it be unlawfull to make an image of God what suppose you is it to make a god of an Image by adoring it in Gods stead Was not Phoedra an adulteresse when shee lay with Hipolytus because shee protested that shee embraced Theseus in him whom he so neere resembled Were the Jewes that worshipped the Calfe or they that worshipped the brasen Serpent or the image of Baal free from idolatry They dare not say it because the Spirit of God condemneth them for Idolaters yet they might plead for themselves as Papists doe that they worshipped God in the Calfe and Christ to come in the Serpent and him that dwelleth in a light that cunnot bee approached unto in the image of Baal or the Sunne For they were not such Calves as to fixe their devotion on a Calfe of their owne making they were not so deceived by the old Serpent as to attribute divine power to a Serpent of brasse their eyes were not so dazled with the beames of the Sunne that they mistooke the Sunne for God No the words of q Exod. 32.5 Aaron To morrow is a feast Jehovae to the Lord and those of God himselfe Thou r Hos 2.16 shalt call me no more Baal for I will take away the names of Baalim out of their mouth make it a cleare case that they made but a stale of the Image who bowed downe before it intending the honour to God himselfe as Å¿ Joseph antiq Jud. Jeroboam instituit ut in vitulis Deus coleretur Josephus testifieth of Jeroboam Jeroboam saith hee appointed that God should bee worshipped in those Calves which he set up in Dan and Bethel And what shall we say if Papists are indebted to the Heathen for this answer who set this varnish upon their idolatrous practice as you may see in t Lact. divin institut l. 2. c. 2. Non simulacra colimus sed eos ad quorum imaginem sunt facta Lactantius u Tyr. ser 38. Dicunt se maximum Deum in simulacris colere Tyrius and * Clem. constit Apostol lib. 1. cap. 6 7. Aiunt nos ad honorem invisibilis Dei visibilâ—s Imagines adoramus Clemens Romanus Saint Paul also testifieth as much of the Heathen in generall Rom. 1.23 They changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and to foure footed beasts and to creeping things And of the Athenians in particular Acts 17.23 Whom therefore yee ignorantly worship him declare I unto you The greatest God as Tyrius speaketh the invisible God as Clemens the incorruptible God as the Apostle the God whom Paul preached the Lord Jehovah is the true God that made heaven and earth yet the Jewes and Gentiles who worshipped him by an image or according to their own imaginations in Scripture stand charged with Idolatry and for ought appeares to the contrary as deeply as if their devotion had pitched and settled upon the image of the Calfe the Serpent the Sunne the starre Rempham the similitudes of men birds or creeping things and not glaunced by them to their Maker Yee heare that the Papists plea take it at the best is no better than the idolatrous Jewes plea the Priests of Baals plea the Gentiles plea and what if the learnedest of their owne side debarre them of this plea also what if their great Doctors teach that the image is to be worshipped for it selfe and not only in relation to the prototypon as they speake what if they curse all those who make any scruple of the veneration of Images Certainly Cardinall x Lib. 2. de Imag Sanc. c. 21. Imagines Christi Sanctorum venerandae sunt non solum per accidens impropriè sed etiam per se propriè ita ut ipsae terminent venerationem ut in se considerantur non solùm ut vicem gerunt exemplaris Bellarmine his words are plaine enough The Images of Christ and Saints are to be worshipped not only by accident and improperly but also by or for themselves and properly in such sort that they bounded termined the worship as they are considered in themselvs and not only as they stand for the samplar that is the person or thing they represent This his assertion he there endeavoureth to prove out of the second Councell of Nice and the late Conventicle at Trent which who so readeth cannot but see that speech of the Prophet David verified in the Patrons thereof They that make Images are like unto them and so are all they that put their trust in them To which text Clemens Alexandrinus as it seemeth to mee had an eye in that his pleasant allusion whereby hee representeth the folly of Idolaters As saith hee the naturall birds were beguiled by the counterfeit and flew to the Pigeons that were drawne in the Painters shop so naturall stockes flye to artificiall senslesse men to senslesse Idols How wardeth the Cardinall off this blow after this manner Wee have no recourse unto nor performe any religious service to any Idoll though wee both teach and practice Image-worship Why what is the difference between an Image and an Idoll An Image saith he is the representation of something which really subsisteth as of God Angel or man but an Idoll is the semblance of a thing feigned or imaginary that hath no beeing at