owne Pontificall as you may plainly see it Now iudge your selues and I appeale to the conscience of euerie man y hath an vnderstanding heart whether suche creatures haue their calling of God or no I might likewise alledge that fourme and manner of ordeining as contrarie to Christes institution as these former are for where Christes ordinaunce is that his ministers should be made with prayer and fasting and with laying on of handes they as men thinking basely of suche simple dealing and a great deale more to making of their priestes they must haue oyle candels basens towels amices albes stoales gyrdles maniples myters bookes crosses linnen bandes chalices pattens singing cakes wine and water flowre and such other things trifled and toyed with all with so many foolishe gestures as I am persuaded that any wise man this day reading it in their owne bookes woulde abhorre it either as intollerable pride or vnspeakeable foolishenesse but wisedome is the Lords and he giueth it to whome he will and let vs praise him for his goodnesse to whome he hath giuen eyes to see If any will here obiecte notwithstanding all these abuses yet the priest had that whiche was principall libertie to preache and minister sacramentes therefore their ministerie not to be reiected I answer In this on one side was the greate goodnesse of God that in time to come his children might assuredly knowe he reserued to him selfe a church euen in the middes of all desolation and that he called them by his woorde and confirmed by his sacramentes euen as at this day for seeing there can be no sinne so greate but faith in Iesu Christ scattereth it all away it was impossible that the man of sinne shoulde so muche adulterate either the word of God but that it should be to the faithfull a gospel of saluation or else the sacramentes of God but that they should be pledges of eternall life to those that did beleeue Againe on the other side in that they kept this authoritie to their priestes to preache to baptise it was the pestilent sleight and subtiltie of the diuell the more easily by suche a colour to deceiue them for if he had vtterly dented preaching of the Gospel and vse of sacramentes who woulde then haue beene seduced these be his wayes to destroy Pagans and Infidels but to corrupt the churche of God he putteth on an Angels cloathing that vnder pretence of holinesse he might deceiue And in deede he did deceiue for he hath so farre prophaned the preaching of the Gospell and the sacramentes of Christe that we ought according to the word of God to separate our selues and to say accurssed to all their doings although God of his infinite goodnesse who calleth things that are not as though they were euen in that ministerie gaue grace vnto his Saincts I say therefore againe as I sayde before that in the Popish church from the crowne of the head to the soule of the foote not one order is of God nor any peece of their priesthood is honour giuen of God wherein I appeale vnto their owne consciences whose wisedome is without affection in them and thus farre of this 4. verse Touching the two nexte verses I haue before shewed the meaning of them that by testimonie of the Prophet the Apostle proueth that Christ also had his calling of God euen as Christ him self often witnesseth that he was sent of his father touching this text Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee it meaneth that openly and plainely God made it manifest that Christ was his only sonne by many signes and miracles in which as Paule sayth God was made manifest in flesh but of this I spake more vnto you in the exposition of the fifte verse of the first chapter The other text heere alledged is out of y 110. Psalme Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisc lcch of which text we shal also haue occasiō to speake more largely hereafter this now we haue to learne y this Psalme is ment of Christ and this sentence is his caling to y priesthod of this y apostle is a plaine witnesse our sauiour Christ in the 22. of Math. teacheth that this psalme could not be meant of Dauid because it is said in it The Lord saide vnto my Lord sit thou on my right hand vntil I make thine enimies thy footestoole and reason teacheth it plainely for seeing as is heere alledged it is to the praise of an high priest how could it be of King Dauid to whome the priesthood in no case belonged or how could it be of any Priest of the lawe who had their proper calling of God where this was an other after the order of Melchisedech who was bothe a King and a priest and therfore it is plaine to bee ment of Christe who was figured in Melchisdech The conclusion then of the Apostle in all this is that Christe had his calling of God as Aaron had and a more glorious excellent calling therfore a greater high priest then any before him but the time is past Let vs pray c. ¶ The xxiiij Lecture vpon the 7. 