that God is alwaies ready to yeelde vs fauour and grace comming to him in his name How may we comfort our selues in affliction and distresse lifting vp our eies to heauen and saying He sitteth in my behalfe at the right hand of God who is able to doe all things for me His eies are alwaies ouer me his care is alwaies for me his mouth is neuer shut from soliciting and pleading my cause with God the father There is nothing so grieuous in my sinnes but his bloud is able to acquit it nothing so high in the gifts of God but his intercession is able to obteine it He hath taken me to be his he wil not suffer me to perish but will preserue and keepe me for euer God the father grant vnto vs c. The fifth Sermon Vers 5.6.7 5 O Lord he that is at thy right hand shall wound euen kings in the day of his wrath 6 He shall iudge amongst the heathen he shall fill all with dead carkeises he shall wound the head ouer great countries 7 He shall drinke of the brooke in the way therefore shall he lift vp his head THese verses serue for declaration of that that we read in the first verse For heere is shewed howe Iesus Christ set vp in the maiestie of his kingdome exerciseth his power for the confusion of them that refuse him for their king and denie to stoope vnto his scepter vntill that be performed which is there promised that all his enimies shall bee made his footestoole This is the generall drift of these wordes but more particularly we may obserue heere set foorth concerning Iesus Christ the seueritie of his wrath What points we are to obserue in these three last verses the extent of his gouernment his authoritie of iudgement the prosecution of his victorie and after all accomplished his triumph and glory Of all which I will speake as the course of the wordes themselues doth giue occasion 2 As touching the first the prophet in the fift verse turning his speech to God the father speaketh to this effest O Lord he to whom thou saiedst sit thou on my right hand c. after that thou shalt haue exalted him to that fulnesse of maiestie and power shall in the day that he shall appoint for the execution of his wrath strike through and wound with a mortall wound not onely the viler and baser sort and as it were the common souldiers but euen the captaines themselues yea the very kings potentates of the world whosoeuer they be that shall oppose themselues against him refuse to yeeld their neckes to the bearing of this yoke A double end of Christs sitting at the right hand of God Where at the first sight there is giuen vs occasion to consider a double ende of Christs sitting at the right hand of God The one concerneth the saluation of his faithfull people the other the destruction of rebells and enemies The one yeeldeth great comfort and assurance of hope and the doctrine thereof is proper to them that beleeue in Iesus Christ and incline their eares to his words and apply their feete to walke in his waies to whom it cannot but yeelde great matter of confidence towards God to bethinke themselues that they haue such an high priest and mediatour as sitteth at the right hand of God in so great acceptation with God in the height of the glory of God in all souerainty of power and dominion ouer all creatures both in heauen and earth Why should I doubt but that my praiers are heard of God when he that sitteth at the right hand of God is there alwaies ready to intreate for me Why should I feare least my sinnes condemne me when he that sitteth at the right hand of God is ready to pleade his satisfaction for my sinnes What can the deuill do against me when he fighteth for me that sitteth at the right hand of God He is my redemption and life that sitteth at the right hand of God and therefore how shall death or hell be able to doe me harme Who will accuse me when as he hath acquitted me who will condemne me seeing he hath sealed a pardon for me To be short it is riches in pouertie health in sicknesse ioy in sorow safety in danger life in death faithfully to remember and hartely to imbrace Iesus Christ sitting at the right hand of God the father Blessed is the man whose hart Iesus Christ possesseth by this faith but he that accepteth not of this great grace by faith and obedience of the gospel vnhappy is he and thrise vnhappy howsoeuer according to the course and condition of this world he seeme to be most happy 3 For Christ as to his that receiue and loue him he is gratious and louely Christs sitting at the right hand of God full of terrour to rebellious and vnthankfull men and sitteth at the right hand of God for their defence and safety so to them that vnthankefully refuse him or rebelliously fight against him is full of terrour and feare full of wrath and rigour