they lived wee shall finde nothing whereof wee may glorie For indeede it was the Egypte of superstition and spirituall darkenesse and therefore as * Deering vpon the epistle to the Hebr. lect 24. one hath lefte in writing vpon this Epistle to the Hebrewes if wee goe after Baalims vvhich our fathers haue taught vs wee shall bee fedde vvith the wormwoode vvhich our fathers haue leaten Yea let vs assure our selues vvee shall bee beaten vvith more stripes then our fathers if vvee will wittinglie treade in their steppeâ— For as Bulliuger saith if thy forefathers Bulliuget vpon thâ— Apoc. set 35. bad had the like opportunitie vvhich then neglectest vvhat a space vvould they haue runne afore thee And therefore as it shall bee easier for Tyrâ—â— Luke 10. 14. and Sâ—lon at the day of iudgemente then for them that heard Christ and saw his miracles and were not the better therefore so I may say it shall be easier for our forefathers at that day then for them which bring forth no good fruite nor make profession of the trueth beeing preached and made knowne vnto them vvhich hath not beene so revealed to our fathers as it is now to the people of our daies The seconde cause why the Apostle reciteth 2 this scripture of David is that with the example and punishmente of them that tempted and hardened their heartes in the deseâ—te hee mighte terrifie the Hebrevves and make them more carefull to receiue the vvordes of exhortation and to obey the voice of Christ the mediatour of the new testament whose voice as he is greater then Moses so shall they draw vpon them great erpunishment which neglect to heare it The children of Israell of vvhom mention is heere made after they vvere delivered out of Egypt by Moses for al that they had seene the works of God his miracles which he wrought for them in Egypt at the redde sea yet they tempted him in the wildernesse and doubted of his â—goodnesse and providence towardes them and said is the Lord among vs or no because they had not Exod. 17. 7. water at their pleasure This was the provocation which is here mentioned wherewith the Lorde God was tempted in the vvildernes of his own people after that he had delivered theÌ„ out of the hands of their enemies And againe when they should haue gone out of the wildernesse into the land of Canaan to possesse it and to dwell therein where they should haue had rest peace and prosperity yet they beleeved not the worde of God * The chil-dren of Israel are coÌ„manded to goe vp and possesse the land which God had said before them but they say they will sende men to search out the land Deur I. 21. 22. and therefore the Lord sâ—â—ll bearing with them biddeth them len Num. 1â— â—3 how be it the event and issue of their sending declareth that it came from the peopleâ— disobedience to the word of God for the years in which they did bâ—â—râ— their iniquity in the wildernesse are measured with the number or the daies in the which they had searched out the land of Câ—naan Num. 13. 14. 33. 34. but sent twelue men a man out of every tribe of the children of Israell to search the land to know what maner of land it was and whether they might obtaine it or no as if the living God and Lorde of the whole earth which had done so many thinges for them shoulde not nowe bee able to subdue their enemies and to giue them the land according to his promise And when the twelue men returned after fortie daies from searching of the lande and brought with them of the fruite thereof to shewe to all the congregation of the children of Israell tenne of the twelue brought vp an evil report slander vpon the land to these ten men the whole assembly gaue credite and their words to them seemed to bee true And therefore they murmured against Moses and Aaron and would haue made a Num. 14. new captaine to bring them againe vnto Egypt but Ioshua and Caleb two of the twelue that had searched the land al the multitude would haue stoned with stones for the truth sake which these two men reported of the land because they perswaded the people not to rebel against the Lord. Thus the Israelites that came out of Egypt tempted the Lord in the wildernesse and provoked him to anger by following the counsels of their owne harts therefore the Lord saith of theÌ„ as it is in this text they erre â—ver in their hearts and what was then their punishments as I liue saith the Lord I wil surely do vnto you even as ye haue spoken in mine ears Num. 14. 28. 2â— your carkases shall sal in this wildernesse c. And so it came to passe for of the sixe hundreth thousand which came out of Egyptâ— and vvere able to discerne betweene good and evil none but two men Caleb the sonne of Iephiumeth and Ioshua the sonne of Nun which constantly as the scripture saith followed Num. 32. 12 the Lord did enter into the land of Canaan to inhabite it all the rest were consumed in the terrible wildernesse according to the worde of the Lord for Moses saith and the Lord was Num. 32. 13 very angry with Israell and made them wander in the wildernesse fourty yeares vntill all the generation that had done evill in the sighte of the Lorde were consumed And here the text saith therefore I sware in my wrath if they shoulde enter into my rest Where it is said in my wrath we are to vnderstand that God who is a spirite immortal infinite and incomprehensible with whome is 1am 1. 17. no variablenesse neither shadow by turning is not subiect to any of these passions which the scriptures seeme to attribute vnto him as wrath ielousie greefe repentance and the like But these things are figuratiuely applyed to God after the manner of men for our vnderstandinge sake vvhich are not able to conceiue of heavenly things without metaphors allegories â—arables and similitâ—â—es borrowed from earthlie and naturall things which are therefore so much vsed in holy scriptures for ouâ—â— learning And heere by the name of wrath or anger is set foorth the determinate sentence of Gods eternall iustice against sin and disobedience And when it is said that he sware it teacheth vs feare and consirmeth to vs that Gods threatnings fall not to the grounde without Augustine in Psal 95. full effect For as Aurelius Augustine saith vpon this place iurantem hominem debes timere thou oughtest to feare when a man sweareth least for his oths sake he should do that which is * As Herod did Mar. 6. 26. when he caused Iohn Bapsist to be beheaded against his will howe much more saith he oughtest thou to feare when God sweareth who can sware nothing rashlie his oath is a sure confirmation Wheras in deed as another father saith
THE DAY OF HEARING Or SIX LECTVRES VPON THE latter part of the thirde Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes of the time and meanes that God hath appointed for men to come to the knowledge of his truth that they may be saved from his wrath The summary pointes of every one of which Lectures are set downe immediatly after the Epistle dedicatory Herevnto is adioyned a Sermon against fleshly lusts against certaine mischievous May-games which are the fruit thereof By H. R. Master of Artes and now Minister of the word Ioh. 3 19. This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkenesse rather then light because their deedes were evill Printed at Oxford by Ioseph Barnes and are to be sold in Paules church-yard at the signe of the Bible 1600. TO THE RIGHT HONOVrable SIR THOMAS EGERTON Knigâ—â— Lord Keeper of the great seale of England one of her Maâ—esties most Honourable prâ—vâ—â— counsell my especiall benefactor the increase and coâ—tinuance of all spiritual blessings with that true honor which is from God lasteth for evermore DVTY binding me Right â—onourable to shew some testimonie of a thankfull mind towards you I haue presumed so farre as to offer to your good Lordship this small exercise of mine such as it is which I haue taught and written according to the ability that God hath giveÌ„ me as the charge committed to me required The Apostle Paule instructeth his scholer Timotheus and in him all ministers that haue the charge of teaching to shew themselues approved vnto God 〈◊〉 Tim. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as workemen that neede not to be ashamed dividing the word of truth aright For in so dividing of the word consisteth the life force of the ministery that all meÌ„ what age or conditioÌ„ soever they be of which wil be fed to liue everlastingly may haue their portioÌ„ of meate giveÌ„ theÌ„ out of that word that in season or coÌ„ueniently that it may be savoury pleasant as the venifon of Iacob was vnto his father Isaac and not vnsavoury as the sonnes of Elie made the offering of the Lord to be abhorred But such is the vntowardnes of this age which in respect of the time should haue abounded with all knowledge necessary to salvation that not only countrey people specially where the worde hath seldome beene divided aright but also the inhabitants of townes cities in too many places of this lande haue neede to be taught the first principles of the word of God For now in the latter daies on the one side the pride of life Atheisme the custom of sin hath so bewitched the world that the heartes of most men are become fat their eares are dul of hearing that the word which they hear doth not profit theÌ„ neither do the manifolde tokens of Gods anger revealed against the impiety vnrighteousnes of this age as the pestilence the late dearth sundry new strang sicknesses nor the present troubles of wars beside other innumurable exaÌ„ples of Gods displeasure daily seene among vs any thing moue secure worldlings and such as are hardened in vngodlines to turne froÌ„ their own waies to obey the gospell of God while it is yet called To day And on the other side the poison of the whorish church of Rome hath so spred it selfe over the worlde that as certaine wilde beastes of which Cicero writeth Denâ—l deor lib. 2. wheÌ„ they be huÌ„ted are wont with an intollerable filthy sent to driue froÌ„ theÌ„ the huÌ„ters so the leaveÌ„ of Antichrist though he be now hunted to his place hath infected all that way where hee hath gon that the vnholesome savor there of cannot yet be purged with the bright fire of Gods word no not in those places where the word hath of a long season beene divided aright not withstaÌ„ding the coÌ„tinual diligence of faithful Pastours in their ministery the vnreproueablenes of their conversation and the godly writings of many learned and zealous men For mine owne part being one of the least last among my brethreÌ„ in this so weighty a calling as afflictions are the assigned portion of a Christian I haue beene weakned with Gods visitation of sicknesse chastened with the adversities of this life that little was the good that could be done by such as I am I rejoice of mine infirmities knowing as * Marâ—i◠〈…〉 hâ—r one that was sufficiently tried with afflictions hath writteÌ„ for the coÌ„fort of others that experience practise in bearing the crosse is that which maketh a right divine a true ChristioÌ„ indeede Howbeit having now aboue a yeare since at several times according to that measure of grace that I received exercised vpon the latter part of the 3. Chap. of the â—ipist to the Hebrewes supposing that setipture to bee most fit to bee handled in these daies and among those people whoÌ„ I was to instruct I thought it my duty and the rather being requested to publish the same to the benefite of others specially of such as hunger after good things accept of that portioÌ„ of meat which curious ful stomackes haue no lust to I haue added thereto a sermon the matter whereof the cause of annexing it to these Lectures is briefly specified in the preface to the reader if profane writings as histories of profane mens liues bookes of lustful loue invented fables tricks of vaine mens wits which helpe to builde the Babel of pride to fortifie the Egypt of sin be so favourably received studied on in the world much more is Christian doctrine to bee regarded of Christian men And whereas greate clerkes and graue divines do out of the treasure of their many yeares studies bring their gold and blew silke to the building of the Lordes sanctuary let goates haire be accepted at the handes of younger and Poorer men so it bee fit for the building and be offered of a willing heart as the Lord requireth It 〈◊〉 â—55 skilleth not what prowde and envious men iudge of our enterprise so long as we haue the testimony of a pure conscience The world is alwaies like it selfe ful of scorpion like scoffers And it is no new thing to see the commoÌ„ evil of envie so to reigne in most men that they haue other mens doings in obloquje â—â—eke to depratie them And this they do as the Poet saith ducunt Vel quia nil rectum nisi quod placuit sibi 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vel quia turpe putant parere minoribus either because they count nothing well done but that which pleaseth their humoâ— or else because they thinke it a foule disgrace that their inferiours should go before them But that I bee not tedious vnto your honour as I haue founde vndeserved favour at your handes so being not othervvise able to testifie my loue to you I am bolde to present vnto your Lordship this litle fruite of my labour hoping that of your wonted
Canaan These thinges being so alleadged by the Author of this Epistle to warne the Hebrews and in them all other people to whom the same gospel is revealed to the end that they might heereby receiue instruction to bee the more careful to heare the voice of Christ the prince of all the Prophets and the end of the law to every one that beleeveth Now he proceedeth to applie the exhortation of the Prophet more particularlie according as the time of Godes calling requireth And by this word brethren he declareth his tender affection toward them and the earnest desire that he hath to winne them to Christ Where we are to know in what sense they are called brethran Not according to nature as Iacob and Esau were 4 Soâ—tes of brethren brethren nor â—or consanguinitie sake as all the lewes vvere brethren neither are they called brethren by imitation or for their agreement in evill as Simon and Leui are Gen. 49. 5. called brethren in euill because they hadde consented to slaie a man and in this sense malefactours and vvicked menne imitating one another and consenting to doe evil are brethren But according to trueth the Hebrewes are â—heere called brethren for all the faithfull are brethren by grace It appeareth in many places of this Epistle that much people of the Ievves vvere converted to the Christian faith and had received the doctrine of the Gospell and acknowledged CHRIST IESVS for their Messias And also it is recorded in the Actes of the Apostles that manye thousande levves Act. 21. 20. did beleeue Yet the chiefest of them and for the more part the vvhole nation vvere obstinate and persisted in the blindnesse of their owne hearts and also those that beleeved vvere all zealous of the lavve of Moses retaining with the gospel the Circumcision the sabbath day the purification and other ceremonies of the lawe And therefore as the doctrine of the holy Ghost in this scripture is most forcible to perswade the vnbelieuing to receiue the grace of God in Christ so is it most necessarie to keepe and strengthen the weake members in the sinceritie of the Gospell and to teach them to forsake the ceremonies and earthly rudiments now abrogated and taken away by the death of the Messias Thus we vnderstand that as brethren by grace and indued with Christian faith he exherteth them to be ware of an evill heart of vnbeliefe There is no defection or falling away from the liuiâ—g God where there is not an evill heart And therfore where the Prophet speaketh of the prouoking and apostasie of their fathers in the wildernesse it is added with all they erre ever in their heart There Psal 95. 10. Hebr. 3. 10 is the roote of evill and insidelitie euen the heart The holy Prophet saith the heart is deceitfull and wicked aboue all thinges who can Ier. 17. 9. know it Heere we see that naturally in the heart of man there is nothinge but wickednesse and obduration and this is the cause that the children of men are accustomed to do evill and to delight in sinne For such as the tree is so is the fruit thereof And so long as this obduration possesseth mans heart his voluntarie religion is nothinge but Hypocrisie his outvvarde shewe of obedience is but dissimulation vvhen hee offereth his praiers and intercessions it is but lippe labour like the people which drew neere vnto Christ vvith their mouth and honoured him vvith their but their hearte faith he is farre from 〈◊〉 and therefore they worshipped him it vaine Simon the Sorcerer as it is in the Actes Act. 8. 11. of the Apostles beleeued and was baptised but he was not therefore the better for Peter said to him thine hart is not right in the sight of the Lorde VVherefore if you wil loue the Lorde your God you must loue him with loue out of a pure heart For that is the ende 1. Tim. 15. of his commaundement For the Lord iudgeth not as men doe after the outwarde appearance but as it is written the Lord be holdeth 1. Sam. 16. 7. the heart If the heart be not purged by grace all outwarde holynesse is but as painted sepulchers faire without and foule within or as greene grasse and faire flowres vnder the which lyeth a venimous snake that will sting you to death Christ telleth you that out of the hearte come those things that defile the whole man as evill thoughtes murthers Mat. 15. 19. 20. adulteries fornications theftes false testimonies slaunders and the like And for this cause his Apostle faith purge your heartes yee lam 48. wavering minded For while the heart is not purged there is nothing in man but a vvavering minde and as the same Apostle faith avvavering minded man is vnstable in all his vvaies He is carried from one vanitie to another he selleth himselfe to sinne from miquitie to iniquity Hee is content with Iudas to sell Christ and Christian religion for the gaine of this world and for the pleasures of sinne this is the fruite of an evill heart and vnfaithful which hateth to be reformed and will not obey the voice of the almighty The Prophet Zachariah crieth out against the people that would not heare the law of their God and saith they made their hearts as Zâ—c 7. 12. an adaâ—anâ—â— stone least they shoulde heare the lâ—we c. Their hearts were so farre from beleeving the word of the Lorde that for the hardnesse therof he compareth them to the adamant stone Plin. nat â—ist lib. 37. cap. 4. The adamant as the historiographers doe obserue is the hardest of all other stones It is so hard that no toole can breake it no fire can heate it yea nothing can overcome the hardnesse of this stone or soften it breake it but only the warme blood of the he Goat And surelie the hearts of the children of this world are rightly compared with the harde adamant which naturally are so hardened in sinne that without the dew of grace and the vertue of the bloode of Christ make them soft and renew them all our preaching all our exhorting and dehorting though we had the tongues of men and angels cannot soften nor turne the heart For as it is vvritten that vvhich is crooked can â—o Eccle. 1. 15. man make straight VVee see that the gracious and most powerfull wordes of Christ himselfe did nothing prevaile to winne tho hard hearted Iewes but ratheri hardened them in their contumacie and made them more perverse theÌ„ they were before because the vaile of vnbeliefe was laide over their hearts Beholde how great a roote of wickednes is the obduration and frowardnesse of the heart whence commeth the forsaking of life and health vttered in that desperate sentence against the counsell of the almighty departe from vs for vvee desire not the Iob. 2â— â—4 knowledge of thy waies Neverthelesse although most men haue not the heartes of brethren yet this doctrine must
