if it should happen you to fall downe into hell Christe hath descended also you should then be moste like him in his agonies and bloudie sweates The third cause at this time which I will touch is this God sendeth vs sundry chasticementes and especiallie that which is moste grieuous of al other the anguish of spirite and affliction of the soule for this purpose that we should be warned in time how to turne vnto him be free from the plague when it commeth for the iudgements of God that are dayly preached vnto vs they pearce deepe into the heartes of the true beleeuers and the worde that they heare it woorketh mightilie in them more sharp in their eares then a two edged swoord it entreth thorough them euen to the diuiding a sunder of the soule and of the spirite and of the ioyntes and of the marrowe and examine all the thoughts and the intentes of the heart so that it is vnpossible that any part of them should be hidde but they are all open vnto iudgement and heare the voice of the Lorde Then their sinne is reuiued in the midst of their bowels their coÌ„science hath no rest they feele death working in their hearts and hel is before theÌ„ they see sinne on their right hande and Satan on their left shame vnder their feete and an angrie Iudge aboue them y world ful of destructioÌ„ without and a worme gnawing the heart within the poore sinner knoweth not what to do to hide him selfe it is impossible and to appeare it is intollerable then hee breaketh out into lowde cryinges O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death he giueth no rest vnto his eyes nor sleepe vnto his eyelids vntill hee finde him that is able to saue him from this wrath in his bedde by night he seeketh him whome his soule loueth in the streetes and open places he inquireth after him and after many dayes in whiche he cannot finde him Christ sheweth him selfe at the last a perpetual deliuerer a victorious Lion of the tribe of Iuda in whome he hath strong saluation when hee hath mourned because of y plague that was before him Christ will approch neere and wipe away the teares from his eyes This y Prophet Abacuch setteth forth in his own person WheÌ„ I heard saith he the word of God my bellie trembled my lips shooke at the voice roâ—…nnesse entred into my bones I trembled in my selfe that I might haue rest in the day of trouble Euen so dearely beloued it is with vs all The plagues of God because they are pronounced against iniquitie it maketh the childe of God to feare and tremble that so foreseeing the harme he might prepare him helpe and because of the destroyer seeke without wearines vnto the sauiour though he hide him selfe at the first the wounded spirite and troubled hart must nedes finde him-out A great cause of vnspeakeable gladnesse though wee seeme swalowed vp of pensiue sorrowe We are full of griefe but we are chastised of the Lord because we should not be coÌ„demned with the world we die with Christ but because we should liue with him wee lament and weepe but because that Christe might wipe away all teares from our eyes we are deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake but because the life of Iesus should be made manifest in our flesh we beare about in our bodies the mortification of the Lord Iesus but because the life of Iesus might be manifest also in our bodies we haue anguishe of spirite and vexation of minde such as hath not bene from the beginning but for this cause that when souden destruction shall come vpon the carelesse world we might lift vp our heades and beholde our redemption at hande Let vs then be bolde and in patience possesse our soules for these causes we are nowe afflicted that wee might receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in the time of neede for this cause we tremble and are affraide that after many praiers and supplications we might be deliuered from the things which we haue feared It followeth in the Apostle And beeing consecrate he was made the authour of saluation to all them that obey him In these wordes wee ate taught what 〈◊〉 and coÌ„moditie we haue through these bitter sufferinges of our Sauiour Christ and also by what meanes we are made partakers of it the fruite is eternall saluation the meanes to go vnto it is obedience in the first we learne that all promise and hope of life is in Christe alone hee hath alone the wordes of liâ—…e he is alone the breade of life the water of life the authour of life the word of life the tree of life the onlie life hee that beleeueth in him hee hath euerlasting life and he that dwelleth not in him shall see no life but the wrath of God abideth on him Take holde of Christ and take holde of life reach foorth thine hand to any other thinge and thou reachest vnto vanitie which cannot helpe Looke not for life but where it dwelleth in the flesh of Christe alone there it resteth Death hath reigned in all the world beside and led euery creature into bondage If thou looke vnto the heauens there is but vexation and anguishe if thou looke vnto the earth there is but darknesse and sorrow if thou call vnto Abraham he knoweth thee not if thou cry vpon Angels they can not helpe thee if thou looke vnto thy workes they are all vncleane if thou truste in thy prayers the Lorde hath no pleasure in them call for the helpe of al creatures they are subiect to vanitie there is no life but in Christ alone The elders the Angels the baestes and all creatures they giue this honour vnto Christe Saluation is of him that sitteth vppon the throne and of the Lambe and altogether they cry Amen And if all the creatures which yet are excellent good are not of power to giue anie peece of this life then what shall we think of those people enimies to God and murderers of his Saincts which so long haue made vs beleeue that they haue life in them selues that they can forgiue vs our sinnes for yeares euen as they will manie or fewe that they can make sacrifices propitiatorie for vs y they can purge vs by purgatorie fiers that their Pilgrimages their pardons their vowes their holie orders and such other spiritual drunkennesse of their sicke braines that these be auailable to purchase life If they will not be reclaimed let vs rest in the counsels of our God and say with Iohn He that hurteth let him hurt still and hee that is filthy let him be filthy still It is inough for vs that Christ is our life that our life is hid with Christe in God when Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glorie Now while we are in the dayes of our pilgrimage the way that wee must walke vnto this
them to thy iudgement they neede not my commendation But be not thou deceiued in iudgeing good thinges by the first taste for they delight more the second time then at the first and more at the third time then at the second Try my commendation and giue thy sentence But of all other readers of these M. Ed. Deerings expositions I haue namely to exhort and beseech the Citizens of London others sometime his diligent auditours that they would now repaire their vnderstanding and reâ—…site their consolations reaped at the first fâ—…utes of this present doctrine that they would also examine and take an accompt of their memorie to see what is now set downe in writing here that they haue vtterly forgotten long agoe So they shall beholde how easily good thinges and comfortable things euen thinges of eternall life how soone they perishe and for want of true reuerence to the worde or diligent regard to our sáluation are by Satan made fruitelesse whereas in small matters olde men haue freshe memories as to remember where their gold lyeth and how many obligations they haue and of what conditions And what is it I pray you that in them causeth so good momorie euen the hart set theron with diligent care which heart more set vpon that that is more precious infinitely what iudgement what comfort what stedfastnes would it cause in the word of life But how commeth so small heede in so mightie matters Certeinly herevpon that the worldly man is of a worldly minde and a man without the spirit as the Apostle Iude speaketh hath no tast of the spirit no delight in spritual riches they are to him foolishnes But of memorie thus much may suffice I would haue thought it too muche were it not that to learning and knowledge in man I know nothing better For thy memorie though the voice be taken away and the spirite with the Lord yet the doctrine remaineth to thee in letters remaine thou mindfull now to make that hereafter fruitfull to thee by diligence which hetherto hath by negligence lyen barren Let vs account it a blessing from God that we haue thus many of M. Deerings readings the rest whiche wâ—…re to the x. Chapter or there about 〈◊〉 the other three Chapter 's waite for and desire some other 〈◊〉 faithfull labour If any man hauing small hope to make the remainder like to that which wâ—…e haue refuse therefore to attempt the matter let him otherwise abouÌ„ding with gifâ—… and 〈◊〉 and hauing exercises in the Church humble himselfe to be in the second or third place to finishe the worke and benefite the Church whereunto al men are insâ—…tely â—…ndebted and almost no man carefull to come out of debt But most of all let vs continually pray that our good God would in these perillous ends of the world put on vs al his whole complet armour to stand against the power and malice of Satan that he would also illuminate our heartes with the bright beames of his wisedome and holy word that we may be freed from the darknes of ignoraunce and errour that the mouthes of the wicked may be stopped and the lippes of the children of God opened and fulfilled with the 〈◊〉 of God. Moreouer seeing the Lord hath layed sharpe roddes and long time executed great iudgements vpon our neighbours round about giuing vs now all these 18. yeares of our gratious Souereigne the Gospel in great peace it is our duetie to consider our duetie in this behalfe first that we in brotherly compassion and in an inward fellowfeeling lament to our power redresse their calamities secondarily that wee be thankefull to God for our peace and carefull to yeeld our selues in all singlenes and trueth euery way obedient to the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ the king of peace in as large the same maner that is to vs offered in the word of life in the third place that all diligence bee vsed that the word may haue his free passage and main course to the ouerthrow of all aduersarie power especially of the open enimies Papists and Atheistes to the discouerie of other sectes springing vpp of their owne accord where the word is not planted finally to the cutting off of prophane and loose life which nowe aduaunceth it selfe against heauen and prouoketh the Almightie except by discipline it be broken downe that the kingdome of Iesus Christe may be moste glorious on earth and that the sonnes of men may be safe and reioyce vnder the shadow of his winges For a further vnderstanding hereof and of many other like exercises in the knowledge practise of Christianitie I referre thee gentle Reader to these Lectures beseeching God to make thy labours fruitful with his coÌ„tinual blessings especially in thy prayers wherein as carefull for the whole Church also pray that the Lord in mercie would make the Churches beyonde the seas rather partakers of our peace with fulnesse therof then in iustice to make vs companions of their punishment in the laste place and greatest measure Amen The xxiiii of Nouember 1576 ¶ The Praelections of Edward Deering vpon certeine of the first Chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrues ¶ The first Lecture vpon the firste verse of the first Chapter 1 AT sundrie times and in diuerse manners God spake in the olde time to our fathers by the prophets in these last dayes he hath spoken vnto vs by his sonne AT sundry times in diuers maners c. Before we begin the exposition of this Epistle I wil briefly speak somewhat of these three pointes Why this Epistle was written by whome and at what time And first touching the cause of the writing though we knowe assuredly it was cause sufficient to leaue so excellent doctrine vnto the church of God yet a speciall occasion then giuen was vndoubtedly this The Iewes were stubbernly set to the maintenance and defence of the law of Moses holding fast al the ceremonies of it as things necessarie neuer to be abrogate but perpetually to be vsed in the worshipp of god Among the residue they did especially striue for Circumcision next vnto it for the obseruation of meates and drinkes and times and feastes and sundry purifyings as these things are namely mentioned in the scripture Besides these other ceremonies they imbraced them and loued them And though many thousandes as it is in the xxi of the Actes did beleeue yet were they still zealous for the law nor could possibly heare of the abrogation of it In so much that they and their forefathers had made this an article of their faith and it is the ninth article of their Creede they holde it to this day God gaue his lawe to his faithful seruant Moses and he wil neuer alter it nor chaunge it for any other And this their opinioÌ„ as it was rooted in theÌ„ so they had very many plausible persuasions for it they stroue not for the inuentions of man but for the law of God not
holden by traditiōs but writtē by Moses not in doubtful testimonie but in manifest shew of the glorie of god And this their opinion they did not think was any coniectural exposition but the manifest word as it was oft repeated that this should be an ordinaunce to them for ouer For this cause the Apostle hauing compassion vpon his weake brethren who beleued in Christ but were also thus addicted to the law he writeth vnto them this Epistle by all meanes persuading them neuer to ioyne together our sauiour Christ with the Ceremonies of the lawe whose glorie is perfect in him self alone and all height must be abased before him He created alone and he will redeeme alone He made alone and he wil saue alone and to be set in cōparison with him all the gold siluer precious stones all the ornaments of the temple they are but Beggerlie Elements Nothing else in earth nothing vikler earth nothing in heauen nor in the heauen of heauēs no vertue no power no strength no name else that is named in which or by which we can be saued but only the name of Iesus christ And for this cause this epistle was written Wherin it shal be good for vs to marke how from the beginning sathan hath striuen to obscure and darken the glorie of Christe and howe hee hath holden stil the same purpose vnchaungeably euen to our dayes First he chaūged him selfe into an Angel of light with glorious names of Moses Moses vnder pretence of holinesse striuing against trueth a marueylous practise in those dayes inough to haue subuerted the faith of many For who would haue thought that such men so great louers of the lawe of the Temple of Moses should bee enimies of the true Mellias or be ignoraunt of the saluation and spirituall worship which he should teach them But here we learne not to ground our faith neither vpon the glorious wordes nor vppon the glorious hames of mortall men For this deceiued from the beginning but the worde it selfe must bee graffed in vs if we will not erre So now in these our last times in which the diuel striueth as at the firste wee see how many say vnto vs The church the church The pope the pope The fathers the fathers many thousandes are led with this sound of wordes yet in these wordes is no wisedome onely they renewe the olde deceipt in which the diuel first troubled the church of God For what is the Churche they speake of who is the pope who are their fathers are they greater then the Temple then the lawe then Moses if not then their names may be vsed for a cloke of falshood as y others were Then we must trie them and examine them whether it be a true churche or true fathers they speake of To follow a church you know not what is to trust to the Temple you knowe not how And knowe it well such wordes are but mockeries and such spirites are of error and darknesse The effect is proofe inough For the end of their religion is that ignorance is the mother of deuotion Now touching the author of this Epistle who it was it skilleth not For if the name had ben here what had it shewed but that God vsed the ministerie of such a man And now the time is not knowen it teacheth expressely the doctrine is of god And for this cause to the bookes of holie scripture names are sometime added sometime not that the doctrine of the Lorde might be vnto vs without respect of person And for my parte who wrote this Epistle I can not tell nor I see no cause why I should seeke it For when the spirite of God hath lest it out can I think it the better if I should adde it I remember Athanasius sayeth that since the Gospell was first preached this Epistle was euer thought to be Paules But Eusebius as boldly on the other side saith that he dareth constantly affirm as the sense is the Apostles so the phrase pēning is some other mans but whose God knoweth and thus much of the authour whome we will leaue as we finde him a faithfull wittnesse of Iesus Christ euen to the ends of the world but whose name we knowe not Now for the time in which it was written it is certein it was in y apostles dayes For if it had bene after the destruction of Ierusalem threatning so oft the anger of God to those who would despise his sonne no doubt he would haue mentioned so singular an example Besides this he maketh mention of Timothie as his companion and fellowe who was famous among the Apostles And it is like that this Epistle was written about the later end of the Apostles age because he saith that this doctrine first preached by the Lord hath now bene confirmed vnto vs by them that heard it And noting the time how long the Gospell had bene preached afore he sayth that time required that nowe they should be able to be teachers of it Againe in the x. chapter he putteth them in remembraunce that in times past they had suffered great and manifolde afflictions for the Gospels sake So that we easily see this Epistle as it is holie and Apostolicall in the trueth of doctrine so it hath also the honour of their time And thus farre of the occasion authour and time of this Epistle Now as briefly as I can I will shewe you the argument of the whole Epistle and that is this that onely in Iesus Christ is the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Which argument he handleth thus Firste setting out our sauiour Christ who he is in the ten firste chapiters Then howe saluation is thorough him in the residue of the Epistle In setting foorth our sauiour Christe who he is he sheweth first the nature of his person in the two first chapters then what is his office in the next eight Touching his person he teacheth first that he is perfect God in the first chapter then that he is perfect man in the second Chap. of which we wil speake more particularly in expoūding of the text Of his office whereof we said he intreateth in the viii next chapters he teacheth this firste that he is our Prophet from the beginning of the iii. chapter to the xiiii verse of the fourth then that he is our priest from thence to the xix verse of the x. chapter And though the Apostle of purpose and with great care do plainely teach that Christ is our king yet because this necessarily followeth of the other there was no doubt but that Messias their priest and prophet should be also their prince and king therefore he seemeth not to make any particular intreatie of this as of the other offices but as he was a kingly prophet a kingly priest and the sonne of God so in proofe of all these he maketh with them manifest proofes of his kingdome at in the text more plainely God willing I will
not themselues but God spake within them Whē soeuer were the time whatsoeuer were the meanes whosoeuer were the man wheresoeuer were the place whatsoeuer were the people yet the wordes were the Lordes And whosoeuer he be in the church of God from the beginning to the ending to whome this ministerie shal be committed if he will be numbered with Patriarches and Prophets Apostles and Pastours and with our Sauiour Christe himselfe whatsoeuer he speake Let him speake as the word of God. For this couenant God hath made with al his seruants euen as the Prophet Esaie saith My spirite which is vpon thee my words which I haue put in thy mouth shal not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede nor out of the mouth of thy seedes seede from henceforth ▪ euen for euer And in deede whose words else should diuide betweene the marrowe the bones but his onely who alone searcheth the hearts and the reynes Or whose wordes should kil our earthly affections but his alone who giues the sworde of the spirite And we whose messingers are we Or of whome are we sent Is not God our Maister and shall we not make our account to him according to that which we haue receiued of him We must looke vnto our owne charge and for all other men though they seeme to be pillers what they are it skilleth nothing to vs we are not accountable by their giftes Augustine Ambrose Ierome Gregorie or any else they had their owne charge of God and we haue ours by warrant from God they did speake and so must we If I speake out of the fathers of the Church and know it to be the word of God why do I attribute it to man rather then to God whose trueth it is Or if I speak of the Fathers and knowe it not to be the word of God be it neuer so true in the doctours mouth in mine it is sinne because I speak not as I am taught of god This I speake not so much for the papists whose heartes and soules the decrees and decretalles haue stolne away and left them without vnderstanding But I speake it because of brethren who knowe not their calling but fill the pulpites with doctours and counsels and many vanities where they should onely speake the word of God that our agreement may be with the Apostles and Prophets and with our sauiour Christ. Nowe let vs see the differences here spoken of betwene our Sauiour Christ and all other prophets what we may learne of them The firste is the doctrine taught by them was at diuerse times reuealed but that which Christe teacheth is reuealed but once And this is twise after expresly noted by the Apostle himselfe as in the ninth chapter Now at the latter end Christ hath beene once reuealed And in the xii chapter Yet once will I strike not onely the earth but the heauens also And this it is whiche sainct Iude saith of the christiā faith that once it was giuen to the saints which once doth mean the time of Christ in earth for so he saith it was by his sonne For though the Apostle yet vnderstoode not all and the spirit was after giuen them yet the same Spirite did but more lighten them in such things as Christ had also taught them By this we learn boldly to refuse it accoūt it as bastard doctrine whatsoeuer is sprong vp since cōmeth vnder the warrant of a mortall man as namely the idolatries of that mightie king and priest Prete Giam of the Abizannes in Africa and the idolatrie of the great Cam king and priest of the Tartarians in Asia and the idolatries of Ismael king and priest of the Persians and the idolatries of Mahomet king and priest of the Sarasins and the idolatries of the Pope and Papall men this day kings and priestes as proude as the other And of these what sects soeuer haue sprong of Homares or Halys Cuselbasoe or Casaboe of decrees decretalls Thomists or Scotists white friers or black that eternall Gospell as they called it more then 300. yeares since deuised at Paris the reuelations of S. Brigitt all other doctrines and expositions we must cast them away so many as came not in the warrant of our Sauiour Christ once preaching vpō earth which because it was once it cōfuteth all after it and abrogateth all before it which had diuersitie of time as the Apostle himselfe gathereth ca. 12. 27. The second difference that the doctrine of Christ is taught after one sort For though first were miracles and nowe none firste Apostles nowe none these were but meanes to confirme the preaching the word onely was the power of saluation which is the same it was then Whiche because it is but one therefore it is perfect For if any way before had bene absolute in itself there should none other haue come after it but it pleased not God to giue the glorie vnto all those maner of reuelations but reserued it to the preaching of the gospel which he hath made his owne power to saue all that do beleeue giuen it so great grace that it worketh more mightily then all miracles and pearceth deeper into the hart of man then any maner persuasiō yea though one should arise frō the dead to speake vnto vs And therefore we may condemne that whiche before vs was done in building monasteries vowing of pilgrimages praying for the dead their masses diriges honouring of saincts setting vp of Crosses and such like For howe were these thinges taught vnto men Not by preaching the Gospel but for the most part men were driuen vnto it by feare terrour of the night as we may see in their owne books legendes But as it was so it is come vnto it and the darkenesse hath couered it out of whiche it sprang The third difference here is that that was old therefore abolished for it cannot be but that which waxeth elder and elder must at last vanish but the testamēt of Christ it is still new yea though it were frō the beginning yet it is still the same and the day passeth not in whiche it was giuen but it endureth with the age of mā And therfore it is no sacrifice of the new testament to haue a masse which waxeth olde and when it is done is not but you must haue a newe so fill your number Neither yet is it possible that works should iustifie which also wax old are forgottē so that the righteous man of an hundred yeare olde if he leaue then his righteousnes it hath none accoūt The saluatiō of y world it is not thus but alwayes new if once I be in this couenāt it is an euerlasting couenant I was not taken vnder cōdition of time nor no time shal preuail against me The saluatiō it self it is not changeable as Ad◅s was in Paradise but it is made sure in the bodie of
