darke night wee may imagine a tree to bee a man but when the day comes it is easily discerned So the Word of GOD is the bright day and glorious sun-shine whereby we discerne truth from false-hood sound doctrine from that which is corrupt and hereticall Therefore let us exercise ourselves in Gods Word continually that we may discerne betweene the purity of the Gospell and the impurity of Popery and all Errours and Heresies whatsoever that being enlightned by the candle of the word we may see and take the way that leadeth to the kingdome of heaven CHAP. 6. BEfore wee had Saint Pauls objurgation that they were so great non proficients in the Schoole of Christ. Now follows an exhortation to pricke them forwards to greater perfection in Religion Where 1. The substance of the exhortation 2. The pressing and urging of it by foure arguments 1. A ridiculo 2. Ab exemplo 3. A Deo 4. A periculo 1. From a ridiculous absurditie set forth by a comparison 2. From an enumeration of the chiefe rudiments which they are to leave 3. From the efficient cause of the spirituall progresse which they are to make namely God 4. From a fearefull danger that will ensue if upon a carelesse neglect or contempt of the heavenly doctrine they stand at a stay and goe not forward by that meanes they may goe backeward and at the length may fall into the sin against the Holy Ghost Therefore it stands them in hand in feare and humility to aspire to perfection dayly more and more VERSE 1. THe exhortation hath two branches 1. What they are to leave 2. What they are to contend unto 1. Terminus à quo 2. Terminus ad quem Seeing it is a shame alwayes to be babes let us as men growne seeke after stronger meat The principles .i. that which begins us and enters us into Christianity leaving that How Not casting it for ever behinde our backes suffering it quite to slip out of our memories never thinking of it any more we must remember even the principles of Religion to our dying day but wee must not insist in those and set downe our staffe here but as good travellours goe on forwards As if one should say to a Grammer Scholler leave thy Grammar and goe to Logick Rhetoricke Philosophie to more deepe and profound points of learning his meaning is not that hee should leave his Grammar quite and never thinke on it any more but that he should passe from that to greater matters As if one should say to a Traveller going to London that sits eating and drinking at Colchester leave Colchester and goe on to London So leave this doctrine of the beginning of Christianity leave your A. B. C. be not alwayes beginners but proceede till ye come to some maturity Let us goe on to perfection with all cheerefulnesse and celerity Both we that are the teachers and you that are to be taught by us that we may aspire to perfection dayly more and more Wee cannot goe of ourselves we must be led namely by the hand of GOD Almighty as little Children cannot goe unlesse their mothers and nurses lead them Let us therefore intreat the Lord to lead us forward by the hand of his spirit to perfection dayly more and more Wee cannot climbe up to the highest staire of the ladder of perfection in this world we must be climbing all the dayes of our life Saint Paul was rapt into the third heaven yet he professed he was not yet perfect We know in part we believe in part and we must be as Schollers learning of our part so long as we live Though with Moses wee have beene brought up in all the learning of the Aegyptians though wee bee as perfect Scribes in the law of GOD as Ezra as eloquent and mightie in Scripture as Apollos though wee have as many tongues as Saint Paul who spake with tongues more than they all did yet wee must bee carryed on still to perfection wee must be as Travellours that are ever walking and going on and on never resting till wee come to our journeys end which will not bee till death it selfe shall come Our SAVIOUR himselfe as hee was a man did grow up in wisedome and shall any of us thinke our selves so wise that wee neede not to grow in wisedome Let us all goe on forwards to perfection every day more and more The first reason is taken from a ridiculous absurditie set forth by a comparison Not laying againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because foundations are layd exceeding deepe in the earth All men laugh at those builders that are alwayes laying the foundation but never set up the Walls lay on the roofe tyle and glaze the house c. but every day are laying the foundation Those bee foolish builders So we that be Christians must not always be laying the foundation of religion but wee must build up ourselves as a glorious house to the Lord. Then hee sets downe the particular stones of this foundation which wee must not ever bee laying hee reckons up the chiefe points of the Christian catechisme which all ought to have at their fingers ends which it is a shame to be ever learning Of these some concerne this life some the life to come they that appertaine to this life are private or publike 1. Repentance which is illustrated by the things we are to repent of There be living workes which we doe when CHRIST liveth in us these are not to bee repented of but to be practised by us and there bee dead workes which be sinnes and are so called 1. Because they come from dead men that are dead in trespasses and sinnes 2. Because they tend to death and destruction the wages of sinne is death All sinnes are dead workes covetousnesse malice pride drunkenesse uncleannesse lying swearing c. are dead works therefore let us have nothing to doe with them Men are afraid to touch dead bodies or to come neere them we flye away from a dead and stinking carkasse Every sin is a dead carkasse that sends up an unsavory smell into the nostrills of God therefore let it be abhorred by us all let us turne away our eyes and hearts too from all dead workes Repentance hath two parts thâ— mortification of sin and vivification to newnesse of life Isa. 1.16 Zacheus repented him when he left his peeling and griping and became a liberall man made restitution to those whom hee had defrauded and gave the one halfe of his goods to the poore Peter repented of his denyall of Christ when he did not only weepe bitterly for it for a time but stood in defence of Christ to the very death Then an adulterer repents of his adulterie when hee leaves quite his Whores and harlots and possesses his vessell in holinesse and honour Repentance is a forsakâ—ng of the sinne and an imbracing of the contrary vertue It is not the laying aside of sinne for a time
ashes of that ashes a certaine water was to be made which being sprinckled on them that were uncleane by the touching of a dead body c. it did sanctifie them and made them capable of the Tabernacle being purified by that water they might goe with the rest of the people into the place of Gods worship This Cow was a type of Christ. 1. As shee was Red So was hee dyed red in his owne bloud 2. As she was without spot or scab or any disease So Christ was without the spot of sin 3. As shee was never used to the yoke no more was Christ to the yoke and servitude of sin 4. As she dyed so Christ. Therefore if the water made of her ashes was precious much more the bloud of Christ sprinckled on our consciences In the proofe of this hee doth not insist because it was confessed by the Iewes So I thinke holy water may sanctifie touching the purity of the flesh If a man have dirt on his face when he is about to enter into the Church their holy water may take it away but it cannot helpe for any spirituall thing to scare away Devills or to put away veniall sins VERSE 14. THerefore he proceeds to the Apodosis Where 1. The sacrifice of Christ. 2. The end of it Not equally but much more Then the bloud of a beast The which he illustrateth by diverse circumstances 1. By the Person that offered this bloud he was Sacerdos victima 2. By the Party or power by the which he offered it Some by the eternall Spirit understand the Holy Ghost as by him he was conceived in the Virgins wombe by him lead into the wildernesse to bee tempted Mat. 4.1 So through his assistance he offered up himselfe but by the eternall Spirit is rather meant the eternall deity of our Saviour Christ 1 Pet. 3.18 19. As hee was man consisting of flesh and bloud So he was also God an eternall and incomprehensible spirit From this his infinite and unspeakeable deity the bloud of CHRIST received a power to make satisfaction for our sinnes Whereupon it is called the bloud of God Acts 20.28 The bloud of none that was a meere man could doe it if CHRIST 's bloud had not beene offered up by his eternall spirit it could not have purchased our redemption The bloud of Martyrs was offered up by the assistance of the HOLY GHOST yet it was not meritorious it was not that but the power of the deity that made Christ's bloud meritorious 3. By the thing offered not any brute Creature not a man an Angell but Himselfe 4. By the quality of the thing offered even in respect of his humanity and for that cause his bloud was more forcible 5. To whom to God As a full satisfaction for the sins of the world Then he comes to the efficacy of the bloud of Christ deduced out of the former the bloud of Goats and Bulls did purge the flesh and outward man this the conscience and inward man In some Greeke copies it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our consciences All stand in need of purging We have a double benefit by the bloud of Christ justification and sanctification from dead workes that is sins Now from these dead workes that lay as an heavy loade on our consciences the bloud of Christ purgeth us Sinnes are called dead workes 1. Because they come from dead men 1 Tim. 5. Verse 6. Eph. 2. Verse 1. 2. Because they engender death Rom. 6. ult The bloud of CHRIST purgeth our consciences from all sinnes so as our consciences cannot accuse and condemne us for sinne because it is washed away in the bloud of CHRIST Hebr. 10.2 Rom. 8.1 The second fruit issuing from the former is our sanctification that being thus justified wee may be sanctified in soule and body to serve the living God Luk. 1.74 He is stiled the living God 1. Because he lives of himselfe and that for ever 2. Because hee makes us by his spirit to live a spirituall life in this world 3. Because hee will raise us up from a corporall death at the latter day and cause us to live with him for ever in the world to come 1. Grievous is the sting of Conscience This chest worme gnaweth sore this made Iudas to cry out I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud This made Iosephs brethren to condemne themselves when no man laid any thing to their charge verily wee have sinned in that wee saw the anguish of his soule when hee besought us and wee would not heare This made those Iohn 8. that seemed holy men to the eye of the world to depart out of the Temple one by one being convicted of their owne consciences This was truly said to be mille testes Now how shall wee stoppe the mouth of these thousand witnesses We are all miserable sinners our consciences accuse us of innumerable sinnes but here is our comfort the bloud of Christ sprinkled on our consciences purgeth us from all sinne being justified by faith wee have peace with God Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God 's Elect it is CHRIST that hath dyed yea rather that is risen againe that with his owne bloud hath entred into the holy place and hath made an eternall expiation of our sinnes Let us all entreat the Lord to apply the force of this bloud to our consciences dayly more and more 2. There bee living workes a reverent using of the name of GOD a cheerefull and reverent hearing of his word temperance chastitie sobriety liberality c. these come from us when wee live by faith in the Sonne of GOD there bee also dead workes blasphemie swearing lying covetousnesse pride oppression envie hatred malice and these are to bee abhorred of us all 1. Dead things stincke If wee meete with a dead carkasse by the way wee hold our noses even so sinnes blasphemie prophanations pride envie hatred malice covetousnesse these stincke in the nostrills of God Almighty therefore let them be detested by us 2. Dead men are forgotten I am as a dead man out of minde So let not our mindes run on these dead workes on the profits of the world the pleasures of the flesh let these dead things bee no more remembred 3. That which is dead must be buryed give me a place to bury my dead out of my sight as Abraham said to the sons of Heth Gen. 23.4 Idolatry blasphemy all sins are dead things therefore let them be buryed 4. Dead things are abhorred of us We shun dead things by the way we will not come neere them so let these dead workes be abhorred of us Wee decline those things that bee deadly wee will drinke no poyson because it will kill us we will not goe where the plague is least wee dye All sins are deadly they will bring us to everlasting death therefore beware of them If wee meet with a dead body by the way wee decline it yet the savour that comes from it can but
