Bishop sayes Nazianz. is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vaine and empty name he must be well furnished in some measure with gifts fit for the office A Scribe sayes CHRIST that is taught to the Kingdome of Heaven must be as a rich householder that is able 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to tumble out of his treasury 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such are all Ministers of GODS sending Ezra was a perfect scribe in the law of God So Artashastes doth entitle him in the beginning of his letter To Ezra the perfect Scribe of the law of the Gods of heaven Apollos was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and mighty in the Scriptures Saint Paul boasted of himselfe after an heavenly manner I thanke my GOD I speake with tongues more then they all But a number there bee that thanke GOD they speake but with one tongue namely their mother tongue Indeed the man of GOD ought chiefely to bee seene in GODS booke and though he have never so great skill in Logicke Rhetorique Philosophy History c. he must dissimulare eloquij venustatem when he speaks to the people as Saint Ierom. sayes yet for all that he must not bee a rudesby a meere stranger in them Moses that man of GOD was brought up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all no art excepted and this Saint Stephen records to his singular commendation Saint Paul was not to seeke in Aratus Epimenides and others Meletus Bishop of Alexandria whom alluding to his name they called mel Atticae hee was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all acts as Euseb. testifies of him Didymus used rhetorique poetry philosophy Philo Iudaeus was an excellent divine in his age for his learning in these externall arts he was called an other Plato Origen was wonderfull in them in so much as Porphyrie his enemy was compelled to admire him for it The Papists at this day many of them give them their due are very learned men Oh that GOD would turne the edge of learning the right way And shall the Ministers of our Church bee unlearned wilt thou leape into Moses Chaire or rather into Christs Chaire and hast no gifts in any comparable measure to teach the people out of it The King in the Gospell sayd to the man that came to the marriage without the wedding garment Friend how camest thou hither So will hee say to all saucy and insufficient Ministers Friend how came you hither who made you the dressers of my vineyard that have no skill to dresse it who made you dividers of my word that mangle it and cannot cut aright who made you builders of my house that know not how to square a stone or frame a piece
Love not in word and tongue onely but indeed and truth Ioabs health and Iudas kisse are too frequent Let us love truely as Saint Iohn did Having averred it for his owne part he doâ—h amplifie it on the behalfe of others Not I onely It might joy her that hee loved her being the disciple whom Iesus loved but it must needs be a greater joy to her that all did love her Yet it is with a restraint all that have knowne the truth revealed in the Word for thy Word is truth saith Christ. All that have knowne it he speakes De notitia approbationis as Aquinas doth well interpret it of the knowledge not of speculation but of approbation that approve love and embrace the truth for indeed they that be of the houshold of faith are lead by one and the same Spirit therefore where one loves all love But is this so great a matter to be loved of all Woe be to you when all men speake well of you true when all tag and rag good and bad speake well of us For then wee should be happier than Christ himselfe was he could not have every mans good word Some said he was a good man others nay but he deceiveth the people All did not love him but all the godly all that loved the truth and where they love God himselfe loves therefore wee are to rejoyce in the love of the faithfull VERSE 2. THe last is the procreant cause of this love Where first there is the Loadstone that drew this love 2. The permanencie of this love in regard of the foundation whereupon it is built for the truths sake truth lasts for ever so shall this love doe They did not love her because she was an honourable Lady a beautifull Lady c. but because of the truth of the Gospell that had taken firme roote in her heart Some love for pleasure Isaac loved Esau because Venison was his meate that was his delight An adulterer loves an harlot for the satisfying of his filthy lust Some love for profit they love their friends as they doe their cowes horses and grounds for the benefit they reape by them Some love for beauty so Shechem loved Dinah Some love for honour and promotion in hope to be preferred by such a great man All these stand upon a tickle ground pleasure vanisheth and that quickly too then love vanisheth together with it When Amnon had gotten his pleasure of Tamar he hated her more than before he loved her Riches betake themselves to their wings as Salomon speaketh and flie away then love flies away too If a rich man become a poore man we set not much by him Honour is mutable the naile that is now aloft is in the dirt as it fell out with Haman then he is little regarded of any of his followers Beauty fades away like a flower then love fades away too love for the truths sake for Christs sake for the Gospels sake and that will be a permanent love But what is this truth Is not that changeable No verily For as Aquinas doth well distinguish though fides qua creditur ceaseth when we be in heaven yet fides quae creditur shall be in heaven though justifying faith ceaseth for we shall not neede to beleeve in Christ any longer when we shall see him face to face Yet the doctrine of faith which wee beleeve touching eternall happinesse purchased by Christ shall remaine when wee be in heaven the truth shall be with us for ever VERSE 3. THat shall suffice for the description now to the precation Where 1. There is the blessing prayed for 2. the persons frow whom 3. An addition made to those blessings The blessings prayed for are three grace mercy peace these be with you In the Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be with you but the future is put for the imperative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be with you and abide with you forever Aquinas doth thus distinguish them Gratia culpam delens Grace wiping away the guilt of Sinne Misericordiam poenam indulgens mercy remitting the punishment of sinne Pax Deo reconcilians peace reconciling us to God rather Grace is the roote the undeserved love and favour of God by which we are all that we are By the grace of God I am that I am Without him we are nothing the other are the branches budding from it Mercy which hath reference to our manifold miseries Peace arising of our reconciliation to God by Christ Being justified by faith wee have peace with God The persons from whom First from God the Father as the Author of all goodnesse Every good gift commeth from above form the Father of lights c. Then from Christ the Sonne of God and the Mediatour of mankinde who is 1. The Lord the Lord and King of the Church 2. Iesus a sweete Saviour that hath saved us from our sinnes 3. Christ the annointed King Priest and Prophet of the Church the Sonne of the Father Therefore God as well as the Father Where then is the holy Ghost Saint Augustine will have him to be comprehended in the gifts for we can have no gift but by the holy Ghost the destributer of them Or as Aquinas saith the holy Ghost is understood in the other two persons being nexus utriusque he sacred bond that unites them together The blessings annexed and added are truth and love Caietan with some others referre them to Christ the Sonne of the Father in truth and love that is his true and beloved Sonne they be rather to be adjoyned to the former and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with truth i. the vertue of truth and love to God and man these make a demonstration of the former to the world VERSE 4. NOw let us enter into the bowels of the Epistle The matter of it is a gratulation and an exhortation verse 5. First he praiseth her for the time past then he doth incite her for the time to come the gratulation is expressed by a joy wherewith he was ravished where 1. There is the greatnesse of his joy 2 the object of his joy 3. the rule for the ordering of it I rejoyced Christians may be joyfull Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes againe I say rejoyce At that time Iesus rejoyced in his Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he danced as it were for joy as here Saint Iohn rejoyceth in his Spirit and not a little but greatly too As the wise men rejoyced with an exceeding great joy when they found Christ. So he rejoyced with a great joy that he found of her children walking in the truth of Christ there is the object of his joy That I found by diligent observation when I was at thy house and by the constant relation of others since Of thy Children not all but some of them seldome are all good
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