thee Where the Prophet shewing causes why the whole world should not preuaile against Christ he saith because God had decreed it in his eternall counsell and proclamed it with this sentence Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee That is this day haue I declared that thou art my natural sonne meaning especially the time in which he made him knowen in the worlde by his wonderfull workes as S. Paule ment when he saide God was made manifest in fleash noting the power of the spirit working in him in his birthe life death resurrection and ascension So this day noteth not any particular time but all times in generall wherein God hath shewed his power in Christ as especially in the time he liued among vs And it see meth that the Apostle maketh manifest this sense of his wordes in that he addeth to the text alledged in the vi verse the time when it was fulfilled leauing this without any distinct time as that whiche apperteined to all times in which Christ should be shewed to be the sonne of God especially as I saide in his life and before or since as God sheweth his glorie in him So this sentence was true when he appeared to Abraham Iacob Moses to any of the patriarches or prophets or after his ascension when he appeared to Stephan to Paule or any other or whensoeuer he sheweth his power to defend his church vnto the end according to his owne promise I am with you to the latter end of the world And thus this word to day is takeÌ„ in that which is after alledged To day if ye will heare are his voice harden not your hearts And againe In the day of health I haue heard thee And in the day of saluatioÌ„ I haue succoured thee meaning no particular day but al the time that the word is preached vnto vs. It followeth I wil be his father and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…y sonne This is another texte to proue Christ the naturall sonne of god It is written in the seconde of Samuel the seuenth chapter and they are the wordes of God vnto Dauid by the Prophet Nathan to giue him a promise of the blessing of his seede after him which was begone in Solomon who built the temple and whome God so highly aduaunced in all wisedome richesse and honour that the Fatherly prouidence of God appeared ouer him as ouer an especiall chosen sonne All which as it was promised to Dauid so Dauid looked for the perfourmance of it in Christ and to be figured in Solomon his sonne after him whose temple was a figure of the Churche of Christe his riches a figure of the great graces of the spirite of Christe giuen to his Church his honour aboue all kinges a figure how kinges should submitt them selues to Christ and be nurlefathers and Queenes nurses to the Churche of Christe his wisedome a figure that in Christe should be hid all treasures of wisedome and knowledge and finally he called by name the sonne of God in respect of his blessings as a figure of Christ who is the eternall sonne of his father in nature of his person And so the Apostle here alledgeth this place without any suche long exposition howe the place is meant because we should see in it that the people of Israel were not so ignorant of the Scriptures as we be but brought vp in the knowledge of the lawe and taught the vnderstanding of it euen from their â—…dell as we shoulde be And thus haue we heard this argument of the Apostle Christ hath a more honourable name then the Angels therefore he is more excellent then they Nowe also let vs see the manner of proofes here vsed He proueth Christe to be the naturall sonne of God by textes of Scripture witnessing 〈◊〉 he donâ—…eth that Angels are so because God in his scriptures neuer spake it for so he beginneth Vnto which of the Angels said he at any time c. The self same maner of proofe againe he vseth in the 13. verse following Because the scripture saide it not therefore he proueth it is not so making his argument negatiuely from authoritie of Scripture whiche in all thinges what soeuer man is required to do or know in matters of religion is euer a most certeine conclusion God spake it therfore we must doe it God spake it not therfore we haue nothing to doe with it And this argument must needes bee good so long as this word of the Lordo doeth endure What I commaund thee doe that only And so long as this is a iust condemnation of all our owne deuises who required these things at your hands And so long as this shal be true that our wisdome is folishnesse and we cannot doe well but when we bearken to the worde of God that shineth in our harts as in a dark place True it is and if we had but the wisedome of children we must needes see it that all particular lawes and orders with which we may be bound they are not set downe in precise words of Scripture but it is as true that the nature and propertie of euery lawe or order is so described that the worde of God as clearely is followed in it as if the wordes of the law were set downe in it For of all decrees to be made in his church hath not God said It must be without offence it must edifie it must bee comely and according to order and it must serue to the glorie of God. Now God hauing giuen grace into our heartes to iudge what soeuer we decree by these rules is not the word of God the warrant of it By such manifest proofe ofscripture the church of Christ doeth iustifie all that she doeth Thus the Apostle proueth heere his doctrine Thus we must do if we will bee the Apostles scholers Marke well this reason for it is worthy God said to Christ thou art my sonne therfore he is his sonne God said not so to any Angel therefore no Angel can take the name vnto him In like manner we will dispute with them God said The true worshippers should not go to mount Sion nor to Ierusalem but worship God in spirit and trueth Where said he go a pilgrimage or go visit the holie sepulchre God said Doe not obserue dayes and monethes and times and yeeres Where said he keepe vnto me Lent or Aduent imber weekes or Saincts Eeues God said vnto vs It is the doctrine of diuels to forbid marriage or to commaund to abstaine from meates Where said he eate now no fleash now no white meate let not the minister marrie God said Let euery soule be subiect to kings princes and the autho ritie of such men let it not be in his Apostles Where said he let the pope haue the gift of kingdomes bee exempt from authoritie of man weare a triple crowne and haue Lords and noble men vnder him God said Cursed 〈◊〉 he that addeth ought to his law or taketh
from it Where said he the pope shall dispense against my apostles and prophets God said It is better to speake fiue wordes which we vnderstood then 〈◊〉 thousand in an vnknowen tong Where said God the ignorant men should pray in latine With this verie argument are ouerthrowne all doctrines of men all traditioÌ„s alpoperie And if this argumeÌ„t were good in the Apostle why is it not good in vs Nay if this be vsuall in y scripture why are we so dull that we will neuer learne it Doeth not God condemne the idolatrie of the people of Israel by this reason They built high places which I commanded not Doeth he not condemne all their superstition and vaine worshipping with y same argument Who required these things at your hands When Dauids purpose was stopped from buylding the house of God was not this the word of the Lord that came vnto him Where socuer I haue walked with all Israel spake I one woorde to any of their Iudges saying why haue you not builte me a house of Cedretrees But why seeke we further wheÌ„ the law is plaine What I commaund thee do that onely And true it is y it is our wisdome and the Light that shineth in our harts as in a dark place If once we go from it as y prophet saith There is no wisdome at all within vs. And this I say because of some which would not haue arguments made negatiuely of scripture I think because it is against Aristotles doctrine But let vs now go forward It followeth in thevi verse Againe when he bringeth c. This is the second comparison betwene Christ and the Angels That it is saide plainely of Christ who is the sonne Let all Angels worship him a thing determined by y scripture it self that Christ is not onely greater then Angels but God to be honoured of all Angels And he alledgeth to this purpose the manifest prophesie that wheÌ„ God brought his sonne into the worlde hee proclamed before him this honour Let all the Angels worship him First touching the alledging of this texte out of the Psalme we neede not doubt this doeing of the Apostle is proofe inough that that Psalme is a prophesie of the kingdome of Christe of which the psalme saith that God with great power and glorie would establish it in earthâ—… shewing miracles in his creatures feare and confusion in his enimies ioy and gladnes in the hearts of his children righteousnes and holines in their liues and not only this but all Angels should worship before him Now as he hath taught this by the testimonie of the prophets giuen to Christ so after in the 7. verse he sheweth the same on the other side by the testimonies which y scripture giueth to angels of whoÌ„ sayth he it is said he maketh his Angels spirites and his ministers a flaming fire The absolute mening of which wordes wee must learne of the Apostle him selfe in the 14. verse following where according to this testimonie he hath defined their nature and called them ministring spirites Then in these wordes he maketh his Angels spirites and his ministers a flaming fire hee nameth them a flaming fire according to y similitude in which their glorie hath ben seene as the angels that were with Elizeus his seruant sawe them as chariots of fire the similitude of the beasts which Ezechiel saw were as coles of burning fire and the Seraphims haue their names because they are of a fierie colour and these wordes â–ª spirits and ministers we must resolue thus ministring spirites So out of this texte his argumeÌ„t staÌ„deth thus â–ª Christ is called the sonne the first begotten sonne whome the Angels worship but the Angels are his ministring spirites therefore Christ is greater then the Angels Now for the allegation of this text the Apostle is a sufficieÌ„t witnesse to me that this verse of the 104. Psalme is ment of the Angels of God and not of the windes and I see no reason to the contrarie For first he mentioneth the winds before where he saith He walketh vpon the wings of the winde and therefore a repetition of the same in other wordes was not necessarie â–ª Againe seeing ministers here signifie those which execute Gods power to saue his people I see no cause to attribute it to the windes for though God euen by the elements help his people manie times yet that praise is not giuen as a name to the element which is done in the Angels Now where it is obiected that the Prophet there setteth out the maiestie of God according to his gouernement in thinges of the worlde I graunt it and so the ministery of Angels was then open known in the world And therfore of Angels also the Prophet speaketh as of them in whome the glorie of God shined euen as in the heauens the cloudes the lightnings c. beside this in these words the apostle wil proue what is the nature of angels which requireth that he should speake in the naturall sense of the prophets wordes And the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed of the Apostle seemeth not to be without cause for though it be the Hobrue phrase â–ª as it is saide yet it may well haue iust cause why the Apostle vseth it in Greeke it signifieth as much as if he said thus Vnto all Angels we may say you be but ministring spirites And so it is like vnto the text next alledged of christ To the sonne he sayth c. And thus the preposition is verie conueniently vsed and maketh the Prophets wordes a naturall description of the Angels Therefore for my parte thus I say and thus I am persuaded that as it is here alledged so the wordes were ment of the angels of God which are his ministers to execute his will for safetie of his people And thus muche of the Apostles argument here made Nowe where our Sauiour Christ is here called the first begotten sonne of God both Sainct Iohn sufficiently sheweth the meaning of it in the beginning of his gospel and S. Paule doth plainly expounde the word Iohn saith of our sauiour Christ that he was in the beginning with God that al things were made by him without him nothing was made at al which is as if he had added he was his first begotten sonne Saint Paule expresly addeth the comparison of creatures naming him the first begotteÌ„ before al creatures because saith he all things were created by him in heauen in earth visible or inuisible angels or powers by him and for him all were made so this is the first begotten the maker creator of all things And he is called the first begotteÌ„ not the first creature that in this name we might see the blasphemie of Arrius who sayth there was a time when the sonne of God was not when this name first begotten is not in respect of nature as one in time begotten before other but in respect of his work
grace despised and iniquitie to haue the vpper hand in the figure that hee beareth wese the spirit to conquer righteousnesse to be exalted and a Kingdome of glorie to be set vp for euer that if we should finde in our selues the sinnes of Solomon yet we might assuredly knowe they cannot driue away the image of Christe but he is redie to iustifie al that do beleue for it is no dout but he in whose person was suche an image of Christe Christ offred to him againe an image of righteousnesse in which he should be presented faultelesse to eternall life Now where Christ is set out thus a King for euer we are taught not by dayes and times to measure his commaundementes but to holde them without chaunge as the gouernment for euer of his eternall kingdome for it is to to grosse follie for vs to say he is still our King if we dare abrogate his lawes for he is our ruler for euer and yet without him we will make lawes continually Was it euer heard among earthly kinges that subiects could either repeale or change their princes lawes or make lawes without them in their owne kingdome Or can there be greater treason then to cōspire for such a lewde libertie Euen so it is with all men and princes in the Churche of christ He is our Kinge he must be our Lawe-giuer he is King for euer and his lawes must neuer be chaunged he is our king alone without him al the world can make no law In no cōmon wealth there was euer law proclamed but in the name of the King In the Churche of Christ who shall proclame decrees but in the name of Christ and therfore expressly Christ taketh vpon him to be our onely Lawe-giuer And all princes the more godly they bee the more carefully will take heede to be no lawgiuers in his churche for matters concerning faith for that were to giue a lawe vnto him which none wil do but antichriste himselfe The Pope stirred vp Charles the fifte and King Henrie the eight and gaue them for their hire this title to be called defenders of the faith a proud beequest and how humbly it was possessed God doeth know After that king Henrie taking vnto him the courage of a true and naturall king draue out that spirituall tyrante out of all his Realme and by graūt of the clergie cōsent of the parleament toke vpō him the name of supreme head of the church of England which the pope had before vsurped ouer al nations But seing now it is so that these names are taken vp and made hereditarie to our Kinges and Queenes we will not reason of the titles rather let vs do the duetie of louing subiects pray that they may finde grace by their names to be prouoked more to godlinesse that in true ioy of heart they may haue the honour of their calling and hold fast a good conscience against the day of Christe This onely we testifie to all potentates and princes that what honourable titles so euer they haue yet they must be subiect in the Churche and haue Christe alone to be king ouer it Let them make no lawes appoint no orders ordeine no gouernement but such as are agreeable with his lawes orders and gouernement For that were sacrilege and it is the presumption of the man of Rome but let them exsecute the lawes of Christ see his orders kept establishe the gouernement which he hath ordeined holde men of al degrees in obedience vnto God for this is the true honour of the Lordes chosen Princes and the glorie of their calling which shall not wither And now to the end we may the more willingly do this both we and our kings whom God hath set ouer vs let vs marke this further which the Apostle addeth of our Sauiour Christe that His scepter is a scepter of righteousnesse meaning as I saide that his gouernement is all in trueth and righteousnesse A good reason and a great persuasion to all that are of God why we shoulde let Christ alone with the ordering of his Church His scepter is a scepter of righteousnesse not only a righteous scepter that is that whatsoeuer he ordeineth it is righteous but the scepter of righteousnesse that is whatsoeuer is righteous is ordeined of him and all spirituall scepters of all kings which are not directed by him they are crooked broken scepters of superstition scepters of idolatrie there is none of righteousnesse but onely the scepter of Iesu Christ. The scepter is a little wand which Princes haue accustomed to beare in their left hand and it is a signe of their gouernmēt by a Metonymie it signifieth here the gouernment it selfe Now the scepter of Christe is as his kingdome is not a scepter of wood or metall like other kings for his kingdome is not of this world as theirs is but his scepter the Prophet Esaie in plaine words describeth it He shall smite the earth saith he with the scepter of his mouth with the breath of his lipps shal he kil the vngodly In which wordes of the Prophet we see both what is this scepter and why it hath the name of righteousnesse the scepter is the worde of his mouth that is the preaching of the Gospel not decrees nor decretalls nor traditions of men nor vnwriten verities by none of al these we haue receiued the spirit of God but onely by hearing faithe preached it therefore alone is the scepter Heere tell me dearely beloued I wil aske no harde question but a thing which your eyes haue seene and your bands haue handled Tell me what kingdome is the Popes Or whence is it Is it Christs Then the preching of the Gospel is the scepter of it and the scepter bearers are in euerie congregation the pastors teachers by the Gospel preached it bindeth and loseth by the Gospel preached it ruleth ouer vs by the Gospel preached it teacheth faith it ordeineth religion it ministreth Sacraments by the Gospel it begetteth vs by the Gospel it nourisheth vs and in the hope of the Gospel it layes vs downe in peace If it haue another scepter then this then it is an other kingdome then that of christ If the scepter be the Canon lawe the scepter bearers their Cardinals and clergie lords their chauncellers and commissaries and other men that wee knowe not If they binde and loose by pardons and bulls If they teach a faith solded vp as they terme it in an idle fancie that we must beleeue as the Churche doth beleeue and the Church beleeueth as we do beleeue when neither our Church nor we can tel what we beleue If they teache vs to worship after the traditions of men If it feed vs vp in the hope of the Church of Rome If it lay vs downe at last in an vnknowen purgatorie whether this be the scepter iudge you and if it be I assure you in the worde of trueth the Apostle and Prophet bothe witnessing
with mee this kingdome is a kingdome of darknesse a kingdome of sinne and it shall returne to the shape of his first beginning The kingdome of Christ shal be euer knowen by the scepter of the onelie Gospell preached and practised in it Now why is this called the scepter of righteousnesse Because saith the prophet it killeth the vngodlie the same exposition the Apostle immediately addeth Thou haste loued righteousnesse and hatediniqui◅ie therefore it is called a scepter of righteousnesse because it maketh the faithful righteous destroyeth the sinners from the face of the earth In this sense Saint Peter calleth it the seed of regeneration because by it we be begotten a-new into the image of God which is in righteousnesse So that heere we know whether we be of the Kingdome of Christ euen by the scepter by whiche we be ruled If the knowledge of the Gospel of Christ haue refourmed vs into a newe image to bee holie as our Sauiour Christ is holie that by his spirit the worlde be crucified vnto vs and we vnto the worlde then haue we our enfranchisement in this kingdome if not though we dwell in the mids of the Sanctuarie yet were we straungers from the lawe that came out of mount Sion And though we were baptised with all the water in the sea or as the Prophet saith though we wash our selues with Nitre and take much Sope yet our iniquities are marked before the Lord except we fele the forgiuenesse of our sinnes in the righteousnesse and holinesse of this kingdome of Christe And what madnes can be like vnto it to flatter my selfe as if I had my portion among the electe of God and yet dwell in tabernacles of the Children of the diuell that is I meane yet walke in all the sinnes of a corruptible man Are not Gods children his Sainctes be they not brought vnto him with the scepter of righteousnes doth hee not keepe them with the seale of his holie spirite If I see no good workes in my hands if I know neuer that the preaching of the gospel killed concupiscence in me and made me hunger and thirst after righteousnesse if I feele not the spirite of God to sanctifie more and more my heart al mine affections how can I say I am the childe of God No no talke while thou wilte vse thy libertie say thou art a Protestant renounce the Pope except thou loue righteousnesse euen as thou louest thy soule reioycest in weldoing as in thy life thou hast bene but an idle hearer of the worde of trueth Godlinesse is not made of wordes as a wood is made of trees but it is an earnest loue proceeding from a pure heart and a good conscience and an vnfeigned faith in whiche wee may glorifie God and do good to his people Paule was godlie when he gloried in nothing but in the crosse of Iesu Christe by which the worlde wascrucified vnto him and he vnto the world They are godlesse Hypocrites which in worde confesse they knowe God but in deedes denie him They are Christs which haue crucified the fleshe with the affections concupiscēce of it they are of their father the diuell that in wickednesse do the desires of the diuell Let vs then learne dearely beloued in good time to be wise when we were in ignorance then we walked in the woorkes of darkenesse now we haue vnderstanding let vs walke as the children of the light if we take the gospel into our mouth let vs knowe it is a scepter of righteousnesse to reforme our life and whosoeuer he be that hath chosen this portion peace be vpō him vpon the Israel of God and he that withdraweth himselfe from this purpose euen as the Apostle after saithe Let our soules haue no pleasure in him And here let vs also marke howe the Apostle setteth out this righteousnesse of christ Thou hast saith he loued righteousnesse and hated iniquitie This is generall in all duetie which we do vnto God to loue the obedience with all our heart and soule and to detest and hate all the transgression and sinne So the Prophet Dauid saith I hate vaine inuentions but thy law I loue againe thy law I loue but I hate falshod abhorre it Euē so must we hate iniquitie if we loue righteousnesse and abhorre falshod if we loue the trueth and this is that eternall lawe whiche God gaue from the beginning I will saith he set enimitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seede her seede But O Lord what a rebellious people are we where God hath commaunded all concorde and bound vs together in all bonds of vnitie One bodie one spirite one hope of our calling one Lord one faith one Baptisme one God the father of vs all yet al these bondes we breake in sunder anger hatred reprochful words quarels wounds murders euerie cursed thing but we reach our hands vn to it to make strife one with another and disanull the agreement which God hath made on the other side touching the workes of darkenes we wil walke in them and though God hath separated them from vs as heauen from hell or Christe from Belial and hath made the hatred of them perpetuall to vs and our posteritie yet we thinke as the Prophet sayth to make a league with death and to beat agreement with hel we will follow our fleshly concupiscence as though there were no lorde to controll vs and we will not hate sinne at all A corrupt nature to loue that which we are bid hate and hate that which we are bid loue but a more corrupt affection if we giue place to these desires and are well pleased to loue them still It followeth in the end of this seuenth verse thy God hath annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy felowes In this we may learne an other notable cause why we shoulde acknowledge Christ our onely King and Law-giuer Because he is thus annoynted that is in him dwelleth all fulnesse of grace and the treasures of all wisdome and knowledge are hid in him so that leaue him leaue his lawes leaue his scepter we leaue instruction we leaue righteousnesse we leaue eternall life And heere note that the oyle of gladnesse is the giftes of the spirite of God gladnesse to our selues because it filleth vs with ioy in the Lord and gladnesse to other because it powreth grace into our lips to cōfort the weak harted to make vs a swete sauour of life vnto life to all that hearken vnto vs The heart of earth y is dry and baren and beareth no ioyful fruite of the Lord God this oyle of gladnes hath not yet softened it to make it a fertile soile for the seede of the worde of god And the carelesse man of a dull spirite that is not touched with his brothers sinning but letteth him alone in his vncleanesse to sinck or swim to stand or fall to liue or die
