and entrance vnto God They liued in the darke and sawe not that light of faith whereby wee are taught to a Heb. 4.16 goe with boldnes vnto the throne of grace assuring our selues that the b Ioh. 15.7 words of Christ abiding in vs c 14.13 whatsoeuer we shal aske the father in his name he will do it that the father may be glorified in the sonne To which coÌ„fort we are instructed by the doctrine of the priesthood of Christ whose consecration and enstalment to this office the prophet describeth vnto vs in this verse Fiue things to be obserued in this verse of the priesthood Wherein we may first obserue the confirmation of this office by the irreuocable oath of God Secondlie the office it selfe which is priesthoode Thirdly the person to whom it is assigned Thou that is Iesus the sonne of God Fourthly the continuance of this priesthood which is for euer Lastly what order of priesthood it is namely after the order of Melchisedec 3 As touching the first this protestation by oath serueth according to the matter in hande The oath of God a significacation of 〈◊〉 vnchangeable and irreuâ—â—able purpose to set foorth the vnchangeable counsell of God for the establishing of the priesthood of Christ to bee the onely meanes for euer of attonement and peace betwixt God and vs. It is alwaies vsed in Scripture to note Gods immutable purpose and setled determination that shall neuer be reuersed For the wordes of God sometimes implie conditions and exceptions and hee saith thus and thus it shall be but with limitation namely things continuing as they be but so that if the case be altered with vs he will also after the course of his dealing towards vs. Thus he saith by the prophet Ieremie d Ier. 1â— 7 I will speake sodainely against a nation or against a kingdome to placke it vp and to roote it out and to destroie it But if this nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them And I will speake sodainely concerning a nation and a kingdome to builde it and to plant it But if it doe euill in my sight and heare not my voice I will repent of the good that I thought to do for them According to the tenure of these wordes God saide of Niniue a Ion. 3.4 Yet fortie daies and Niniue shall be destroied when notwithstanding vpon their repentance God spared them and turned backe his hande whereby hee had threatned to destroy them On the other side God speaketh vnto Eli thus b 1. Sam. 2.30 I saide that thine house and the house of thy father shoulde walke before me for euer but nowe the Lord saith It shall not be so for them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be despised Thus the wordes of God sometimes though in termes they seeme absolute yet in meaning are conditionall and whether they bee for good or euill they stande or fall according to the good or euill that they finde in vs. But where God putteth to his oath there is no reuocation and what he hath once sworne he neuer repenteth him thereof nor goeth back from it And indeede God neuer repenteth him of any thing God indeed neuer repenteth him the repentance that is attributed vnto him is some change in his actions no change in himselfe whether spoken with oath or without oath but bicause where the actions doings of God are altered towards vs there seemeth to vs to be some alteration in God himselfe the scripture in this case by the phrase of repentance somewhat submitteth it selfe to our conceite when as indeed God foreseeing all things before they come to passe and c Act. 15.18 knowing all his works from the beginning of the world doth nothing but d Esa 25.1 according to his counsells of old nothing but what from euerlasting he had decreed and purposed with himselfe But in those things wherein the oath of God is vsed there is no shew of variablenesse nor shadow of change but his words and deeds both in semblance and substance are perpetuall and euerlasting 4 And to this vsage of an oath God for our sakes vouchlaseth to submit himselfe Why God yâ—â—ldeth â—â—arre vnto vs to vse an â—ath the more to stirre vs vp to the embracing of his wordes and the more strongly to chalenge and hinde our credite and assent to those thinges which he speaketh Now strange it is that God should need to sweare and that his worde whereby he made the world should not in the worlde be sufficiently beleeued without an oath But because he seeketh our saluation he laboureth by all meanes to preuaile with vs that wee may hearken vnto him And as for Marcions cauill that it is an indignitie for God to sweare Tertullian answereth c Tertuâ—â—â—nt Maâ—â—ionâ—â— 2. There is nothing vnwoorthie of God that furthereth man to beleeue God The things that are necessarie for man are woorthy of God because there is nothing so woorthy of God as the saluation of man is God sweareth sometimes in iudgement sometimes in mercy 5 God therefore vseth an oath sometimes in threatning of iudgement sometimes in prounsing of mercy sometimes in extreme wrath and furie sometimes in compassion and louing kindnesse The one way it is matter of extreme horrour and dread the other of singular and vnspeakeable comfort When God sweareth in wrath what is his oath but the sealing vp of irreuocable damnation the verie opinion whereof is sufficient to astonish our harts and to confound all the senses and powers both of bodie and soule For what is it but euen hell it selfe for a man to conceiue that he hath God for his vowed and sworne enimie who by his oath hath bounde himselfe to destroy him so that now there is no remedie but to vndergo that iudgement at which the angels themselues do tremble and quake and are not able to stande vnder the burden of it Thus when the people of Israell prouoked the Lord and increased their rebellions from day to day the Lord was so farre mooued at length that a Psal 95.11 he sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest When by his prophet he called them to b Esa 22.12 weeping and mourning and sackcloth that by their repentance they might pacifie the Lord and they contrariwise as it were to despight the Lord gaue themselues to ioy and gladnesse slaying oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine and in scorne of the prophets words cheered one another saying Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die the Lord saied vnto them in forme of an oath c Vers 14. If this iniquitie be purged from you till ye die Which Hebrew maner of swearing if we will expresse it is as much as to say As truly as I liue or am a iust and
gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ which shal be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 4 Let vs remember these things that wee deceiue not our selues in that which wee pretend of our glorying and reioycing in Iesus Christ with great solemnitie wee celebrate his natiuitie and birth wee keepe holy daies we feast it with daintie fare wee braue it with our best attire we forbeare our ordinarie labours and all as in the honour of Iesus Christ But if we despise his Gospell and tread his worde vnder our feete if wee cast his commaundements behinde our backes and refuse to be guided by his direction if vnder pretence of keeping holiday to the Lord we seeke our owne will and folow our owne carnall and corrupt desires and regard no more in our harts but with the Israelites to d Exod. 32.6 sit downe to eate and to drinke and to rise vp to play what is there in that that we do but that which God elsewhere reprooued in them e Esa 29 13.1◠This people drawe neere vnto me with their lippes and honour me with their mouthes but their hart is farre from me Men deceiue themselues and make a way to their owne destruction when they fancie Iesus Christ to be so mercifull a Sauiour as that vnder him they may doe what they will and liue as they list ignorant carelesse consciencelesse sauouring of nothing but of the flesh and of the worlde and yet in the ende be nothing hindered from comming vnto him And this is the common errour of many that liue vnder the name of Christians They call him their Lorde Iesus but liue as if they acknowledged him onely Iesus to saue them Christ not onely Iesus to saue vs but also the Lord Iesus to rule and gouerne vs. and not the Lord Iesus to rule and gouerne them Thus they diuide Iesus Christ and where they list they accept of him and otherwhere reiect him But Christ is not diuided neither will he be Iesus to saue where he is not Lord to rule If wee will receiue him we must receiue him entier and whole a 2. Pet. 2.20 the Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ. If we denie vnto him that subiection dutifull obedience whereby we should approoue that we take him for our Lord he shall be vnto vs a Lorde indeed and not a sauiour we shall feele his power and not finde his mercie his sword shall ouerrule vs that would not be content to be ruled by his word We remember the sentence of Christ b Luc. 19.27 Those mine enimies that would not haue me to raigne ouer them bring them hither and slare them before me Let vs assure our selues if we yeelde not vnto Christ his kingdome to raigne ouer vs he