and sitteth at the right hand of God to be reuenged of them wounding and killing and not sparing euen the very kings and monarches of the world that are not reconciled vnto him He is not onely a lambe to saue but also a lion to destroy He hath not onely a scepter to gouerne but also a sword to kill a Psal 2.10 Be wise now therefore saith Dauid O ye kings vnderstand ye that are iudges of the earth Kesse the sonne least he be angry when his wrath shall sodainly burne blessed are they that trust in him but woe to them that haue despised him a Mat. 3.12 He hath his fanne in his hand saith Iohn Baptist and he will purge or make cleane his floore and gather his wheate into his garner but the chaffe he will burne with vnquenchable fire And who are this chaffe but the wicked and vngodly but sinners and vnbeleeuers and hypocrites who in the field of this world and in the floore of the church liue and grow togither with the good corne with the faithfull and iust securely flattering themselues for that they haue place to grow in the Lordes vineyard whereas in the meane time to God-ward they are vnprofitable and good for nothing bringing foorth no good fruite being void of faith and a good conscience yeelding no true deuotion no sound obedience vnto Iesus Christ when notwithstanding they honest and grace themselues with the profession of his name Vnto them Christ shall adiudge a portion in the fire that neuer shal be quenched He shall say at the last day not onely b Mat. 25.34.41 Come ye blessed inherite the kingdome but also Go ye cursed into euerlasting fire c 2. Thess 1.7 The Lord Iesus saith saint Paul shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angells in flaming fire to render vengeance vnto them that know not God and that obey not vnto the
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
that day when as the angell brought that gracious and blessed tidings from heauen e Luc. 2.10 Behold I bring you glad tidings of great ioy that shall be to all people that this day there is borne vnto you in the citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lorde This Psalme written of Christour Lord and not appliable to any other Of this Sauiour Christ the Lord was this Psalme written by way of Prophecie which for the performance of this solemnity I haue chosen to entreate of which although the Iewes of later times haue gone about to wrest to another meaning yet is so approoued and vndoubted a prophecie of Christ that the Pharisees durst not dense it when a Math. 22. â—â— 4â— being apposed and demaunded by our Samour how it should be seeing Christ is the sonne of Dauid that Dauid notwithstanding should call him Lord saying The Lord said vnto my Lord they could not answer him a word whereas the answere had been very easie and readie if they could haue denied this Psalme to be meant of Christ But they knew it could not be otherwise vnderstood and it was commonly taken amongst them to be a prophecie of their Messias according to the verie euidence of the text it selfe which cannot be fitted to any other but onely to Christ our Sauiour the sonne of God For whereas some of them sithence haue construed all these things as spoken in the name of the people of Iudah concerning Dauid their king the text it selfe refuseth that construction when in those words sit thou at my right hand it mentioneth an honour done to him of whom it speaketh greater then can be fitted to the angels and therefore much lesse to be applied vnto Dauid Againe that which is spoken in the fourth verse of the Priesthood cannot be vnderstood of Dauid who was indeed a king but neuer had any thing spoken as touching the Priesthood to appertaine vnto him and of whom it cannot be conceiued how it should be saied Thou art a priest for euer c. Yea there is nothing here spoken whereof we may see in Dauid anie more but some little shadow in comparison of that that hath come to passe in Iesus Christ The diuision and parts of this Psaâ—me 3 Vnderstanding it therefore of him to whom onely it can properly belong we may see many notable lessons conteined heerein of the kingdome and priesthood of Christ of his mightie power and successe in the gathering and gouerning of his Church of the condition and qualitie of his people of his dreadfull reuengement and wrath to be brought vpon all them that resist his kingdome and gouernment We may for orders sake diuide the whole Psalm into three parts the one concerning the kingdome of Christ in the three first verses the other concerning his priesthood in the fourth verse the third concerning his power and victorie and triumph ouer his enimies Three things to be obserued in the kingdome of Christ. from the fourth verse to the