passe ouer for it noteth a certeine great confusion vpon the enimies of Christe forthough it be sometime honour to be named the Lords footestole as where it is saide Heauen is my throne and the earth is my footestoole And especially in the lamentations of Ieremie where he saith The Lord hath darkened the daughter of Sion and throwne downe the beautie of Israel and hath not remēbred his footstole Yet in this place where it is spokē of Gods enimies it noteth their extreme ruine and shame euen as of those whome wee doe stamp vnder our feete An example of this we haue in the Iewes whose name was once so honourable how doe the Prophets glorie of the house of Iudah yet since they haue taken vp this enimitie against Christ and sett them selues against his Churche and people they haue had experience of the Lordes right hand and their name is a name of shame and ignominie ouer all the worlde An other example we haue of Rome what citie had once such honour what name was of more renowne yet since it hath beene the seate of Antichriste enimie to the sonne of God and to his Gospell as she hath filled her selfe with all abhominations so God hath troaden her vnder feete and as the Prophet sayth shee hath left her name as a curse vnto the chosen of the Lord that I assure you in my eares in the eares I am sure of many thousands moe the citie of Rome is a citie of contempt of ignoraunce of sinne like a deade stock whose sweete blossomes and pleasaunt fruite is withered and worne away And her roote as the Prophet saith is rottennesse and her bud as the dust and suche shal bee the ende of all the enimies of the Sonne of God. Nowe followeth in the last verse this definition of Angels whereof we spake before in whiche we learne and so confesse that they are ministring spirites sent out for our safetie and defence so that hereafter whosoeuer will dispute with vs aboute Angels with one worde we will answer him and cut off all curiositie This we knowe and we know it onely and who so euer knoweth more hee knoweth nothing but the vanitie of his owne minde Angels are spirites whiche serue the Lorde ▪ for his Churches safetie If yet we wil be vaine still and thinke yea but what are Archangels principalities powers rules thrones dominions What are Cherubim and Seraphim All these how so euer they be called in diuerse respectes diuersly they are all Angels in condition and nature as they are so here defined For if any Archangel throne or dominion or any other name that is named were any way greater then an Angel all this disputation of the Apostle were nothing worth for how could it proue the excellencie of Christ aboue all creatures because he is greater then Angels If Cherubim or Seraphim or any Archangel were also greater then an Angel And therefore that the reason of the Apostle may be as it is strong and vnanswerable we must confesse all blessed spirits whatsoeuer they be they be all this and this is their glorie that they be ▪ Gods ministers for the safetie of his children This doctrine the Prophet Dauid teacheth also verie plainely in the 34. Psalme The Angel of the Lord pitcheth roūd about thē that feare him deliuereth them And againe in the 91. Psalme He shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee to kepe thee in all thy ways they shal beare thee in their hāds that thou hurt not thy foote against a stone And according as this is Gods worde and his promise so we haue many examples howe he hathe at all times iustified his faith in the perfourmance of it that we might not stagger in this doctrine of Angels The Patriarches the people of Israel the Prophets the Apostles and Saincts of the new Testament our Sauiour Christ himselfe we haue seene howe the Angels haue beene with them in daungerous times and ministred the help of God vnto them Now touching the manner how the Angels of God execute this ministerie euen as it is not harde vnto the Lorde in the battels of men to saue with manie or with fewe so God sendeth out his angels more or lesse euē as he wil that it might be known the power is the Lords When Iacob feared before his brother Esau God sendeth to him an hoast of angels to comfort him When Eliseus was besett with the great hoast of the king of Syria his seruant was now exceedingly affraide Eliseus prayed to haue his eyes opened that he might see the helpe of God which was present with them and hee sawe immediately the mounteine full of horses and chariots rounde about Eliseus which were Gods Angels sent for the Prophets safegarde When our Sauiour Christ is in distresse and anguish God sendeth many Angels which doe minister vnto him And so he testifieth of the vsuall work of God common to all his sainctes and applieth it particularly vnto himselfe in reproouing Peter who woulde needs drawe his sword to mainteine his cause Thinkest thou saith he that I can not now pray vnto my father he wil giue me moe then twelue legions of Angels And as thus God sendeth out a great multitude for the saftie of one so contrariwise sometime he appointeth but one for the saftie of manie So God sent an Angel to deliuer Israel out of Aegypt and to guide them throughe the terrible wildernesse and euer after in all their troubles when they called vppon him the Angel of his presence as y prophet Esai saith was their deliuerer and when they should enter the lande of promise God sent an Angel to driue out the Canaanites before them When the armie of y king of Ashur came and besieged Ierusalem God sent an Angel who deliuered the Citie and in one night slew 185000. of the Assyrians When Dauid numbered the people and procured the wrathe of God God sent an Angel into Ierusalem who slew with the pestilence 70000. of the people So we haue many examples where vpon occasion to one man God sendeth one Angel euen as it is saide of one that he came to comfort our Sauiour Christ in the garden To Lot God sent two angels So to the womē that came to the graue of our sauiour Christ two Angels appeared tolde them he was risen againe When the Apostles looked after our Sauiour Christ at his ascension into heauen two Angels appeared vnto them to teache them what they had to do When God would destroy Sodome and Gomorth he sent three Angels to Abraham to tell him of it In the vision that Ezechiel had of the destruction of the citie God sendeth out sixe Angels to execute that iudgement And why is all this diuersitie to the end no doubt we should not be curious but rest in the doctrine which the Lord taught vs that the Angels are his ministers for
righteousnes al the dayes of our life who is our only Sauiour to whom with the father the holie ghost be glorie for euer Amē The seuenth Lecture vpon the 1. 2. 3. 4. verses of the 2. chapter 1 WHerefore we ought diligently to giue heede to the things which we haue heard least at any time we runne out 2 For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and euerie trangression and disobedience receiued a iust recompence of rewarde 3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great saluation which at the first began to bee preached by the Lorde and afterward was confirmed vnto vs by them that heard him 4 God bearing witnesse thereto bothe with signes wonders and with diuerse miracles and giftes of the holie Ghost according to his owne will WE haue hearde before howe that the Apostle after he had sette it downe that Christ was the Prophet of the new Testament that we might truely giue him this glorie streight hee magnifieth his person by many titles and by comparison with Angels proueing vnto vs that he is verie GOD. Now to shewe more clearely for what purpose all those praises of Christ were rehearsed himselfe maketh his conclusion in the beginning of this second Chapter that therefore we should most carefully hearken vnto him alone And this is the first part of this Chapter before the Apostle came as I tolde you to proue that our Sauiour Christ is also perfect man In this exhortation first the Apostle setteth downe his doctrine then his reason by whiche he will persuade vs vnto it his doctrine is this That it behoueth vs now more carefully to hearken to the woordes of Christe then afore time it behoued our forefathers to hearken to the lawe of Moses For where he sayth We ought more diligently he maketh this comparison plainly with the fathers in the olde lawe in the second verse following And heere we must wisely consider why he sayth We ought to be more carefull then they not that they might remitt any care for expresly they are charged with all care to adde nothing to take away nothing to chaunge nothing not to depart neither to the right hand nor yet to the left but day and night at home and abroade to do always this to studie it continually without intermission as appeareth in Deut. 4. 6. 5. 32. 6. 6. 11. 18. 12. 32. 28. 14. Ios. 1. 8. 33. 6. many other places Nor it is not saide that we be more bound then they as thoughe the authoritie of God were changed but this is spoken after our sense because now Christ hath spoken by himselfe then by angels now plainely then in figures therefore we ought more carefully to hearken not that all care ought not to be in them as wel as in vs but because our punish ment shall be more then theirs euen as we shall be despicers of the greater grace After this the Apostle addeth his reason to persuade vs to this especiall carefulnesse aboue all other people to hearken to the voice of Christe and that is of the perill that insueth Least saith he we run out The Apostle vseth a Metaphore taken of olde tubbes which runne out at the ioyntes and can holde no liquour In such a phrase of speache one sayth of him selfe I am full of creuisses or little holes and I flowe out on this side and on that meaning thereby that euerie vaine thing whiche hee heard he would blab it out so wee if we take into vs the sweete wine of the word of Christ as into old bottels and broken vessels that it runne out againe we become then altogether vnprofitable all goodnesse falleth away and we be as water powred vpon the ground This Metaphore the woman of Tekoa vsed to Dauid when in describing an vtter desolation of the people she said We are as water spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered vp againe And Dauid him self describing the extremitie of all miserie which was come vpon him he said I am like water powred out and all my bones are out of ioynt Likewise when he prayeth that all the plagues of God may fall vpon the wicked til they be consumed to nothing he sayth thus Let them mealt like the waters let them passe away So the Apostle noting the extreame perill and ine◅table death that is in neglecting the worde of Christe this glorious sonne of God he sayeth Take hede lest we be poured out meaning as water powred on the ground and is neuer after profitable any more And if you will see an example what this flowing away meaneth beholde the Iewes this day to whome it is threatened A despised people whose verie name is as a cursse so they haue flowed out and are come to ruine if their example doe make vs wise then this exhortation of the Apostle is not to vs in vaine It followeth in the second thirde verse For if the word spoken by Angels c. saluation In these words the Apostle aggrauateth his reason forceth it the more to feare the people He vseth to this end an argument of the comparison before made betweene Christ and the Angels that if the lawe giuen by angels were not broken without seuere punishment because it was giuen by such glorious spirites how much more shall we be punished if we despise this great saluatiō preached by the sonne of God That the lawe was giuen by Angels the scripture heere is plaine Moses saith of the deliuerie of it The Lord came with tenne thousand of Saincts And S. Paule sayth expressely the same Gal. 5. 19. And Saint Stephan likewise Act. 7. 53. And how can it be otherwise For when there was in the mounteine thunders lightenings tempestes fearefull sounds of a trumpet and the voyce of a man heard I am the Lord thy God that brought thee c. what could this bee but the ministerie of Angels For it must needes be true which our sauiour Christ sayth No man hath heard the voyce of God at any time Neither then could the maiestie of God speake but the voyce of his mouth would haue shaken vnto nothing bothe men and mounteine and all the elementes that were before him For howe can corruption stande in his presence If we doubt because of the wordes that the voyce sayth I am the Lord thy God And againe in the third of Exodus it saith I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaach the God of Iacob true it is that our Sauiour Christ then spake who is the God of glorie but he spake not in the voyce of his Godhead but in the likenesse of an Angel which he tooke vppon him For thoughe it be true that he tooke not the nature of angels nor was made one of them yet in his heauenly wisedome he tooke vppon him the likenesse of an Angel and according to that nature so spake wordes so that still this is true The lawe was giuen by
her for how else could it be true that the scripture sayth there shal be an Apostasie of men from the faith Iniquitie shall haue the vpper hand No man shall haue the libertieof his life but he that taketh on him the marke of the beast And I would fayne knowe of them whether the church vnder the law had not also this promise Saith not God by his Prophet Esaie My spirit which is vpon thee my words which I wil put in thy mouth shal not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy sede nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seede after thee frō hence forth for euer more What a glorious promise is this Should now the Scribes and Phariseis rise against Christ as they did and say they could not erre they had the holie ghoste they were the church Nay they were not the seed of Esaie but y seede of murderers that killed Esaie the prophets so these mē they are not the children of God but of the man of sinne which exalteth him selfe against God and vnder pretence of the spirite of God blasphemeth the Gospell which onlie the spirit hath taught vs and that he blasphemeth the gospel I may say it boldly and let them blame me if they can for doth not the Apostle say heere All our care must be to obey the gospell And do not they say that the Pope can dispense against the gospel against the Apostle against the prophet against the olde and new testament against the law of God and nature Only one thing can heere possibly bee said that they doe graunt all this care of the Gospel ought to be had but the gospell say they is not onlie the written word but manie other vnwritten verities taught by Christe and his Apostles and therefore we are bound to holde them I beseeche you dearely beloued marke these mens sayinges a little with me and iudge then with the spirite that God hath giuen you They say the woord written in deed we must keepe because it is of God and so likewise Christe and his Apostles preached things neuer written whiche yet preached by them ought to haue the authoritie of Christ himselfe It cannot be denyed but what Christ and his Apostles preached it was the woord of God equall with all writings of Apostles and Prophets But tell me is it the word of Christe writen that we should not worship Angels and is it the word of Christ vnwritten that we should pray vnto them Is it his word written that we shoulde not be bound to our forefathers traditions and is it his woorde vnwritten that our fathers traditions should be to vs as his Gospel Is it his worde written that we shoulde not obserue dayes and times nor make conscience of meate and drinke and is it his worde vnwritten that we should kepe Lent Aduent Imberdayes make difference of flesh and fishe Is it his worde written that to forbidde marriage which is honourable in all estates it is the doctrine of diuels and is it his worde vnwritten that ministers shal be forbidden to marrie Is it his word writtē that fiue words in a knowne tounge are better in the cōgregatiō then v. thousand in a straunge language and is it his worde vnwritten that in all congregations they shall haue a straunge language and speake all in Latine which the people vnderstand not Is it his word written that the dead are blessed which did in the Lord and they rest from their labour and is it his worde vnwritten that they are tormented in the fire of purgatorie And yet to come neerer is it his woorde written that his ministers shoulde bee subiectes to kings should be no Lords should haue no ciuil gouernement should attende vppon their owne flocke and is it his worde vnwritten that the Pope should displace kings that he should haue a triple crowne y his bishops so many should be secular princes y they should haue more churches vnder thē then euer they once loked on Hath God written it that Christ sacrificed himself once for all made a perfect redemption hath he left it vnwritten that a shauen priest must sacrifice him euery day and say a masse propitiatorie for the quicke and the dead What peruersnesse is this of men of a corrupt minde thus to imagine traditions contrarie to the worde of God But I will tell you Esaie prophesied well of these men saying This people draweth nere vnto me with their mouth and honour me with their lippes but their heart is farre from me but in vaine they woorship me teaching doctrines which are precepts of men They say if we beleeue no traditions of our Fathers why doe we beleeue this is the Scripture And heere euerie one obtrudeth S. Augustines sayinge I would not beleeue the Gospel except the authoritie of the Church moued me If this had beene Augustines meaning we would haue aunswered him again◅ that we will beleeue the Gospel though all the churches in the world would denie it But Augustine speaketh in y person of one that yet knoweth not God as of him self when he was a Manicheie To what purpose heere would you alledge Paule or Peter to one that knoweth not whether Paule or Peter were of Christ or not Therfore how so euer Augustine spake in this either well or ill his saying is nothing to our purpose But touching the scripture seing these men do cry so lowde that they can not knowe them but by the church I say againe to them that out of their owne mouthes wee may iudge them for Christ his shepe know his voyce do sollowe him and they do not know the voyce of a straunger but flee from him And touching this question I wil not answere it by S. Augustine but by a better man S. Paule answering the like question saith thus In deede our eye hath not seene nor our eare hearde nor our heart conceiued how to iudge this but the spirite of GOD hath reuealed it vnto vs. Marke dearely beloued the Papistes say they know the Scriptures because their eye doeth see where is the sea of Rome that hath kept them and so their eares haue heard their fathers say These are they But S. Paul saith their eyes are blind their eares are deafe their heart is dull all these cannot iudge the Scriptures Will they say now vnto S. Paule then they wil neuer beleeue them if they cannot know them by the church Let them rather be wise learne of Paule that God hath giuen vs his spirit by whiche we should know the things that are of God and of this I dare assure them they cannot so discerne the light with their eyes nor any sound with their eares as they discerne the scriptures by Gods spirit for if we be regenerate by this spirit the law of god is not now hid nor it is not far from vs y we shuld say Who shal ascend vp or who
shal descēd down but the word is nigh vs euen in our mouth that we should speake it in our heart that we should knowe it With this spirite the Prophet Dauid sayth I haue knowē long since by thy testimonies that thou hast established them for euer And this spirite maketh vs see in the scriptures a doctrine without all earthly thoughts the wisedome of man boldly troaden downe more force to moue in plaine speache then in all the eloquence of Tullie Demosthenes a doctrine which alone hath stoode euer in honor whē all other doctrines haue bene worne out with time a doctrine which hath ben assaulted with ten thousand imaginations of men yet abideth pure with out all infection of falshood this the spirite of God makes vs see in the scriptures more cleere as I said then we see the Sunne light with our eyes and the word of God hath all his credit in it selfe it needeth not the church it wil not haue the Pope to beare witnesse with it Now dearely beloued if any of you feele not this warrant in reading the worde of God aske of him that giueth and vpbraydeth no bodie and you shall vnderstand all that I haue said Set your heart vpon it loue it with all your soule Chaunge your selues with reading into those affections in which you see euery place written and you shall percelue Solomon is your good warrant Seeke after wisedome as you seeke after siluer and you shall finde it Thus muche I thought good to say vnto you by occasion of this earnest exhortation of the Apostle to hearken diligently to the Gospel of Christe He sayth after How shall we escape if wee neglect so great saluation Let vs note here that the Apostle calleth all transgression of the word of Christ the neglecting of so great saluation Wee must not looke till men either speake open blasphemie or doe all things to the open dishonour of God as men manifestly giuen vp to reprobate senses All sinners did neuer fulfill one measure of iniquitie but we see in the Gospel as wel he is condemned that hideth his talent in the ground and doth no good with it as the other that wasted his maisters goods and liued riottously with drunkards and gluttons Euen so it is with vs a great number of vs will not blaspheme the Gospel as Papists do and call them which professe nothing but it alone scismatiques heretiques Lutherans c. A great number of vs hate the knowen sinnes of manie adulterers drunkards oppressors dissemblers flatterers c. but be not deceiued surely this is not inough if we doe but neglect the Gospel how can wee escape The lawe giuen by Angels forbad not only the open breaches of it but it also required of vs that we should loue it that we should delight in it that it should be more deare vnto vs then all our iewels or other ornaments How much more the word spoken by the sonne of God must we not onely not openly transgresse against it but also how ought we to loue it how to delight in it how to account all things but doung in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Iesu Christ that we may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings beeing made like vnto his death trying howe wee may come to the resurrection of the dead This dearely beloued must be our life and we must bee as men who haue both dwelling and freedome in the heauenlie Ierusalem to reioyce in the Lord alwayes reioyce For if other we be of a dull spirite that we haue no ioy of our hope or when we taste a litle if it be streight forgotten so that the Prophets words be true in vs That our righteousnes is as a morning cloud and as the morning dew it goeth away it is with vs according to the common prouerb As good neuer a whit as neuer the better and all our Religion is in vaine for a spirit of slumber hath ouertaken vs And though we draw not our sinns after vs as with cart ropes yet we do neglect the great saluation of christ This I say that we might stirre vp the grace of God that is in vs not once to be negligent in the care of the Gospel but that it may euer be vnto vs as it is in deede a promise of gladnesse the pleasure of our youth the comforte of our age that all our dayes may be in peace It followeth in the fourth verse God bearing witnesse vnto it with signes c. Heere we learne that all signes wrought by God serue to the setting out of the Gospel The Apostle speaketh plaine and we must needes heare in all the signes that are wrought by God he beareth witnesse with them to the Gospell of his sonne And our sauiour Christ him selfe is the first scholemaister of this doctrine for when he sendeth out his Apostles to preache he giueth them their charge to preache that The kingdome of heauen is at hande and he giueth them this warrant of the doctrine Heale the sicke cleanse the lepres c. And where no opportunitie was to teach the doctrine he giueth them charge there not to tel of any miracle done so that assuredly we know those that are true miracles which strengthen the worde and all other are illusions of Sathan whose ende is superstition A notable testimonie of this trueth God him selfe giueth in his lawe where he saith plainely If a prophet come vnto you and worke signes and woonders though they haue neuer suche effect and be vnfeigned yet if that Prophet call you out of the waye in whiche God commaunded you to walke thou shalt not beleeue that Prophet but thou shalt sley him for they are no signes and tokens in whiche thou art iustified but the word of God is the seede of thy newe birth and the milke with which thou art nourished to be a perfect man of God. If signes and woonders carrie away thine eyes that thou shouldest not see the Gospell cursed are y signes thou too that beleeuest if thou turne not againe from such snares of Satan And let vs here dearely beloued carefully beware for our dangers are exceeding you knowe how the vaine heart of man is not a little moued with euerie shewe of a wonder if it be but a iuggler whole heapes will go after him and be partakers of his sinne If there come to passe any vn◅yonted thing rumour streight inlargeth it and carrieth it farre and wyde The diuel seeing this vanitie of our minde abuseth streight our foolish simplicitie and with many idle signes and shewes he carrieth vs in deede into deadly blindenesse Of this our Sauiour Christ warneth vs and biddes vs beware for there shall come deceiuers which will shew great signes wonders able to seduce if it were possible the verie elect And S. Paule foretelling the cōming of antichrist he sayth that through the working of the
