be come in flesh while thus hee denyeth him to bee our onely mediatour Nowe let vs returne further to heare what the Apostle teacheth The fourth propertie here mentioned requisite in a priest is that he haue cōpassion on his brethren according to that feeling which is in his owne flesh of his owne infirmities ▪ this compassion is to reioyce with his brethren in all well doing and to be greued for them in their sinnes errours whiche propertie the Apostle saith was in the priest of the lawe in a certeine measure as hee was helpe by experience of him selfe and so muche as God accepted in him who was for a time the priest of his people This ought to bee nowe a speciall instruction vnto vs all because wee are all made a spirituall Priesthood vnto GOD to offer vp our spirituall sacrifices that we should haue this compassion one toward another to delight in the well doing of our brethren as hauing receiued the same spirit of faith and to be greeued with their offences euen as men subiect to the same infirmities This reioycing was in Paule when he writeth to the Philippians that if he might procure their faith constancie of godlinesse though it were with the losse of his life yet he would reioyce with them for the greate blessing and this holie sorrowe for our brothers fallings the same Paule expressely cōmaundeth vnto vs all writing to the Galathians brethren if a mā be fallen by occasion into any fault ye whiche are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of meekenesse considering thy selfe leaste thou also be tempted if this thē be in vs our brotherly loue be measured with this line wee are all this day Priestes vnto our God offering vp a moste sweete smelling sacrifice euerie one his brother to be a seruaunt of righteousnesse vnto god And as this is the duetie in euery one of vs so especiallie the minister ought to bee full of this compassion to declare still vnto his people all the counsell of God that they might bee confirmed who are called and conuerted who goe yet astray that with one hart and voice at last they might glorifie god together this it is y ought to be but O Lorde how farre is this from beeing done where may we finde a man that reioyceth in his brothers godlinesse or pitieth him in his sinne who can boaste of his friendes of all his acquaintance of all his kinred that him he hath brought vnto the Lord how many are the ministers in number that are able to teach and haue their dwelling with their parishioners to teach thē to know god surely these things are so farre out of order iniquitie hath so preuailed gotten y vpper hand that we may take vp againe the prophets cōplaint Like priest like people the people are so dulled with carnall concupiscence that all their companie is for cardes or dice or daūsing or banquetting or some riot of life the name of the Lord is not remembred but when it is blasphemed this is the fellowship of the world the ministerie hath not so altogether cast off shame but yet the faults of it are somwhat too great and grieuous for many of them are hirelings non residēts dumb dogges going a whoringe not after many women which the worlde would detest but after manie benefices which the Lord God of Israel doeth as much abhorre would to God this cōplaint were false and it shal be false when god shal giue his feare into our harts and giue vs eares to heare that good promise of Christ blessed are those seruaūts whom the Lorde when he commeth shall finde wakinge In the meane while if admonitions may stirre vs vp to be wise in time let vs heare what the Apostle saith more in this place It followeth because that he is compassed about with infirmitie this is the cause why the high priest had such compassion on his brethren because himselfe fealt all their infirmities thus the Apostle testified of Christ before that because he was tempted he was made able to helpe those that were tempted and Saint Paule saith for this cause be we comforted in our tribulation that we might be able to comfort other in their afflictions so our owne sense and feeling must needes be a prouocation vnto vs to pitie other and in deede it is a thing vtterly impossible that whatsoeuer I suffer my selfe I shoulde not haue a compassion of it in another If I be hungrie I pitie all whom I heare crie for meate If I be in pain I pitie all which crie out in their griefe euen so it is also with vs and muche more in the afflictions of spirite I beare the burthen of mine owne sinnes if I see their loathsome appearance and feele their heauy iudgement that I mourne vnder them it is vtterly impossible but I should hate them in my selfe and in all men and I will seeke diligently howe to keepe men free from suche a deadly sicknesse Thus we see what is the cause why we be not careful one to edify another that is because we haue no true feelinge of our own ignorances nor perceiue any weightie burthen of our owne sinnes whē we pray thus the remē brance of them is grieuous vnto vs the burthen of them is intollerable we speake with feigned and deceitefull lippes the sighes of our hearts they goe not with our woords or if they doe I appeale to your owne harts how careful you are for your brethren for I am sure the words of the Apostle must needes be true