Crowne them with the Crowne of eternall glory therefore let us be plentifull in good workes Now he doth earnestly wish their increase and continuance in all goodnesse These verses containe an heavenly prayer that Saint Paul hath for the Hebrewes wherein hee desires two things for them 1. The vertue of diligence 2. A removall of the vice of slothfulnesse opposite to it ver 12. The former is amplified 1. By the persons to whom it is wished 2. By the manner how it is wished shewed 3. By the qualitie of it the same 4. By the fruit 5. By the perseverance of it VERSE 11. WEE as labourers together with God desire the same we wish it with all our hart at the hands of God Prayer is nothing else save a fervent desire of the heart we lift up our hearts and our hands to thee Lam. 3.41 All men have their desires a covetous man desires silver and gold houses and lands an adulterer desires a faire Dinah and a beautifull Bathshebah in a corner to sport himselfe with all a malicious man desires the fall of him whom he takes to be his enemie as Esau the dayes of my fathers mourning are at hand and then will I slay my brother Iacob Gen. 27.41 The ambitious man desires honour as Absalom but a godly man desires the spirituall good of himselfe and others Oh that I were dissolved and were with CHRIST and here Saint Paul desires the continuance of the Hebrewes in all good things let the like desire be in us all He doth not pray for some alone but for every one A father wishes well to all his Children a good Shepheard would not have one sheepe in his flocke to perish I would to God that all that heare mee this day were as I am said Paul we desire the salvation of every one of you yea of our enemies if we have any It is the joy of the Ministers to see the people continue in well doing my Crowne and my joy they desire this above all earthly profit and preferment and they pray heartily to God for it He doth not desire that they might have the same diligence but that they doe shew the same diligence openly abroad that men may point at it with the finger and ye may be ensamples to others Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good workes may glorifie your Father in heaven 2 Cor. 8.21 providing for honest things not onely in the sight of the Lord but in the sight of men Wee must not only bee godly but shew our selves godly wee must not only have faith but shew it as Dorcas did shew me thy faith by thy workes we must not only have zeale but shew it as Phinees did we must not only have patience but shew it let your patient mind be knowne to all men we must not only have love to the Saints but shew it Yet we know that there is an outward shewing without an inward an outward shew and an inward too both must concurre Some are all in shew nothing in truth some in shew and truth too The Pharisees made a shew of Religion fasted prayed gave almes c. but it was nothing but a shew When they fasted they looked sowre when they gave almes a trumpet was sounded at their gate they prayed in the corners of the streets Our shew must be outward and inward too as the outside of the cup and platter is cleane so must the inside too we must be Nathaniels within and without too wee must walke before God with Zacharie and Elizabet as well as be just before men thus let us shew dayly the graces that be in us I desire that yee goe not backeward but bee as diligent as ever yee were yea if possible that yee may excell your selves and be better He wishes the same diligence in quality though he would have it to exceede in quantity We will be diligent in our trades and callings The Merchant in his the Clothyer in his c. We will be diligent in them for the trash of this world The hand of the diligent it maketh rich but we use small diligence in heavenly matters Give all diligence sayes Saint Peter 2 Pet. 1.10 Wee cannot goe to heaven without diligence A Scholler must be diligent before he can get learning and wee must be diligent Schollers in the Schoole of Christ before wee can learne him as we ought to doe and reigne with him in the life to come Therefore let us be diligent if by any meanes we may attaine to the resurrection of the dead and let us not be diligent to day and negligent to morrow but let us use the same diligence It was Socrates commendation that he was Semper idem Let us not be semper idem in evill things but in good things semper idem Let us rather mend then pare and let our last workes be more than our first This vertue of diligence is amplified by the fruit and continuance of it That yee may be fully assured in your hearts and consciences of that kingdome which yee hope for Some men may be assured of their good estate St. Paul is so sure of it that he sings a triumph over all his enemies Ro. 8.33 34 c. Neither is it his song alone but the song of all the faithfull I am sure my Redeemer liveth Iob 19.25 2 Cor. 5.1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the heavens How come we by this assurance not by revelation from heaven but by good workes practised by us here on the earth 2 Pet. 1.10 When Saint Paul was ready to depart out of the world he was sure of the Crowne of life how not by revelation but by the godly life which he had lead 2 Tim. 4.8 2 Tim. 2.19 depart from sin bee full of good workes as Dorcas was and thou mayest have a full assurance of the kingdome of heaven It is not a bare and naked faith that can assure thee of heaven but such as worketh by love Men in this age flatter themselves in a supposed faith and cast away the care of good workes Wee cannot merit heaven by our worke therefore wee will not worke at all as if good workes served to no end but to merit They are as pledges of eternall life by them we may know whether our names are written in heaven or not wee must know that not à priori for who at any time was Gods counsellour but à posteriori hast thou workes then thou hast faith are there fruits then there is a roote hast thou faith then thou hast Christ hast thou Christ then thou hast the kingdome of heaven Therfore let us all be abundant in good works let us excell in good works Tit. 2.8 These are good and profitable to men there is a necessary use of them they are infallible tokens