subiect to any creature and if it be Gods eternall counsell that it should neuer be submitted to any no not to Angels in whome else can wee trust or in what other thing can wee put confidence to haue any parte of this wrought for vs We are all as our fathers were men by nature of the olde world our bodies and mindes full of sinne holden vnder the condemnation of the diuell all creatures against vs and God him selfe hateing vs no way to renewe our age no man to chaunge our state no Angel but God hath giuen it to Christ alone Wil I say that I can alter mine owne wil to make it couet goodnes Or put power into the members of my bodie to serue righteousnesse Or doe the things in which is any merite to eternal life Or purchase againe Gods fauour which was remoued from me If I wil boast of any of these I speake too proud words for either man or Angel and say that this seconde worlde is made subiect vnto me all good will all righteousnesse al merite al pleasure in heauenly things al reconciliation all victorie ouer death all loue of God all hope to be short all that is good and all ioy of spirite is of this new world whereof Christ is king And whosoeuer shall thinke that any power of these things is in himselfe he is puffed vp into pride of heart suche as an Angel of Heauen should not beare vnpunished for not vnto Angels but vnto Christ these things are giuen What can we nowe thinke of these men that tell vs the sacraments giue vs grace the masse is propitiatorie for our sinnes our submitting our selues to the Churche of Rome shall saue vs the Pope if we follow him he can not erre Crosses Bells Candels Holie water Vestments Pilgrimage Pardons Reliques euerie one hath his vertue the number of prayers hathe his measure of reward flesh or fishe it hath his holines according to his time These men and all the louers of their Gospell which take away from Christ the only rule of the world wherof we speake and put it in subiection to fleshe and bloud and the elementes of the world what shall we say of them Shall we beleeue them Or shal they prospet Nay they haue plowed wickednesse and they shall reape iniquitie they haue wandered in errour and they shal eate the fruite of lyes Now if this be so that all flesh hathe no goodnesse in it that all his wisedome and trauell can renue no whit of the lost worlde or bring any light into horror and darknesse but all is of Christ what shall we yet do with wordes of louder blasphemie which they call workes of supererogation What shall we doe with the Pope himselfe who by generall voyce of all his Church is saide that he can dispense the abundance of merites whiche were in the virgin Marie and in all Saints by his bulls to applie them Confessis contritis that they shal haue days of pardon as manie as he will number Are they ashamed of these thinges Nay they are not ashamed but euen now they lende vs ouer whole volumes to shewe the fruite of pardons how good they are and of late haue sent vs a bull that we should haue experience howe they holde this doctrine And what shall we say of suche a one Surely dearely beloued euen as the Prophet sayth of the people of Israel His formeations are in his sight and his adulteries are betweene his breastes So his vncleanesse is manifest to all the worlde and his marke is in his forehead that hee might bee knowen to bee Antichriste And you dearely beloued when you talke with your friends who are not yet persuaded in the religion of Christ when they thinke that wee haue free wil or we may deserue by our works or Lent and fasting dayes are holie or flesh or fish doe please God or the signe of the crosse is good or censing and Musicke stirre vpp deuotion or any suche thing Doe but aske of them whether they thinke obedience loue deuotion forgiuenesse of sinnes puritie life grace and such other fruites of Gods spirite and his mercie aske I say whether they thinke them workes of the olde worlde corrupt by Adam or of the new restored by Christe If they be of the new God hath not giuen them neither to our prayers nor fasting not working nor day nor time nor meat nor crosse nor musick nor belles to be short no not to Angels but to Christ alone to be dispensed according to his will If thou were as good as an Angel or thy meate as good as Manna that fell from Heauen or â—…hy garments as precious as Aarons Ephod or thy censinges as sweete as the perfume of all the Tabernacle or the dayes that thou keptst were as honourable as the day in whiche Christ arose againe from the dead yet neither thou nor thy garmentes nor thy meate nor thy dayes can set one of thy feete in this world we speake of it is the kingdome of Christe and be hath done it alone according heere as this prophesie is plaine and manifest Now followeth this prophesie what it man that thou art mindful of him c. by these words the apostle pro ueth this kingdome of Christ both properly and of right to be his and also by faith through Gods spirite giuen vnto vs in our Sauiour Christ they haue this sense Was not thy glorie great inough O Lord in the worke of thy hands but y thou shouldest giue thy sonne to be made man in whom our nature should be so exalted that al power should be giuen to him in Heauen and in earth who by his death should abolish all enimitie against man that he might be crowned with glorie and maiestie and haue eternall life in his owne hand And all this according to the verie sense of the prophet and therfore here alledged as in deed it was to be a prophesie of our sauiour christ Of vs also it is ment thus The prophet considering both the great maiestie of God appearing in his works and the base and lowe estate of a frail man that such a God of so great maiestie should haue any respect of a fraile and wretched man he could not but thus humble him selfe What is man O Lord that thou shouldest regarde him Such thoughts dearely beloued let vs haue and with such secret counsels let vs nourish our fayth This is the meditation to which we are called in all the workes of God and for this cause God hath giuen vnto vs hearts of men full of reason iudgment that we should rightly consider of all his creatures When we see the heauens we cannot chose but confesse before them it was not the hande of man that set them vpp so high We knowe the shining light of the sunne it is not giuen vnto it from earth or earthly thing we are sure y earth is found our owne trauel hath found it so our eyes do see the
of health as Sainct Paule saith in which they might haue ben heard But god at the last hath visited vs this vanitie is scattered away I would y remēbrance of it were gon with it An other propertie is here attributed to Christ that he was faythfull that is constant and vnmoueable in his loue til he had finished our reconciliation a lesson vnto vs y loue should not faint within vs nor we be wearie with the labour and trauell of it for true it is loue is not an idle affection to say I would hee were well Or God helpe him but loue is painefull to helpe in time of neede and well willing that no paine can wearie it So S. Paul saith Eternall life is giuen to thē which looke for it in continuāce of wel doing And in another place he bideth vs not to be wery of wel doing for we shal reape the fruit of it not be wearie a thing dearely beloued cōfessed of al men yea the verie Gentiles knew it y all my well doing is nothing worth if at last I would leaue my brother in miserie not help him stil. But it is a thing practised of verie few when I haue once or twise traueled in my brothers cause not to be wearie but to helpe him stil this corruption of y world let vs take heede of it correct the frowardnes of our own nature Tell me I pray if I saw a man like to drowne in y mids of the Thames what if I came vnto him and brought him nigh to the shore and then lest him drowning by the banck side what good did I to him Sure no more then he that looked on and let him alone in the middes only I made him languish with a vaine hope whereby his death was the bitterer And tell me thou fainting wearie friende if Christ should haue done so with thee how great had beene thy miserie If he had endured for thee the paine of his birth the trauel of his life the affliction of his flesh the reproches of men the tentatiōs of the diuel then had left thee in bondage of death whiche thou couldst not escape what hadst thou beene the better Let vs learne then to be faithfull as he was faithfull endure to the ende in well doing I speake this with griefe to see y world how euerie man is left in his righteous cause faire words goodly countenances are not hard to gett but a faithfull heart to deliuer the iust out of trouble I haue seene it in Christ I haue not else found it in one Yet this I am sure of he that is faithful in this behalfe he is like vnto Christ and Christe liueth in him And thus farre of the last verses of this second Chapter Now let vs come to the third Therfore holie brethren partakers of the heauenly calling cōsider the Apostle high Priest of our professiō Christ Iesus Now y Apostle leaueth to make any further description of the persō of Christ wherof we haue heard beginneth a more particular declaration of his offices first how hee is our Prophet to the 14. verse of the next chapter And now let vs learne to be fruitefull hearers and this exhortatiō let it make vs wise that carefully diligently we may hearken and learne the my sterie of y Lord Iesu in which we be saued that we may haue the testimonie in our selues that we be y children of the Newe testament Therefore holy brethren c. Let vs marke diligently euerie woorde in this excellent exhortation for they are not onely a wise persuasion to moue vs to care and diligence in learning but the exhortation is so gathered out of the former doctrine that this one sentence is a plaine expositiō of all the doctrine taught before from the eleuenth verse to the end of the Chapter He saith first Therefore Or for this cause as if he would say Seeing it is so with vs seeing God hath receiued vs into this grace seeing such an excellēt prophet is giuē vnto vs let vs heare him So in the first worde he sheweth that this exhortation is according to his former doctrine Then he calleth them Holie alluding to that he spake in the eleuenth verse He that sanctifieth they that are sanctified are one to teach vs that we be holie that we are one with Christ and y by his spirit sanctifying vs we be receiued into his felowship He calleth them Brethren repeating that he taught in the 11. 12. verse that Christ hath taken our nature we are euen as his brethren fellow-heires with him in the kingdome of his Father and that this is the meaning of Brethren the words following declare Partakers of the heauenly calling these wordes shewe what brotherhood he speaketh of that is a heauenly brotherhood which we haue with Christe for Christ the sonne of God who hath brought downe heauenlie giftes hath imparted himselfe vnto vs made vs fellowes with him in these heauenly blessings first reuealing his fathers wil then defending vs from our enimies and at last presenting vs faultlesse before God abolishing the diuel and the feare of death of whiche heauenlie giftes he spake in the 12. 13. 14. 15. verses After he addeth The Apostle and high priest of our profession In these words he teacheth what offices he had before attributed to Christ in y texts alledged first y he is our prophet calling him by the name of Apostle that is the messinger of God to teach vs our profession verse 12 then y he is our priest to present vs before God as verse 13. And although as I haue often tolde you his kingdome is also manifestly proued by that is saide afore yet by this place I gather that the Apostle hath especially and of purpose onely taught this that Iesus Christ God and man is only our Prophet priest to declare and worke our saluation exhorting vs now to learne carefully so great a mysterie Now let vs consider further this exhortation to see what profitable thinges we haue to learne in it where we are first called Holie Brethren we may see in these wordes a good image of the Churche of Christe Brethren as is said noteth our vnitie with Christ our head by the participation of his spirit so the church is a people graffed into Christ y is made members of Christ and sanctified with his spirite This is our knowledge of the church which is true and catholique it is not in any obseruation of time of place of person but where this brotherhood is a people ioyned to the Lord Iesus and sanctified by him there is the church to talke of any places it is great follie Christ will not haue his Churche to be known by countrie or kinred or respect of persons but only by this that they are graffed in him and made a holy brotherhod And here let vs learn what is true holinesse euen to be made partakers of
we will change him either for any other or els for al other What so euer glorious names they bring of Fathers Doctours Counsels and suche like boasting words we neither knowe them nor their names if they be ministers of Christ vnto vs their feete are beautifull and their names are honorable if they be their owne ministers wee know them not nor all their glorie if they say they be Doctours we may well say againe they are but Phariscies that will be called Rabbie We haue no Doctour but one and that is Christ he is The Apostle of our profession Now where the Apostle calleth Christe the highe Priest of our profession as we haue learned before if he be our Apostle we haue no other teacher so we learne here if he bee the Priest of our profession no part nor parcell of the office of his priesthoode wee may giue to another but professe it clearly that he is our Priest alone And as the Priest is ordeined to make sacrifice for sinne and to be a mediatour betweene God and man so all this worke wee must leaue wholy vnto him know no other receiue no other professe no other vpon whome we will lay this reconciliation to purge our sinnes and to bring vs vnto God but Christe alone for he is The Priest of our profession he hath washed vs from our sinnes he hath ioyned vs vnto God let him haue all the praise of this saluation Let vs call all the worlde into a reckoning who soeuer they be Popes prelates abbats monks friers heremites ankers their indulgences their pardons their blessinges their orders their garments their vowes accōpt all their works prayers fastings meditations pouertie nakednesse and al the chastisings of their bodies if in al this laid on a heape thou seekest to counterpeise but the least iot of thy sinne thou makest thy selfe thy priest and art an hypocrite or an hypocrits disciple hast denied Christ to be the Priest of thy profession for if he be thy Priest he is thy Priest alone purging al euery one of thy sinnes hath neither fellowe nor helper in his worke but as he hath saide so he hath done and hee hath troaden alone the wine-presse of the wrath of god Beware therefore dearely beloued of such doctours of such doctrine which in the question of forgiuenesse of sinnes carrie away your senses to any man or woorke of mans hand for it is but subtiltie to make you blinde that Christe should not be the Prieste of your profession And as it is thus in the purging of our sinnes so in beeing mediatour betweene God and vs to offer vp our workes our prayers and vs our selues faultlesse before his father there is no other but hee alone for if all Angels would present our prayers yet they could not our thoughts are so euil and our wordes so vncleane that the Angels of God can not make them righteous in his sight But if Christe giue vnto vs his spirite to minister sighes in our-heartes and in his owne righteousnes in whose mouth was no deceite will sanctifie our prayers which are of polluted lipps then wee haue a fre enterance vnto the throne of grace for he hath sanctified him selfe for vs and what so euer we aske in his name we shall obteine for thus neither our prayers are of vs but they are of the spirite of God niether are they presented from vs but from him who is our Mediatour and giueth them his owne righteousnesse to make them accepted and thus in his holie and vnsearchable wisedome findeing a meanes to sanctifie with his holines all that is ours euen vs our selues also hee hath sanctified in him selfe and giuen vs the righteousnes of his humanitie to be righteousnesse vnto our fleshe and so presenteth vs vnblamable vnto his father Thus Christ is the Priest of our profession and in all Christianitie there is no other It greeueth me heere to see the subtiltie of some who with colored words deceiue the heartes of many that are not euill When they would pull this profession out of our mouth they speake not in plaine wordes to byd vs denie that Christ is our Priest for then we would hate them therfore to kepe their credit and yet to worketheir mischefe they stammer in their tongs that the simple should not perceiue them and they say a Mediatour which is one part of his priesthood is of two sortes one of redemption and so is Christe alone another of intercession and so are all the Saints and Angels Thus they stop the mouthes of ignoraunt men then with a harlots forehead boast in their lies But when you meet these Rabbines and Apostles of their owne profession aske of them what they meane by a Mediatour of intercession they may as well say an intercessour of mediation for both are one it is as the Logicians call it a meere nugation For where there is one Mediatour beetweene God and man the man Iesus Christ it is his office to redeeme vs from sinne and to make intercession to God for vs And they rob him of this last parte of his honour who make you beleue it is a seuerall thing belonging to an other as by example we may make this more plaine It is the office of a king to rule ouer bodie and goods in whiche cause God commaundeth our obedience now a froward person that would denie to pay his tribute shall say a King is of two sortes one ouer the bodie another ouer goods my bodie I graunt to any lawfull seruice as due to our King but our Kinge is not onely the King of our goodes and I will bestowe mine otherwise Doe you not see what follie is in this because God hath submitted to Kinges two thinges bodie and goods therfore to say there bee two sortes of Kinges Euen so God hath made a Mediatour bothe to redeeme vs and to present vs vnto God and they blinde your eyes and tell you there be two sortes of Mediatours Surely euen with as good reason they might say because a man hath bodie soule there be two sortes of men one of a bodie another of a soule but to let suche deceiuers go let vs confesse a better fayth and acknowledge that Christe is the one and whole Prieste of our profession And heere let vs not forget this that our religion our sayth our hope is called our profession so he calleth it againe in the fourth chapter verse 14. and againe in the tenth Chapter the confessiou of our hope whereby we learne except wee professe it it is no religion no hope no fayth The Prophet sayth I haue beleeued therfore I haue spoken and S. Paule maketh this common to vs all we haue also beleued and therfore haue we spoken and Saint Paul sayth to the Romanes As in hart we beleue vnto righteousnesse so in mouth we confesse vnto saluation and Sainct Iohn sayth who soeuer shall openly professe that Iesus is the sonne of
religiō of the temple which was once the seruice of god is now finished hath his end frō henceforth there is neither circumcision nor vncircūcision nether Iewe nor Gentile but Christ is al in all the pure chaste bodie is his holie tabernacle spirit and truth is his heauenly worship thus much directlie the apostle teacheth them in these words whose house be we therfore called the house of God because his holie spirite dwelleth in vs as appeareth in all the places before alledged out of Paule It followeth now If we holde fast the confidence reioycing of our hope vnto the ende these wordes he addeth to teach them manifestly to know themselues whether they be this house or no for if they be they do hold and shall holde the reioycing of their hope constantly and faithfully vnto the ende These wordes dearely beloued let vs marke them well and learne them euerie iott and title with a wise hart for they conteine a blessed instruction most necessarie for our time There is not this day any other thing that holdeth backe a great number from the gospel of Christ but only the ignorance of this one sentence for what say al our aduersaries against vs but onely this Shal we leaue the Catholique Church to beleeue a few new sproung vp Shal we leaue the Church followe Luther or Zuinglius The Church hath beleeued as we beleeue the Church hath taught as we teach in the Church we abide thus vnder the name of the church the churche the world is mocked as Paule saith the hearts of manie men whiche are nor enill are seduced so that though they haue no thing to blame in vs yet they dare not come vnto vs least they should forsake the brotherhod in the Church of Christ. This generall plague is easily cured and al the euil of it is soone remedied if we can but holde our peace and heare the Apostle speake for vs all This same verie question is here handled the Iewes were now affeard to receiue Christ they thought him a new doctour they had Moses the temple the ceremonies things ful of excellent glorie and they were sure the church was heere and these things were in the Church to leaue them all soudenly and cleaue to Christ alone were to leaue the Church and follow new doctrine The Apostle to stop this offence he setteth downe first this plaine doctrine without question or cōtrouersie that the church of God or to vse his own word the house of God is not any building of woode or stones not any citie or any material Temple but man is the house of god Here first we learne one necessarie lesson Wilt thou know the house of God that is his Church Looke not at Ierusalem nor at Mount Sion for neither the Citie nor the Temple in it are nowe the house in whiche God dwelleth It thou doubtest know it for a truth that Ierusalō long since is troaden downe of the Gentiles the Turke and Infidels haue defiled all the stones of i◅ for the temple there are manie hundred yeres since the vncircumcised haue entred into it and the abhomination of desolation hathe stoode in the holie place that it might be fulfilled that was spoken by the Prophet Daniel This therefore learne for a trueth The Church of God is not in any materiall Temple not it is not knowen by any Citie or Countrie Ierusalem that for this cause once was the glorie of the worlde and the beautie of the whole earth hathe no more this dignitie neither shall it be giuen to any place for euer but to finde the Church of God seeke in the heart of man for the Apostles haue all spoken plainely We are his house Now let Rome goe and boast her selfe and pronounce her proude decrees that in her palaces the Churche of Christe doeth dwell let all her louers striue for her prayses that shee is our mother her we must serue vppon her we must wayte she cannot erre against all these children of pride we dare set out selues The house of God is neither in Rome nor in the Capitol of Rome no more then it is in Aegypt or the high pinacled Churches in Aegypt but in euery nation and in euerie countrie the men that feare God and woorke righteousnesse they are the church and the house in which God doth dwel And as the Lord hath done to Ierusalem and to the ruines thereof that the place should not boast of the Oracles of God so God hath done to Rome to the idols thereof that their boasting should bee in vaine of the church of God for what was Rome euen from her birth but a Citie builte in parricide then strengthened with robberie and made a sanctuarie for murderers of all nations What was it after but a slaughter-house of the martyrs of God And what is it in oures and our fathers dayes but the Queene of pride the nurse of idolatries the mother of whoredomes the sincke of iniquitie out of which sorceries witchcrafts poysonings adulteries rebellions and bloudie warres haue ouerflowed the whole earth I lye not on them dearely beloued neither they them selues can accuse mee if any of them heare what I say A thousand testimonies I haue of this out of their owne stories and ten thousand ryming verses haue beene made against them for their greate iniquitie by example of one learne the residue A hundred and fourtie yeeres past one sayth of Rome and of the Pope thus Imatenet Iupiter c◅lum habet Pluto Et accedit dignitas animali bruto Tanquam gemma stercort aut pictura Iuto We haue brought GOD into Hell and the diuel into heauen dignitie is now added to a brute beast as a pearle to a dounghil or a faire picture to a peece of dyrt Euen such as these are and no better a thousande testimonies are of the Church of Rome all which if we coulde not beleeue yet let vs beleeue our owne eyes we haue seene his wicked dispensations the brother to marrie his brothers wife the sister to marrie her sisters husbande the vncle to marrie his neece and the nephue to marrie his aunt Wee haue seene his bulles to make the subiects rebell against their princes we haue seene his stues in open knowen places The Turke hath no more defiled Ierusalem then the Pope hath defiled Rome and all the altars of Mahomet are not so vncleane as the Popes reuerend altars whiche serue for Sodomites and as the Popes honourable churches in which they nourish vp amorous boyes Nulla hie arcana ro◅elo Mantuan saith I speak no secrets the world knoweth this wel enough And yet if they will boaste The Church of Rome the Church of Rome shall wee still beleeue them or shall we rather beleeue the Apostle that the church of God is not neither Rome nor not Rome but in Rome and out of Rome the men that feare God are the Church of Christ. And let this be our first lesson
