undefiled we are bought with a price and that a deere price even the bloud of the Sonne of GOD. Our swearing drunkennesse c. these cost the bloud of the Sonne of GOD we are washed from them in the bloud of Christ and shall we wallow in them is not this the water said David for the which three worthy men ventured their lives he would not drinke of it though very thirsty So when we are provoked to sinne to drunkennesse covetousnesse adultery let us reason with our selves Indeed the water of these sins is sweete but did it not cost the bloud of CHRIST therfore away with it we think sin to be nothing yet all the Martyrs on the earth all the Angels in heaven could not have freed us from sin The Son of God must shed his bloud for it therefore let the consideration hereof bee a perpetuall bridle to restraine us from sin CHRIST 's bloud is the price of our redemption he sweat drops of bloud when hee was in his agony in the garden at the commandement of Pilat hee was extreamely whipped so that the bloud came exceedingly out of his holy body he had a Crowne of thornes platted on his head that made the bloud runne about his eares being nailed hand and foote to the Crosse the bloud came out in great measure a Souldier thrust him through with a speare and out of his side came water and bloud So that this our High-Priest redeemed us not with the bloud of beasts but with his owne bloud How then are wee to love CHRIST IESUS that spared not his heart bloud for us There was no bloud almost left in this immaculate Lamb he spent all for our sake Wee will love them that give their money for us and shall wee not love CHRIST that gave his bloud for us yet the love of Christ is not so deepely fixed in us as it ought to bee We love the trash of the world the pleasures of the flesh above Christ. This love of Christ should constraine us to forsake our sinnes Wilt thou make much of the knife that cut the throate of thy friend or father Sinne was the knife that cut CHRIST 's throate therefore let us hurle it away but this bloud of CHRIST by the which we are washed from our sinnes is little regarded for all that wee wallow in the mire of our sinnes forgetting the LORD that bought us as Saint Peter speaketh Wee are redeemed from our drunkennesse covetousnesse pride c. by the bloud of CHRIST therefore let us have no fellowship with these sins 2. Heaven is an holy place there dwells the holy God there bee the holy Angels and holy Saints they that remaine unholy shall never enter into it dogs enchanters c. are without By nature we are all unholy borne in sin conceived in iniquity pulling sinne to us with Cartropes and iniquity with Cords of vanity but wee are made holy by the spirit of Sanctification Such were some of you drunkards c. but yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 They that continue in sin without repentance shall never set a foote into the kingdome of heaven Noah was once overtaken with Wine but he forsooke that sin David fell into adultery but hee washed it away with his teares Peter denyed Christ but he wept bitterly for it Manasseh left his idolatry Paul his persecuting of the Church of God Mary Magdalen her uncleannesse even so if through the corruption of our nature wee have beene carryed into any sin let us by repentance rise up out of it againe Let us strive to be holy in this world holy in heart in conversation that wee may enter into the holy Hierusalem in the world to come Follow peace and holinesse without which none can see God The wicked mocke at them that be holy I but except yee likewise be holy ye shall never reigne with Christ in the Holy Hierusalem 3. By CHRIST wee have a plenary redemption of soule and body out of the clawes of Satan As the Bird is in the fowlers net so were we in the Devills snare but we may say with them in the Psalme the net is broken and we are delivered yea wee are delivered eternally we shall never fall into that bondage againe The afflictions whereunto we are incident in this life are temporall but the redemption is eternall sicknesse poverty malevolent tongues imprisonment death it selfe is temporall our joy is eternall Let that comfort us in all the calamities of this life A burning agew the tooth-ach the stone lasts not alwayes but my joy in heaven shall be eternall here I may be in griefe for a time but there I shall reigne with Christ for ever Wee love them that obtaine a temporall redemption for us If a young man bee bound Prentise to an hard master for tenne or twelve yeeres and if one should buy out his apprentiseship and set him free would hee not take himselfe much beholding to him Wee were bound Prentises to Satan hee kept us in his snare at his will and pleasure being his bond men wee should have remained in hell fire world without end Now Christ Iesus hath redeemed us and made us the free men of God Cittizens of heaven how are we indebted to him If thou wert a Gallislave under the Turke and one should rid thee out of it wert thou not much obliged to him Christ hath brought us out of the gally of sinne and damnation therefore let us sound forth his praises all the dayes of our life Let us say with them in the Revelation worthy is the Lamb that was killed and hath obtained eternall redemption for us to receive all honour and glory and blessing for ever and ever VERSE 13. THat Christ by the shedding of his owne bloud hath obtained an eternall redemption for us is confirmed by an argument à pari à minore from the sacrifices of the Law to the sacrifice of Christ. 1. What they were 2. What was the fruit and effect of them If the bloud of Bulls and goates c. being an outward thing could sanctifie the flesh that was an outward thing then the bloud of Christ being a spirituall thing in force and power everlasting must needs sanctifie the conscience which is a spirituall and internall thing yea this rather than that for many respects as we shall see but the one ergo the other The Protasis is in this 13. Verse Because hee would enwrap the whole Ceremonial Law hee reckons up other sacrifices and rites then those which the High-Priest used when hee went into the Holy of Holies 1 Chron. 29. Verse 21. Among the rest he makes mention of one solemne ceremony whereunto the Iewes adscribed much Num. 19.1 A Red Cow was commanded to bee taken which was without spot and never accustomed to the yoke she was to be burnt to
offer any sacrifice for sin but remaining in heaven still he patiently abideth Then let us waite The foot-stoole of his feete Donec imports a continuation of time Sinne the Devill and his instruments death it selfe If Christ tarrieth for us shall not we tarry for him Luk. 12.36 2 Pet. 3.12 The soules of the Saints that lay under the Altar cryed how long Lord but this answer was returned to them that they should rest for a little season untill their fellow servants and brethren were fulfilled Apoc. 6.10 11. The patient abiding of the poore shall not perish for ever Let us by patience and long suffering passe through the sea of afflictions in this world that we may be with Christ in the haven of eternall happinesse in the world to come Let us tarry for him till the breath bee out of our bodies and let our flesh rest in hope till the day of judgement 2. This phrase doth signifie the greatest and basest part of subjection that can be Ioshua made the men of War to set their feete on the neckes of the Kings that fought against them Ios. 10.24 Adonibezeck made them whom he subdued to gather crumbes under his table Iud. 1.7 The Psalmist sayes of the enemies of Christ they shall licke the dust under his feete and Rom. 16.20 The God of peace shall tread Satan under our feete I will lay thee at my foote we are wont to say Now as they shall be Christ's footstoole so our footstoole too Wee shall be conquerours yea more than Conquerours by him that loved us but this full and compleate victory shall not be till the day of judgment when death the last enemy of all shall be subdued In the meane season while we be here we must look to have our enemies on our top to spit on our face to smite us as they did Christ to make long furrowes on our backes to offer us the greatest indignity that can be but let us be of good comfort the time shall come when they shall be our foot-stoole to their everlasting shame and we shall be as Kings with crownes on our heads and palmes in our hands for ever and ever VERSE 14. THere is great reason he should sit still at the right hand of God in heaven because with one offering he hath perfected that is hath gi-given them all things that were requisite reconciliation remission of sins sanctification redemption Not for a time but for ever Not all the world in generall but those that are sanctified they that remaine dogs and swine still have no benefit by this sacrifice but those that are sanctified Eph. 1.4 1 Cor. 6.11 All have not benefit by the sacrifice of our Saviour Christ only they that are sanctified Acts. 20.32 This is the will of God even your sanctification If we be not sanctified we shall never set a foote into the kingdome of heaven Dogges Enchanters Whoremongers are without Follow peace and holinesse without which no man shall see GOD. Except a man bee borne of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Ioh. 3.5 Such were some of you but yee are sanctified c. 1 Cor. 6.11 This is little considered of us We falsely imagine that we may wallow like swine in the mire of our sinnes and yet goe to heaven when wee dye That cannot bee None are perfected by the offering of CHRIST but they that are sanctified If thou remainest a covetous miser still and beest not sanctified from thy covetousnesse if thou continuest a drunkard still and art not sanctified from thy drunkennesse if thou dwellest in thy fornication adultery stil and beest not sanctified from these sins If thou beest a proud man still and art not sanctified from thy pride to have a lowly opinion of thy selfe thou shalt never have any comfort by the oblation of CHRIST Wee must be Saints in some measure while wee are here on the earth or else wee shall never be Saints in heaven hereafter Paul writeth to them that are sanctified 1 Cor. 1.1 Therefore let us entreat the Lord to sanctifie us in soule spirit and body throughout that we may enter into the holy Hierusalem in the life to come VERSE 15. FOr the HOLY GHOST testifieth this also to us 2 Pet. 1.21 For after hee had said before these are the words of the Apostle making a collection out of the Prophet He doth not say for Ieremie beares us witnesse but the Holy Ghost The whole Scripture was given by inspiration from God