be preached to al take heede brethren least at any time there bee in anie of you an evil hart and vnfaithful to depart awaie from the living God He is called the living God in two respects the one is for difference sake put betweene him and the Idols of the Gentiles which were the worke of mens handes and had no life and yet were they called Gods But he is more properlie and truely called the liuing God for excellency sake because he ever liveth and is the well spring of life which giveth to all things life and being To fall away therefore through the evill of thine owne heart from him which is to thee all in all thinges is a desperate evill case Here we learne that it profiteth vs nothing to haue beleeued the word of life to haue begunne in the spirite if afterwarde we falle by the way and seeke to be made perâ—ect by the flesh For as the Prophet saith whensoeuer the righteous man turneth away from his Ezech. 18. 〈◊〉 righteousnesse and committeth iniquitie he shall even die for the same Many haue begun wel and haue afterwarde fainted in the midst of their race departed from the living God Ioash king of Iudah began to doe well and did that which was acceptable in the sighte 2 Chro. 24. of the Lord so loÌ„ as Iehoâ—ada the priest lived but afterward he fel to idolarry departed away from the living God So Amaziab his 2. Chio. 25. sonne at the beginning of his taigne did vprightly in the eieâ— of the Lorde but not with a perfect heart For he was weary of wel doing And therefore hee was slame and â—reason was wrought against him when he turned away from the Lord. The Galathians Gal. 3. 3. Gal. 5. 7. began in the spirite did runne well for a time but afterwardes they turned away from the truth to the weake rudiments of the world and would be made perfect by the flesh Gal. 3. 3. And among other examples of this Apostasie or falling away from grace not able is that of Iulian the Emperour who for his revolting is called Apostata In his youth he was brought vp in the colledge of clergy men and profited so well in Christian learning Greg. Naz. in Iusiansi or at 1. that hee became a publique reader of the holy scriptures but afterward he sufrered himselfe to be deceived of heathen Philosophers and then renouncing Christianity he gaue himselfe to Paganisme in the raigne of the Emperour Constantius He vvas taken for a sound Christian and for his sucsesse in warre for his learning his gentlenes and many other laudable giftes that he had he was highlie renouned But when he was promoted to the empire and had full authoritie then hee shewed himselfe an Apostaia Hee was wont contunieliouslye to call Christ our sauiour Galileus the man of Gablee and by all craftie meanes to seeke the dishonour of the Christians aduancing the Paganes and such as woulde forsake Christ and his religion to honour and offices and so in despite of Christianisme he licensed and ayded the lews to build the temple at Ierusalem Greg. Naz. in lusianaÌ„ oral 2. But when they laid the foundations thereof the earth claue asunder with a great earth quake a mightie storme of wind arose that their whole worke was overthrowne many of the lews slain many of theÌ„ burnt maimed in their principal members with lightnings and fire from heauen Other tokens of Gods wrath were seene among them as also in the hoast of luliaÌ„ And so the lewes were made to desist from their wicked enterprise And lulian when he had reigned a yeare and seuen monthes or there abouts hauing receyued his deathes wound in battell against the Persians tooke his hand ful of blood and threw it into the aire saying vicists tandem Galiae thou man of Galilee meaning Christ Iesus when all is done thou hast the victory With this blasphemie vttered in despaire and in a feeling of woe he perished Here is a notable paterne of an evill heart and vnfaithfull Many in al ages haue after this maner fallen away from the liuing God and haue gone from Christ to Antichrist though not so famous as Indian It can not be vnknowne to them which by reading exercise seeke the ground of true religion how many in this land which seemed to be professors of the word of God in the reigne of the last king Edward haue fallen away againe in the dayes of Queene Mary and like the wethercocke haue turnd from the Gospel to the Masse and from the seruants of Christ became the seruaÌ„ts of the Pope rather then they would forsake either wife children lands houses or other earthly commodities for Christ the Gospels sake Againe which is more to bee lamented not fewe within these forty yeares being brought vppe in this their natiue country in schooles and vniversities of learning when they shoulde haue done good in the church of God haue contrariewyse runne beyond the seas to commite fornication with that painted harlot the false church of Rome then haue become rebells agaynst God and his eternal word against their lawful prince and their natural countrey They haue imitated lulian in apostasie And it is come vnto them according to the saying of the holy Ghost the doggees returned to his vomit and the 2. Pet. 2. 22. sowe that was washed to the wallowing in the â—â—re to leaue these men to him to whom they fall there are now abiding in this land too many that are infected with the leauen of them which haue drunke of the poysoned cup of Rome and doe wilfully withdrawe themselues from the true church and refuse â—o heare the doctrine of the Gospell least they should be converted thereby and least the savior of the world should heale them An evil heart therfore hath deceived these people And this is the iust iudgement of God to sende them strong delusion as the scripture 2. Thess 〈◊〉 11. 12. faith that they shoulde beleeuelâ—â—s that all they might bee damned which beleeued not the trueth but bad pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Nowe the remedie which the Apostle prescribeth against the custome of sinne against apostasie and falling away from GOD is exhort one another daily vvhile it is called to day least any of you bee hardened through the deceitnesse of sinne Although this dutie of exhorting doeth chieflie belong to the Ministers and teachere of the worde of GOD as Paule teacheth 2. Tim. 4. 2 preach the vvordo bee instant in season and out of season 〈…〉 prooue rebuke exhorte vvith all long suffering and doctrine yet here the holie GHOST speaking by the Authour of this Epistle wil haue all men which professe true religion to exhort one another and that daylie or every day for asmuch as there is no day nor houre of our life without temptations of infidelitie and without the snares of death laid in our waies And therefore wee are
he is nothing ashamed of his sinne The sinne of whoredome cometh to the leacherous and to the wanton naminge it selfe sweete loue or a tricke of youth and then it is receiued as a delectable guest and not as sinne which stayeth â—he soule Pride in apparel deceiveth the prowd vaine glorious soule vnder the title of cleanlines and decencte because if it come vnder the name of pride it is more odiouse and is knowne to be sinne Neither is there any sinne so soule or detestable which is not smoothed with some faire name and title to cloake it with all For herein is the deceitfollnesse of sinne and here with are men deceyued and hardened that they sinne as with cart ropes and drinke vp iniquitie like water But woe vnto them saith the Prophet thas speake good of euil and euill of good which put Isa 5. 10. darknesse for light and light for darkensse that put bitter for sweete and sweete for sâ—wre Now if you haue not an evill heart of vnbeliefe call vpon the name of the Lord seeke the Lorde while he may be fouÌ„d seeke the knowledge of his waies while it is called to daie that so you may be able to exhorte and instruct one another and to avoide the deceitfulnesse of sinne before you bee hardened and blinded through the craftinesse thereof let vs nowe â—oâ—e togither and pray The thirde Lecture vpon the 14. verse of faith and of the assurance of salvation and â—verlasting felicitie to the true beleevers 14 For we are made partakers of Christ â—f we keep sure vnto the ende the beginning wherevvith we are vpholden THE Apostle having already prooued by plaine and strong argumentes that Christ is the sonne of God and the Messias that should redeeme Israell and hauing exhorted the Hebrewes to beware of infidelity and disobedience which waâ— the cause that their forefathers perished in the wildernesse whose example he layeth before them in the scripture of the Psalmist before alledged now he declareth howe and by vvhat means we are made true members of Christ and fellow heires with him of the celestiall inheritance We are made partakers of Christ saith he if vvs keepe sure vnto the â—nd the beginning wherewith we are vpholden These words lead vs to speak of faith and iustification by faith In the 6. of Iohn it is recorded that when the people which had seene the miracles of Christ asked what they shoulde doe that they Io. 6. 28. might worke the works of God Christ telleth theÌ„ this is the work of God that yeâ— cleeue in him whoÌ„ ver 29. he hath sent And in the 2. of the Actes those Iewes which had heard the sermon of Peter being pâ—icked in their hearts said to the Apostles men and brethren what shall we do To whoÌ„ Act 2. 37. the Apostle Peter answereth ameÌ„d your liues ver 38. be baptised every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins And in the 16. of the Acts to the layâ—er or keeper of the prisoÌ„ Act. 16. 30. demanding what he must do to be saued Paule ver 31. Sylas say beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ These the like placeâ— of scriptures my brethreÌ„ do teach vs principally two things the one is that there is a feare of deatâ— eternall and of Gods iudgements naturally remaining in the hearts of all men according as it is written that for feare of death men are Heb. 2. 