all but in the fancy of the deviser God in the Law forbiddeth us to worship the later sorts of similitudes not the former Let us try this new coined distinction by the touch-stone of Gods Word How is it written y Exod. 20.4 Thou shalt not make to thy selfe Pesell that is any thing that is carved or graven as not only the interlineary Vatablus Tremelius z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sculptile and the Septuagint but the vulgar Latine also corrected by Sixtus a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sculpsit dolavit Buxtorf Epit. rad and revised by Clemens render the Hebrew Admit that the word Pesel signifieth not an Image as Justin Martyr translateth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but an Idoll say these first words of the commandement meet with the worshippers of Idols not of Images yet certainly the clause following nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heaven above or in the earth beneath or in the water under the earth reacheth home to all Images For all Images are likenesses of something in heaven earth or under the earth The Idoll of Baal was the likenesse of something in heaven the Calfe of something on earth Dagon of something in the waters under the earth For the first was the representation and similitude of the Sunne the second of a Beast the third of a Fish yet the Scripture calleth these images Idols and their worshippers Idolaters therefore the Papists are in the same damnation with them and contradict themselves in terminis in saying they worship Images not Idols For every Image worshipped is an Idoll True say
to it in divers places we reade of Baalim Baal-Peor and Baal-Zebub just saith Ribera the Jesuit as the Blessed Virgin though she be but one yet she is called by divers names taken from the places where her Images are erected as namely she is called sometimes Lady of Loretto sometimes of Monte serato sometimes of Hayles But before I come to parallel the Papists and the Baalites give us leave right b The Lord Wotton extraordinary Embassador and the Lieger Sir Thomas Edmonds Honourable who are Embassadors for Christ to endeavour to imitate that vertue which is most eminent in men of your place I meane courage and liberty to deliver what wee have in commission from our Lord and Master Yee will say what need this preface what doth this Text concerne any here though it be set upon the tenter hookes never so long it cannot reach to any Christian congregation It were ignorance and impudency to affirme that any who have given their names to Christ halt between God and Baal or offer incense to the Sunne I hope I may excuse all here present from the sin of the Baalites I would I could also all others who professe themselves Christians but that I cannot doe so long as the whoredomes of the Romish Jezebel are as evident as the Sunne-beames which the Baalites worshipped I find not in Scripture Idolaters branded chiefly because they were Baalites but Baalites because they were Idolaters If then any who beare the name of Christians may bee justly charged with idolatry they fall under the sharp edge of this reproofe in my Text as also do all those who are not yet resolved which Religion to stick unto the Romish or the Reformed Now before we lay Idolatry to the charge of the Romish Church it will be requisite to distinguish of a double kind of Idolatry or Superstition 1. When religious worship is given to a false god which is forbidden in the first precept of the Decalogue 2. When a false or irreligious worship is given to the true God which is forbidden in the second Commandement With Idolatry in the first sense we charge them not for they receiving with us the Apostles Creed worship one God in Trinity with us but from Idolatry in the second acception they can never cleere themselves but by changing their tenets and reforming their practice For every will-worship or worship devised by man against or besides Gods commandement is a false worship and what is Popery almost else but an addition of humane traditions to Gods commandements his pure worship What is their offering of Christ in the Masse for a propitiatory sacrifice for the living and the dead their elevation of the host their carrying it in solemne Procession their dedicating a feast to it called Corpus Christi day What are their benedictions of oyle salt and spittle christening of Bells and Gallies What are their invocation of Saints Dirges and Requiems for the dead going in pilgrimages to the Images and Reliques of Saints and Martyrs but religious or rather irreligious rites brought in by the Church without any command or warrant from Gods Word Secondly other learned Divines distinguish Idolatry into 1. Crassam a grosse or palpable kind of Idolatry when the creature it selfe is worshipped in or for it selfe 2. Subtilem a subtle and more cunning kind of Idolatry when the creature is denied to bee worshipped but