if I say you feele your owne sinnes you bee carefull for your brethren wishing and procuring as any occasion serueth that they also may finde grace to turne from their sinnes come out as Paule saieth out of the snares of the diuel who hath entrapped them after his owne will and if this great miserie of thy brother moue thee not thoufeelest not the miserie that is in thine owne ioyntes and bowels which astonishment of sense is barbarous brutish dishonoring both the hart coūtenance of a man. Another thing here to be marked is that the Apostle calleth al sinnes by the name of errours ignorances teaching vs first that al errour and innorance before God is condemned as sin whatsoeuer man doth with all his good intentes if he be ignoraunt in his work he oflereth but the sacrifice of a foole neither doth God regarde it Wherin we may se what their church is whose whole religion is blindenesse and whose deuotiō as them selues confesse is bred and nourished by ignorance another cause why our sinnes are named ignoraunces is because the sinners knowe not their owne way they thinke they haue peace reioycing When danger and woe is neerest vnto them they think their sinne is sweete and ful of pleasure when indede it is nothing els but anguish affliction of spirit for they see only with their eyes haue regarde after
with mee this kingdome is a kingdome of darknesse a kingdome of sinne and it shall returne to the shape of his first beginning The kingdome of Christ shal be euer knowen by the scepter of the onelie Gospell preached and practised in it Now why is this called the scepter of righteousnesse Because saith the prophet it killeth the vngodlie the same exposition the Apostle immediately addeth Thou haste loued righteousnesse and hatediniqui◅ie therefore it is called a scepter of righteousnesse because it maketh the faithful righteous destroyeth the sinners from the face of the earth In this sense Saint Peter calleth it the seed of regeneration because by it we be begotten a-new into the image of God which is in righteousnesse So that heere we know whether we be of the Kingdome of Christ euen by the scepter by whiche we be ruled If the knowledge of the Gospel of Christ haue refourmed vs into a newe image to bee holie as our Sauiour Christ is holie that by his spirit the worlde be crucified vnto vs and we vnto the worlde then haue we our enfranchisement in this kingdome if not though we dwell in the mids of the Sanctuarie yet were we straungers from the lawe that came out of mount Sion And though we were baptised with all the water in the sea or as the Prophet saith though we wash our selues with Nitre and take much Sope yet our iniquities are marked before the Lord except we fele the forgiuenesse of our sinnes in the righteousnesse and holinesse of this kingdome of Christe And what madnes can be like vnto it to flatter my selfe as if I had my portion among the electe of God and yet dwell in tabernacles of the Children of the diuell that is I meane yet walke in all the sinnes of a corruptible man Are not Gods children his Sainctes be they not brought vnto him with the scepter of righteousnes doth hee not keepe them with the seale of his holie spirite If I see no good workes in my hands if I know neuer that the preaching of the gospel killed concupiscence in me and made me hunger and thirst after righteousnesse if I feele not the spirite of God to sanctifie more and more my heart al mine affections how can I say I am the childe of God No no talke while thou wilte vse thy libertie say thou art a Protestant renounce the Pope except thou loue righteousnesse euen as thou louest thy soule reioycest in weldoing as in thy life thou hast bene but an idle hearer of the worde of trueth Godlinesse is not made of wordes as a wood is made of trees but it is an earnest loue proceeding from a pure heart and a good conscience and an vnfeigned faith in whiche wee may glorifie God and do good to his people Paule was godlie when he gloried in nothing but in the crosse of Iesu Christe by which the worlde wascrucified vnto him and he vnto the world They are godlesse Hypocrites which in worde confesse they knowe God but in deedes denie him They are Christs which haue crucified the fleshe with the affections concupiscēce of it they are of their father the diuell that in wickednesse do the desires of the diuell Let vs then learne dearely beloued in good time to be wise when we were in ignorance then we walked in the woorkes of darkenesse now we haue vnderstanding let vs walke as the children of the light if we take the gospel into our mouth let vs knowe it is a scepter of righteousnesse to reforme our life and whosoeuer he be that hath chosen this portion peace be vpō him vpon the Israel of God and he that withdraweth himselfe from this purpose euen as the Apostle after saithe Let our soules haue no pleasure in him And here let vs also marke howe the Apostle setteth out this righteousnesse of christ Thou hast saith he loued righteousnesse and hated iniquitie This is generall in all duetie which we do vnto God to loue the obedience with all our heart and soule and to detest and hate all the transgression and sinne So the Prophet Dauid saith I hate vaine inuentions but thy law