bring vs in a fooles paradise of prayer when we bee gone that we might not regarde the God of glorie while he offered eternall life vnto vs. And for the Saincts that are dissolued and be with Christ they shal be witnesses against vs of our madnes which esteemed them as tormented soules of purgatorie and other whom God hath taken away in his anger to make them dye in their sinnes when we fill their handes with our foolishe prayers wee ioyne with them in rebellion against God but their torments can not be healed with medicines and therefore as an vnprofitable and euill thing so let it goe let the darke fansies of dead men alone and let vs do our duetie one to another in all prayers workes and loue nowe in this time while we may do good and while the day is yet vpon vs. Now further where it is saide If you will heare his voice we learn by warrant of the holie Apostle that our sauiour Christ was euer y prophet of his church in vertue and power of his spirite euen from the beginning as well as in nature and substance of manhood after he was borne of the virgin Marie So the Apostle afterward againe saith of y prophets times that The voice of Christ did shake the earth then in all the disobedience of the people of Israel in the wildernesse Sainct Paule saith They tempted Christ as noting him to bee their guide and leader in their deserte wayes And this is the true acknowledgment of our Sauiour Christ to be the lambe killed from the beginning of the worlde to confesse that he is and euer was the mediatour and redeemer of his church and the welbeloued sonne of his father and the prophet for euer whom he had ordeiued for his people all whiche when wee shall beleeue then wee shall boldely say as this Apostle sayth Iesus Christ to day and yesterday he is the same and the same abideth for euermore the same Prophet the same fayth the same hope the same God euen as we confesse one and the same catholike church As our fathers were saued so are wee and at this day we beleeue not only as Paule and Peter did beleeue but wee walke in the steppes of that sayth which was first in our father Abraham yea and in all Patriarches beefore him as wee haue all had but one heauenlie maister And whatsoeuer outward ceremonies God hath ordeined according to the diuersitie of times they were euer appointed to be schoolemaisters to leade men vnto Christe in whome onely GOD was wel pleased and without whome there is no saluation And herein the singular loue of God to vs hath appeared and these dayes of the Gospell preached are aboue all other blessed dayes because this Sauiour hath shewed him selfe vnto vs and hath beene in the middes of vs flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones and we haue seene his glorie as the glorie of the onelie begotten sonne of God and hee hath reuealed vnto vs the cleare and shining way of this saluation more openly then euer before and therefore let vs heare the admonition To day if you will heare his voice harden not your heartes And here that he saith Harden not your heartes we see how great a sinne we cōmitt in not hearkening to the voice of God we harden our hearts and couer thē as with a couering of brawne that they may not be mollified with y grace of God for the word of God is liuing and more sharpe then a two edged sword and entereth to the diuision of the soule and the spirite neither is it possible to keepe it out but as a sword so it wil pearce our heart except we haue made it hard as flint And as he sayth Do not you harden your owne hearts so let vs persuade our selues our sinne is our owne and we haue done it we may not excuse our selues as the manner of some is and say our heartes are hardened whether we wil or no and who can doe withall True it is and the Prophet sayth it We haue of our selues stonie hearts and all the imaginations of them are euil euen from our youth so that all men father children may say a like we know that in vs y is in our flesh there dwelleth no goodnes but what so euer the corruption of our nature is be it neuer so greate yet our fault is neuer the lesse no more then if we had an Angels nature whiche willingly and wittingly we would peruert for vnto our corrupt nature we bring of our selues a peruerse wil which did corrupt the Angels nature and made them fall from God so lay no more thy fault on thy nature for thy will is set to worke iniquitie with all delight to doe euil We wish to bring our ill purposes to passe we reioyce wee are glad it is the thinge we would haue we will not heare anie other call wee bid farewell to all what so euer would turne vs from our sinne The corruption which we haue our pleasure is in it and all the goodnes which we want we care not for it but our wil is after our worke and as we are so wee like our selues best if there bee any wicked and dissolute man that denieth this either he hath taught his tong to lie or a seduced heart hath deceiued him for let him speake that can the theefe that stealeth the adulterer that defileth his bodie the enuious man that speaketh euil the beastlie man that murdereth another the blasphemous toung the rebellious hand whiche of these is not thruste forewarde of his owne will or who euer that mourned and wept that fasted and prayed not to be lead into tentation hath ben giuen ouer to so shamefull sinns No no if God make vs once mourne vnder the bodie of sinne the grace of Christ is offered to the broken and contrite heart and sinne reigneth not in vs but because we delight in it let vs hearken therefore to this admonition To day if you will heare his voice harden not your heartes It followeth As in the bitter murmuring as in the day of tentatiō in the wildernes where your fathers tempted me proued me and saw my workes fourtie yeeres This example of their fathers rebellion is wel alledged both to moue them the more to take heede by their fathers example because they were a people exceedingly holden with an opinion of their fathers that they shoulde yet remember their fathers were but men and they should not followe them in their sinne and wickednesse The storie which the prophet especially meaneth is written in the 17. of Exodus where Moses sheweth how the people murmured in Rephidim for want of water for then Moses gaue these verie names to the place and called it Bitter murmuring because they stroue bitterly and contended againste Moses and he called it tentation because they ceassed to put their trust in God and rebelled for want of water So by the
is plaine plainely taught that if we wil be saued by Iesu Christe his worde must be mingled to vs with fayth if wee be of the newe testament belong vnto this couenāt which is made in Christ to the forgiuenesse of our sinnes then we beleeue the word that is preached and the lawes of God are written in our heartes And this S. Paule setteth out so cleare vnto vs that it is impossible impossible I say for any to knowe the Gospel and to be ignorant of it for this is the gospel as Paul saith The power of God to saue all that do beleue do you heare this and do you vnderstand it tell me then what think you of that religion where this preaching of the gospel is holden back nay where they haue bene so enuious vnto it that they haue not suffered the woorde to be in such a language as the people might once reade and vnderstand it The Priestes them selues vpon whome they laied the worke to sacrifice for their sinnes and to whome they confessed their sinnes to haue forgiuenesse of them And what I say will you think of suche a people or what religion haue they doeth not the Apostle say true there is no saluation but by beleuing the worde as it is preached vnto vs and doe they say true that the Masse purgeth our sinnes ▪ the prieste forgiueth them the masse is in latine the priestes ignorāt the people are led with vaine imaginations no faith no worde is in all their doeing but it is no maruel though some men be robbed of their harts and beleeue all the illusions of Sathan for how can a man beleeue the trueth except the spirit of God be in him Pharaoh was not taught by all the woonders y Moses wrought in Aegypt The Iewes were not the wiser for all the miracles whiche Christe wrought before them If such thinges haue happened in the daies before vs though now the Apostles and prophets do all cry Without faith in the Gospel preached you can neuer be saued Ignoraunce is abhomination before God and yet the Pope who taketh the word from vs teacheth vs no faithe couereth vs with blindnes prayseth ignorance in our hearing if we embrace him follow him loue him honour him as Pharaoh did Iannes and Iambres or as the Iewes did Annas and Caiphas let vs not maruel no new thing hath happened in our dayes The Lord hath not lightened their mindes what wisdome can be in them but we will leaue them to him who is iust and mercifull and let vs pray that his woorde may be alwayes mingled vnto vs with fayth that in this greate darknesse of the worlde we may see light One thing else wee may heere marke that it is said the word did not proofit thē because it was not ◅ngled with faith wherby we know it is only faith that com mendeth vs vnto God without which the woorde is in vaine the presence of Christ is in vaine to be his brother sister mother al is in vaine nothing but faith carrieth vs with boldnes into his presence Manie singular proofes of this our Sauiour Christ sheweth in many places when a woman crieth vnto him Blessed is the wombe that bare thee the pappes that gaue thee suck Our sauiour Christ answereth nay rather blessed are they that heare the word of God kepe it When some saide vnto him Beholde thy mother and thy brethren would speake vnto thee he answered again He that doth the wil of my heauēly father he is my brother my mother In another place when cōtrouersie was how we should haue life saluation through him he saith to his disciples The fleshe profiteth nothing it is the spirit that quickeneth noting in al this that not his bodily presence not his kinred not y trauell of his mother nor any thing is imputed vnto vs for right ousnesse but only faith in which we beleeue according to his gospel preached vnto vs y in his death al our sinnes are purged in his resurrection wee are iustified This maketh vs acceptable without this it is vnpossible to please him this the Apostle teacheth vs here when he saith For this cause the word profited them not because it was not mingled vnto them with faith for only faith doth all apprehendeth all ouercommeth all and the gates of hell shall not in the ende preuaile against it and the Lorde increase this faith in vs And let vs pray c. The nineteenth Lecture vppon the 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. verses 3 For we whiche haue beleeued do enter into rest as he said to the other As I haue sworne in my wrath if they shall enter into my rest although the works were finished from the foundation of the world 4 For he spake in a certein place of the seuenth day on this wise And God did rest the seuenth day frō all his works 5 And in this place againe ▪ if they shall enter into my rest 6 Seeing therfore it remaineth that some must enter therinto and they to whom it was first preached entered not therein for vnbeleefes sake 7 Againe he appointed in Dauid a certein day by To day after so long a time ▪ saying as it is said this day if ye heare his voice harden not your heartes 8 For if Iesus had giuen them rest then woulde he not after this haue spoken of another day 9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10 For he that is entred into his rest hath also c◅assed from his owne workes as God did from his THIS Scripture whiche nowe I haue read vnto you I must needes confesse to mee it seemeth yet somewhat obscure neither hathe God so reuealed it vnto mee that I dare boldly pronounce this it is but submitting my selfe to any better interpretation which shal be shewed of other according to that whiche God hath giuen me so I will shewe you what I think moste likely and so muche the more boldely I will shew you mine opinion because by the grace of God I wil speake nothing but agreeable to all which the Apostle before hath most plainly taught vs You knowe howe earnestly hee hath exhorted vs to harken vnto Christ what fault especially shal make vs neglect it and that is infidelstie what great peril we haue in this sinne that it We shall not enter into his rest Nowe he teacheth and addeth sure arguments to his doctrine howe wee shall auoide so great punishment and so great sinne and how we shal be obedient vnto Christ and that is by faith an humble acknowledgement of him to be our Prophet and a constant beleeuing of all his trueth This doctrine firste hee setteth downe in these woordes For we enter into his rest that doe beleeue This he proueth first by the manifest text afore alledged for it was said To whom I sware in mine anger that they should not enter into my rest meaning the
haue so greate gladnesse of hearte O Lorde what are the Heauens of Heauens where we are citizens which is our countrie where our bodie is glorious and crowned with life where thy maiestie shal shine in perfect beautie before vs where all thinges shal be our owne and we shal bee thine A happie lordship a happie Earledome a hap pie man whose honour teacheth him thus to know the Lord who hath had mercie vppon him These and such like meditations thoughts which carrie vp our mindes from the Creatures to the Creatour and from our worldly calling to him that hath called vs these doe leade vs into the rest of the Lorde these are our holie woorkes on the sabbaoth dayes and this is our wisedome in enioying all the benefites of god But of this meditation I spake before vnto you in the exposition of the sixt verse of the second chapter Nowe touching this woorde whereof we haue heard so much that is the rest of God we must marke how the scripture vseth it sometime for the trueth which is euer one somtime for the figures whiche haue beene diuerse The true and perfecte rest is that which is now begonne in vs the resting from our owne workes that is our dyinge vnto sinne the crucifying of the olde man that wee may giue ouer our bodies vnto the Lord to be seruants of righteousnesse and that onely his spirite may reigne in vs that as Paule saith it be not nowe we that liue but that it be Christ that liueth in vs and this rest shal be made perfecte in the resurrection of the iust when we shal be ioyned vnto Christe our head and God shal be vnto vs all in all The figures of this rest as I saide haue beene diuerse The first figure was the rest of the sabboth day called our rest because wee were without bodily labour only in spirituall exercise to consider the works of God his greatnesse and power and goodnesse therby to learne with al our harts to serue him to glorifie him as our only god so y al the seuenth day longe while the sunne shined it preached vnto the people that they should ceasse from sinne and serue God die vnto the world and liue in him An other figure of this spirituall rest was the lande of Canaan called their rest because they ceassed from the fearefull trauell of the solitarie wildernesse and from feare of enimies which alwayes rose againste them from their bondage before in Egypt now inhabiting a quiet countrie full of all fruit and pleasure and their spirituall exercise in this rest was to see from what miseries God had deliuered them what blessings he had giuen them howe mightilie he saued them from al hurt of man and beast and euerie creature and therfore now in a holy rest and quietnesse to be thankful vnto him to serue him to trust in him to rest vnder the shadow of his wings An other figure of this rest was also y tēple of whiche it was said This is my rest for euer here wil I dwel for I haue a delight therin called also the rest in respect that before the tabernacle and the Arke was carried from place to place but nowe it was settled for euer in mount Sion the spirituall exercise of this rest was that God had now made knowen vnto them his statutes and ordinaunces in which they should liue his couenauntes and promises were sure vnto them and that they shoulde not immagine vaine thoughts or followe their own deuises but abide in the waies of God acknowledging them alone to be the wayes of life and so giue ouer them selues to walke in them These were the figures of this spirituall rest which abideth for euer and vnto vs nowe to whō figures haue ceassed this rest is set out clearlie in it self that we should liue in it ceasse from our owne workes doe the woorkes of our God and worship him in spirit and trueth hauing according to this exhortation of our Apostle our Sauiour Christ our onely prophet to rest in his woorde our onely priest to rest in his sacrifice for sinne our only king to rest in his defence our only head to rest in his nourishment who only with his blessed spirite feedeth vs to eternall life and worketh in vs all in all This is that kingdome of God whiche we are taught to pray that it may come and prosper and this is that the prophet Esay sayth of the roote of Ishaie that in those dayes his rest should be glorious this is the trueth sigured in all the former restes of the Sabboath of the lande of Canaan of the temple as Zacharias ful of the holie ghost doth most plainly shew This is saith he the othe which he sware to our father A brahā that he would graunt vnto vs that we beeing deliuered out of the handes of our enimies might serue him without feare in holines righteousnes al the dayes of our life and this rest hath in it as Paul saith a pure heart that is vn◅ed cōstant loue a sincere saith that is holy and true religion and a good corscience that is peace toward God through Iesus Christ and these properties of our rest deerely beloued mark them wel that we may knowe the place where we dwell in peace and lest we thinke foolishly that we are at rest when yet we are tossed in the tempestuous sea our religion must be pure and vntouched from the curious and entising fancies of Philosophie from traditions and decrees of men from superstition of the elements of the worlde as meate drinke daies times and such other to be short pure from al thinges which Christ our only prophet hath not taught vs And how can we thinke then that we are yet in this rest if we be holden with decrees Touch not tast not c. if counsels and fathers whiche are diuerse and daily renued do lead vs with their sūdrie indgments what rest is in my religion if thus I muste walke vncerteinly It was said of the first rest What I commaund thee do that onely this rest is nowe abundantly confirmed vnto vs more amplie thē before as Christe is greater then Moses and how then do we seeke after any instruction but onely after the word of Christe alone Againe seeing in our rest is vnfeigned loue contention and strife quarels are cast out how do we say we are entred into our rest when this dissention is amōg vs one with another let vs looke vnto it wel to whom it belongeth It is a greuous thing to trouble the peace of the church so is it a greuous thing to see trueth lye hidden or despised therfore iudge not you rashly nor condemne any mans worke before it be tried We are called vnto a rest and let vs nourish our peace who soeuer fall out with vs let vs not fall out with them but let vs seeke the truethe in loue and so shall be built vp the
decayed places of Sion and to our selues euery one of vs this I say yet not I but Saint Iohn That He that loueth his brother he hath no offence in him whereat another should fall therfore in any controuersies that can arise in the church if we feare God let vs follow this rule let vs not doe any thing for vaine glory for honour for riches for pleasing men for if we do we may be assured offeÌ„ces wil arise we shall be guiltie of theÌ„ but if only Gods glory the loue of our brethren do constraine vs God will giue vs the spirit of wildome peace and we shall not be offences vnto any but this let you me coÌ„mit vnto the Lord with our hartie praires he wil bring to passe a good worke in our eyes Againe our rest must bee in all trueth and howe doe suche men seeke the glorie of this rest which fil the world with lying and flattering which call good euil and euil good light darknesse and darknesse light The Prophet Amos complayneth of the Iudges of his time that they were so corrupte through brybes that they were redie to sell the people for old shooes if he were aliue now he would add to this another complaint that some preachers are also so corrupt that they wil sell the trueth for a mounrning gowne Let a man be now neuer so blinde that hee walke as at midnight when it is noone dayes yet you shall finde some Preacher will commende his sight if a man were as black as the black horse spoken of in the Apocalypse that nothing were in him but shadowe darknesse yet he shall finde a black prophet with a black mouth and a headlong tongue to make him as white as the white woll or as white as the white snowe and if a false tounge coulde colour him more then that it is set to sale and it is easily bought But haue such men care of our blessed rest or do they delight in the glorie of it Do they thinke that in the church of Christ it wil be euer suffered that the sweete and costly garments of Gods sainctes shal be taken from them and made a spoyle for straungers or he that goeth about this shall hee not disquiet our peace Leaue off then you that feare the Lorde leaue off to sell the praises of faith and of religion to those which neuer sought and inquired after them Remember Elihu saith If I shoulde giue titles my maker woulde destroy mee Do not therefore iustifie the sinner while thou liuest Thou foolish praiser thou folish praised what substance is there in you but a blast of winde Let vs then leaue off lying and speake euerie man the trueth froÌ„ our hearts and so let vs enter into our rest dwell in the peace of Gods Church together Nowe one worde more touching this rest the seuenth day is called the Lordes rest the land of Canaan is called his rest the temple his rest the Gospell his rest yet were not all these his rest but figures and presentations of it as times places meanes by whiche we should rest in him yet had they the name of the rest as things liuely presenting the rest vnto vs in whiche we enioyed the spirituall rest thus it is in all sacraments because they present vnto vs Gods graces and his holy spirite worketh in the ministerie of them the more to assure our faith they are also named by the thinges which they preseÌ„t vnto vs Now touching the sabboth day which is here mentioned you see from the beginninge it was a figure of our spirituall rest in Christ so that as al figures in him haue ceassed are complete so the obseruation of that seuenth day hath also ceassed and the trueth of it must shewe it selfe which is that not the seuenth day but all the days of our life our thoughtes should be with God and our workes to his glorie and thus the olde Sabboth was ceremoniall and is now abrogate euen as you see for that Sabboth is now our saturday in which we lawfully occupie our selues in all honest labour of our calling An other end of that Sabboth was according to the manners of men necessarie for them then and now necessarie for vs and that was that thei might haue a time to meet together to worship God in the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ to make publique prayers vse his sacramentes for strengthening their faith heare his law and his prophets that they might learne his iudgments and edifie one another in the knowledg of God this end of the Sabboth must needs be perpetuall as long as our weaknesse needeth mutuall helpe and as long as it is meete we should openlie serue the Lord to this end the commaundement is stil read vnto vs Remember thou keepe holie the Sabboth day which now is our sunday ordeined by the apostls exaÌ„ples that the superstition of the Iewish Sabboth should be taken away and kept holie that thus we should occupie our selues in that day otherwise the olde Sabboth can possiblie be kepte of vs no other way but as the Apostle here teacheth vs in the tenth verse that as we see God rested in it from all his works so we in all our life must rest from our own woorkes that is wee must rest from our care or regarde of the flesh to accomplish the desires of it but as we are bought with a price so wee muste yeelde our selues seruants vnto our Lord and offer vp our selues a holie liuely sacrifice to doe his will and thus farre of this text Now let vs pray c. ¶ The xx Lecture vpon the 11. 12. and 13. verses 11 Let vs studie therefore to enter into that rest lest any man fall after the same example of disobedience 12 For the word of God is liuely and mightie in operation sharper theÌ„ any two edged sword entreth through euen vnto the diuiding a sunder of the soule the spirit and of the ioyntes and the marrowe and is a discerner of the thoughtes and the intents of the heart 13 Neither is there any creature which is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open vnto his eyes with whome he hath to doe IN this eleuenth verse the Apostle maketh his last proofe of Christe to be our prophet because y â— â—…ce of this word of God agreed â—…t but with the maiestie of his person and so entreth into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 description of the vertue power of this word making earnest exhortation that wee would vse the great benefite of it and therefore hee saith first Let vs therfore studie to enter that is let vs labour let vs be careful let vs giue all indeuour let vs care trauell that we may enter thus shaking off al sluggish dulnesse quickening them froÌ„ heauinesse of spirite as vnto a thing of great weight he calleth vs with great care and studie to giue our selues vnto it And
heere in this word Let vs studie we haue a plain interpretation of that he said in the first verse let vs feare for the whole verses that and this as you may see haue one and the same meaning there hee saith Let vs feare lest forsaking the promised rest we seme to be fr◅strate that is lest by such vnfaithfulnes as was in them wee also make the promise to vs in vaine here he saith Let vs studie to enter into this rest least wee fall into their example of vnfaithfulnesse thus the exhortation beeing all one it is manifest that this worde Let vs feare which he vsed first hath the meaning of this word Let vs studie which he vseth now so that this is as I told you then y feare of gods children a careful studie in deuour to walk faithfully before god And an other good lesson we may here learne sith the Apostle saith let vs studie it is plain we ought not to nourish in vs as the manner of the world is a carelesse securitie to speake and think of our hope in God with a secure mind as if we cared not greatlie for it or longed not much after it such a carelesse minde is altogether vnmeete for the profession of the gospel of Christ and it is a thing that we do all vnderstand none can excuse him selfe by ignorance we know the fault by the tryall of our owne hart when we think of God and his heauenly kingdome what parte and fellowship we haue in it wee can tel how our heartes are then affected if it bee our ioy our comforte our consolation if it drawe our delight and studie after it then are we children of that kingdome then we obey this calling of the Apostle which is here Let vs studie to enter into this rest but if we can think or speake of the kingdome of heauen as wee would speake of farre countries for talke sake to heare what is sayde of them but without any care whether we see them or no then we are seduced with the deceit of sinne and this exhortation of the Apostle is made in vaine vnto vs And let vs not here deceiue our selues to think wee haue our cares for the life to come when wee haue no care at all for it our nature is here verie blind beleeueth easilie her owne vaine fancie not onely Scribes and Phariseis and suche frowarde sinners doe presume much of their owne righteousnesse glorie in them selues but euē Gods good people are soone beguiled with selfe-loue the Corinthians talked much that they were wise that they were spirituall holy men but Saint Paule saith vnto them Seeing such contentions emulations sectes are among you you are yet children and you are carnall So we dearly beloued if we wil say we feare before God our care our study our hart is in the kingdom of God yet we laugh when we talke of his iudgmentes make our ieastes and rymes with his holie woorde or if we be nothing moued in spirite when wee speake of it then are we not studious but carelesse secure negligent we heare not this exhortation of the Apostle Let vs studie to enter into his rest and thus is this exhortation ended made out of the woordes of the Prophet To day if you will heare his voice harden not your hearts c. It followeth now For the word of God is liuely mightie in operation and sharper then any two edged swoord and entreth through euē to the diuiding asunder of the soule the spirit and of the ioynts of the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughtes and the intents of the heart neither is there any creature which is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked open vnto his eyes with whom we haue to doe In these wordes the Apostle setteth out the nature of the worde of God vnto vs vppon what occasion wee may easily see he hath taught that Christe is our onely Prophet and we haue no other schoolemaister to teach vs and instruct vs in the wayes of God he hath also earnestly exhorted vs to heare his voice and faithfully to harken vnto him lest we fall into the condemnation of others who haue bene despisers afore vs and whose iudgement we should not escape for the word of God woundeth euen into the soule of the sinner thus hee commeth to this description of the strength and force of Gods word as may appeare by his owne woordes going before lest we fall into the same example of disobedience thus prouing it y we cannot escape because the word is so strong and mightie And this doctrine of the Apostle let it this day be our instruction if we do beleeue or if we think the Apostle saith true that the word of God hathe so greate power in it let vs regarde it let vs giue our feare our reuerence our obedience vnto it for how great a sinne must it needes bee to despise a thing that is so precious and howe great peril is there in it to prouoke a thing against vs whiche is so strong If it were but the roaring of a beare or Lion it would make any of vs affraid yet could it but only pearce into our eares if it be but the voice of thunder it seemeth to make the verie earth to shake yet is it but a bodily sound and the spirite heareth it not a whitt what then When he speaketh whome the marrow within our bones doth heare how truly saith the prophete of him his voice shaketh not only the sea and the drie land but the verie heauens also and can we haue yet any excuse if we heare not him that speaketh so lowde If we beleue not him to whom our own hearts beare witne◅e of his trueth or if we heare not his word whose voice shaketh both heauen and earth or are we born of God if so great vertue power of god haue no feeling in vs No no be not deceiued God is not mocked his sheepe heare his voice we are not borne of him but we are born of hard rocky mounteins a stonie generation nourished and sed of cruel Tygres if such instruction such teaching preuaile not with vs Heare then dearely beloued heare learne that we may be edified let our harts be softened that we may haue the wordes of God written in them And seeing wee haue so excellent a prophet let vs be thankfull scholers and growe vppe in the knowledge of his doctrine if at it neuer be imputed vnto vs that wee haue hardened our hearts and would not knowe his wayes And to the end we may take the more heede let vs marke these words of the Apostle in which he setteth out vnto vs the great force of the woorde of God The woord of God saith he is liuely and sharper then any two edged sworde c. This place is well to be weighed of vs for of purpose the Apostle speaketh to teache vs what the worde of
