vnbeleeuing and vnfaithful therfore wee that are beleeuing and faithfull wee shall inherite that reste This I think to be the meaning of these words folowing As it is said to whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my reste Nowe because the Apostle hath reasoned long and much out of this place of the Prophet and will yet reason longer he wisely foreseeth what might bee heere aunswered of the Iewes ▪ that this place is of the people of Israel meant of their entraunce into the lande of Canaan vnder condition of obedience of the law of Moses and therefore rather teacheth them to keepe stil those ordinances then to change them for new follow this Iesus of whomethey haue not heard before This cogitation might easilie arise and they might soone be so persuaded that the prophet spake of the present time now therfore in the words following the Apostle taketh away this offence and doubt teaching that not vnto them onelie but to vs also it was spoken and with this caution proueth with other arguments the former doctrine that by faith grounded in our prophet Iesu Christ we shall enter into his rest And he saith thus Especially seeing his woorkes were finished from the foundation of the worlde The woorde which is heere commonly translated although I english it thus Especially seeing which I doe because the sence wel agreeth and I knowe nothing to the contrarie but the word may well beare it so nowe touching the obiection before made the Apostle aunswereth thus Neither can this bee ment of the rest of the land of Canaan in obeying the lawe of Moses for when neither the law was yet giuen neither the land once promised yet then was this reste of the Lord into which his people did enter for the scripture saith euen at the beginning The Lord rested the seuenth day from all his workes Now this obiection thus beeing confuted there is also in these woordes the seconde reason for proofe of this doctrine before taught that they enter into the Lords rest which doe beleeue and the reason is this Seeing God finished his woorkes streight from the foundation of the worlde so that then he was said to rest the seuenth day men entred not into that rest by the obseruation of the lawe of Moses which was not giuen nor by any woorkes of fleshe whiche were euer vnprofitable but it is cleare then wee entred by fayth according to this which is written To day if you heare his voice harden not your harts this argument is plaine in these words Especially seeing his works were finished from the foundation of the world for he saith in a certeine place of the seuenth day thus and God rested in the seuenth day from al his workes but of this argument we wil speake again in the ninth verse Heere the Apostle may seeme to some of vs to reason not verie stronglie for how proueth he that it is one rest of which it is saide ye shall not enter into my rest and againe the Lord rested the seuenth day for the one semeth to be of God alone the other a figuratiue promise set out vnto vs but this doubt is soone taken away for when it was sayd God rested the seuenth day was it not also said he blessed the seuenth day and h◅lowed it whiche is he appointed it to this holy exercise that mā should leaue off his other thoughts and consider the power and wisdome and goodnesse of God in all his creatures wheron after he gaue his law writen Remember thou keepe holie the sabboth day six daies shalt thou labour but the seuenth c by which it was plaine that this reste was the same vnto whiche they were after called and thus we see the Apostles words how apte they be to his purpose It followeth now And in this place againe if they shall enter into my rest In these words the Apostle teacheth that this is also the same rest which the first was where we see that the rest of the land of Canaan was that they should there enioy peace and in his holie place praise God day night who had deliuered thē out of the cruel bondage of Aegypt from all hurt of the great terrible wildernesse in steade of which he had giuen them a moste pleasaunt countrie that flowed with milke and honie Now vpon the warrant of all this trueth that one rest hath bene from the beginning though the name may bee often named in sundrie respects as first it was so called because God rested from his workes againe because the people entred into a peaceable land in stede of a perilous desert so vpon other occasions this name of rest is named but all in one spirituall sense that is now a ceassing from our owne works to do the workes of God and after this to dwell in the peace and rest of his glorie for euer therfore where promise of entrance into his rest is it is a promise made vnto all and of all ages vpon this I say the Apostle saith further Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therinto they to whome it was first preached entred not because of their vnbelief againe he appointed in Dauid a certeine day by to day saying after so long time as it is alredy alledged to day if you if you wil heare his voice harden not your harts in all these words he cōcludeth as he taught before that seing this rest hath ben euer set out to our first fathers to the people of Israel yet they entred not for vnbelief seeing it can not be but some must needes enter for the graces of God must needes be enioyed therefore in Dauid it is againe said To day if you wil heare his voice that it might be knowen y we which do beleeue shall enter into his rest So in these two verses is the conclusion of the two former arguments to proue that only by fayth we shall enter in to his rest And this I take to be the naturall meaning of these wordes in the 3. 4. 5. 6. and 7. verse It followeth in the 8. verse For if Iesus had giuen them rest he would not haue spoken of any other rest after These woordes proue by an other reason that the former prophecie is not ment of the land of Canaan according to the obiection before spoken of his reason is this Iosua led them into the lande of Canaan a great many yeares before the Prophete Dauid made this exhortatiō if therefore it had bene ment of that land to what purpose did Dauid speak thus so long after could it be threatned vnto them they should not enter into that rest into which they had alreadie entred and dwelt there foure hundreth yeares Vppon this reason he concludeth in the ninth verse Therfore there remaineth yet a rest vnto the people of God. In the tenth verse he sheweth at the last what this rest is that wee should no longer walke in our will but