I loue againe thy law I loue but I hate falshod abhorre it Euē so must we hate iniquitie if we loue righteousnesse and abhorre falshod if we loue the trueth and this is that eternall lawe whiche God gaue from the beginning I will saith he set enimitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seede her seede But O Lord what a rebellious people are we where God hath commaunded all concorde and bound vs together in all bonds of vnitie One bodie one spirite one hope of our calling one Lord one faith one Baptisme one God the father of vs all yet al these bondes we breake in sunder anger hatred reprochful words quarels wounds murders euerie cursed thing but we reach our hands vn to it to make strife one with another and disanull the agreement which God hath made on the other side touching the workes of darkenes we wil walke in them and though God hath separated them from vs as heauen from hell or Christe from Belial and hath made the hatred of them perpetuall to vs and our posteritie yet we thinke as the Prophet sayth to make a league with death and to beat agreement with hel we will follow our fleshly concupiscence as though there were no lorde to controll vs and we will not hate sinne at all A corrupt nature to loue that which we are bid hate and hate that which we are bid loue but a more corrupt affection if we giue place to these desires and are well pleased to loue them still It followeth in the end of this seuenth verse thy God hath annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy felowes In this we may learne an other notable cause why we shoulde acknowledge Christ our onely King and Law-giuer Because he is thus annoynted that is in him dwelleth all fulnesse of grace and the treasures of all wisdome and knowledge are hid in him so that leaue him leaue his lawes leaue his scepter we leaue instruction we leaue righteousnesse we leaue eternall life And heere note that the oyle of gladnesse is the giftes of the spirite of God gladnesse to our selues because it filleth vs with ioy in the Lord and gladnesse to other because it powreth grace into our lips to cōfort the weak harted to make vs a swete sauour of life vnto life to all that hearken vnto vs The heart of earth y is dry and baren and beareth no ioyful fruite of the Lord God this oyle of gladnes hath not yet softened it to make it a fertile soile for the seede of the worde of god And the carelesse man of a dull spirite that is not touched with his brothers sinning but letteth him alone in his vncleanesse to sinck or swim to stand or fall to liue or die
passe ouer for it noteth a certeine great confusion vpon the enimies of Christe forthough it be sometime honour to be named the Lords footestole as where it is saide Heauen is my throne and the earth is my footestoole And especially in the lamentations of Ieremie where he saith The Lord hath darkened the daughter of Sion and throwne downe the beautie of Israel and hath not remēbred his footstole Yet in this place where it is spokē of Gods enimies it noteth their extreme ruine and shame euen as of those whome wee doe stamp vnder our feete An example of this we haue in the Iewes whose name was once so honourable how doe the Prophets glorie of the house of Iudah yet since they haue taken vp this enimitie against Christ and sett them selues against his Churche and people they haue had experience of the Lordes right hand and their name is a name of shame and ignominie ouer all the worlde An other example we haue of Rome what citie had once such honour what name was of more renowne yet since it hath beene the seate of Antichriste enimie to the sonne of God and to his Gospell as she hath filled her selfe with all abhominations so God hath troaden her vnder feete and as the Prophet sayth shee hath left her name as a curse vnto the chosen of the Lord that I assure you in my eares in the eares I am sure of many thousands moe the citie of Rome is a citie of contempt of ignoraunce of sinne like a deade stock whose sweete blossomes and pleasaunt fruite is withered and worne away And her roote as the Prophet saith is rottennesse and her bud as the dust and suche shal bee the ende of all the enimies of the Sonne of God. Nowe followeth in the last verse this definition of Angels whereof we spake before in whiche we learne and so confesse that they are ministring spirites sent out for our safetie and defence so that hereafter whosoeuer will dispute with vs aboute Angels with one worde we will answer him and cut off all curiositie This we knowe and we know it onely and who so euer knoweth more hee knoweth nothing but the vanitie of his owne minde Angels are spirites whiche serue the Lorde ▪ for his Churches safetie If yet we wil be vaine still and thinke yea but what are Archangels principalities powers rules thrones dominions What are Cherubim and Seraphim All these how so euer they be called in diuerse respectes diuersly they are all Angels in condition and nature as they are so here defined For if any Archangel throne or dominion or any other name that is named were any way greater then an Angel all this disputation of the Apostle were nothing worth for how could it proue the excellencie of Christ aboue all creatures because he is