God is and what power it hath both to quicken the faithfull and wounde the disobedient vnto death wherevnto so euer the Lorde doeth sende it it shall do his will no time no place no person can possiblie chaunge it no creature can breake the force of it the worke that is appointed for it to do it wil assuredly bring to passe Let soule spirit ioynts marow heart and thoughtes striue still against it it will wound all and pearce through as a sharpe sworde euen as al things are naked and bare before the eyes of the lord who speaketh neither let any man euer thinke whosoeuer he be that heareth or readeth this worde of God but that it worketh in him the will of god Euen all we here present this day when after this sermō ended we shal returne to our calings know it assuredly think on it as you are in your way y the word spokē is entred into you if it haue quickned your faith it is the word of life if it haue kil led your old affectiōs it is the seed of your new birth if it haue don you no good it hath detected your cor ruption accuseth you in your own cōscience for change it you shal not make it fruitlesse you cannot there is no defence against the strokes of it but it pearceth through to the place to which it is sent if it light in faithful places it bringeth the power of God vnto saluation if it fall where infidelitie is or disobedience it maketh the hart as flint or as an Adamant stone This is the effecte of the Apostles meaning in these wordes whiche you haue hearde The prophet Esaie to the same purpose vseth an apt similitude who speaketh thus in the name of the lord Surely as the rayne commeth downe and the snowe from Heauen and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it to bring forth and budde that it may giue seede to the sower and bread to him that eateth so shall my worde be that goeth out of my mouth it shal not returne vnto me in vaine but it shall accomplish that which I wil it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it This Iohn Baptist taught vs going before Christ to prepare his way when hee cryed to the people Euery vallie shal be filled and euery Mounteine and hill shall bee brought lowe crooked things shal be made streight the rough wayes shal be made smoothe and all flesh shall see the saluation of God meaning hereby that all offences and stumbling blockes should bee taken away no power in the worlde should be so greate which should not giue place to this word whiche is the power of God to saue all that doe beleeue The scriptures are ful of suche testimonies of the nature and strength of Gods worde to teache vs bothe to feare before it and to humble our selues for it wil preuaile and also to try our heartes that it may haue in vs a good and profitable work rather to renue vs in the spirit then to harden vs in the deceits of sinne but let vs now come to the words of the Apostle examine thē in all their proper meaning It is said first The word of God is liuing which propertie may be atttributed to the worde of God in diuerse respects first in respect of vs because it quikneth vs into a spirituall life and without it we are in darknesse in the shadow of death therfore it is a liuing word and the seede of our new birth So Sainct Paul saith to the Corinthians In Christ Iesu I haue begotten you through the gospel And S. Iohn sayth Of his owne wil hath he begotten vs with the word of life expreslie calling it the liuing worde or the worde of life because it quickneth vs as I saide into a spirituall life wherin without all doubting we are taught assuredlie to know that if euer we will become the children of GOD that we shall no more liue our selues but what Christ may liue in vs thus we must be borne and thus we must be made a new in takeing into vs the seede of the worde of God and then as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of it that we may grow thereby in the fulnesse of our agee in Christe If the Papistes did well vnderstande this they should also vnderstand with it that them selues were bastards no children as being borne of mortall seede of fathers of counsels of decrees of Popes not of the immortall seede whiche is the woorde of god Another cause why the word is called liuing is in respect of it selfe because it is eternall and abideth euer according to the nature of the liuing God whose word it is so Sainct Peter expresly calleth it where he saith we be borne of a newe immortall seede by the word of the liuing God and abiding for euer therefore attributing life and immortalitie vnto the worde because it is of the liuing and immortal God of which we ought to learn that there is no wisedome no instruction no discipline by whiche we can apprehend eternall life but only the wisdome and instruction of the worde of God for what an absurd thing is it that the wisdom of man which is vaine as man is vaine which is transitorie earthly is abolished should leade mee into that life which fadeth not but is eternall in heauen yea what an absurd thing I say is it seing we ourselues and all that is in vs before the presence of the Lord must needes be changed so that no man possible cā see him and liue yet to think that our wisdome can leade vs vnto him or our reason can approche vnto the places where his glorie dwelleth Surely dearly beloued this is much more folie then to seeke to gather grapes of thornes or figges of brambles for it is to seeke for light in darkenesse and for life in death for out of a corrupt minde a froward heart we seeke for holie obedience and immortalitie as many as say that without the word of God they can please him the papists do not yet vnderstād this and therefore they wearie them selues with their owne inuentions and multiplie ceremonies in their churches which God will cast out as he hath begon til their madnesse be made manifest to all nations An other cause yet there is why the worde of God is called Liuing and this cause moste agreeable to this place That is because it enteret◅ with power into euerie part of vs so that as our life is dispersed into euerie parte and we feele it both in griefe and pleasure euen so the vertue of the woord of God pearceth into euerie member to bruise as the prophet saith the verie bones or to fill them with marrow and fatnesse this sense is plaine and agreeable to al the words following and in this same meaning Solomon calleth it also A liuing worde as his words are plaine The
light of the Lord is the breath of man it sercheth al the bowels of the bellie where also he calleth the word light because it shineth in mās heart as in a darke place and trieth out all the secrets of his thoughtes in this meaning heere the word is called liuelie as I tolde you before the more to stir them vp not to neglect so high a prophet as the sonne of God whose worde came with maiestie and power vnto them The second title heere attributed to the worde is that It is mightie in operation meaning that it hathe in it force and vertue able to subdue all enimes and bringe vs in obedience vnto Christe this vertue of the woorde Sainct Paule notablie setteth out to the Corinthians magnifying his Apostleshippe by this means Our weapons saith he are stronge by the power of God 〈◊〉 cast downe holds wherwith we ouerthrow imaginations euerie high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God bring into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ haue readie vengeāce against al disobedience howsoeuer a man magnifie him selfe or a man exalt himselfe in whiche arrogancie of spirite he seemeth as it were buried in sinne and his heart hardened against the grace of God yet let him heare this word and let it oft fall into his eares for it is as the prophet saith a hammer which breaketh the stone in peeces and is able in the power of God to mollifie his heart or if the sinner be suncken downe so deepe that he will not rise it will crushe him down deeper that he may perishe in his sinne and so God saith to his Prophet Ieremie I will put my wordes into thy mouth and it shal be as fire this people shal be as wood and it shal deuour them And this is it Saint Paule expressely witnesseth to be the onely meanes to glorifie God to preache the trueth of his word vnto all for so saith he we are alwayes a sweete smelling sauour of Christ vnto God as wel in those that perishe as in those that be saued to the one a sauour of life vnto life to the other of death vnto death I would we that are preachers could learne and beleeue this it would make vs leaue our vain babling much talke of philosophie and prophane things and fill our mouthes onely with the worde of the Lorde for this only is mightie in operation the other hath at all no strength no strength at all in this behalfe to glorifie God or to conuert a sinner but strong to delude the people with idlo sounds strong to tickle our eares with fond delight strong to puffe vs vp with pride of our wittes but more weak then water to teach vs true repentance for proofe I say let the sinner come forth that hath beene conuerted by hearing stories or fables of poets I am sure there is none for faith is onely by the worde of God of let the preacher come forth that vseth such thinges and doeth it not either to please men or to boast of his learning for this he knoweth that the word only not prophane things conuerteth the people and why then doeth he vse them The Lord saith by his prophet Ieremie If they had stand in my counsell and had declared my wordes to my people then they should haue turned them from their euill way from the wickednesse of their owne inuentions a plaine testimonie why our preachings are vnprofitable to the people euen because we speake in our owne fansies and vse exhortations of our owne heade And againe in the prophet Malachie the Lord declareth what couenant he made with Leuie and how he promised to blesse his labours in the teaching of his people The Lawe of truth saith he was in his mouth and there was no iniquitie founde in his lipps he walked with mee in peace and equitie and did turne manie away from their sinnes Can any thinge be spoken playner Hold fast the word of God committe the fruite of thy work to the strength of it and thou shalt finde it as is here said mightie in operation and thou shalt conuert manie sinners Let them tell me nowe all that haue eares to heare what madnesse is it to fil the peoples eares with vnknowen tales and sweete wordes in which is nothing but a deceitfull sound leaue the word of God mightie in working to conuert their soules And you dearely beloued who delight in such vanitie and make the preacher transgresse for your fansies sake let me but reason with you as S. Paule reasoned with the Galathians Tel me whether by such tales or by hearing the word of God haue you receiued the spirite that is wherby were you conuerted from your vanitie vnto the liuing God was it the worde of truethe or else Gentile stories that wrought this vertue in you and are you so foolish that when you haue begun in the spirit you wil now go forwarde in the flesh Let vs leaue then this greate abuse bothe you to turne away your eyes to follie and the preacher to vse the pulpit like a Philosophers chaire We may alledge sometime a storie or prophane sentēce I denie it not but then it is good doing it when the remembring of the saying bringeth necessarilie into memorie the worde of God also for which it was alledged and giueth light vnto it for a more cleare declaration of the truth yet when the story is told and remembred by it selfe there is then but a foolish delight of a vaine man to helpe him in his talke to multiplie idle woordes there is no edifying in it at all The third title of the word now following is this That It is more sharpe then a two edged sword and this similitude is often made in the Scripture The prophet Esaie preaching the promises of God hee saith His mouth is made like a sharp sworde And Sainct Paule giueing armour to a Christian souldiour by which he may kil his enimies he biddeth him Take the sworde of the spirit which is the word of God. So in the firste and nineteenth Chapters of the Apocalypse the sonne of GOD is described with a two edged swoorde proceding out of his mouthe meaning by these speeches no other thing but that by the preaching of y gospel Christ should get the victorie and bring all enemies in subiection vnto him euen as the Prophet Esai saith He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lippes shall he kill the vngodly by which we doe learne that the more wee pray Thy kingdome come and the more we wishe the prosperitie of the Churche the more we must striue to make the word of God knowen vnto all for that is the swoorde and scepter of his kingdome The next title heere attributed to the worde is That it entreth into the diuisiō of the soule the spirit of the ioynts and the marrow
By soule heere he meaneth that parte of vs in which our affections are as ioy sorrowe loue hatred anger mildenesse or any such motion of vs of good or euill By spirit he meaneth the moste excellent parte of vs in which is reason wisedome vnderstanding to consider and meditate of all the works of god By ioynts and marrow he mea◅ieth all the members of our body and thus Sainct Paule vseth these wordes of soule and spirite and bodie where he saith to the Thessalonians as it is in the fifth chapter The God of peace sanctifie you wholie that your spirit and soule and bodie may be kept blamelesse vntil the comming of Christ teaching vs what is a true Christian when his minde thinketh his soule desireth his body executeth nothing but what is faultlesse before God and man. So when the worde is saide to diuide betweene the soule and the spirit it noteth the mightie worke of it in the reprobate to wound all their thoughtes and desires with feare and terrour and with astonishment of heart contrarie in the electe it crucifieth the olde man with al the concupiscences and the desires of it When it is said to diuide betweene the ioynts and the marrow it sheweth the worke in all the members of our bodie to sell them vnder sinne to worke vncleannesse with greedines being hardened or to sanctifie them in the power of God that they may be seruaunts of righteousnesse vnto him being mollified To be short in soule spirite ioynts marrowe the Apostle meaneth that the word once heard the whole man is touched and al that is with in him feeleth streight a chaunge except a heauier iudgement be vpon him that he haue eares heare not wherein yet the worde hath a worke and maketh him fall deeper in the sleepe of sinne if we will learne examples are before vs of good euil what to leaue or what to choose The prophet Abacuche foreseeing the state of Christes church what daunger should be vnto it euen then to be oppressed again when it was not yet halfe growen vp he saith When I heard it my belly trēbled my lippes shooke at the voice rottennesse entred into my bowels and I trembled in my selfe that I might rest in the day of trouble heere we see the worde diuiding betweene the ioynts and the marrow how it distempered the prophets whole bodie because of the heauie threatning of the Lorde and an excellent blessing was vnto him for this feare and trembling at the voice of the Lord in the day of trouble hee had rest So the Prophet Esay at Gods threatening against his church that euen in the dayes of Christe her peace should be broken off her flourishing glo rie shoulde againe be shadowed hee crieth my leanesse my leanesse wo is me as if he had said it consumed his flesh and wore away his beautie to heare the voice of the Lord against his people if thus wee feare in deede at Gods thretenings as his saincts do vnfeignedly reioyce at all his promises a good worke of his mightie woord is in vs and it is his power to our saluation but if we be despisers and regarde not the woord that is brought vnto vs a while we may seeme to be in peace as the sick man in his sleepe feeleth not his paine but the word will wounde at the last the spirite and wee shal feele it in our flesh what we haue despised We reade in Daniel of Belshazzar a proud king in the mids of his princes and all his roaltie he sawe a hand writing and the woorde of the Lorde was before his eyes streight his countenance was chaunged and his thoughtes troubled him so that the ioyntes of his loines were loosed and his knees smote one against another such feare and terrour came vpō him whē the voice of the lord did pronounce his iudgment And not onely thus but we see it further the wicked not onely wounded but also slaine with the word of God. When many of the rulers of the people of Israel led the people to moste shamefull idolatrie the prophet Ezechiel was sent to preache vnto them and when hee prophecied before them Pelatiah the Sonne of Benaiah one of the Princes which seduced the people he dyed in his presence A like example is of Ananias and Sapphira who at the voice of Peter did bothe fall downe dead so true it is that the word is forceable to deuide and enter betwene our reines that is to sley the wicked and to quicken the godlie Last of all it is here said that the word discerneth betwene the thoughts and intents of the heart meaning that how so euer the heart of man is prepared the woord of God directeth it either more to be hardened with the deceites of sinne or wholie to bee renewed to the loue of righteousnesse It followeth nowe Neither is thereany creature which is not manifest in his sight but all thinges are naked and open vnto his eyes with whome we haue to doe These words shewe an excellent proofe of all the former things spoken of the word for seeing it is the word of God how should it not haue the power of God if among men as euery one hath moste power so his word is moste feared how should it not be but God who is the searcher of our hearts and reines and is almightie ouer all but that his worde should haue of his nature vertue and power to make the proude to feare and to comfort the humbled Let vs therefore now bee wise in time and let the worde of the Lorde fashion all our heartes if it doe not yet it worketh still and wee shall one day knowe what voice wee haue despised for as it is heere that all thinges are open vnto his eyes so we shall heare his voice when in all thinges it shall shew his power It shall speake vnto all creatures and they shall heare it the earth and sea shall bring the bodies which they haue consumed the fire shall yeld againe his ashes and the ayre her dead the elementes shall mealt away and the Heauens shall vanish the Lorde shall speake and the deade shall all arise then shal we too late bewail our madnesse which haue heard before this voice regarded it not And this let vs learne with it if such bee the strength of Gods woorde of it selfe when yet hee shall multiplie this power and make it also eternall which is infinite what shall we say then but O Lorde who shall abide it when hee shall pronounce Go you cursed into eternall fire what condemnation shal be vppon the wicked surelie dearelie beloued as it is greater then our heartes can immagine so yet in this similitude we may see as it were an image of it for as his worde diuideth betweene soule and spirit marrow bones cogitations and intentes so we knowe that in euery parte of them the wicked shall feele Gods anger head and arme
hande and foote back and side shall haue experience of his anger all the thoughts of their harts shal be wounded with death and so much the more vnspeakable because their bodyes shall feele and their minde knowe the immortalitie of death and euerlasting destruction that is vppon them whiche extreeme wretchednesse no horrour of darcknesse no weeping and gnashinge of teeth no gnawinge of conscience no eternall fire doth fully and inough set out vnto vs. But this we leaue to the reprobate men who euen to this day haue sould their heartes to conceiue mischiefe and it repenteth them not Let vs feare now in the day of health and better thinges are appointed for vs We shall heare an other voice Come ye blessed into eternall life possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning which voice shal enter depe and into all our members bring a sensible feeling of the loue of God and his greate glorie when with heart and minde wee shall see and knowe our inheritaunce with God in eternall glorie wherevnto if nowe we be raysed vp and the promises of God beginne with vs this vnspeakable and glorious hope so that our heartes be fast holden in the loue of it neuer to chaunge for worldly vanitie or rather shame woorse then vanitie for with what name shall we name it that is exalted against the Lorde if I say thus the woorde of God bee vnto vs wee haue sealed it that his word is liuing and entreth into the diuision of the soule and the spirite and we haue beene fruitfull hearers of all this longe exhortation which the Apostle hath made and ended to stirre vp his brethren faithfully to heare this prophet of God his sonne Iesus Christe and our sauiour who hath reuealed all his wil vnto vs And thus farre of this former parte of the Epistle in which we are taught that Christe is our only prophet but the time is paste Now let vs pray c. The xxj Lecture vpon the residue of the chapter the 14. 15. 16. verses 14 Seeing then that we haue a geat high priest which is entred into Heauen euen Iesus the sonne of God let vs holdefast our profession 15 For we haue not an hye Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all thinges temped in like sorte yet without sinne 16 Let vs therfore go boldely vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to help in time of neede WE haue heard dearely beloued howe the Apostle hath taught that Christe is nowe our onely Prophet what care we should haue diligently and faithfully to harken vnto him if we will not be guiltie before God of great condemnation and iudgement The reasons are of the Apostle to proue him our onely Prophet first because God sending his onely begotten sonne into the worlde made man like vnto vs and reuealing the will of his father vnto vs the excellencie of his person inforceth vs to confesse that God ordeyneth him alone to be our Prophet Againe he was faithful in the house of God and then what nedeth any other prophet vnto vs thirdly he was more honourable then Moses in this office many wayes to be preferred afore him therfore no other Prophet is to bee ioyned with him Fourthly the Prophet Dauid said To day if you hear his voice c. which we must needes vnderstand to be a perpetuall prophesie and therefore accomplished in Christ whome we must heare if we wil beleeue and be saued Last of all the force strength of the word of God is such as it must needes warrant the maiestie of God in Christ the author of it and as n one other hath that glory so none to be our prophet but he alone vnto all those reasons he hath added as you haue heard ernest exhortatiōs to giue more weight vnto them for the better persuasion of his brethren to whome he writeth Nowe he beginneth the other principall point of this first part of the Epistle that is to proue that Christ is our only priest which disputation he continueth to the eleuenth chapter as we shal god willing heare He beginneth it firste with an exhortation as he vsed the like often before and as I saide to make vs more carefully regarde his woordes Sith thē we haue a great high priest who hath entred into heauen Iesus the sonne of God let vs hold this professiō the force of this exhortation is in the excellencie of the priesthood of Christe secretely compared with the priesthood of Aaron who was in nature their brother in person weake as other men in office earthly entring into a tabernacle made with hangs in vertue a figure of a better sacrificer himselfe not profiting at all but Christ is another highe priest in nature the sonne of GOD in qualitie great and full of glorie in office heauenly entering before God to be our mediatour in vertue holie and perfect himselfe to purge our sinnes This the Apostle noteth calling him high priest greate entring into heauen and the sonne of God and so much the more we are guiltie before him if we shal not holde fast and professe all his instruction and doctrine Now least we should thinke the Apostles exhortation is weake and that he taketh it for graūted which is in controuersie for he calleth our sauiour Christ high priest which yet it seemeth he hath not proued we must consider what hath beene spoken before and so we shall see good argumentes in this exhortation for the proof of his cause He hath taught him to be the sonne of God made man reuealinge vnto vs the counsell of his father purchasing a most glorious inheritance for vs and setting vs free from the bondage of the diuel in which wee were holden vnder the feare of death which things before witnessed of our Sauiour Christ and necessarily prouing him for the same cause to be our priest according to that trueth in the beginning of this disputation he calleth him our great highe priest So he beganne before the thirde chapter Consider holie brethren the Apostle and high priest of our profession not yet hauing particularly spoken of those offices but calling him by those names because according to the description of his person before made it must needes followe that he was both our priest and Prophet Another argument of his priesthood is that hee was here in earth afflicted as we be submitting him selfe to death from which he is risen and nowe ascended into heauen therefore he is our priest crucified for our sinnes risen for our iustification and making now Intercession for vs before God his father Thus we see vpon howe good warrant the Apostle in the beginning exhorteth them to acknowledge Christ their priest and thus muche touching this entraunce of the Apostle into this disputation and why he vseth such wordes Now touching the matter To teach that our sauiour Christ is our onely priest he first sheweth by the workes of