taketh vs for his enimies and howsoeuer we now call him c Ioh. 1.29 the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world yet at that great day of his appeering the conscience of our vnfaithfulnesse and rebellion shall make vs to d Renel 6.16 say vnto the mountaines and rockes fall vpon vs and couer vs from the sight of him that sitteth vpon the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe To this purpose Christ hath forewarned vs e Mat. 7.22 Manie shall say vnto me in that day Lord Lord haue we not prophecied in thy name and in thy name cast out diuels and in thy name done many miracles and then I well professe vnto them surely I neuer knew you away from me yee workers of iniquitie And againe f Luc. 13.25 When the goodman of the house is risen vp and hath put to the doores and yee shall begin to stande without and to knocke saying Lord Lord open vnto vs and he shall answere and say I know yee not whence yee are then shal yee beginne to say Lord we haue eaten and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streetes be shall say vnto you I know you not whence yee are depart from me yee workers of iniquitie If we be workers of iniquitie the Lord of righteousnes hath no place for vs to dwell with him Earthly dignities are no exemptions from the seruice of Christ nor defence against bis wrath 5 Furthermore it is expressed that this wrath of Christ is extended vnto kings and princes that wee may vnderstand that with God there is no respect of persons and that our earthly prerogatiues whereby wee seeme so farre to excell others are no dispensations or charters of libertie that lesse dutie should be required of vs then of those that are inferiours vnto vs. Earthly state swelleth and puffeth vp the mindes of men and in their pride they thinke scorne to be tied to any rules for the ordering of their life They holde it a wronge vnto them to haue dutie vrged vpon them as vpon other men and it must not be expected of them to serue Iesus Christ further then their leisure and liking will giue them leaue But therefore as I haue saied the prophet heere nameth kings as subiect to the wrath of Christ that no height of men may perswade them that they haue any priuiledge whereby they are exempted from seruing the Lord but rather that the highest are most in sight and specially marked of God and in the contempt of Christ are subiect to so much the greater wrath by how much the more it cōcerneth them not onely themselues to be religious and dutifull vnto him but also both by their authoritie and by their example to forward those that liue vnder them to doe honour vnto his name Kings persecuting the church are subiect to the wrath of Christ and shall do no more then he seeth good 6 But yet the prophet heere specially intendeth those potentates kings that professedly oppose themselues against Christ and his Gospell according to that that he speaketh in another Psalme a Psal 2.2 The kings of the earth stand vp and the rulers take counsell togither against the Lord against his annointed Which is applied by Saint Peter in the fourth of the Acts b Act. 4.27 Against thine onely sonne Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herode and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israell haue gathered them selues together and is further also to be applied to all other tyrants and persecutours of the church Now hereby the holy ghost would strengthen our mindes against the terrour and feare of the princes and great men of this world that wee may not be ouermuch troubled or dismaied when we see them banding and bending themselues against the church of Christ inasmuch as we know that be they neuer so great they are subiect to the hand of him that sitteth at the right hand of God so that howsoeuer they fume and rage and by their power seeme to threaten ruine to heauen it selfe yet they can doe nothing but as it pleaseth Christ to vse
those infirmities and weakenesses those afflictions and indignities that we haue spoken of are matters not beseeming or befitting the glorie of God and and we will answere with Tertullian a Tertul. cont Marcio lib. 2. Totum Dei mei penes vos dedecus sacramentum est humanae salutis All that you account the reproch and disgrace of our God is the sacrament or mysterie of mans saluation It is for mans behoofe whatsoeuer he vndertooke vnwoorthie of himselfe b Hilar. de Trinis lib. 2. Humilitas eius nostra nobilitas est contumelia eius honor noster est saith Hilarie The humbling of him is the ennobling of vs his reproch is our honour This is the foundation whereupon we builde our selues to heauen in this humiliation and weakenesse of Iesus Christ are conteined the infinite riches of grace and life What was the occasion of Christs abasing and bumbling of himselfe 7 But what was it in man that caused the sonne of God to take vpon him this disgraced and dispised state It was namely the sinne of man Woonderest thou that such indignitie should befall vnto the sonne of God Remember thy selfe humble thy selfe before the Lord and say It was my sinne that caused the Lord of glorie to take vpon him reproch and shame There could not be found in heauen or earth any other expiation of my sinne but that the sonne of God must demeane himselfe to suffer things vnwoorthy of God to make attonement betwixt God and me And when thou art come so far goe on yet and say Shall I cherish sinne in me that brought all this wrong vpon the sonne of God Shall I thinke lightly of that iniquity and vncleanesse which was so great with God that nothing could satisfie for it but the bloud of his onely begotten sonne Shall I bestow my life and daies in vanity and vnrighteousnesse which I vnderstand was so deerly bought to he halowed vnto God Thus I say we should bethinke our selues and with such meditations busie our selues this solemne tune which now we see specially in the greatest houses not without great sinne wholy in a manner destinated to excesse of vanity and folly of wild and vnbrideled behauiour as if we rather kept the prophane and licentious festiualls of Bacchus and Apollo then a wholy remembrance of Iesus Christ 8 Hitherto we haue seene the humbling of Dauids Lord now let vs see his exaltation and glory The exaltation of Christ to sit at the right hand of God For vnto him thus humbled God the father is brought in saying sit thou at my right hand c. Whereby is signified the lifting vp of the man Christ to the participation and felowship of the maiesty and glory of God and to all height of dignity power primacy ouer all creatures both in heauen and earth The sequel of humiliation and glorie both in Christ and and vs. In which consequence of humility and glory in the person of Iesus Christ we see what our way must be to that heauenly glory and blisse which we desire For we must be made a Rom. 8.29 like vnto the image of the sonne of God not onely in the end but also in the meanes and way that leadeth thereunto We must be humbled with him that with him we may be exalted we must b 2. Tim. 2.11.12 suffer with him that we may raigne with him we must die with him that we may liue with him we must c Heb. 13.13 with him be partakers of reproch that with him we may be partakers of glory we must with him beare the crosse and crowne of thornes that with him we may weare the crowne of euerlasting life If we refuse his company in the one he will exclude vs from being partners with him in the other As it is said of Christ the head d Luc. 24.26 These things ought Christ to suffer and so to enter into his glory so it is said of vs that are the body e Act. 14.22 By many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God As Christ was f Heb. 2.10 consecrated the prince of our saluation through afflictions so our g 2. Cor. 1.6 saluation is wrought in enduring the sufferings of like afflictions But there is comfort of these tribulations and sufferings for that they conteine the hope and assurance of so blessed reward inasmuch as therein h Rom. 5.2.3 we reioice vnder the hope of the glory of God And therefore as Christ i Heb. 12.2 for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame so must we looking vnto him as the author and finisher of our faith with willing mindes when the Lord will beare the k 2. Cor. 4.17 momentary and light affliction of this time as which bringeth an excellent and an eternall waight of glory whilest we looke not vpon the temporall things which are seen but vpon the things eternall which are not seen 9 The reward of glory that is here assigned vnto Iesus Christ hauing now gone through all his sufferings and accomplished the worke and seruice of our redemption is to sit at the right hand of God The fulfilling whereof Saint Marke declareth telling vs that after his resurrection hauing spoken vnto his disciples a Mar. 16.19 he was receiued into heauen and sate at the right hand of God Which is an honour peculiar vnto the sonne of God The highest angels are not high enough to bee partakers of this glorie for b Heb. 1.13 to which of all the angels hath he saide at anie time sit thou at my right hand c. Now this phrase of speech borowed from humane and ciuill vse What is signified by Christs sitting at the right hand of God attributeth vnto Iesus Christ an excellencie both of maiestie and power Maiestie imported first in the very terme of sitting Which is not used is properly to determine any certaine position or gesture of bodie but figuratiuely to note an eminencie of dignitie and honour For to persons of maiestie and honour it belongeth to sit when others stande that are of inferiour place And thus is it oftentimes vsed in the Scripture as touching God himselfe and namely of many places to alleage one Dan. 7. where it is said that c Dan. 7.9.10 the thrones being set vp the Auncient of daies did sit thousand thousāds ministred vnto him ten thousand thousands stood before him Thus the honor which Iesus Christ shall do vnto his saints we finde expressed also by this terme of sitting d Apoc. 3.21 To him that ouercommeth will I grant to sit with me in my throne c. But Christ is not said onely to sit but to sit at the right of God which is neuer affirmed of the saints Now the right hand according to vse of nature signifieth power and strength according to ciuill vse it importeth preheminence and honour The right parts naturally are the nimbler