it was inspired by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 The HOLY GHOST speakes in the bookes of Moses in the Psalmes and in the Prophets in the writings of the Evangelists in the Epistles of the Apostles and in all the rest In other writings men speake but in the Scripture GOD Almighty speaketh therefore how reverently are they to bee read and heard of us wee that bee the Preachers speake yet it is not wee but the Spirit of GOD that speaketh in us the HOLY GHOST speaketh by the mouth of all his servants therefore let us take heed how we resist the Holy Ghost VERSE 16. AFter he had promised a New Covenant instead of the Old After those dayes namely of the old Testament those being expired Then saith the Lord concerning the New Covenant that was promised Two things Renovation and Remission of sins Verse 17. God doth not promise to put his lawes in our eyes that wee might look on them in our mouthes that we might talke of them or on the fringes of our garments as the Pharises had the Law of God but if wee feare Him Hee will put his lawes into our hearts that the heart being possessed with the Law of God it may set the tongue and all the members of the body on worke VERSE 17. NEither the guilt nor punishment of them This testimony was cited Chapter 8. to prove that there was a New Covenant to abolish the Old Here it is alleadged to prove that remission of sins is effected by the sacrifice of Christ in the New Testament which was only figured out by the sacrifices of the Old Testament So that one and the same Scripture may be applyed to diverse purposes The foundation whereupon the remission of sins promised by God was built was the sacrifice of Christ in the New Testament otherwise this testimony should not be alleadged to purpose That which we minde to punish we will remember I remember Amalek said the Lord. A master being displeased with his servant sayes I will remember you anon but God will not remember our sins he will rase them out of the booke of his remembrance An happy turne for us for if he should remember but one sin against us it were sufficient to cast us into hell As God remembers not our sins So let not us remember the injuries done to us Ioseph would not revenge himselfe on his brethren for the injurie they intended against him and practised but
make gatherings for the poore we may quench a fire we may fight with our enemies if wee be urged and there bee necessity for in all these and the like cases that rule must take place I will have mercy not sacrifice VERSE 31. THe second example of them before the full possession of the Land of Canaan is the harlot Rahab who by faith was preserved from the common destruction of the whole Citty whose preservation is amplified 1. By the instrumentall cause 2. By the estate of the party preserved 3. By the goodnesse of God extended to her 4. By the motive of her preservation Not by any strength or prwes of her owne for shee was a woman and by force could not have wrastled out of this danger Her faith shineth cleerely as in a Chrystall glasse Ios. 2.9 1 By faith she was perswaded that GOD had given them the Land although as yet they were not firmely settled in it 2 She reckons up the wonderfull workes which God Almighty had done for them 3 Shee shewes how the feare of GOD had fallen upon them all 4 Shee acknowledgeth the supreame power and the authority of their God 5 Shee requires no better security and assurance for her delivery then a sacred oath in the name of God All these are lively demonstrations of her faith Though shee did speake nothing of the promised Messiah the true and proper object of faith yet it may bee shee had some glimmerings of that heavenly mystery specially before the spies departed out of her house they perceiving good affections in her already might Catechize her further in the principles of religion certaine it is that she had faith Where first it may be demanded how she came by faith Rom. 10.14 faith comes by hearing of the Word there were no Preachers in Iericho the trumpet of the Word Preached did not sound in that Citty It pleased God to bring her to faith by the report of Gods wonderfull workes which he had done for his chosen people The Preaching of the Word is the ordinary meanes whereby wee come to faith but God is not tyed to that he may worke faith in men and women by extraordinary meanes 2 In all Countryes and Nations God hath His faithfull and elect though they be not knowne to the World In Vz he had Iob in Syria Naaman in Ethiopia a worthy Eunuch For her former condition of life shee had beene an harlot Some of the Rabbies supposing it to bee a blot of ignominy to their Nation that any of them should be reputed harlots they will have the word to bee derived from another roote of Zun and translate it an Hostesse or Inkeeper Rahab that Vitler or Inkeeper but harlot she was none But 1. the most native signification of the word is an harlot neither is it otherwise taken or by probability can be in the Old Testament Let all the places be examined where it is used 2 The 70. translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so doth the Author of this Epistle and the Apostle Iames now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth import nothing save an Harlot that sels her chastity makes a gaine of her body It doth never signifie an Inkeeper therefore undoubtedly before her conversion she was an Harlot yea a famous and notorious strumpet Hazzenah Here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Harlot which was publikely knowne all the Citie over 1 Let none take occasion from hence to set light by preaching where it is God can save mee without preaching therefore a flye for it what need I goe to Church and bee such a diligent hearer there As if a man being at a Table furnished with all kinde of dishes should say wherefore should I eate GOD can preserve me without meat as if a sick man having learned and expert Physitians about him should say Why should I take Physick God can restore me to my health without it as if a man should say God can give me light without the Sunne therefore I will close up my eyes when the Sun shineth or as if a man being on the top of a Pinnacle as Christ was should say wherefore should I goe downe by the stayres though I cast downe my selfe headlong God can keepe me If God vouchsafe thee the preaching of the word beware how thou contemnest that Ladder Let us say with the Prophet David Lord how love I thy Law It is deerer to me than thousands of gold and silver 2 Therefore let none say of any Countrey as Nathaneel did of Galilee Can any good come out of Turkie Muscovie Indie I surely God is not the God of the Iewes only but of Spaine Ireland England of France Italy c. Of all Tribes some were sealed and of all Nations some shall be saved They shall come from the East West North South into the Kingdome of Heaven 3. Even among Publicans hee had a Zacheus among persecutors hee had a Paul an Abraham among idolaters among them that were possessed of devils hee had a Mary Magdalen among the Pharisees a Nicodemus among Harlots he had a Rahab Therefore let us peremptorily condemne none Let us not shoot our fooles bolt rashly with the Barbarians doubtlesse this man or this woman is a reprobate there is no hope of salvation for such an one the mercy of God is wonderfull As the wind bloweth where it will so the Spirit breatheth where it pleaseth him notorious sinners may be called when glorious hypocrites shall be condemned Whereupon Christ said that the Publicans and harlots enter into the Kingdome of Heaven before the conceited Scribes and holy Pharisees as they seemed Many may be written in Gods book whose names we would scorne to set downe in our bookes Let us examine our selves whether Christ be in us 4 Though we be egregious sinners have led a loose life and defiled our selves with many sins yet let us not suffer our selves by the malice of Satan to be plunged in the pit of desperation I have beene an Harlot an Adulterer therefore I can have no place in Heaven Indeed the Scripture saith Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge he will judge them though they bee his owne children with temporall plagues in this life for their owne instruction and the terror of others as he did David The childe borne in adultery dyed all his fasting and crying would not serve the turne hee lay with Vriahs Wife GOD stirred up his owne Son to lye with his wives David lay with Bathshebah in secret Absalom lay with his wives in the open sight of all Israel Thus God judged him for it Yet David escaped eternall judgement There is no sin but the sponge of repentance will wipe it away If they that have sinned against the Holy Ghost could repent they might have beene saved It is impossible for them to be renewed to repentance therefore they are damned but at what time soever a sinner repenteth c. Let drunkards thieves murtherers harlots repent and GOD will receive
meanes that as man by sin had deserved death so by the death of a man he should be redeemed from sin and death The necessity of Christs incarnation he proves first from the end of it He that by suffering for men was to bring men to salvation must be man Christ by suffering for men was to bring men to salvation ergo Christ was to bring many to glory This he could not do but by afflictions and namely by death it selfe for the Crosse must goe before the Crowne therefore it was requisite that in our humane nature he should first suffer It became this was most comely fit and convenient for him namely that God ver 9. which so graciously gave his Son for us that is God the Father by whose grace and mercy Christ died for us It became him for the better illustration of his owneglory for a more lively demonstration of his mercy and justice to the world of his mercy in not sparing his owne Son but giving him up to the death for us of his justice in punishing the sins of the world so severely in his owne Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. These words are to be referred to Christ not to God the Father 1. They are affirmed of him in Scripture 1 Cor. 8.6 Col. 1.16 2. Before hee spake of his humiliation it was meet to premise something concerning his glory power and dignity 3. For so much as it is said he was to be perfected through afflictions by afflictions to mount up to glory that concerning his Deity was well premised that we might know it was no new glory which he took but that which hee had from all eternity as hee was GOD Ioh. 17.5 It became God the Father to perfect the Prince of our salvation through