at large from verse 21. to the end of the chapter Which doctrine of Christ's suffering is fitted partly to the case of seruants and partly to the vse of all Christians Concerning the Passion fiue things are in all these verses noted First who suffred Christ suffred verse 21. Secondly the end of his suffering viz. to leaue vs an example c. verse 21. Thirdly the manner how he suffred set out 1. Negatiuely and so he suffred first without sin verse 22. secondly without reuiling verse 23. 2. Affirmatiuely and so he commits himself to him that iudgeth righteously Fourthly the matter what he suffred viz. our sins in his owne body on the tree verse 24. Fiftly the effect of his sufferings 1. In respect of vs and so his suffrings serue To kill our sinnes Verse 24. To make vs aliue to righteousnes Verse 24. To heal our natures Verse 24. 2. In respect of himself and so they procured his exaltation to be Shepheard and Bishop of our soules verse 25. Thus of the order Euen Christ suffred The first thing to be considered in the Apostles description of the Passion of the person who suffered is that it is named heer with speciall Emphasis Euen Christ or Christ also Christ is the sir-name of our Sauiour as Iesus was his proper name Iesus is a name onely giuen him in the new Testament but Christ was his name in both Testaments and signifies Anointed being a Greek word as Messiah doth in the Hebrew And so it is a name importing his office of Mediator as being thereby proclaimed to bee the substance of the ceremoniall types euen the supreme Doctor or Prophet Priest and King of the Church for these three sorts of men were anointed in the old Testament and were types of Christ's anointing It is true that we doo not reade that our Sauiour was himself anointed with oile because his anointing consisted in the substance of that shadow For the shadow signifieth two things First ordination to the office secondly the pouring out of gifts by the holy Ghost for the exornation of the office Now whereas Christ is Mediator in both natures his anointing must bee distinguished according to his natures The whole person was anointed but yet differently in respect of his natures for gifts could not be poured out vpon his diuine nature yet as the Sonne of God the second person in Trinity he was anointed in respect of ordination to the office of Mediator and as the Sonne of man he was anointed in respect of the pouring out of the gifts of the holy Ghost vpon that nature in measure as the Psalmist saith aboue his fellows Psalm 45. The first doctrine about the Passion is heere briefly contained in these three words of the Apostle Euen Christ suffred which is a doctrine full of excellent vses for thence First wee may see how vile the errour was of those Hereticks they called Patri-passianus who taught that God the Father suffred whereas in this and other Scriptures we are taught that it was onely Christ the second Person in Trinity that suffred The ground of their error was that there was but one Person in the Deity which in heauen was called the Father in earth the Sonne in the powers of the creatures the holy Ghost and thence they affirm the same things of the Father they did of the Sonne that he was visible mortall and immortall passible and impassible passible on earth and impassible in heauen But we haue learned from the Prophets and Apostles to beleeue three Persons and so to acknowledge that the second Person suffered onely and that in his humane nature Secondly we may hence learne that Christ was subiect to the Law after a peculiar manner so as no other man was subiect For hee did not onely fulfill the Law by a most perfect obedience but hee suffered the malediction and curse of the Law also Some men are subiect to the malediction of the Law onely and so are all the wicked reprobates that obey it not Some men are subiect to the Commandements of the Law and not to the malediction and so our first parents were while they continued in their innocency because God did not require them to suffer so long as they obeyed the Law and so all godly men in Christ are vnder the Law in respect of obedience but not in respect of malediction onely Christ is subiect to the malediction and obedience of the Law as our surety Thirdly hence wee learne a plaine demonstration of the truth of the humane nature of Christ Hee had not a fantasticall body but a true body because he did verily suffer in the flesh as followes afterward Fourthly Hence wee may bee informed of the excessiuely vile disposition of the world in that it is so set on wickednes that the very Sauiour of the world if hee come into the world shall suffer from the world Fiftly wee may hence learne that Christ suffered willingly and of his owne accord For in that hee that is God suffered it shewes hee had power to preserue himselfe so as all the world could not haue forced him to suffer and therefore wee haue cause so much the more to admire his loue to vs that suffered for our sakes as the next point will shew Sixtly wee may hence learne to know how abominable sinne is that makes the Sonne of God suffer miserable things if hee become a surety for sinne Seuenthly wee may hence learne to know the ineuitable destruction and fearefull perdition of impenitent sinners For if God spared not his own Sonne that was but a surety for sinne and did none himselfe will hee euer spare them that are principals and monstrous offenders Eightly did euen Christ suffer then we should euermore arme our selues with the same minde and prouide to suffer in the flesh 1. Pet. 4.1 It is a shame for vs to expect or desire a life of ease and prosperity seeing the Prince of our saluation was consecrated through afflictions Heb. 2.10 and 12.3 And the more should wee bee confirmed to suffer in willingnes in