A commentary vpon the Epistles of Saint Paul to Philemon, and to the Hebrewes together with a compendious explication of the second and third Epistles of Saint Iohn. By VVilliam Iones of East Bergholt in Suffolke, Dr. in Divinity, and sometimes one of the fellowes of the foundation of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge.

CHAP. 2.

IN the former Chapter the Author (as in a Glasse) shewed the Deity of CHRIST, and both simply and absolutely ratifi∣ed it. Now he applies it to them to whom he writeth. Where 1. An application. 2. A transition to his humanity. In the Ap∣plication, 1. the Vse. 2. the Reasons whereby it is pressed. 1. From the incommodity. 2. From the punishment, set forth by a com∣parison.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: forsomuch as CHRIST the Author of the Gospell, is not onely above the Angels, but is the high and eternall God, be∣ing the naturall Son of the everlasting Father, and engraven forme of his Person.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, we ought. So then it is not left to our discretion: we are tied with the bond of necessity to it.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, intend our mindes, that the things may be imprinted in our hearts, and practised in our lives.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, more aboundantly. We should abound more in hearing, attention, and practice, than they did, in the time of the Law: we should excell them by a more rare and singular attention:

for though the things are the same: yet the party is not the same, by whom they are delivered.

It is not enough to heare Sermons every weeke, which is good and commendable, but we must yeeld a diligent attention to the things that we heare: we especially now in the time of the Gospell when God speaketh to us by his owne Son. The people were bound to heare attentively in the time of the Law, when the Prophets of God spake to them: but much more are we, when the Son of God, the Prince of Prophets, the Prophet of the Prophets speakes to us. All Samaria gave heed to Simon Magus that bewitched them,* 1.1 and lead them to the Divell: and shall not we give heed to Iesus Christ, that labours to carry us to Heaven? Doe not onely heare, but at∣tend to that which ye heare.* 1.2 Take heed how ye heare, whether loosely or carefully, profitably or unprofitably. Lydia attended to the things that Paul spake. Acts 16.14. We must not only heare the Preacher, but attend to the things which he uttereth. An In∣fant doth not only take the dug into his mouth, but he sucketh at it, and that with greedinesse. So we must not onely lye at the big of the Word, but we must suck sweet doctrines and heavenly instru∣ctions from it. The ground that receives not the seed into it, will never be fruitfull, if it lye aloft and be not hidden in the bowels of the earth, it can never yeeld fruit: so when the seed of the Word is sowne, if we doe not marke it and lay it up in our hearts, hide it within us, as David did; the birds of the Ayre, that is, the divels that flie up and downe in the Church, will pick it up and run away with it. Therefore let us diligently give heed to the things which we heare: hearing is good, and they be commended that heare, yet that is not sufficient; a diligent attendance must be given to that which we heare. When Christ reades a Divinity Lecture to us, we that be his Schollers must attend to it. It is said of the people, that they hung on Christ, watching the words that came from his mouth, ready to receive them before they came: so with all care and diligence we must hang on the Preacher; marke his words, and be ready to receive them into our eares and hearts, even before they are delivered; so eager should we be of the Word.

Especially now in the time of the Gospell: what attention is there in the Starre-Chamber, when the Lords of the Privie Coun∣sell speake? But if either the Prince or the King himselfe make an Oration, then there is wonderfull attention. In the time of the Law the Prophets spake, which indeed were of Gods counsell, by whom God revealed his will to the people: but now the Prince of peace, the everlasting Counsellor, the Kings owne Sonne, that lay in his owne bosome, in whom all the treasures of wisdome are hid, speak∣eth to us. Therefore let us listen with all diligence to the things which he speaketh.

And how doth Christ now speak? Not daily from Heaven, as he did to Saul: but by the mouth of his Ambassadours. He that heareth you, heareth me: will ye have an experience of Christ that

speaketh in me? Christ spake in Paul, when he preached; and hee speakes in us when we preach. The Pearle is precious though it be in an earthen vessell, that brings it to you: therefore receive it with all reverence. We ought more diligently to give heed to the things which we heare, and yet we are more negligent in hearing, than they were in time past: an egregious fault! Let it be amended by us all.