15. all their life time subiect to bondage And that is because of sinne and the testimony of a guilty conscience which as wee see vpon any occasion of feare bewraveth that sinne lyeth at the dore The other thing which wee doe heere learne is vvhere the remedie against the strength of sinne the sting of death is to be found namely in the Lord Iesus Christ by beleeuinge in him for among in in there as giuen noâ—e other name vnder heauen wherby we must be saued but by the Act. 〈◊〉 11. name of Christ Iesus who vvas deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our instification Rom. 4. 25. As in the time of Moses there was no remedie not cure that could helpe them that were stung with the firie and venemous serpents in the wildernesse but onely the be holding of the braslen serpent which Moses had set vp made the poyson harmelesle Num 21. 9. and saued from death them that were bitten so is there no mediatour nor aduocate in heauen nor in earth nor any oblation or offering of man that can deliuer from the death of the soule and breake the force of the poyson of sinne but onely true faith which is the eie of the soule wherby we behold him that was figured in the brassen serpent and is lifted vpon the tree of the crosse for the health and saluation of all that beleeue This is the wedding garmente which whosoeuer hath not put on is in danger to be cast into vtter darkenesse where shall be weeping and guashing of teeth This is the faith wherby Mat. 22. 12. 13 the iust do liue This is the begining where with wee are vpholde which we must keepe sure vnto the end In the text it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning of the substaunce And some translate it the foundation of the assurance vvhich foundation is the sounde doctrine of the Gospell of CHRIST apprehended by faith or according to Chrisostomes exposition faith it selfe For that is the organe or instrumente whereby we are made partakers of Christ VVee finde in an other place of this Epistle that the Apostle vseth the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Heb. 11. 1. definition of faith By this phrase therefore the beginning of the substance vnto the ende is meant nothing else but continuance or perseverance in the faith of Christ according to that to the Coloss 1. 23. If yee continue grounded Col. 1. 23. and established in the faith These and the like places in the scriptures which speake with this conditioÌ„ if ought not to be so vnderstood as if any of the faithful that are elected to life eternal could perish or fall away froÌ„ grace but they do effectually exhort vs to be the more strengthened in the spirit against the weaknes of the flesh the coÌ„tinual al teÌ„ptatioÌ„s of this life that would gueÌ„ch our faith For there are many imperfectioÌ„s in the faith of the godly so long as they liue vpon the earth And the narrownes of our harts is such that we cannot comprehend as wee ought to doe what God will doe for vs but yet the gates of hell and the stormes of this life that neuer put out the candel of Gods elect which is their faith This faith therfore is here called the substance or vnholding or sure standing by a the vse of building for as no building canne stand vvithout a sure substance or foundation to stande vpon
a humane hardening or the hardening of God and the the hardening of man and yet the one of these doeth not harden without the other for God hardeneth not Pharaohs heart but that Pharaohs owne will is the cause of it his hardening proceedeth not from any other but froÌ„ himselfe And therefore the scripture saith that Pharaoh hardeâ—ed his heart Neither for al that Eâ—od 9. 34. doeth Pharaoh harden his owne heart but God doeth it iudicially or according to his secret iudgements for the kings heart is in the hand of the â—ord Pro. 21. 1. But when it is said that God hardeneth the heart we must not so vnderstand it as if God should make that hard which before was softe and tender or of it selfe was not hard For the truth is that all men are borne with a hard heart and darke vnderstanding even with a heart of stone like the Adamant of the which wee haue heard already And for this cause the Lord saith by his Prophet I will take away the stoâ—â—◠〈◊〉 36. 26. heart oâ—â— of your bodie and I will giue you an heart of flesh God therefore is saide to harden the heart when as he denieth his grace and the fire of his holy spirite to molâ—â—fie and soften that which is naturally hard even as when the heat of the fire is denied to the softening of the hard and vntempered waxe This is called of some a prâ—vatiue hardening because God detaineth his grace from men for iust causes which are not knowne to vs. Beside this God hardeneth after an other manner when he doeth not only suffer the heart to remaine in that hardnesle and obduration which it hath by nature but doeth also externally harden it more and more by his ministers For as we may see in 〈◊〉 Pharaoh was made more obstinate hard-hearted by the ministery of Moses and Aaron then he was before hee had heard â—hese men And in these daies we haue too much expetience hereof by seeing vngodly men to become the more froward and malicious the more that they heare Gods worde and are taught by his ministers This is Gods iudicial hardening of the heart whereby in his iust iudgementes hee punisheth the former sinnes of men and for this purpose he commandeth his ministers as it is written Make the heart of this people â—at make their eares heavie Isa 10. shut their eies least they see with their eies and heare with their eares and vnderstande with their hearts and convert that I might heale theÌ„ Here we see how and wherefore God hardeneth the heart Now the humane hardening or the hardening attributed to man himselfe is that which the text that we handle warneth vs to beware of if yee heare his voice harden not your hearts This hardening of the hart is nothing else but a voluntary purpose and intent of man to continue in sinne and not to follow nor obey the doctrine of Gods everlasting trueth howsoeuer it be preached vnto him as hereof we haue examples in king Saule in Iudas in Iuhan the Apostaâ—â— and others ' but specially in Pharach whom the scriptures do set before vs as a notable paterne of a disobedient and hard-hearted man After this maner thhrefore the Israelies in the wildernesle hardened their heartes by grudging and bitter strining against Moses when they wanted water notwithstanding they had the word of the Lord among them This is it Exod. 17. which the Apostle putteth vs in minde of when he saith harden not your hearts as in the pâ—ovâ—â—ation And this is the hardening wherewith man hardeneth his heart even his own perverse will and purpose of sinning wherin he persisteth and so becoÌ„meth the minister of death perdition to his own soule Now the cause of all hardening of the heart is sin and the custome of sinning For Moses saith Phiraoh sinned againe and hardened his hearte Exod. 9. 34. There Pharaohs sinne goeth before the hardening of his heart VVherefore consider how fearefull and dangerous the custome of sinne is it bringeth hardnesse of hearte which denyeth obedience to the worde of God and despiseth his holy ministery and so groweth to fulnesse of sinne the wages whereof is death eternall Let the consideration Rom. 6. 23. of these thinges cause you with feare reverence to hear the Gospel of your salvation and before you come to heare it bee careful as the Apostle exhorteth to cast away euery thing that presseth downe and the sinne that Heb. 12. 1. hangeth so fast on that wheÌ„ the Lord speaketh by the mouth of his messâ—gers you may haue cares to hear hearts to vnderstaÌ„d be in a readmes to heare his voice to say with Samuel speake Lord for thy servaÌ„t heareth Here 1. Sam. 3. 10 we see that as there was a voice hard so there was a readines to hear it Here â—od did speak here man was prepared to heare him But this exaÌ„ple of obedieÌ„ce preparatioÌ„ to heare the Gospell which is more glorious speaketh better thinges then the law is too rare in our age For most men and women though they resort to church and to Christian congregations are yet in the time of divine exercise of the word of God more ready to speake then to heare They are more ready to pray by themselues and to offer vp a sacrifice of their owne superstition then either to heare reading or preaching of the holy scriptures or to consent with one mind to the common praters of the whole church if the time so require yea and some are not content to be thus farre superstitious but wil also giue themselues to read on some praier booke when God speaketh to them out of his booke of life Such blinde devotion of men and private repeating of words out of due time and place must needes be a sacrifice not accepted but reiected of God For it cannot be the fruit of faith because you haue not so learned Christ and whatsoever saith the Apostle is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14. 13 Marke a speciall doctrine of that famous preacher Salomon touching this point take heede to thy foote when thou enterest into the house Eccl. 4. 7. of God and be wore neere to heare then to giue the sacrifice of fooles for they know not that they dâ—â— evill If they know not that they do evil then they do it of ignorance But it is evil saith he and we are taught that Christians must abstaine not onely from evill it selfe but from al appeâ—â—â—nce of evill Yet because nothing is so 1. Thess 5. 22. evill but if it be commonly vsed seemeth to be good and men will needs defend it so to be as in this case some are wont to say that when they giue themselues to pray privatly in the church they doe it that they may be the better prepared to serue God But as the Apostle saith to the Corinthians which came disorderedly to the receiving of the