8. and 9. verses 7 Who in the dayes of his fleshe did offer vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him frō death was also heard in that which he feared 8 And though he were the Sonne yet learned he obedience by the thinges which he suffered 9 And beeing consecrate was made the authour of eternal saluation vnto all them that obey him THE Apostle in this Chapiter beginneth to proue our Sauiour Christ to be the only high Prieste of the newe Testament and because the people of Israel had so great affiance in the priesthood of Aaron that they could hardly be drawen away from the deteyning of it thinking assuredly that vnto that Priesthood the lawe and testimonies of God had beene tyed for euer and not knowing that all ceremonies of y the law were ordeyned vntill the time of reformation in whiche Christ should appeare chaunge that Priesthood to become him selfe vnto vs a Priest of a better testament therefore the Apostle firste setteth foorth the properties of the Priesthood according vnto the lawe and after by comparison applieth them vnto Christe in whome they all shine in a muche more excellent sorte then before in Aaron and therfore it can not be neither breach nor dishonour vndishonour vnto the law of God nor the priesthood of it if the shadowe and the figure which was Aaron should now be taken away and the bodie and the trueth which is Iesu Christe should be established for euer The properties whiche the Apostle speaketh of necessarilie apperteining vnto euery priest as vnto one that must be a Mediatour are these that first he should be man as we are as Aaron and his posteritie were For neither Angell nor Archangell nor principalities nor powers can doe this woorke to present fleshe and bloud vnto
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
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
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
of God in so much that if they should bee made causes of our lustification and the glorie of Christe should be so giuen vnto them wee might iustly call them the beggerlie elements of the world and vnprofitable things What shall wee say or thinke of so manie childishe toyes and foolishe fancies as wee haue seene of late when men will attribute saluation vnto them When our owne woorkes haue this honour giuen them When Holie water Belles Candles Crosses Palme bowes Ag◅us deies the beginning of Saint Iohns Gospel hanging aboute your necke when to these thinges we attribute power against the diuel whom Christe vanquished onely vppon his crosse what name shal wee giue these beggerly thinges When pilgrimages fastinges visiting of mens tumbes kissing of reliques purchasing of Masses when these things are exalted and said to purge our sinnes what shal we cal them what drunkennes what witchings what madnesse what brutish astonishment hath couered our spirits that we should beleue such things what strange illusions and sleights of Satan haue hid our vnderstandings that we should know nothing The ceremonies ordeined of God himselfe the sacramentes of his eternall testament they are but helpes of our infirmities to leade vs vnto Chr◅ste from whom whē you shal separate them they are no more Gods holie sacramentes but beggerly elementes and our owne fansies and fonde immaginations which are contrarie to Christe euen from our cradle to exalt them thus what is it but a proude liking of our owne presumption This is a cleare proofe that in nothinge is saluation but in Christe alone and that one saluation hath beene from euer whyle these outwarde thinges haue had manye chaunges And againe in that Christe was then the prophet we are sure the patriarches and forefathers did not worship God after their owne will and deuice but onely as the spirite of Christe did teache them from which testimonie of spirite when they fell away all their religion was reiected for onely in Christ God was also well pleased so that thoughe they had no lawe written yet were they taught of God and his sonne was their scholemaister to lead them in al trueth reuealing his will vnto them euer by such meanes as best pleased him and after when God wrote his lawe he wrote this also as a decree for them to holde euer that they should neuer adde nor take away but do onely what they were commaunded and much more now in these last dayes in which our Sauiour Christe hath appeared vnto vs in our owne nature man like vnto vs vppon whome we sawe the holie Ghost to come downe and God him selfe hath sealed him in making manifest the owne glorie speaking out of his cloude This is my beloued sonne heare him much more I say we ought now only to heare his voice because now more clearly thē euer before he hath reuealed all the counsell of God vnto vs but nowe the diuel hath beene no lesse enuious against the saluation of man then he hath beene before now also he hath made some to set forth the imaginations of their owne hearts and hath bewitched many to followe their damnable wayes by whom the way of truth is blas phemed and for their owne traditions sake he hath made the woorde of the Lorde Iesu of none effecte This worke hath he wrought in all the Papacie yet we cānot or wil not se his rebellious doings Christ saith his kingdom is not of this world yet hath he taught them to make their Bishops Princes and hathe giuen them power ouer life and goods Christ saith The princes of the nations beare rule ouer thē but it shal not be so among you yet hath he made his firste begotten sonne to weare a triple crowne and al the kinges of the nations to come kisse his feete So Christe hath taught vs to worship in spirite and trueth to drinke the wine in the sacrament of his bodie and