ende Againe in the first concerning the kingdome of Christ three points may obserued First the inuesting of him into his kingdome in the first verse In the second verse the meanes and maner how this kingdome is erected and established In the third verse the qualitie and continuall supply of the subiects of this kingdome 4. The inuesting of Christ into this glorious kingdome is by the word of his heauenly father The Lord saied vnto my Lord. Wherein is vttered the euerlasting decree and purpose of God for the exaltation of Iesus Christ to this excellent glorie to sit at the right hand of God Gods saying is the manifesting of his euerlasting purpose For whatsoeuer God doth or will do he hath before saied it with himselfe in his secret and vnsearchable counsell before the foundations of the worlde were laide Now we are heere to distinguish him that saieth from him to whom it is saied the one termed the Lord The Lord God the father my Lord God the sonne the other my Lord to import by the one that is the Lord God the father by the other that is my Lord the sonne Iesus Christ who according to the a Rom. 1.3 flesh was made of the seed of Dauid and in that respect was the sonne of Dauid but yet called by Dauid himselfe my Lord that we may vnderstand that he is somewhat more then that that he was borne of Dauid For by being Dauids sonne he was but onely man but somewhat there is further for which Dauid speaking of him calleth him Lord teaching vs thereby to acknowledge him to bee the sonne of God But when speaking of God the Father My Lord why in speciall maner spoken of Christ he calleth him the Lord and speaking of God the Sonne he calleth him my Lord as thereby to import some more speciall and neerer bond and respect betwixt the sonne and vs he doth it not to barre vs from calling God the father our Lord also but thereby giueth vs occasion to consider that all that communion and felowship which wee haue with God the father thereby we are his people and he is the Lord our God ariseth from the sonne and standeth in the sonne so that no otherwise can we call God our Lord and our God but as with Thomas we can first saie vnto Iesus Christ b Ioh. 20.28 Thou art my Lord and my God For whosoeuer is excluded from the sonne is excluded also from the father c 1. Ioh. 2.23 Whosoeuer denieth the sonne saieth Saint Iohn the same hath not the father And the sonne himselfe telleth vs d Ioh. 14.6 God no otherwise good and mercifull vnto vs but in his sonne Iesus Christ. I am the way the truth and the life No man commeth vnto the father but by me God is good gracious full of mercy and compassion full of bountie and kindenesse but the fountaine of all this goodnes is stopped and shut vp against vs but as it is opened vnto vs in the sonne of God Whereby we may conceiue how little good they haue reaped by their speculations concerning God that haue liued without the knowledge and faith of Iesus Christ They haue caried great credite and reputation of wisedome and learning in the world and haue beene accounted diuine men and indeed haue vttered many excellent and woorthie sentences concerning the diuine nature his wisedome and power his iustice and mercy and our dutie and deuotion towards him But they spake onely as it were by hearesay and those sentences were but onely weake and languishing imaginations the authors whereof sought rather to gaine glorie vnto themselues by speaking of God then to glorifie God of whom they spake Albeit howsoeuer they spake them and how farre soeuer they apprehended what they spake yet what comfort of conscience receiued they thereby what peace towards God what perswasion of Gods loue towards them what assurance of the forgiuenesse of sinnes what were
or the stroke of a hand or the falling of a heare whâ—ch is not disposed by his hand to certeine ends and those profitable and necessary for the glory of his name and for the saluation of his elect And therefore be not afraid for that thou seest a Psal 2.2 the kings of the earth standing vp and the rulers aduising and laying their counsells as sure foundations against the Lord and against his Christ They cannot preuaile against the right hand of God The ship of Christ may be tossed with waues but it can neuer be drowned The bush wherein the Lord is may burne but it cannot be consumed the house of the Lord being builded vpon the rocke may be assailed with the windes but it cannot be ouerthrowen the vineyard of the Lord may be hewed and cut but it can neuer be displanted Iesus Christ sitting at the right hand of God he hath planted it and b Esa 27.3 he keepeth it night and day that it may growe for euer And this is the comfort and establishment of euery faithfull soule that