Lordes supper haue yee not houses to eate and to drincke 1. Cor. 11. 22. in So I may say to such meÌ„ if you wil pray alone and pray privatly haue yee not houses and privat places to pray in ought yee not at home and before yee come from home to prepare your selues to remember that going to church you go to appeare before the Lorde to heare his voice for the attaining of faith and to praise him with the congregation And for this cause as a learned painfull teacher in these daies hath writteÌ„ ought M. Perkiâ—s vpon the fourth commandement wee on the Sabboth day to arise early in the morning that wee may prepare our selues to the better sanctifying of that day And this preparation as he saith consisteth in private prayers and taking account of our severall sinnes but no man can be ignorant that privat prayers must be referred to privat places and time convenient For as Salomon saith to all thinges there is an appointed t 〈…〉 Eccle. 3. 1. But if you thinke that the temple or materiall house where we assemble our selues for diuine exercise can make your prayers more holy then your heartes from whence they proceed can make them yee are then indeede super 〈…〉 For the Lord of heaven and earth dwelleth not in temples built Act. 17. 24. with hâ—â—ds Neither is one place of the earth in respect of the place it selfe more acceptable to him then an other For now the temple at Ierusalem which was called the house of prayer hath an end And as the scriptures affirme you your selues if yee be true Christians are the temple of the liuing god 2. Cor. 6. 16 1. Cor. 6. 19 No place therefore as one father saith doeth sanctifie or make holy the man that is in it but rather the man the place yet for the defence of this evill custome of praying in preposterous maner some say it is a decent order for meÌ„ wheÌ„ they come into the church to kneele downe and pray The coÌ„trary is rather true for it is an affected disorder and betokeneth what of reuerence to the word of God his ordinance for some meÌ„ to be at their own praiers wheÌ„ the whole assembly doth either heare the word or pray otherwise with one accord This is not according to the rule oâ— the Apostle with one mind and with one â—onth to prayse God except they Rom. 15. 6. that wil pray by themselues when time and place serue not therevnto haue another God beside the father of our Lord â—esus Christ Where Luke writeth how the Apostles recemed the holy Ghost vpon the day of Pentecost he saith that then they were all with one Act. 2 1. accord in one place And for this cause hath Christ promised to be in the midst of them that Mat. 18. 20. are gathered together in his name assuring vs of his spirituall presence to be with vs if ther be vnitie of faith Christian concord in our assemblies And this vnitie is when as the Apostle exhorteth all speake one thinge are knit together in one minde and in one iudgment without distentions But for al this some meÌ„ 1. Cor. 1. 10 because they will not seeme to do otherwise then they haue bene accustomed can cavill say that because praier is good it is good to pray alwaies therfore they wil repeate their praiers when they may be seene of meÌ„ and when other men pray not These are like the Heretickes which were called Euchites Euchits or Psalliapistâ—s for that they were woÌ„t to spend much time in praying and to repeate their praiers as it is recorded of them so hastely and with swiâ—tnes of tongue as if God had beene to be serued with lippe labour This is contrarie to the rule of the Apostle Iames which saith let everâ—e man be swifte to heare slow to Iam. 1. 19. speake And the sonne of Sirach saith to the same effect â—e swift to heare good thinges For Eccl. 5. 1â— shall the naturall men of this world be swift ready to hear the couÌ„sel of a lawyer or advocate in some earthly matter shall not Christians be more careful ready to he are the counsell of God which is able to make them wise vnto salvation Yet some will say that when they pray they are carefull to serue GOD and they meane well and therefore they will do it at church and regard no time But as one hath truely said a good meaning doth not excuse an evill act and this we may see to bee most true if wee remember the punishment of Vâ—zah who without doubt meant well in that he put his hand to the arke of God and helde 2 Sam. 6. 6. it because the oxen which drew it did shake it But because he had no warrant from God so to do the Lord smote him that he died in that place And it is probable that Saul meant well in his owne opinion when he spared the fat beasts and the best of the sheepe and of 〈…〉 15. 〈◊〉 the oxen of the Amalekites because he would sacrifice them vnto the Lord. But what saith the oracle of God to him hath the Lorde as ver 22. great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as when the voice of the Lord is obeyed behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to harken is better then the fat of Rammes Beholde here how acceptable a sacrifice it is to harken to the voice of the Lord. And contrariwise learne of Salomon how abhominable the praier of them is which will pray and wil not heare the law of the Lord he that Pro. 28. 9. turneth away his â—are from hearing the law even his praier shal be abominable Let no man therfore harden his heart and preferre superstition before truth that his praier be not abominable but acceptable beeing offered in due season and proceeding from faith knowledge which is by hearing and hearing by the Rom. 10 17. word of God As the ministery of the newe testament is principally divided into the ministration Act. 6. 4. of the word and praier so in the time of teaching the minister is the mouth of God vnto the people and in the time of publicke praiers he is the mouth of the people to offer their sacrifice to Godâ— and he that despiseth or regardeth not these things despiseth not man but God For these very words of the text if yee heare his voice harden not your harts declare vnto vs that when we heare that doctrine wihâ—h teacheth vs faith in the son of God and repentance from dead workes it is God that speaketh vnto vs by the moâ—th of men and he requireth at our handes that sâ—lâ—ng as it is saâ—a to day that is so long as we may heare the voice of the new couenant of grace we be more neere to heare it then to giue the sacrifice of fooles For ought
thou hast hardened thine heart wouldst not obey his voice wheÌ„ he offered thee his grace Consider therfore that this is the daie where in he calleth thee and speaketh to thee saying behold now the accepted time beholde now the 2. Cor. 6. 2. daie of salvation This time this day wherein he proclaimeth peace is but short and v 〈…〉 e redeeme it therfore with all readines of mind that thou maist be at peace with God for all eternity You that are diligent husband-meÌ„ are carefull to redeeme the time of faire weather in haruest because you know not how sooâ—e it wil raine And man whose life is coÌ„pared to a vapour that appeareth for a little time and after vvarde vanisheth avvaâ—â— if hee liue to Iam. 4. 14. day knoweth not whether he shall liue to morowe And if it be permitted him to liue yet knoweth he not how soone the Lord will send a famine of hearing his holy word and send a darke night of ignorance in the which no man can worke no man can heare the glad tidings of the Gospell nor beleeue it though he woulde Let vs pray that our hearts may be mollified prepared as good ground to receiue the seede of the worde while it is yet called to day The fifth Lecture vpon the 16. and 17. verses of the wickednesse of mans nature all men are naturally bent to idolatrie vvee must imitate the faithfull though they bee but few in number or â—n one age whom God raiseth vp in al ages to confesse his name of Gods long sufferance bountifulnes towarde sinners of sinne and the fruit thereof 16 For some when they heard provoked him to anger howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses 17 But with whoÌ„ was he displeased forty yeares was he not displeased with them that sinned whose carkeses fell in the wildernesse THe Apostle which was the Authour of this Epistles applying the exhortation of the Prophet before alleadged seemeth here to allude to that desperate provoking and disobedience of the children of Israel mentioned in the 14 of Num. When they beleeued those ten men that brought vp a vile slander vpon the land of promise and murmured against Moses and Aâ—râ—â— and would haue stoned Ioshua and Caleb because they stood for the truth as it appeareth more 〈◊〉 large in the 14. of Num. this is therefore as if 〈◊〉 Apostle should say the whole assembly of them that came out of Egypt to the number of sixe handieth thousande men of vnderstanding even all of them vvithout exâ—â—â—tion heard the word of the LORD and his promise concerning the lande of Canaan but some of them yea the greatest some the â—â—hâ—le assemblie saieth the scripture and againe all the mulâ—â—tuaâ— notwithstanding 〈◊〉 4. 2. 〈◊〉 some are excepted vvhen they heard did not beleeue but provoked the â—oâ—dâ— to anger with their meredulous 〈…〉 ing and 〈◊〉 bellion And it is worthy to be noted that he saith when they â—â—â—rd they provoked him or hearing they provoked himâ— For as hee that is of God 10. 