and holy men yet let us strive in some sort to attaine to that holines which is in him Thou canst not bee so rich as such a man is wilt thou therefore labour for no riches at all A Scholler cannot write so well as his sample shall hee not therefore endevour to come as neere his sample as hee can So wee cannot attaine that holinesse that is in CHRIST shall wee therefore not imitate it Yes wee must bee an holy nation a royall Priest-hood a people zealous of good workes Learne of mee said CHRIST for I am humble and meeke So learne to bee holy as he is holy As the oyle powred on Aarons head stayed not there but ranne downe to his beard yea to the very skirts of his clothing So the heavenly oyle of holinesse powred on Christ our high-Priest must be conveyed to all yea to the lowest that be in the Church Thou art none of Christs if thou beest not holy as he is But alas for the most part we are unholy yea even we that professe ourselves to be the members of Christ. A great number that would seeme to belong to Christ that have Christ and his Gospell in their mouthes but are impure unholy prophane in their lives beastly drunkards that stincke of drink wheresoever they become filthy adulterers like fed horses neighing after their neighbours wives covetous misers meere mucke wormes that scarce believe there is any heaven but in this world We should be Saints in some measure as Christ the Saint of Saints is but a lamentable case we are Devills in our conversations we should be Eagles mounting up into heaven where Christ our high-Priest and Saviour is but we are Swine wallowing in the puddle of all iniquity As Christ is holy so let us endeavour to be in some poore measure else wee shall never set foote into the kingdome of heaven It is called the holy Ierusalem no dogs enchanters Whoremongers uncleane persons that bee not sanctified by the Holy Ghost shall come into it therefore let us be holy as Christ our high-Priest is that being partakers of his holinesse we may be partakers of his glory in the life to come Christ was a simple man all the treasures of wisedome were hid in him he was wiser than Salomon then any politicke Achitophel then any Matchiavel whatsoever yet a simple man He would not imploy his wits and wisdome about such things as might be hurtfull to any So Iacob was a plaine man and Nathaneel a true Israelite in whom there was no guile Such must all Christians bee though GOD have given them never so sharp a wit so reaching a head never so great wisedome experience and learning yet they must not use it to the hurt of any but to the good of all so neere as they can We must bee harmelesse as Christ wise as Serpents yet as innocent as Doves Yet a number there be that have the Serpentine wisdome and want the Dove-like simplicity they thinke they cannot be wise men unlesse they be crafty and hurtfull men they are more like the Devill then Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Devill hath a plaguie wit a subtile pate of his owne but hee never doth any good with it but all the mischiefe he can so doe those that are the Devills brood they have wit and wisedome enough the children of this world are wiser c. but what good doe they with it Nay what hurt how dangerous be they in a towne or a Country we must so live that wee be harmelesse as Christ was Yet a pittifull thing it is we are altogether set upon hurt we are harmefull and not harmelesse persons as CHRIST was There be two kindes of harmefull men in the Church covered with the Cloake of Christianity the one open the other close and secret and yet not so close but that God can disclose them and make their treacheries knowne to all the world the one are Foxes the other are Wolves the one Serpents the other Beares and Lions Some there bee that blush not to offer open harme and violence to their neighbours Such a one as Iesabel was that slew Naboth and tooke away his Vineyard all the world might see the injurie Such are they that grinde the faces of the poore that wring house and land from them and as Zidkiah smite their brother on the face that all may see the blow these be impudent wretches yet few of these Owles dare appeare in the glorious Sun shine of the Gospell Now men are waxen not more religious but more cunning they will be no hurtfull persons they doe no harme to any not openly perhaps yet secretly not above hand but under hand As he said I will kill Ismael and no man shall see it We will undermine the Preacher supplant our neighbours doe hurt and mischiefe in a towne and no man shall see it These are worse than the other those dogs are worst that will bite before they barke and the Serpent that lyeth in the greene grasse destroyes more than those that bee in high wayes a man may espie the one sooner than the other These are like Iudas that would kisse Christ at the same instant when hee betrayed him these will speake faire to a mans face and yet by secret perswasions by politicke devices by alienating the affections of others cut his throat behinde his backe A vile generation of Vipers yet all their plotting consulting their devising of mischiefe is knowne to him that knowes all secrets who will one day reveale them to their open shame before God and his Angels unlesse they repent fie upon this dealing let us labour to bee harmelesse as our Saviour Christ is It is an easie matter to bee harmefull if we will sell our selves to the Devill Let us strive to doe good to all but harme none neither openly nor secretly by word nor deed by our selves not by others We that bee Christians must bee good men as Barnabas was full of good workes as Dorcus was but not bad men hurtfull men full of evill workes Let us all so carry our selves in the Towne and Country where we dwell that it may bee affirmed of us we are harmelesse as Christ was Yet as we reade of one that was famous for nothing but for burning Diana's Temple so some are famous for nothing but for the hurt they have done and doe dayly they doe not only no good themselves but disswade others from doing of good As Christ is undefiled so must we be These are they that have not defiled their garments that have not defiled themselves with women Though we live in a filthy and defiled world yet we must not bee defiled with it Like the Sun that shineth on a dunghill yet is not polluted with the dunghill so though we live in the dunghill of the world yet wee must not be defiled with it wee must bee undefiled from covetousnesse drunkennesse pride malice envy and other sins that reigne amongst
shadowes Not of bad things he is no High-Priest of evill things as Annas and Caiphas were but of good things that is of most excellent things the positive being put for the superlative A good worke that is a worthy worke he that findeth a Wife findeth a good thing that is an excellent thing Some think that by the first Tabernacle was signified the militant Church as by the second the Church triumphant Christ by the Church militant gathered by God not by man entred into heaven all went into heaven by the Church militant Some more speciall thing is here avouched of Christ. Some againe by it understand Heaven but that cannot bee for then by Heaven he should enter into heaven for V. 24. the Holy of Holies is expounded to be heaven But rather by this tabernacle was signified the body of Christ. As the High-Priest came into the first Tabernacle and by it passed into the Holy place So the deity of our SAVIOUR CHRIST came into his sacred humanity and by it entred into heaven Thus is CHRIST's body compared unto a Temple Ioh. 2. and to the vaile Heb. 10.20 As God dwelt in that Tabernacle of the Iewes so the deity dwelt in Christ's humanity bodily This Tabernacle is illustrated by the adjuncts and the efficient cause the adjuncts are two 1. A greater not in quantity but in quality as the King is greater than any in the Realme that is more worthy Christ was greater than Salomon not in stature or bignesse of body but in excellency the greatest of these is love that is the chiefest So Christ's body was a greater that is a farre more excellent Tabernacle That was perfect in his kinde being finished according to GODS direction but this is more perfect that could perfect nothing touching our salvation but only shadowed out things to come by and in this Tabernacle was perfected the worke of our redemption consummatum est The efficient cause is set