By soule heere he meaneth that parte of vs in which our affections are as ioy sorrowe loue hatred anger mildenesse or any such motion of vs of good or euill By spirit he meaneth the moste excellent parte of vs in which is reason wisedome vnderstanding to consider and meditate of all the works of god By ioynts and marrow he mea◅ieth all the members of our body and thus Sainct Paule vseth these wordes of soule and spirite and bodie where he saith to the Thessalonians as it is in the fifth chapter The God of peace sanctifie you wholie that your spirit and soule and bodie may be kept blamelesse vntil the comming of Christ teaching vs what is a true Christian when his minde thinketh his soule desireth his body executeth nothing but what is faultlesse before God and man. So when the worde is saide to diuide betweene the soule and the spirit it noteth the mightie worke of it in the reprobate to wound all their thoughtes and desires with feare and terrour and with astonishment of heart contrarie in the electe it crucifieth the olde man with al the concupiscences and the desires of it When it is said to diuide betweene the ioynts and the marrow it sheweth the worke in all the members of our bodie to sell them vnder sinne to worke vncleannesse with greedines being hardened or to sanctifie them in the power of God that they may be seruaunts of righteousnesse vnto him being mollified To be short in soule spirite ioynts marrowe the Apostle meaneth that the word once heard the whole man is touched and al that is with in him feeleth streight a chaunge except a heauier iudgement be vpon him that he haue eares heare not wherein yet the worde hath a worke and maketh him fall deeper in the sleepe of sinne if we will learne examples are before vs of good euil what to leaue or what to choose The prophet Abacuche foreseeing the state of Christes church what daunger should be vnto it euen then to be oppressed again when it was not yet halfe growen vp he saith When I heard it my belly trēbled my lippes shooke at the voice rottennesse entred into my bowels and I trembled in my selfe that I might rest in the day of trouble heere we see the worde diuiding betweene the ioynts and the marrow how it distempered the prophets whole bodie because of the heauie threatning of the Lorde and an excellent blessing was vnto him for this feare and trembling at the voice of the Lord in the day of trouble hee had rest So the Prophet Esay at Gods threatening against his church that euen in the dayes of Christe her peace should be broken off her flourishing glo rie shoulde againe be shadowed hee crieth my leanesse my leanesse wo is me as if he had said it consumed his flesh and wore away his beautie to heare the voice of the Lord against his people if thus wee feare in deede at Gods thretenings as his saincts do vnfeignedly reioyce at all his promises a good worke of his mightie woord is in vs and it is his power to our saluation but if we be despisers and regarde not the woord that is brought vnto vs a while we may seeme to be in peace as the sick man in his sleepe feeleth not his paine but the word will wounde at the last the spirite and wee shal feele it in our flesh what we haue despised We reade in Daniel of Belshazzar a proud king in the mids of his princes and all his roaltie he sawe a hand writing and the woorde of the Lorde was before his eyes streight his countenance was chaunged and his thoughtes troubled him so that the ioyntes of his loines were loosed and his knees smote one against another such feare and terrour came vpō him whē the voice of the lord did pronounce his iudgment And not onely thus but we see it further the wicked not onely wounded but also slaine with the word of God. When many of the rulers of the people of Israel led the people to moste shamefull idolatrie the prophet Ezechiel was sent to preache vnto them and when hee prophecied before them Pelatiah the Sonne of Benaiah one of the Princes which seduced the people he dyed in his presence A like example is of Ananias and Sapphira who at the voice of Peter did bothe fall downe dead so true it is that the word is forceable to deuide and enter betwene our reines that is to sley the wicked and to quicken the godlie Last of all it is here said that the word discerneth betwene the thoughts and intents of the heart meaning that how so euer the heart of man is prepared the woord of God directeth it either more to be hardened with the deceites of sinne or wholie to bee renewed to the loue of righteousnesse It followeth nowe Neither is thereany creature which is not manifest in his sight but all thinges are naked and open vnto his eyes with whome we haue to doe These words shewe an excellent proofe of all the former things spoken of the word for seeing it is the word of God how should it not haue the power of God if among men as euery one hath moste power so his word is moste feared how should it not be but God who is the searcher of our hearts and reines and is almightie ouer all but that his worde should haue of his nature vertue and power to make the proude to feare and to comfort the humbled Let vs therefore now bee wise in time and let the worde of the Lorde fashion all our heartes if it doe not yet it worketh still and wee shall one day knowe what voice wee haue despised for as it is heere that all thinges are open vnto his eyes so we shall heare his voice when in all thinges it shall shew his power It shall speake vnto all creatures and they shall heare it the earth and sea shall bring the bodies which they haue consumed the fire shall yeld againe his ashes and the ayre her dead the elementes shall mealt away and the Heauens shall vanish the Lorde shall speake and the deade shall all arise then shal we too late bewail our madnesse which haue heard before this voice regarded it not And this let vs learne with it if such bee the strength of Gods woorde of it selfe when yet hee shall multiplie this power and make it also eternall which is infinite what shall we say then but O Lorde who shall abide it when hee shall pronounce Go you cursed into eternall fire what condemnation shal be vppon the wicked surelie dearelie beloued as it is greater then our heartes can immagine so yet in this similitude we may see as it were an image of it for as his worde diuideth betweene soule and spirit marrow bones cogitations and intentes so we knowe that in euery parte of them the wicked shall feele Gods anger head and arme