this life because God hath predestinated vs to bee conformed to the image of his Sonne in sufferings Rom. 8.29 Lastly in that it was Christ that suffered wee may hence gather comfort to our selues in his passion all the daies of our life because his sufferings must needes bee of infinite merit being the sufferings of him that is God as well as man Thus of the Person suffering The persons for whom hee suffered follow For vs. The sufferings of Christ were not casuall such as befell him for no vse nor were they deserued by himselfe For hee neuer offended God nor did hee seeke his owne peculiar good in them but hee suffered all hee did for our sakes Esay 53 5. Hee was wounded for our transgressions the chasticement of our peace was laid vpon him and verse 8. Hee was plagued for the transgression of God's people and as the Apostle saith hee was deliuered to death for
A COMMENTARY OR SERMONS VPON THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE FIRST Epistle of Saint Peter WHEREIN METHOD Sense Doctrine and Vse is with great variety of matter profitably handled and sundry heads of Diuinity largely discussed By NICHOLAS BYFIELD late Preacher of God's Word at Isle-worth in Middlesex LONDON Printed by Humfrey Lownes for George Latham and are to be sould at his shop in Paul's Church-yard at the Signe of the brazen Serpent 1623. TO THE HONOVRABLE KNIGHT SIR HORATIO VERE Generall of the English forces in the Low-countries and to his most worthy Lady the Lady MARY VERE all happiness that a poor widow may in their behalfe pray for at the Throne of Grace My much-honoured Lord and Lady AS that speciall duty which I my self owe to you both so that purpose which my deare husband had while hee liued of dedicating to you this Commentary of his vpon S. Peters Epistle bindeth mee who am left his sole Executrix to see his Will euery way performed to set out this first of his workes published since his death vnder your Honourable Names It pleased you to take into your Family a childe of his body be further pleased I pray you to take into your Patronage this childe of his soule which as an Orphane yea as a Posthumus in all humility is presented vnto you You manifested more than ordinary kindnes to my husband while he liued wee and ours haue oft tasted of the sweetnes of your bounty so that I should deserue to be accounted most ingratefull if I should bury so many fauours in obliuion or neglect to prouoke others to loue and good works by proposall of your example Accept I beseech you this poore acknowledgement of thanks which is most due first to that primary Fountain of all goodnes Almighty God for keeping your Lordship safe in your late imployment in the Palatinate and for freeing your Ladiship from those fears wherunto you could not but be subiect by reason of his long absence and for giuing you both a mutuall and comfortable fruition one of another And next to your selues for all those kindnesses which while my husband liued you did to him and his and since his death you continue to do to such as he hath left behinde him Now the good God continue his blessed protection ouer you both and take all that belong vnto you vnder the wings of his fatherly Prouidence And so I rest with the renewall of my sute that you would cast your eyes vpon this Worke of him who much honoured you in his life-time and is after his decease offred to you by Your humble Oratrix ELIZABETH BYFIELD To the Christian Reader MAny and great are the means which the Lord hath beene pleased since this latter Spring of the Gospell begunne aboue an hundred yeeres agoe to afford vnto his Church for opening of the mysteries of the Gospell Neuer since the Apostles times were the Scriptures more truly interpreted more fully expounded more distinctly diuided or more powerfully pressed then in our Times The number of those who haue taken good paine in this kinde is not small Wee may well put into the Catalogue of them the Authour of this Commentary vpon the second Chapter of the first Epistle of S. Peter Master Nicholas Byfield by name who continued for the space of twenty yeeres to take more then ordinary paines in the work of the Lord. Hee had a singular gift in diuing into the depth of those points which he vndertooke to handle As the many other Treatises which in his life time he published doe verifie as much so in particular this Commentarie here commended vnto thee In it thou shalt find besides the Grammatical exposition Logical resolution and Theological obseruations many diuine points copiously handled by way of Common-place which hath made the booke to arise vnto that bignesse that it hath In this manner of handling the holy Scriptures hee hath not gone alone Many of the main Pillars of the reformed Churches haue beaten out a path before him as Martin Bucer Peter Martyr Musculus Zanchius Lauater Perkins and sundry others The large volume of Peter Martyrs Common-places was gathered out of his Commentaries on the holy Scriptures The Church of God hath reaped much good by such copious and distinct handling of heads of Diuinity Their labours therefore who take paines therein are not to bee concealed from the Church If it had pleased the Lord to haue continued the life liberty and ability of this his Seruant longer vnto his Church he had questionlesse gon on further in this course which hee so well began and so might wee haue had by his paines as compleat a Commentarie on the two Epistles of Saint Peter as we haue vpon the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Colossians published by this Author In his life-time he entred vpon the third Chapter and went thorow a good part thereof all which is fairely copied out and prepared for the presse But there is so much matter in that which remaineth as it will make a competent Treatise