greater then Angels If Cherubim or Seraphim or any Archangel were also greater then an Angel And therefore that the reason of the Apostle may be as it is strong and vnanswerable we must confesse all blessed spirits whatsoeuer they be they be all this and this is their glorie that they be ▪ Gods ministers for the safetie of his children This doctrine the Prophet Dauid teacheth also verie plainely in the 34. Psalme The Angel of the Lord pitcheth roūd about thē that feare him deliuereth them And againe in the 91. Psalme He shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee to kepe thee in all thy ways they shal beare thee in their hāds that thou hurt not thy foote against a stone And according as this is Gods worde and his promise so we haue many examples howe he hathe at all times iustified his faith in the perfourmance of it that we might not stagger in this doctrine of Angels The Patriarches the people of Israel the Prophets the Apostles and Saincts of the new Testament our Sauiour Christ himselfe we haue seene howe the Angels haue beene with them in daungerous times and ministred the help of God vnto them Now touching the manner how the Angels of God execute this ministerie euen as it is not harde vnto the Lorde in the battels of men to saue with manie or with fewe so God sendeth out his angels more or lesse euē as he wil that it might be known the power is the Lords When Iacob feared before his brother Esau God sendeth to him an hoast of angels to comfort him When Eliseus was besett with the great hoast of the king of Syria his seruant was now exceedingly affraide Eliseus prayed to haue his eyes opened that he might see the helpe of God which was present with them and hee sawe immediately the mounteine full of horses and chariots rounde about Eliseus which were Gods Angels sent for the Prophets safegarde When our Sauiour Christ is in distresse and anguish God sendeth many Angels which doe minister vnto him And so he testifieth of the vsuall work of God common to all his sainctes and applieth it particularly vnto himselfe in reproouing Peter who woulde needs drawe his sword to mainteine his cause Thinkest thou saith he that I can not now pray vnto my father he wil giue me moe then twelue legions of Angels And as thus God sendeth out a great multitude for the saftie of one so contrariwise sometime he appointeth but one for the saftie of manie So God sent an Angel to deliuer Israel out of Aegypt and to guide them throughe the terrible wildernesse and euer after in all their troubles when they called vppon him the Angel of his presence as y prophet Esai saith was their deliuerer and when they should enter the lande of promise God sent an Angel to driue out the Canaanites before them When the armie of y king of Ashur came and besieged Ierusalem God sent an Angel who deliuered the Citie and in one night slew 185000. of the Assyrians When Dauid numbered the people and procured the wrathe of God God sent an Angel into Ierusalem who slew with the pestilence 70000. of the people So we haue many examples where vpon occasion to one man God sendeth one Angel euen as it is saide of one that he came to comfort our Sauiour Christ in the garden To Lot God sent two angels So to the womē that came to the graue of our sauiour Christ two Angels appeared tolde them he was risen againe When the Apostles looked after our Sauiour Christ at his ascension into heauen two Angels appeared vnto them to teache them what they had to do When God would destroy Sodome and Gomorth he sent three Angels to Abraham to tell him of it In the vision that Ezechiel had of the destruction of the citie God sendeth out sixe Angels to execute that iudgement And why is all this diuersitie to the end no doubt we should not be curious but rest in the doctrine which the Lord taught vs that the Angels are his ministers for
owne Pontificall as you may plainly see it Now iudge your selues and I appeale to the conscience of euerie man y hath an vnderstanding heart whether suche creatures haue their calling of God or no I might likewise alledge that fourme and manner of ordeining as contrarie to Christes institution as these former are for where Christes ordinaunce is that his ministers should be made with prayer and fasting and with laying on of handes they as men thinking basely of suche simple dealing and a great deale more to making of their priestes they must haue oyle candels basens towels amices albes stoales gyrdles maniples myters bookes crosses linnen bandes chalices pattens singing cakes wine and water flowre and such other things trifled and toyed with all with so many foolishe gestures as I am persuaded that any wise man this day reading it in their owne bookes woulde abhorre it either as intollerable pride or vnspeakeable foolishenesse but wisedome is the Lords and he giueth it to whome he will and let vs praise him for his goodnesse to whome he hath giuen eyes to see If any will here obiecte notwithstanding all these abuses yet the priest had that whiche was principall libertie to preache and minister sacramentes therefore their ministerie not to be reiected I answer In this on one side was the greate goodnesse of God that in time to come his children might assuredly knowe