God in by and through it For as the same wooll may be spunne with a courser or with a finer thread so the same sinne specie may bee committed after a grosser or more subtle manner As for example hee may be said to commit grosse murder who cuts a mans throat or chops off his head or runneth him through the heart and not he who poysoneth his broth or his gloves or his spurres or his saddle and yet the latter is as guilty of murder before God as the former In like manner hee who defileth corporally the body of his neighbours wife may be said to commit grosse adultery yet hee is not free from that foule crime who lusteth after a woman in his heart though he commit not the foule act so wee may say that hee who robbeth a man upon the high-way or cutteth his purse in a throng committeth grosse theft yet certainly he that cheateth or couzeneth a man of his mony is as well a breaker of the eighth commandement as the former The same we are to conceive concerning Idolatry forbidden in the second commandement For whether it be crassa or subtilis a worship of the creature it selfe or a pretended worship of God in or by the creature it is odious and abominable in the sight of God For the people that worshipped the golden Calfe made by Aaron and the ten Tribes which worshipped the Calves set up by Jeroboam worshipped the true God in and by those Images For Aaron when hee saw the golden Calfe built an Altar before it made a Proclamation To morrow is a feast Jehovae to the Lord. And Jeroboam as Josephus testifieth appointed not that the Calves that hee set up in Dan and Bethel should be adored as gods sed ut in Vitulis Deus coleretur but that God should bee worshipped in and by those Calves Nay the Baalites who were esteemed grosser Idolaters than the other had this plea for themselves that under the name of Baal-Samen the Lord of Heaven they worshipped the true God as may be more than probably gathered out of the words of God by the Prophet c Hos 2.16 Hosea And it shall bee in that day saith the Lord that thou shalt call mee Ishi my husband and shalt call mee no more Baal for I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth and they shall bee no more remembred by their name Yet the Scripture stileth these Idolaters d 1. Cor. 10.7 Neither bee yee idolaters as were some of them as it is written The people sate downe to eate and drinke and rose up to play And God proceedeth against them as if they were grosse Idolaters for Moses tooke the e Exod. 32.20.27 Calfe which they had made and burnt it in the fire and grownd it to powder and strawed iâ— upon the water and made the children of Israel drinke of it And he said to the sons of Levi Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Put every man his sword by his side and goe in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp and slay every man his brother and every man his companion and every man his neighbour Neither did the ten Tribes after or the Baalites escape better for the Kings of Israel were plagued for their Idolatry and all the people led into captivity And for the Baalites they were slaine with a sword and the Temple of Baal made a Jakes Here I would not bee mistaken as if I put no difference between an Heathen and a Papist an Hereticke and an Infidell For although the
fine brasse will discerne their vaine-glorious pride and stampe them and their Idols to powder To close up this note though not so fit for this quire yet not to be skipt because prickt in the rules of my text let all the Dispencers of Gods holy mysteries by the Apostles example strive in their preaching to winne soules to Christ not applause to themselves to pricke the heart not tickle the eare to leave in their hearers minds a perswasion of their doctrine not opinion of their learning and eloquence that is in the Apostles phrase to esteeme to know nothing save Jesus Christ JESUS d Maâ—t Epigâ— l. 9. Nomen cum rosis violisque natum Quod hyblam sapit atticosque flores Quod nidos olet avis superbae Nomen nectare dulcius beato A name sweeter to the smell of the soule than roses or violets or all the Arabian spices in the Phoenix nest and sweeter also to the taste than the Athenians hony or Nectar it selfe Nothing relished St. Augustine without it Ignatius calleth Jesus his love and onely joy Jesus amor meus crucifixus Jesus my love is crucified This name Jesus was imposed by an Angel e Mat. 1.21 Mat. 1. and acknowledged by the Divel f Act. 19.15 Jesus â—e know Act. 19. and highly advanced by God himself above all names g Phil. 29. A name aboâ—t all names Phil. 2. Three in the old Testament bare this name and they were all types of Christ Jesus Nave or Josua was a type of Christ as a King Jesus in Zechary as a Priest and Jesus the son of Syrach as a Prophet to reveale the secrets of his Fathers wisdome As all Josephs brethrens sheaves rose up did homage to Josephs sheafe so all the attributes of God and other names of