afflictions for whom are all things and by whom are all things after he had brought many children to glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having made them willing by his holy spirit Wee are said also to be drawne Sed trahit sua quemque voluptas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Syntaxis might better be referred to CHRIST than to the Father otherwise the participle should have beene in the dative case to agree with the pronoune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then in the accusative case It ought to bee translated thus for it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things to consecrate the Prince of their salvation through afflictions bringing many Children to glory Children not friends but Children begotten by the word made the Sonnes of God by faith Iohn 1.12 knowne by the spirit Rom. 8.14 Not a few but many for he is a powerfull SAVIOUR many shall come from the East c. Not all men because all imbrace him not being offered to them Sundry were called to the feast that came not To glory in the kingdome of heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some translate it Sanctifie because of the next Verse but the words are diverse To perfect CHRIST is said to bee perfected because after his suffering hee was glorified in his Humanity as well as in his Deitie CHRIST his afflictions are so farre from being a shame or ignominie to him that they bee solemne rites or sacred ceremonies whereby he was consecrated Bishop of the universall Church Through afflictions in the whole course of his life especially at his death and passion The Arch-duke the Captaine the leader in whose steps wee are to tread the Author of their salvation Acts 3.15 If CHRIST had not become man afflicted and put to death he could not have carryed men into the kingdome of heaven for a purgation must be made for the sinne of man by the fiery furnace of affliction and especially by death therefore it became Christ to be made man too though he were God GOD is the efficient and finall cause of all 1. There is nothing but it is by GOD the Host of heaven the Sunne Moone and Starres are by him the birds of the ayre the fishies of the Sea the beasts of the field the greene and flourishing coat that the earth hath is by him All men yea Angels even the Devils themselves are by him not as Devils .i. malicious accusers of the Saints but as they be invisible and immortall spirits all are by him nay to proceede a little further and yet to keepe our selves within compasse of sound Divinity sin it selfe is not without the providence of God it is not à Deo creante sed disponente he disposeth of all the grosse sins that be in the world to his owne glory as a wise Physition makes a good use even of poyson in his confections Furthermore as all things are by GOD so all for him all serve his holy will and blessed pleasure some unwillingly some willingly GOD makes Satan and his instruments to be for him whether they will or no but the faithfull are willingly for him and serve him with all cheerefulnesse Let us remember that wee our selves and all that we have is for God he made us he redeemed us with the bloud of his Sonne therefore we are his not our owne our wit wealth honour worship learning our soules our bodies our eyes tongues hands feete all are for him with all that wee have we must glorifie him Our tongues are our owne sayd the wicked that is false all that we have is Gods therefore all must be at his commandement The pot is for him that made it and the servant must be imployed about his Masters businesse he must be his masters man not his owne therefore as we were created by God so let us be wholly for him Now it became this high and mighty God for whom are all things and by whom are all things which worketh all as seemeth best to him to consecrate the Prince of their salvation through afflictions bringing many children to glory CHRIST brought them to glory which he could not doe but by enduring many afflictions 1 Here we see that CHRIST could not bring us to heaven without innumerable afflictions which our sinnes had deserved he himselfe knew no sin but he was afflicted for our sins And indeed he was wonderfully afflicted for them from his cradle to his grave A man of sorrowes as the Prophet termeth him he was borne not of a wealthy Lady but of a poore woman base and contemptible to the eyes of the world at his first comming he was not laid in a costly Cradle but in a Cratch not in a Chamber well furnished but in a Stable borne in Winter and in the night when he was an Infant banished into Egypt hee wrought as is thought in the trade of his Father and was a Carpenter he had not a hole to hide his head in women were faine to minister to him of their owne substance as he went up and downe preaching the Gospell he had not bags of silver and gold about him but was faine to send to the Sea for a peece of 20d.
but as faithfull souldiers let us continue with Him to the end If we goe from Him we depart from our owne life and throw our selves into death and destruction Therefore let us tarry with Him Let us believe this our Prophet and never depart from Him VERSE 13. NOw as a Sovereigne remedy against infidelity and hardnesse of heart he prescribeth a mutuall exhortation unto them that will be as a trumpet singing in our eares to keepe us out of the sleepe of sin Call one to another as Souldiers doe in the battell Still hee persisteth in the same metaphor As souldiers when they be in the fight and conflict call one to another saying ô be of good cheere play the men start not aside cleave to your company be not afrayd of enemy the victory shall be ours So we that be CHRIST's Souldiers must stirre up and provoke one another Cast not off your confidence that ye have in CHRIST let neither Satan nor any of his instruments pull you from Christ the author and finisher of your salvation be not faint hearted but hold out to the end This mutuall exhortation one of another is amplified three kind of wayes 1. By the time when it is to be performed 2. By the occasion which is not to be neglected 3. By the end for the which it is worthy to be practised The time when is not once or twise but daily 1. We are forgetfull of heavenly matters therefore we have need to be put in mind of them every day 2. We are dull and slow in practise of them lazie horses that will scarcely go therfore we must be put forward with the spurre of dayly exhortation As Christ sayd concerning the forgiving of our brother that wee must forgive him 77. times so it may be affirmed of the exhorting of our brethren we must exhort them 77. times we must be continually exhorting them Many thinke if they have called on their brethren once or twice to pray to goe to Church c. they have done their duty I have told him of it often I will speake no more to him of it I but thou must exhort him every day That which is not effected to day may be effected to morrow gutta cavat lapidem non vi sed sape cadendo Therefore exhort him every day if thou doest no good on him yet he is left without excuse and thy reward is with God 2 To this duty of exhortation he stirreth us up by the opportunity of the time which he wishes us to lay hold of What is this day Some interpret it of the time of the Gospell which hath the name of day in regard of the great light that is in it whereas the time of the Law may be compared to the night in comparison of it But I take that to be curious Others expound this day to be the whole course of our life which in respect of the brevity of it is termed by one Diecula While our life lasteth which is but short let us exhort one another That is good counsell yet I take it not to be the direct meaning of the place By day he meaneth that gracious time wherein God stretcheth forth his armes to us in the ministery of his Word to call us unto his Kingdome We are to take the opportunity offered to us and not let it slip walke while yee have the light while our peace lasteth that we may conveniently goe one to another while we have the Scripture amongst us whereby we may learne how to exhort one another while GOD speaketh unto us by His ambassadours from whose mouth we may have instructions for a wise execution of this duty while the candle of truth shineth among us let us be carefull to exhort one another in these peaceable dayes in this flourishing time of the Gospell let this Christian duty be performed by us all 3 The third is the danger that will ensue if exhortation be omitted hardnesse of heart will grow and so our brethren shall bee incureable The which hardnesse of heart is amplified by the efficient cause of it the deceitfulnesse of sinne carrying us like a thiefe out of the way and leading us to destruction that is the nature of the word There be many to deceive us 1. We deceive our selves Iames 1. 1 Iohn 1.8 2. The Divell that sly serpent deceiveth us 3. Sin deceiveth us and that she doth three kind of wayes 1. by putting on the visard of vertue Adultery is but a tricke of youth a sweet sin that may easily bee borne withall covetousnesse is but thrift and good husbandry every man must have a care of his owne estate swearing is the part of a Gentleman of a generous and heroicall spirit they be nice fellowes base minded men that will not sweare there is no life in them drunkennesse is good fellowship they be misers that wil not spend a penny in an Ale-house we mault-men are the only companions in the world Thus we are coosened by sin 2 Sinne deceiveth us by shrouding it selfe under the coate of Gods mercy But let us not be so afrayd of sin God is mercifull he will wincke at such light sinnes as these be we shall never be called into GODS counting house for them whereas he is a severe punisher of sin even in his owne children 3 Sinne deceiveth us by custome in sinning Many sins at the first we were afrayd to commit our consciences checked us for them but in processe of time being inured to them we commit them without feare or shame A custome in sinning makes sin at the length seeme to be no sin The children of the Lacedemonians being used to stripes had no feeling of stripes and after we have beene used to sin we have no sence or feeling of sin Thus especially we come to be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin our owne consciences feared up with an hot iron Therefore for the avoyding of this let us exhort one an other dayly that the fire and heat of exhortation may cause our hearts to melt and so keepe us from being hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin Exhortation if it be used in time will be as a trumpet to waken our selves and others out of sin Saint Paul and Barnabas went from towne to towne exhorting the brethren Acts 14.22 Exhort one an other and edifie one another 1 Thes. 5.11 have compassion on some putting difference and others save with feare pulling them out of the fire Iude verse 22.23 But alas this duty is neglected every one for himselfe and God for us all Am I my brothers Keeper I will looke to my owne soule as well as I can what have I to doe with my brothers soule Let not us that be Christians have such a thought in us Let us as the Scripture willeth us exhort one an other dayly labour to preserve one an other from being hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin and let us be as Bells to toll one another to the