bloude to praye in a knowne toung to eate of any meates without scruple of conscience to vse holie matrimonie in all estates as a remedie against sinne but as though Christ were no prophet vnto vs we haue abrogated these his lawes and made other con◅ratie of our owne This our eyes haue seene our eares haue hearde and whether we will or no wee must needes confesse it yet some flatter them selues in a maruelous madnesse and doing all things contrarie to the Lorde Iesu they say still they cannot erre but they shall one day see and knowe that Christ is the onely prophet of the new Testament and blessed be the Lorde God who hath made vs this day to beleeue it and while yet the day of health and acceptable time is to hearken onely vnto him and refuse all the vaine inuentions of men It followeth now in the Apostle But the worde that they heard prof◅ed thē not ▪ because it was not mingled with faith to those that heard it As before the Apostle concluded repeating againe his exhortation so in this verse he repeateth the cause why they profited not by the word of exhortation that wee againe hearing the cause of our sinne should be made more wise to take heede of it the cause was their infidelitie because saith he The word was not mingled vnto them with faith the word of God preached is as a cup offered vnto vs of which we must drinke whether we wil or no one way it is made vnto vs a cup of the water of life another way a cup of destructiō and such a liquor as is of death vnto death euen as saith or infidelitie is brought vnto it so it is a cup of life or death In this similitude the Apostle speaketh thus The word was not mingled to them with faith As men that loue to sit at the tauerne do mingle their drink with spices or their wine with sugre so we in that most blessed tauerne in which the worde of God is offered vs to drinke we must mingle it with the sweete spice of faith and it is a cup of eternall life vnto vs otherwise if we be vnsaithfull we haue lost our blessing and are fallen from the hope of life Christ who is the head corner stone in whō the building doth stande he is nowe to vs a stone of offence at which we haue stumbled are fallen downe because we haue not receiued his worde with faith It is true the gospel is the power of God to saue man but yet to saue the man that doth beleue whether he be Iewe or Gentile here we see how God hath ioyned vnseparablie his word our faith wherfore it is also called the word of faith neither is it possible to be faithful without the knowledge of the word neither is any knowledge of the worde profitable but beeing mingled with faith This dearly beloued is no obscure doctrine that you should not vnderstād it neither is it taught vs in ambiguous wordes that ye can doubt of it but it
priest of the olde lawe must necessarily be a naturall man then that he must do the worke of the people in thinges apperteining to God thirdly that he must doe it with some sacrifice fourthly with compassion for the peoples errours in all which Christ onely is excellent aboue all other Now the Apostle goeth forward and yet sheweth a fifte propertie of the high priest afore and that is that he was called of God and thrust not himselfe into that roome function To this purpose now it followeth And no man taketh vnto him selfe this honour but he that is called of God as was Aarō then in the two verses following sheweth howe in this also Christe excelled Aaron and had a more glorious calling then he first because an high decree of God was pronounced by the Prophete in which vnder the name of a soone God ordeyned him priest saying Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee Againe he called him not vnto a priesthood of signes and shadowes which endured but for a while but he called him to the true priesthood it selfe which chaunged not but made him a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech So as the sonne is higher then a seruant the trueth better then the figure of it and that which abydeth euer better then that which in time is abolished so much this calling of Christ exceedeth Aarons calling and all the priestes of the lawe Heere let vs first learne sith the Apostle speaketh plainely No man taketh honour to him selfe but he that is called of God as Aaron was that bothe it is vnlawfull for any man without a calling to take vppon him the ministerie neither yet any calling ought to be which is not according to the will of God for seeing the ministerie is honourable and hee is iustly honoured that executeth it faithfully how can I exalt my selfe but of right I ought againe to be brought lowe and in steede of glorie haue shame for what doe I in this but rob Christe of his glorie who is head of his Churche and appointeth ministers whom hee will who ruleth in the house of Iacob and ordeyneth officers at his owne pleasure If in an earthlie kingdome subiectes would presume to take offices at their owne choice were it not extreme confusion vtter reproche and shame vnto the prince howe muche more to bring this confusion into the Churche of Christ Therfore both our Sauiour Christ himselfe did openly ordeine his own apostles neuer any of them executed that office but with protestation that they had this calling of God therfore their Epistles beginne as you