the Maiestie of GOD when them selues are but spirites and therefore Christ that he might be highe Priest tooke not an Angels nature but was made of the seede of Abraham like vs that as there is but one God so there might bee but one Mediatour betweene God and man euen the man Christe Iesus in this respect as able to bee high Priest as Aaron him selfe beeing as naturally and as truely cloathed with our flesh as Aaron was The second propertie of the Prieste is that hee should be ordeyned not onlie for him selfe to make his owne atonement but also for other men to accomplish whatsoeuer was betwene God and them that where they were before enimies and straungers they might by him be reconciled and haue free accesse vnto the throne of grace to finde mercie and succour in due time and for this cause Christe alone is a perfect Priest more excellent then Aaron who was incumbred with his owne sinnes to make first reconciliation for them and therefore could not profit other And as this was the Priests office to be a mediatour for other so the meanes he must vse and the mediation to bee wrought in this woorke was to offer vp gifts and sacrifices of sinnes that is to present vnto God the sacrifice of righteousnesse pure and holy in his sight in whiche hee might be pleased the sinnes of the people might be taken awaye the whiche sacrifice because it must be so pure that in it they for whom it was made must be sanctified and so precious that it must be a sufficient purchase to redeeme man from all transgression therefore it coulde not bee made with the bloud of Calues or Goates whiche can not take away sinne nor with golde nor siluer whiche can not redeeme our soules nor with meates and drinkes which profited not thē that were exercised therein nor in any suche carnall rites for whiche the priesthood of Aaron was ordeined and therefore as an other priest must make this sacrifice whiche can not be any other then Iesus Christe who beeing made high Priest of the good things to come by a greater tabernacle and a more precious sacrifice euen by his owne bloude hath obteined for vs an euerlasting redemption and therefore is nowe to be acknowledged our onely Priest the first Priesthood and the first lawe beeing altogether abrogated One other propertie of the priesthood is y none thrust in himselfe beeing not appointed nor take vnto himselfe this honour being not called vnto it And God euer shewed himselfe a readie reuenger against all such as should defile his Priesthood to take to themselues the dignitie to which they were not appointed But this calling also was giuen vnto Christ from God his father as before vnto Aaron both by word and by othe that no flesh shoulde resist it euen as it is written The Lord hath sworne and will not repente thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech so that in this behalfe our faith must be euer strong that the callinge of Christ is of the Lord euen as the calling of Aaron was and with so much the greater iudgment it shal be reiected because it was confirmed with an othe The last propertie in this comparison is that the highe priest of the law should haue an inwar compassion to ward them that were ignorant and were deceiued in which perfect knot of vnfeigned loue his ministerie was accepted of God and his sacrifices receiued accounted holy and lest he should cast from him this brotherly aflection God printed deepe in his owne bodie the infirmities of his brethren that according to the measure of grace which he had receiued he might in deede be moued with his brothers harmes as with his owne so that he did not withdrawe him selfe from the seruice of the Sanctuarie but put on the holy garmentes was annoynted with the holie oyle bare the names of his brethren before the Lorde presented their sacrisices absteined from wine and strong drinke mourned not for his friendes that were departed taught diligently the people prayed for their transgressions and bare the burthen of his people as God had laid it vpon him But yet this propertie exceeded more in Christe then in all the tribe of Leuie and the bowels of all compassion were more large within him then the vtmoste braunches of it in any other creature And this the Apostle noteth in this place which now we haue in hand in which we may see as in a moste liuelie glasse the perfect beautie of all excellent loue The thinges they were not light nor the sorrowes small nor the sighings few in number nor the prayers faint nor the anguish of spirite little nor the death easie by which hee hath sealed it vnto vs that he had compassion on his people but as the Apostle saith in the dayes of his flesh while hee was heere clothed in mortalitie like vnto one of vs to the end he might be faithfull for our sakes hee did offer vp prayers and supplications with strong cryings and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was also heard in things which he feared and beeing him selfe the Sonne yet hee learned obedience by the thinges which he susuffered and being consecrate was made the authour of eternall saluation to them that obey him These wordes my deare brethren we haue now in hande to search and examine what the spirite teacheth vs so much y more carefully to be harkened vnto of vs how much the more plainly it setteth foorth vnto vs the greate loue and compassion that Christ beareth towardes vs Two things especiallie here the Apostle testifyeth First the sufferings of our Sauiour Christe and then the benefite that wee enioy by the same according as his sufleringes were onely for our sake His sufferinges what they were and howe great sorrow oppressed him hee sheweth by those effectes whiche his sorrowes brought forth that is prayers supplications cryings teares feare and anguish of spirite whiche things waited euer vppon him euen to the accomplishing of all his passions which was the death of his crosse The fruite that we doe reape of these afflictions which hee suffered is the saluation of our soules and eternall life if we will obey him In this description of his sufferinges though the things are set forth which were common and vsuall vnto him all his life yet it appeareth especiallie the Apostle meaneth that greatest conflicte of sorrowe which hee had a little before his passion described by the Euangelistes in all s◅ilitude like vnto this which the Apostle heere declareth For as it is here said He made prayers noting by the worde that they were many in number so it appeareth in the Gospell that beside other prayers three times he tepeated this one Father if it be possible let this cup passe from mee and as it is said hee made supplications humbling him selfe lowe vnder the hand of his Father so it is said in the Gospel that then
then in all their prayers they began to call vpon the name of the Lorde and God him selfe at no time doth more sharpely reproue his people then when they woulde aske of those that had no power to helpe them This lesson that poore Leper so defiled in flesh had yet humbly learned and with a pure heart he prayed accordingly Lorde if thou wilt thou canst make me whole vpon this foūdation our sauiour Christ hath built vp all the prayers of the true disciples adding it as a speciall clause vnto the prayer that he taught them For thine is the kingdōe the power and glorie for euer and euer Amen then let vs learne it somany as wil pray in spirite to make our prayers vnto him alone who is able to saue vs It is the sacrifice of the newe Testament that he hath appointed vs that we should offer vp vnto him and not vnto other the fruite of our lippes which may confesse his name and because this doctrine hath beene troden downe vnder feere and defiled by the man of sinne withall spirituall vncleanesse I besech you adde vnto this one reason or two more that you may answere the aduersarie and be able to stand in the day of euil When our Sauiour Christe was purposed to teach his disciples a true forme of prayer a perfect patterne vnto which they must frame their petitiōs or it is vnpossible thei shuld be accepted he techeth them that their beginning must be from hence Our father whiche art in Heauen What blessing so euer we would haue or from what plague so euer wee would be deliuered he alone must be the person of whome we craue to whome this name and callinge doeth belong Our father which art in Heauen If this name be none of his he is no patrone to be called vp on or if we wil needes call vpon him we giue him this nāe whether it be his or no. Christ is our good warrant who hath made this the beginning of all christian prayer Our father which art in heauen therefore the Idolaters of all ages that haue made them selues Saintes to pray vnto according to the number of their prayers so they haue multiplyed their Idols the children of God to whome they haue sacrificed they shal witnesse against them in the day of christ And you my deare brethren againste all your enimies defende thus the holinesse of your prayer that you knowe no other way of speaking then as you are taught Our father Ad yet vnto this one reason more which you learne of Saint Paule and I doubt not but you shall be well established in this present trueth We knowe all and doe confesse that we are able to do no good thing of our selues but all our sufficiencie is of God we are not able so much as to think a good thought Yea the very wisedome of the fleshe is enimitie vnto all righteousnesse so true it is that the Prophet sayth Euerie man is a beaste in his owne vnderstanding And how much lesse then are we able to offer vp vnto God that most precious sacrifice of prayer thanksgiuing to make it acceptable in his sight if wee consult with our owne fleshe and bloude and alter the will of man so make our prayers vnto God We must needes acknowledge our owne infirmities and confesse with saint Paule that we know not what to pray as we ought but it is the spirite of God that maketh request for the Saints according to the wil of God and in this holy spirite alone we must praye if we looke for the mercie of our Lorde Iesu Christe to eternall life The spirite that beareth rule in our heart he must teache vs all things or else can we do nothing that God alloweth Now the voice of this spirit that alwayes soundeth within vs it speaketh not thus either Sancta Maria or Sancta dei genitrix neither saint Paule pray for vs nor saint Peter pray for vs. These are but the spicinges of the drunken cups of Rome the soundes of wordes which the spirits of errours haue blowen But the holie spirit of God that teacheth vs how to pray it crieth thus in our hearts Abba Pater Our father which art in heauen As Christ himselfe hath been our scholemaister of no other prayer so the spirit that he hath giuen vs it knoweth no other sound but Abba Father these are y beginnings of our praiers If we speake not vnto him to whom doe we bowe our knees If we wil make the spirite subiecte to any other let vs take heede that we grieue not the holie spirit of God by which we be sealed against the day of redemption Thus much I haue added to the example of our sauiour Christ who made his prayers to his father who alone could deliuer him that we might the more assuredly be bolde to abide in his steppes It followeth in the text With great crying and with teares Here we haue to note in what measure our Sauiour Christ was afflicted euen so farre that he cryed out in this bitternesse of his soule This the Euangelistes do expresse in mo words testifying of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was greatly affraide altogether astonished euen fainting for great anguishe of minde and full of pensiue sorrowes For his Father had broken him with one breaking vppon an other so he kindled his wrath againste him and accounted him as one of his enimies The heauie hande of God was so grieuous vppon him that it brused his verie bones and rent his reines a sunder hee coulde finde no health in his fleshe but was wounded to death as without recouerie The Euangeliste himselfe beareth witnesse of this miserie adding vnto his lowde crying this sounde of wordes My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee This sorrowe because it was not assuaged with wordes hee cryed out alowde and because in silence hee could finde no ease his face was wrinckled with weeping and the shadowe of deathe was vpon his eyes For what griefe could be like vnto this Or what condemnation could be so heauie When there was no wickednesse in his handes and when his prayer was pure when he was the brightnesse of glorie and the Sonne of righteousnesse that shined in the worlde yet as it were to see his dayes at an ende and his enterprises broken his carefull thoughts to be so deepe grauen in his breast that they chaunged euen the day into night vnto him and all light that approched into darcknesse this was a sorrowe aboue all sorowes When his excellencie was such aboue all creatures that the worlde was not worthy to giue him breath yet he to be made a worme and not a man a shame of men and the contempt of the people all that sawe him to haue him in derision and to shutt vp his life in shame and reproches so vnwoorthy a rewarde of so precious a seruaunt howe coulde it but shake all his bones out of ioynt and
make his heart to melt in the middest of his bowels howe could his strength not be dryed vp like a potsharde and his tounge not cleaue vnto the iawes of his mouth Who hath beene euer so full of wo and who hath beene brought so lowe into the duste of death His vertues were vnspeakable and righteous aboue all measure yet was hee accompted among the wicked His temperauncie in perfecte beautie and his appetites bridled with all holie moderation yet they said of him behold a glutton a drinker of wine His behauiour honest without all reproofe and his couersation vnspotted yet they slaundered him as a friend of Publicans and sinners and reported him as a companion of theeues He loued the lawe of his father with such fulnesse of desire that he would not suffer one Io◅e not one title vnaccomplyshed and yet they accused him as an enemie vnto Moses a breaker of the lawe a subuerter of the Temple and a teacher of newe doctrines such as were not of god He harkened vnto his father in al humilitie and loued him with all his hart and with all his soule so y he was obediēt vnto him vnto death yea euen y death of y crosse yet they said of him presumptuously that hee blasphemed and robbed God of his honour He was an enimie of satan euen vnto death by death ouercame him that brought death into the world he hated him with so perfect hatred and held stedfast y enimitie that was betwene them vntil he had spoiled his principalities and powers and triumphed ouer them in an euerlasting victorie yet horibly they reproched him by the name of Belzebub said he had a diuel and by the power of satā he wrought al his miracles O the depth of al abhominations the bottomles pit of all vncleanesse who could once haue thought so lothsōe a sinke to haue bene couered in the hart of man O God righteous in iudgement and true in worde is this it that the Prophet hath tolde before that the thoughtes of many heartes should be made open then create we beseech thee new heartes within vs and take not thy holy spirite for euer from vs. And you dearely beloued if these were the causes that Christ had to complaine then think not that his cryings were aboue his sorrowe to see so neere vnto his hart euen in his owne person innocēcy bla med vertue defaced righteousnesse troden downe holines prophaned loue despised glorie cōtemned honour reuiled all goodnesse ashamed faith oppugned and life wounded to death how coulde he yet absteine from stronge crying and teares when the malice of Satan had gotten so greate a conqueste If iust Lot dwelling among the Sodomites and seing and hearing such a wicked people vexed from day to day his righteous soule with their vngodly deedes what shall we think of Christ liuing in such a generation But O my brethren beloued of the Lord open the eyes of your faith and you shall see these things they were but the beginnings of sorow What shall we thinke was his griefe of minde for the Iewes his brethren that were thus powred out vnto wickednesse howe did his greate loue boyle in sorrowes of hart to see their destruction If Moses when he beheld y anger of God against his people in greate compassion of their miseryes prayed earnestly vnto the Lord Forgiue them O God or raze me out of the booke that thou hast written If Ieremie in fore seeing the captiuitie of Hierusalem had so great grief that he cryed out O that my head were ful of waters mine eyes a founteine of teares that I might weepe day and night for the stayne of the daughter of my people If Esay in like aboundance of loue bewailed his brethren that would needes perishe with these wordes of complaint Turne away from me I wil wepe bitterly labour not to comfort me because my people perish If Paul that most excellent Apostle haueing receiued but his portion of the great loue of Christe called God to witnesse that hee spake the trueth howe he had great heauine◅se and continuall sorrow of hart for his brethren and that for their sakes him selfe wished to be separate from Iesu Christ what manner of teares shall wee thinke were those which Christe him selfe poured out when he wept ouer Ierusalem what sorrow of minde whiche then interrupted his spceeches and made them vnperfect howe deepe was that angrie griefe printed in his bowels when hee behelde the blindenesse of the people and was sorrowfull for them what manner of affection was it that in the middest of so great reproches and mocks could neuer be chaunged but prayed stil Father forgiue them they knowe not what they doe If it be grieuous vnto vs to lose the thinge that is moste deare vnto vs in this earthly Tabernacle howe muche more did this sorrowe pearce euen through the bowels of our sauiour Christe to see man taken from him vnto destruction for whose sake he would so willingly sacrifice vp his life this is an other spectacle in which wee may beholde his greate dolour and anguishe to knowe the paines hee endured and the causes of his mightie cryinges But this also dearely beloued though it were exceeding yet it was not all no it was but a taste of griefe in comparison of the rest Beholde if you can his person here and see the residue and so you shall knowe the loue of god His griefe was exceding to see all vertue and godlynesse so troaden vnder feete and it was yet more infinite to beholde Satan to preuaile against man to his euerlasting condemnation No creature could euer beare such a perfect image of a man of sorrowe But the height and depth of all miseries was yet behinde the sinne that he hated he must take it vpon his owne bodie and beare the wrath of his father that was powred out against it This is the fullnesse of al paine that compassed him round about which no toung is able to vtter and no heart can conceiue This anger of his father it burned in him euen vnto the bottome of hell of the which anger the prophet speaketh Who can stand before his wrath or who can abide the fearcenes of his wrath His wrath is powred out like fire the rocks are broken before him When the Prophet was not able to conceiue the weight of his anger and his voice cleaued vnto his mouth when he went about to vtter it the hardest of all creatures he tooke for example that the harde rocke did cleaue asunder at the sounde of his wordes And as is saide in an other place suche a voice as maketh the forlorne wildernesse to tremble A voice so ful of terrour in the eares and hearts of the wicked that the sonne shal be darkened at the sound of it and the Moone shall not giue her light the Starres of heauen shall fall away and the powers of heauen shal be shaken
in whō the God of this world hath blinded their vnbeleuing mindes that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ should not shine vpon them for otherwise the secret of the Lord is reuealed to those that feare him and his woorde is a lanthorne vnto their feete and a light vnto their steps it is not harde but as Salomon saith It is easie to him that wil vnderstand he is a scorner that seeketh it and can not finde it Moses sayth This commaundement which I command thee this day it is not hid from thee nor sarre of it is very nere vnto thee euen in thy mouth and in thy hart to do it The prophet Ose saith of the iudgementes of God vnto his people that they were as the morning light And the Lorde saith by the prophet Esay I haue not s◅okē in secret nor in a place of dark nesse in the earth I said not in vaine to the house of Iacob Seeke ye me And if thus the doctrine of saluation were preached while yet the people were taught by signes figures how clere is it now since the sonne of righteousnes hath shined in perfect light what wrong is it to say still the scriptures are hard and to make them to be Sphynx his ridles or the winding oracles of Apollo whiche are the cleare wordes of the liuing God I appeale to your owne consciences all that haue experience whether haue you found such hardnesse in scripture or whether do you easily see how we are saued in Iesus Christ what obediēce we owe againe vnto god I am sure there is none of you that with a single heart haue come to read the scripture that were euer driuen back with any hardnesse of it How is it then why do the papists stil cry out of the hardnesse of the worde why see they not this easinesse as wel as we sure I will tel you the Lorde is witnesse howe I tell you true Those men they haue come neere vnto God with their mouth honored them with their lips but their harts haue been farre from him ▪ they haue worshipped God in vaine teaching doctrines which were precepts of men and for this cause God hath couered them with a spirit of slumber hath shut vp their eyes the gospell is vnto them as the words of a booke that is sealed so that whether they be learned or vnlearned they can read nothing This is the great hiddē cause their sinns haue found them out gods iudgemēts haue blinded them Another cause that I tolde you before is because they would leade vs blindfolde after the church of Rome this cause I make not of mine owne head thē selues as I said wil confesse it For this is a solemne decree in their late generall counsel of Trident the 4. session the 2. canon that it belongeth to their holy motherchurch to iudge of the sence interpretation of the scripture nether must we presume to leaue those interpretations although they were such as were neuer meete to bee openly taught published And their greate doctour Hossius saith thus if we haue the interpretation of the church of Rome although wee see not howe it can agree with the wordes of the texte yet we must beleeue it But are not these think you vnreasonable wordes if they be not examine mo of their witnesses at last you shall finde it confesse it that they are not onely vnreasonable but exceeding shameles men while they hold this that the scripture is hard and to be vnderstood after the church of Rome for thus they haue termed the scripture dead y◅ke a thing without life a dumbe iudge a nose of waxe a black gospell ynken diuinitie these such other words are witnesses against them to all the world their owne bookes are extant and with what spirite then haue these men spoken surely not with the spirit of the father Dauid or of his sonne Salomon who say The lawe of the Lord is perfect and conuerteth soules it giueth to the simple sharpnesse of witt and to the children knowledge and discretion nor with the spirite of Paule that sayeth All scripture is inspired of God and is profitable to reproue correct instruct and to make a godly man perfect to euery good worke this is not to call the scripture a waxen nose or ynken diuinitie but these speeches are much more agreeable to the spirit of the olde heretiques which said the prophecies were dremes But to let their vncomely speeches go to come againe to our purpose They cry out still that the interpretations of the churche of Rome are the sense of the scripture And would you not now thinke that these interpretations of the Romaine church were merueilous wise graue mysticall seing they would haue all the worlde thus to reuerence them See therfore what they are and iudge I wil alledge vnto you some of them in the weightiest matters of faith You are wise iudge what I say these are their most learned expositions of all other in which they boast not a litile Christ saith Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my church ergo the Pope is head of the church how groweth this conclusion forsooth thus if vpon this rocke Christ will build his church then vppon Peter for Peter signifieth that rocke If vpon Peter then vpon Peters successour for the trueth doth cleaue vnto the chaire and Peter maketh his success our inheritour of all his goodnes If to Peters success our then to the Pope for Peter was bishop of Rome And if the church be built vpon Peter then Peter was chiefe of all other and so the Pope is head of the church if these collectiōs be not theirs let me be reproued as a slaunderer if they bee theirs then bee you wise to vnderstand what their religion is for all these collectiōs are vtterly vntrue It is vntrue that Peter is that rocke vpon which the church is built for our Sauiour Christ himselfe saith he that heareth my wordes and perfourmeth them he buildeth vpon the rocke It is vntrue that what faith Peter had the same must be left to Peters successours for Scribes Phariseis buyers and sellers succeeded Moses Aaron It is vntrue that Peter was Bishop of Rome for he was the Apostle of circumcision therefore it was vtterly vnlawfull for him to bee a Bishop among the Gentiles Againe they reason thus The Apostles say to Christ Lord behold here are two swordes therefore the pope hath both ciuil ecclesiasticall gouernement might they not better haue reasoned when Peter would haue vsed one sworde Christe cōmaunded him to put it vp therefore no such swoord at all belongeth to him Again they say Christ promiseth to his Apostles the comforter which shall teach thē all trueth therfore the church of Rome cannot erre howe bring they all the Apostles to the Pope of Rome howe doe they