sharpe not with one edge but two which pierceth more speedily and throughly with two mouthes The edge of a sword is as a mouth that biteth Isai. 49.2 Ephes. 6.17 Apoc. 1.16 it is said to have two edges in respect of the two testaments Aug. de civ Dei Not sharper then some but any Let all the swords in the world be put together and they are nothing to this Piercing as water and oyle to the dividing asunder bearing downe all that is in the way as a floud doth Of soule and spirit that is of the inferiour and superiour part of the minde the affections and understanding Isai. 26.9 1 Thes. 5.23 And of the joynts and marrow Some Greeke copies have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all the members of the body Nothing so firmely compacted and united together as joynts so hard as bones so deepe as the marrow that lyeth hid in the bones but it passeth through all Goliah's sword not like to this David sayd of that none to it but none to this LORD give it to us This sword can hew in peeces the most stonie flintie and rockie heart in the world to see what blindnesse in the understanding what frowardnesse in the affections it will lay the heart open and bewray the secret filthinesse and all the sluttish corners of sinne that be in it When the Preacher is a speaking the word doth so pierce the harts of the hearers as that many in the Church imagine that the Preacher is acquainted with their sins What doth this man know of my drunkennes of my adultery of my backbiting of my oppression the Word so ransakes their hearts as that they think the Preacher knows their particular sinnes wheras he speakes in generall and the spirit by the Word doth so dive into their harts as that it summons them before God his tribunall seate and makes them cry guiltie so powerfull is the Word Plato said a Poet was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word is not so It is said of Pericles that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suada the goddesse of eloquence sessitavit in ejus labris and hee left Aculeos behinde him The infinite and admirable wisedome of GOD Almighty is couched in the Word and it leaves its effects behinde in the hearts of the auditors You shall finde it to be a lively and mighty Word one way or other either to save you or to condemne you It is lively and mighty in the good and bad The one it doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodor. Isai. 11.4 Ezek. 11.13 Act. 5.1 It is lively and mighty in the godly to kill sin within them to rayse them up unto newnesse of life to be as a wing to carry them to heaven Was it not mighty in David making him cry peccavi In Iosiah making his heart to melt in Manasseh when of the most horriblest Idolater that was ever heard of it made him a zealous worshipper of the true God in Zacheus when it made him to forsake his oppression and to restore fourefold in Mary Magdalen when it cast out seven Devills out of her in those three thousand soules when pricked in their hearts they went to the Apostles in the Citie of Samaria when it made them to abjure Simon Magus and to lysten to Saint Philip Was it not mighty by twelve men over all the world when it subdued by their Ministerie all nations to CHRIST in us by making us leave swearing covetousnesse adulterie drunkenesse c. and renewing us to the likenesse of CHRIST in righteousnesse and true holinesse it is a mighty word There may be a darke and misty morning the Sun comes scatters the mist cleares the ayre and makes it a bright day So the whole world was shadowed with the mist of blindnesse and â—he fogge of sin the word comes forth like the Sunne and introduces the knowledge of CHRIST and of his Gospell into all the world O mighty word Let us all acknowledge the power of this wonderfull word who is able to stand before this mighty word It is lively and mighty too even in the very reprobate Somtimes they may bee sencelesse and have no feeling of the cutting of the Word as those in Ieremiah nay they may even scoffe at the Word preached as the Pharisees did Luke 16.14 their consciences may be seared up and feele not the sword when it cutteth as they that be in a lethargie they may inwardly fret and fume be in a pelting chafe with the Preacher for reproving sins as Achab with Micajah and Iesabel with Elias yet but like madd dogges that sit biting of the chaine wherewith they are tyed but not break the chaine So they may snap at the Preacher and the Word but they themselves have the hurt yet for all that at one time or other God will make them to feele the power of his Word and the strength of this mighty arme of his Did not Belshazzar quake and were not his joynts loosed and his knees smote one against another when hee saw the hand writing upon the wall Did not the very officers themselves wonder at CHRIST did not the very enemies wonder at the boldnesse of Peter and Iohn Acts 4.13 was not Herod moved with Saint Iohn Baptist's preaching Marke 6.20 did not Felix tremble when Saint Paul discoursed of righteousnesse and judgement to come Acts 24. ver 25. was not Agrippâ— made an halfe Christian by Saint Pauls preaching Act. 26.28 did not the very Devill crye in the maide these are the servants of the most high God Act. 16. The preaching of the word makes the Devill himselfe to quake for it batters the walls of his kingdome and makes him fall like lightning from heaven Luk. 10.18 This should cause us to come with all reverence to the hearing of this lively and mighty word if it save us not out of all question it will condemne us it is like the raine that comes not in vaine if it bring not up flowers it will weeds Therefore let us pray to God to blesse this word to us that it may be the savour of life unto life not to death to any of us all 1. This should cause us to stand in a reverent awe of the word of God When yee come to a Sermon doe not thinke yee come to heare musicke to delight your selves withall to heare a man that hath a sweete and delectable voyce as the people sayd of Ezekiel that yee come to heare an eloquent oration finely penned by a flowing Rhetorician to tickle the eare withall that yee come to heare the song of some Syren to â—ull you asleepe that ye come to heare the word of a King that is able to inflict some corporall punishment on you if you doe not obey it but yee come to heare the Word of the King of Kings that is able to cast soule and body into hell if yee disobey it yee come not to heare a man There is
speech for properly to speake God cannot repent Num. 23.19 Men repent of a thing either for want of knowledge and foresight into the thing or by reason of the mutability and inconstancy of their affections neither of these are incident to God hee knowes all things before they come to passe so doe not we therefore we repent and say if I had knowne this I would never have done it GOD knowes all things afore-hand therefore he cannot repent 2. Wee repent because wee are mutable like the Weather-Cocke and like little Children that are wonne with an Apple and lost with a Nutt that makes us repent of many things Everie new Tale carries us away It is not so with GOD hee yesterday and to day the same for ever therefore hee cannot repent When hee is said in Scripture to repent it is spoken for our capacitie for the which cause the Scripture brings him in angrie and chiding as men are wont to doe and yet no anger in GOD as we if we have entertained a man into our service and he proves not according to our minde then we repent that ever we tooke him into our service so the Scripture applying Gods doings to our capacitie introduces God repenting Man that was created after mine owne image is become brutish in his manners more disobedient to mee then any other creature therefore it repenteth me that I made man Saul proves a bad King therefore it repenteth me that I made him King this is spoken for our capacity otherwise God repents not man changes but he is the same still Men may repent being lighter than vanity it selfe moveable and variable weather-Cockes reeds turned about with every mind We may be of one minde to day of another to morrow Amnons hot love is turned into deadly hatred the people that would make Christ a King cry out against him crucifie him wee have no King but Caesar. The Lycaonians that would have worshipped Paul and done sacrifice to him as a God stoned Paul Yea good men oftentimes are changed and altered they repent of the goodnesse that they have done David upon a flattering tale repented of the favour hee shewed to Mephibosheth and gave away his lands to Zibah Often times an honest man of the Parish a true dealing man a pittifull and mercifull man that for a world would not any way offer the least wrong to any by the ungodly perswasion of some politicke Achitophel and churlish Nabal becomes an hard dealing man no constancy in men Yea Kings and Princes many times change and withdraw their affections from their favourites but God never repents of his love Whom he once loveth he loveth to the end and the gifts and calling of God is without repentance God may take away riches beauty strength wit learning from a man but hee never takes away faith and his sanctifying spirit from the faithfull As God here sware and would not repent so God hath sworne to bring us to the kingdome of heaven and hee will never repent of it therefore let us rest confident in Gods Word and oath there is no repentance in God VERSE 22. VPon the former premisses followeth the conclusion In as much as hee was made with an oath they without an oath by so much c. Hee doth not say he is made a better Priest but that which serveth more for our consolation he was made a surety of a better Testament Of a better covenant Sureties are in covenants not in Testaments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in manibus At the