the Gospell with horrible persecutions they dulled their swords with slaughter and daunced their horses in blood but nothing would serue their turne the dint of their swords entred not so deepe into mens bodies as the word of Christ did into their soules raysing vp stil a new ofspring vnto Christ to vpbraid their folly and madnesse in raging and fighting against God The diuers effect of the word of Christ. 4 But the power of this word appeareth further in the seuerall effects that it worketh both a 2. Cor. 2.15 in them that are saued and in them that perish being to the one the sauour of death vnto death to the other the sauour of life vnto life as the Apostle speaketh for we must know that the Scepter and kingdome of Christ hath vnder the imperiall stroke thereof two sorts of men the one loiall and louing subiects the other traiterous wilfull rebels The power of the word of Christ as touching reprobates and wicked men To the one it is a Scepter of gould to gouerne them but it is a Scepter of iron to destroy the other for of rebels and wicked men the Prophet saith b Psal 2.9 Thou shalt smite them with a rod or Scepter of iron and shalt breake them in peeces like a potters vessell The word of Christ is indeede vnto them as c Ier. 24.29 a hammer to breake them in pieces as d Ier. 5.14 a fire to burne and consume them as e Reuel 19.15 a sword to kill them and cut them off as f Ier. 25.15 a potion of wrath to poyson them and as a mightie tempestuous winde sent foorth in anger from the Lord renteth and ouerthroweth the tall and mightie trees and turneth them vp by the rootes so the word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God vndermineth the foundations of the wicked casteth their houses downe vpon their heads and after it is once gone foorth neuer ceaseth as a canker fretting and eating vpon them vntill it haue quite consumed them to nothing Yea and in the meane while howsoeuer words seeme to be but winde yet this winde of the Lord oftentimes we see astonisheth the harts of such reprobates and castawaies appaleth their faces conuinceth and frighteth their consciences confoundeth their vnderstanding and as an arrow in their sides galleth and vexeth them they seeke to pull it out and it will not be but as a fury it foloweth them and tormenteth them and as the sheepe tangled in the bryers the more they stirre the faster they are tyed and the deadly poyson which they haue conceiued they strengthen more and more to their owne destruction To be short as the sentence of the iudge is the death of the malefactor vpon whom it is pronounced so the word of God is the death of the wicked man it bindeth him fast with the cords of iudgement it kindleth a fire round about him which g Esa 30.33 the breath of the Lord like a riuer of brimstone causeth to burne for euer This is the Scepter of Christ this is the power of his word Let vs not resist it let vs not despise it least the iudgement thereof fall vpon vs as the stone of a mightie rocke to grinde vs to dust and powder Let vs not deceiue our selues Our pompe and our pride will not beare vs out against the hand of him that sitteth at the right hand of God We are but flesh the edge of his sworde will easily pearce vs we are but dust and ashes the breath of his displeasure will easilie blowe vs away and we shall come to nought If the sweetenesse of earthly things haue so enchanted bewitched our taste that we finde no sweetenesse in the comforts of the worde of life if we set more by a Num. 11.5 the Leekes and Garlike of Egypt then by angels food the heauenly Manna he will fill our mouthes with grauell and sande and gall and wormewood that is bitternes and sorow shall be our end The mightie power of Christ in his worde for the sauing of his elect 5 Againe the power of this scepter and word of Christ appeareth no lesse for the sauing of his elect The Apostle calleth b Rom. 1.16 the Gospell the power of God vnto saluation and the c 1. Cor. 1.21.24 preaching of the crosse of Christ the power of God and the wisedome of God to saue them that beleeue Heereby he calleth vs conuerteth vs quickneth vs feedeth vs comforteth vs stablisheth vs and guideth vs to himselfe Heereby he dissipateth and scattereth the mistes of ignorance and errour enlighteneth the blinde eies subdueth proude and rebellious affections softeneth the stony and vnpearceable hardnesse of mens harts changeth lions and woolues and beares and tigers into meeke and harmelesse lambes and dooues worketh in man another nature another disposition another will another heart euen then when his heart seemeth to be vnmooueably setled against God Thus therefore we reade d Heb. 4.12 The word of God is liuely and mightie in operation and sharper then any two edged sword and entreth through euen vnto the diuiding a sunder of the soule and the spirite and of the ioyntes and the marow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart so that e 1. Cor. 14.24 when yee prophecie saith Saint Paul and there come in one that beleeueth not or one vnlearned he is rebuked of all and is iudged of all and so the secrets of his heart are made manifest and he falleth downe and worshippeth God and saieth God is in you indeed Thus the hearts of the two disciples f Luc. 24.32 burnt within them whilest Iesus openeth vnto them the Scriptures the officers sent by the Pharisies to apprehend Christ whilest they heare his preaching are turned to another minde and giue glorie vnto him and say a Ioh. 7.46 Neuer man spake like this man the Iewes at the hearing of Peters sermon are b Act. 2.37 pricked in their heartes and say vnto the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do they were so affected with this word that they c Act. 2.45 soulde their possessions and goods and forsooke all that they might giue themselues wholy vnto Iesus Christ So mightily hath it preuailed and ouerruled the mindes of men against nature and reason and learning and wisedome and custome and whatsoeuer else is stronge to holde men in the liking of those things which they haue once receiued and folowed as that they haue beene content to renounce the deuotions which their forefathers had so long imbraced to cast away the gods which themselues had deuoutly serued to stoppe their eares against the contrarie motiues and perswasions of father and mother to harden their harts against the kneelings and weepings and embracinges of wife and children to forgoe their friends and countenance their honours and inheritances yea and their liues also rather then loose that peace and ioye of