and rottennesse thy fleshly thoughtes shall breede an vnbeleeuing hart thou shalt be the foole which searcheth the maiestie till he be ouerwhelmed of the glorie for thy God is a spirite and in spirit and faith thou canst only see him Thou shalt nowe hate and detest the Idoll and idoll maker which haue fashioned thy God like vnto an old man with a gray beard which haue made him sit as in a chaire of estate and giuen him Angelles in golde and siluer and flaming fire to sit about him this is shame aboue al shames To say vnto the king thou art a slaue and vnto the nobles of the earth ye are villaines they be words of honour in comparison of this vnspeakable sacrilege to say vnto God thou art like a man Againe when thou saiest thou beleuest in the father the sonne and the holie ghost y sayest wel acknowledging in thine hart three persons one God in a mysterie which thou canst not expresse thy faith is accepted But when y hearest the father to be called the God of all grace the authour of life beeing mouing when thou hearest the sonne called the shining brightnesse and ingrauen fourme of the father of whose fulnesse we receiue al increase of grace when thou hearest the holie ghost called the comforter the spirit of sanctification the pledge of thine election when thou hearest y the father hath eternally begotten his sonne the sonne eternally begotteÌ„ of the father the holie ghost eternally proceeding from them both in al this shal we learne nothing for more cleare knowlege of our faith shal we not here confesse the person of the father to be the beginning founteine of al goodnes glorie life and immortalitie that we our selues whatsoeuer is vnto vs happie and blessed all is only of his free grace and mercie shal wee not confesse that truely and naturally he is the father and because he hath eternally begotten his sonne that his sonne is one God with him without beginning and shall we not humble our soules faithfully to beleeue this and neuer to search or inquire of how it is for our vaine and corruptible harts how can they see eternal and euerlasting things And because the sonne is the image of his father shall wee not learne that we knowe nothing of God nothing at al of his nature godhead maiestie working will power honour life and continuance for euer nothing I say but what we haue seene heard in Christe his sonne for he is the shining brightnesse of his glorie What haue I to do with men or with the children of men what counsell can mine owne heart minister vnto me I must robbe the sonne of God of his honour or I must confesse I knowe nothing of God but in him only Againe if of his fulnesse we receiue we haue no felowship with god but in him all gace mercie life 〈◊〉 immortalitie to him it beelongeth of him we haue it and for his sake it is giuen vnto vs So likewise when the spirite is sayd to be our comforter to proceede from the father the sonne we confesse he is one in nature godhead with the father and the sonne in personal substance proceeding eternally from them both and because eternally therefore incomprehensibly whiche we beleeue in faith and will not searche by reason only we waite and reioyce in hope till God strengthen our eyes to see his maiestie and then our harts shal be wise to coÌ„prehend this distinctioÌ„ of the persons Now this spirit being our comforter we acknowledge that it is the person of the holy Ghost which putteth his grace into our harts to make vs wise faithfull holie and so sealeth vnto vs in full assurance our inheritance that is in Iesu Christ according to the free purpose and good will of God his father Besides all this to confesse the humanitie of our sauiour Christ howe in his owne person he hath borne the punishmente of our sinnes and ouercome the diuell who helde vs in bondage howe he hath sanctified our nature in himselfe and made it meete to stand before the presence of God only by faith freely giuing vs his blessings These and many other things taught vs in the scripture to our exceeding comfort shal we neglecte them learne only the confession of Children I beleeue in God the father God the sonne God the holy Ghoste three persons one God Sure if we wil do thus I see no other but that the little children through gods infinite mercie shal be saued in y litle knowledge that they haue learned and we by his iust iudgments worthy to be condemned for his manifolde wisedome which wee haue despised Then dearly beloued if we wil not alwayes be childreÌ„ neuer learned in the word of righteousnesse let vs not only hold the generall principles of our faith but so farre also as particular points are taught and mentioned let vs wisely learne them till we may feele in our selues good increase of Gods spirite to loue him to feare him to walke before him with al our heart in all the wayes which he hath appointed for vs. Now in the wordes following But strong meate is for the perfect whiche through long custome haue their witts exercised to discerne betweene good euil Here appeareth as I said who are childreÌ„ who are strong they are children which haue not yet had triall and experience wherby they might bee rooted in faith and confirmed by knowledge against al falshod errour which kind of childhod Saint Paule telleth the Ephesians at the last we ought all to leaue of grow vp in the vnitie of faith and of the knowledge of the sonne of God into a perfect maÌ„ to the full measure of our age in Christ that we be not alwayes children wauering carried about with euerie blast of doctrine by the deceipt of men with craftinesse which lie in waite to deceiue And as this is a plaine description of Children so as plainly here the Apostle sheweth who are perfecte men euen those that are able with wise senses to iudge betweene good euill y is who haue their mindes lightned with the word of God so that they are able to trie what is acceptable well pleasing vnto god Nowe dearly beloued if these wordes be plaine enough giue me leaue to beseeche you in this plaine case as Paul beseeched the Corinthians in y like My brethren be not children iâ—… vnderstanding be childreÌ„ in ma lice but in vnderstanding be of perfect age and if you see the plaine and manifest meaning of the scripture what it is be wise and beleeue it and confesse this that we ought to be learned in Gods worde so that we haue good ground of our saith and be able to consute falshod As now in our owne dayes we see the Pope claimeth authoritie that he can despense against the word of God but if our witts be exercised in the knowledge of the
beware of vnrepentaunt sinne And thus farre of the purpose of the Apostle by which we beeing confirmed that though we should fall through many infirmities yet we can neuer fall away We may now more boldly examine the words to learne as God shall instruct vs what this sinne is let vs therefore come vnto the wordes For it is vnpossible that they which are once lightened c. We see here how the apostle setteth out the sinne against y holy Ghost shewing who they are which cōmit it what the sinne is and what end it bringeth But before we further examine it I must admonish you of two contrarie faultes which are common vnto vs in speaking of this matter The one is too muche carelesnesse the other is too much feare Some of vs scarse hauing any conscience at al or any reuerence of Gods secrete iudgements being altogether children more ignorant then children If at any time talke be of diuinitie streight with carelesse hearts venturous toungs they are vp with predestination or with sinne against the holie ghost To these men I say it were better for them that they had neither tongues in their heads nor hearts in their breastes then that they should cōtinue in this vnreuerend most vngodly vsage for what do they else but blaspheme the eternall wisdome of god At al his words we should feare tremble yet at his greatest mysteries we are carelesse mockers The knowledge of his predestination should cast down our proud reason euen to the ground to confesse before him that all his iudgements are vnsearchable and al his ways are past finding out yet we like fooles who though we were braide in a morter yet would not our foolishnesse depart from vs so foolishly wee examine y high iudgments of God to make them agreeable to our blockish reason Likewise the sinne against the holie Ghost which is mentioned to make vs feare that we be not despisers of the graces of God but y we would loue him learne all his iudgmentes whereby we might assure our selues of his fauour y we cānot possibly sinne against his spirit but whether soeuer we fall he would raise vs againe as though this pleased vs not we make no ende of questioning whether it be this sinne or that sinne when in deede at all sinnes we make but a mocke This fault deatly beloued I beseech you take heede of praye that you may cast it from you then no doubt in this our matter the trueth which we seeke for in feare reuerence God wil reueale it vnto vs The other faulte I spake of and of which we must take heed is to much feare for some of vs and they of the best of vs on whom God hath shewed singular mercie greatly to humble them so that they couer their faces and hang downe their heades at the remembrance of their sinnes and hunger and thirst after the righteousnesse of Christ they would not haue this spoken of at all and euerie sounde of the sinne against the holy Ghost doth wounde thē as it were to death for feare least themselues should be holden in the transgression To these men what should I say nay what can I say for y sūme of all Christe hath saide and spoken truely vnto thē feare not my litle flock for it hath pleased your father to giue vnto you a kingdome and if he haue giuen vnto them a kingdome purchased with the bloud of his only sonne how should he not giue also vnto thē y victorie ouer sinne and death And nowe my good brethren and sisterne who so euer you be sith you haue a spirite that desireth knowledge delighteth in obedience loueth God hateth iniquitie reioyce in this pledge of your saluation for as the Lord doth liue neither this sinne nor the shadowe of this sinne shal come nere vnto you only because it is a saluinge medicine to many of your brethren when they be sunken deepe in rebellion and because it is the mightie word of the Lorde to crushe in peeces the reprobate before him therefore I beseech you with glad faithful eares abide the hearing of it feare not the smoke when the fire can not hurt you Now to cōe to our purpose In these words of y Apostle I wil shew vnto you first what maner of men they must needs be y do fall into this sinne Secondly what māner of sinne it is Thirdly with what manner of mind it is committed whervnto at last I wil add some examples that you may see more clearly what it is Touching the persons which sinne against the holy ghost they are described thus by their qualities first they haue bene once lightened secōdly they haue tasted of the heauenly gift thirdly they haue beene made partakers of the holy Ghost fourthly they haue tasted of the good word of God of the powers of y world to come Vnto these qualities we may add more out of other partes of scripture in the 12. of Matt. our sauiour Christ speaketh of such men thus that the vncleane spirite is gone out from them that they are swept garnished in the 2. Epistle of Peter the 2. chapter it is sayd of them that they haue escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the knowledge of the Lord of our sauiour Iesu christ By these such like places we may cōclude that God hath many wayes made himselfe knowen vnto them y hee hath giuen them true vnderstanding y he hath quickened their spirits to receiue gladly his gospel that they had a feeling of y kingdome of heauen y they haue knowen sinne to be ful of miserie vexation of spirit y they haue cōfessed there is no ioy but in christ This is y state of knowledge to which they were called these are the graces which they were indued with wherby we may first cōclude y Turks and infidels that all Atheists Epicures they haue not yet sinned against the holy ghost not Pharaoh a vessel of Gods wrath not Sodome Gomorha withal their filthinesse not Rabsaketh or any such who would make them selues Gods they haue not sinned against the holy Ghoste they are accursed creatures and their sinnes are abhominable they are bondslaues of Satan straungers from the God of Israell but yet we may say truely it shal be easier for all those of Sodome Gomorha for Tyre and Sidon in the day of iudgement then for these wicked blasphemers of the holy spirite which not only fulfilled the full measure of these Pagans sinnes but haue also contemned the graces which were giuen vnto them and despised the spirite of whiche the Pagans were neuer made partakers Thus briefly I haue set foorth what manner men they be whiche may fall away to so great confusion And that it may yet be made more plaine let vs consider the wordes by which the Apostle describeth them The first marke of them is that they bee lightened that is indued with
glorifie god in al their life the ioyes of heauen do somwhat moue them and the paines of hell do muche astonishe them they see and know what gods maiestie is vnspeakable and his glorie infinite his fauour is better then life and his displeasure is vntollerable the glorie of his presence the fiercenesse of his wrath these thinges do touche them because they would escape his iudgement so still it is them selues that they loue If there were neither heauen nor hell they would not care for God nor Christe so as I said this is all their obedience because they loue them selues but the godly they obey for the loue of God their owne soule is not so deare vnto them as the name of the Lord to see it glotified nor their owne life is precious vnto them if the powring of it out may be to the praise of his holie name Thus muche of the difference betweene the good and euil as touching the graces of God which they haue both receiued whereby we see plaine that faith and loue are two especiall properties by which the good and euill are distinguished and by which we may trie our selues if we be lightened as the wicked or as the elect of god Nowe let vs see the manner of rebellion howe farre they fall away first we must obserue what points the Apostle hath before named in the beginning of y chapter he mētioneth repentāce frō dead works faith toward god the doctrine of baptisme laying on of hands and resurrectiō frō the dead eternall iudgmēt which here he calleth y beginning foundatiō of christian amitie then he speaketh of an apostacie or falling away frō all these pointes heere named euen from the foundation firste beginnings of the christian faith so y all the former light is quite put out the first vnderstāding is al takē away they laugh now at repentance the first faith they accōpt it folishnes they esteme not of our baptisme no more then of y washing of their hands for any confirmation or solemne receiuing thē into the church of God they care not for it the resurrection of the dead doth but feede them with mery conceits they think pleasantly with them selues what maner of bodies they shal haue the eternal iudgment though it make thē somtime affraid yet they incourage thē selues againe say tush it is a great way off thus they haue turned light into darknes knowledge into ignorance hope into errour faith into infidelitie glory into shame life into death Speake to thē of the sonne of God they make a iest with the man of Galilie tel them of the sauiour of y world they wil call him y Carpentars sonne such a generall apostacie the Apostle speaketh of and this he calleth the fall from which man can not rise againe by repentance for how can they repent when the Apostle noteth them by this mark among other that they are fallen from repentance they are now as S. Paul saith past sorow for their sinnes as it is in the 2. to the Romanes they haue a hart y cannot repēt so saith s. Peter that they haue such eyes as can not ceasse from sinning Whē they haue done al things y are abhominable yet thei will say wherin haue we sinned so they contemne because they are in y deapth they cannot returne because they shal finde no grace they haue sinned against the holie ghost cōdemnation is their portion they shall neuer repent but fal into iudgement and thus farre of their sinne howe greate it is The thirde thing we haue here to consider is with what minde they doe committe this greate sinne which heere the apostle setteth out with these wordes they crucifie againe vnto them selues the sonne of God and make a mocke of him whiche what can it be else but euen with the spirite of the diuell as saint Paule saith to say that Christe is accursed for was not he made vpon his crosse a curse for vs y we might be made righteousnesse to God through him they y crucifie him againe say they not againe y he hath a diuel y by Belzebub y prince of y diuels he casteth out diuels doth not their hart loade him againe with all opprobrie and shame where it is said they do this vnto thēselues it noteth how desirously willingly with what cōsent of mind they doe it euen so as they would againe haue the crosse of Christ a mocking stocke in the world thus their owne conscience is their accuser of most wicked rebellion against god This also appeareth plaine in the 12. Chapter of Saint Mathew where when our sauiour Christ wil accuse y Phariseis of this great sinne it is saide that he sawe their thoughtes So in the Actes of the Apostles where the graces of God are magnified by the preaching of Paule and Barnabas it is said of the Iewes that when they sawe it they were full of enuie rayling and gainesaying all that Paule and Barnabas had taught So againe Paule saith to Elymas O thou that art full of all subtiltie and mischiefe And it is written of Saule king of Israel who so highly hated and persecuted Dauid yet he saide Beholde I knowe that thou shalt be king and that the kingdome of Israell shall be established in thy hande by these places it is cleare that their conscience and heart filled with enuie and malice doe make them with all greedinesse to committe abhomination And according as they haue thus caste off God so God againe hath cast off them and giuen them vp to their owne vile affections so that it is come vnto them according to the true prouerbe The dogge is returned to his vomit and the swine that is washed to the wallowing in the mire their hearts are fatte as brawne that they can not repent and their faces as brasse that they can not be ashamed and therfore their sinne is written with an yron penne grauen with the point of a Diamond that it may be kept in remembraunce before the Lorde And here againe we see the weake consciences that tremble for feare of their transgressions and mourne all the day for feare of their sinnes they are so farre off from the sinne against the spirite of God that the spirite cryeth in their behalfe Comforte ye comfort ye my people sayth your God speake comfortably to Hierusalem and crye vnto her that her warrfare is accomplished and her iniquitie is pardoned for she hath receiued of the Lord double for all her sinne Their godly sorowe hath brought forth their repentance which is vnto saluation and wherof againe they shall neuer repēt them Neither let thē here be discouraged with the exāples of Esau Iudas or any such who may seeme to haue beene sorrowfull for they were not sorroful for their sinnes as it is plainely testified of Esau that he contemned his birthright but they lamented their ruine and condemnation neither did
Ioh. 4. 23. Matt. 26. 27. 1. Cor. 14. 19. 1. Cor. 10. 27 Hebr. 13. 3. t. Cor. 1 21. Hebr. 10. 16 Rom. 1. â—…6 Luke 11. 27. Matth. â—…2 50 Iohn 6. What is a Sabboth days work Esal 40. 12. Matth. 6. 30 Psal. 104. 35 Psa. 104. 35. Prouerb Matt. 25. Gal. 2. 20 Psal. 132. 14 Esai 11. 10. Luke 1. 74. Col. 2. 〈◊〉 Deu. 5. 1. Ioh. 2. Amos. 8. 6. Apoca. 4. 1 Iob. 32. 22. 1. Cor. 3. 〈◊〉 Agg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esai 55. 10. Luk. 3. 5. 1. Pet. 1. 23. 1. Cor. 4. 15. Iacob 1. 1â—… 1. Peter 2. 1 Prou. 20. 27 2. Cor. 10. 4. Iere. 3. 29. Iere. 5. 14. 2. Cor. 2. 16. Iere 23. 22. Mal. 2. 6. Esa. 49. 〈◊〉 Ephe. 6. 17. Apoca. 1. 16 19. 15. 1. Thes. 1. 23 Aba 3. 16. Esai 24. 16. Dan. 5. 6. Eze. 11. 13. Acte 5. 1. Our aâ—…ctions lesse then the strenâ—…h thâ—… 〈◊〉 2. Coi 5. 21. What wee must bee leeue of the true humanity of Christ. Iac. 1. 6. Ephe. 3. 12. Rom. 1. 16. Rom. 〈◊〉 15. 2. Tim. 1. 7. 1. Tim. 6. 19. Ephe. 2. 18. Psa. 14. 3. 1. Tim. 2. 5. Chap. 7. 24. Phil. 2. 18. Gal. 6. 1. Luk. 12. 37. Hebr. 2. 13. 〈◊〉 Cor. 1. 4. 2. Tim. 2. 16. Dan. 4. 24. Hab. 3. 1. Leuit. 9. 7. The Papisticall offices offiicers Matt. 26. 4â—… Luk. 22. 41. Psal. 50. 15. Heb. 〈◊〉 12. Ro. 8. 38. 39. Esai 61. 3. Esa. 53. 5. Iaohn 5. 4. Gen. 4. 26. Mar. 1. 41. Mat. 6. 10. Rom. 7. 18. Iere. 10. 14. Rom. 8. 5. verse 16. 27 Luke 1. 38. 2. Pet. 2. 7. Exod. 32. 35. Iere 9. 2. Esai 22. 4. Rom. 9. 〈◊〉 Luke 21. 41 Mar. 3. 5. Luk. 23. 34. Nahum 1. 6 Psal. 29. 8. Psal. 119. 3 〈◊〉 Pet. 4. 3. Gen. 〈◊〉 8. Iob. 1. 2â—… Rom. 〈◊〉 39. 2. Cor. 4. 8. Abac. 3. 16. Col. 3. 3. 4. 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Acte 17. 11. Iohn 〈◊〉 3â—… Iohn 1. 54. Ca. 4. 2. â— Peâ—… 3. 13. 1. Cor. 1. 14. Mar. 13. 10. Mar. 4. 11. 2. Cor. 4. 4. Prouer. 14. 6 Deut. â—…0 10. Ose. 6. 5. Esai 45. 19. Esa. 19. 10. Mat. 15. 8. Illirieus in normaroncilii Sleyd â–ª li 23. Kemp in exam concil Trident. â—…ess 4. câ—…n 〈◊〉 Psal. 19. 7. Pro. 1. 4. 1. Tim. 1. 16. Cusan ad Boaemos Epist. 2. Disti 40. Non nos in glosa Math. 7. 24. Vide pet Crâ—…â—…o 1. conc â—…o â—…o Ant on in sum Par â–ª 3. tit 21. Cap. 5. 33. q. 3. Ephe. 4. 14. 2. Cor. 14. 20 Luke 22. 25 Antichristian pride Mâ—…tt 7. â—…4 Mâ—…tt 16. 18. Ephe. 2. 20. Rom. 2. 18. Luke 2. 32. Iohn 4. Mat. 13. Act 13. 45. Actâ—… 13. 10. 1. Sa. 27. 21. Esai 40. 1. To the Reader Gentle reader I thought good in this vacaÌ„t place to set down an excellent speech vttered by the Authour of this book a litle before his death whereby thou maist clearely see and learne that there is a sweete peace in death to all suche as painefully serue the Lord in life For he being raised vp in bed and his friend requesting him to speake the Sunne shone on his face thereby tooke occasion thus to say THere is but one Sunne that giueth light to the world there is but one righteousnesse there is but one Communion of Saints If I were the excellentest creature in the world If I were as righteous as Abraham Isaac and Iacob for they were excellent men in the world yet we must all confesse that we are great sinners and that there is no saluation but in the righteousnesse of Iesus christ And we haue all neede of the grace of god And for my part as concerning death I feele such ioy of spirite that if I should haue the sentence of life on the one side and the sentence of death on the other side I had rather chuse a thousand times seeing God hath appointed the separation the sentence of death than the sentence of life The prayer which M. Deering vsed before his Lectures O Lorde God whiche hast lest vnto vs thy holie worde to be a lanterne vnto our feete and a light vnto our steppes giue vnto vs all thy holie spirite that out of the same worde we may learne what is thy eternall will and frame our liues in all holie obedience to the same to thy honour and glorie and increase of our faith through Iesus Christe our Lorde Amen Deering DEring in earthly life thy heauenly voice did teache The ruth of sinnes the trueth of endlesse grace And with thy voyce thy life conspired to preache The praise of God with longing to embrace The sweete delights wherin his Sainctes abound O blessed Organ of so noble sound When thou didst cry repentant griefe for sinne When with inspired breath from ghost diuine Thy mouth powrde forth what hart did feele within Thy deepe desire to drawe men to incline Their listening soules vnto the healthful word O happie they that turnd vnto the Lord. And when thou didst his mercie sweete proclame And dist with thankfull and deliteful voyce Set foorth the honour of his sauing name To quench dispaire and make the heart reioyce O happie hearers of so ioyful newes Vnhappie wretches that such ioyes refuse O happie thou and all that shall with thee Wel followe Him that ledde and is the way They followe well whome He hath blest to see The path and trust the guide that cannot stray Oh well he liued whom God did so apply Oh well he dyed that liues eternally Wee thank our God for thee and for thy life And for the good that he by thee hath wrought Thy speech thy trauaâ—…le in his seruice rise Thy writings left wherby we stil be taught And in thy death Gods holy name be blest O blessed dead that in the Lord doe rest FINIS T. N.