making of covenants pledges were put in hand and sureties were provided which did undertake for the performance of the things covenanted even so in the covenant made betweene God and us our Saviour CHRIST is the surety that undertakes for both parts on the behalfe of God the Father hee doth undertake to satisfie his wrath for us on our behalfe he doth undertake to reconcile us to God and to make him our friend A singular comfort to us Wee have sinned we are indebted to God many thousands sinnes and because wee cannot satisfie for them wee must goe to the prison of Hell then CHRIST steps forth saying nay I will bee their surety I will pay the debt for them therefore they shall not goe to hell unspeakeable comfort ô loving surety he payes the debt with no lesse price than his own bloud How are wee beholden to this surety All the Priests in the time of the law could not doe so much for the people therefore Christ is better than they The new Testament is better than the old not in regard of the substance but of diverse circumstances the substance of both is one which is Christ Iesus 1. The Old Testament did but shadow out things to come the new Testament makes a gift and an exhibition of them Col. 2.17 and as the body is better than the shadow so is the New Testament then the Old 2. The Old Testament was dark and obscure this is plain and perspicuous that did darkely speake of Christ this plainely This hath fewer more lively and easie Sacraments That was temporall and therefore not ratified with an oath this is eternall and lasteth for ever For the which cause it was confirmed with an oath So was not that 5. The Mediatour of surety of that was Moses the surety of this is CHRIST therefore many degrees greater and better than that It is a weighty thing that makes GOD sweare as Hebr. 3.11.6 17. here he sweares that CHRIST is a Priest for ever therefore wee are not to call into question the eternity of his Priest-hood The Pope and his skamblings would faine winde themselves into the society of this Priest-hood Christ is a Priest for ever ergo the Pope and his Clergy are Priests for ever I but this is proper to Christ this Priest that is for ever sitteth at the right hand of God Psalm 110.1 So doe not the Pope and his Clergy therefore it makes nothing for them We in the time of the Gospell have all things better than they had in the time of the Law we have a better Priest a better sacrifice a better Testament therefore in reason wee should bee better than they A King deales better with such a man then with many thousands of his subjects therefore he should bee more dutifull to him The King of Kings hath dealt more bountifully with us then with them in the time of the Law therefore we should be more religious more carefull to serve him then they were Yet it is to bee feared we are worse than they Drunkennesse abhominable swearing covetousnesse loathing of the sweete and heavenly Manna of the Word of God hard-hearted dealing one with another all kind of vices flow with a more full streame among us then among them Having all things better wee our selves should bee better yet wee are worse and therefore have the more fearefull account to make at the latter day VERSE 23. THe fourth argument is taken from a
shadowes Not of bad things he is no High-Priest of evill things as Annas and Caiphas were but of good things that is of most excellent things the positive being put for the superlative A good worke that is a worthy worke he that findeth a Wife findeth a good thing that is an excellent thing Some think that by the first Tabernacle was signified the militant Church as by the second the Church triumphant Christ by the Church militant gathered by God not by man entred into heaven all went into heaven by the Church militant Some more speciall thing is here avouched of Christ. Some againe by it understand Heaven but that cannot bee for then by Heaven he should enter into heaven for V. 24. the Holy of Holies is expounded to be heaven But rather by this tabernacle was signified the body of Christ. As the High-Priest came into the first Tabernacle and by it passed into the Holy place So the deity of our SAVIOUR CHRIST came into his sacred humanity and by it entred into heaven Thus is CHRIST's body compared unto a Temple Ioh. 2. and to the vaile Heb. 10.20 As God dwelt in that Tabernacle of the Iewes so the deity dwelt in Christ's humanity bodily This Tabernacle is illustrated by the adjuncts and the efficient cause the adjuncts are two 1. A greater not in quantity but in quality as the King is greater than any in the Realme that is more worthy Christ was greater than Salomon not in stature or bignesse of body but in excellency the greatest of these is love that is the chiefest So Christ's body was a greater that is a farre more excellent Tabernacle That was perfect in his kinde being finished according to GODS direction but this is more perfect that could perfect nothing touching our salvation but only shadowed out things to come by and in this Tabernacle was perfected the worke of our redemption consummatum est The efficient cause is set downe negatively whereby the affirmative part may be easily collected Of men not of the like structure and fabricke that the other Tabernacle was that Tabernacle was made by the hands of Aholiaâ— and Bezaleel this Tabernacle of Christ's body was made by the hands of the Holy Ghost Hebr. 8.2 that Tabernacle was made of Wood Gold Silver hayre c. this Tabernacle of Christ's body was made of the flesh of the Virgin not by the copulation of a man but by the shadowing of the Holy Ghost a Tabernacle farre more glorious than that was There yee have the truth of the Tabernacle A thing come is better than that which is to come A child come into the world is more acceptable then one to come a feast come then one to come CHRIST was to come in the time of the Law now he is come Let us receive him with joy as old father Simeon did Hee is not a laick but a Priest not an inferiour but an High-Priest All were subject to the High-Priest in the time of the Law and let us submit our selves to Christ our High-Priest in the time of the Gospell Here we may see what they be that in truth deserve the name and title of good things Not silver and gold houses and lands Sheepe and Oxen faire houses large lands and ample possessions CHRIST at his comming brought none of these yet hee brought good things with him namely remission of sins the glorious robe of his owne righteousnesse to cover us withall faith and other graces of the spirit and habitation in his owne kingdome in the life to come these indeed are worthy the name of good things Projicimus nomen boni Seneca when we adscribe it to these inferiour things Why callest thou me good sayes Christ to the young man So why doe we call these earthly and transitory things good The onely good things are the spirituall blessings that Christ bringeth The greatest sort crave worldly goods but let us entreat the Lord to fill our store-house with these good things The Philosophers made three kindes of good things bona animi as wit and wisedome learning bona corporis as beauty strength bona fortunae as riches honours c. to speake the truth none of them all are good things they be good things that can make the parties good that have them these doe not Esau had a good wit could readily descant on Iacobs name yet he was no good man Iulian the Apostata had great variety of learning yet a vile man Haman had great honour his throne exalted above all yet hee a wicked man Og King of Bashan had strength Ahsalom beauty yet evill men Health is a good thing A man may come to Church heare service and Sermons which he cannot when he is sicke Wealth is good A man may bee liberall to all good uses laying up a good foundation against the time to come but these are not worthy to be named with those which we have in Christ. Therefore let us desire those good things that can make us good to engraft us into Christ in this life and make us heyres of his kingdome in the life to come Forsomuch as our Priest bringeth such excellent things with him let him be most welcome to us David said of Ahimaaz he is a good man and bringeth good tidings much more let us say of Christ our High-Priest he is a good man he bringeth good tidings that by the bloud of his Crosse he hath reconciled us to God the Father hath obtained a generall pardon for all our sins he hath prepared a place for us in his own kingdome therefore let us receive him with all joy The High-Priest in the time of the Law could bring no such good newes hee only came with the bloud of a Goate Bullocke c. That was a representation of the bloud of CHRIST The Pope that challengeth to himselfe the title of an High-Priest in the time of the Gospell sendeth forth his pardons and indulgences but they are little worth they cannot free us from one sin it is Christ alone that is the messenger and author of all good things to us therefore let us skip for joy at his comming and embrace him with both armes As Christ's body is a Tabernacle So is ours 2 Pet. 1.14 2 Cor. 5.1 1. The name of a tent or Tabernacle imports a warfare Souldiers have their tents Abraham Isaac dwelt in tents the Iewes had the feast of Tabernacles Wee fight against Satan and his instruments in the tents of our bodies 2. There is a difference betweene a Tabernacle and an house for an house is made of solid matter Wood Stone c. A Tent is made of old clothes patched together so our bodies are not made of the Sun of the Starres of the firmament but of the earth which is a brittle thing 3. A Tent is weake easily pierced through so our body a knife a pin may pricke it a flie may choake it A Tent is quickly up and quickly downe So is our body wee