he liueth vnder the band protection of him that sitteth at the right hand of God Feare not thou beleeuing man Sinne tempteth the diuell rageth the worlde hateth the wicked persecuteth thee but fight valiantly against all with most assured trust of victorie and conquest because thou fightest vnder the banner of him that sitteth at the right hand of God He is thy Sauiour he is thy Redeemer he hath power to preserue thee and will neuer suffer thee to bee cast away But thou wicked man thou enimie of religion and of the Gospel thou that laughest and mockest at the seruice of Iesus Christ thou that grindest thy teeth and gnawest thy toong for anger to see the successe of the Church and the growth of true religion do thou I say tremble and quake for feare For at whome doest thou spurne whom dost thou fight against but him that sitteth at the right hande of God Thou beatest thy selfe against the rocke and must needes bee broken in peeces thou kickest against the prickes and hurtest thy selfe Thou canst not prosper thou canst not preuaile Christ shall haue the victory the triumph shal be Christs he sitteth at the right hand of God vntill all his enemies be made his footestoole 11 Where the particle vntill noteth not any periode or point of time when Christ shall cease to sit at the right hand of God for he a Luc. 1.33 shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome there shall be no end but it determineth a time and day when all the foes of Christ shall certainly be brought to vtter and euerlasting confusion thencefoorth neuer to rile or to stirre againe Now they are Christs foes and enemies Enemies of Christ how vndâ—rstood as S. Austen sayeth b August de ciuit dei lib. 12. cap. 3. Resistendi voluntate non potestate nocendi For their will in resisting and rebelling against him not for any power or ablenesse they haue to hurt him And they are his enemies not onely by dealing against him in himselfe but also by practising euill against those that are his for he hath made vs one with himselfe he hath taken vpon him our person and our cause c August in Psal Caput corpus vnus est Christus sayeth S. Austen The head and the body togither make one Christ. And therefore our enemies are his enemies they that persecute vs are persecutors of him they that hate vs are reputed to hate him so that the afflictions of the Saints and faithfull are called by the holy Ghost d Phil. 3.10 Col. 1.24 Christs afflictions e 2. Cor. 1.5 1. Pet. 4.13 the sufferings of Christ f Gal. 6.17 the markes of the Lord Iesus g Heb. 11.26 and 13.13 the reproch of Christ h 2 Cor. 4.10 the dying of Christ. Christ in himselfe dyed but once and i Rom. 6.9 being raised from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him But yet he is said after a sort to die againe in them who for his sake are put to death This is the felowship that we haue with Christ who by faith are ioyned vnto him to our comfort for that howsoeuer our cause be neglected with men yet with God it shall not goe without regard because it is the cause of Christ and to the terrour of our enemies for that by dealing against vs they fight against Christ and procure vnto themselues the wrath of so great and so strong an enemy Enemies corporall and spirituall 12 These enemies are either corporall or spirituall for that spiritual enemies are here also to be vnderstood appeareth by the application that the Apostle maketh of this place 1. Cor. 15. where citing the same he reckoneth death for one of those enemies that are to be destroyed saying k 1. Cor. 15.26 the last enemie that shall be destroyed is death But whether corporall or spirituall enemies all shall be subdued vnto Christ all shall be brought in subiection vnto him Which the Prophet here importeth by this that they shall be made his footestoole Whereby is imported an extreme and vtter abasing What is meant by being made the footestoole of Christ. and bringing downe of all the power and pride and glorie of them that are aduersaries to the kingdome of Christ an abridging and breaking of euery arme that is lifted vp against him Treading vnder foot in the holy Scriptures signifieth full and perfect victorie and conquest and that with all ignominy and reproch When the Prophet vnder the figure of Babylon will signifie the vtter confusion of the enemies of Gods Church he saith a Esa 26.6 The feete shall treade it downe euen the feete of the poore and the steppes of the needie When Iosuah had discomfited the fiue Kings of the Canaanites and had caused them out of the caues where they had hid themselues to be brought vnto him he called all the men of Israel and sayed vnto the b Iosu 10.24 chiefe of the men of warre Come set your feete vpon the