kill our bodies the filthy stincke that issues out of these dead carkasses of sin will kill both body and soule therefore let them be detested by us These dead workes of sinne will poyson us all therefore have nothing to doe with them as wee love our life which is most deere to us all skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life so let us avoide these dead workes that deprive us of eternall life in the world to come 5. Dead things are heavy a dead man So these lye heavy on our consciences Caine Iudas they were not able to beare that intollerable burden Sins may very well be termed dead workes 1. Laedunt vitam naturae they make our naturall life more unpleasant to us in the end they cut the threed of it for the wages of sinne is death if we had never sinned against God we should never have dyed 2. Carent vita gratiae So long as we are dead in our sins we are out of the favour of God 3. Auferunt vitam gloriae they deprive us of the kingdome of heaven in the life to come therefore they are worthily termed dead workes Thirdly the end of our redemption is to serve God we are redeemed from our old conversation not to our old conversation we are bought with the bloud of Christ not to serve the Devill our selves the flesh the world we have served them too much already but from henceforth we must serve God And how must we serve him 1. Integraliter in soule and body not in body alone as hypocrites doe that draw neere to GOD with their lippes but their hearts are farre from him nor in soule alone as some fearefull Christians doe which say they have a good heart to God-ward and yet give their bodyes to the service of the Devill As God by Iesus Christ hath redeemed both soule and body so we must glorifie him with them both 2. Wee must serve God peculiariter him and him alone I am a jealous God Thou shalt have no other Gods besides me We must not make our belly our God as Epicures doe our money our God as covetous misers doe but wee must serve God alone hee must have all our service Matth. 4.10 3. Perseveranter not a while but continually to our lives end bee faithfull to the end and I will give thee the Crowne of life If wee persevere not in his service to our dying day wee shall loose our reward 4. Totaliter all the time of our whole life Wee must serve him not only when wee bee old drie and withered but in our fresh and flourishing yeeres wee must beare the yoke of the LORD when wee are young hee must have the first fruits of our service But alas though wee professe that wee are redeemed by CHRIST yet wee serve our owne lusts and affections wee serve not the living GOD as wee ought to doe Let us have a care to serve the living GOD in this short and transitory world that we may live eternally with this everliving GOD in the world to come There is no fishing to the Sea no service to the Kings nor no service to the King of Kings 1. Some Masters are poore and cannot reward their servants our master is rich heaven and earth are his Hester though a poore mayde yet because she served him he made her a Queene 2. Some masters are churlish and will not reward their servants as Nabal was wee have a kinde and loving master not the least service we doe if we give but a cup of cold water in his name but he will reward it 3. Earthly Masters give but earthly rewards they may give good wages while yee be with them and peradventure bestow a farme on you but our master will give us a kingdome 4. Earthly masters dye Gentlemen Knights Noblemen dye yea Kings themselves dye and then their servants seeke abroad but our master lives for ever Therefore let us serve him with all cheerefulnesse let us serve him in this life and we shall enter into the joy of our Master Will the Son of Iesse give you all Vineyards Our Master will give us all a kingdome We are servants here we shall bee Kings there have palmes in our hands and Crownes on our heads and raigne with him for ever VERSE 15. SEcondly the truth and substance of the Tabernacle is applyed to Christ as to a testatour Where 1. The constitution of the Testament Verse 15. 2. A confirmation of it In the constitution of it there be foure circumstances 1. The legatour 2. The death of the testatour that strengthens the Testament 3. The legatarie every believer 4. The legacie an eternall inheritance The instrumentall cause whereby wee attaine to our legacie was the death of Christ which hath a double use 1. To purchase redemption for us as a Priest we are redeemed by the bloud of Christ from the bonds of sins wherewith we were tyed by vertue of the former Testament 2. To ratifie the covenant and Testament to us as a Testatour he is a Priest in regard of God making an attonement for us with his bloud hee is a Testatour in respect of us bequeathing that to us which hee hath bought with his bloud It is ratified by the death of the Testatour Which is confirmed by two arguments 1. Iure humano Verses 16.17 2. Iure legali Where 1. A generall assertion Ver. 18. 2. A particular explication of it Verse 19.20 Here may seeme to be some contradictions 1. There it is said when Moses had read the booke here it is said when hee had spoken every precept that is appertaining to the booke of the covenant So that there is no jarre but a sweete harmony 2. There is mention only of the bloud of Beeves here of Calves and Goates they are by a Synecdoche comprehended in the other 3. There is nothing said of water wooll and hysop but there he speakes of sprinkling and these were used in all sprincklings 4. It is not said that the booke was sprinckled but that may well bee collected Verse 6. for having made an Altar and set the booke of the covenant on it with halfe of the bloud he sprinckled the Altar and the booke afterwards hee sprinckled the people too 5. There it is said this is the bloud of the Testament which God hath made with you Here which GOD commanded to bee brought to you This in sense is all one it was made according to the booke and being made was brought to them comprised in the booke Exod. 24.9 The force of the argument is this the former Testament was confirmed with bloud by the death of Calves Goats c. therefore it was requisite that the latter Testament should be ratified with bloud namely by the death of Christ the Testatour Because by his owne bloud hee hath purged our consciences which the bloud of beasts could not doe in the Law He by whose meanes and mediation the New
writing by his Apostles The Testatour is Christ the thing bequeathed is an inheritance the legataries are the faithfull the witnesses to it are his Apostles Act. 1.8 The seales are the Sacraments the exequutor is the HOLY GHOST Ioh. 14.16 which is CHRIST 's Vicar on the earth a faithfull exequutor that will give us our legacies to the full and deprive us of nothing Our SAVIOUR is dead therefore his Testament is of force Object If CHRIST 's Testament was of no force till his death then how could they in the time of the Law have remission of sinnes and eternall life Sol. In seeing the day of Christ by the eye of faith as Abraham did it was not in force complemento till Christ dyed acceptatione it was This eternall inheritance could not have come to us without the death of our Saviour Christ. If hee had not dyed wee could never have had possession of this inheritance therefore how are wee to love the Lord Iesus that hath ratified this inheritance to us by his bloud Let the consideration of the death of Christ worke a death to sinne in us all that as he hath dyed for us to procure this inheritance so we may dye to sin daily more and more Seeing the Testatour is dead we may assure our selves of this inheritance bequeathed to us by his will It is a rule in Law debts must be payd before legacies and oft-times under the colour of paying debts the legataries goe long without their legacies It cannot be so here our Saviour Christ left no debts to pay he ought nothing he departed cleere with all men therefore we may be sure of our legacie All the devils in the world cannot keepe us from it VERSE 18. DEdicated to God by certaine Solemne rites and ceremonies Hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the feast of dedication Ioh. 10.22 Much lesse should the latter bee ordained without bloud VERSE 19. TO the Law as God required Exod. 24.8 Every precept being spoken by Moses Some thinke that all the people are said to be sprinkled because the twelve pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel were sprinckled Others thinke that some few of the elders were sprinckled instead of all the rest Or all may be put for a great part In a manner all of them were sprinckled VERSE 20. YEt it was the bloud of heifers or of Goates but it is called the bloud of the testament because by it was signified Christ his bloud which is the maker of the Testament to this did our Saviour allude Matth. 26.28 this is the bloud of the New Testament which was shed for you Beza translates it that God hath commanded to you as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but rather expound it which God hath commanded subaudi to be carryed to you The bloud of Calves and goates sprinckled on the people in the time of the Law was a figure of Christ's bloud sprinckled on our consciences Object Here wee may learne say the Rhemists that the Scripture containes not all necessary truths when neither the place to the which the Apostle alludeth nor any other doth mention halfe these ceremonies but he had them by tradition Sol. I but all these are contained in the Scripture The booke was sprinckled on the Altar or at least with the respersion that was cast on the people For the purple wooll and hysop Levit. 14.51 there is the water too Ribera sayes all these are necessarily collected for there could be no sprinckling without them Vnder the peace offerings Exod. 24.5 are comprehended Goates appointed to peace offerings as wee may see Levit. 3.12 The meaning of these words is nothing else but this is a significant token of the bloud of the New Testament that is to bee shed for your sins This bloud sprinckled on the people was a significant type and figure of the bloud of our Saviour Christ whereby the New Testament is confirmed to us That was the bloud of Goates and Heifers this of Christ the immaculate Lamb of God 2. Moses was the sprinckler of that bloud the Holy Ghost is the sprinckler of this 3. That was sprinckled on the face or garments of the people this on our hearts and consciences 4. The aspertorium the sprinckling sticke there was made of purple wooll and hysop the aspertorium here is faith With that doth the Spirit or God sprinckle on us the bloud of Christ. 5. That sprinckling did but sanctifie the outward man this the hid man of the heart 6. The force and power of that sprinckling lasted but a while the efficacy of this sprinckling continueth for ever Therefore let us all be desirous of this sprinckling As the Woman of Samaria said Lord give me of that water So let us say LORD sprinckle us with the bloud of CHRIST continually It is a comfortable thing for a man to bee sprinckled with sweet water it is a sweet smell and refreshes him but nothing so sweete as the bloud of CHRIST sprinckled on our soules and consciences by faith Let us desire the Lord to sprinckle this bloud on us dayly more and more that being washed with it wee may bee made fitt for the Holy Hierusalem and remaine with Christ for ever and ever Hebrewes 9.21 NOw followes an application of the rites and ceremonies belonging to the Tabernacle 1. A narration of them Verse 21.22 2. An accommodation of them The rites are two 1. The rite of consecration or sanctification Lev. 16.14 16. 8 15 18. 2. The rite of purification some by fire some by water Num. 31.23 In all things are comprehended also all persons An accommodation is made of these rites by the way of an antithesis or opposition whereof there be foure members 1. An application of the things Verse 23. 2. Of the place Verse 24. 3. Of the actions Verse 25.26 4. Of the use Verse 27.28 The things are applyed by way of opposition It was necessary that the types of heavenly things should be purified with such externall things for the purification of the flesh or outward man But c. The sacrifice of Christ is termed sacrifices in the plurall number and yet is but one because the fruit and efficacy of it is derived unto many So the wisedome of Christ is set forth by seven eyes his power by seven hornes Apoc. 5.6 The Holy Ghost being but one spirit it is called seven spirits Apoc. 1.4 The place is applyed by way of opposition 1. In respect of the nature that was made with hands this without 2. Of the use or end there the High-Priest did appeare before the Arke and Mercy-seate which were figures of Gods presence here our High-Priest appeares before GOD immediately without figures for us The third is an application of the action or service the dissimilitude whereof consisteth in three things 1. There the High-Priest went often into the holy place here our High-Priest went into heaven but once 2. He went with other bloud ours