shewe when I shal more particularly speake of them Nowe of his prophecie in the iii. iiii chapters he teacheth this that he is our onely prophet prouing it first because the sonne of God tooke vpon him our nature the excellencie of his person is warrant ynough that God ordeined him our only prophet Secōdarily he was faithful in his ministerie neither needeth any to be ioyned with him Thirdly he was more honorable then Moses himselfe and therefore much more should rule in the house of God alone Fourthly the Prophet sayth To day if you will heare his voice c. Therefore by the Prophet commended to vs as our only prophet Last of all the nature of the worde agreable onely to his person maketh that he is our prophet alone and thus he endeth this treatie Of his priesthood he speaketh more at large shewing first in the end of the fourth chapter what maner of Priest he is euen such a one as by his own vertue hath entred into the heauens and made a way for vs that wee might boldly through him come vnto god After this he beginneth a comparison of y priesthood of Christ with Aaron and so more clearely sheweth both his priesthood and the excellencie of it This comparison he maketh in these pointes First that the priest of the lawe was a naturall man like vnto his brethren Secondarily that he hath not a priuate worke but doeth all the peoples seruice in thinges apperteyning to god Thirdly that he appeared not before God in his own vertue righteousnes but with offerings sacrifices for sinne Fourthly that he was ful of compassion toward his brethren to pittie them in their weakenes Fiftly that he had his calling of God in all which things Christ exceeded all that were before him this he teacheth in the ten first verses of the fifte Chapter Then beginneth by occasion an exhortation which continueth to the vij chapter After that he setteth out at large the example of Melchisedech and the comparison of the first couenant with the tabernacle sacrifices apperteyning vnto it so teaching at the last our sauiour Christ to be our onely priest The second parte of the Epistle which is how this saluation of Christ is giuen vnto vs in the 11. 12. and 13. chapters the summe of it is that we haue this saluation through faith which faith is tried in many afflictions stil bringeth forth fruit in good works Now let vs come to the text I tolde you firste the Apostle proueth the excellencie of the person of Christ God and man In this first Chapter hee proueth his Godhead and beginneth thus Many times c. In this first verse setting downe the generall proposition of the whole Epistle that God hath now made knowen vnto vs all our saluation in his sonne Christ naming him Sonne that these titles after attributed vnto him might appeare more to bee according to the prophesies of him Then streight he describeth him making it manifest that he is god First by the glorie which his father hath giuen him Secondarily by the excellencie of his person Thirdely by the greatnesse of his power Fourthly by the benefites purchased to vs Fiftly by the dignitie which to him self he hath obteined all this is in the third verse Lastly by comparison with Angels whiche comparison hee maketh in many points alledging scripture according to the titles before giuen vnto him so endeth this first chapter Many times and after diuerse sortes c. Out of this verse first let vs note and consider well touching this doctrine which we are taught by Christe the certeintie of it which is first in the authour who is God himself euen the same God of our fathers which so many times and ways spake euer by his Prophets euen he in an assured trueth hath also spoken by his sonne Thus giuing the authoritie of the word of Christe to God the father that it might be confessed true and to take away al vaine quareling of contentious men who vnder pretēce of the name of God would easily haue disputed against our sauiour Christ and saide We know God is true and he spake to Moses he spake to the Prophets this man speaketh of himself and we wil not heare him To stop this offence though the Apostle might haue giuen the authoritie of his word euen to the person of Christ himselfe yet he would not but said thus God spake by him Another profe for the certeintie of his word is that he spake by his sonne in whiche name God sealed it vnto him to be his sufficient witnesse in the world euen as him self had spoken with a voice of glorie This is my beloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased he are him And this was a sure knowen truth vnto thē that no man had sene God at any time but the only begotten sonne who is in the bosome of his father he reuealeth him He is the personal word maketh knowen al the mysteries of God euen as he hath beene present with him in all his wayes Now as our sauiour Christ is our certeine teacher of vndoubted truth so how farre this truth is taught by him appeareth also in the wordes Many times many wayes by many Prophets of olde to our forefathers Of all these we must set the contrariotie in our sauiour Christ that God spake by him not many times reuealing his will by measure nowe some then more but once he hath sent him filled with all measure of wisedome and vnderstanding And before God spake many wayes either by Angels or by the cloude or betweene the Cherubims or by Vrim or by visions or by dreames but now he hath spoken one way euen by Christ made our brother with the voyce of a man in the middes of the Congregation plaine and euident in all mens hearing and all varietie shall ceasse for euermore Likwise before God spake by many prophets now he doth not so but hath sent his sonne alone in sted of all that all his people should heare him Likewise those times they are olde and past but the time of Christes teaching passeth not but is for euer And that was to y fathers men of diuers calling but this is to vs al of one condition So this the Apostle teacheth that Christe alone once euen in the dayes of his life after one manner and fourme hath preached vnto vs all that Gospell which eternally shal be the power of his heauenly father to saue all which doe beleeue Nowe let vs marke first the agreement then these differences manifestly to be seene betweene Christ and the Prophets First they agree all in this that God spake by all and this onely they haue a like from the first to the last Adam Seth Enoch Noe Abraham Moses Dauid Esaie Christe not one of them spake one worde of a naturall man in all their ministerie but onely the wordes of him that sent them that is they spake