downe negatively whereby the affirmative part may be easily collected Of men not of the like structure and fabricke that the other Tabernacle was that Tabernacle was made by the hands of Aholiaâ— and Bezaleel this Tabernacle of Christ's body was made by the hands of the Holy Ghost Hebr. 8.2 that Tabernacle was made of Wood Gold Silver hayre c. this Tabernacle of Christ's body was made of the flesh of the Virgin not by the copulation of a man but by the shadowing of the Holy Ghost a Tabernacle farre more glorious than that was There yee have the truth of the Tabernacle A thing come is better than that which is to come A child come into the world is more acceptable then one to come a feast come then one to come CHRIST was to come in the time of the Law now he is come Let us receive him with joy as old father Simeon did Hee is not a laick but a Priest not an inferiour but an High-Priest All were subject to the High-Priest in the time of the Law and let us submit our selves to Christ our High-Priest in the time of the Gospell Here we may see what they be that in truth deserve the name and title of good things Not silver and gold houses and lands Sheepe and Oxen faire houses large lands and ample possessions CHRIST at his comming brought none of these yet hee brought good things with him namely remission of sins the glorious robe of his owne righteousnesse to cover us withall faith and other graces of the spirit and habitation in his owne kingdome in the life to come these indeed are worthy the name of good things Projicimus nomen boni Seneca when we adscribe it to these inferiour things Why callest thou me good sayes Christ to the young man So why doe we call these earthly and transitory things good The onely good things are the spirituall blessings that Christ bringeth The greatest sort crave worldly goods but let us entreat the Lord to fill our store-house with these good things The Philosophers made three kindes of good things bona animi as wit and wisedome learning bona corporis as beauty strength bona fortunae as riches honours c. to speake the truth none of them all are good things they be good things that can make the parties good that have them these doe not Esau had a good wit could readily descant on Iacobs name yet he was no good man Iulian the Apostata had great variety of learning yet a vile man Haman had great honour his throne exalted above all yet hee a wicked man Og King of Bashan had strength Ahsalom beauty yet evill men Health is a good thing A man may come to Church heare service and Sermons which he cannot when he is sicke Wealth is good A man may bee liberall to all good uses laying up a good foundation against the time to come but these are not worthy to be named with those which we have in Christ. Therefore let us desire those good things that can make us good to engraft us into Christ in this life and make us heyres of his kingdome in the life to come Forsomuch as our Priest bringeth such excellent things with him let him be most welcome to us David said of Ahimaaz he is a good man and bringeth good tidings much more let us say of Christ our High-Priest he is a good man he bringeth good tidings that by the bloud of his Crosse he hath reconciled us to God the Father hath obtained a generall pardon for all our sins he hath prepared a place for us in his own kingdome therefore let us receive him with all joy The High-Priest in the time of the Law could bring no such good newes hee only came with the bloud of a Goate Bullocke c. That was a representation of the bloud of CHRIST The Pope that challengeth to himselfe the title of an High-Priest in the time of the Gospell sendeth forth his pardons and indulgences but they are little worth they cannot free us from one sin it is Christ alone that is the messenger and author of all good things to us therefore let us skip for joy at his comming and embrace him with both armes As Christ's body is a Tabernacle So is ours 2 Pet. 1.14 2 Cor. 5.1 1. The name of a tent or Tabernacle imports a warfare Souldiers have their tents Abraham Isaac dwelt in tents the Iewes had the feast of Tabernacles Wee fight against Satan and his instruments in the tents of our bodies 2. There is a difference betweene a Tabernacle and an house for an house is made of solid matter Wood Stone c. A Tent is made of old clothes patched together so our bodies are not made of the Sun of the Starres of the firmament but of the earth which is a brittle thing 3. A Tent is weake easily pierced through so our body a knife a pin may pricke it a flie may choake it A Tent is quickly up and quickly downe So is our body wee
spoken of Love in generall he shewes the nature of Love and gives us some touchstones for the tryal of it Yes with all our hearts God forbid but that wee that bee Christians should love one an other I but if yee have love let it appeare by your fruits 1 Ioh. 3.18 As Saint Iames saith Shew mee thy faith by thy workes so shew mee thy love by thy workes 1. Hospitality Hee doth not say be hospitall but let the love of hospitality continue Wee are ready to forget that which as wee thinke is against our profit or is an empairing of our wealth Now many imagine hospitality to be so Therefore wee invent many shifts and excuses I am decayed in my estate I am not so rich as I have beene I have wife and children to provide for I cannot give that I have to strangers My house is but little my fare meane strangers will not like of it I but for all this be hospitall forget it not These Hebr. 10.34 were spoyled of their goods yet he would not have them to forget hospitalitie Why it is an honourable and commodious office thereby some by being hospitall Hee names them not because hee spake to them that were exercised in the Scripture The people should bee so acquainted with the Scripture as that the Preacher should not neede to name the good men when hee speakes of their vertues Abraham and Lot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 latuerunt whereupon some Schoole-men have it placuerunt whereas the Greeke can import no such thing Others translate it latuerunt Some have lien lurking receiving strangers into their houses They restraine it to Lot the plurall put for the singular Hee lay lurking quietly in his house protected from the rage of the Sodomites because he entertained Angels but this is ridiculous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 latebat illos they knew them not to be Angels they tooke them to bee meere men as they themselves were yet they received them 1. How were they Angels when as one of them is called Iehovah and the Iudge of the world One of the three was GOD the other two were Angels 2. If they thought them to be men not Angels why then did they worship them It was but a civill adoration or reverence such as Iacob gave to Esau and Abraham to the Shechemits They did not dreame that they were Angels they were perswaded that they were but men yet they entertained them Which amplifies their fact If a great Lord come to thine house like a Lord and thou take him into thine house it is no mervaile but if hee come in a beggers weede and yet thou receive him that is laudable These were Angels Lords of Gods privy Councell yet they came like men for all that Abraham and Lot entertained them and were glad