8 47. heareth GODS vvordes so they that are c 〈…〉 lly minded and haue their vnderstanding darkened doe neuer provoke the LORDE so much as when his word and his counsell 〈◊〉 pâ—eâ—ched vnto them which because it is contrary to the wisdome of the 〈…〉 h â—â—stâ—â—eth vppe the naturall man â—oâ—eâ—ll and to oppose himselfe against the wisedome of the holy GHOST accordinge as it is vvritten the vvisedome of Rom. 8 7. the flesh is enimitie against GOD. And againe the naturall manne perceiveth not the 1. Cor. 2 14. thinges of the spirite of GOD for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither canne hee knovve them because they are spiritually discerned For Satan who worketh in the children of disobedience vvill rather suâ—â—er them to consent to any thing then to that doctrine which ostereth vnto them the peace and favour of God And for this cause our Saviour CHRIST saieth that hee came not to sende peace into Mat. 10 34. the earth but the svvorde A sworde as we knowe cutteth asunder and maketh a separation And CHRIST although hee bee the very authour of our peace yet when his peace is preached vnto the world the vvicked and disobedient vvhich before seemed to bee quiet and calme doe nowe shewe foorth their bitternesse and corruption of nature by contending against this peace and against the messengers and professours of the same And so CHRIST by their malice is made the occassion of tâ—multe and discorde They provoke him not before they hear him for the wickednesse of mans nature is like fire that lyeth hid in quicke lime which never boyleth nor sheweth his heate vntil you put water to it which being of a contrary nature and quality causeth it to burne and cost out heate It is also like to the vapours of the earth which appeare not so long as the vertue and heate of the sunne is not on the earth but when the sunne ariseth then they arise and ascend not from the sun but from the earth Thus is the case with the vnregenerate earthly minded man If there be no worde of faith preached there is no provoking but if the word bee ministred to exhorte to improue and to rebuke then the wisedome of the flesh which is enimitie against God beginneth to bee vnquiet and to provoke The high Priest of Ierusalem and the Scribes never provoked so furiously as when they heard the wordes of Christ saying hereafter shall yee see Mat. 26. 64. the sonne of man sitting on the right hande of the heaven Then the high Priest rent his cloathes ver 65. Act. 7. 54. And againe The stiffe-necked among the Iewes provoked never so madly as when they were sharpely rebuked of the holy Ghost by the mouth of Stephen for then as Luke saith their hearts did cleane for anger and they guashed at him with their teeth So king Ahab provoked most of all when he heard the Prophet Michaiah 1 King 2â— 17. 18. at what time he told him the trueth from the Lord signified the event of the warre which Ahab waged against the king of Syria to goe against him And the remnant of the Iewes which were left from the captivity of Babilon although they had protested Ier. 42. 5. 6. vnto Ieremiah that they woulde obey the voice of the Lorde whatsoever woulde come of it yet when the same Prophet told them from the Lord that if they did set their Ier. 17. faces to enter into Egypt to dwell there they should die by the sword by the famine and by the pestilence and none of them should remaine nor escape from the plague which the Lord would bring vpoÌ„ them At the hearing of these things they disobey and say that Ieremtah speaketh Ier. 43. 2. falsely and they will goe into Egypt whether he wil or no. So the multitude in the wildernesse of whom the Apostle speaketh here provoked
among those murmuring people which obeyed the word of the LORDE as Moses and Aaron Caleb and Ioshua vnto those few we must haue an eâ—e and not vnto the multitude of sinners For the LORDE saith thou shalt not follovve a multitude to doe evill Exod. 23. 2. neither agree in a controversie to decline after manie and overthâ—ovve the trueth And therefore vvicked is that common saying vvhich hath beene alleadged of the Papistes communis error facit 〈…〉 s a common errour or consent in evill standeth for a law Notwithstanding that at all times and in all places the more parte of men which are evill giue euill examples to drawe others vnto sinne vvhich is the cause that Christ saith woe bee vnto the worlde because of offences for it must needes be that offences shall Mat. 18. 7. come c. Yet as the Apostle speaketh we are Heb. 12. 1. coÌ„passed about with a great cloud of witnesses or goode examples which we must imitate so loÌ„g as we liue in the wildernesse of this world We haue the Patriarchs the Prophetes and the Saintes of the old testament Wee haue Christ himselfe the authour and finisher of nor saith we haue the Apostles Confessours and martyrs in the time of the new testament for an example to suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake and in all thinges to obey the will of God And vvithin the period of these last fiue hundreth yeeres euen in the florishing time of Antichrist we haue those faithfull coâ—sesâ—ours though they were but few in number that we haue heard of which haue resisted Antichristian iniquitie euen vnto blood we haue them I say for an example of loue and long patience witnessing vnto vs that in those dayes of desolation and popish tyrannie all did not prouoke the Lord nor fall away from the right saith For as in the dayes of Elâ—ah when that 1. King 19. 10. wicked woman Iezebel hade persecuted the Lordes Prophetes and when the true worship of God seemed to bee vtterlie abolished oâ—t of the land seuen thousand were reserued though none of them was knowne ver 18. to Elâ—ah which had not consented to idolatrie so in the dayes of our forefathers many thousandes did obey the Gospell of saluation did not defile their garmeÌ„ts with Popish idolatrie and of them the Lord hath made some to bee knowne to the worlde and their memoriall to remaâ—ne as monumentes of his grace for our comfort and example And to come to examples neerer to our time to our selues I haue heard it credibli reported that when here in EnglaÌ„d within these * When this was preached iâ— was the yeare 1598. fiue fourtie yeeres many of the Saintes and true beleeuers did constantly suffer martyrdome for the testimonie of the word of God ther were here in Sussex whole parishes of men and women which for all the heat of that greeuous persecution in the The constancy of suâ—â—ex people in the prosession of the Gospell dayes of Queen Mary came not at the false church not bowed the knee to the idole of the Masse beside those that were martyiâ— which with their blood haue sealed the confession of their faith And as it is best knowne to them that professe religion haue long knowne this countrie there were also diuers which testified their loue obedience to the Gospell by assembling together at coÌ„uement times in woodes and â—â—liâ—aâ—ie places where they had the word of saith puâ—elie taught the sacramentes administered The Lord protecting theÌ„ from the cruelty of those daies These are as cloudes of witnesses for our example that we should follow their faith obedience to the word of God And now in our dayes notwithstanding that the love zeale of many doeth waxe colde and that the dâ—rnell and wilde oates doâ— over-growe the good corne that for the most parte wee canne see nothing but the multitude of luke-vvarme and irreligions people yet are there many faithfull witnesses sincere professoures of the Gospel of God among vs. But alas as the world is alwayes like it selfe we are so far from following the saith example of the Saintes that while they liue among vs we cease not to speake euil of them to persecute them â—hus we see that the Lord leaueth no time no not when it seemeth that the professors of his name are rooted out of the earth without worthy vvitnesses of his trueth whose steppes wee must tread in vnlesse we will runne in the broad waye that leadeth to destruction It followeth but with whome was hee displeased fourtie yeeres was hee not displeased with them that sinned vvhose carkeâ—ses fell in the vvildernesse Heere commeth the long suffering and bountifulnesse of God to be considered who neuer destroyeth any people nor any childe of man for their wickednesse before they be sufficiently warned and haue time to repent and to turne from their evill waies if they will Before hee brought a stoode of waters to drowne the olde worlde hee gaue them that then had sinned the space not of fortie but of three times fortie yeares â—or â—epentance Hee Geâ— 6. 3. burned not the cities of Sâ—dom and Gomorah with fire and brimstone from heauen Geâ— 19. 24. 25. 〈◊〉 Pet. 2. 8. before hee had giuen them time to amend and warning from day to daie by righteous Lot And of that vngodlie woman Iezabell the Lord saith I haue giueÌ„ her space To what end to repent of her foâ—nication shee repented not so Rev. 2. 20. 21. here the holy Ghost saith that forty yeares he was displeased with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt So long endured hee their maners and intollerable rebelling against his word in the wildernesse Here we may learne as the Apostle warneth vs to walke circumspectly to â—edeeme Eph. 5. 15. 16. the time remembring also what hee saith of them that abuse the time of repentance despisesâ— thou the riches of Gods bountifulnesse and Rom. 2. 4. patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leâ—â—eth thee to repentance â—et a Christian therefore be careful to vse wel the time wherein he liuetâ— considering that while he is in this world he is in a wildernesse of innumerable dangers and temptations wheâ—e it be hooveth him to watch and to be circumspect or els he is in a desperate case heapeth vnto himselfe wrath against the day of wrath whosoeuer he be that despiseth Gods long patience Fortie yeares This number fortie is oftentimes vsed in the holy scriptures and is commonly applied to the time of repentanceâ— of abolishing of sinne and stablishing of righteousnes And it teacheth vs that the works of God are perfect and that when he beginneth he maketh an end As here fortie yeares he was displeased with the Israelites in the wildernesse according to the number of the Num. 14. 33. 34. daies in the which they had searched out the land of promise