thee Where the Prophet shewing causes why the whole world should not preuaile against Christ he saith because God had decreed it in his eternall counsell and proclamed it with this sentence Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee That is this day haue I declared that thou art my natural sonne meaning especially the time in which he made him knowen in the worlde by his wonderfull workes as S. Paule ment when he saide God was made manifest in fleash noting the power of the spirit working in him in his birthe life death resurrection and ascension So this day noteth not any particular time but all times in generall wherein God hath shewed his power in Christ as especially in the time he liued among vs And it see meth that the Apostle maketh manifest this sense of his wordes in that he addeth to the text alledged in the vi verse the time when it was fulfilled leauing this without any distinct time as that whiche apperteined to all times in which Christ should be shewed to be the sonne of God especially as I saide in his life and before or since as God sheweth his glorie in him So this sentence was true when he appeared to Abraham Iacob Moses to any of the patriarches or prophets or after his ascension when he appeared to Stephan to Paule or any other or whensoeuer he sheweth his power to defend his church vnto the end according to his owne promise I am with you to the latter end of the world And thus this word to day is takeÌ„ in that which is after alledged To day if ye will heare are his voice harden not your hearts And againe In the day of health I haue heard thee And in the day of saluatioÌ„ I haue succoured thee meaning no particular day but al the time that the word is preached vnto vs. It followeth I wil be his father and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…y sonne This is another texte to proue Christ the naturall sonne of god It is written in the seconde of Samuel the seuenth chapter and they are the wordes of God vnto Dauid by the Prophet Nathan to giue him a promise of the blessing of his seede after him which was begone in Solomon who built the temple and whome God so highly aduaunced in all wisedome richesse and honour that the Fatherly prouidence of God appeared ouer him as ouer an especiall chosen sonne All which as it was promised to Dauid so Dauid looked for the perfourmance of it in Christ and to be figured in Solomon his sonne after him whose temple was a figure of the Churche of Christe his riches a figure of the great graces of the spirite of Christe giuen to his Church his honour aboue all kinges a figure how kinges should submitt them selues to Christ and be nurlefathers and Queenes nurses to the Churche of Christe his wisedome a figure that in Christe should be hid all treasures of wisedome and knowledge and finally he called by name the sonne of God in respect of his blessings as a figure of Christ who is the eternall sonne of his father in nature of his person And so the Apostle here alledgeth this place without any suche long exposition howe the place is meant because we should see in it that the people of Israel were not so ignorant of the Scriptures as we be but brought vp in the knowledge of the lawe and taught the vnderstanding of it euen from their â—…dell as we shoulde be And thus haue we heard this argument of the Apostle Christ hath a more honourable name then the Angels therefore he is more excellent then they Nowe also let vs see the manner of proofes here vsed He proueth Christe to be the naturall sonne of God by textes of Scripture witnessing 〈◊〉 he donâ—…eth that Angels are so because God in his scriptures neuer spake it for so he beginneth Vnto which of the Angels said he at any time c. The self same maner of proofe againe he vseth in the 13. verse following Because the scripture saide it not therefore he proueth it is not so making his argument negatiuely from authoritie of Scripture whiche in all thinges what soeuer man is required to do or know in matters of religion is euer a most certeine conclusion God spake it therfore we must doe it God spake it not therfore we haue nothing to doe with it And this argument must needes bee good so long as this word of the Lordo doeth endure What I commaund thee doe that only And so long as this is a iust condemnation of all our owne deuises who required these things at your hands And so long as this shal be true that our wisdome is folishnesse and we cannot doe well but when we bearken to the worde of God that shineth in our harts as in a dark place True it is and if we had but the wisedome of children we must needes see it that all particular lawes and orders with which we may be bound they are not set downe in precise words of Scripture but it is as true that the nature and propertie of euery lawe or order is so described that the worde of God as clearely is followed in it as if the wordes of the law were set downe in it For of all decrees to be made in his church hath not God said It must be without offence it must edifie it must bee comely and according to order and it must serue to the glorie of God. Now God hauing giuen grace into our heartes to iudge what soeuer we decree by these rules is not the word of God the warrant of it By such manifest proofe ofscripture the church of Christ doeth iustifie all that she doeth Thus the Apostle proueth heere his doctrine Thus we must do if we will bee the Apostles scholers Marke well this reason for it is worthy God said to Christ thou art my sonne therfore he is his sonne God said not so to any Angel therefore no Angel can take the name vnto him In like manner we will dispute with them God said The true worshippers should not go to mount Sion nor to Ierusalem but worship God in spirit and trueth Where said he go a pilgrimage or go visit the holie sepulchre God said Doe not obserue dayes and monethes and times and yeeres Where said he keepe vnto me Lent or Aduent imber weekes or Saincts Eeues God said vnto vs It is the doctrine of diuels to forbid marriage or to commaund to abstaine from meates Where said he eate now no fleash now no white meate let not the minister marrie God said Let euery soule be subiect to kings princes and the autho ritie of such men let it not be in his Apostles Where said he let the pope haue the gift of kingdomes bee exempt from authoritie of man weare a triple crowne and haue Lords and noble men vnder him God said Cursed 〈◊〉 he that addeth ought to his law or taketh