by it selfe This I make knowne not that thou shouldst let this Book alone till the other be published for when it is published it cannot bee bound vp with this in one volume by reason of the bignes of both of them As care hath been had to print this Commentary on the second Chapter euery way answerable to the former on the first Chapter so like care shall be had of printing that which remains answerable to them both that so you may haue all the labors of this faithfull and painfull Minister of Gods Word on this part of Scripture in three euen volumes which is in a manner as good as if they were all in one volume They may for their matter be well distinguished into seueral volumes for though one continued Scripture be handled in them all yet the points in euery of them are different In this respect there is an Alphabeticall Index in the latter end that by the help of it you may the more readily finde out such points as you most desire to reade If the Author bee of force to commend a Work the more this Work may receiue no small commendation from the Author of it for hee was a man of a profound iudgement strong memory sharp wit quick inuention and vnwearied industry He was in his Ministery very powerful and that vnto all turns as we speak When he had to doo with tender and troubled consciences he was a Barnabas a sonne of comfort but when hee had to doo with impudent and obstinate sinners hee could make his face hard and strong and shew himself like to Boanerges the sonnes of thunder Graue sober and temperate he was in his carriage and yet with his intire familiar friend he could be modestly pleasant God gaue him a great measure of patience and hee had in his very body that which tried his patience for it appears that he carried a torturing stone in his bladder fifteen
yeers together and vpward I haue heard it credibly reported that fifteen yeers before his death he was by a skilfull Chirurgion searched and that vpon that search there was a stone found to bee in his bladder whereupon hee vsed such meanes as were prescribed to him for his ease and found such help thereby as he thought that either the Chirurgion which searcht him was deceiued or that the meanes which hee vsed had dissolued the stone But time which manifesteth all things shewed that neither his Chirurgion was deceiued nor yet his stone dissolued for it continued to growe bigger and bigger till at length it came to bee of an incredible greatnes After his death hee was opened and the stone taken out and being weighed found to be 33 ounces and more in waight and in measure about the edge fifteen inches and a halfe about the length aboue 13 inches about the breadth almost thirteen inches it was of a solid substance to look vpon like to a flint There are many eie-witnesses besides my self who can iustifie the truth heerof A wonderfull work of God it was that he should bee able to carry such a stone in his bladder and withall to doo the things which he did He was a close Student witnes the many Treatises which time after time he published in print He was also a diligent Preacher for constantly hee preached twice on the Lords Daies and in Summer when many of the Gentry and City came to his Parish at Isle-worth and dwelt there he spent an houre on Wednesday and another on Friday week after week in expounding the Scripture in his Church very seldome was he hindred by the forementioned stone in his bladder This course he kept till about fiue weeks before his death when the paine came so violently vpon him as it wasted his vitall vigor yet did it no way weaken his faith but as the outward perished so was the inward man renewed in him He earnestly praid that the extremity of the pain might not make him vtter or doo any thing vnbeseeming his vocation and profession but withall he aduised his friends to consider that he was but as other men and thereupon to iudge charitably of his carriage in that case Many heauenly meditations issued from him in that time of his visitation vnto the last period thereof Quietly meekly and patiently he endured till that surest Chirurgion of all Death had eased him of all his pain In his soule he euer liueth and in his name he will continue to liue so long as the Church enioyeth his Works more lasting than Marble Monuments Now O blessed Sauiour and Head of thy Church as thou transplantest some of thy Plants out of thy Nurcery the Church militant plant others wee beseech thee in their rooms that thy Church may neuer be vnfurnished of able painfull faithfull and powerfull Ministers WILLIAM GOVGE AN EXPOSITION of the Second Chapter of the first Epistle generall of PETER 1. Pet. 2.1.2.3 1. Wherfore laying aside all maliciousnes and all guile and dissimulation and enuy and euill speakings 2. As new borne Babes desire the sincere milke of the word that ye may growe thereby 3. If so be ye haue tasted that the Lord is bountifull FRom the thirteenth verse of the 1. Chapt. to the eightth verse of the third chapter is contained matter of exhortation and the exhortation is either generall or speciall The generall exhortatioÌ„ concernes all men Chap. 1.13 to Chap. 2 13 The speciall exhortation concernes onely some men as subiects seruants wiues husbands from chap. 2.13 to chap. 3.8 The generall exhortation stands of two parts first the one concernes the matter of holiness secondly and the other the meanes of holiness Of the matter of holiness in the later part of the former chapter In these wordes and those that follow to the thirteenth verse is contained an exhortation to the right vse of the meanes by which wee might growe vp in all holiness and acceptation with God In the exhortation two things must be distinguished first the substance of the exhortation secondly the conclusion of it The substance is contained