commended for her Fact 520 521 Raine the Word of God compared to Raine 220 221 Rebuke to rebuke a minister is the sinne of sinnes 333. what honor they bring 501. our impatience of Reproofe 652 Reconciliation It ought to be among Christians for divers reasons 27. Redemption it is plenarie 353 354. the end of our Redemption is to serve God 358 Reformation there is 1 a formation 2 a deformation 3 a Reformation 346 347 Reliques the Iesuits wrong ground of Reliques 332 Popish Reliques foolishly collected out of Scripture 488 Religion It doth not evert pollicie 26. wee must both openly and constantly professe it 409. two things hinder it ibid. c. 430. our reward for our constancie in Religion is great in many respects 431 Remember Remembrance wee have sundry remembrancers 387. There are three things that we must remember 427 428 Good things and good men must be remembred 619. how 620 Repentance it hath two parts 208. its power 217. God cannot Repent 293 Rest A double rest 133. the cause why Israel was deprived of their rest ibid. the Rest of Gods people is unexpressable 154 we must labour for that Rest. 155 Restitution the kindes of wrongs whereof restitution must bee made are 4.1 of the Goods 2 of the Mind 3 of Fame 4 of Fortune 36. to whom Restitution must bee made ibid Resurrection 4 pillars on which the proofe of resurrection leane on 210 211. Our hopes strengthned by faith in the resurrection 479. The strong inducements we have thereunto ibid. c. A good consideration of it 480. All shall Rise 530 Revenge none may revenge but God 425 Reward our constancie in Religion shall bee rewarded 431. yet that reward is not merited ibid. but of Mercy 445. the reward how to be looked unto 501 502.675 676 Riches they are Gods good gifts yet are to be forsaken for Gods sake 496 S SAbbath some workes aâ—d what they are that maâ—t bee done on that day 515 Sacraments how they sanctifie 384 Sacrifice the Sacrifices that ministers now offer are either common or proper 195. of spirituall Sacrifices ibid. All Priests have their Sacrifices so must all Christians 311. the Sacrifice of Christ is termed Sacrifices and why 65. the weakenesse of the Legall Sacrifices 378. and the power of Christs Sacrifice 378 379. the impossibility of Sacrifices to take away sinne till Christ was Sacrificed 388 foure things commend Christs Sacrifice 396. externall Sacrifices of Religion are to be done 440 Saints Papists beleeving in the saints confuted 13 14. the saints dignity is to bee Gods Heâ—res 24â— they are but strangers and must so carry themselves 467 468. the world is not their Country 469. how Saints departed are to be remembred and had in honour 620 Salutation the great Salvation comes by preaching 81 82. it is made sure by Gods owne oath 241. A hard thing to be saved 452. assurance thereof how had 581 Salvations they are commendable 44. the Anabaptists unchristianlike herein 44 45. examples hereof 45. whom we must salute ibid. c. whom not 679. examples ibid. c. Sampson his Faith Facts and Fame 523. A censure of his selfe-slaying 524 Samuel his Faith Facts and Fame 525 Sanctification how the Sacraments sanctifie 384. A twofold sanctification 424 Sanctuary the word how used 309 Sarah of her faith and facts 461 462 c. her laughter condemned 461 Scriptures the Holy-Ghost is the Author of them 124 All the scriptures are called but one book 392. Christ is to be found only in the scriptures 393. how the scriptures speake 547 548. they are not to be reade carelessely 592 Searching what it requires 205 Seeke Rules for seeking of God 445 Servants they must not be detained without their Masters liking 29. an absurdity of Papists in this point ibid Serve the end of our redemption is to serve God 358. and how ibid. It is the most excellent service ibid. c. Shaddow what it doth and how discerned with an application thereof 383. little else but shaddowes among some 384 Shame we must not be ashamed of our Religion 410 Sheapheard Christ is our Great Sheapheard 648. how and wherein we are resembled to Sheepe ibid. how Christ became our Sheapheard ibid c Simple Christians must be simple not subtile 301 Simonie well defined 638 639 committed foure wayes 639 6â—0 Sion Its interpretation 57â— Sinne God is not the author sed Ordinator peccati 31. Others sinnes must not be Aggravated but Extenuated rather 32 Christ hath purged us from all our sinnes 60. the use of it 61. sinne deceiveth us many wayes 137. the sinne against the holy Ghost discribed 214 our best workes are defiled with some sinne 25â— 253. there is none that sinneth not 339. sinnes called Dead workes 356. sinnes well tearmed dead workes 357 358. So long as Christ doth appeare in heaven for us our sinnes cannot appeare 369 the difference of sinning volens and voluntary 416. three wayes of striving against sinne 547 sinne is a bitter thing 562 563. It must be suddenly stopped in the very beginning else it will spread 563 Sit the comforts of a beleever from Christs sitting at the Right Hand of God 62 63 Sonne the difference betweene the sonne and the servant Christ and Moses 120 Souldiers All Christians are Souldiers 6 7. and as souldiers we should stirre up one another 136 Soule how they are made 149 Speech our speech must be savory especially towards our death 489 Sprinkling the blood sprinkled on the people significant 364 Starres some Mathematicians undertake to number the starres 462 Steppes straight steps what and how made 558 Stranger we all confesse our selves so to be and must so carry our selves 467 468. wee should be kind to strangers 693 Study we must study to enter into eternall rest 155 156. the manifold circumstances of this study 156. this rest is worth our study 157. Reasons to spurre us to this study 157 158 Suffer Christ suffereth with his 189 Sweare how God doth sweare and how we may doe 132. two things cause him to doe it ibid. vid. Oath of swearing on the Bible 240. we may sweare by no Creature ibid. there be three principall things that God sweareth in his Word 292 T TAbernacle how interpreted and applyed 309 310 Christs body called a Tabernacle so is ours 310. different from houses 311. how the Tabernacle is applyed to Christ 326. why it is called a worldly Tabernacle or sanctuary 327. what is meant by the first Tabernacle 347 348. As Christ body is a Tabernacle so is ours 349. the differences betweene an house and a Tabernacle ibid. c. Teachers a warning to beware of them 672. their quality and marke 673. how to Arme our selves against them 674. reasons for it ibid Teares many sorts of them 568 Temptation comforts in it In and through Christ. 113. God is Tempted divers wayes .128 three Tempters 1. God 2. Divell 3. Man c. 473. Gods servants have their Tryalls 474. we must
continue with Christ in our Temptations 675 Testament in what the Old and New testaments are equall 54. in what the New Testament is better than the old 294. A threefold difference betweene the Old and New Testament 318 319. the forcivenesse of sinne more clearely manifested in the New Testament than in the Old 324. it is the more comfortable covenant ibid. c. A Testament defined 362 Christs Testament twofold 362 Throne A twofold Throne 190. how we may goe boldly to Gods Throne 191. Thornie ground is neere to cursing 222 223 Tithes the taking of them an Argument of Greatnesse 259. whether Tithes be a perpetuall maintenance of the Ministery 260. They are perpetuall 261. what is ceremoniall and what perpetuall in Tithes 263 the difference betweene sacrifices and Tithes ibid. c. who must pay Tithes 265. whereof ibid. whether it be a sinne not to pay Tithes where the custome is not to doe it 267 whether they may give them to a bad minister ibid. hee that robbeth the minister of Tithes robbeth God 268 Tongue three things that may comfort us against an evill tongue 544 545. the persecution of the tongue a grievous persecution 545 Tryall vid. Temptations 474 Gods Tryalls begin with a Tragedy and end with a Commedy 481 V VAile Christs flesh called a Vaile 404. this Vaile is called A way A New way a Living way 404 405 Visitation It is twofold of Iudgement In Mercy 89 Vniversality It is no necessary note of the Church 451 452 Vnprofitable things may be sayd to be unprofitable two wayes 288 Vnregen the workes of the Vnregenerate please not God 444 Vowes what Vowes be lawfull 262 W. WAnder A wandring life is an uncomfortable life 533 Warning God warnes before hee warres 446 448 449 Warre It is lawfull on conditions 248 249. causes of it 249. sundry condemne it ibid by nature there is warre betweene God and us 253. God warnes before he warres 446.448 449. wals in warres are not the strongest munition 514 Water the Holy Ghost is called water 409 Waver we must not waver in our profession 409 Way how Christ is the way the Living way 405 Weakenesse it is twofold 528 Whoremongers God will Iudge and that many wayes 613 Will Gods will how revealed when and by whom 52 53. he accepts the Will for the Deede 475 Women Origens invective against them 662. S. Pauls and S. Iohns prayse of them 663 Word that Gods Word is never without fruite 141. we must take heede of Contemning the Word 179. the Word is a Lively Word ibid. Mighty and Powerfull 180. This power of the Word is set forth 1 Comparatively 2 Simply 180 181. It is lively 1 In the good 2 In the bad 181 this should gaine our Reverence to it 182 183 this before all other writings is to be propounded to the people by the preacher 183 the Word is a heart searcher 184. the Word is a Touchstone 205 the Word compared to Raine 220 the want of the Word miserable ibi we should be therefore thankefull ibid World It is of Gods making and therefore to be esteemed 57 what is meant by the World to come 87 88 In this world there is nothing but changing 278. whatsoever is worldly we must not bee too much in love with it 328 329 It is not eternall 371 the world is not the Saints Country 469 we are out of this world two wayes 625 Workes why called dead workes 207 Not meritorious 227 230 their proper end 228 one special good worke is to minister to the necessities of the Saints ib. our good workes shal not be forgotten 229. our best workes are defiled with some sinne 252 253. sinnes called dead workes 356. dead things and dead workes compared 357. sinnes well so called 357 358 the workes of the unregenerate please not God 444. the prayse of good Workes 628 the next way to be famous is to be full of good Works 692 examples 693 FINIS The Scriptures occasionally handled in this Booke either by way of Exposition Allusion or Reconciliation Lib. Cap. Vers. Page Genesis 2 2 149 Â 6 6 293 Â 22 2 473 Â 42 15 239 Â 48 16 576 Â 50 25 488 Exod. 2 14 503 Â 35 5 30 Â 40 20 331 Levit. 16 2 338 Num. 11 18 128 Â 19 1 2 354 355 1 Sam. 15 11 293 Â 21 9 180 2 Sam. 7 14 62 1 King 8 9 331 2 King 5 18 538 Â 20 3 584 585 1 Chro. 5 10 331 Iob 19 25 11 Psal. 12 4 545 Â 45 7 66 Â 91 7 685 Â 105 25. with the summe of the whole Psalmes 70. Â 110 1 74 Prov. 4 23 135 Â 26 11 61 Eccles. 12 12 680 Cant. 4 12 582 Esay 8 18 104 Â 9 6 390 Â 46 3 59 Â 53 3 98 Â 57 20 21 9 Mala. 3 8 268 Mat. 5 16 18 231 Â Â 24 27 Â Â 34 238 Â 10 3 41 693 Â 12 31 417 Â 16 18 118 Â 18 10 576 Â 27 4 113 Luke 1 74 11 356 Â 8 18 78 Â 14 33 430 Â 24 26 362 Iohn 5 17 150 Â 12 26 6 Â 13 34 670 Â 14 6 405 Â Â 9 677 Â 20 28 11 Acts 2 17 18 55 Â 9 4 189 Â 12 15 576 Â 15 36 681 Â 20 28 355 356 Â 21 13 687 Rom. 1 10 684 Â 2 5 217 Â 4 5 14 Â 8 8 443 Â Â 17 56 Â Â 26 298 1 Cor. 3 11 119 Â 9 5 609 Â 11 1 128 Â 13 1 15 16 Â Â Vlt. 13 2 Cor. 5 10 211 375 Â Â 20 54 Â 7 1 316 Â 8 12 30 Â Â 18 44 Â 11 22 26 25 Gal. 3 28 26 Â 4 4 117 Â Â 7 56 Â 6 10 16 228 Ephes. 4 5 209 Â Â 14 677 Â Â 26 27 Philip. 3 12 15 584 Â Â 13 158 Coloss. 1 16 58 Â 3 12 27 Â Â 23 30 1 Thes. 5 13 632 2 Thes. 1 8 339 Â 3 17 49 1 Tim. 2 5 587 Â 3 1 699 Â Â 4 5 608 609 Â 5 17 24 2 Tim. 1 24 701 Â 3 16 124 Â 4 15 423 Titus 1 6 608 609 Heb. 3 13 62 Â 5 4 280 Â 8 1 62 Â 9 27 211 Â 10 29 218 Â 13 17 39 Iam. 4 13 213 681 Â 5 16 41 42 1 Pet. 5 8 109 2 Pet. 2 22 61 1 Ioh. 2 27 67 Â 5 16 418 Revel 3 4 302 Â Â 11 188 Â 7 4 452 Â 14 4 302 Â 18 4 435 Â 22 12 445 FINIS A COMMENTARY VPON THE EPISTLE OF St. Paul to PHILEMON THis Epistle hath beene questioned as well as others yea above others There were some in St. Chrysostomes St. Ambrose and Saint Hieromes time that would have it to be quite wiped out of the sacred Canon two motives induced them to it the brevitie of it for the manner