of them See how GOD honoured their hospitality Let us doe the like that God may blesse and honour us In hospitality these things are required 1. That wee doe it frequenter One swallow makes not a spring The receiving of a stranger once makes not an hospitall man Wee must make a dayly use and occupation of it It was the continuall practice of Lot and Abraham as may appeare by their behaviour 2. It must bee celeriter wee must not tarry till strangers offer themselves we must pull them in as Abraham and Lot did Wee must constraine them as Lydia did S. Paul and Silas 3. Hilariter without grudging 1 Pet. 4.9 we must not repine at it speake hardly of them when they be gone 4. Humiliter not receive them after a stately and Lordlike manner but after a meeke manner as if we weare rather beholden to them then they to us They be the brethren of Christ the sonnes of GOD we are not worthy of such guests 5. Abundanter according to that abilitie wherewith God hath blessed us If wee have but a little let them have a little as the widdow of Sarepta dealt with Elias If we have a great portion of Gods blessings let them tast of them 6. Wee must doe it perseveranter be not weary of well doing Hospitalitie is a good thing be not weary of it Let thy house be open to good men all the dayes of thy life But alas this is an hard doctrine who can abide it wee are too much wedded to the world yea they that make a great shew of Christianitie are ready to say with Nabal shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh and give it unto men whom I know not whence they be O forget not this duty Here hee meanes such strangers especially as are compelled to forsake their countrie for the Gospels sake but it is to be extended to all It is an excellent dutie and wee have many spurs to pricke us to it 1. God requires it Isai. 58.7 2. Wee have many examples for it 3. We our selves may be strangers therefore doe as ye would be done to 4. The want of it hath beene grievously punished it was the overthrow of an whole tribe Iud. 20. 5. In receiving men that be strangers we may receive Angels Preachers which be Gods Angels nay Christ himselfe Matt. 25.6 6. It is gainefull for this life and that which is to come Abraham had a Sonne streight after the entertainement of his strangers Lot was delivered from the destruction of Sodom God blessed the house of Obed Edom and hee will blesse those houses that receive strangers Therefore be not forgetfull to lodge strangers receive them into your houses in this life that CHRIST may receive you into the house made without hands in the life to come That may suffice for the entertainement of forrainers now followes our usage of them that be at home with us they are either in bondage or at libertie Out of sight out of minde These were enclosed in the prison wals therefore hee sayes remember Though they be a good way from you yet remember them There be 2. kindes of bondmen Vincti Iesu Christi diaboli Some are in bonds for righteousnesse sake some for unrighteousnesse some for the Gospell some for theft murther treason grosse and notorious vices For the hope of Israel sayes Saint Paul Am I bound with this chaine Some are in bonds for Popery Anabapt for sects and schismes All are to be remembred as occasion serveth though they be in bonds for evill causes yet let us in some sort remember them Let us goe to them if opportunitie serve and give them good counsaile Let us labour to bring them to a sight of their sinnes and so make them Christs free-men that is a worthie worke A theefe was converted at the gallowes therefore there is hope of doing them good in the prison A blessed thing to save such a soule But especially if any are in bonds for the Gospell let us bee mindefull of them Let us repaire to them personally if wee can and not be ashamed
no good with it you make your riches your enemies they will condemne you at the latter day If yee doe good with them you make them your friends and these good workes of yours will follow you at your dying day Yet some are so farre from doing of good that they doe hurt by secret counsell and perswasion Many are like rotten trees that doe no good till they dye they yeeld nor fruit while they stand when they bee cut downe they make a good fire to warme many withall So it may be there is good cheere at a rich mans buryall a dole then to refresh the poore withall that did little good while hee was alive Let us remember this Lesson to doe good and to distribute God is well pleased with such Sacrifices hee is so well pleased with them that hee will give us a Kingdome for them in the life to come Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome c. when I was hungry c. Therefore inherit the Kingdome prepared for you VERSE 17. AS they must doe good to all so especially to the Ministers that have the spirituall rule and government of them 1. How they must behave themselves to all in generall 2. what they must doe for him in speciall In the former the duties prescribed and certaine reasons for the enforcing of them The duties are Obedience and Submission It cannot bee denyed but that all of what condition soever must submit themselves to the ministerie of the word yea Kings Princes and Emperours because it is Gods Ordinance and in so doing they submit themselves to GOD which is no disparagement to the greatest of them all Yet touching matters of externall politie in the Church and Common-wealth all on the other side must bee subject to Kings and Princes they may prescribe constitutions even of Religion agreeable to the Law of GOD to Ministers and they must obey them Let every Soule bee subject to the Higher Powers Yet in the Essentiall points of the ministery all must subject themselves to the Rulers of the Church For a more full unfolding of the matter the duties we owe to these Spirituall Fathers are foure 1. Reverence in regard of their Office Alexander reverenced Iaddus Herod Iohn the Baptist. Obadiah called Elias Lord. My father said Iohash to Elisha If wee reverence them not the Word will not have so free a passage among us They that use their Pastours unreverently sin against God 2. Love Have them in exceeding love for their workes sake It is the best worke in the world the Saving of your Soules therefore love them for it You love the Fathers of your bodies that brought you into the world and will yee not love them that beget you with the Word of truth and bring you to a Kingdome Obad. ult 3. Obedience to their doctrine exhortations and admonitions Herod observed Iohn Baptist and did many things You will obey the prescript of the Physition for the health of your bodies though it be a bitter potion you take it well at his hands and will you not obey them that give you counsell for your soules though their reproofes be bitter their rebukes sharpe Tit. 1.13 as the qualitie of the sin requires yet accept of it if they tell you and that in love of your covetousnesse drunkennesse pride malice obey them in the reformation of those vices 4. Is Maintenance All Rulers must be maintained The King hath maintenance due from the people and so must the Minister You receive spirituall things from them and is it much if ye give them carnall They that served at the Altar lived on the Altar and shall not they that preach the Gospell