bring vs in a fooles paradise of prayer when we bee gone that we might not regarde the God of glorie while he offered eternall life vnto vs. And for the Saincts that are dissolued and be with Christ they shal be witnesses against vs of our madnes which esteemed them as tormented soules of purgatorie and other whom God hath taken away in his anger to make them dye in their sinnes when we fill their handes with our foolishe prayers wee ioyne with them in rebellion against God but their torments can not be healed with medicines and therefore as an vnprofitable and euill thing so let it goe let the darke fansies of dead men alone and let vs do our duetie one to another in all prayers workes and loue nowe in this time while we may do good and while the day is yet vpon vs. Now further where it is saide If you will heare his voice we learn by warrant of the holie Apostle that our sauiour Christ was euer y prophet of his church in vertue and power of his spirite euen from the beginning as well as in nature and substance of manhood after he was borne of the virgin Marie So the Apostle afterward againe saith of y prophets times that The voice of Christ did shake the earth then in all the disobedience of the people of Israel in the wildernesse Sainct Paule saith They tempted Christ as noting him to bee their guide and leader in their deserte wayes And this is the true acknowledgment of our Sauiour Christ to be the lambe killed from the beginning of the worlde to confesse that he is and euer was the mediatour and redeemer of his church and the welbeloued sonne of his father and the prophet for euer whom he had ordeiued for his people all whiche when wee shall beleeue then wee shall boldely say as this Apostle sayth Iesus Christ to day and yesterday he is the same and the same abideth for euermore the same Prophet the same fayth the same hope the same God euen as we confesse one and the same catholike church As our fathers were saued so are wee and at this day we beleeue not only as Paule and Peter did beleeue but wee walke in the steppes of that sayth which was first in our father Abraham yea and in all Patriarches beefore him as wee haue all had but one heauenlie maister And whatsoeuer outward ceremonies God hath ordeined according to the diuersitie of times they were euer appointed to be schoolemaisters to leade men vnto Christe in whome onely GOD was wel pleased and without whome there is no saluation And herein the singular loue of God to vs hath appeared and these dayes of the Gospell preached are aboue all other blessed dayes because this Sauiour hath shewed him selfe vnto vs and hath beene in the middes of vs flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones and we haue seene his glorie as the glorie of the onelie begotten sonne of God and hee hath reuealed vnto vs the cleare and shining way of this saluation more openly then euer before and therefore let vs heare the admonition To day if you will heare his voice harden not your heartes And here that he saith Harden not your heartes we see how great a sinne we cōmitt in not hearkening to the voice of God we harden our hearts and couer thē as with a couering of brawne that they may not be mollified with y grace of God for the word of God is liuing and more sharpe then a two edged sword and entereth to the diuision of the soule and the spirite neither is it possible to keepe it out but as a sword so it wil pearce our heart except we haue made it hard as flint And as he sayth Do not you harden your owne hearts so let vs persuade our selues our sinne is our owne and we haue done it we may not excuse our selues as the manner of some is and say our heartes are hardened whether we wil or no and who can doe withall True it is and the Prophet sayth it We haue of our selues stonie hearts and all the imaginations of them are euil euen from our youth so that all men father children may say a like we know that in vs y is in our flesh there dwelleth no goodnes but what so euer the corruption of our nature is be it neuer so greate yet our fault is neuer the lesse no more then if we had an Angels nature whiche willingly and wittingly we would peruert for vnto our corrupt nature we bring of our selues a peruerse wil which did corrupt the Angels nature and made them fall from God so lay no more thy fault on thy nature for thy will is set to worke iniquitie with all delight to doe euil We wish to bring our ill purposes to passe we reioyce wee are glad it is the thinge we would haue we will not heare anie other call wee bid farewell to all what so euer would turne vs from our sinne The corruption which we haue our pleasure is in it and all the goodnes which we want we care not for it but our wil is after our worke and as we are so wee like our selues best if there bee any wicked and dissolute man that denieth this either he hath taught his tong to lie or a seduced heart hath deceiued him for let him speake that can the theefe that stealeth the adulterer that defileth his bodie the enuious man that speaketh euil the beastlie man that murdereth another the blasphemous toung the rebellious hand whiche of these is not thruste forewarde of his owne will or who euer that mourned and wept that fasted and prayed not to be lead into tentation hath ben giuen ouer to so shamefull sinns No no if God make vs once mourne vnder the bodie of sinne the grace of Christ is offered to the broken and contrite heart and sinne reigneth not in vs but because we delight in it let vs hearken therefore to this admonition To day if you will heare his voice harden not your heartes It followeth As in the bitter murmuring as in the day of tentatiō in the wildernes where your fathers tempted me proued me and saw my workes fourtie yeeres This example of their fathers rebellion is wel alledged both to moue them the more to take heede by their fathers example because they were a people exceedingly holden with an opinion of their fathers that they shoulde yet remember their fathers were but men and they should not followe them in their sinne and wickednesse The storie which the prophet especially meaneth is written in the 17. of Exodus where Moses sheweth how the people murmured in Rephidim for want of water for then Moses gaue these verie names to the place and called it Bitter murmuring because they stroue bitterly and contended againste Moses and he called it tentation because they ceassed to put their trust in God and rebelled for want of water So by the