heart which the same worde of Christ had ministred vnto them Yea how strange is it and howe greatly doth it commend the power of this worde to see weakenesse heereby preuailing against strength simplicitie against policie to see the Lambe standing without feare before the lion the seely turtle before the deuouring kite women and children and weakelings before the great monarches and potentates of the world not fearing their threatning words nor dreading their tormenting hands but boldly vttering d Reuel 12.15 the worde of their testimonie in despight of all their furie and neuer yeelding to shrinke from it by any thing that coulde be deuised against them The worde of God in their hearts gaue them courage and resolution and strength to goe through fire and water to beare all aduentures of winde and weather and howsoeuer they seemed to be beaten against the rockes yet they escaped shipwracke and arriued safe at the hauen of their desire If we haue felt the worke heereof in our selues we cannot but acknowledge it to be a diuine power we can not but cōfesse and say e Psal 76.10 vulg edit Haec est mutatio dexterae excelsi◠this change is wrought by the right hand of the most highest For to deny our owne wisedome to crosse our owne desires to tread nature and affection vnderfoote to say vnto our pleasures and delights we know you not nor will haue any thing to do with you to be profite and gaine farewell that we may folow the commaundement of the Lord to worke these things in vs argueth a hand that is mightier ouer vs then we are ouer our selues and setteth foorth the glorious and superexcellent power of the worde of Christ The hardnes of our harts in that we are not mooued with the worde 6 Now the greater the power of this word is approued and commended to be the greater must needs be the hardnesse of our hearts when we are not at all mooued therewith when we heare it and yet our hearts remaine dead and cold and without feeling of those things that are spoken as though they did not belong vnto vs. But great is our sinne and a threefold condemnation we purchase vnto our selues when purposely and maliciously we strengthen our hearts against it and wilfully put backe the hand of God from vs by the refusing of his word as if we would say vnto the Lord. Away from vs we will make no triall of thy power to worke in vs we will die in our sinnes and will not behold the light of life Far be it from vs thus to doe yea rather let vs offer our selues to the power and worke of this scepter and rod of Christ and it shal be vnto vs as the rod of Moses to worke woonderfull things both for vs and against them that are against vs. The due receiuing and honoring of the word of Christ is the token that we acknowledge him our king 7 And here we are to obserue a certeine and infallible token whereby we may know where the kingdome of Christ is and where it is not where he reigneth as king and where he raigneth not For where the scepter of the word of Christ is admitted and men stoupe and yeeld due obeisance vnto it there it is certaine that Christ raigneth and is acknowledged for a king But where his word is excluded or dishonoured there howsoeuer men professe his name in word yet indeede they say a Luc. 19.14 We will not haue this man to be our king or to raigne ouer vs. Will a mortall prince be perswaded that we take him for our king when we presumptuously crosse and thwart his words and refuse to be gouerned by his lawes Will he not rather thinke that we dally with him and deride him Will he not hold vs and that iustly for traiterous and dissembling rebells And shall the Lord account any otherwise of vs when by our owne words we giue check vnto his words and set up lawes of our owne against his lawes and refuse to be guided at his will The Papacy is not the kingdome of Christ Whence we gather that vndoubtedly the Papacy is not the kingdome of Christ that Christ is not therein faithfully holden for Lord and king For they haue cast the scepter of Christ to the ground and haue troden it vnder their feete and haue giuen greater authority to their owne lawes then to his word and a Mat. 15.6 by their tradition haue made the commandement of God of none effect All their deuotion what is it but mens deuise what else but a peruerting and deprauing of those things which were instituted and ordeined by Iesus Christ Christ by his word teacheth vs one thing they by their tradition and deuise teach vs quite the contrary Christ teacheth vs that b Heb. 13.4 mariage is honorable amongst all men but fornicatours and adulterers God will iudge they teach vs that mariage is damnable in some men and that it is more tolerable for them to be fornicatours then to be maried men Christ teacheth vs c 1. Ioh. 5 2◠to keepe our selues fram idols they teach vs to worship them Christ saieth of the cup of the Sacrament d Mat. 26.27 drinke yee all of this they say all shall not drinke of it but onely the Priest Christ teacheth vs not e Gal. 6.14 to reioyce but onely in his crosse they teach vs to reioyce and to seeke remission of sinnes in the crosse of Peter and of Paule and in the crosses of all the saints Many more examples might be alledged very pregnant to this purpose wherein we may obserue a repugnancie and direct opposition betwixt Christianitie and Popery vnlesse wilfully we blinde our eies and refuse to see Now thanks be vnto God which hath deliuered vs from the tyranny of that Scepter of Antichrist and hath broken from our neckes the yoke of his superstitions and hath caused the fresh and reuiuing winde of his word freely to blow vpon vs and hereby hath giuen vs assured token of his most gratious and louely presence and of the kingdome of Christ amongst vs. Let vs now walke in the light that he hath giuen vs and willingly yeelde our selues to be gouerned by his Scepter lest if we despise his word and bring foorth no fruit of the labour that he hath bestowed vpon vs we bring vpon our selues that sentence which Christ pronounced of the Iewes f Mat. 21.43 The kingdome of God shall be taken from you and shall be giuen to a nation that shall bring foorth the fruites thereof The word is directed and sent vnto vs from the Lord. 8 It foloweth concerning the Scepter of Christs power that the Lord doth send it foorth For the word of Christ neither goeth foorth nor prospereth by the will or power of man but the Lord it is that sendeth it and it is the Lord that giueth successe vnto it The ministery of the word one of the
we harbour with in our selues b August cont Iâ—l Pelag. lib. 2. exercitum quendam cupiditatum as Saint Austen saieth An army of sinfull affections within vs still occasioning vs to fight a very army of vicious and sinfull affections which yeeld vs continuall matter and occasion of fighting from our beginning to our end against the wantonnesse and wilfulnesse of youth against the crookednesse of olde age in prosperitie against presumption and carnall securitie in aduersitie against impatiencie and despaire in high estate against disdaine in low estate against enuie in aboundance against excesse in want against vnlawfull shifts in the folowing of vertue against vaine glory in the hatred of vice against curiositie and rashnes in iudging censuring other men in religion against schisme heresie infidelitie in ciuill conuersation against wrathfulnesse vnfaithfulnesse vnmercifulnesse selfeloue and all iniustice against euill workes in the profession of true faith against misbeleefe in the practise of good works Temptations of sinne still succeeding one another Yea and as they say of the heads of Hydra the Serpent that one being cut off there grew vp moe for it and as the waues of the sea one still folow in the necke of another euen so it is with the temptations of sinne the ending of one is the beginning of another and one victorie is the drawing on of another fight a Cypr. de mortall If couetousnesse be ouerthrowen saith Saint Cyprian then ariseth wanton lust if lust be repressed then ambition comes in place if ambition be reiected then anger prouoketh pride swelleth enuie fretteth c. So â—…e is it which the same Father elsewhere saith b Idem de duplicimartyrio Although there be not alwaies Neroes Diocletians and Maximines raging against the Church yet neuer doth the deuill cease to busie and trouble them that haue professed the warfare of Christ. And Saint Hierome c Hierony epis ad Heliodorum Erras si vnquam putas Christianum persecutionem non pati tunc maximè oppugnaris quum te oppugnarinescis Thou art deceiued if thou thinke a Christian man at any time free from suffering persecution and then is a man most of all oppugned when he doth not know himselfe to be oppugned 7 Now being thus beset with enemies on euery side nay carying within our selues enmitie against our selues we see a necessitie of fighting we see a reason why we are called the armie of the Lord. Let vs therefore be as we are called let vs euery man take sword in hand and d Iudg. 5.23 goe foorth to helpe the Lord against the mightie against e Reuel 12.9.17 the Dragon and the Angels thus making warre against the womans seede If in the middest of so many so dangerous so deadly enemies we sit still and sleepe and refuse to fight what doe wee but betraie our selues and the quarrell and cause of him that hath chosen vs to be his souldiours No seruant of Christ that is not his souldiour And surely if we doe not fight wee are none of his if thou be no souldiour thou art no seruant of Iesus Christ because to be his seruant is to be a souldiour And therefore thou be not skilled in this spiritual battel if thou be not daily if exercised a Iam. 4.7 to resist the diuell and to b Heb. 12.4 fight against sinne if there be not in thee a daily controuling of thine owne waies a checking of thine owne hart a resisting of thine owne desires a subduing of thine owne affections that thou maiest c 2. Cor. 10.5 bring euerie thought to the obedience of Christ if all bee at peace within thee and thou findest no diuision no contradiction betwixt the flesh and the spirite betwixt the old and the new man betwixt that which thou art of thy selfe and that which thou art of God what doest thou in the Lordes tents to what end doest thou professe the seruice of Christ Go out of the campe if thou wilt not fight and keepe not