from verse the first to the eleuenth the conclusion in the eleuenth and twelfth verse For the first there are two things in which if wee be rightly ordered it cannot bee but wee must grow wonderfully in grace and holiness first The one is the word secondly The other is Christ. To a right order of ourselues in respect of the word he exhorts verses 1.2.3 To a right order of our selues in respect of Christ hee exhortes verse 4. to 11. The part of the exhortation that concernes the word hath three things First what wee must auoid we must lay aside Malice Guile Hipocrisie c. secondly what we must doe wee must desire the word as the child doth the brest thirdly Why so where diuers reasons are imported First wee are babes Secondly we are but as new born babes Thirdly the word is sincere milke Fourthly it will make vs growe fiftly haue wee not already tasted of the sweetnes of it verse the third That part of the the exhortation that concerns Christ hath likewise three things in it which I will heer but touch First what we must do verse 4. Secondly how wee must doe it verse 5. Thirdly why so viz. for two reasons First the one taken from the testimonie of Scripture which is alledged verse the sixt and expounded verse 7.8 Secondly the other taken from the conâ—iderati-of our prerogatiues we inioy in Christ which are set down first positiuely verse 9. Secondly and comparatiuely verse 10. And this is the breef order of the whole first part of this chapter The first thing then in the exhortation is about the word and therein the first thing is about the things which must be auoided if we would profit by the word of which in the first verse THere are fiue things we should lay aside and be sure wee be free from when wee come into gods presence to heare his word or to bee exercised in it viz. Malice Guile Hypocrisie Enuy and euill speaking Two things distinctly must bee considered in verse first the sinnes to be auoided viz. those fiue before named Secondly the manner of auoiding them imported in the metaphoricall tearme laying aside In generall diuerse things may be noted First that it is exceeding profitable to gather speciall catalogues of our sins which we should auoid to single out such sinnes as we would specially striue against and doo more specially hurt vs and hinder good things from vs I mean not of all sinnes so much as of special certain choice euils that yet remain in greatest force in vs. We may obserue a great wisdome of the holy Ghost in many places of Scripture drawing such catalogues according to the state of the people to whom they are giuen and so it were of excellent vse if we did gather catalogues of the duties which specially concern vs or of
enrich vs. Thirdly wee serue the best Master because wee serue him that is King of Kings and Lord of all other Lords Reuel 19. Fourthly In the seruice of other masters there is wonderfull difference of places and many of the seruants serue in the lowest and basest offices without hope of any gaine or respect But in Christ Iesus there is no difference bond and free male and female Iewe and Grecian c. in Christ are all one Col. 3.11 Fiftly other Lords may aduance their seruants to great places but they cannot giue them gifts to discharge them but Christ doth enrich his seruants with euery needfull gift for the discharge of their callings 1. Cor. 1.30 Eph. 1. vlt. Sixtly other seruants know that their Lords may and doe die and so they leaue their seruants vsually vnpreferd But Christ liues for euer as the Authors of eternall saluation to them that obey him Seuenthly other Lords may take offence and doe often put away their seruants But whom Christ loues hee loues to the end so as whether they liue or die they are still Christs Rom. 14.8 Eightthly no Lord can giue such sure protection to his seruants as Christ giues to his No man shall plucke them out of his hands Esay 4.5 6. Ioh. 10. and whatsoeuer wrong is done vnto them hee takes it as done to himselfe and therefore the afflictions of his seruants are called the afflictions of Christ 2. Cor. 1.4 Ninthly and lastly neuer Lord was so boundles in his fauour Christ makes his seruants his fellowes 1. Cor. 1.9 They sit with him there in heauenly places Eph. 2.5 6. Hee is not ashamed to owne them as his brethren Heb. 2. His seruants he makes sonnes and heires too yea heires with himselfe vnto God Rom. 8. Neuer man was so fond of his wife as Christ is of his seruants Rom. 7.4 all the book of Canticles shews it Finally they shal all raign with him and be partners with him in his glory after they haue laboured and suffered a little when he appeares in glory they shall be for euer glorified with him Secondly The second thing affirm'd of Christ is that he is said to be a liuing stone A liuing stone A stone and a liuing stone The holy Ghost is vsed in Scripture to liken God and Christ vnto a stone so Gen. 49.24 God is said to be the shepherd and stone of Israel and Reuel 4.3 God is likened to a Iasper stone and Psal. 118.22 Christ is said to be the stone which the builders refused and so in many other places Christ is said to bee a stone three waies First For he is either a rock or stone for refuge because in Christ men may safely rest against all the surges and waues of affliction in the sea of this world Psal. 18. Secondly Or else hee is a stone of stumbling as the Prophet Esaiah called him long since Chap. 8.14 and the Apostle Paul acknowledgeth the same Rom. 9.33 and this Apostle in verse 6. following Because wicked men take occasion from this doctrine of Christ to fall into sinne mischief because if Christ may not be the meanes of their saluatiton he will be an occasion of their falling but in neither of these sences is it taken heer Thirdly But Christ is heere likened to a foundation stone to