reade Paule an Apostle of Iesus Christ. Peter the seruant of Iesus Christ. And y same frō the beginning hath beene a perpetuall lawe in the church of god Moses Dauid Esay Ieremie and all the residue they tooke not this honour to them selues but were called of God in the name of God they declared vnto the people his visions and his wordes from which if they declyned to the righte hand or to the leste they made them selues sinners and not onely thus it is in the ministerie but for as much as the Apostle giueth it a generall terme No man taketh honour vnto him selfe euen in the common wealth in matters of this vaine life not onely the God of peace wil not haue his people to liue in confusion euery man to exalte himselfe but also limitteth to euery one the bounds of his calling in which God hath giuen him honour and without which bothe hee sinneth against God and offendeth his Prince that hath appointed him The Iustice muste deale with those thinges whiche apperteine vnto a Iustice a iudge with the things of a iudge and as it is rebellion for the priuate man to resist the magistrate so is it presumptiō in a magistrate to take vpō him aboue his calling We haue gotten amōg vs I know not what prouerb which cōmonly we call A cast off our office if this bee to cast off the lawe of our calling and take more honour then is giuen of the higher power we deserue it right wel if for such prety castes our selues should be cast quite out of our places for in matters aboue vs we be all priuate men and must goe vnto them to whom God hath giuen the iudgemente where we our selu◅s haue the place of honour there let vs be faithful as before the Lord. The second thing to be learned in these wordes is that we haue all such a calling as we may be sure it is of God for we must be called of God as Aaron was Heere dearely beloued I woulde wee had no cause to complaine or seeing thinges are so ill as they are I would we had the spirite of the prophete Ieremie to wishe that our handes were full of water or in our eyes were a founteine of teares that we might weepe day and night for the sinnes of our nation then the Lorde in due time would hearken vnto vs and the highest from his holy seate woulde regarde vs that our eyes might see all our ruines restored But nowe touching this calling in magistrates and officers of our common wealth I will say no more but in one worde as the scripture speaketh God calleth him vnto his dignitie who is orderly appointed and is a man of courage fearinge God dealing truely hauing no respecte of persons and hating couetousnesse otherwise if by bribing by ambition or by any vnlawfull meanes he come to his preferment the more he knoweth himselfe the more he wil feare least his calling be not of God but this they will regarde to whome it belongeth our speciall doctrine here is in the callinge of the ministers wherof by the grace of god I wil tel you the trueth but because this and other thinges are nowe in bitter controuersie betweene our selues so that the vncharitable wordes of our mouthes are witnesses against vs of the euill affections of our hearts and our hurtfull doings one toward another do shew abundantly that euil will hath taken deepe root within vs I protest y I haue neither part nor fe lowship in this diuisiō but in loue vnitie I beare him witnesse who speaketh trueth and beare with his errour who is deceiued acknowledging my self more vnworthie then either both And that you dearly beloued may hold fast the bonde of peace and not be broken off with euerie temptation I befeeche you consider but this with me hath not God giuen his gifts diuersly to one more to one lesse to one ten pounds as it is in the parable to another but one and can we thē all know a like must we not of necessity one know more another lesse one be more wise another lesse one vnderstand this truth another that euen as God reuealeth it and euerie one of vs haue our wantes in which wee may bee better taught and shall it not be euer so as long as our knowledge is in part we see not the
life in Christe is to bee obedient vnto his will. What so euer be the way that hee will shewe vs and bid vs walke in it let vs neither decline to the right hande nor to the lefte but goe forwarde in the same We are not to loke into the worlde how our fathers before vs haue walked Our iniquities the iniquities of our fathers shall be bound together If wee be partakers of their euil doings If we go after Baalims which our fathers haue taught vs we shal be fed with the wormwood which our fathers haue eaten The gouernement of the church is vpon the shoulders of Christ he giueth vs the lawes by which we liue he ruleth alone in the house of Iacob his voice must be followed We may not now euery one say wee haue a vision we haue a dreame God hath spoken by his sonne and charged all to heare him We may not boast our selues of Sainct or Angel to hearken to new doctrines which we haue not learned for God hath not put in subiection vnto Angels these dayes of the Gospell in which we are but vnto Christe who is made the head of his people and all thinges are in subiection vnder his feete so that this is the way we haue to walke Christe is our Lord let vs receiue his lawes he is our mayster let vs followe his rules he is our Apostle let vs heare