our Redeemer after a sort rise up and yeeld a kind of preheminence to this name which the Apostle stileth a g ver 10. a name above all names at which every knee must bow And the reason hereof is evident to all that have yeelding hearts and bending knees and are not like the pillars in the Philistims Temple which were so fast set in their sockets that they needed a Sampson to bow them For there is majesty in God there is independent being in Jehovah there is power in Lord there is unction in Christ there is affinity in Immanuel intercession in Mediator helpe in Advocate but there is h Act. 4.12 salvation in no name under heaven but the name of Jesus Doct. 2 Which may bee taken either as a proper name or as an appellative if it bee taken as a proper name it exhibiteth to the eye of our faith infinity defined immensity circumscribed omnipotency infirme eternity borne that is God incarnate It designeth a single person of a double nature create and increate soveraigne and subject eternall and mortall It is the name of the Sonne of God begotten of a Father without a Mother and borne of a Mother without a Father God of God and Man of woman God sent from God Man sent to man God to save man Man to satisfie God God and Man to reconcile God and man Doct. 3 If the word Jesus be taken appellatively it signifieth Saviour or him that saveth us from 1 The wrath of God 2 The power of Satan 3 The guilt and dominion of sinne 4 The sentence of the law 5 The torments of hell And to know Jesus in this acception is to know a soveraigne salve for every sore of the conscience a remedy against all the diseases of the minde a sanctuary for all offences a shelter from all stormes a supersedeas from all processe and an impregnable fortresse against all the assaults of our ghostly and bodily enemies and can you then blame the Apostle for making so much of the knowledge of Jesus which is also Christ Christ that is anointed a blessed and tender hearted Physitian professing his manner of curing in his name which is by unction not by ustion by salving and plaistering not burning and lancing Vulnera nostra non ustione urans sed unctionâ— To know Christ is to know our King Priest and Prophet For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a thrice sacred person anointed with oyle above all his brethren and appointed by God Doct. 4 1 A Prophet to us 2 A Priest for us 3 A King over us 1 A Prophet to teach us by his Word 2 A Priest to purge us by his Blood 3 A King to governe us by his Spirit Of Christs propheticall function Moses prophecieth saying i Deut. 18.15 A Prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you like unto me unto him ye shall hearken his Priesthood God confirmeth to him by k Psal 110.4 oath his Kingdome the Angell proclaimeth l Luk. 1.32.33 The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his Father David and hee shall reigne over the house of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdome there shall bee no end Priests were anointed as Aaron by Moses and Prophets as Elizeus by Elias and Kings as Saul by Samuel Christ was therefore thrice anointed as King Priest and Prophet yet is hee not three anointeds but one anointed And it is not unworthy our observation that Christs three functions are not onely mystically figured but also after a sort naturally represented in the oyle wherewith hee was anointed 1 Oyle maketh a cheerefull countenance so doth Christ as a Prophet by preaching the glad tidings of the Gospell unto us 2 Oyle suppleth and cureth wounds so doth Christ as a Priest the wounds of our conscience by anointing them with his blood 3 Oyle hath a predominancy amongst liquors if you powre wine water and oyle into the same vessel the oyle will bee uppermost so Christ as a King is above all creatures and is Soveraigne over men and Angels This his Kingly office typically shined in the Myter of Aaron as his Priesthood was engraven in the Jewels of his breast-plate as for the third office of our Lord his propheticall function it sounded in the golden bels hanging with the pomegranats at the high Priests skirts By this glympse you may see know what it is to know Jesus Christ This Jesus had not bin a Jesus to us if he had not bin Christ that is anointed by God and enabled by his threefold office to accomplish the perfect worke of our redemption neither could Christ have beene our Christ if hee had not beene crucified to satisfie for our sinnes and reconcile us to God his Father by his death upon the crosse therefore the Apostle addeth and him crucified Crucified And so I fall upon my last Note a Note to bee quavered upon with feare and trembling in the Antheme set for Good-friday yet it will not be amisse to tune our voice to it at this time For this is also a Friday and next unto it and in sight of it and wee all know that if there bee many Instruments on a