signify that it is he vpon whom all the Church must be built This is that stone which was cut out of the mountain without hāds Dan. 2.45 that hard stone of which the Prophet Zachery speaks Chap. 4.7 10. He is said to be a liuing stone and some think to liken him thereby to a flint stone which being smitten the sparkles as if it had fire in it giue fire and light to other things It is true that Christ hath life in himselfe and doth giue the sparkles vpon the flames of life and light to other men But I thinke the stone heer doth not import so much by any likenes in it because it is a corner stone in the building which vsually neither is nor can be of flint But he is said to be a liuing stone to distinguish him from materiall stones and by that word liuing to shew what the metaphor stone cannot resemble For though a stone might shadow out the continuance and eternity of Christ by the lastingnes of it yet life is giuen heer to Christ not onely because hee liues himselfe and can doe no more Rom. 6.9 but because he is by effects life that is he makes life in the godly whereby they become liuing stones also The maine doctrine heer intended is that Christ is the onely foundation of the Church Ob. Dauid is said to be a stone and a hard stone of the corner Psal. 118. Sol. Dauid was so onely by way of type his life beeing somewhat like the state of Christ in respect of the oppositions of men and preferment from God and that that place doth specially belong to Christ appeares by the application of Christ himselfe Math. 21.32 Ob. But the Apostles are said to be the foundation of the Church Eph. 2.20 Sol. The place is to be vnderstood of the doctrine of the Apostles which treats in one maine point of Christ. Ob. But the Church is founded vpon Peter Sol. The Church is not builded vpon Peter but vpon the rock which was the confession of Peter and so the doctrine of Christ for the text doth not say super hunc Petrū but super hanc Petrā Vse The vse may be first for confuration of the Papists about their blasphemous doctrine in ascribing this glory of being the foundation of the Church vnto Peter and so to the pope which they doe most absurdly for that place Math. 16. 18. is not vnderstood of Peters person but of his confession And besides if it had beene true of Peter by what word of Scripture shall it be proued that it is true of the Pope who is not once named in Scripture except hee bee described as Antichrist Besides if the Church be built vpon Peter or the Pope then it will follow wee must belieue in Peter and the Pope else we cannot be founded on them which is extremely blasphemous but that it may be put out of all doubt let vs hear the testimonie of Peter himselfe who best knew his owne right and you see in this text Peter saies Christ is the liuing stone and not he This likewise imports the misery of all such as runne after other gods their sorrowes shall bee multiplied Psalm 16.4 They build in the sand quite besides the foundation and so doe the Papists that put their trust in Saints and Angels But especially this should teach vs as wee are heere exhorted to build all our faith and hope in Christ and to cleaue to him in all vprightnes of hart and life and the rather because this stone hath seauen eies and most perfectly viewes all and euerie part of this building that euery stone bee set right c. Zachar.
readines to professe against our selues our owne vile deserts Thirdly confidently and with perswasion of faith â—esting in his goodnes and casting out feare and doubts Heb. 10.22 and 11.6 as the Leper came to Christ Math. 8.2 Heb. 4.16 Fourthly affectionately wee must come to him as the Loue comes to her Louer so the Church to CHRIST Canticles 2.10 13. Fiftly importunatly as the woman of Canaan did so as wee will bee set down with no repulses or delaies Mat. 15. as they with the Palsey-man Mat. 9. Hosh. 6.1 2. and as he teacheth vs to come to God Luke 18.1 2 3 c. and as Iob resolues chap. 27.2 3 7. Sixtly orderly wee should doo as Iob said wee should order our cause before him and fill our mouthes with arguments Iob 23.3 4. Seuenthly obediently Wee should come to Christ as children to their fathers and as the people to their lawgiuer to receiue commandements at his mouth so as our harts might answer Lo I come to doo thy will If wee would haue God or Christ come to vs we must bee such as Dauid promiseth for himself Psalm 101.1 2 3 4. Eightthly sincerely And we must shew our sincerity 1. By forsaking the way of the foolish Pro. 9.6 23 4. 2. By comming in the truth of our hearts For an hypocrite cannot stand before him without flattering lying dissimulation or wauering not as the Israelites came to God Psal. 78.32 34. So as Christ may discern that wee haue a true thirst whatsoeuer we want Iohn 7.37 3. Thirdly by renouncing all other hopes as they said of God Ier. 3.22 4. By resoluing to cleaue to Christ in a perpetuall couenant Ier. 50.5 5. By comming to Christ notwithstanding dangers or difficulties though it were with Peter to leap into the sea Matâ— 14.29 or with the wise-men to come from the East Math. 2. and though we finde Christ in a prison Math. 25. and though it were to denie our selues and to take vp our Crosse daily Luke 9.24 Vse The vse of all this should be chiefly to perswade with euerie one of vs to make conscience of this dutie to come vnto Christ and the rather considering First the necessitie of it here imported in that without comming to Christ we cannot possibly attaine vnto sound reformation of life without Christ we can doe nothing Secondly the incouragements wee haue to come to him and these are many For 1. If we consider the inuitation of Christ he calls vs to come vnto him we cannot displease him by comming but by not comming and neglecting him Matth. 