bee understood of Salomon then of Christ he is the fairest among men Verse 2. Grace was in his lips he rideth on the word of truth Princes have thrones so hath CHRIST Salomons throne was but for a short time this for ever and ever What manner of kingdome administred in equity Isai. 11.3 swayed with righteousnesse there is no respect of persons with him he is just in his government he will punish the wicked comfort and defend the godly CHRISTS Scepter is a scepter of righteousnesse there is no partialitie no unjust dealing with him If his owne servants sinne he inflicts punishment on them as well as on the wicked judgement beginneth at his owne house first If a King will reforme his kingdome he must reforme his owne court first so doth CHRIST in the government of the world if they of his owne family offend he will begin with them first Moses murmured therefore hee lost the enjoying of the land of Canaan David a man after Gods owne heart committed adultery therefore his wives were deflowred before his eyes and he had like to have lost his kingdome for it Therefore let not us that be within the Walls of the Church flatter our selves in our sinnes wee may drinke c. CHRIST will be mercifull to us nay his Scepter is a Scepter of righteousnesse he must punish sinne wheresoever he findes it VERSE 9. THat the Scepter of CHRISTS kingdome is a Scepter of righteousnesse hee proves by two effects he loves righteousnesse and hates iniquitie ergo it is a Scepter of righteousnesse Hebr. It is because both are good and true The cause of good government is the grace of God and God rewardeth good government Thy God by generation Ours by creation Hath anointed thee Hereby hee is distinguished from GOD the Father as Genesis 19.24 GOD the Father anointed him in respect of his humanity With the oyle of gladnesse with the graces of the Holy Ghost which make the hearts of the faithfull glad and cheerefull to every good worke as they that were anointed in the time of the law were made the fitter to those businesses which GOD injoyned to them Further because they made CHRIST glad to powre downe those graces on his Church IESUS rejoyced in the spirit Luk. 10. We are Christs fellowes as men as members of his body and as his brethren we are anoynted touch not mine anoynted Psal. 105.15 and 2 Cor. 1.21 Wee in measure hee above measure Rom. 12.3 Io. 1.16 Io. 3.34 he is Sanctus Sanctorum Who be those that are Christs fellowes Surely the faithfull wee are his servants and fellowes too The head is above all the members of the body yet the head and members are fellowes the husband hath a superioritie over the Wife yet the man and the Wife are fellowes Christ is our Husband we by his grace and favour are his Wife therefore his fellowes the eldest Sonne and heyre to a Nobleman hath many prerogatives above the rest of his brethren yet in that they be brethren the Sonnes of one Father they are all fellowes So CHRIST our elder brother is above us yet because wee are his brethren wee may bee termed his fellowes By this oyle of gladnesse is meant nothing else save the graces of the spirit The oyntment shall teach you sayes Iohn the Holy Ghost is this oyle or oyntment Where we have many observations and instructions 1. All the oyle that we have comes from God we have no grace but it is of him the uprightnesse of Noah meekenesse of Moses zeale of Phineas sincerity of David the patience of Iob the hope of Abraham the wonderfull faith of the Centurion the knowledge of Ezra and Paul that spake with tongues more than all the courage of Peter all is of God it is he that anointed us with his holy oyle therefore let us be proud of no gift but use all in feare and trembling to the glory of the giver There is one that bestowes precious oyle on thee with that thou anointest thy face and hast a cheerefull looke thou art not to praise thy selfe but him that gave thee the oyle all our spirituall oyle comes out of Gods shop therefore let us magnifie him for all if hee anointed Christ much more us hee was anoynted with this oyle as he was man otherwise as he was God he had all fulnesse of himselfe 2. If Christ were anointed above his fellowes then his fellowes also are anointed though not in that measure hee was wee have a little Crewse full of oyle but he hath a great Pot full of it yet every Christian must have some oyle else he is a Christian in name not in deed Hence it is that we are called Christians of Christ because wee are anointed as he was but none may be called Iesuits of Iesus because there is no Saviour beside him wee may communicate with him in the name of Christ but not in the name of Iesus and if we be Christs members we must have some oyle as well as our head Saint Paul profited in the study of the law above his fellowes therefore his fellowes profited something CHRIST was annointed above us therefore wee must bee anointed too If thou hast no knowledge in the will of God no faith no zeale hope meekenesse patience thou art no Christian therefore let us intreat the LORD to anoynt us with this oyle dayly more and more 1. Oyle was a token of consecration in the time of the law Aaron and his Sonnes Saul David and all the Kings by oyle were consecrated to the Lord and set apart to an holy use Iacob powred oyle on the pillar whereof he was purposed to make an altar to the Lord. So we by this heavenly oyle of the spirit are dedicated to God as a royall Priest-hood an holy nation a peculiar people zealous of good workes 2. Oyle gives a sweet taste to the meat whereupon God commanded that on the meat offering should be powred oyle and incense oyle for the tast and incense for the smell So this spirituall oyle of Gods graces makes us a sweet and pleasant meat to the Lord the wicked he will spew out of his mouth but in us that are seasoned with the oyle of the spirit he takes singular delight 3. Oyle supples the wounds that be in a mans bodie The Samaritane powred oyle into the wounds of the man that lay halfe dead by the high way side so the oyle of the spirit supples us against the wounds of sinne a certaine perswasion being setled in our hearts of the love of God towards us in Christ. 4. Oyle makes a man nimble therefore wrastlers in all ages were wont to anoint themselves with oyle that they might bestirre their joynts the better So the graces of the spirit make us more lively in Gods service to wrastle with great alacritie with Satan and all the enemies of our salvation 5. Oyle keepes the body Soluble and is a meanes to purge it from many grosse humours
take a blow in defence of his Childe and doe ye think that Christ Iesus our spirituall Father will not defend us A Hen hides her Chickens under her wings against the Kite and Christ will shrowd us under the wings of his power and providence against Satan and all enemies 3 What Father will see his childe want being a man of ability CHRIST that is the LORD of all the world The Earth is his and the fulnesse thereof will not suffer us that be his children to want the thing that is good Because Wine is hurtfull for young children it inflames their bloud which is hot of it selfe a wise Father will not give his childe Wine yet he loves him well enough so because GOD our heavenly Father oftentimes sees wealth honour ease to bee hurtfull for his children to drowne them in the pit of perdition he keepes them away from them but let us assure our selves of this he will deny us that be his children nothing that is good for the salvation of our soules As we are the children of CHRIST so let us walke worthy of such a Father You are of your Father the Divell sayes Christ to the Pharisees for the workes of your Father ye will doe A fearefull thing to call CHRIST Father and to doe as the Devill bids us A childe must doe the commandement of his Father and if we be CHRIST's children we must doe as he will have us CHRIST would not have us sweare therefore let us not rend Gods name in peeces by swearing Christ would have us to be sober and temperate in the use of his creatures therefore let gluttony and drunkennesse be avoided by us let us shew our selves to be the dutifull children of Christ in this life that we may have the inheritance prepared for children in the life to come VERSE 14. 1 A Description of CHRISTS incarnation 2. An application of it Verse 17. In the description 1. The equity of it 2. The ends of it 3. An exaggeration of it by a comparison Verse 16. The ends are two 1. The overthrow of the Devill 2. Our deliverance out of the hands of the Devill Verse 15. In the comparison 1. The nature refused 2. The nature assumed verse 16. In the application 1. A repetition of the incarnation 2. An illustration of it by the ends thereof 1. That he might be a faithfull high Priest in making our reconciliation 2. A mercifull high Priest in succouring us in our temptations He inferreth upon the two testimonies going before in the 12. and 13. Verses a plaine conclusion of Christs humanity and makes it open to all the world Hee concludeth it à pari They that were to bee redeemed by him were men therefore he also would be a man This is amplified by the end and by a comparison Our humane nature is here described by the matter and the substance whereof it consisteth By flesh and bloud sometimes is signified the corrupt nature of man 1 Cor. 15.50 Flesh and bloud defiled with sinne subject to mortality and corruption cannot inherit heaven Sometimes it is taken for the substance of mans nature as here and Matth. 16.17 Gal. 1.16 The children did all communicate of flesh and bloud it was the common condition of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even as they did as milke is like milke That hee might be their neighbour and kinsman our Immanuel he participated of flesh and bloud too He tooke part of it .i. The substance but not the vicious qualities hee knew no sinne A spirit hath not flesh and bone as yee see mee have He was the fruit of his mothers wombe made of a woman hee names that part of our nature which is visible the other also being included namely the soule which quickned this flesh and bloud But here is the difference 1. Wee take flesh of both our Parents hee but of one Filius hominis is here of the feminine gender 2. Our flesh is polluted with sinne so is not his 3. We are meere men he both God and man 4. Our mothers ceased to be Virgins when they brought forth us his was a maide and a mother too Here we have a lively description of man he is but flesh and bloud which is weake fraile and subject to many miseries A knife may easily cut it the heate scorch it the cold benumme it it is subject to thirst hunger faintnesse wearinesse c. All flesh is as grasse With them is an arme of flesh with us is God We are not steele yron brasse but flesh and bloud A wise Salomon a strong Samson a beautifull Absalom Bathshebah a learned Paul that spake tongues more than all a Lord a Lady are but flesh and bloud dust and must returne to dust the consideration whereof should humble us all The fowles of the ayre the beasts of the field are flesh and bloud too yea theirs excells ours 1. Their flesh and bloud is clothed at their first entrance ours naked 2. Their 's well fenced ours soone pierced 3. More profit may bee made of their flesh when they dye they will sell for something so not ours 4. As sound as a fish they are free from diseases Sicknesses grow in ours and GOD makes our's meate for Wormes Let this appellation then pull downe our Peacocks feathers and make us walke humbly before our God But as CHRIST did participate of our flesh and bloud So shall we of his he shall change our vile bodies that they may bee fashioned according to his glorious body Phil. 3.21 Now hee proceeds to the ends of Christs incarnation 1. The overthrow of the Devill 2. Our deliverance out of his clawes 1. He describes him 2. He names him The cause why CHRIST tooke our humane nature upon him was that being compassed with flesh and bloud he might â—ye and so conquer the Devill and deliver men out of his clawes If he had not beene man he could not have dyed and then we had not beene delivered The meanes for the vanquishing of the Devill sinne and death was his owne death As the brazen Serpent was lifted up and by looking on it the Israelites were delivered from the fierie Serpents So Christ was lifted on the crosse and we are saved by looking on him with the eye of faith The death of this immaculate Lambe was the overthrow of the Devill and of death too which Hosea in the spirit of prophesie foretold and was afterwards accordingly verefied Hos. 13.14 1 Cor. 15.54 As Sampson by his owne death vanquished the Philistims Iud. 16.30 So CHRIST by his death overcame death and destroyed him that had the power of death that is the devill and that with his owne sword He doth not say that he might weaken the Devill diminish his force or give him a wound but destroy him So that he hath nothing against us Ioh. 12.31 Not death alone but the Devill too the LORD of death The Devill by carrying men into sinne had power also to carry them into