neckes of these kings whereby he gaue token of victory not onely atchiued against these but to be atchieued against the rest of those wicked nations according to the words of encouragement which he addeth for declaration of this signe Be strong and of good courage for thus will the Lord doe to all the enemies against whom ye fight When our Sauiour Christ would signifie the vtter desolation and ouerthrow of Ierusalem he sayeth c Luc. 21.24 Ierusalem shall be troden vnder foote of the Gentiles vntill the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled Thus therefore when it is said that Christ shall make his enemies his footestoole and so tread them vnder foote we vnderstand thereby that he shall conquere them and cast them downe shall disarme them of all their power expose them to infamie and shame
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
richest gifts of God For seeing the ministerie of the word is one of the greatest and richest gifts that God bestoweth vpon men the treasurie of grace the power of eternall life the chariot of Gods spirit the pipe or channell whereby this spirite runneth into our harts the bellowes whereby this fire is blowen vp and kindled in vs the fewell and matter whereupon it feedeth the very aire whereby we take the breath of spirituall and heauenly life we cannot thinke that the going and course thereof is casuall and vncertaine but that it is directed by the speciall prouidence of Almightie God that his hand disposeth the rising and shining of this starre that he appointeth and ordereth the droppes of this heauenly dew to fall there and then where and when it seemeth good vnto himselfe that it is he which a Mat. 9.38 sendeth or thrusteth foorth labourers to labour in this haruest And therefore in the preaching of the word we are so alwaies to looke vpon men and to consider their comming and their gifts as that withall we behold the Lord sending foorth or holding out in them the Scepter of his power that we may acknowledge his mercie whereby he vouchsafeth to giue vs so vndoubted token of his fauour and good will toward vs and when we heare the word may duely reuerence and regard the same as knowing that therein is contained a message directed vnto vs from the Lord. And if at any time we be depriued and faile of the vse and comfort of this benefite we must begge of him to supply our defect in this behalfe and to giue vnto our hunger-bitten soules this bread of life least it fall out that for want thereof we famish and pine away The errour of men not feeling the want of the word of life 9 Wherein we may behold the maruellous blindnes wherwith Satan the prince of this world hath couered the harts of worldlings and vnbeleeuing men who are so farre from finding any want in the extreame penurie and want of this heauenly foode as that they either hold it a burden and trouble to haue it and therefore are so farre from crauing it of the Lord as that they desire and seeke meanes to be disburdened and eased of it louing like beetles and owles to sit in obscuritie and darkenesse that their euill deeds may not be crossed or reprooued by the light We may worthely lament the errour and fearefull estate of these men and beseech God to open their eies that they may see their owne nakednesse and shame in that they thus put life away from them and wickedly reioice in those thinges that are their owne confusion But the number of these despisers is so great amongst vs that iustly we may feare least God for our vnthankfulnes take away from vs this iewell and pearle which like swine we trample vnder ourfeete delighting more in our draffe and and graines and in the sinfull courses of the delights pleasures of this life then we doe in the delicious and sweet taste of the worde of life wherewith our soules should be nourished and strengthend to liue for euer The Gospell begun to be preached in Sion and Ierusalem 10 The Prophet further sheweth whence this scepter of Christ shoulde be sent foorth that is out of Sion Whereunto agreeth that which is written by the prophet Esay a Esa 2.3 The law shall goe out of Sion and the worde of the Lorde from Ierusalem And there the Apostles receiued the holie Ghost and those heauenly gifts whereby they were prepared and fitted for that great worke of the conuersion of the Gentiles there they first blew vp the trumpet the sound whereof went afterwards throughout the whole world Thus to doe they were forewarned by Christ himselfe telling them that repentance and remission of sinnes shoulde bee preached in his name among all nations b Luc. 24.47 beginning at Ierusalem Now vnder Sion and Ierusalem we are respectiuely to vnderstand the whole nation of the Iewes to whom