the Indians and in some countryes themselves as among the Americans yet for all this their throwing themselves into or causing others to passe through the fire to their Moloch or Saturne or Abaddon they are not to bee accounted zealously affected in religion because what they doe in this kinde is not done by Gods commandement nor intended to his honour but in obedience and to the honour of an Idoll or Devill whom they worship in stead of the true God 3 The Jesuite or Jesuited Romanist is a kinde of zealot for hee will compasse sea and land to make a proselyte hee will sticke at nothing for the advantage of the catholike cause no not the sticking or stabbing of Kings and Princes his zeale is so hot that it will kindle a fire to blow up whole Parliaments for an Holocaust to the Romane Moloch yet is hee not zealous because hee is hot and fervent not for Christ but for Antichrist and hee useth not sanctified but execrable and damnable meanes to promote the catholike cause as he termeth it and enlarge the territories of the Man of sinne The last condition of true zeale is that it keepe within the walke of mens speciall calling which they who confound for the most part bring confusion upon themselves as did King Uzziah who would bee thought out of zeale to burne incense unto the Lord but because hee tooke upon him to doe that which i 2 Chron. 26.18 appertained not to him but to the Priests of the Lord the sonnes of Aaron that were consecrated thereunto his incense stanke in the nostrils of God ver 19. and himselfe also for a leprosie rose up in his forehead before the Priests in the house of the Lord from beside the incense altar and Azariah the chiefe Priest thrust him out of the Temple ver 20. yea himselfe hasted also to goe out because the Lord had smitten him Nothing is more necessary or usefull than fire if it bee kept within the furnace oven or tunnell of the chimney yea or within the barrell of the piece and from thence orderly issue out but nothing so dangerous if it bee not contained within the hearth or breake out of it selfe and flye abroad so nothing is more commendable or profitable than well guided nothing more incommodious and perillous than exorbitant zeale when the Prince medleth with the censer or the Priest with the scepter when private men take the sword out of the Magistrates hand or the Magistrate mis-applyeth the publike sword of justice to revenge his private wrongs Thus have I at length defined zeale and confined it within the limits of every mans lawfull and speciall calling Which limits shall be the bounds of my speech and your attention at this present The best k Plin. nat hist l. 12. c. ult Optimum quod est odoratissimum è semine ac maximum ponderosissimum moâ—dens in gustu est fervensque in ore balsamum and most soveraigne is that which is biting in the taste and burning in the mouth such have beene the observations upon this text biting in the taste and hot in the mouth God grant that like true balsamum they may prove a savour of life unto life to all that have heard me this day I am come with our Saviours Commission to put fire among you and what is my desire but that forthwith it be kindled to purge out all your drosse to purifie the sons of Levi like l Mal. 3.2 silver to burne up all hay and stubble built upon the foundation of our most holy faith and lastly to consume all our spirituall sacrifices But non opis est nostrae non opus est nostrum alas it is not my breath will doe it it must bee the blast of Gods holy Spirit that can first kindle and after keepe this sacred fire in the hearth of our hearts To him therefore who descended in the m Act. 2.3 similitude of fiery cloven tongues let us lift up our hearts hands and voices beseeching him to tind and preserve this spirituall fire in our 1 Hearts 2 Eares 3 Tongues 4 Hands that wee may bee zealously affected to Godward in meditating on him in hearing from him in praying to him in doing and suffering for him To knit up all in a word His grace make us sincerely entirely discreetly and constantly zealous 1 Of his gifts 2 In his service 3 For his honour to whom bee ascribed all honour glory c. THE SEASONING OF ALL SPIRITUALL SACRIFICES OR The Salters Text. A Sermon preached before the Company of the Salters at S. Maries Church in Bread-street THE FIFTEENTH SERMON MARKE 9.49 For every one shall bee salted with fire and every sacrifice shall bee salted with salt Right Honourable Right Worshipfull c. THat I may not entertaine your religious attention with a cold or unseasonable discourse I have made choice of a text wherein I finde both fire and salt fire to heat it and salt to season it And if any parcell of Scripture may be appropriated to any of the Worshipfull Societies or Companies of this Honourable City certainly you may challenge a peculiar interest in this For here is both salt and salting from whence you take your name both of men sacrifices The best of all creatures on earth are men and the best of all gifts of men are sacrifices both are made savory and acceptable to God by seasoning they with fire these with salt In relation to the former me thinks as Christ said to Andrew and Peter a Matth. 