as a man doth his Coate at night and puts it on againe in the morning but it is an utter relinquishing of sin a shaking of it off as St. Paul did the viper never resuming it againe It is not a changing of sin but a putting away of sin Then a man hath repented when of an old creature hee is made a new It is not onely a sorrow for sinne a weeping and howling for sinne though these be good steps to repentance Caine was grieved for his sinne Esau howled for it Iudas was pierced with the dart of sorrow for it but it is an abandoning of the sinne There may bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where there is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is one of the principles of religion as it were a piece of our A.B.C. Iohn Baptist cryed repent Matth. 3.2 Our Saviour in his owne person at his first entrance into the Ministery preached it after his resurrection injoyned the preaching of it to his Disciples Luk. 24.47 and it was the subject of St. Peters Sermon at the day of Pentecost Acts 2.38 Which doctrine of repentance in respect of practise ought to sound continually in the Pulpit but not in respect of knowledge But it is to be feared that many where the Word hath beene long preached are ignorant of it at the least we doe not practise it as we ought to doe we must be repenting in act continually the best of us all but we must not alwayes be learning the doctrine of repentance The consideration of our dead workes and manifold sins might carry us into the pit of destruction therefore followeth faith in Christ by whom we have the remissiâ—n of them And of faith towards GOD that is faith in the LORD IESUS CHRIST as St. Paul exhorts the Iaylour Act. 16.31 Some interpret it what wee are to believe of God but then hee would have said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ratheâ— than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Then this branch might have served for all the rest and so all the other might have bâ—ene buryâ—d in silence It is called faith towards GOD in generall though the speciall object of faith be Christ which is God as well as the Father and the Holy Ghost VERSE 2. AFter that men had testified their faith and repentance they were baptized incorporated into the Church and publikely gave up then names unto Christ. But why doth he speake of baptismes in the plurall number When as Ephes. 4.5 There is but one baptisme Not because men were wont oftentimes to be baptized As we are borne once So baptized but once They were but once circumcised in the time of the law and we are but once baptized in the time of the Gospell 1. By the negligence of the Printers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might quickly be turned into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Syriack reads it in the singular number and so doth Augustine de fide oper cap. n. Yet because this reading hath beene of a long and ancient continuance let it remaine unchanged Some thinke he names baptismes because diverse kindes of persons were wont to be baptized infants and elder folke Others because certaine times were appointed to baptisme as Easter and Whitsuntide Others in regard of the three immersions that were used in baptisme to signifie the Trinitie Baptisme properly is a dipping the party was wont to be three times dipped in the water and therefore he calls it baptismes or dippings Some because there was a baptizing into Christ to come which Iohn used and a baptizing into Christ already come which the Apostles used after Christs Ascension Rather because the Apostle alluding to the manifold baptismes or washings in the law calleth the Christian Sacrament baptismes too therefore he calleth it the doctrine of baptismes because many doctrines as it were many baptismes are contained in it And of laying on of hands There were diverse uses of this ceremonie 1. Hee that offered a sinne offring layd his hands on it to signifie that he was the sinner for whom it was offered 2. It was a signe of healing Luk. 4.40 Mark 16.18 3. By it the extraordinary gifts of the HOLY GHOST were conferred 4. By it men were ordained to the Ministery 1 Tim. 4.14 This was a necessary point to be catechised in that all might know the autority of the sacred Ministery and reverence it How can they heare without a Preacher 5. It was used in the blessing Mark 10.16 6. It was a custome in the Primitive Church when the Children had beene well instructed in their Catechisme and given notice of their knowledge to the Church then by the laying on of hands they were confirmed and approved and allowed to come to the Lords Supper at the which laying on of hands publike prayer was made by the congregation for them that they might proceede in the race of Christianity as they had begun to Gods glory and the advancement of the Gospell This was called Confirmation and this we still retaine in our Church The Church of Rome prefers it before baptisme In baptisme say they we have our esse in Confirmation a more perfect esse Every hedge Priest may baptize only a Bishop or a Suffragan may confirme ex jure divino A Priest may not doe it nisi per dispensationem sayes Bellar. This seemes to bee implyed in this place and a good use might bee made of it still among Christians our race being finished in this life wee looke for the resurrection and judgement in the life to come It is a worthy saying Ioh. 5.28 Mervaile not at this for the houre is comming in the which all that are in the grave shall heare his voice yet the Philosophers and wise men of this world mocke at the resurrection and count it an impossible thing When Paul preached CHRIST and the resurrection at Athens they laugh at it and it may be so doe some close Atheists that sit in the lap of the Church But there bee foure Pillars for the Resurrection to leane upon 1. The Power of God 2. The Iustice of God 3. The Solemne funeralls 4. The Resurrection of CHRIST For the first Idoneus est reficere qui fecit hee that made man at the first of the dust of the ground can fetch him out of the ground againe when he is quite consumed to dust and ashes hee that made an house can set it up againe though it bee defaced God made this body the house of clay therefore hee can erect it againe though pulled downe The second pillar is the Iustice of God If there were no resurrection God should bee unjust The wicked flourish in this world their eyes sticke out by reason of fatnesse they have more than heart can wish they are not in trouble as other men Baals Priests in some parts of the world sit at Iesabels table when the Lords Prophets live in a Cave with bread and water the rich glutton fared deliciously when Lazarus lay starving and full
hee teacheth us to pray he doth not in his owne person make intercession with sighes and groanes for the Holy Ghost cannot sigh and groane but he stirres up to it The Papists say that Christ is intercessor immediatus but the Saints bee mediatores mediatâ— But wee must goe to God by Christ alone there is one Mediatour and no other As there is but one God So but one Mediatour They might as well say there is but one immediate God and many mediate Gods as to say there is one immediate intercessor and many mediate When thou goest to a King sayes St. Ambrose thou must make a friend with some about him but ad deum non opus est suffrâ—gâ—tore sed mente devota Christ is our eye by whom we see the Father our mouth whereby wee speake to the Father Nonâ— loves us so deerely as Christ none is in greater favour with the Father than the only Son that lyeth in his bosome therefore let us go to God by him and him alone We must not imagine that Christ makes intercession for us now in heaven after the same manner he did when hee was on the earth either by bowing of the knee by falling down on his face by praying with sighes and groanes as hee did at the death of Lazarus or with strong cryes and teares as he did in the Garden being glorified in heaven hee doth it not after such a carnall manner but Christ is said now to make intercession for us two kinde of wayes 1. Non voce sed miseratione not by uttering any voice by making prayers to his father as he did on the earth but by having pitty and compassion on us We have not a high-Priest which cannot be touched with our infirmities but a mercifull high Priest that was tempted as we are and can succour us in our temptations 2. He maketh intercession for us by presenting himselfe before the Father for us Hebr. 9.34 the exhibition of his glorious body in heaven the force and efficacy of his passion the recordation of his obedience these intercede with the Father for us Whereupon it is well said of Gregory l. 21. moral cap. 13. Vnigenito filio Deum pro homine interpellare est apud coaeternum Patrem seipsum hominem demonstrare The consideration of Christs perpetuall intercession in heaven for us may be a singular comfort to all Christians We count him happie that hath a friend in the Court then how happy are wee that have such a friend as Christ in the Court of heaven If the Kings Sonne make a request and that earnestly to the King for us shall wee not be in great hope to speede Christ Iesus the Sonne of God makes request to God for us and shall we not assure our selves that whatsoever wee aske in his name according to his will he heareth us In sicknesse poverty disgrace in the assaults and temptations of Satan yea in death it selfe Let us flie to this our Intercessour in heaven Say on my mother said Solomon to Bathshebah I will not say thee nay so sayes God the Father to Christ say on my Sonne make intercession for thy members I will not say thee nay Blessed are we that have such an Intercessour only let us not grieve him with our sins let us glorifie him by an holy life let us bring forth fruits worthy of the faith we have in him then we may boldly commence our suits to him and he will prefer them to his Father to the everlasting joy and comfort of us all VERSE 26. HItherto the Priest-hood of our Saviour hath beene advanced above the Leviticall Priest-hood by foure strong and infallible arguments Now there remaineth an high and magnificent description of the Priest himselfe Wherein 1. The substance of the description ver 26 27. 2. A reason for the confirmation of it In the substance of the description 1. The person of our High-Priest 2. His Ministery Became Not as if wee were worthy of him as wee say the best Preacher in England becomes the King It is better translated as Stephen doth conveniebat nobis was requisite and convenient for us it behooved us to have such an High-Priest Our redemption could not have been accomplished without such a one What manner of one 1. Holy in himselfe and in his own nature not only in respect of his deity but of his humanity also Luk. 1.35 Act. 2.27 The Devills acknowledge this we know who thou art that holy one of God Dan. 9.24 Chodesh Chodashim Some Priests Prophets and others have beene holy men but none so holy as Christ not a spot or blemish of unholinesse in him therefore fit to discharge the office of an high-Priest and to reconcile us to his Father 2. In respect of others doing no harme but all good to all not circumventing any by fraud or deceit nor offering open wrong and injurie to any In regard whereof hee is compared to a sheepe which of all creatures is most harmelesse nay profitable for his flesh and wooll too So was Christ so farre from doing any harme that hee did good to his very enemies a simple man no craft in him 3. As he was harmelesse himselfe so he tooke no harme from nothing 1. Actively 2. Passively 1. Vndefiled of all things The Priests in the time of the Law above others were to be circumspect that they were defiled with nothing especially in the time of the exequution of their office all that while they might not keepe company with their Wives they were to abstaine from wine not to touch a dead body or any uncleane thing Christ was more undefiled than any of them all they might keepe their bodies from being outwardly defiled yet they were stained with sin in soule and body too Christ had no defilement any kinde of way 2. He was undefiled of any person Hee conversed with sinners for the reclaiming of them as the Physition keeps company with sicke persons for the curing of them but he neither gave allowance to their sinnes nor received any contagion from them Then his ministery is set forth to us Where 1. The place where he doth Minister in the Sanctuary of heaven Some expound it thus that is a most high and excellent man But it is rather to be referred to the place where he ministers he is exalted above all those adspectable heavens Ep. 4.10 he is made higher than them and exequutes the office of an high-Priest for us in the highest heavens where he makes continuall intercession for us Is our high Priest holy and shall we be unholy that belong to him Is the head holy and shall the members bee unholy Is the husband pure and shall the wife be an impure strumpet Nay wee must labour in some acceptable measure to expresse the holinesse that is in him whereupon he saith be yee holy as I am holy Indeed wee cannot bee so holy as he is and as certaine Heretickes dreamed that were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pure