The reason is taken, 1. From the danger: lest we be as wet pa∣per which blotteth out the words and letters that are written in it, so as they cannot be read:* 1.3 or lest we perish as water that runneth over and is spilt on the ground, as wax that melteth away before the fire. The words following seeme to ratifie this interpretation, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Chrysostome.

Ne praeterfluamus: lest we run by, or run over: lest we be like to Sieves and Vessels full of holes, out of which the water runneth out immediately, so soone as it is powred in: as he said in Terence, Plenus sum rimarum, huc et illuc diffluo: lest we runne by, as water doth by a way, and stayeth not. So lest we passe by the celestiall doctrine propounded to us, and regard it not, we must dwell upon the things which we heare, by a serious meditation, and not flow (like water) from one thing to another.

We must let the Word slip at no time, though we have never such weighty businesse: One thing is necessary. This one thing ne∣cessary is to be preferred before all others: never let a Sermon slip from you without some profit. I, but how shall we keep them from slipping away? There be foure things to hold the Word from slip∣ping from us?

1 A meditation in that which wee have heard: blessed is the man that meditateth in the Law of God. When thou hast heard a Ser∣mon, take some time to meditate in it, that thou mayest imprint it on thy memory.

This is a common fault among us. The word of God preached to us passeth away as water on a stony Rock. When we are once out of the Church, we never thinke on it againe: therefore no mar∣vell though it slip away from us.

The 2^d. thing to hold it, is conference with others. The Dis∣ciples that travelled to Emaus, conferred together:* 1.4 the Bereans that came from S. Paul his Sermon tooke their Bibles and conferred to∣gether of the Sermon: many eyes see more than one:* 1.5 that which one hath forgotten, another may remember. Therefore let Christi∣ans recount the things they have heard, and that repetition will be as a naile to fasten the things they heard.

The 3^d. is prayer. Our corporall meat will not thrive, except GOD blesse it: therefore they that have any feare of GOD, have grace before and after meales: no more can the food of our soules doe us good without the blessing of God upon it: therefore it beho∣veth us to pray both when we come to Church, and goe from Church, that he would send us good speed, & blesse his word to us.

The 4^th. is a care to practise that which we have heard. This is the digesting of our spirituall meat, and the converting of it in∣to our substance. Many heare, but few care to practise that which they heare: it is never our owne truly and indeed, till it be practi∣sed: that will make us grow up as perfect men in CHRIST IE∣SUS. We heare swearing reproved; yet we sweare still: drunken∣nesse inveighed against; yet we are drunke still: envie and malice controlled; yet malicious still, yea, against the Preachers, that are as Gods arme to pull us out of our sins: a manifest argument that we hold not that, which wee heare, but suffer it without fruit to slip from us. Shall a Childe be put to a Nurse, that hath aboun∣dance of milke and bee never a whit the fatter for it? Has God sent you many spirituall Nurses, that in great plenty have de∣livered the sincere milke of the Word to you (and are you ne∣ver a whit the better for it? Surely GOD will require it at your hands.

Doth a man sit at a table well furnished every day, and yet is he leane and in no good plight? There is some internall lett in himselfe, as there was in Amnon. Hath God spread before you a rich Table of his word, where you had dish upon dish, meat upon meat, and yet are you leane and ill favoured, doe you not grow up by the Word? truly your meat is ill-bestowed on you, and GOD shall deale justly with you if he take it quite away from you: there∣fore let us attend diligently to the things that we heare, that they slip not from us, but may remaine and continue with us to the sal∣vation of us all.

VERSE 2.

THE second reason to inforce the use is drawne from the pu∣nishment, which is set forth comparatively.

The greatest part of Interpreters by the word spoken by An∣gels, understand the Law, which they say was given by the Mini∣stery of Angels, grounding on those places, Acts 7.53. Gal. 3.19. Whereas, if the words be examined in the Originall, they imply no such matter. Stephen sayes not, that they received the Law by the Ministery of Angels, but among the Orders or Rankes of An∣gels, that is, the Angels, by whom the fearefull Trumpet was sounded, as a celestiall Guard and Armie attending upon God at the present time, which gave the Law to the people: and in the Ga∣latians it is, among the Angels by the hand of a Mediator: there∣fore by the word spoken by Angels, is not meant the Law, but any doctrine or admonition whatsoever, which God sent to man by Angels in the Old Testament. The Lord then used much the Mi∣nistry of Angels, and by them hee revealed his will to them, the which if they despised and regarded not, they were surely punished for it, as Lots sons in law that would not beleeve the destruction of

Sodom, and Zacharie that would not give credite to the Angels speech was made dumbe: yea, even the word spoken by the Pro∣phets, though but men, was severely punished; much more shall that which is spoken by CHRIST.