4.19 Follow me I will make you fishers of men so I heare the holy spirit say to mee Observe this text well and apply it and I will make thee a salter of men for every man must bee salted with fire and as it followeth Every sacrifice must bee salted with salt b Lev. 2.13 Every oblaâ—ion of the meat offering shalt thou season with salt neither shalt thou suffer the covenant of thy God to bee lacking from thy meat offering With all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt saith Moses from God Every sacrifice shall bee salted with salt saith Christ from Moses whose drift in this place is somewhat obscure because the sense is covered under the vaile of an Allegory which wee cannot draw without looking up higher into the chapter and touching upon the precedent verses Wherein our Lord threatneth unquenchable fire and an immortall worme to all that for want of the fire of zeale grow cold in religion and for lacke of the salt of grace putrefie in their sins If saith he that person or thing that causes thee to offend either in want of courage for God or of zeale and Christian resolution against thy bosome sinnes and naturall corruptions bee as deare to thee as thine eye or as necessary as thy right hand part with them thou must if it be an eye plucke it out if an hand cut it off and cast it away from thee better
to his Father that he tooke upon him the governement of his Church But at the consecration of Christ we have a great deale more of ceremonie and solemnity God his Father taketh an oath and particularly expresseth the nature and condition of his office a priesthood after the order of Melchizedek and he confirmeth it unto him for ever saying Thou art a Priest for ever Of all which circumstances the Apostle in the Epistle to the d c. 7.20 21. Hebrewes taketh speciall notice and maketh singular use to advance the Priesthood of Christ above that of Aaron Inasmuch as Christ was made a Priest not without an oath by so much he was made a surety of a better Testament For those Priests were made without an oath but he with an oath by him that said unto him The Lord c. Jehovah is the proper and essentiall name of God never in the Scriptures attributed to any creature as most of the learned Rabbins and Christian Interpreters observe a name in such sort adored by the Jewes that in a superstitious reverence unto it wheresoever they meet with it in the text they either over-skip it or in place thereof reade Adonai or Lord a name also so much admired by the Gentiles that they called their chiefe God Jove which is but a contraction of the Hebrew Jehovah And as they glanced at the very name so they had a glympse of the reason thereof as may appeare by Plutarch his exposition of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Thou art engraven in golden characters upon the gate of the Temple of Apollo whereby saith he they who came to worship God acknowledged that Beeing properly belonged to him Him whom St. John calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Parmenides and Melissus terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am saith God to e Exod. 3.14 Moses hath sent thee and againe I am that I am Of all things else we may say truely that they are not that they are because they are not of themselves nor are their owne essence nor continue what they are God properly is that he is because himselfe is his owne beeing and because he is that he was and was that he is aad shall be what he was and is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Besides this reason of the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God himselfe intimateth another taken from his faithfulnesse and truth in performing his promises I appeared unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the name of God all-sufficient but by my name f Exod. 6.3 Jehovah was I not knowne unto them that is I had not made good my promise unto them I had not given beeing to my words that is I had not performed and accomplished them According to which etymologie of the word Jehovah the first straine of this verse soundeth to this tune Jehovah sware that is he that giveth continuance to all things by his word he giveth his word for the continuance of this thy sacred office he who is alwayes as good as his word nay who is his word hath said nay hath sworne Thou art a Priest for ever The Lord Sware As we honour God in swearing by him so the Father honoureth the Sonne in swearing to him or taking a solemn oath at his investiture An oath is a sacred forme of speech in which for the confirmation of a truth or assurance of faith supreme majestie is called upon as a witnesse or surety this if it be done by any creature whomsoever implieth a kinde of adoration of him by whom they sweare who by