11.29 Canticles 2.10 13. Math. 22.3 Ioh. 5.40 2. If we consider the persons inuited or who may come The simple may come Prou. 9.3 The strangers may come euen men from afarre Esay 49.12 56.4 Any that are athirst may come Ioh. 7.37 Yea the basest and meanest may come which is signified by that of the Parable that they by the hedges and high-way side are compelled to come in nor is there any exceptions at mens sinnes but sinners may come Math. 9.13 Yea such as are wounded and smitten for their sinnes may come Hos. 6.2 c. Thirdly if wee consider our entertainment when we come He adopts all that come to him Iohn 1.12 Hee is rauished with affection towards them we cannot more please him than by comming to him Cant. 4.8 9. They are sure they shall not be reiected Iohn 6.37 Christ will ease them in all their sorrows Mat. 11.29 He wil heal them of all their diseases of which the bodily cures were pledges in the Gospell He will be as Manna from heauen to them they shall neuer hunger Iohn 6. yea he will be life to them the life of their present liues and eternall life they shall liue for euer Iohn 5.40 Thus of the first things required in Christians The second is They must be liuely stones Verse 5. Ye also as liuely stones be made a spirituall house an holy Priest-hood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. As liuely stones IT is not vnusuall in Scripture to compare men to stones and so both wicked men and godly men Wicked men are likened to stones first for their insensiblenesse and so the heart of Nabal was like a stone Secondly for their silent amazement when iniquity shall stop their mouth thus they were still as a stone Ex. 15.16 Thirdly for their sinking down vnder Gods iudgements so the Egyptians sunk into the sea like a stone Exod. 15.6 And thus the wicked sink into hell like a stone But chiefly in the first sense for hardnes of heart their hearts by nature are like a stone And in the comparison of a building if they be in the Church they are like the stones of the house that had the leprosie or like Ierusalem when it was made a heap of stones Godly men are like stones too they are like the stones of Bethel that were anointed God is the God of Bethel and the Godly are as those anointed pillars consecrated to God and qualified with the gifts of the holy Ghost They are like the Onyx stones giuen by the Princes and set on the brest of the High-Priest in the Ephod The High-Priest is Christ. The Onyx stones are Christians The Princes of the Congregation are the Ministers that consecrate the soules of men which they haue conuerted to Christ who wears them on his brest and hath them alwayes in his heart and eye They are like to the rich stones of a Crown lifted vp Zach. 9.16 They are like the stone with the Book bound to it Ier. 51. 63. They are neuer without the Word of God But in this place they are likened to the stones of the Temple which in the Letter are described 1. Kings 6.7 36. and 7.9 10. and in the Allegorie Esay 54.11 12 13. Sure it is that the stones of this spirituall Temple are the place of Saphyres as is said in Iob in another sense 28.6 Now the godly are likened to stones in diuers respects First they are like stones to graue vpon and so they are like those stones which must haue the law graued vpon set vp in mount Ebal Deut. 27 2 3 4. What is the mount but the world and what is Ebal but vanity or sorrow and what are those graued stones but the godly with the law of God written in their hearts the light whereof shineth on the hill of the vanity of this world and lasteth in the midst of all the sorrowes of this world Secondly they are like stones for strength and vnmouednes in all the stormes of life The raine pierceth not the stones nor doe afflictions batter the hearts of Gods seruants strength is attributed to stones in that speech of Iob 6.12 Thirdly They are like stones for continuance and durablenes they will last for euer so will their persons and so ought the affections of their hearts Lastly they are like stones for a building and that in two respects First
thus two things are implied for our information The one concerns Ministers the other concerns the hearers First Ministers may hence take notice of it that there can neuer bee hope they should perswade with all their hearers for sacrifices were heer and there once taken out of the whole herd And besides the hearers may hence see that they are neuer so effectually wrought vpon till they can giue themselues ouer to their Teachers and to GOD to obey in all things though they perswade them to leaue the world and binde them to the cords of restraint in many liberties they took to themselues before yea though they let their hearts blood by pearcing their soules with sorrow for their sins euen to the death of their sinnes 2. Cor. 8.5 and 7.15 Secondly at the day of Iudgement also Ministers shall offer vp their hearers to God so many of them as are found chaste virgins vnto Christ to whom they had espoused them before in this life 2. Cor. 11.3 And thus Ministers before they dy must make ready their accounts for the soules of their people Heb. 13.7 And thus of the sacrifices of Ministers Ministers haue another sacrifice too viz. the particular texts or portions of Scripture which they chuse out and diuide to the people as consecrated for their vse For diuers think that that phrase of cutting the Word of God aright is borrowed from the Priests manner of diuiding the sacrifices and especially from the Priests manner of cutting the little birds The little birds is his text chosen out of the rest and separated for a sacrifice which hee must so diuide as that the wings bee not cut asunder from the body that is he must so diuide his text that no part be separat from a meet respect of the whole Leu. 1.17 and 5.8 2. Tim. 1.15 Secondly the Martyrs likewise haue their sacrifices and that is a drink-offring to the Lord euen their owne bloud this part is readie to bee powred out as a drink offring to the Lord for the Church Phi. 2.17 2 Tim. 4.6 and though we cannot bee all Martyrs yet we should all deny our owne liues in the vowes of our hearts to perform our couenant with God if euer wee be called to die for Christs sake and the Gospel Thirdly the sacrifice of rich men is almes and wel-doing and those sacrifices they are bound vnto to offer them continually Heb. 13.16 Philip. 