a standing there idlely and in vaine Many say they are Christs who yet are not so because they fight not for him 8 Let vs consider this in our harts for many there are that say they are Christs and take his name in their mouthes who yet neuer drew sword nor gaue stroke in Christs behalfe who defie the diuell with their mouthes but wrestle not against his workes who haue renounced the worlde and yet liue in league with the worlde and continue deepely entangled in the corruptions thereof whose lust is their law and they make their owne carnall desire the rule and measure of all their doings These men deceiue themselues They would faine liue with Christ in heauen but yet they would d 2. Cor. 5.15 liue to themselues here vpon the earth they would be blessed in the world to come but yet would not be crossed in the pleasures of this world But this cannot be He that hath called vs vnto eternall life hath told vs that we must e Luc. 13.24 striue to enter in at the straight gate that leadeth vnto it He that hath set before vs f 1. Cor. 9.25.26 an incorruptible crowne hath withall warned vs that we must g 2. Tim 2.5 fight for it And as Saint Ambrose saith h Ambros in psa 118. ser 18. Non decet redimitos floribus corona sed puluerulentos c. The crowne is not for carpet knights that loue to be beset and garlanded with posies and floures but for them that are beraied with wrastling and tumbling in the dust and victorie is not the honour of nicelings and wantons but of them that haue sweate and laboured for it If therefore we desire the reward of victorie and the crowne that is promised to them onely that ouercome let vs as I haue saide addresse our selues vnto the fight and applie both our harts and our hands to the pulling downe of the kingdome of Satan and to the maintenance and aduancement of the kingdome of Iesus Christ We are to fight for Christ by doing the duties of our seuerall callings 9 Now because as in earthly armies there are men of diuers sorts and places generals captaines lieutenants sergeants coronels common souldiours c. So in the warfare of Christ there are likewise diuers callings and conditions of men we are euery one to consider the standing and place whereunto we are assigned of the Lord and faithfully to imploy our selues therein for his aduantage that we may still be getting ground of the enemy against whom we fight Princes and Magistrates by well managing the sword of ciuill authoritie by establishing and executing good lawes for Christs behoofe and for the setting foorth of the glory of God Ministers by vsing carefully and wisely the sword of the spirit the word of God for the cutting downe of sinne and vnrighteousnesse and to breede in mens hearts the feare of God and the loue of his
commandements Parents and maisters by well gouerning themselues and their households restraining their children and seruants from all loosenesse and lewd behauiour and training them vp with all care to vertuous and godly life In a word let euery man esteeme with himselfe what the duety of his calling requireth of him and therein bestow himselfe faithfully for the Lord. Let vs all be euermore practising and enuring our selues to fight in the Lordes behalfe against the diuell by faith against the world by patience and temperance against the lusts of the flesh by daily meditation and exercise of repentance against them all by praier and by the word of God An incouragement to fight in that Christ is our captaine vnder whom we fight 10 And to this fight we are encouraged the more because we are his army because we haue such a captaine vnder whom we fight One that is of most puissant and victorious power and might and hath all things subiect to his will that sendeth vs not foorth to battell alone but goeth himselfe with vs who hauing borne the brunt and heate of the battell himselfe hath made the fight more tolerable and easie for vs who himselfe giueth vs armes and strength to fight and commaundeth his a Luc. 2.13 multitude of heauenly souldiours his blessed angels to fight for vs. So that we may boldly comfort our selues and say b 1. Ioh. 4.4 Greater is he that is in vs then he that is in the worlde and c 2. King 6.16 they that are with vs are moe then they that are against vs yea they that are against vs are ouerruled by his mightie hande to bee for vs euen in those thinges that they entend against vs. And to be short though we be weake yet hee is strong and will suffer none d Ioh. 10.28 to plucke vs out of his hand but the end shall be with reioycing and triumph to sing aloude e 1. Cor. 15.57 Thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs the victorie through Iesus Christ our Lord. The souldiours of Christ voluntarie men willingly offering themselues to the Lords seruice 11 It foloweth to declare what affectiō the people of Christ do beare in the vndertaking of this warfare In earthly kingdomes men are oftentimes holden in subiection against their will They doe dutie to their princes for feare rather then of any deuotion or good affection towards them In their harts they murmure and repine and thinke it a heauie burden to doe them seruice And therefore if they finde opportunity they withdraw themselues from the yoke vnder which they are holden So likewise to earthly battels men vsually go by constraint and against their owne minde They seeke by what meanes they can to be freed from such seruice to rest in quietnesse at home But the seruants and souldiours of the spirituall kingdome of Christ are noted to be of another disposition They shall be saith he a people of great deuotion or willingnesse If we will translate it precisely according to the Hebrew wordes we must say a people of deuotions because the worde is vsed in the plurall number But to expresse the force thereof I rather choose to reade a people of great deuotion For nothing else doth the prophet import heereby but a singular freenesse and willingnesse of hart wherewith the people of Christ shall dedicate and giue themselues vnto him to be bestowed and vsed at his will And to this purpose the worde is vsed in other places of holy Scripture As namely in the law of Moses by this worde are noted the f Leuit. 22.18 23.38 free offrings which men without any certaine imposition of law offered voluntarilie and of their owne accord By the originall of this worde Moses spake vnto the people for the buying of stuffe for the making of the tabernacle and furniture thereof and of the garments of the high Priest g 2 Exod. 35.5 If there bee any man whose hart maketh him willing thereunto let him bring his offring to the Lord c. And by the same verbe though in another coniugation Deborah speaketh of them who of their owne free accord went foorth to battell against Sisera and his companie a Judg. 5.2.9 Praise yee the Lorde for the auenging of Israell for the people that offered themselues willingly My hart is set on them that were willing among the people Euen such are the people of Christ here saide to bee to the battell that we haue spoken of to wit voluntarie men freely and willingly offering and deuoting themselues to doe him seruice and to fight for him The scepter of Christ worketh in the inner man 12 Thus the scepter of Christ goeth beyond the scepters of worldly princes which can preuaile no further but onely with the outward man whereas the scepter of Christ worketh in the hart and in the inner man renewing the minde and framing the will to the following of Christ and to the obedience of his will b Prosp de vocat gent. lib. 2. cap 9. Virtus nolentium nulla est saith Prosper Men are not accounted vertuous for those things they do against their wills It is the will that commendeth the good actions of men Willingnes commendeth good actions furthereth them vnwillingnes hindereth and disgraceth them and then are we approoued with God when with cheerefulnesse of hart we giue ourselues vnto him And hereby it is that we doe effectually and to the purpose those things that we doe There is nothing so easie of it selfe but it is hard to him that goeth about it with an vnwilling mind Want of will maketh men euermore to be putting off cases and casting off doubts and making of delaies and complaining of paines and alleaging of expense and whither he will not he cannot a while still a beare is in the way c Prou. 26.13 a lion is in the streete But where the heart is affected and the will deepely and throughly possessed with a thing it is the cleering of all cases and the controwling of all doubts and a spurre against delaies paines seemeth pleasure and expense seemeth gaine and those things that are lions and beares to other men are but ghosts and shadowes to deuotion and good will And as Saint Ambrose saith d Ambros in epist ad Rom. cap. 11. Hoc sequitur vnumquemque quod conatur ex corde that groweth vpon a man and goeth well forward which he endeuoreth from the hart whereas coldnesse and carelesnesse in the worker causeth alwaies crookednesse and vntowardlinesse in the worke 13 Now therefore the people of Christ that vprightly and without halting they may serue him are discribed to be a people of zealous and willing minde Deuotion and Zeale the token of our true affection vnto Christ. of such resolution towards him as that neither regard of profit nor feare of perill nor difficulty of proceeding doe hold them back from going forward whither he calleth and