live on the Gospell If the Preachers would preach to us and take nothing wee would like them well but wee grudge at their maintenance an Argument that wee feele not the sweetnesse of the Word of GOD. The Galathians would have plucked out their eyes to doe Paul good withall Wee thinke much to pull money out of our purses to doe him good withall In the feare of GOD if yee be good and religious people discharge the duties that GOD requireth to them that have the Spirituall government and oversight of you Why there bee two reasons to excite us to it the one taken from the matter of their worke the other from the manner of their working They are your watchmen therefore submit your selves to them love them regard them Not over your goods and bodies as the Magistrate is but over your Soules which are more precious not as the fowler watcheth for the bird to catch it and kill it but they watch for the preservation and eternall Salvation of your soules therefore submit your selves to them All Ministers have Curam Animarum none can bee a Minister without that charge Your Soules are subject to many enemies there bee innumerable devils that seeke to carry away your Soules As the henne watches for the chickens against the kite so doe they for you against the devill There be sundry Heretiques that go about to infect your Soules with the poyson of false doctrine Papists Anabaptists Schismatiques Priests and Iesuites Arrians Nestorians c. The Ministers watch for you against them There be sectaries that for small matters would draw you from the Church there be many dangerous sinnes that are ready to cut the throate of your Soules covetousnesse pride ignorance c. they keepe a watch over you and labour to bring you out of those sinnes Therefore esteeme highly of them make much of these watchmen This is illustrated by a spurre that pricks them to this watching they know they must be countable for your Soules therefore they watch over them Iacob gave account to Laban of every sheepe he had if any were lost or torne by the wild beasts hee required it at his hands hee made it good so wee must give an account to IESUS CHRIST the great Shepheard of every sheepe in our fold This makes us to watch carefully over your Soules Some are to give a single account We must all give account of our Stewardship as private persons for themselves alone some a double accompt as Magistrates Masters Fathers Ministers therefore wee had neede to looke to it to cast over our Bookes betimes in this life that our accompts may be joyfull in the life to come That wee may say Here am I and the children that thou hast given mee Here am I Lord IESU and the sheepe that thou hast given mee Suffer us to meddle with you to reprehend that which is amisse in you for we must give an accompt for you Therefore we cannot let you alone wee cannot nay wee must not permit you to sleepe in your sinnes wee must lift up our voices as trumpets to waken you because wee are to give accompt for you The second Reason is taken from the manner of their working they would gladly doe their worke with joy they would watch over you with
sinnes of all the faithfull on him he feared the wrath of his Father yet without any diffidence or distrust He was in a wonderfull perplexity and perturbation as ever any was the power of the deity for a time suppressed thinking himselfe as it were forsaken of his Father God plucked him out of this feare sending an Angell to comfort him and strengthning him himselfe This is no disparagement to CHRIST because hee was a true man It is not in vaine to pray for God will heare us If not ad voluntatem yet ad utilitatem He doth not hearken so much to the externall cry of the throate for Esau cryed but obteined not the blessing Baals Priests cryed from morning to noone but were not heard he hearkens to the internall cryes of his Spirit in his Children 1 Ioh. 5.14 So he heard Anna Hezekiah David the Nine vites when they cryed unto him He heard Daniel Dan 9.23 and Cornelius prayers were in remembrance with God VERSE 8. THe second fruit is his learning by it 1. The Scholler 2. The Lesson 3. The Schoole-master Though he were a Son equall with his Father Phil. 2.6 by those his sufferings hee learned what obedience meant experimento didicit Cajetan hee felt by experience what it was to obey Christ learned as he was man as Luk. 2. ult Afflictions are very profitable for us It is good for me sayes the Psalm that I have beene afflicted that I might learne thy statutes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qua nocent docent In prosperity we are as Calves Oxen and fat Horses kicking against our master pursuing eagerly after the sinfull pleasures and profits of this world but aduersity makes us to retyre home to God and submit ourselves to him by unfained repentance in their affliction they will seeke me early When a Scholler in the Schoole is under the rod he will cease then to play rex he wil cry peccavi keep in his seat afterwards and apply himselfe to his booke So afflictions will make us to consider our wayes and apply our selves wholly to the obedience of Gods word and will VERSE 9. COnsecrate to God and approved of God Hebr. 2.10 Authour Good workes are the fruits of faith seales of our election and pledges of our salvation but Christ is the Authour Eternall Not as some that are saved from the Gallowes and after dye Vnto all To Lazarus and Abraham Iewes and Gentiles rich and poore c. Obey Not to those that talke of him nor heare him in the preaching of the Gospell as 2 Thes. 1.8 but to those that obey him Why doth hee not say to them that believe because obedience is the touchstone of faith As the tree is knowne by the fruits So faith by obedience As Christ obeyed Verse 8. So must we Our Saviour Christ is the Author of salvation not to all that talke of him c. It is a good thing to come to Church heare the Word receive the Sacraments c. Yet we must not set down our staffe here for if we will obtaine eternall salvation wee must obey him Every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall not enter into the kingdome of heaven but hee that doth the will of my Father Not the hearers of the law but the doers of it shall be justified Obedience is better than sacrifice As a Physition is the cause of health to those patients that will follow his directions and obey him So CHRIST is the Authour of salvation unto all those that obey him Let us examine our obedience Christ wils us to avoid sins that cause his Gospell to be ill spoken of by good workes to adorne it to stop the mouthes of the adversaries c. Doe we so doth not drunkennesse covetousnesse pride malice and uncleannes abound As they said and promised to Iosua So let us to Christ. Whatsoever thou commandest us we will doe and whither soever thou sendest us we will goe Doth Christ command us to abandon covetousnesse which is Idolatry and the roote of all evill then let us not be glewed to the world Doth he forbid us drunkennesse malice pride c. Let us have no fellowship with these unfruitfull workes of darkenesse but rather reproove them let us forsake father and mother c. and follow him for without obedience there is no salvation How must we obey him 1. Fully The young man in the Gospell most proudly vaunted that he had kept all the Commandements