he reserued to him selfe a church euen in the middes of all desolation and that he called them by his woorde and confirmed by his sacramentes euen as at this day for seeing there can be no sinne so greate but faith in Iesu Christ scattereth it all away it was impossible that the man of sinne shoulde so muche adulterate either the word of God but that it should be to the faithfull a gospel of saluation or else the sacramentes of God but that they should be pledges of eternall life to those that did beleeue Againe on the other side in that they kept this authoritie to their priestes to preache to baptise it was the pestilent sleight and subtiltie of the diuell the more easily by suche a colour to deceiue them for if he had vtterly dented preaching of the Gospel and vse of sacramentes who woulde then haue beene seduced these be his wayes to destroy Pagans and Infidels but to corrupt the churche of God he putteth on an Angels cloathing that vnder pretence of holinesse he might deceiue And in deede he did deceiue for he hath so farre prophaned the preaching of the Gospell and the sacramentes of Christe that we ought according to the word of God to separate our selues and to say accurssed to all their doings although God of his infinite goodnesse who calleth things that are not as though they were euen in that ministerie gaue grace vnto his Saincts I say therefore againe as I sayde before that in the Popish church from the crowne of the head to the soule of the foote not one order is of God nor any peece of their priesthood is honour giuen of God wherein I appeale vnto their owne consciences whose wisedome is without affection in them and thus farre of this 4. verse Touching the two nexte verses I haue before shewed the meaning of them that by testimonie of the Prophet the Apostle proueth that Christ also had his calling of God euen as Christ him self often witnesseth that he was sent of his father touching this text Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee it meaneth that openly and plainely God made it manifest that Christ was his only sonne by many signes and miracles in which as Paule sayth God was made manifest in flesh but of this I spake more vnto you in the exposition of the fifte verse of the first chapter The other text heere alledged is out of y 110. Psalme Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisc lcch of which text we shal also haue occasiō to speake more largely hereafter this now we haue to learne y this Psalme is ment of Christ and this sentence is his caling to y priesthod of this y apostle is a plaine witnesse our sauiour Christ in the 22. of Math. teacheth that this psalme could not be meant of Dauid because it is said in it The Lord saide vnto my Lord sit thou on my right hand vntil I make thine enimies thy footestoole and reason teacheth it plainely for seeing as is heere alledged it is to the praise of an high priest how could it be of King Dauid to whome the priesthood in no case belonged or how could it be of any Priest of the lawe who had their proper calling of God where this was an other after the order of Melchisedech who was bothe a King and a priest and therfore it is plaine to bee ment of Christe who was figured in Melchisdech The conclusion then of the Apostle in all this is that Christe had his calling of God as Aaron had and a more glorious excellent calling therfore a greater high priest then any before him but the time is past Let vs pray c. ¶ The xxiiij Lecture vpon the 7. 8. and 9. verses 7 Who in the dayes of his fleshe did offer vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him frō death was also heard in that which he feared 8 And though he were the Sonne yet learned he obedience by the thinges which he suffered 9 And beeing consecrate was made the authour of eternal saluation vnto all them that obey him THE Apostle in this Chapiter beginneth to proue our Sauiour Christ to be the only high Prieste of the newe Testament and because the people of Israel had so great affiance in the priesthood of Aaron that they could hardly be drawen away from the deteyning of it thinking assuredly that vnto that Priesthood the lawe and testimonies of God had beene tyed for euer and not knowing that all ceremonies of y the law were ordeyned vntill the time of reformation in whiche Christ should appeare chaunge that Priesthood to become him selfe vnto vs a Priest of a better testament therefore the Apostle firste setteth foorth the properties of the Priesthood according vnto the lawe and after by comparison applieth them vnto Christe in whome they all shine in a muche more excellent sorte then before in Aaron and therfore it can not be neither breach nor dishonour vndishonour vnto the law of God nor the priesthood of it if the shadowe and the figure which was Aaron should now be taken away and the bodie and the trueth which is Iesu Christe should be established for euer The properties whiche the Apostle speaketh of necessarilie apperteining vnto euery priest as vnto one that must be a Mediatour are these that first he should be man as we are as Aaron and his posteritie were For neither Angell nor Archangell nor principalities nor powers can doe this woorke to present fleshe and bloud vnto