his Gospell Let vs obey in all things and we shal be established This is the glorie that GOD hath giuen vnto his sonne he is our lawgiuer we haue no other If we will leaue the stubbernnesse of our owne heartes and obey him as life is in him so wee shall surely liue for the Lorde hath not as greate pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as when the voice of the Lorde is obeyed It is an euerlastinge truethe That to obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken is better then the fat of Rams for to disobey is as the sinne of witchcrase and to chaunge the law that is set before vs this is wickednesse and idolatrie Let vs not be wise in our owne conceites to frame God a religion such as we will. This is to drawe iniquitie with cordes of vanitie and to pull sinne after vs as with car tropes A iust recompence of such wearye labours when God shall say vnto vs who hath required these things at your hands Let vs then followe so as wee be called and bringe into captinitie euerie thought of man to the obedience of Christe And the Lord our God for his Christes sake giue vnto vs heartes ful of humilitie that we may think him wisest and rest in his decrees that we be neuer spoiled through vaine Philosophie and the traditions of men but harken vnto him who is onely wise that at the last we may liue with him who hath alone immortalitie and shall fil vs with his glorie for euermore Whiche times the Lorde God bring speedily vpon vs and finishe the dayes of sinne for his mercies sake that we may enter into the heauens whether Christe is gone before vs and reigne with him for euer who is our onely Sauiour to whome with the Father and the holie Ghost three persons and one God be all honour and glorie worlde without ende Amen ¶ The xxv Lecture vpon the 10. verse and so forth the residue of the Chapter 10 And is called of God an highe priest after the order of Melchisedech 11 Of whom we haue many thinges to say which are hard to be vttered because ye are dull of hearing 12 For when as concerning the time ye ought to be teachers yet haue ye nede again that we teach you what are the first principles of the word of God are become such as haue neede of milke and not of strong meate 13 For euerie one that vseth milke is inexpert in the word of righteousnesse for he iâ—… a childe 14 But strong meate belongeth to them that are of age which through long custome haue their wittes exercised to discerne both good and euill WE haue heard before what comparison the Apostle hath made betweene Christ and Aaron and how the excellencie of Christ is incomparable aboue him in all workes of the priesthood our benefite by him vnspeakablie greater as of whome alone is all saluation The conclusion of the same disputation is added now in the tenth verse And he is called of God an highe priest after the order of Melchisedech which words do conclude in shorte summe all y hath been spoken â–ª first that Christ is our priest hath therfore the name of the high priest giuen him Secondly what kinde of priesthod he hath not Aarons for for it Aaron himselfe was sufficient appointed of God but another spiritual priesthod after the order of Melchisedech Thirdly that vnto this priesthod he was called of God to this sense and meaning the wordes are plainly set downe in this tenth verse as you haue heard of all which we haue spoken alreadie Nowe because this priesthod of Christ after the order of Melchisedech was not well vnderstood what kinde of priesthod it should be of what vertue and grace therefore the Apostle meaneth more at large to speake of this that they might vnderstand it as his maner is often to make exhortation to stirre vp their dull spirits least they should heare in vaine so here in the eleuenth verse and after following he maketh a long digression vnto the beginning of the vii chapter both to persuade them to holde a good vnderstanding of all that hath been spoken and to prepare them more diligently to other things that should be taught that so they might all glorifie God in good wisedomâ—… and knowledge of the mysterie of his wil. And this exhortation he beginneth thus Of whome we haue many things to say which are hard to be declared because you be dull of hearing Here first the Apostle the more to stirre them vp diligently to learn this mysterie of Melchisedech how he was a figure of our Sauiour Christ and the priesthood of Christe was represented in him he saith first that the matter is harde and difficult to be declared and therefore requireth great heede and dâ—…ligence This place dearely beloued let vs learne well for it hath many good instructions in it it is harde saith the Apostle and therfore you must adde more diligence to it Heere firste wee learne a good cause why it pleased God to leaue places in Scripture harde to vnderstand like as other places are easie for as the easinesse is because none should bee discouraged but all learne so the hardnesse is because none should be negligent and carelesse and heerein the Lord hath delt also mercifully with vs for seeing all carelesnesse in reading his worde in whiche his wisdome is reuealed is the taking of his name in vaine our ownâ—… profite doeth now make vs take more heede of this finne for we cannot vnderstand or be edified by it but with