darkenesse of their owne heartes before the light of the truth to examine them selues what ground they stand vpon For there shineth in many now-adayes a goodlie shewe of holines equitie in their dealinges and yet are they enemies to the Gospell glad if they can find occation to do hurt to slaunder the professours therof But if this sinne of wicked frowardnes disobedience to the worde that wee heare were farre from vs then all other sinnes would soone be corrected reformed Wherefore being compassed as we haue with a cloud of many witnesses whose example if we consider them leadeth vs to obedience to the will of God we pray that everie one of you shew the like diligence to the resisting of sinne euill examples of the worlde to grow to perfect knowledge in the word of God while it is yet called to day The sixth and last Lecture vpon the 18. and 19. vâ—rses of the punishment of them that obey not the Gospell though for a time they bee borne with and liue in a flowrishing state What the tokens of Gods iudgements which befal â—n the world 〈…〉 and wherewith soâ—e men are visited should proâ—ite vs the worde of God is the iuâ—ge of men which word is to be obeyed while the day of grace lasteth 18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest but vnto them that obeyed not 19 So wee see that they coulde not enter in because of vnbeliefe WE haue already heard of theÌ„ which when they heard the word of God from the mouth of his ministers provoked him to anger with their rebelling and murmuring against him where it was noted how great the corruption and wickednesse of mans nature is which provoketh against the wisdome of the holy Ghost setteth more by superstitious vanities then by the worde of eternall life We haue also heard of sinne and the effect thereof The sinnes of the Israelites whom God delivered from the bondage of Egypt were the cause that within fortie yeares in which they abused Gods long suffering they were with diverse plagues destroyed and consumed in the wildernesse And now to declare a further punishment of sinne and rebellion then is the bodilie punishment and the evils of this life the scripture saith here that God sware to them that obeyed not that they shoulde not enter into his rest By which wordes repeated out of the scripture of the Prophet before alledged the Apostle putteth the Hebrewes in mind not of the rest of the land of Canaan which their fathers through disobedience and vnbeliefe had lost but of the rest of the heauenly 〈…〉 salem the everlasting inheritaunce of the Saintes whereof the earthly rest and peace in the land of Canaan as also the rest of the seuenth day was but a type or a shadow therefore he saith If Iesus or Ioshua Heb. 4. 8. had giuen them rest then would he not after this day haue spoken of an other For the Prophet Dauid in his exhortation made long after the possessing of the land of Canaan speaketh of the true and perfect rest which the faithfull do enter into which God hath promised Heb. 4. 3. from the begining of the world to them that obey his voice To be excluded from this rest through vnbeliefe and hardnes of heart is a woâ—full case It is to haue thy portion with dogges Rev. 22. 15. enchanters whoremongers and murtherers idolaters and whosoever loueth or maketh lies The children of Israell to whom the Lord made his power so manifestly knowne in Egypt at the red sea and in the wildernesse were afterward when they sinned most fearfully punished destroied And moreouer as this scripture witnesseth the Lorde swaâ—e that they should not enter into his rest Here is the iust reward of sin disobedience that is to be debâ—rred shut out for evermore from en 〈…〉 ng into the â—ords rest And this is heere declared in that he denyeth vnto those perverse people the signe or sacrament of his grace signifiyng therby that the grace it selfe is denied vnto theÌ„ for the not admitting of those obstinate and vnfaithful Iews into the land of Canaan sheweth that for then vnbeliefe they are not * As no sacrament 〈◊〉 instituted of God without significatioÌ„ of an invisible grace so the taking away of the sacrameÌ„tes importeth a taking away of the grace that was signified thereby howbeit not so but that God may and doth extraordinarily saue some where the ordinary meanes of salvation and the sacraments cannot be had admitted into the perfect and eternall rest figured in the earthly rest of that promised land Which also in an other place the Authour of this Epistle whom we vnderstand to dispute here not of the shadow but of the substance not of the transitorie but of the perpetual rest inferreth with these words they to whom it was first preached entered not therein for vnbeliefes sakâ— Heb. 4. 6. This passeth all the temporary plagues punishments which befall men for their sinnes in this present life And yet this happened to them which in this world were reputed for Gods people for a time were partakers of all the signes tokens of Gods favour Wherefore that no man be deceiued in himselfe and thinke that he standeth fast because he is in the church of God when he is not of the church here we see that as Paule saith to be vnder the cloud to passe through 1. Cor. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 4. the seâ— to be baptized vnto Moses that is to be partakers of Gods sacraments vnder their captaine Moses to eate manâ—a to drinke of the spirituall rocke which as he interpreteth it was Christ did nothing profite the children of Israel for when they sinned and would not obey nor giue credite either to the comfortable promises or to the fearfull threatnings of God they were ouerthrownâ— in the wildernesse depriued of all hope of the rest promised to the faithfull seede of Abraham These things are written that we might learne vnderstand that our baptisme ministred to vs in the name of the holy trinitie our coming to church our common prayers our outward hearing of the word of God our receiuing of the communion of the Lords supper our names of Christians and whatsoeuer outward signes and markes of Christian religion we haue shall profite vs nothing to attaine eternall rest so long as our hearts be not cleane from the hipocrisie superstion of the flesh so long as we do not crucifie the olde Adam which is wont to rebel against the word of God because it reacheth vs things contrary to our owne wil. Whosoeuer therfore doeth not suffer the words of exhortation doeth not in sinceritie trueth obey the voice of Christ hath no part in the inheritance which is prepared for the sons of â—od notwithstanding that for a time he he partaker of the earthly sacraments and signes of the
same Moreouer let no man flatter himselfe thinke that he is safe from Gods iudgmentâ— if he hath noâ— so tempted God as the Israelits did in the wilderâ—es or if he hath not so murmured against his ministers as they did but let him rather coÌ„sider whether his faith and obedience hath bene so tried as theâ—â—s was whether without murmuring distrust he hath gone through the fire water of temptation which they were brought vnto for their triall according as the scripture witnesseth thou shalt remember all the way Deut. 8. 2. which the Lord thy God led thee this fourtie yeare in the wildernes for to humble thee and to proue thee to know what was in thine heart whether thou wouldest keepe his commandements or no. Here we see that the Lord exercised the Israelits with great daungers and many difficulties of the terrible wildernes for to humble them and to know whether with sound and faithfull heartes they would cleaue to him abide his triall If thou hast not then bene exercised with diuers temptations as they were or if thou aâ—t not yet come into the day of triall perswad not thy selfe that all is well with thee because thou standest when none doth sight against thee Say not like the church of the Revel 3. 17 â—aodiceans that thou art rich because thou knowest not thy wretchednes pouertie and that thou hast neede of nothing because thou seest not thy nakednes It is an easie thing to ouercome where theiâ— is no battell to promise to thy selfe the victorie before thou aâ—t tried That lesson of the King of Israel is worthy to be remembred let not him 1. King 10. 11. that gâ—rdâ—th his harâ—es boast himselfe as hee that putteth it of And that of the Apostle is a notable warming let him that thinketh hâ—â— 1. Coâ— 10. 1â— standeth take heede least he fall Thirdly specially let vs here learne that if such sinnes iniquities as are equal to the sinns of the Israelits in the wildernes be not visited with the like plagues as theirs were they shall not therfore escape vnpunished For there is a iudgment to come the Lord hath sworne that the vnfaithfull vnrighteouse which disobey his word shall not enter into his rest This is a sure testimonâ—e that putteth away all doubt for if anoath for Heb 6. 