resigne our selues ouer to the obedience of the will of God euen as wee looke to enter at the last into that rest and dwelling place which is in heauen not in earth which God had pitched and not man in these words for he that hath entred into his himselfe hath also rested frō his owne woorkes euen as God rested also from his Thus I haue plainely as I coulde shewed you the whole meaning of all these wordes whiche I haue read together vnto you and I haue the fewer thinges seuerally to note vnto you in them because as you haue heard the wordes were most of them mentioned before as occasion was then I spake of them more at large vnto you onely of the other thinges whiche before the Apostle spake not of I will note vnto you what I think necessarie In the thirde verse I tolde you howe the Apostle taught vs that this rest to whiche we bee called was the rest of God from the beginning because from the beginning it was saide God rested the seuenth day what we should learne in this we may plainely see the commaundement Kepe holie the Sabboth day For that day was instituted for this cause because then God rested from his woorkes and in that day a rest is commaunded vnto vs that in it we should do no manner of worke and why dearely beloued shall we rest God is not pleased with idlenesse he wil not haue vs like the idle men that at the ix houre of the day stande still idle in the market but God commaundeth vs to keepe that day holie vnto him which is to serue him in it and not our selues Nowe seeinge in this daye wee muste glorifie God and rest from our owne woorkes to consider his woorkes from which in this day he rested it is plaine and euident that it is a Sabbaoth dayes worke wisely to meditate in all the workes of God for as Paule saith They are the wisdome of God in which we should knowe God and in them the inuisible thinges of God that is his eternall power Godhead that we should knowe him and glorifie him and giue thankes vnto him So we read in the booke of Iob when Eliphas would persuade Iob to the feare and reuerence of Gods maiestie he biddeth him beholde the starres how high they are The prophet Esay when he will assure the church of the mercie of God that he will according to his mightie power fulfill all his promises hee sayth thus Who hath measured the waters in his fist and counted heauen with his spanne and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weyed the mounteines in a weight and the hilles in a balance In meditation of these greate workes of God the Prophet would teache them to feare no man but put their only trust and confidence in god So the Prophet Ieremie setteth out the constant course of the day and night for vs to consider and in it to know how vnchaungeable the loue of God is to all his Sainctes So our Sauiour Christ by the goodlie colours of the flowers of the field he would haue vs learne what a fatherly prouidence God hath ouer his childrē to couer their nakednesse who clotheth so gloriously the vading flower The prophet Dauid in many places and specially Psal. 104. doth make a goodlie rehersal of the prouidence of God in ruling the whole world thereby exhorting vs to obey God to hate iniquitie and concludeth with this excellent sentence Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth the wicked till there be no more O my soule praise thou the Lord praise ye the Lord If wee by these exhortations and instructions can teach all our senses our eyes to see and our eares to heare so that in the creatures of God we can see his glorie loue his goodnesse feare his maiestie expresse his image in all our conuersation then are we sure wee keepe holie his Sabbothes and we inioy the good beginnings of that blessed rest into which we shall enter for euer but if we bee vnprofitable creatures in the world if we haue eyes and see not and eares and heare not and the sight and vse of so excellent werkes can stirre vs vp neither to loue nor feare not once to knowe so excellent a workman we are holden in the bondage of a spirituall Aegypt and wander in straunge vnknowen wayes of a spirituall wildernesse where we haue neither any water of life nor any secret Manna to satiate and fill our faint and hungrie soules we walke in the world as subiects of the world and dwell on the earth as seruants of the earth the oxe the horse do as we do they eate and drinke and see the sunne and vse at their will the day and night and neuer consider him who made all these thinges Let vs not be like vnto them but as we haue hearts able to cōprehend better things so let vs vse them that we may fil our wayes with perfect peace If God haue giuen vs the meane estate of life in which neither wee want not yet abound but our meat our drink our cloathing is suficient vnto vs let vs acknowledge the greate goodnes of god who hath set in vs an example of y estate of life which him selfe hath testified to bee good for vs in y prayer which he hath taught vs all Giue vs this day our daily bread If God haue giuen vs pouertie colde nakednes much affliction let vs think with our selues How good is God vnto vs euen in these days of calamitie for hath he not made vs like his only begotten sonne a man despised in the world of smal account who had experience of all our sorrowe griefe that we againe carrying his image might die with him y we might also reigne with him in the due time which he hath appointed againe let me see this also in my pouertie affliction God hath by this meanes prepared me so that whatsoeuer is done vnto me God will impute it as done vnto himselfe whosoeuer shal mocke or dispise my life he reprocheth god y thus hath made me whosoeuer shal cloth feede harborough me Christ accepteth it as his owne as if he were hungrie receiued meate he were naked and receiued raiment what a marke print of y loue of god is this in me how blessed is this estate which of so manie is thought most miserable if God hath giuen vs high excellent honour if in y middes of my pleasure with a wise hart can thinke thus This is yet the place of my banishmēt my bodi is a prisohouse in which my soule is in bondage my life is a pilgrimage in which I wander as in a coūtrie y is not mine owne and yet if God haue here filled my senses with so many delights if such be the glorie of these kingdomes and this nobilitie If the honour riches of these dayes