this manner of appealing to him is tacitly acknowledged to be the Discerner of our thoughts and supreme Judge of all our actions and therefore Aquinas defineth juramentum adorationis speciem a kind of adoration But if supreme Majesty himselfe vouchsafe to use the like forme he doth not thereby adore himselfe but most surely bindes himselfe to the performance of that for which he pawneth as it were his glory and life Thus St. Austine briefely resolveth the point g Quid est Dei juramentum promissionis firmamentum si tu jurando testaris Deum cur non Deus jurando testetur semetiplum L. 16. de Civit. Dei c 32. Quid est Dei veâ—i veracisque juratio nisi promissi confirmatio infidelium quaedam increpatio What is Gods oath saith he a solemne kinde of attestation to his promise for our greater assurance As for the manner and forme of this oath though it be not here set downe yet it may be easily gathered out of other texts of Scripture For God alwayes sweareth either by his essence or by his attributes by his essence h Ezek. 18.3 As I live saith the Lord or by his attributes either of power as Esay 62.8 He hath sworne by his strong arme or by his holinesse i Psal 22.16 Psal 89.35 or the like Whence we may take up this observation by the way That Gods attributes are his essence and his essence himselfe For sith God cannot acknowledge any greater unlesse he should deny himselfe it followeth that he cannot sweare by any thing that is not himselfe If Princes have this priviledge to confirme all their Proclamations and Patents with Teste meipso Witnesse our selves shall we require farther security from God Not to beleeve him upon his word which is all that heaven and earth have to shew for their continuance were incredulous impietie to expect or demand further an oath of him by whom we all sweare were presumptuous insolencie Yet see how the goodnesse of God overcommeth the distrustfulnesse of man he giveth us more security than we could have had the face to aske or hope to obtaine he vouchsafeth not onely a bill of his hand his written word but also entereth into bands for the performance of all covenants and grants made to us in the name of our elder brother Christ Jesus As often as I endevour to stay my thoughts upon this point they breake out into that exclamation of k Tertul. l. de peniten c. 4. O beatos nos quorum causâ Deus jurat O miserrimos si nec juranti Domino credimus Tertullian O thrice happy we for whose sake God taketh an oath but most wretched we if we beleeve not God no not upon his oath Or the like of Pliny upon occasion of the Emperours deposing before the Consul O strange thing and before this time unheard of he sweareth by whom we all sweare he confirmeth the Priesthood of his sonne by an oath by whom all oathes are confirmed In which consideration I marvaile not that Martin Luther was wont to say he tasted more sweetnesse and received greater comfort in his meditation upon this parcell of Scripture than any other For what doctrine doth the whole Scripture affoord so comfortable to a drooping conscience charged with many foule and grievous sinnes as this that God hath sworne his onely
all spirituall graces necessary to the salvation of the Elect some things conditionally as the blessings of this life so farre as they tend to the attaining of a better hereafter In like manner some judgements he denounceth absolutely as the destruction of the kingdome of Satan and Antichrist others upon condition expressed or understood as the subversion of Niniveh the present death of Hezekiah To apply these distinctions to our purpose and close upon the very point in question when any order set downe by God for a time altereth at the time the date being expired or any Prophesie depending upon a condition falleth with it God is said to repent though he indeed doe nothing lesse the change that appeares in the things themselves being nothing else but the execution of an unchangeable decree of God for their change The meaning then of this phrase will not repent is that the Priesthood of Christ is not like that of Aaron which was after a time to expire and is now actually with all the ceremoniall law abolished but a Priesthood never to be altered or changed The Lord sware and will not repent Thou art a Priest There are three things that especially appertained to the office of Aaron and his Successours 1 To keepe the originall and authenticall copie of the law together with the golden pot of Manna and the two tables written with the finger of God and the Rod that budded 2. To offer sacrifices both ordinary every day and upon their set feasts and sabbaths and extraordinary upon speciall occasions 1. Either to professe their thankfulnesse to God and magnifie his goodnesse which may be called gratulatory or eucharisticall 2. Or to confesse their sins and appease his wrath which are called expiatory or propitiatory 3. To present themselves before God for the people