from his youth let us endeavour that wee may say so in truth and sincere heart and as Zachary and Elizabeth let us walke in all the Commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse 2. Cheerefully GOD loves a cheerefull giver I was glad sayes the Psalm When they sayd let us goe up into the house of the Lord Psal. 122.1 3. Constantly A runner hath not the prize till hee come to the Gole A Taylour hath not his wages till the garment bee finished A Traveller hath not his money till he come to his journeys end Here we are as Children 1 Cor. 13. growing higher and higher in knowledge faith love obedience c. Let us hold out to the end running constantly in the way of obedience that we may have eternall salvation VERSE 10. COgnominatus That his sacrifice being finished he hath this glorious title given him of God Perfectly So we are called Priests now but then more justly offring the sacrifice of praise for ever Hitherto of the lawfulnesse of his Priest-hood Now he is to proceede to the excellency of his Priest-hood whereunto that he might the better stirre them up to attention he useth a new preface to prepare their hearts and mindes to it There be two lets that hinder him from an immediate proceeding to it The one in the matter to bee delivered the other in the persons to whom it is to bee delivered In the matter there bee too branches the multiplicity and the difficultie of it In the hearers there is dulnesse which is to bee removed proved by the effects They that have gone long to the Schoole and have profited but little are dull Schollers but yee have gone a long time to Schoole and profited but little which hee proveth first simply then comparatively They that must yet bee taught the principles of Religion have profited but little but you must yet bee taught the principles of Religion 2. They that stand in need of milke and are not capable of strong meat have made small growth in Christianity you neede milke Both the members are severally ratified in the next words by shewing to whom milke appertaineth and to whom strong meat appertaineth VERSE 11. OR in the Neuter Gender of the which thing of Christ being a Priest after the order of Melchizedec Much speech a long speech that can hardly bee shut up in a narrow roome it must have a large field to walke in Concerning the person of Melchizedec and of Christ too what manner of man Melchizedec was and why Christ
adversitie and prosperity too Though wee bee not thrust out of our houses spoyled of our goods banished the Country clapt up into prison carryed to the stake for the profession of the Gospell yet if wee belong to CHRIST wee shall alwayes have our Crosses All that will live godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persequution If any will be my Disciple let him take up his Crosse. God will exercise us one way or other either he will send us sicknesse or stirre up some rayling Shimeis against us he will evermore be trying of our faith Therefore we have need of patience It is as needfull as our meat and drinke Patience is the foode and nourishment of the soule Therefore the Lord in mercy give patience to us all From hence some conclude that good workes are necessary to salvation Patience is a good worke The Apostle avouches that it is necessary not only ratione praesentiae being good workes they cannot bee separated from faith sed ratione relationis ad salutem for here hee doth not simply say that patience is necessary but with a reference to eternall life that yee might receive the promise Wee grant good workes are necessary to salvation none can be saved without them but how not as meritorious causes of salvation that is CHRIST alone which hath purchased heaven for us with his owne bloud but necessary as fruit for a tree and the way for a passenger to goe by to his house and Country Good workes are the way to heaven and so necessary for us all to walke in In that respect we have need of patience of vertues and good workes VERSE 37. HEre is a remedy against impatiencie taken from the shortnes of the time wherein we are to suffer Thou callest for patience thou wouldest have us to be patient in our afflictions but how long shall we continue in them To that he answers parvum quà m quà m the ingemination of the word augmenteth the signification of it as Toboth Toboth Raagnoth Raagnoth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee that is the Lord Iesus Christ and deliver you out of all your miseries I he will come but it may be long first Nay he will make no tarrying If wee bee in any kinde of affliction wee thinke the time long though it be never so short As the Saints in the Apoc. 6.10 cry how long Lord So if wee be sicke we say how long Lord how long will it be ere this sicknesse be removed from me how long shall we endure the taunts of the wicked how long shall Christians in some Countries suffer banishment imprisonment losse of goods how long shall the Devill and his instruments tyrannize over them but a very little while even the turning of an hand the twinckling of an eye in respect of eternity What is tenne or twenty yeeres calamity if it should be so long What is thirtie eight or fortie yeeres as Ioh. 5. a man was so long diseased in his feete what is this to life everlasting who would not fight a while that he might have the victorie who would not take physike a while that he might be whole our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth unto us a farre most excellent and an eternall waight of glory Therefore let the shortnesse of our suffering comfort us hee that should come will come in his due and convenient time GOD comes to deliver us three kinde of wayes 1. By plucking us out of the temptations in this world as hee did Saint Paul out of the mouth of the Lion the Emperour of Rome 2. By our particular death he takes us out of the world by death and then there is an end of all our sorrow 3. By his comming at the generall judgement that is not long behold I come quickly Then shall we both in our bodies and soules in heaven where all teares shall be wiped from our eyes for ever Let us be of good comfort yet a very little while and the Lord will come graciously to us one way or other VERSE 38. THe second pillar for sustaining them in afflictions is Faith Where 1. The excellency of Faith 2. The application of it Verse 39. The excellency is 1. Set downe then illustrated Beemunatho Every man must live by his owne faith he cannot live by the faith of another In the Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by my faith that is by faith in me which is all one Here we see whereby a Christian lives not by the ayre as Camelions doe not by love as we use to say not simply by his meat and drinke by that indeed through Gods blessing the body liveth but the soule lives by faith Gal. 2.20 and they that want faith are dead even while they live as Saint Paul speaketh of the widdow A just holy and righteous man lives by faith I know whom I have believed Wee know what joy is laid up for us in heaven therefore we beare patiently all the afflictions of this present life We doe not only live by faith at our first conversion and justification as Saint Paul disputeth in his Epistle to the Romans but all the dayes of our life we live by faith Therefore let us entreat