the Apostles were willed first of all to preach the Gospell of saluation To which purpose the Apostle Paul saith to the vnbeleeuing Iewes of Antioche in Pisidia c Act. 13.46 It was necessarie that the worde of God should be first spoken to you but because yee put it from you c. beholde wee turne to the Gentiles 11 Thus God ordeined that the seede of Abraham to whom the promises were first made The vnbeliefe of the Iewes the occasion of transferring the Gospell to the Gentiles should first haue the offer of them that the elect remnant of them might be saued and the obstinacie of the rest might bee an occasion to transferre the Gospell to the Gentiles that out of them might be gathered vnto Abraham a seede to obteine the blessing that was promised in his seede vnto all the nations of the earth And so it hath come to passe that d Rom. 11.30 by their vnbeliefe we euen all the Gentiles haue receiued mercy their e 11. fall hath beene our rising the casting off of them a Rom. 11.15 reconciling of vs their b 17. cutting off the implanting and engraffing of vs to be partakers of the roote and fatnesse of the oliue tree We see them that were c Math. 20.16 the first become now the last We see the d Iudg. 6.37 August cont Pelag. Celest lib. 2. ca. 25. fleece that was wette when all the earth was drie become dry now when all the earth is wette wee see the e Luc. 15.28 August quast Euangelic lib. 2. q. 33. elder brother sit murmuring without the doore and refusing to come in for anger that his yoonger vnthriftie brother though repenting and humbling himselfe to his father is receiued home Wee see f Math. 22.9 Luc. 14.21.24 the poore and the maimed and the halt and the blinde sitting at the table whence they that were the guests first of all and solemnly bidden are reiected as vnwoorthie God hath fast locked them vp in vnbeleefe and hardnesse of hart they haue eies and cannot see cares and cannot heare the spirite of slumber and darknes is vpon them and they see not the comfortable light of God that shineth vnto vs. The Iewes example our warning to be thankefull vnto God 12 This is the mercie of God towards vs and his iudgement vpon them that by their example we may learne wisedome thankefully to vse the mercie of God and the opportunitie of his grace least if we doe otherwise we bring vpon our selues that heauie iudgement that wee see hath lighted vpon them Their fall as it is our rising so it is our warning to walke woorthie of that honour whereunto God hath called vs and wheresoeuer we see them dispersed and scattered through the worlde wee may behold it as it were written in their foreheads with the beames of the sunne Behold in vs the iudgement of God feare to sinne against him let
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
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
righteous God this iniquity shall neuer be purged from you till ye die Thus the prophet Amos mentioning their extreme cruelty towards the poore inferreth thereupon d Amos 8.7 The Lord hath sworne by the excellency of Iacob that he will neuer forget any of their workes These are fearefull speeches and being pronounced of others they are written to instruct and admonish vs that we doe not by obstinate and wilfull rebellion prouoke the Lord and vrge him from day to day by our proud and insolent contempt and despising of his words least whilest we abuse his patience to far we cause him to sweare our destruction and to set his oath as an euerlasting bar betwixt him and vs. He will haue vs to vnderstand that it is not in vaine that he threatneth the sinfull man and if his word be not enough he sheweth vs that he voweth and sweareth the confusion of them that will not be reclaimed Let vs therefore be wise in time and learne hereby to feare the Lord that we bring not this remeadilesse and dreadfull iudgment vpon our owne heads The â—ath of God for the saluation of the saithfull 6 Now God as he hath sworne the destruction of the wicked so hath he also sworne the saluatioÌ„ of them that beleeue and obey him The foundation of which saluation he here laieth with an oath confirming thereby the priesthood of Iesus Christ not so much to assure the same vnto Christ himselfe as to settle in vs an assurance of comfort to be receiued thereby For God seeing our weakenesse to be such that we haue need of all maner of props and staies to hold vs vp would haue his purpose of grace and life by Christ to be testified vnto vs not onely by his word and promise but also by his oath that whatsoeuer impediments might seeme to hinder that which we haue beleeued through Christ yet nothing should shake vs from faith and hope because we haue to doe with him who being able to doe