commandeth them Wherefore this deuotion and zeale we must require in our selues if we will be thought to beare to him that affection that we ought to doe If we be willinglesse and without deuotion in his seruice and follow him in such sort as if we were loth to take to much paines or to goe to far we must take heede least he say of vs as he said of the Laodiceans a Reuel 3.15 I would thou were either hot or cold but bicause thou art neither hot nor cold but lukewarme I will spue thee out of my mouth And surely this is the sinne of these times wherein we liue wherein there is much professing of the name of Christ and little loue to Christ himselfe We haue the gospell more in our mouthes then in our harts Religion is made to serue mens purposes when they themselues haue little purpose of religion Policy hath ouermaistred piety and the world more preuaileth then the word and godlynesse is sold for gaine and their appeereth in vs so little hart towards Christ that wee may iustly perswade our selues that the blinde conscience of former ages shall accuse and condemne the carelesse learning of our age They changed deuotion into superstition but wee haue changed it into presumption and wilfulnesse The fruites of their deuotion wee haue turned to sacriledge theft and whilest we condemne them for misbeliefe wee condemne our selues by wicked life We measure our religion by mens liking and whilest we are loth to go to farre we are farre to short of that we should be Whilest we auoid to be accounted foolishly precise we continue licentiously grossely prophane We heare the worde of Christ but where is our zeale in hearing of it How easely are we withholden from it by euery trifling excuse and can like better in time of holie exercise to sit at cardes by a warme fire then to sit with God in a colde church If we serue him in the forenoone it is well it is too much to serue him againe in the afternoone If we do him deuotiō in the church it is more then needeth to do him any at home And thus wee abridge Christ of his worship and stint him at our pleasure Our willingnes is but when we will and our deuotion is but panges and fittes and lasteth no longer then standeth with the folowing of our owne delights And if any thing happely at any time doe mooue vs yet is it but as a flash of lightning which sodainly appeereth and by and by vanisheth away as if it had neuer beene And to be short farre are we of from that zeale of the honour of Christ that studie and care of godly life eschewing of the corruptions of the world that should make a difference betwixt the seruants of Christ and the children of this world 14 But where is in the meane time that great deuotion that the prophet speaketh of and how shall wee perswade our selues that those things are verified and fulfilled in vs which are thus foretold of the people of Iesus Christ Which if we cannot how shall we perswade our selues that we are his Let vs therefore leaue our lame and halting religion and a Heb. 12.13 make streight steps vnto our feete that we may walke vprightly with the Lord and b Act. 11.23 with purpose of hart cleaue stedfastly vnto him Let not men heare more in our words then they see in our deeds but if we will professe our selues to be his let it appeere in our true piety and deuotion towards him He requireth of vs to be c Rom. 12.11 feruent in spirit d Tit. 2.14 zealous of good workes e Gal. 4.18 earnest in good things not onely receiuing the truth but also f 2. Thess 2.10 the loue of the truth that we may be saued It is to small purpose that we haue the truth if we loue it not and if we loue it loue will breede deuotion and deuotion will yeeld all duety vnto the God of truth The souldiours of Christ attired and armed with the goodly beautie of holine◠15 Now volentary men freely and of their owne accord offering themselues to the seruice of their princes and captaines are wont to set foorth and shew themselues in all gallantnesse and brauery that their person and condition wil admitte Apparell armour horse and other furniture are prouided in the best sort they may euerie one striueth by this meanes to commend himselfe and to winne the greatest fauour in his captaines eies To the emulation and folowing of this affection the prophet heere calleth vs and as earthly souldiours studie in this sort to gratifie the desires and to please the eies of their earthly princes and captaines so he teacheth vs howe we are inwardly and spiritually to garnish and decke ourselues that we may be gracious in the sight of our heauenly captaine in the day of the mustring of his army And to this purpose hee nameth an armour or attire which hath little grace or glorie with the worlde but with singular grace commendeth vs vnto the eies of God This is that which he calleth the excellent beautie of holines Where I read excellent beautie to expresse the force and importance of the plurall number For in the Hebrew it is not beautie but beauties as to signifie that holinesse conteineth in it all true beautie is the summe of all those ornaments and graces wherewith the people of Christ are to decke themselues that they may be goodly and glorious in his sight So that whereas wee are all naturally desirous to be faire and beautifull the prophet heere instructeth vs what beautie it is that is most of all to be desired and wherewith aboue all other we should specially seeke to grace our selues For as for outward grace and beautie either in the feature of the body it selfe or in things applied to adde comelinesse vnto it what is it in it selfe but a fading floure corrupted by sicknesse withered by yeeres and confounded by death And if withall the soule be a harbour of vicious and euell affections a sinke of sinne and vncleannes what is all this goodly beautie but as varnish vpon rotten woode and as a faire painted visour vpon a foule wrinkled and deformed face 16 The beauty therefore which the prophet here commendeth is that wherein we are approoued with the Lord who accepteth vs not for any outward glory but for the vertue and good quality of the hart It is holinesse that draweth the eies of God vnto vs and whereby we are louely and pleasing in his fight aboue other men Holines consistath in two thinges Now holynesse consisteth partly in the putting of and eschewing the corrupt maners and conuersatlon of the world and partly in putting on those affections and conditions of vertue and grace whereby we cary the image and semblance of our captaine Iesus Christ The things that were holy in the law were seuered from all prophane and
common vse no vncleane thing might be suffered to touch them that so they might remaine pure and vndefiled to the vses of the Lord. Euen so we whom Christ a Ioh. 15.19 hath chosen and b Gal. 1.4 giuen himselfe to deliuer vs from this present euill world that he might make vs c 2. Tim. 2.21 vessells of honour sanctified and meete for the vses of the Lord should d Iam. 1.27 keepe our selues vnspotted of the world by e 2. Pet. 1.4 flying the corruption that raigneth therein by lust and abhorring those polluted and vncleane courses in the lothsome filthinesse whereof the world walloweth and tumbleth it selfe to the great offense and displeasure of almighty God And surely so long as the contagion and filth of the world cleaueth fast vnto vs and we frame our selues to the fashion and behauiour thereof there can be nothing so lothsome and hatefull vnto vs as we our selues are lothsome vnto God And therefore God himselfe in this sort aduiseth vs a 2. Cor. 6.17 Come out from among them and seperate your selues and touch no vncleane thing and I will receiue you and I will be a father vnto you and you shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord. Whereupon the apostle thus exhorteth in the beginning of the next chapter b 2. Cor. 7.1 seeing then we haue these promises let vs clense our selues frō all fithines of the flesh of the spirit and grow vp to full holines in the feare of God In which words he expresseth both those parts of holines which I mentioned before calling the one the clensing of our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirite the other the growing vp to full holinesse or the fulfilling and perfiting of our sanctification in the feare of God Which fulfilling of our sanctification standeth in clothing from day to day both inwardly our conscience and outwardly our conuersation with pietie and the feare of God thereby to c 1. Pet. 2.9 set foorth the vertues of him that hath called vs out of darkenes into his maruelous light And this the Apostle Saint Paule calleth d Rom. 13.14 Gal. 5.16 the putting on of the Lord Iesus Christ teaching vs thereby not onely to attire our selues by faith with his merites and righteousnes that thereby we