16. confirmation among men be an end of all strifâ— as are the wordes of the Apostle how much more doth it take away al occasioÌ„ of doubting when the Lord almightie bindeth himselfe with an oath The interrogation which the Apostâ—e vseth in these wordes to whom sware hee that they should not enter into his rest doeth more significantly expresse the punishment of not obeying And here is also vsed a figuratiue kind of speech wherby lesse is said theÌ„ 〈◊〉 vnderstood wherby we gather that there are dreadfull punishments ordeined for all obstinate vnbeleeuing sinners For what ensueth from not eÌ„tering into the rest of immortality but to haue thy parte portion with them which are shut out of the citie of â—od what part haue they the holy Ghost declareth in these wordes the fearfull and vnbeleeuing and the abominable Revel â—1 8. murtherers wheremongers sorcerers and idolaters and all â—â—ers shall haue their portion 〈◊〉 the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the seconâ— death This is the wages of sin disobedience although the time of payment be deferred vntill the haruest of this world yet this cuppe of vengeance is prepared for all the workers of iniquitie which shall not enter into rest And therefore as one father saith he that doeth euill ought to feare the more if he be not punished in this world for then hee is to drinke the deeper of Gods wrath in the iudgment to come These things being most true let it not greeue thee that art a true Christian though sinners doe flourish for a time and though thou see the vncleane conuersation of wicked and profane people to abound in the earth and yet in the meane while thou thyselfe doest suffer affliction and art tried with diuerse adueâ—sities Remember for all this that God is good to Israel and the damnation of his enemies sleepeth not It cannot be denied but that many of those sinnes which God in former ages did so 〈…〉 ly punish for an example vnto the world do now reigne in the worlde and yet are 〈◊〉 visited vvith the like seueritie and puniâ—hment because as we reade God hath 〈…〉 a day in the which he will iudge the Acts 1â—â—1 world 〈◊〉 rightousnes And therefore as it is well obseâ—â—ed of Chrysostome many of those sinnes for the which the world was drowned in the dayes of Noah are day he committed in the world yet â—od bringeth not Geâ— 7. â—1 2â— 23. a â—loâ—d to drowne the world as he did then because there is a â—â—ood of wrath ordeined for them in the world to come Many of those sins for the which Sodom Gomorrah were consumed with fire and brimstone from heauen are still practised in the world Gen. 19. 24. 25. and yet the Loâ—d raineth not fire out of heaven to destroy them that do such thinges because he hath appoynted for them the â—iâ—e that â—hall neuer be quenched Many are they which speake against Gods word and persecute his church as Pharaoh did yet Exod. 14. 27. 28. are not choked with the sea water as Pharaoh and his â—eruantes were because the bottomlesse sea of perdition is reserued for them Many do murmur against heauen dislike of Gods ordinaÌ„ce as the Israelits did in the wildernes and yet are not destroyed with firy serpents with other plagues as Num. 21. 5. 6. they were because the worme that neuer dieth shall hereafter torment them Many there be which take bribes giftes vnlawfully as Gehazâ— did yet they are not stâ—ikeÌ„ with the foule disease of leprosie as he was 2 King 5. 27. because they shall be plagued after this life where there shall bee weeping and gnashinge of teeth And againe many do lye dissemble in matters of religion as Ananias Sapphira Act. 5. 5. 10. did and yet are not punished with suden death as they were because death immortall euerlasting waiteth for theÌ„ These thinges are thus applied of * Chrissostom 1 Chrysost in Act. Apo. c. 5. hâ—m 12. for this cause when the Apostle Peter saith that God spared not the angels that had sinned but east them downe into hell that 2 Pet. 2. 4. 5 6. he spared not the old world that he turned the citâ—es of Sodom Gomorah into ashes hee doth not say that God did then with the like punishmeÌ„ts cut of the false teachers of whom he speaketh such as walkâ— like the Sodomits after the flesh in the lâ—st of vncleannesse but he gathereth therby that the Lord knoweth
the souldiers and seruants of Christ or whether yee serue your owne lustes seeinge you are so farre from perfourming the vowe and promise made in your baptisme that you sell your selues to bee the authours of vanities and vaine pleasures seruinge your owne lustes by vngodly pastimes and profane exercises Your wantâ—n dauneing of men and women together in a most â—aâ—ciulous maner you will not yet lâ—aue That pestilent play at football vpon the Lordes day hath of late beene very fearfully punished among you even in a neighbour of your next parish a spectacle sufficient to teâ—â—â—fie all whose heartes are not hardened in sinne in whom neyther the wordes not workes of God can haue any impression to draw them to the consideratioÌ„ of their owne wayes This your neighbour being as you know at play this day fortnight with ruÌ„ning against another man brake his legg so lâ—mentably that as it is reported for truth the sight A notable exaÌ„ple shewed vpon the abuse of the sabbeth day therof made some of the beholders ready to faint This wound could by no meanes bee cured but his bodie pu 〈…〉 ng therevpon it brought him to his end to his graue this day senight to the great discomfort vndoing of his poore wife and six Children BehoÌ„ld here the fâ—uit of good fellowship as they call it where their meetings are often times mingled with their owne blood one man murthered by another Here is a lamentable actâ— At whose handes shall this mans blood be required for when the Lord maketh inquisition for blood hee cannot but remember it No doubte the magistrate cannot bee cleare therefrom who ought carefully to haue foreseene the suppression of such meetings to the preyeÌ„ting of this and the like noysome inconveniences which may and do coÌ„monly fall out at such vnlawful assemblies Yet all this cannot warne vs to liue sobeâ—ly and to leaue these abuses but rather to â—â—â—e other vnto them as great yea and more monstâ—ous Here I must change my voice and set before you some of your desperate sinnes iâ— thâ—â— owne colloâ—â— and propertie I meant your mischieuouâ— pole your may-pole or 〈◊〉 your madding-Pole A manifeste make of your irreligious folly and of all other ill sports most oftensiue to the church of God 1 They that will haue such banners set vp are not much vnlike to the children of Israel which made a molten calfe in the wildernes Exod. 3. 5. 6. and had their holy day for the dedicating of its whereupon they gaue themselues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to play 〈…〉 But you will answere that you do not say of your pole as the 〈…〉 litâ— did of their calfe these be thy Gods But â—er 4. goe further and compare your fact with theirs Touching their holy daie the scripture doeth not say that when they committed that Idolatrie they proclaymed an holy daie of the calfe but an holy daie of the ver 5. Lord. And the dauncers aboute May-polâ—â— say that they comâ— to church for al their spoâ—â—e they serue the Lorde as well as others But GOD cannot bee served by your comming to church and by taking his name and cove 〈…〉 in your month when your heart minde is not with him but with your pastâ—â—e and pleasure which you take most delight in And therefore if you â—all on the â—â—me of Christ you must depart from 〈…〉 tie 1. Tim. 2. 19 or els you provoke the Lorde to greater anger and indignation against you by drawing neere vnto him with your lips wheras you Psal 50. 16. 17. hate to be reformed in your liues Moreover whoâ— Paul rehearseth to the C 〈…〉 ans what the Idolatry of the Israelitâ— was he speaketh not of their 〈…〉 ten c 〈…〉 but saith they were Idolaters If we aske why or wherein the people 〈◊〉 dowâ—â— saith hâ—â— â—o 1. Cor. 10 7 eate drinke râ—sâ— vp â—o 〈◊〉 There is their Idolatry And now wheâ—ein doth your â—aâ—uivious pastime differ from this the 〈…〉 ing Idolatry so in yours for in this sense the scripture calleth 〈…〉 tousâ—â—s Idolatry Coll. 3. 5. noâ— that any man were he neuer so covetous vâ— seâ—h to worship his silver and golde or to prey and mâ—ke petition vnto his worldly wealth but that the loue and liking thereof draweth away his heart that God cannot be worshipped 〈◊〉 spirâ—â—â— and truth In this sense therefore what pastime or pleasure soever carieth away mens heartes from the sincere worship of God is Idolatry 2 Some will aske do you finde in the scripture that a May-pole is forbidd 〈…〉 aske also of these men where they finde that the scripture forbiddeth men to be Papistâ—â— But Exod. 20. 4 1. Io. 5. 21. Gal. 1. 7. 8. the scriptures forbid Idolatry and condâ—nâ— false doctrine And you see and heare that the Pope and all Papâ—stes do pracâ—â—se the one of these aâ—â— teach the other And therefore to be a â—â—â—ist iâ— to be contrary to the word of God 〈…〉 wisâ— the scripture do vtterly forbid christiaÌ„â— 1. Cor. 14. 20. Rom. 12. 2. Eph. 5. 11. Rom. 13. 13 to be child◠〈…〉 vnderstanding to 〈◊〉 themselues like vnto thiâ— world to haue fellowship with the vn 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 And they plaiâ—ly forbid 〈◊〉 this scrip 〈…〉 aâ— you heare exhorteth to abstaine from fleshly lusts But your May-pole May-games are the fruit of ignoraÌ„ce are after the fashion of the world and are the workes of dâ—â—knesse proceeding from fleshly lusts They are done in waâ—tonnes and are the cause of drunkeâ—â—es Yea commonly they are the cause of strife tumult somtime of murther also Are they not therefore forbidden in the holy scripture 〈…〉 3 There be others that are patrons favourers of this goodly pageant which alleadge antiquity custome for the defence of the same shy that it is a thing that hath beene vsed in the time of our forefathers before we were bothe at this day such a towne such a parish hath it will haue it in despight of theÌ„ that speake against it 〈…〉 Let these men remember in like maner that Idolatrie rebellion murther all other wickednesse hath bend practised in the world of old time before we werâ— borne so Gods iust punishment hath beene declared against them that were doers of such things They that wil therefore imitate men in their old sins shall also be partakers with them of their old punishmeÌ„ts Yeâ— their punishmeÌ„t shal be so much the sharper by how much their warnâ—g hath bene the more And as for the example custome of other places which nowe vphold maintainâ— these banners that caÌ„not make theÌ„ to be the lesse hurtfull but rather it showeth that the whole world 〈…〉 th 〈◊〉 〈…〉 1. Ioh. 5. 19. Exod. 23. 2. and we are commanded not to follow a multitude to do evill When Demetrius the men of Ephesus saw that Pauls preaching wrought so effectuallie that their