the sences They say that the body and bloud of Christ are there invisible under the shape of bread and wine therefore by their owne position it is no sacrifice 2. They confesse it to bee an unbloudy sacrifice and then not propitiatory for the quicke and the dead as they will have it for Hebr. 9.22 Without shedding of bloud there is no remission of sinnes There is no bloud shed therefore no remission of sins and then a masse not worth a figge thou canst not have the remission of sins by it but it is a phantasticall dreame of their owne Let us magnifie the Lord Iesus for his owne sacrifice which he offered for us and lay hold on it by a true and a lively faith What did Christ offer for us not silver and gold not a Bull a Sheepe or a Goate not the haire of his head the paring of his nailes or his little toe not one of his Disciples but himselfe Oh blessed SAVIOUR that spared not himselfe for our sakes So let us give our selves to him he that will be my Disciple let him deny himselfe and follow mee We must not only sacrifice our sins for Christ his sake which wee will hardly doe but if occasion require offer up our selves for him we must say with Paul my life is not deere to me c. I am ready not only to be bound but to dye at Hierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus But alas wee are wanting in love and thankefulnesse to Christ hee offered himselfe for us We will not offer up our pleasures for him Hee laid downe his owne life for us we will not lay downe our sinnes for him Wee will not forgoe our lusts our covetousnesse pride drunkennesse for Christs sake how then shall we offer up our selves for him as he did for us VERSE 28. THe reason is taken from the excellencie of this our high-Priest he that is the Sonne of God voyd of all infirmity sanctified for ever is able by one sacrifice to satisfie for the sins of the Church but Christ is the Sonne of God voyd of all infirmity sanctified for ever ergo This is illustrated by a famous antithesis betweene the Priests of the Law and him whereof there be foure branches 1. The ceremoniall Law made men Priests the Gospell made God a Priest For this our High-Priest as hee was the Sonne of man so the Sonne of God too and therefore God 2. The Law made servants Priests as Heb. 3.5 The Gospell the Sonne which is more honourable than any servant 3. The Law made them that had infirmities namely of sinne and corruption otherwise CHRIST tooke on him all our naturall infirmities 4. The Law made those that were mortall and endured not long by reason of death the Gospell hath made him that is consecrated for evermore By the word of the oath may be meant the Gospell as Luk. 1.73 because it was ratified by Gods oath But rather by it is meant the promise made to Christ which God confirmed in the Psalme with an oath If we respect the substance of the oath it was from all eternity CHRIST was ordained an everlasting Priest in the eternall decree of his Father 1 Pet. 1.20 but it is said to be after the Law because it was written published and exhibited after the giving of the Law The word of this oath comming after the Law did put the Law out of place though Gal. 3.17 because the promise was of greater force and efficacy then the Law but as the last Will disannulls all the former wills so the word of the oath comming after the Law did abrogate the Law Which is sanctified for evermore or perfected and therefore is able perfectly to fulfill the office of an High-Priest There was no Priest no Prophet in the time of the Law there is no Minister no Preacher no Christian whatsoever but hath some infirmity or other Noah a Preacher of righteousnesse was overtaken with wine and lay uncovered in his Tent. Abraham a Prophet so the Lord himselfe termeth him to Abimelech had his infirmities when hee dissembled for the saving of his life David a man after Gods owne heart had his grosse faults when hee was carryed into Adultery and murder using one as a Cloake to cover the other withall Saint Peter had his infirmity when he did Iudaizare cum Iudaeis applyed himselfe to all companies Saint Paul and St. Barnabas had their infirmities when they were at an open jarre and publike defiance one with another about St. Mark and departed in a chafe one from another Shew mee the garden that hath not one weede in it and shew mee the man either Preacher or other that hath not some infirmitie Let not us cast off men because of infirmities much lesse let us be ready as some are to hurle away the word because of the infirmities that be in the Preachers of the word If we will have a man without infirmities we must goe to heaven for one for there be the Spirits of just and perfect men There is none perfect in this world we are all full of infirmities the Lord be mercifull to us only Christ Iesus our High-Priest is voyd of infirmities hee is consecrated for evermore and holds to consecrate all that belong to him Let us serve this our High-Priest in holinesse and righteousnesse in this life that wee may triumph with him and offer the sacrifice of praise to God with him his Saints and Angels in the life to come CHAP. 8. IN the Priest-hood of Christ there bee two things 1. His calling to that office cap. 7. and 8. 2. The exequution of it cap. 9. and 10. In his calling 1. The Party called which is set forth at large in the former Chapter 2. The thing whereunto he is called in this Chapter which is to Minister for the good and salvation of his Church This Ministration of his is advanced above the Leviticall ministration by foure arguments 1. From his empyre rule and authority by reason whereof hee Ministreth after a more magnificent manner then the Levites did Verse 1. 2. From the place where he Ministers 3. From the Sacrifice wherewith he Ministers ver 3.4 5. 4. From the subject whereabout he is occupied In the first argument 1. An entrance into it 2. A description of his power and authoritie Having cast up the account this is the summe that ariseth of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or upon the things spoken this is the chiefe of all it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is to stirre us up to attention The summes of things are welcome to us Who is not desirous to have the summe of the Bible The summe of the Law contained in so many volumes a summe of Physicke c. The Oratours in the end of their Orations deliver the summe of that which they have spoken so doth St. Paul here hee delivers to us the totall summe of the things which he had spoken before
come suddenly and wee are gone againe in the turning of an hand though it bee the body of a Wise Salomon 〈◊〉 a strong Sampson a faire Absalom yet remember it is but a tent or Tabernacle the time is at hand sayes Saint Peter when I must lay downe this Tabernacle Wee know not how soone our bodies may be layd in the dust therefore let us not be too much in love with them Now as the Tabernacle in the time of the Law was kept neate cleane and handsome it might not bee polluted with any thing So let us keepe our bodies from all pollutions Let us not defile these our Tabernacles with drunkennesse fornication adulterie pride covetousnesse but let us reserve them as holy and undefiled for the Lord. VERSE 12. NOw to the service which is likewise applyed to our Saviour Christ where 1. What it is 2. Where offered 3. The efficacy of it There the High-Priest by the bloud of Goats and Calves went into the holy place here our High-Priest goes into heaven by his owne bloud therefore this service excelleth that When the High-Priest went into the Holy of Holies hee was to offer up a bullocke for his owne sins and a Goate for the sins of the people here hee useth the plurall number because they were iterated every yeare The High-Priest went in by other bloud Christ by his owne bloud It was an easie matter for him to take the bloud of a young bullock and of a Goate it cost him no great paine but our high-Priest was faine to shed his owne bloud before he could enter into heaven He went once every yeere into the Holy of Holies CHRIST went once for all into heaven and there he remaines till the day of judgement Where wee have a notable argument against his carnall presence in the last supper If Christ in respect of his body were here present so oft as the supper is celebrated then he should come and goe into heaven often but he went once into heaven and there must be till all things be restored Act. 3. Therefore he is not here on the earth bodily so oft as the supper is ministred The third thing in the Tabernacle was the use of the service that was in it that was onely to shadow out our redemption to bee accomplished by Christ but this our High-Priest being gone into heaven by the Tabernacle of his owne body and by his own bloud hath indeed wrought the worke of our redemption With much sweat and labour our redemption cost him deere In the Greeke having found out a rare pearle and invaluable Iewell not found before yet it doth also signifie acquirere idque labore nostro 〈…〉 Satan hell in whose bondage and slavery we were Not a temporal redemption as a man may bee rescued from his enemies and fall into their hands againe but an eternall one so as we are delivered from them for ever These words for us are not in the Greek yet they are well supplyed for Christ obtained no redemption for himselfe he was never in bondage to sin and Satan therfore he could not be redeemed Though Bellarmine defend that Christ merited the glory of his body and the exaltation of his name for himselfe yet no redemption Our SAVIOUR CHRIST by the one sacrifice of his owne bloud hath obtained eternall redemption for us therefore there needs no more sacrifice for our redemption Then away with the sacrifice of the masse which is propitiatory for the quicke and the dead For the Papists held it in time past but being forced to it by the light of Scripture they let goe that hold and affirme that it is only repraesentativum commemorativum applicativum of that sacrifice on the Crosse. Bellarmine defends it to bee a propitiatory sacrifice and so doth the councell of Trent The Iesuits say it is not that redeeming sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole world yet it may availe for the remission of some particular sinnes with a relation to that redeeming sacrifice on the Crosse. They say it is the same with that on the Crosse it differs only modo that is a bloudy sacrifice this an unbloudy I but all the legall sacrifices instituted by God must cease after the oblation of this sacrifice whereby eternall redemption is obtained for us then this new forged sacrifice of the masse being a bird of their owne hatching must cease And howsoever they minse it affirming that it is but a commemoration and an application yet they hold still that it is propitiatory for sin as if a full propitiation was not made by Christ's sacrifice on the Crosse. Their opinion is this that it is not that redeeming sacrifice on the Crosse that could not be often done because Christ could not dye often yet by being a commemoration of that sacrifice and an application of it to us it doth obtaine remission of sins and is a propitiation for sin it is propitiatorium impetratorium still Propitiatory for the sins of them that be present and of them that bee absent alive and dead impetratory because it obtaineth not only spirituall benefits but also temporall So that this is the issue The Sacrifice of the masse is not that generall redeeming sacrifice that was offered on the Crosse yet being a commemoration and an application of it it is propitiatory for the sins which wee dayly commit So sayes the Counsell of Trent 1. Vnder the genus all the species are comprehended if that was a generall redeeming sacrifice taking away the sinnes of the world then it left no sinne untaken away They speake contraries If by that wee have a generall pardon of all sinnes then there is no speciall pardon for sins in the sacrifice of the Masse Col. 1.20 2. Was that sufficient to propitiate for sins or insufficient Surely they will say sufficient therefore there is no need of any helpe from the sacrifice of the masse Againe it is not propitiatory 1 Pet. 2.24 makes much against this propitiatory sacrifice 1. Not by a Priest but by himselfe 2. In his owne body not in the commemorative or applicatory sacrifice of his body 3. He left none hereafter to be taken away 4. All our sinnes Where on the Crosse not on any Altar where a commemoration should bee made of his sacrifice on the Crosse but on the Crosse it selfe The Idolaters offered the bloud of their Sons and Daughters to their Idolls but they would not offer their owne Christ hath entred into the holy place with his owne bloud by his owne stripes we are healed in his owne body he bare our sins by his own bloud he made a way into heaven for us he gave not the bloud of any of his servants but his owne bloud Oh how are wee beholden to CHRIST that spared not his owne bloud for us The love of Christ should constraine us We are redeemed sayes Peter not with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious bloud of CHRIST as of a Lamb