lust will be quenched Let us strive against drunkennesse by not comming at Ale-houses by not looking on the Wine when it smileth in the glasse 4 By imbracing the contrary vertue Instead of Pride let us imbrace Humility instead of Covetousnesse Liberality of Vncleannesse Chastity c. VERSE 5. THE profitable vse of afflictions is grounded on a testimony of sacred Scripture Where 1. An allegation of the testimony Verse 5.6 2. An application of it In the allegation 1. The manner how it is alleaged 2. The matter of the testimony alleaged The Physitions prescript and the reason of it Verse 6. It seemes that it should rather be an Interrogation which is more forcible and frequent in the writings of the Apostle Have ye forgotten Have yee suffered such a sweet sentence to slip out of your mindes Some interpret it exhortation but the word consolation is comfortable suitable to the place as the word children doth import What consolation not that which is dumbe but speaketh by the way of a kinde reasoning and loving disputation Not onely to them of the Old Testament but to you also of the New And how doth it speake not as to servants but as to children 1 We are ready to forget good things those that be most joyful and comfortable to us our memories are as Iron Chests for bad things they will keepe them fast enough We will remember injuries seven yeeres after we will remember that which we have heard at a Play and interlude many yeeres together and talke of it If we have read a thing in a wanton and lascivious Booke wee will remember it But as for the sacred Scriptures the pastures of our soules we quickly forget them yea even those things that serve most for our comfort Though we forget spurs yet me thinkes wee should not forget comfits though we forget those Scriptures that spur us on to goodnesse yet we should not forget them that may comfort us in our calamities Yet sayes he ye have forgotten the consolation Little children will hardly forget sweet things plums sugar c. yet we forget the sweetest junkates that bee in GOD's Apothecaries shop Let us rub our memories and call them to minde to the everlasting comfort of us all 2 The Papists will not be judged by the Scripture because it is mute and cannot speake Iudex est lex loquens The Scripture cannot speake therefore unfit to be a Iudge Yet here ye see the Scripture speaketh So Iohn 5.39.7.42.19.37 and not that alone but God speaketh by it Heb. 3.7 Luke 1.70 Therefore it may well be Iudge of all Controversies 3 The Scriptures speake generally unto all not to them alone that were alive at the first writing and publishing of it but it speaketh to al posterities to the end of the world Rom. 15.4 Marke 13.37 The Lawes appertaine to the whole Nation so doe the Scriptures to the whole Church Therefore let us not say of any place in the Old or New Testament this belongs not to me 4 It speakes to the wicked as to servants they shall quake at it whether they will or no as Foelix trembled at S. Paul's speech but it speaketh to the godly as to children therefore we should reverently attend to the voice of our Father c. speaking in it Then comes the testimony it selfe which hath two branches an exhortation and a reason of it In the exhortation a double counsell is prescribed to us 1. That we should not despise GOD's corrections 2. That we should not be discouraged by them Hee speakes to us as a Father Not my servant but my Sonne Despise not according to the Hebrew cast it not away according to the Greeke set not light which is all one For that which we care not for we hurle away The fatherly chastening as a father chastiseth his children For he it is that chasteneth us whatsoever the rod or instrument be which he useth Sometimes he chasteneth us by the Devill as he did Iob sometimes by creatures fire and water by men of our owne mold yet alwayes the LORD chasteneth us The Philistims had killed Eli his two sons and taken away the Arke yet Eli said it is the Lord The Sabeans and Chaldeans tooke away Iob's cattell yet Iob sayes the Lord hath taken away Afflictions come not by chance or fortune 1 Sam. 6.9 but by the providence of God Therefore let us not despise but accept with meeknesse Gods chastenings 2 We must not faint under the burthen of afflictions imposed on us by GOD. How ready are we to breake forth into passionate and desperate speeches Never was any so tormented as I am If GOD loved me he would not thus afflict me Oh this is greater than I can beare We have much Aquavitae to keep us from fainting 1. The inward comfort of the Spirit which in all afflictions cryeth in our hearts Abba Father 2. The consolation of Scripture GODS Apothecary shop from whence we may have medicines against all griefes whatsoever 3. The recoâ—dation of the mercy of God that will not suffer us to be tempted above that which we are able to beare 4 The cogitation of that heavenly company that draweth in he yoke of afflictions with us If we did beare the burthen alone we might faint but we have many to beare it with us 5 The sweet end afflictions Ye have heard of the patience of Iob and what end the Lord made Our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth unto us an eternall weight of glory therefore faint not VERSE 6. THE reason is double 1. These chastisements are a token of GOD's love therefore let us not despise them 2 They are a token of our salvation which is an effect of the love of GOD he receiveth that is into his Kingdome May we certainely conclude that God loves all he chastens I surely He may punish the wicked as a Iudge doth Malefactors but chastises onely his children whom he loves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He punished Pharaoh and the Egyptians with frogs lice and other plagues but he chastises onely those whom he loveth A bad man may have his house burnt so may a good man The one the Lord punishes the other he chastens A bad man may be grievously sick so may a good man the one God punishes the other he chastens How may we discerne betweene punishments and chastisements 1 The one is inflicted in mercy the other in fury Correct me O Lord yet not in thy fury 2 The one waxe worse they fret and fume blaspheme fight against God continue still in their sins and obstinately resist God to the end as Cain and others did 3 The one are crushed by their afflictions they are as Gods hammers to crush them in peeces the other are amended by their afflictions They say with David It is good for me that I have beene afflicted Their afflictions makes them hurle away their sins drunkennesse pride covetousnesse uncleannesse c. The one are
their particular Angels but their Angels neque enim ex hoc textu colligi potest singulos credentes singulos habere Angelos it cannot be collected out of this Text that every beleever hath a particular Angell for Christ useth the plurall number their Angels not the singular every ones Angell Take heed ye despise not one of these little ones for I say to you that in heaven their Angels doe alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in heaven There seemes to bee a greater validity in the third place Acts 12.15 When S. Peter stood knocking at the doore the maide perceiving by the voice that it was S. Peter for joy opened not but ran in to tell them thou art mad said they it is not he it is his Angell Peradventure they might understand it of a created Angell yet not of one that was appointed to him from his first entrance into the world but of one that God sent to him to comfort him while he was in prison to deliver him Vers. 11. Yet for all that it can hardly sinke into my head that they should be so fond as to imagine that an Angell would stand knocking at the doore Therefore it might bee translated a Messenger as Luk. 7.24 When the messengers of Iohn were departed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so here it is not he it is the Messenger that useth to come to us now and then and with whose voice thou and we are well acquainted If Lazarus had a speciall Angell me thinkes that should have caried his soule to heaven yet not one but many Angels did it Neverthelesse for mine owne part I will not be contentious I see no inconvenience in Zanchies opinion but much comfort rather if it had pregnant proofe out of the written word but let us sapere ad sobrietatem be wise to sobriety Calvin himselfe in his instit leaves it doubtfull Let it be sufficient for us that we are come to an inumerable company of Angels that have the charge aad protection of us by the appointment of God Almighty Shall such a man as I flee said Nehemiah Shall we feare that have God and his Angels to protect us There be a great company of devils but these holy Angels and Christ our Captaine will defend us from them all VERSE 23. THE next person to whom wee are come is the Church it selfe Where three points are offered to us 1. Vniversalitas the Vniversalitie of it 2. Dignitas the Dignitie of it 3. Stabilitas the Stabilitie of it For the Vniversalitie wee are come to the generall assemblie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnes congrego when as an whole Nation is gathered together as it was in Greece at the games of Olympus and other solemnities In honour whereof Isocrates wrote his panegyricall Oration The Archdeacons Visitation is called a generall but it might better be termed a speciall This is a right generall assemblie The Church is Catholique and Vniversall which Saint Augustine very wittily deduces out of the name of Adam of whom came all Nations In the Greeke it hath foure letters which poynt out the foure parts of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many shall come from the East and West North and South and eat bread with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of Heaven Ierome de 42. mansionibus mans 16. Compares the Church to a pomegranate for the multitude that is in it tom 2. The Church a long time was shut up in Iudea which was in length scarse an 160. miles Hier. Dardano Wee are come to the generall assemblie i. to the whole number of the elect in generall Ribera restraines this to Angels The vulgar translation joynes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the former clause to the assemblie of innumerable Angels The Greeke Copies are repugnant to it This is a most excellent assemblie 1. These are particular assemblies At an assizes all the Countie doth not meete at a Parliament there is the representative body of the Realme not the positive never doe all nations meete together here shall be the elect in all Nations Ioel 3.2 Matt. 25.32 2. These assemblies are onely of them that be now alive and present in the world this shall be of all gods chosen that have beene from the beginning of the world and shall be to the end of it 3. These are mixt assemblies of good and bad among eight there was a Cham among twelve there was a Iudas among seven there was a Nicolas there shall be none but good 4. In these assemblies there bee jarres and contentions Act. 23. The one part was Pharisees the other Sadduces At Ephesus there was a great hurlie burlie the towne Clerke had much a doe to pacifie them there shall be all peace and quietnesse 5. These assemblies are broken up and the place may bee overthrowne as the banquetting chamber was wherein Herod feasted his Nobles yet without the hurt of any But the house fell on Iobs children and crushed them to peices This assemblie shall continue for ever and ever and the place too Let