haue so greate gladnesse of hearte O Lorde what are the Heauens of Heauens where we are citizens which is our countrie where our bodie is glorious and crowned with life where thy maiestie shal shine in perfect beautie before vs where all thinges shal be our owne and we shal bee thine A happie lordship a happie Earledome a hap pie man whose honour teacheth him thus to know the Lord who hath had mercie vppon him These and such like meditations thoughts which carrie vp our mindes from the Creatures to the Creatour and from our worldly calling to him that hath called vs these doe leade vs into the rest of the Lorde these are our holie woorkes on the sabbaoth dayes and this is our wisedome in enioying all the benefites of god But of this meditation I spake before vnto you in the exposition of the sixt verse of the second chapter Nowe touching this woorde whereof we haue heard so much that is the rest of God we must marke how the scripture vseth it sometime for the trueth which is euer one somtime for the figures whiche haue beene diuerse The true and perfecte rest is that which is now begonne in vs the resting from our owne workes that is our dyinge vnto sinne the crucifying of the olde man that wee may giue ouer our bodies vnto the Lord to be seruants of righteousnesse and that onely his spirite may reigne in vs that as Paule saith it be not nowe we that liue but that it be Christ that liueth in vs and this rest shal be made perfecte in the resurrection of the iust when we shal be ioyned vnto Christe our head and God shal be vnto vs all in all The figures of this rest as I saide haue beene diuerse The first figure was the rest of the sabboth day called our rest because wee were without bodily labour only in spirituall exercise to consider the works of God his greatnesse and power and goodnesse therby to learne with al our harts to serue him to glorifie him as our only god so y al the seuenth day longe while the sunne shined it preached vnto the people that they should ceasse from sinne and serue God die vnto the world and liue in him An other figure of this spirituall rest was the lande of Canaan called their rest because they ceassed from the fearefull trauell of the solitarie wildernesse and from feare of enimies which alwayes rose againste them from their bondage before in Egypt now inhabiting a quiet countrie full of all fruit and pleasure and their spirituall exercise in this rest was to see from what miseries God had deliuered them what blessings he had giuen them howe mightilie he saued them from al hurt of man and beast and euerie creature and therfore now in a holy rest and quietnesse to be thankful vnto him to serue him to trust in him to rest vnder the shadow of his wings An other figure of this rest was also y tēple of whiche it was said This is my rest for euer here wil I dwel for I haue a delight therin called also the rest in respect that before the tabernacle and the Arke was carried from place to place but nowe it was settled for euer in mount Sion the spirituall exercise of this rest was that God had now made knowen vnto them his statutes and ordinaunces in which they should liue his couenauntes and promises were sure vnto them and that they shoulde not immagine vaine thoughts or followe their own deuises but abide in the waies of God acknowledging them alone to be the wayes of life and so giue ouer them selues to walke in them These were the figures of this spirituall rest which abideth for euer and vnto vs nowe to whō figures haue ceassed this rest is set out clearlie in it self that we should liue in it ceasse from our owne workes doe the woorkes of our God and worship him in spirit and trueth hauing according to this exhortation of our Apostle our Sauiour Christ our onely prophet to rest in his woorde our onely priest to rest in his sacrifice for sinne our only king to rest in his defence our only head to rest in his nourishment who only with his blessed spirite feedeth vs to eternall life and worketh in vs all in all This is that kingdome of God whiche we are taught to pray that it may come and prosper and this is that the prophet Esay sayth of the roote of Ishaie that in those dayes his rest should be glorious this is the trueth sigured in all the former restes of the Sabboath of the lande of Canaan of the temple as Zacharias ful of the holie ghost doth most plainly shew This is saith he the othe which he sware to our father A brahā that he would graunt vnto vs that we beeing deliuered out of the handes of our enimies might serue him without feare in holines righteousnes al the dayes of our life and this rest hath in it as Paul saith a pure heart that is vn◅ed cōstant loue a sincere saith that is holy and true religion and a good corscience that is peace toward God through Iesus Christ and these properties of our rest deerely beloued mark them wel that we may knowe the place where we dwell in peace and lest we thinke foolishly that we are at rest when yet we are tossed in the tempestuous sea our religion must be pure and vntouched from the curious and entising fancies of Philosophie from traditions and decrees of men from superstition of the elements of the worlde as meate drinke daies times and such other to be short pure from al thinges which Christ our only prophet hath not taught vs And how can we thinke then that we are yet in this rest if we be holden with decrees Touch not tast not c. if counsels and fathers whiche are diuerse and daily renued do lead vs with their sūdrie indgments what rest is in my religion if thus I muste walke vncerteinly It was said of the first rest What I commaund thee do that onely this rest is nowe abundantly confirmed vnto vs more amplie thē before as Christe is greater then Moses and how then do we seeke after any instruction but onely after the word of Christe alone Againe seeing in our rest is vnfeigned loue contention and strife quarels are cast out how do we say we are entred into our rest when this dissention is amōg vs one with another let vs looke vnto it wel to whom it belongeth It is a greuous thing to trouble the peace of the church so is it a greuous thing to see trueth lye hidden or despised therfore iudge not you rashly nor condemne any mans worke before it be tried We are called vnto a rest and let vs nourish our peace who soeuer fall out with vs let vs not fall out with them but let vs seeke the truethe in loue and so shall be built vp the