whatsoeuer he will will not be found a liar in his word much lesse forsworne and periured in his oath a Heb. 6.17 God saith the author of the epistle to the Hebrewes willing the more abundantly to shew vnto the heires of promise the stablenesse of his counsell bound himselfe by an oath that by two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should he that is his promise and his oath we might haue strong consolation which haue our refuge to hold fast the hope that is set before vs c. The reason then why God sweareth vnto vs is that we should receiue strength of comfort thereby resting assured that our b Rom. 5.5 hope shall neuer shame vs and that there is no more possibility that it should deceiue vs then it is possible for God to forsweare himselfe What comfort and assarance we are to conceine of the oath of God as touching our saâ—uation 7 This is his kindenesse towards those that are his this is his fatherly care to comfort and vpholde vs in the assured hope and expectation of his mercies Which mercy of God in thus condescending to our weakenesse and frailtie we are to apply to the stablishing of our faith and to the arming of our consciences against al temptation of distrustful and perplexed feare He hath bound himselfe vnto vs by his couenant and promise by writing and seale and as if all this were not enough he hath added his oath also By all these meanes he hath confirmed vnto vs his blessing the forgiuenesse of our sinnes the assistance of his grace the protection of his hande the continuance of his loue and the blessed hope of euerlasting life What is it therefore that shoulde quaile our faith or discomfort the hope that God hath giuen vnto vs Sinne is offensiue and displeasing vnto God the diuell is mightie and strong hell pleadeth a right whereby it chalengeth vs to it selfe our consciences by any merite of our owne cannot pleade the contrarie but neither the offence of sinne nor the power of Satan nor the pleading of hels title nor the subscribing of our owne consciences to the confession of our owne guilt can so much preuaile as to bring God to the denying of himselfe to the violating of his oath whereby he hath bound himselfe to forgiue their sinnes and to saue them from hell and from the diuell that doe beleeue in him a Hierony epiâ— ad Rusticum If wee beleeue not God vpon his promise saith Saint Hierome yet let vs at least beleeue him when he sweareth for our saluation The oath of God is a sure foundation builde thy selfe vpon it and thou shalt neuer be remooued Thus God comforteth the repentant man b Ezech. 33.11 As I liue saith the Lorde I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked should iurne from his way and liue If God then haue touched thy hart with true repentance why doubtest thou of thy selfe seeing God hath not onely saide but sworne that thy life is the thing that hee desireth and delighteth in Thus hee comforteth the faithfull afflicted soule c Isa 54.9.10 As I haue sworne that the waters of Noah shall no more goe ouer the earth so haue I sworne that I will not be angrie with thee nor rebuke thee For the mountaines shall remooue and the billes shall fall downe but my mercie shall not depart from thee neither shall the conenant of my peace fall awaie saith the Lord that hath compassion on thee This is the comfort that God yeeldeth not onely to his church in generall but in particular also to euery member thereof that the couenant of his peace shall stande inâ—â—â—…e with them that his mercie shall neuer faile them that bee will neuer cease to d Icrein 31.3 loue them as another prophet saith With an euerlasting loue 8 The papists ouerthrow the comfort that God offâ—râ—th vnto vs by his oath Another maner of comfort then we can receiue by the doctrine of the papists who make the promise of God his oath altogither idle and of none effect teaching vs no other faith or hope to be conceiued thereof but such as leaueth vs hanging betwixt heauen hel more perplexed with feare the diuell then reioycing in the perswasion of the loue of of God A man with them may not be fully perswaded in his hart that he hath receiued the grace of God or founde fauour in his sight It is too much presumption for a man to thinke that he is beloued of God or hath obtained the forgiuenesse of his sinnes Which what is it else but to set a man vpon a racke and to waue him and tosse him to and fro anguished and vexed betwixt doubtfull hope and tormenting feare How farre is this from that resolution and ioy of faith whereunto the holy Ghost instructeth vs which mounting vp aboue the skies and laying it selfe in the lappe of Iesus Christ contemneth the world
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