may be iustified in the sight of God but also by holines to expresse in our life the example that he hath laied before vs that by our good workes and godly life it may appeere that we haue Christ dwelling and ruling in our harts Which the same Apostle elsewhere more particularly describeth saying e Col. 3.12 put on as the elect of God holy and beloued tender mercie kindenesse humblenesse of minde meekenes long suffring c. And againe f 1. Thess 5.8 Let vs which are of the daie be sober putting on the brestplate of faith and loue and the hope of saluation for an helmet 17 These and such like are the ornaments whereby the church of Christ is to him that loueth her g Cant. 5.9 Holines our attyre when we come to the place of the Lords assemblie goodly as the morning faire as the moone pure as the sunne and to her enimie terrible as an armie with displaied ensignes Thus attired and armed we shoulde come and present our selues in this place of the assemblie of the Lordes armie not in hautines and presumption not in vaine and wanton apparell not in the care of decking our selues to the eies of the worlde the follie whereof in this generation nowe long agoe stinketh in the nostrels of the Lorde but in humblenesse and lowlinesse of minde in meekenesse and quietnesse of spirite in innocencie and simplicitie of hart in a sacred feare and reuerence of that high maiestie before which we present our selues If we come not thus prepared wee are but spots and blots in the Lords assemblie and we are to feare the same exception to be taken against vs as was taken against him that came to the wedding supper without a wedding garment a Math. 22.12 friend howe cōmest thou in hither not hauing on a wedding garment For what is the wedding garment but euen the beautie of holinesse which the prophet heere commendeth as the attire of the Lords armie That therefore our comming may be gratefull to the Lord and without danger to our selues let vs haue this sentence of the prophet in our mindes and remember alwaies to appeere before the Lorde in the beautie of holinesse in true deuotion humblenesse of minde obedience loue b 1. Tim. 1.5 out of a pure hart and a good conscience and faith vnfained so the Lorde seeing in vs the shadow and picture of his beautie shal take delight and pleasure in vs whereas otherwise by hypocrisie and sinne our being heere is but abhomination before him 18 Now followeth the latter part of this verse Thy youth shal be as the dew vnto thee from the wombe of the morning Where the words being very obscure in the Hebrew text are diuersly translated Vpon searching and comparing of diuers iudgements I haue set downe that which I take to be most fit And verie answerable heereunto is that which is written by the prophet Micah c Micah 5.7 The remnant of Iacob shall be among manie people as the dew from the Lorde and as the little mistling droppes vpon the grasse which doe not waite for man nor hope in the sonnes of Adam By which wordes the prophet foretelleth the mightie increase of the church amongst the Gentiles whose multitude shall be as the small dew and little drops that fall from heauen without number and that this shall come to passe not by any power or worke of man but by the gracious hand of almightie God euen as hee onely without the helpe of man causeth the shewers and dew to fall vpon the earth To which verie purpose I take it the wordes of our prophet here are likewise to bee vnderstoode The multitude of the armie of Christ and by what hand they are raised vp vnto him for hauing before declared how Iesus Christ shall haue his armie to ioyne with him in fight against his enimies he addeth heere in what multitude they shall come and by what hand they shal be raised vp vnto him They shall be innumerable as the dewe which by the onely hand of God is brought foorth from the wombe of the morning where the prophet by a metaphor nameth it the wombe of the morning where the morning dewe is secretly formed and from whence it commeth as children from the wombe Againe the name of youth by another figure importeth not meerely yoongnesse of age but the persons themselues that are yoong by the like phrase of speech as we are woont to say The youth were gathered togither the youth were sporting themselues c. Youth they that are newly newly borne againe to Christ 19 By youth then are meant the young frie
them to serue his turne as who hath it in his hand to destroy them at his owne will The maiestie of Christ shoulde more affect vs then the power of earthly princes And therefore the maiesty and power of Iesus Christ should much more affect and moue vs then all the power and greatnesse of earthly princes and the feare of him should be stronger to conteine and hold vs within the bounds of duety and faithfullnesse towards him then the feare of any secular power should be to remooue vs from the same a August in Psal 75. Terribiles sunt reges saith saint Austen sed super omnes terribilis qui terret reges Kings are greatly to be feared but he is fearefull aboue all that maketh kings themselues afraide If we feare kings because they can destroy vs how much more shall we feare him that is able to destroy kings Earthly kings can but destroy our bodies neither can they do that but when as the Lord will giue them leaue but this king hath power ouer bodie and soule and is able when he will to destroy both b Mat. 10.28 feare not them saith Christ that kill the bodie and are not able to kill the soule but feare him that is able to destroy both soule and bodie in hell fire 7 Againe it is to be obserued how the prophet setteth downe a certaine time determined by Iesus Christ for the execution of his wrath A day appointed for the execution of the wrath of Christ For this is imported in that that he saith In the day of his wrath Wherby he calleth vs to patieÌ„ce to a quiet contented expectation of the reuealing of the Lords hand that we take it not amisse if the Lord do not so soone manifest his wrath against his enimies as we desire and looke for We see it oftentimes fall out that the enimies of Christ and his church infinitely storme and rage against his name and Gospell and yet in the meane time all thinges goe with them according to their owne desire They murther the righteous and innocent and wash their feete in the bloude of them that giue anie testimonie vnto the faith of Christ and the Lorde in the meane time maketh as if he saw it not and holdeth his hand as if he cared not what were done by them This sometimes wee woonder at and are amazed in our mindes to see that God suffereth those thinges to bee done to poore innocent soules for his sake and doth not straightwaies drawe his sworde and bring foorth his weapons for the reuenging of their cause But the prophet willeth vs alwaies to consider that the Lorde hath appointed a daie for the manifesting of his wrath against his enimies which as in wisedome and iudgement hee hath determined so in wisedome also hee will obserue and keepe the same In the meane time their courses are not vnknowen vnto him but he appointeth both which way and how far they shall goe and disposeth their goings to good ends and vses howsoeuer the same be not alwaies apparant to our eies But that which the Lord hath appointed they cannot passe they cannot goe beyond it where he hath set thenet they shal be taken where he hath digged the pitte they shall certeinly fall and shall not escape the plague that he hath prepared for them Howsoeuer therefore they reioyce in their present successe against the iust and comfort themselues in the assurance of their owne estate as if heauen and earth were sworne to serue their will yet as Dauid saith a Psal 37.13 the Lord laugheth them to scorne because he seeth that their day is comming the day that shall strip them of all their glory and turne their light into darkenesse and giue them the full reward of b Zepha 2.10 their pride whereby they haue reproached the iust and magnified themselues against the people of the Lord. Let vs therefore in this be halfe submit our selues vnto the wise dome of the Lord and not prescribe vnto him when or how he shall glorifie himselfe in the deliuerance of his people or in the destruction of his enemies And seeing the impieties and blasphemies of the wicked conteine far more wrong and offence vnto the maiestie of God then they can doe vnto vs and yet he is content in respect of himselfe to for beare and to defer his wrath let vs not maruell that he is so slow in the mainteining and instifying of our cause that vseth so great sufferance and patience in his owne The day of wrath sâ—â—ially to be vnder siood of the day of iudgement or the ast day 8 But this day of wrath as it hath relation vnto all those daies of particular iudgements wherein God in this world from time to time taketh open reuenge vpon wicked men and persecutours of his church so it must be extended also to that c Reuel 6.17 great day of wrath wherein shal be the consumation and full accomplishment of all iudgment Which saint Paul calleth also a Rom. 2.5 