us all pray to GOD that none of us all bee exempted from this generall assemblie but that wee may bee annexed to it The second point is the dignitie of the Church they are the first borne Illyricus interprets this of the Fathers in the Old Testament that were the first borne in respect of us in the New Testament Aquinas by the first borne understands the Apostles that had received the first fruits of the spirit and they are said to be written in heaven as the Senators were called Patres Conscripti Ad Ecclesiam Primitivorum Vulg. transl i. to the Apostles that were in the Primitive Church Gorr Qui fuerunt primi fundatores Ecclesiae post Christum Lyra. But by the first borne understand all the Saints whose names are written in heaven Luc. 10.20 Oecum Theoph. Christ by a kinde of excellencie was the first borne hee was the onely Primogenitus because hee did primò aperire Virgineum uterum so did no other Epiph. contr haer l. 3. tom 2. Hee is Primogenitus omnis creaturae Col. 1.15 Primogenitus inter multos fratres Rom. 8.29 and Primogenitus Mariae and Vnigenitus too for none was borne of her but hee p. 342. init Wee also by him and through him are the first borne elder brothers Many were the dignities of the first borne 1. Hee had the antecedencie Hee that first opened the wombe and came first into the universitie of the world was senior to them all 2. Hee was his Fathers strength Gen. 49.3 3. Naturally hee was best beloved Isaak would not divert the streames of his love from Esau. 4. Hee was most precious Mich. 6.7 5. Hee had a double portion of goods and the inheritance was wholly his 6. Hee was the Lords Exod. 13.1 Consecrated to God Tradunt Hebraei primogenitos functos officio Sacerdotum habuisse vestimentum Sacerdotale quo induti victimas
offerebant antequam Aaron in Sacerdotium eligeretur Hier. trad Hebr. in Genesin So must wee in speciall manner bee consecrated to the Lord and as so many Nazarites serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Israel is my first borne though all the world bee mine All the world is Gods yet wee are his first borne What an honour is this A noble man hath many sonnes the yonger may goe a begging the elder hath all the land Among us there is never a yonger brother all elder brethren and shall all have the inheritance of the Kingdome of Heaven Let us be thankefull to GOD for it Israel was his even so wee being Gods first borne are his not our owne wee are bought with a price and must glorifie God in our spirits and bodies which are his The third point is the Stabilitie of the Church which are written in Heaven Not mentioned with the tongue which soone vanishes but written Littera scripta manet hee hath written us on the palmes of his hands wee are ever in his sight GOD needs no pen paper writing tables for helpe of memorie but this is spoken for our capacitie The Senatours of Rome were called Patres Conscripti because a Register was taken of their names A Captaine sets downe the names of his souldiers in a booke So GOD Almighty to shew what account hee makes of us hath our names written Where not in water not in loose papers not in the earth where peradventure they may be blotted out but in heaven whither none of our enemies can have accesse to race out our names In what Booke are our names written not of death but of life Whose the lambes booke of life Wee are not in the hands of an Angel but of CHRIST himselfe To what end A King takes the name of one of his owne subjects to preferre him to make him a Lord c God takes our names to preferre us to a Kingdome How shall wee know whether our names be written in heaven A posteriori not à priori 2 Tim. 2.19 First the Elect know Christ Ioh. 17.3 2. They beleeve in Christ Gal. 3.26 They are plentifull in the fruits of righteousnesse by Iesus Christ they adde vertue to Faith This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chrys. termeth it 1 Cor. hom 3. to conclude by workes I have workes therefore I have Faith I have Faith therefore I have Christ I have Christ therefore I have heaven Tà m certus esse debes de requie de foelicitate si mandata ejus custodieris quà m certus es de perditione si ea contempseris Ob. 1. Workes may bee hypocriticall 2. uncertaine 3. imperfect But being sincere they may assure us of our salvation A ring may be imperfect not fully perfected by the skill of the Artificer it may have a crack in it yet it assures us of the love of him that gave it so imperfect workes may assure us of Gods love and of the Kingdome of Heaven too issuing from the roote of unfained Faith Therefore unfaithfull doubting is excluded Let us make our calling and election sure by good workes then an entrance shall bee ministred unto us abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour IESUS CHRIST Psal. 37.24 Yet wee must not dormire in utramque aurem I care not how I live I shall bee saved There may bee a Christian assurance but no unchristian securitie nusquam securitas sayes S. Bern in Psal. 15. Nec in coelo nec in paradiso nec in mundo In coelo cecidit Angelus sub praesentia Divinitatis in paradiso cecidit Adam in loco voluptatis in mundo cecidit Iudas in schola Salvatoris Let us never be high minded but feare with a reverent feare all the dayes of our lives I feare all my wayes said that holy man If you abuse this comfortable doctrine setting all at six and sevens then thou art most unsure As ye beleeve in Christ so be plentifull in the fruits of righteousnesse by Iesus Christ and as your names are in heaven and ye looke for a place in heaven so live as Cittizens of heaven live not as earth-wormes alwayes groveling on the earth but live as men of another world by having your conversation in heaven 1 Here it is as cleere as the noone-day that the Catholicke Church consists onely of the elect Notwithstanding it is an axiome with Bellarmine Non solum praedestinati sed etiam reprobi ad ecclesiam pertinent A strange position indeed as Augustine distinguishes excellently well the wicked are Paleae inter frumentum In domo Dei sed non domus Dei de bapt cont Donat. l. 7. c. 12. Cant. 4.12 CHRIST's Spouse is a Garden enclosed a Spring shut up and a Fountaine sealed up Haec intelligere non audeo nisi in sanctis justis de bapt cont Donat. lib. 6. cap. 27. It a munitur sayes Greg. ut nullus reprobus ingrediatur Ecclesia est Templum aedificatum ex diis quos facit non factus Deus Aug. Tom. 3. Enchyr. ad Laur. c. 6. p. 172. A. Our blessed Saviour affirmes of the Church Ioh. 10.3 for it is the Church of the first-borne whose names are written in Heaven 2 It is evident that the elect cannot perish Non perit filius promissionis sed filius perditionis August De corr grat l. 2. cap. 9. The third person to whom we are come is the founder and defender of the Church Who is described by his nature and office For his nature he is God for his office a Iudge The Lord chiefe Iustice of all the world God is a consuming fire Heb. 12. ult and dare we be so bold as to come to him He is ignis consumens to the wicked ignis muniens to the godly Zach. 2.5 I a wall of fire round about Ierusalem to protect her from all her enemies All are come to God secundum praesentiam Whither shall I goe from thy face Secundum potentiam his power is over all none can avoide it but we are come to him Secundum bonitatem Happy is the people that be in such a case blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. He is Dominus omnium more peculiarly he is Deus fideliū The Philistims said God is come into the Host woe be to us but we are come to God and joy with us Not onely to God as he is a Father but as he is a Iudge too yea the Iudge of all High and low rich and poore just and unjust good and bad Iren. l. 1. c. 9. writes of some called Gnostici who had their name of knowledge which affirmed they were incomprehensibilis judicii The Iudge could not catch them at the latter day But he will finde them out A Writ shall be returned reperti sunt in baliva nostra We must all appeare either ad judicium discretionis or damnationis as S. August speaketh of Absolution being severed from the Goats or
let us annexe workes to our faith The Lord makes us perfect in workes that our election may be sure He doth not pray to GOD to make them perfect in some good workes but in all As he sayd homo sum humani nihil à me alienum puto So let us say Christianus sum nullum Christianum opus à me alienum puto Herod did many things but because hee did not all he was not saved Heere some trees bring forth Peares some Plumbes some Apples some Almonds There is no tree that bringeth forth all fruit But every Christian must be as a tree planted by the rivers of waters that bringeth forth all fruit We must be ready for every good worke wee must have prayers and almes deedes zeale meekenesse humility patience we must abound in every good worke 3 He doth not say the Lord cause you to begin in every good worke but God perfect you c. We must labour to aspire to perfection daily more and more as Iac. 1.4 So let zeale patience c. Let every grace have his perfect worke Vsus promptos facit use makes perfectnesse scribendo disces scribere use thy selfe to writing and in the end thou shalt write well use legs and have legs so use thy selfe to good workes and be perfect in good workes Milo by using to carry a Calfe when it was young did beare it when it was old So let us exercise ourselves in good workes from our youth as the young man sayes at the length it will bee easie to attaine such a perfection as is acceptable to God Let us use our selves to pray as Daniel did morning and evening Let us use our selves to reading of the Scripture as the Bereans to Preaching as Christ to fasting as Anna to give to the poore and needy as Dorcas and Cornelius At length we shall attaine to some perfection in them c. This is amplified 1. By the rule whereby our workes must bee framed that is the will of God Christ sayd not my will but thine be done So must every Christian say our will is to live at ease to wallow in pleasures to take the Tabret and Harpe to eate the Calves out of the middest of the stall to rejoyce with the instruments of Musicke Our will is never to taste of any misery to have no losses crosses sicknesse if possible not to have our finger ake But let us entreat the Lord that wee may doe His will to say with them Acts 21.14 The will of the Lord be done 1 Thes. 4. The will of God is your sanctification The Lord so perfect us to every good worke that we may possesse our vessels in holinesse and honour that we may serve Him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life 2 It is