hath borne the sinnes of us all therefore let us not feare death 2. It is but a sleepe Lord if hee sleepe then shall hee doe well enough Men are refreshed after sleepe so we after death Apoc. 3.14 13. There bee two benefits which wee shall receive by death 1. Wee shall rest from our labours Here wee are like Noahs Dove wee can finde no rest either day or night wee shall rest from the workes of our calling Now indeed wee are early up in the morning sit up late at night and eate the bread of carefulnesse all the day long but then wee shall rest from that toiling and moiling wee shall rest from the workes of piety and Religion All that wee shall doe then will bee to sing Hallelujahs to our blessed redeemer Wee shall rest from sinne wee shall no longer cry out like tyred Porters Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from this body of death We shall rest from all miseries and sicknesses cry out no more my head my head nor complaine of troubles in our selves Wives Children or servants Wee shall rest from weaknesses and infirmities Now wee eate drinke sleepe c. but then wee shall eate of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God and never hunger or thirst any more 2. Their workes follow them our labour is not in vaine in the Lord. The almes of Cornelius the garments of Dorcas the Centurions Synagogue a Cup of cold water given in CHRIST 's name shall be rewarded so that we may sing like a Swanne before our death as St. Paul did 2 Tim. 4.8 henceforth there is layd up for mee a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give mee at that day and not to me only but unto them also that love his appearing 4. Comfort against death is a glorious resurrection Iob 19.25 26.27 Phil. 3. Christ's glorious body Our bodies putrifie in the earth yet there is not an end of them We have praeludia in the Old and New Testament the Widow of Sareptas Son raysed up by Elias the Sonne of the Shunamitish Woman by Elisha In the New Testament Christ raised up three the one in domo Iairus daughter the other in feretro on the Beare the Widdowes Sonne of Naim the third in Sepulchro that was Lazarus which had lyen foure dayes and began to stincke all which are pledges of our resurrection The same God that raised them up will raise us up at the last day Death goes not alone there is one that followes her and that is judgement Iudgement either of absolution for the godly come yee blessed of my Father or of condemnation for the wicked goe yee cursed into c. If there were no judgement after death the godly of all others were most miserable and if no judgement the ungodly were the happiest men But let us know that after death comes a judgement one way or other salvation or damnation We must all appeare before the judgment seate of Christ c. The drunkard must give an account of his drunkennesse the covetous man how he hath imployed his riches we must give an account of our oppressions thefts secret or open of our negligent comming to Church and contempt of the Word of God Let this cause us with a narrow eye to looke into our lives let us judge our selves in this world that wee bee not condemned hereafter Yet there bee a number in the Church that thinke it a scare Crow and make a mocke at this judgement as the Athenians did at the resurrection Acts 17.32 they will believe the Assizes at Bury and in other places but count this a tale of a tub Felix though a wicked man trembled at it Let us all tremble at the naming of this judgement Let it be a meanes to pull us from sin and to make our peace with God in this world that we may stand without trembling before the Sonne of man Iudgment followes upon the neck of death either come thou blessed or goe thou cursed The good thiefe the same day he dyed was with Christ in Paradise that was his judgment the rich man the same day he dyed was in hell in torments that was his judgement Wherefore whilest wee have time let us repent while God giveth us a breathing time on the face of the earth for when death commeth it is too late then there is no mercy but judgement to be expected While we be alive Christ knocketh at the doore of our hearts with the hammer of his Word if we will open to him he will sup with us and we shall sup with him in the kingdome of glory but if now we shut him out and will not suffer him to enter he will shut us out and though we cry Lord Lord with the foolish Virgins he will not open to us VERSE 28. AT the which offering he dyed To take away not existentiam peccati but reatum dominium paenam Of many Matth. 26.28 he dyed for all sufficienter What is CHRIST dead and gone then wee shall never see him againe Yes he shall appeare in the heavens with his mighty Angels Without sinne Why the first time he appeared without sinne for He knew no sinne I but then hee came with his fraile body to offer up for sinne Verse 26. Now he shall appeare with no more sacrifice for sinne Then he came as a Lamb to be slaine for sin now as a King and a Lion Then he came as a Priest with a sacrifice to offer now as a Iudge to sit on the Throne To the salvation of the godly but to the damnation of wicked and reprobate men Here is another argument against the Masse Men may as well dye often ordinarily as Christ be offered up often As this is an unmoveable truth that a man ordinarily dies but once So this is a firme position in Divinity that CHRIST can be but once offered properly But to whom shall the day of Iudgement be comfortable to them that are weary of the loade of sin and looke for their deliverer Phil. 3.20 Tit. 2.13 2 Pet. 3.12 The mother of Sisera looked out at a window for the comming of her Sonne So we the spirituall mother brethren and sisters of Christ must looke out at the window of our hearts for him A Woman lookes for her Husband and we look to our money our Sheepe and Oxen but we looke not for Christ. It is to be feared if he were a comming we would entreat him to tarry still and say with the devills why art thou come to torment us before the time hee is our deliverer let us looke for him as faithfull servants for their masters and say come LORD IESU come quickly The second comming of CHRIST is here notably described 1. He shall come potenter because it is said he shall appeare 2. Innocenter without sinne 3. Finaliter to them that looke for him 4. Vtiliter to salvation He
faith submitted themselves to his ordinance so must we with the hand of faith imbrace the Sacraments of the New Testament Some Atheist might object against them to what end is a little water laid on the forehead of the childe as Naaman said Are not Abana and Pharpar Rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel So say they is not the water in the pompe as good as the water in the Font Wherefore doe we receive a little Bread and Wine so solemnely in the Church at the celebration of the Lords Supper May we not have as good in every Taverne I but if we have faith wee receive them as pledges of the body and bloud of Christ with hearty thanksgiving to GOD yea as exhibiting the same The bloud of the Lambe on the doores of their houses did assure them of their deliverance from the plague and judgement of God that though never so many were slaine among the Egyptians yet none of their first-borne should lose their lives so the water in Baptisme must assure us of the washing away of our sins in the bloud of Christ. The Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper must assure us of the Body and Bloud of Christ that as we eate and drinke the one with our mouth so we eate and drinke the other with our hearts in so much as CHRIST is one with us and we with him Our reverent use of the Sacraments in the feare of God is a token of faith they that contemne the Sacraments that regard them not that care not though they come not at the Communion once in a yeere nay in five or ten yeeres they feele no want of it these declare to the world that they have no faith Moses keeping of the Passeover was a Touchstone of his faith and our usage of the Sacraments will bewray our faith The Paschall Lambe was a type of Christ whereupon he is called our Passeover 1 Cor. 5.7 He was the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Not a bone of the Paschall Lambe might be broken Exod. 12.46 So Not a bone of Christ could bee broken Iohn 19.36 This Passeover was an adumbration of Christ. And the Effusion of the bloud of the Lambe was a figure of the effusion of the bloud of Christ Heb. 12.24 As the bloud of the Lambe sprinkled on the doores of the Israelites kept away the Destroyer from them So the bloud of Christ sprinkled on our consciences 1 Pet. 1.2 keepes away the Devill from us Where this bloud is sprinkled by the sponge of faith there the Devill can have no entrance nor possession This no doubt they likewise saw by the eye of faith and let us desire to be sprinkled with this bloud more and more Whether it were a good or evill Angell is a question more curious than commodious for the most part Executioners among us are bad men the scum and off-scouring of the Countrey such as have no piety nor religion in them yet sometimes a good man may be a Kings executioner as Benaiah was to Salomon 1 Reg. 2. Punire malum non est malum sed facere malum malum est So it may please the High and Eternall GOD to use good Angels in the execution of his wrath They are as ready to be instruments of his justice as of his mercy It might be a good Angell that slew 70000. with the Pestilence in three dayes space that slew an hundred fourescore and five thousand in Senacheribs Campe in one night and it was a good Angel for ought we know that destroy'd the first-borne in Egypt it was an evill Angell that deceived Achab it was the Devill that afflicted Iob but it may be a good Angell that destroyed the first-borne of the Egyptians Whether it were or no it makes no great matter it doth not much concerne us If we feare God and serve him we need feare no Angels they be Traitors not loyall Subjects that feare the Kings Guard Feare not the rod but him that striketh with the rod. The rod cannot smart nay it cannot move without the striker Let us feare Almighty GOD that useth creatures as his rods at his will and pleasure and then we shall not need to feare any creature whatsoever Whom did the Angell destroy The first-borne which of all the children are deerest to the parents Men glory most of the first Apple the tree beareth loe this is the first Apple that my tree bore So the first fruit of our body is most joyfull and welcome to us Now the Lord being displeased with the Egyptians a stubborne and rebellious people he takes away their first-borne and this was the last arrow which he shot against them as the deadliest and heaviest of all If we love our children let us love GOD if we desire to keepe them let us keepe in with GOD he gave and hee can take away at his pleasure if we provoke him by our sins whom we ought to love most hee will bereave us of that which wee love most If wee have one childe deerer to us than another by one meanes or other he will deprive us of it the best way to keepe our children is to serve him who gave us our children The Lord will preserve his though the wicked bee destroyed 2 Pet. 2.9 Touch not mine anointed and doe my Prophets no harme A thousand shall fall on thy right hand c. but it shall not come neere thee No doubt thousands fell in Egypt being a populous Countrey yet the Israelites are not touched It cannot be denied but that sometimes the godly are involved in the same temporall plague with the ungodly Good Iosiah was slaine in the battell behold hee whom thou lovest is sick A good man may be sick yea sick of the plague yea dye of the plague too Iob was a singular good man yet his seven sonnes and three daughters were all touched the house fell on them altogether they were all slaine at one stroke Neverthelesse sometimes it pleaseth GOD to make a difference there was howling and crying among the Aegyptians my son is dead but not one dyed among the Israelites God sets a marke on his children that the Destroyer seeing it may not touch them If God for the sinnes of England should send a destroyer into England though there should be an intended massacre of Protestants by the Devillish and bloud-sucking Papists yet if God see it good he shall not touch any of his servants If he doe for in these outward things we must referre our selves to God yet the bloudy instruments of death shall prove golden keyes to open to us the doores of the kingdome of heaven VERSE 29. HEre 1. The miraculous preservation of Gods people 2. The fearefull destruction of their enemies Their preservation is illustrated by the instrumentall cause the place where and the manner how they were preserved They men women and children both Moses and all the Israelites It is