4.18 Prou. 3.9 Almes is as it were the first fruites of all our increase But then wee must remember that our almes bee of goods well gotten For else God hates robbery for burnt offering Isaiah 61.8 And in giuing wee must denie our selues and not seeke our owne praises or plenary merit in it for it is a sacrifice clean giuen away from vs and consecrated only to God and the vse of his spirituall house the Church And thus of the sacrifice proper to some Christians There are other sacrifices in the Gospel now that are common to all Christians And these are diuers For fiâ—st Christ is to bee offered vp daily to God as the propitiation for our sins God hath set him forth of purpose in the Gospel that so many as beleeue may daily run vnto him and in their prayers offer him vp to God as the reconciliation for al their sins and this is the continuall sacrifice of all Christians Without this there is the abomination of desolation in the temple of our hearts This is the end of all the ceremonious sacrifices the substance of those shadowes Those sacrifices serued but as rudiments to instruct men how to lay hold vpon Christ and to carry him into the presence of God and laying hands vpon his head to plead their interest in his death who was offered vp as a whole burnt sacrifice for their sinnes Wee are Christs and Christ is giuen vnto vs as our ransome wee must euery day then lay hold vpon him and see him bleed to death for our sinnes and bee consumed in the fire of Gods wrath for our sinnes Secondly a broken and contrite heart is a sacrifice God will not despise yea such hearts are the sacrifices God especially cals for from men Hee euer loued them better then all the outward sacrifices in the Law Psal. 51.17 It is the heart God cals for and yet not euery heart but a heart wounded with the knife of mortification that is cut and bleedeth in it selfe with godly sorrow for sinne and is broken and contrite with the daily confession of sinne This is required of all Christians and this very thing makes a great deale of difference between Christian and Christian Thirdly praier and thanksgiuing to God are Christian and holy Sacrifices as many scriptures shew Psal. 141.2 Heb. 13.15 Hos. 14.4 Psal. 51.21 Fourthly we must offer our selues our soules and bodies as a liuing sacrifice to God Rom. 12.2 2. Cor. 8.5 and that First in respect of obedience deuoting our selues vnto God liuing to him and wholy resolued to be at his appointment Psal. 40.6 Loe I come to doe thy will this is in stead of all burnt offerings Secondly in respect of willingnes to suffer affliction of what kind soeuer as resoluing that through many afflictions as through so many flames wee must ascend vp to heauen as the smoak of the incense or sacrifice on the Altar Acts 14.21 Hence are trials called fiery trials 1. Pet. 4.12 Thus of the kindes of sacrifices which remaine vnto Christians The lawes about those sacrifices follow For there bee many things to to be obserued by Christians in their sacrifices if they would euer haue them acceptable to God which the shadowes in the old law did euidently signify as First the sacrifice must bee without blemish Malach. 1.7 which the same Prophet expounds Malach. 3.11 Our offrings must be pure offerings wee must tender them in the sincerity of our hearts Our sacrifices are without fault when wee iudge our selues for the faultinesse of them and desire they might haue no fault Secondly it must bee presented before the Lord and consecrated to him which signified that we must walk in Gods presence and doe all in the sight of God deuoting all to his glory Genes 17.1 Mic. 6.8 Thirdly our sacrifices must bee daily some kindes of them There were sacrifices euery day in the Temple and it was an extreme desolation when the sacrifices ceased so it must bee our euery daies worke to imploy our selues in some of those spirituall sacrifices Heb. 13.15 Fourthly There must bee an Altar to consecrate the gifts Math. 23.19 This Altar is Christ who is the onely Altar of Christians Heb. 13.10 Reuel 8.3 No seruice can be acceptable to God but as the Apostle heere saith by Iesus Christ We must doe all in the name of Christ Col. 3.17 Fiftly there must bee fire to burne the sacrifice This fire is holy zeale and the power and feruencie of the spirit in doing good duties The fire on the Altar first
hould themselues tied to follow the example of Christ neither in diuers circumstances about the Sacrament as that it was receiued at night in a chamber after supper in vnleauened bread onely by Ministers not by women c. nor in the matter of gesture in other things as that hee sate and praied and yet none of them pleades that it is necessary for our imitation And further it may cleerely bee shewed that the commandement of God about circumstantiall ceremoniall things might in some cases be transgressed without sin which shewes that those precepts did neuer in Gods intendement bind the coÌ„science absolutely as moral precepts in things substantiall did As that euery man should bee circumcised the eightth day was Gods commandement yet the children of Israel were not circumcised for forty yeers in the wildernesse Iosuah 5.5 6 7 9. The law was that None should eat of the shew-bread but the Priests yet Dauid did eat and was blamelesse Mat. 12.3 The Priests in the Temple did work or profane the Sabbath as it is translated Mat. 12.5 and yet were innocent It was the law that None must sacrifice any where but on the one and onely Altar of the Lord yet Salomon sacrificed on another altar for the reason mentioned in that Text 2. Chron. 