the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God and saint Peter b 2. Pet. 3.7 the day of iudgment and of the destruction of vngodly men Which is therefore specially so called because God shall then in speciall manner make his iudgement to appeare vniuersally vpon all the wicked so that there shal be no deniall of his hand For now although the wrath of God doe oftentimes light vpon the wicked in such sort as that plainly men that haue eies may discerne vpon them the hand of the sonne of God whom they haue dispised yet the world wilfully blindeth it selfe and will not behold or acknowledge therein the work of God but rather impute all to mishap and fortune and ouersight and therefore through hardnesse of hart feare not to goe forward in the same waies wherein they haue seen others to fall before them Thus children tread in their fathers steps and successours follow the cruelties and vngodly courses of their predecessours without any doubt or feare at all of their vnexpected and fearefull end Although therefore that God doe thus set foorth his iudgement by many dreadfull examples euen in this life yet it is to the most as if he iudged not because men will not take it to be his iudgement Againe albeit many there be that are thus made spectacles of the wrath of God in this world yet many there are also that seeme to goe to their graues in peace as if God had taken no notice of them or vnderstood not what they had done against him Prosperitie and honour accompany them to their end and the world cannot discerne but that they are blessed and happie men But that day of iudgement shall reforme all this errour when as they that now refuse to see or to acknowledge the power and worke of God in those executions which hee performeth in this world shall haue their eies opened to
a Tertul. in Apologet. ca. 5. dedicator damnationis nostrae as Tertullian calleth him that is the first that made a law to condemne Christians to death after all his villanies and cruelties being condemned himselfe by the Senate of Rome to be whipped to death to auoid this iudgement fled away by night and complaining that he coulde finde neither friend nor enimie to dispatch him but yet professing that as he had liued a shamefull life so he would die a shamefull death fell vpon his owne sword and killed himselfe Domitian who as Tertullian also speaketh was b Tertul. ibid. portio Neronis de crudelitate for his crueltie a piece of Nero was slaine in his chamber by the consent of his owne wife Hadrian was taught to rue his shedding of bloud by a horrible fluxe issue of his owne bloud wherewith he grew in the end to that exceeding torment as that he called for poison sword to dispatch himselfe Commodus a man for his lewdnesse and crueltie likened to those monsters Nero and Domitian was first poisoned by Martia his concubine and afterward strangled by Narcissus Seuerus the emperour was so cruelly tormented in his whole bodie as that he also desired poison to end his life Maximinus was torne in peeces of his owne souldiours Decius was drowned in a quagmire Valerius as was before said was taken by Sapores king of Persia after much indignitie his skin was flated off salt cast vpon his raw flesh so in miserable sort he ended his wretched life Dioclesian killed himselfe Galienus Aurelianus were slain by others Iulian the apostata after all his both violent and wily practises against Christ and his church in battel against the Persians was woūded to death and taking of his owne bloud in his hand sprinkleth it vpward perforce acknowledgeth the iudgemēt of Christ saying Vicisti tandem Galilaee Thou Galilean yet at length hast gotten the victorie These were tyrants and persecutors of the church and in them as in many more which it were to long to rehearse we see the wordes of the prophet verified that Christ should smite and wounde euen the very heads ouer great couniries Yea these our times haue not wanted verie notable and pregnant examples of this iudgement of the Lord. For if wee looke backe vnto them who haue bene the speciall authors of those massacres and murthers that haue beene committed vpon the professours of the Gospell we shall easily perceiue that God hath returned the bloud which they haue shed vpon their owne heades They haue come to feareful ends by lice by fluxe of bloud by poisoning by stabbing hauing first combined themselues to the destruction of the faithfull haue afterwards fallen to conspiring and practising one against another This is the worke of Christ this is his fearefull wrath that men may learne to stand in awe of him and not to abuse their greatnesse and power to the oppugning of his kingdome The vengeance of Christ ceaseth not to pursue and folow his enimies vntill it haue destroied them 15 There followeth now a word or two to be spoken of the last verse He shall drinke of the brooke in the way therefore shall he lift vp his head The former part of which words is hard to be vnderstood neither will I take vpon me certeinly to determine the meaning thereof I like best to follow them who construe the same to the like purpose in generall as the words before as if the prophet hauing imported Christs victorie gotten against his enemies would further signifie that as a noble conquerour hauing wonne the battell and put the enemie to flight pursueth and followeth the chase with might and maine and the more instantly to presse them will not turne out of the way to refresh himselfe but is content to drinke of the brooke that he findeth in the way and so cutteth them of one and one vntill they be vtterly wasted and ouerthrowne euen so the sonne of God Iesus Christ with all wrath and furie shall prosecute his enemies and hold them still in chase and pursue them by his diuine power and sword of iudgement so that none of them shall escape but all shall fall vnder his hand Certeine it is that iust vengeance is still waiting at the heeles of the enemies of Christ and ceaseth not to follow them vntill it haue vtterly destroied them They may seeme for a time to flie and to escape their pompe and power may seeme to hide them and to shield them from the Lords hand but in the end he will ouertake them and find them out and pull them out of their holes and set his feete vpon their necks and poure vpon them euerlasting confusion Let no man flatter himselfe let no man be secure in enmitie against the Lord. Present standing is no warrant against future falling The sworde that hath not yet striken yet is gone foorth to strike and shall not returne vntill it a Psal 68.21 wound the head of Gods enimies and the curled pates of them that walke forward in their sinnes b 2. Pet. 2.3 whose iudgement long agone as Saint Peter saith is not farre of and their damnation sleepeth not Christs victorie and glorious triumph ouer all his enimies 16 The last words import the glorious triumph of Iesus Christ hauing now subdued all his enimies and cast them vnder his feete for euer Therefore shall he lift vp his head It may be taken either that Christ shall lift vp or holde vp his head or that God the father shall lift vp the head of his sonne Iesus Christ As holding downe the head betokeneth sorow and shame so the holding or lifting vp of the head betokeneth reioycing and triumph and glorie and full confidence of safetie and assured estate Thus shall Christ lift vp the head by way of triumphing and reioycing when he shall haue taken full vengeance of his aduersaries and freed not himselfe onely but the whole body of his church from the assaults and dangers of all enimies We see now that oftentimes though not in himselfe yet in his members he is faine to hang downe the head and to weare the badges of reproch and shame whilest the vngodly vaunt themselues and goe c Iob. 32 26. looking vpon the sunne and in their harts despise the righteous accounting more vilely of them then of the dust of their feete But the case shal be altered the rising of Christ shall bee their fall the lifting vp of Christes head shall be the casting downe of theirs and it shall be fulfilled which is written a Esa 65.13.14 Behold my seruants shall reivice and yee shall be ashamed behold my seruants shall sing for ioy of hart yee shall crie for sorow of hart and shall howle for vexation of minde We may otherwise vnderstand that God the father shall lift vp the head of Iesus Christ in the same meaning as Pharao is saied b Genes 40.13 to lift vp the head of his chiefe butler that is to aduance him to his place of dignitie and honour Which God the father hath done alreadie vpon his first conquest hauing set him at his right hand as hath beene before declared and more fully shall doe when he shall haue c 1. Cor. 15.27 put all things vnder his feete and shall make his glorie manifest vnto all the world and shall so establish the kingdome that he hath giuen him that thencefoorth there shall neuer be enimie to resist the same To this king Iesus Christ togither with the father and the holy Ghost one God immortall inuisible and onely wise be all praise and honour and glory both now and for euer Amen FINIS