heere in this word Let vs studie we haue a plain interpretation of that he said in the first verse let vs feare for the whole verses that and this as you may see haue one and the same meaning there hee saith Let vs feare lest forsaking the promised rest we seme to be fr◅strate that is lest by such vnfaithfulnes as was in them wee also make the promise to vs in vaine here he saith Let vs studie to enter into this rest least wee fall into their example of vnfaithfulnesse thus the exhortation beeing all one it is manifest that this worde Let vs feare which he vsed first hath the meaning of this word Let vs studie which he vseth now so that this is as I told you then y feare of gods children a careful studie in deuour to walk faithfully before god And an other good lesson we may here learne sith the Apostle saith let vs studie it is plain we ought not to nourish in vs as the manner of the world is a carelesse securitie to speake and think of our hope in God with a secure mind as if we cared not greatlie for it or longed not much after it such a carelesse minde is altogether vnmeete for the profession of the gospel of Christ and it is a thing that we do all vnderstand none can excuse him selfe by ignorance we know the fault by the tryall of our owne hart when we think of God and his heauenly kingdome what parte and fellowship we haue in it wee can tel how our heartes are then affected if it bee our ioy our comforte our consolation if it drawe our delight and studie after it then are we children of that kingdome then we obey this calling of the Apostle which is here Let vs studie to enter into this rest but if we can think or speake of the kingdome of heauen as wee would speake of farre countries for talke sake to heare what is sayde of them but without any care whether we see them or no then we are seduced with the deceit of sinne and this exhortation of the Apostle is made in vaine vnto vs And let vs not here deceiue our selues to think wee haue our cares for the life to come when wee haue no care at all for it our nature is here verie blind beleeueth easilie her owne vaine fancie not onely Scribes and Phariseis and suche frowarde sinners doe presume much of their owne righteousnesse glorie in them selues but euē Gods good people are soone beguiled with selfe-loue the Corinthians talked much that they were wise that they were spirituall holy men but Saint Paule saith vnto them Seeing such contentions emulations sectes are among you you are yet children and you are carnall So we dearly beloued if we wil say we feare before God our care our study our hart is in the kingdom of God yet we laugh when we talke of his iudgmentes make our ieastes and rymes with his holie woorde or if we be nothing moued in spirite when wee speake of it then are we not studious but carelesse secure negligent we heare not this exhortation of the Apostle Let vs studie to enter into his rest and thus is this exhortation ended made out of the woordes of the Prophet To day if you will heare his voice harden not your hearts c. It followeth now For the word of God is liuely mightie in operation and sharper then any two edged swoord and entreth through euē to the diuiding asunder of the soule the spirit and of the ioynts of the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughtes and the intents of the heart neither is there any creature which is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked open vnto his eyes with whom we haue to doe In these wordes the Apostle setteth out the nature of the worde of God vnto vs vppon what occasion wee may easily see he hath taught that Christe is our onely Prophet and we haue no other schoolemaister to teach vs and instruct vs in the wayes of God he hath also earnestly exhorted vs to heare his voice and faithfully to harken vnto him lest we fall into the condemnation of others who haue bene despisers afore vs and whose iudgement we should not escape for the word of God woundeth euen into the soule of the sinner thus hee commeth to this description of the strength and force of Gods word as may appeare by his owne woordes going before lest we fall into the same example of disobedience thus prouing it y we cannot escape because the word is so strong and mightie And this doctrine of the Apostle let it this day be our instruction if we do beleeue or if we think the Apostle saith true that the word of God hathe so greate power in it let vs regarde it let vs giue our feare our reuerence our obedience vnto it for how great a sinne must it needes bee to despise a thing that is so precious and howe great peril is there in it to prouoke a thing against vs whiche is so strong If it were but the roaring of a beare or Lion it would make any of vs affraid yet could it but only pearce into our eares if it be but the voice of thunder it seemeth to make the verie earth to shake yet is it but a bodily sound and the spirite heareth it not a whitt what then When he speaketh whome the marrow within our bones doth heare how truly saith the prophete of him his voice shaketh not only the sea and the drie land but the verie heauens also and can we haue yet any excuse if we heare not him that speaketh so lowde If we beleue not him to whom our own hearts beare witne◅e of his trueth or if we heare not his word whose voice shaketh both heauen and earth or are we born of God if so great vertue power of god haue no feeling in vs No no be not deceiued God is not mocked his sheepe heare his voice we are not borne of him but we are born of hard rocky mounteins a stonie generation nourished and sed of cruel Tygres if such instruction such teaching preuaile not with vs Heare then dearely beloued heare learne that we may be edified let our harts be softened that we may haue the wordes of God written in them And seeing wee haue so excellent a prophet let vs be thankfull scholers and growe vppe in the knowledge of his doctrine if at it neuer be imputed vnto vs that wee haue hardened our hearts and would not knowe his wayes And to the end we may take the more heede let vs marke these words of the Apostle in which he setteth out vnto vs the great force of the woorde of God The woord of God saith he is liuely and sharper then any two edged sworde c. This place is well to be weighed of vs for of purpose the Apostle speaketh to teache vs what the worde of