the Lord to encrease our faith that in all calamities we may live by it in this world and live without it in his kingdome in the world to come This is illustrated by the contrary but if any withdraw himselfe my soule shall have no pleasure in him So the Seventy have it The Hebrew in words is much different from it yet in sence they are all one Gnuphlah hee makes himselfe a tower whose heart is not upright in him He trusts to himselfe not to God that is he withdraweth himselfe from the Lord and if his heart bee not upright in him then God hath no pleasure in him But wee need not busie our selves in the reconciling of these places for Saint Paul doth not of purpose alleadge it as the Prophets testimony but only useth the words of the Scripture in them to commend faith to them If any with-draw himselfe by infidelity and thinke it a better course to sleepe in an whole skinne then to suffer any thing for Christ and his Gospell My soule Either it may be spoken in the person of the Apostle or in the person of GOD neither any good Christian nor GOD Himselfe will take any pleasure in such a one but hee is rather detested of God and man therefore let us live by faith and not withdraw our selves by infidelity VERSE 39. THen followes an application of it to the Hebrewes which is partly negative partly affirmative Though I have spoken of some unfaithfull persons that with-draw themselves or depart from the living God yet I would not have you imagine that I meane you that I put you into that black bill nay you are of another stamp you are birds of another feather yea he includes himselfe in their number that they might conceive the
very Heathen The Sunne is ours wheresoever it shineth though it be upon a dunghill good is ours wheresoever it be though among the Heathen Follow the patience of Socrates the chastitie of Lucretia the temporance of Zeno the just dealing of Aristides the contempt of money that was in Lucullus Fabritius but especially follow it in the godly the members of Christ. Follow the faith of Abraham the zeale of Phineas the sincerity of Nathaniel the liberality of Zacheus and Cornelius listen to the admonition of Saint Paul Whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just are pure appertaining to love whatever things are of good report if there be any verture if there be any praise thinke on these things But let us come to Saint Iohns Reason 1. For goodnesse Hee that doth good is of God not by propagation but by imitation he is full of goodnesse be you so too in some measure Be you mercifull as your heavenly father is mercifull be yee bountifull as he is bountifull be ye loving as he is loving He doth good to his very enemies so doe you 2. He doth that which is acceptable to God he is of his family he serves and obeyes him therefore God will reward him for it on the other side He that doth evill hath not seene God Why then none hath seene him for all doe evill the meaning is that doth accustome himselfe to doe evill The godly man doth evill but it is upon weakenesse the wicked doe it upon wilfulnesse the one accidentally the other properly and naturally Such a one hath not seene God No more hath the holiest man in the world No man hath seene God at any time That is spoken of the essence of God and of a perfect seeing of him But here he entreates of an experimentall seeing of God Taste and see how good the Lord is he hath not seene the power the wisedome the justice the mercy of God He knoweth not God Hee hath no acquaintance at all with God like to them that never saw him he is a stranger from God and so consequently from all happinesse If they knew God aright they would not take such evill courses as they doe He that walketh in the darke cannot see wicked men walke in the darkenesse of sinne and ignorance they lie wallowing in the workes of darkenesse therefore they can not see God Therefore let us abhorre that which is evill It will blind our eyes and keepe us from seeing of God VERSE 12. WEE have had the bad man to be eschewed Now to the good man that is to be followed That is Demetrius We reade of a Demetrius the father of Antiochus that once reigned in Israel in the bookes of the Maccabes There are but two mentioned in the new Testament The Silver-smith that made shrines for Diana and raised a tumult in Ephesus and Demetrius here spoken of Who he was cannot certainely be defined By all probability he was one of the Preachers before mentioned who at this time was with Saint Iohn and as some thinke was the carrier of this Epistle Whatsoever he was he was a good man opposed to Diotrephes he was a proud man this an humble man he an hard hearted man that shut up the bowels of compassion against poore strangers this is a mercifull man to his ability ready to entertaine strangers he himselfe against Saint Iohn this was a lover and a reverencer of Saint Iohn God will not have us to be utterly dejected by the examples of wicked men he stirreth up some good men that may countervaile them As the Iewes had a Haman to pull them downe so they had a Mordecai to lift them up As Christ had many enemies among the Pharisees so he had some friends among them Nicodemus and Ioseph of Arimathea As Saint Paul had a Smith against him in Ephesus so hee had the Towne-Clerke of Ephesus by Gods providence to pacifie the tumult as Gajus might grieve for Diotrephes so he might rejoyce in Demetrius This Demetrius had an excellent report 1. Of all men in generall 2. Of the truth itselfe 3. Of Saint Iohn in speciall To Demetrius is witnessed of all men all have witnesse to him to be a good man neither is it a lying but a true witnesse the truth it selfe doth testifie it his deedes being answerable to the generall report that goeth of him Yea and I too doe justifie the same He shall have my pen my hand to testifie the same I but thy testimony is of no great weight for that I appeale to your owne knowledge Ye know having had so long experience of me that my record is true Christ knew it the faithfull ever since have verified it and you your selves know it to be true he is very earnest in the commendation of Demetrius But is this such a praise to Demetrius to have the good report of all men Our Saviour seemes to be of another judgement O be to you when all men speake well of you for after this manner did their fathers to the false prophets 1. That is spoken of men-pleasers which accommodate themselves to all mens humours sooth up all in their sinnes that they may get the good will and good word of all as appeareth by the example of the false prophets alleadged Demetrius was none of that ranke 2 Here by all men is meant all good and godly men although a good man sometimes may in some things so carry himselfe that the very wicked shall be compelled to speake well of him 3 As Demetrius had the testimony of men so he had the testimony of the truth it selfe the truth did beare witnesse of him as well as men There be two things which we ought all to procure bona conscientia a good conscience in respect of God bona fama and a good name a good report in regard of men 1 A good name is sweet and comfortable it is preferred before the most precious things that men have in greatest estimation A good name is to be chosen above great riches and loving favour is above silver and gold 2 It is profitable A good name maketh the bones fat an ill name maketh a man leane a good name maketh a man fat he eates hee drinkes he sleepes the better for it 3 It secures a man while he is alive they that have a bad report for their injurious dealing are shooted at and maligned they goe in some sort in danger of their lives they that have a good report walke cheerefully and safely 4 It is a consolation to a man even on his death bed hee hath the lesse then to vexe and trouble his minde 5 It leaves a sweet savour after us When we be dead it is an odoriferous oyntment the house wil smell of it a good while after Therefore let us so live that we may be well reported of so far as it is possible of all men I say so farre