amplified by the manner of our working That which is well pleasing in his sight not for any worthinesse of ours but through Iesus Christ in whom God is well pleased with us for without him we can please God in nothing Cain and Abel both offered Sacrifices yet God was pleased with Abel not with Cain The Pharisee and Publican both praied in the Temple yet the one was heard and the other was not Why because one was in Christ not the other Let us desire the Lord to accept of our poore and imperfect workes for the worthinesse of Christ in whose name they are presented to him He concludes with a doxologie a song of praise and thankesgiving to Christ the great Shepheard which is God above all blessed for ever to him be glory for ever and ever He it is in whom wee were chosen before the foundation of the world in whom is our life breath and being He it is that in unspeakable love came downe from the pallace of heaven into the dunghill of the earth for our sakes that vouchsafed to take flesh of a woman for us to be borne in a Stable layd in a cratch to endure the speaking against of sinners to be called Beelzebub a bibber of wine a friend of Publicanes and sinners to be blindfolded buffetted spit upon cruelly whipped to be pittifully nailed hand and foote to the Crosse to susteine the wrath of his Father to dye to be buried to rise againe to ascend into heaven there making intercession for us therefore to him be praise for ever and ever He it is that though he bee absent in body yet hath not left us Orphanes poore fatherlesse children he hath given us his spirit to be a father to us to guide us into all truth an heavenly Comforter to comfort us in all distresses to seale us up to the kingdome of heaven He hath left us His Word the foode of our soules the sword of the Spirit to defend us from all enemies of our salvation Hee hath given us the Sacrament of His blessed Supper as a perpetuall memory of him wherein we may daily see him the bread and wine are as pledges of his body and bloud that we may eate him spiritually be one with him and he with us He it is that hath given us his Angels to pitch their tents about us to take our soules at our dying day and to carry them into the kingdome of heaven Therfore let us say with cheerefull hearts to him be praise worthy is the Lord Iesus the great Shepheard of the sheepe to receive all honour and glory prayse power and might now and for ever Amen VERSE 22. 1 AN admonition Suffer the word of exhortation 2. The reason which is taken from the brevity In admonitions I have beene briefe hee spent but three Chapters in them therefore take them the more patiently Such is the pride and perversenesse of our nature we cannot abide to be told of our faults like gauled horses wee are ready to winch and kicke at it Therefore this caveat is very needfull Suffer your selves meekely and quietly to bee reprooved for your sinnes Suffer the Preacher to tell you of your covetousnesse your pride malice c. of your drunkennesse fornication and adultery of your negligence in comming to Church of the little care that is had for the good of the Towne every man is for himselfe none for the Towne Suffer your selves to be admonished of these things it is good for you Ye suffer fooles gladly sayes Saint Paul yee suffer stage players to tell you of your faults and ye laugh at it and will ye not suffer Preachers ye suffer the Physition to give you sowre potions yee send for him and reward him for it and will yee not suffer the Physition of your soules to bee sharpe with you for your salvation Ye suffer Chirurgions to cut you and will yee not suffer us to lanch the soares of your sins that the corrupt matter may issue out Suffer the words of exhortation and magnifie God for them Blessed be thou and blessed be thy counsell sayd David to Abigail So when the Preacher tels us of that which is amisse and exhorts us to
not inordinately love it nor ambitiously affect it ô ambitio saith S. Bernard O blind and execrable ambition ambientium crux the very crosse of ambitious persons quomodo omnes torquens omnibus places how in displeasing and vexing of all doest thou please all Nil acerbius cruceat nil molestius inquietat nothing doth more bitterly torment more trouble and disquiet men Nil tamen apud miseros mortales celebrius yet for all that nothing is in greater request with wretched men than it let there bee Iohns among us in preeminence but let there be no Diotrepheses among us that love preeminence What did this Diotrephes how did hee behave himselfe towards Iohn he received him not Lorinus affirmeth he received neither his Epistle nor Gospel but the direct meaning is he received not his councell his authority his admonition in entertaining strangers contrariwise he rejected it he set slight by it he spurned it intollerable insolency Christ received him Diotrephes repelled him he was the Disciple whom Iesus loved Diotrephes hated him Christ tooke him into his bosome he will not take him into his booke he makes no reckoning of him Christ commended his Mother to him he will not receive Christs brethren upon his commendation had there beene nothing in him save his gray hayres without hee should have reverenced him The Galatians received Saint Paul as an Angel from heaven S. Iohn was an Angel of the Church a principall Angel yet Diotrephes regards him not this is the haughty spirit of ambitious persons they contemne all in respect of themselves they care for no body and indeede no body cares for them In not receiving of him he received not Christ and Christ will not receive him into his Kingdome at the latter day As he resisted Iohn so Saint Iohn will resist him where 1. there is a promise or threatning to doe it 2. the motives that urged him to it VERSE 10. PRoptereà 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this cause for this his malepart dealing I will remember his deedes which he doth the vulgar hath admoneam breaking Priscians head But the Rhemists put admoneb◠in the Margent as a plaister to heale it withall I will admonish that doth not expresse the efficacie of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will call them to remembrance I will rub his memory with them to his shame not in a corner but before the whole Church Catharinus thinketh he will inflict some temporall punishment on him suddaine death as Saint Peter did on Ananias and Sapphyra or blindnesse as Saint Paul did upon Elymas the sorcerer but I thinke Saint Iohns zeale was not so hot I will remember it when he thinkes I have forgotten it But when If I come which is not spoken doubtfully but with a secret confidence in the goodnesse of God that hee shall come If I come as I trust in God I shall come I will remember his deedes that is as Aquinas doth well interpret it in omnium oculos manifestius arguendo deducam I will set them by a manifest reproofe before the eyes of all hee hath sinned openly and I will rebuke him openly which was Saint Pauls rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the workes that he hath done by his tongue or any other way I will make them to be remembred when he thinkes they be forgotten They that oppose themselves to God and his Church are with might and maine to be opposed by us Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses hee likewise withstood them made them to confesse their sorceries digitus Dei est It is the finger of God We see God is greater than the devill Zidkiah smote Micajah one the face saying When went the Spirit of the Lord from me that it should speak to thee Thou shalt see saith he in that day when thou shalt go from chamber to chamber to hide thee and be ashamed of thy doings Hananiah the false prophet brake the yoke on Ieremiahs necke which signified the captivitie of the Israelites affirming that God would so breake the yoke of the King of Babel But Ieremiah went to him told him to his face thou hast broke the yoake of wood but God will put a yoke of iron upon thy necke and the neckes of all the people And because hee had spoken rebelliously against the Lord Hananiah died the same yeare Amaziah bade Amos prophesie no more at Bethel for it is the Kings Chappell hee accused him in a letter to the King of high treason that hee had conspired against him and the land was not able to beare his words Amos spared him not a whit Thy wife shall be an harlot in the Cittie thy sonnes and daughters shall fall by the sword thou shalt die in a polluted land and Israel shall surely goe into captivitie Elias resisted Ahab our blessed Saviour the Pharisees Saint Iohn Baptist Herod Saint Paul Elymas the Sorcerer O full of all subtilty and all mischiefe thou childe of the devill thou enemie of all righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to pervert the right wayes of the Lord. Saint Athanasius withstood Arrius Liberius spake his minde freely to Valens the Emperour Saint Basil resisted Eunomius Saint Augustine was malleus omnium haereticorum an hammer to crush all heretiques in peeces Here Saint Iohn sets us a flagge of defiance against Diotrephes Wee must all plucke up the like courage against the adversaries of the truth Saint Chrysostome commends Azariah the high Priest for going into the temple to King Vzziah and telling him plainely it is not lawfull for thee to burne incense to the Lord. Hee compares him to a couragious dogge that drew him out of his masters house The man of God must be gentle toward all men apt to teach patient In meekenesse instructing those that oppose themselves So hee must be curst against some men as the cause requireth To give wilde horses the reine too much is to spoile them and their riders too To loose the cords of the shippe is to drowne the ship To be too remisse in the Church is to overthrow the Church Lenitives will serve for little soares but great soares must hove drawing plaisters otherwise wee doe not curare but occidere not cure but kill It is the worthy saying of Saint Cyprian our blessed Saviour commends the Angel of the Church of Ephesus that he could not beare them that were evill Wee must beare our owne enemies but our backes must not be so broade as to beare Gods enemies Then he makes an enumeration of his deedes they be in number 4. like foure stayrs in a ladder one higher than another the lowest staire of all is his prating the next to that is his not receiving of the brethren the third is his forbidding of others to doe it the last and greatest of all is his casting of them out of the Church We will take them in order Prating against us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a metaphor taken from