to assure on their part obedience to God by way of promise or stipulation and procure Gods favour to them by way of mediation All which parts of their Priestly function they performed but typically and imperfectly for neither did they keep the Law entirely nor so much as the copy of it in later times neither did their sacrifices purge thoroughly neither did their prayers prevaile effectually but our high Priest hath fulfilled all righteousnesse and by one oblation of himselfe hath made a perfect satisfaction for the sins of the whole world and he is in that grace and favour with God that he putteth up no petition on our behalfe but hee getteth it signed by his Father The Leviticall Priests laid up the true originall of the Law both written in the bookes of Moses and engraven in the two Tables in the Arke as a jewell in a sacred casket but our high Priest both kept the Law it selfe and perfectly fulfilled it and writeth it also in the tables of our hearts they presented offerings for the sin of the soule but he made his soule an offering for sinne Esay 53.10 they appeared but once a yeere in the Holy of holies for the people but hee being entred into the Sanctum sanctorum the Heaven of heavens sits at the right hand of his Father and perpetually by the merits of his passion intercedeth for us Now the reasons which moved him to take upon him this office of a Priest are conceived to be these 1. Because the salvation and redemption of mankind wrought by the sacrifice of his Priesthood being a most noble worke and not inferiour to the creation it was not fit that any should have the honour of it but the Son of God 2. Neither was it agreeable that any should offer him who was the only sacrifice that could expiate the sinnes of the whole world but himselfe therefore by offering himselfe he added infinite worth to the sacrifice and great honour to the Priesthood of the Gospel For as the gold sanctified not the altar but the altar the gold so it may be truly said without impeachment to the dignity of that calling that Christ was rather an honour to the Priesthood than the Priesthood an addition unto him For what got he by the Priesthood which cost him his life what preferment could it be to him to take upon him an office whereby hee was to abase himselfe below himself and be put to an ignominious and accursed death What were we vile miscreants conceived and borne in originall sinne and soyled with the filth of numberlesse actuall transgressions that to purge and cleanse our polluted soules and defiled consciences the second person in Trinity should be made a Priest It was wonderfull humility in him to wash his Disciples feet but in his divine person to wash our uncleane soules is as farre above humane conceit as it seemeth below divine majesty There is nothing so impure as a fowle conscience no matter so filthy no corruption so rotten and unsavoury as is found in the sores of an exulcerated mind yet the Sonne of God vouchsafed to wash and bathe them in his owne bloud O bottomlesse depth of humility and mercy other Priests were appointed by men for the service of God but hee was appointed by God for the service and salvation of men other Priests spilt the bloud of beasts to save men but he shed his owne bloud to save us more like beasts than men other Priests offered sacrifice for themselves he offered himselfe for a sacrifice other Priests were fed by the sacrifices which the people brought but he feeds us with the sacrifice of his owne body and bloud Lastly others were appointed Priests but for a time hee was ordained a Priest For ever The rod of Aaron was a type of the Priesthood of Christ which shooteth forth three buds or blossomes 1. Obedience the fruit whereof is our righteousnesse 2. Sacrifice the fruit whereof is our satisfaction 3. Intercession the fruit whereof is our confidence and bold accesse to the throne of grace The two first buds seemed to wither at our Saviours death though the fruit thereof be still preserved but the third though it put it selfe forth in his life time yet it more flourished after his ascension For although our blessed Redeemer now no more observe the ceremoniall Law to which he gave a period at his consummatum est nor offer any more sacrifice of his owne yet he still offereth up our sacrifices of praises and thanksgiving he still presenteth us unto God and laboureth to reconcile God unto us hee layes open before his Father his bloudy wounds and stripes and by them beseecheth him to have mercy upon us and in this respect as well because the dignity of his Priesthood still remaines in himselfe and the effect in us as because continually he blesseth us and mediateth for us he is stiled a Priest for ever not such a Priest as the Levites were who held their office for their life and after left it to their successors who were in the end to resigne it into the hands of a Mediatour but such a Priest as Melchizedek was a