7.7 1. Kings 8.64 In Hezechias his time they kept the Passeouer neither at the time nor in the ceremoniall manner as was required in the Law and yet they sinned not 2. Chron. 30.2 3 17 18 19 20 23 27. To abstaine from meats sacrificed to idols was enioyned by the Apostles Acts 15. and yet that did restraine Christian liberty beeing a thing indifferent and afterward to eat meat sacrificed to idols swarued from the patern of that ordinance For the third It is also manifest that things that were abused to superstition and idolatry had notwithstanding a lawfull vse when their abuse was remoued from them As for instance The Iewish ceremonies especially Circumcision were notoriously abused by the peruerse Iewes who held very corrupt opinions about them and yet the Apostle Paul did not make any doubt to vse them Again the meat sacrificed to idols when it comes out of the idols temple is pronounced to be clean and not polluted by the Apostle Paul Beâ—ides it is manifest our Temples Bells Chalices and such like haue been abused by idolaters and yet there is not any question made of the lawful vse of them by Diuines on either side That this point may be a little more vnderstood we must confesse that in the time of Moses Law whatsoeuer thing had been vpon or about the idoll it was infected and made vnclean by the idol but withall we must vnderstand that the idoll euen in those times did neuer pollute all things that were of that sort which were before it it did pollute that very thing in indiuiduo not all in specie of the same sort And further wee must now knowe that the idoll is nothing and can infect nothing of it self out of the idolaters vse and so that those lawes about pollution of idols are ceased for the Apostle Paul shewes that the very meat that was sacrificed to idols or diuels out of the idols temple was not polluted but was lawfull to bee vsed it was not neer an execrable thing as was the Babylonish garment in the time of the Law in Achan's possession Iacob erected a Pillar as a monument that concerned the true God and yet it is manifest that the Gentiles haue most idolatrously abused themselues in that course of erecting Pillars Leu. 26.1 For the fourth point Such ceremonies as had signification put vpon them were notwithstanding lawfull as is manifest by the consideration of most of those ceremonies mentioned before the Altar by Iordan the Cup vsed at the Passeouer the Couer on the heads of women and the loue-feasts with the holy kisse and so had all the Iewish ceremonies Now for the last thing which makes things indifferent with vs scandalous we are not left without witnesse from the Scriptures in such cases but that ceremonies knowne to bee scandalous were notwithstanding vsed for it is manifest concerning the Iewish ceremonies that they were scandalous in the vsage to the Gentiles and in the omitting to the Iewes Acts 21.21 22 27 28. Gal. 2.3 9 12. But that this point of scandall may bee distinctly vnderstood diuers rules are to be considered of First that the angring or bare displeasing of other men is not the offense or scandall condemned in Scripture as not onely the words in the Originall shew but all sound Diuines grant A scandall is a stumbling block that occasions a man to fall from grace in the profession of it into sin or error Secondly that to giue offense by dooing any thing which is simply euill in it self as Dauid did by his adultery and murder this is out of all question abominable Thirdly that the offense of Alients is to bee regarded that is we must not do any thing by which men that are not yet conuerted may bee hardned from the liking of Religion and so offense must not be giuen either to the Iew or to the Grecian 1. Cor. 10.31 Fourthly that when the authority of the Magistrate or Church hath determined concerning the vse of things indifferent we are not now left free nor are bound to look at the scandall of particular persons but must make conscience of it that wee offend not the Church by working a greater hurt or losse to the Church than the particular hurt of priuate persons can extend vnto In such cases as this the Apostle's rule holds If any man seem to be contentious we haue no such custome nor the Church of God 1. Cor. 11.16 And wee are bound in this Text of the Apostle Peter to obey the humane ordinances of men in authority from which obligation other mens offense cannot free vs. And the Apostle chargeth vs to look to it that wee offend not the Church in prescribed ordinances and that wee bee carefull not to offend priuate men in free ceremonies Fiftly that where ceremonies are left free and indifferent and haue no commandement to restrain their vse or enioyne it there are men to redeem the offense of their brethren with no other price than the losse of liberty in things indifferent The Apostle Paul saith Rather than he will offend his brother he will neuer eat flesh while he liueth 1. Cor. 10.8 13. Hee doth not say He will neuer preach the Gospell while hee liueth or neuer receiue the Sacraments while he liueth a necessity lay vpon him to preach the Gospell and to yeeld to the vse of all lawfull things to get his libertie whosoeuer be offended Sixtly that where the person that takes offense is wilfully ignorant and by all meanes auoids instruction and will not haue the patience to bee taught such offense is not to bee regarded Thus our Sauiour Christ teacheth confidently his doctrine of eating his flesh though the