the end in that let us be rocks not reeds or weather-cocks As Iesus Christ yesterday and to day the same for ever so in all holy and upright things let us be like Socrates semper idem the same yesterday and to day continually Could he not make him repent Why what did he for the effecting of it he used as strong arguments as he could Teares are forcible and oftentimes move flinty hearts When Pharaohs Daughter saw Moses cry she pittied him Esau cries for the blessing yet God will not move Isaac to give it him This is strange Seeke and yee shall finde Esau sought and that with teares too yet hee found not All teares are not acceptable to GOD there be lachrymae compunctionis such as Mary Magdalens were being pricked with sorrow for sinne she wept aboundantly and watered CHRIST's feet with her teares These be good teares which the Angels in Heaven rejoyce at There be lachrymae compassionis such as Christs were when hee wept over Ierusalem There are lachrymae devotionis such as the Iewes teares were that wept because the second Temple was not so glorious as the first Esra 3.12 There are lachrymae desperationis such are the teares of the damned in hell There be lachrymae simulationis as Ier 41.6 Such are Crocodiles teares and as they say some Womens teares that have them at command There are lachrymae rancoris indignationis such were the teares of Esau hee wept more upon stomacke being vexed in his minde that he should be thus defrauded by his brother than for any griefe for sin more for the losse than the fault It seemes he never wept because he had displeased God in selling away his birth-right but because he saw into what misery he had plunged himselfe Therefore God regarded not his teares neither would he have Isaac to be moved with them Otherwise if they be holy and religious teares flowing from the Fountaine of a true sorrowfull heart for sin God esteemeth highly of them he puts them into his bottle and of his mercy will reward them in the life to come Therefore let us weepe bitterly for our sinnes in this life that GOD may assume us into that place where all teares shall be wiped from our eyes in the life to come The argument for the enforcing of the exhortation is taken from the bounty of GOD towards us in the time of the Gospell above them that lived in the time of the Law If God have dealt more kindly and mercifully with us then hee did with them then our holinesse must exceed theirs but God hath dealt more kindly and mercifully with us then hee did with them Ergo we must be more holy than they were The comparison is 1. Propounded to Verse 25. Then applyed It hath two members 1. A narration of their condition in the time of the Law 2. Of ours in the time of the Gospell The narration hath two parts 1. A description of their estate 2. An amplification of it Verse 20. Theirs was status terror is ours amoris VERSE 18. THeir estate is described 1. By the place where the Law was given it was a materiall mount that might be touched with the hands and fingers of men ours is spirituall and immateriall In respect of Gods charge it might not be touched but in it selfe it was touchable so is not ours 2. By the accidents that fell out in the place That burned with fire which strikes a terrour into the beholders Nothing more terrible then fire it makes men afraid to look upon it Blacknesse which are uncomfortable therefore hell is resembled to outer darkenesse And tempest that came with a force and power it may bee it did beare downe trees before it the Law as a Schoolemaster came with rods VERSE 19. 3. BY the manner of Gods teaching and instructing of them at the delivery of the Law It was by the sound of a Trumpet to prepare them to attention The Trumpet that soundeth to a battell is terrible so shall the Trumpet be at the day of judgement And by Gods immediate voice speaking to them which the people could not endure but requested that God would not speake to them any more VERSE 20. A Reason is rendred from their inability for they could not endure Here wee may behold the necessity of the word preached by men like to our selves We are not able to beare Gods owne voice Therefore in mercy he speakes to us by his Ambassadours Hee spake to them in the Old Testament by Moses and the Prophets to us by Christ and his Apostles by learned and godly Preachers sent to us in all ages Though they be men subject to the same passions that wee are as Saint Iames speakes of Elias yet their voice is Gods voice he that heareth them heareth Christ. Therefore let us not despise them because they bee men but honour them as the men of God receive them as Angels from heaven yea as Christ himselfe Preachers were appointed in regard of our weakenesse therefore let us praise God for them and heare them with all reverence This fearefull spectacle is amplified 1. By the strictnesse of the charge If a beast beasts grase here and there in the valleys and Mountaines too they bee unreasonable creatures and understood not the charge given by God Yet if a beast touched the Mountaine c. So severe was the delivery of the Law VERSE 21. 2. BY the affection of Moses who was a principall man among them by whose hand the Law was delivered yet he feared and quaked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mente 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corpore I exceedingly feare and quake These words are not expressed in the Old Testament yet we are to believe them as the names of the sorcerers Iannes and Iambres supplyed by Saint Paul Neverthelesse they may be collected out of Exodus Moses said I feare and quake God answered comforting him Exod. 19.19 dixit facto etsi non verbo Moses was a rare and singular man greatly honoured by God Almighty he divided the Red Sea and brought the people over God talked familiarly with him as one friend useth to doe with another when he was dead God vouchsafed to bury him himselfe yet Moses shooke like an Aspenleafe He was not only afraid but he trembled too Such is the Majesty of God that it makes the holiest men in the world to quake because of sinne in them When God spake to Adam after the fall he was afraid and hid himselfe among the trees Manoah cryed out we have seene God therefore we shall dye Moses at the delivery of the Law did quake and tremble then how shall the wicked shake when Christ shall come at the latter day to take an account of the fulfilling of the Law Felix trembled when he heard of the day of judgement what shall they doe when they see it they shall cry out with them in the Apocalyps the great day of his wrath is come c.
house and Temple Remember that our God is a God of peace let us be peaceable Wee have had the Title now to the effect the raising up of Christ from the dead elementia in collatione pacis potentia in suscitatione filij The party raised is set forth 1. By his Sovereignty 2. By his Name 3. By his Office For his Sovereignty He is our Lord. Ye call me Master and Lord. Not every one that sayeth to me Lord c. He created us He redeemed us He hath marryed us to Himselfe therefore we are to call Him Lord as Sarah did Abraham For His Name it is IESUS the onely SAVIOUR of the world There is no other name whereby wee can be saved but by the Name of IESUS Moses was the giver of the Law yet not he but Iosuah brought the people into Canaan So they be not the workes of the Law but Christ alone that carryes us into heaven the celestiall Canaan For His Office Hee is the Shepheard of the sheepe Cyrus my Shepheard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where observe 1. What manner of Shepheard he is 2. How hee comes to bee our Shepheard If ye will know what manner of Shepheard he is he is a great one There be little Shepheards as the Rectours Curates of every Congregation but Hee is the great Shepheard 1. Great in the extent of the flocke the universall Shepheard of the whole Church throughout the world the Shepheard of Iewes and Gentiles so is none but he 2 Great in authority The sheepe are His Hee ownes them Simon feede my sheepe feede my lambes Peter as other Pastors feede them but the sheepe are Christs Iob had 7000. sheepe he had many Shepheards that kept them yet the sheepe were Iobs So Christ hath many thousands of sheepe in Christendome in the world Sundry Shepheards he places over them yet the sheepe are Christs not ours 3 Great in the charge which hee hath taken on him hee is the Shepheard of soule and body too the great Shepheard of our soules 1 Pet. 2. ult He hath care of body and soule too 4 Great in humility the King of Kings yet hee abased himselfe to be a Shepheard 5 Great in knowledge Iohn 10.3 6 Great in love and kindenesse Hee gave Himselfe for the sheepe 7 Great in power none can take them out of his hands All the Divells in hell all the wicked men on the earth cannot cozen him of one sheepe Be thankefull to God for this great Shepheard Of whom of the sheepe that is the righteous They are most fitly resembled to sheepe 1 Sheepe are humble Learne of Me I am humble and meeke 2 Sheepe are harmelesse be as innocent as Doves as harmelesse as sheepe 3 Sheepe are profitable for backe and belly 4 They are ruled by their Shepheard So whatsoever thou commandest us we will doe 5 Sheepe are lead into pastures and folds 6 They are obnoxious to many dangers to Wolves Briers Theives Dogges So many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivers them out of all Happy are the sheepe that have such a Shepheard But how came He to be Shepheard Sayd the chiefe Captaine with a great summe of money obteined I this burgeship But it cost Christ a greater summe even His bloud whereby the everlasting covenant is confirmed Acts 20.28 The wine in the Lords Supper is a lively representation of this bloud The wine is red So was the bloud of CHRIST the wine is powred out into the cup So the bloud of CHRIST was powred forth for our sinnes The grapes are pressed before there is any wine So was CHRIST Wine comforts a man hee hath given him wine to make him a glad heart So the consideration of the bloud of Christ that was shed for the remission of our sins is a singular comfort to the soules of Christians By this bloud He came to be the Shepheard of the Church and this is that bloud that ratifies GODS everlasting Covenant The Covenant I am thy GOD and the GOD of thy seede is an everlasting Covenant Such as the man is such is his bond and word It is good dealing with honest men A man may be bold to build on their word And such as GOD is such is His Covenant an everlasting GOD and an everlasting Covenant of His Kingdome there shall bee no end and of His Covenant there shall be no end As He is our GOD now So he will be for ever Let this stay us up when we are ready to faint in all distresses This is that great Shepheard of the sheepe which GOD hath brought againe from the dead But was hee not able to bring himselfe from the dead Yes verily He raised up this Temple Himselfe He presented Himselfe alive Acts 1.3 Yet in respect of His humanity GOD is sayd to have brought Him from the dead which He did after a glorious manner the Angels waiting on the Sepulcher the earth trembling the graves opening sundry of the Saints rising with Him and appearing to many Our Saviour truely dyed on the Crosse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the breath went out of His body it was wrapt up in linnen cloathes layed in the Sepulcher there it continued three dayes and nights yet God brought Him againe from the dead Hee was seene of His Apostles and others fourty dayes together they beheld the print of the nailes in His hands and feet they eat and dranke with Him and looked on Him when Hee went into Heaven Even so the same God shall bring us againe from the dead The Head is risen therefore the members shall rise the first fruits are in the barne of Heaven therefore we that are the second fruits shall be gathered thither The husband is in Heaven therefore the wife shall be in Heaven Where I am they also that believe in mee shall bee there Hee brought CHRIST from the dead the third day there was an extraordinary reason in that because His Sacred body might see no corruption Our bodies corrupted with sinne must lye putrifying in the earth till the day of Iudgement Adventus Domini clavis resurrectionis then wee shall meete CHRIST in the ayre and bee translated with Him into His Kingdome of glory Christs resurrection is a pledge of ours VERSE 21. WEE have heard of the person to whom he prayes now to the thing for which he prayes It is perfection in all good workes the which is first set downe then amplified It is comprised in these words make you perfect c. Hee doth not say in faith but in workes workes are a demonstration of faith shew me thy faith by thy workes Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall not enter into the Kingdome of heaven Their righteousnesse was to say not to doe Matth. 23.3 ours must be to say and doe too else wee shall not set a foote into the Kingdome of heaven Not every one that sayeth unto mee Lord Lord c. Therefore