cannot agree with any thing that went before Some say it is an enallage of case the accusative put for the dative Some will have it to agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first Verse and all the rest to bee included within a parenthesis as Iunius but that should be a wonderfull long parenthesis Rather something must be supplyed as it is usuall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of correction Not as if any thing were amisse simply evill in the ceremoniall Law A reformation properly to speake is of abuses there was no fault no abuses in the Law it selfe it was a good and an holy thing for the time but it is said to be reformed by Christ because hee did perfect that which was wanting in the ceremoniall Law hee actually introduced the justification and sanctification of the faithfull which the ceremoniall Law could not effect of and by it selfe And it may be termed the time of reformation because Christ abolished those old Ceremonies and sacrifices and brought better in their roome namely the sacrifice of his owne body once offered which was a thousand times more effectuall for the redemption of mankinde then all the sacrifices in the Law This is that blessed reformation which the Gospell bringeth All things have their time The Ceremoniall Law had her time and the Gospell hath his time Wee our selves have but our time some threescore yeeres and tenne and then we are gone Let us use our time well here that wee may live with Christ time out of time The Gospell is a time of reformation Christ then reformed the Law for our sakes and all things that were in the Old Testament old things are passed away and shall wee our selves remaine unreformed As Christ hath reformed the Law for our salvation so let us suffer him to reforme us Let all things now bee reformed among Christians Let us reforme our drunkennesse uncleannesse pride malice contentions our negligent comming to Sermons and all other vices that be among us that when the great time of reformation comes at the day of judgement we being thus reformed may enter into the holy Hierusalem and remaine with Christ for ever There is a formation a deformation and a reformation The formation was at the first Creation of the world then God put all things into a good forme and order he beheld all that hee had made and loe it was good yea exceeding good after that came a deformation by the fall of man and that put all out of order againe upon that a reformation was made 1. By a generall deluge that purged all the earth 2. By the Patriarcks after the floud 3. By Moses when the Law was published in writing 4. By our Saviour Christ and that is double the one at his first comming the other at the second The spirit of God here entreateth of the first So that the time of the Gospell is the time of reformation Now especially ought Christians to endeavour a reformation Every one will take on him to reforme the Church Weavers and Taylors will enterprize that The Church is out of order let that be reformed I but true reformation must begin at our selves there is a ruinated house to be repaired and reformed where will yee begin at the top or at the bottome will ye goe to the tiling of it before yee look to the ground selling of it if yee doe so you may quickly bring an old house on your heads He that will repaire an house must begin at the foundation so if yee will have a reformation reforme your selves first and in the reformation of your selves begin with the heart cast out the uncleane lusts the pride envy malice covetousnesse that lye lurking in the corners of your hearts afterwards reforme your eyes tongues hands and all the members of your body first wash the inside of the Cup and platter then the outside else yee will be but whited tombes and painted Sepulchers as the Pharisees were this is the best order in reforming First let every man strive to reforme himselfe the vices whereunto himselfe is given In the next place let him reforme his family after that let every one in his place labour to reforme the Towne wherein hee dwells to rid it of drunkards of idle persons to establish good orders in it for the credit of the Gospell professed by us This is the time of reformation let us all in the feare of God reforme our selves there shall not be a haire amisse in our head but we will reforme it if we have a spotted Coate or garment we will reforme it and shall wee our selves remaine unreformed while the time of reformation lasts let us reforme our selves death may seaze on us ere wee bee aware and then it will be too late to reforme Let us reforme our selves here that we may be Citizens of the heavenly Hierusalem hereafter Now followes the application of the type with all the particular branches of the same Wherein all of them are applyed to our Saviour Christ he is the marke at the which they all aimed the scope whereunto all must bee referred hee is the true High Priest prefigured by him in the time of the Law his body is the true Tabernacle by the which he entreth into the Holy of Holies the Sanctuary or holiest of all is heaven his bloud is the true bloud shadowed out by the bloud of all the sacrifices in the time of the Law Thus Christ is the end of the whole ceremoniall Law it was but as a Schoolemaster to send us to him But in this application to observe some order that might bee a light to us all in it two points are propounded to us 1. An application of the Tabernacle à Verse 11. to 21. 2. Of the rites belonging to it à 21. ad finem The Tabernacle is applyed to Christ. 1. As he is a Priest reconciling us to God ab 11. to 15. 2. As he is a testator making a gracious Will and Testament for us à 15. to 21. 1. The dignity of his Priest-Hood 2. A confirmation of it Verse 13. the dignity is set forth by the object Tabernacle Sacrifice In the application of the Tabernacle as he is a Priest there bee three points 1. The verity and truth of the Tabernacle 2. The service of it 3. The use and end of it VERSE 11. BBeing come farre excelling all the High-Priests in the time of the Law To us in the flesh manifesting himselfe to the world hee was an High-Priest in Gods eternall counsell from the beginning but now at his first comming into the world hee shewed himselfe in all his Spirituall pontificalibus to be an High-Priest Of what not of things present and before their eyes as they were Verse 9. but of things to come shadowed out by them Hebr. 10.1 of Iustification Sanctification and eternall Glorification in the life to come of these good things to come were the ceremonies of the Law