Was stedfast, that is remained firme and unmoveable against the contumacie and stubbornnesse of them that resisted it. It tooke ef∣fect in despite of all the adversaries, though they strove with might and maine against it.

Not some, but every one. GOD suffered none to goe unpuni∣shed, some copies have 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, responsation.

Transgression hath reference to those things that are forbid∣den, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to those that bee commanded: every swarving or de∣clining from the right way, every stubborne contempt, when men will scant vouchsafe to give it the hearing, or reject that which they heare.

Received a just recompence, a lawfull recompence, which can∣not be gaine-sayed; pronounced by the Law it selfe, Deut. 28. from Verse 15. ad finem. They were diversly punished.

Of reward: both good workes and evill are rewarded, 2 Tim. 4.14.

VERSE 3.

WEE would seeke wayes of escaping, any hole or crany to escape by, but we shall find none: he makes them Iudges. I appeale to your owne selves, Iudge you.

He doth not say, if we contemne, secretly or openly,* 1.6 but if we neglect. The carelesse neglect of the Gospell shall pull damnation on us.

He doth not say, so great a word, as before: but, so great salva∣tion. A glorious and comfortable title, which cannot be ascribed to the law: that killeth, it doth not save.* 1.7 Saint Paul calls the law a killing letter, the ministration of death and of condemnation: but the Gospell sayes. It is the word of salvation, Act. 13.26. The power of GOD to salvation, Rom. 1.16. So that, they which con∣temne it, contemne their owne salvation.

So great as can not be expressed by the tongue of men and An∣gels: wrought by so great a Saviour, Tit. 2.13. So great as eye hath not seene, eare heard, neither entred into the heart of man to conceive: not a saving of us from, our enemies in this world: but of soule and body from the Devill, death and damnation in the world to come. Great also in eternitie and durance: for it shall never have end.

The greatnes of this salvation is amplified three kind of wayes.

• 1. By the first Preacher and divulger of it.
• 2. By those worthy instruments that succeeded him.
• 3. By the miracles wherewith it was graced.

That which wee heare is salvation; a matter of great weight and singular importance:* 1.8 therefore let us not neglect it. If a man lye in a deepe pit ready to be drowned, and one come to him offe∣ring him his hand to pull him out, will he not listen to him? The preaching of the word is Gods hand, to pull us out of the pit of hell, and shall wee neglect it? If a man tell thee of a Lord-ship which thou mayest have for a little money, wilt thou not give him the hea∣ring? We bring you tidings, not of an earthly Lordship, but of an everlasting kingdome, which you may have without Gold and without Silver, only reaching out the hand of faith to apprehend it, and shall we turne away our eares, and not regard it? How shall wee escape, if wee neglect so great salvation? When men are at a play, they will be attentive: and the preaching of the word, where∣by we may be saved in the life to come, is had in small estimation. What a lamentable thing is this? This must needs pull the wrath of GOD on us. Wee count it a small matter to neglect the Word of GOD: yet they that doe it shall hardly escape the vengeance of GOD: how shall they escape, sayes the Apostle? Certainly with great difficultie: therefore let us be diligent hearers of it.

The threatnings of Angels, if despised were severely punished: and shall not the threatnings of the Sonne of GOD in the mini∣strie of the Word? The Preachers in the name of CHRIST thunder out GODS judgements, against swearing, profanations, &c. A number heare them, and are no more moved than the stones in the wall: but GOD will meet with such, they shall hardly es∣cape, GOD will one way or other make them feele the smart of his heavy hand: there is no way of escaping for them. Therefore let us with reverence tremble at the word.

Which at the first began. Having taken a beginning to be prea∣ched by the LORD, which brought it first out of the bosome of his Father, he did not introduce it into this world by stealth, secret∣ly, as heresies and phantasies are wont to be, but openly: Christ al∣wayes taught in the Synagogues, and in the Temple.

The Lord. That is, the LORD IESUS, the LORD of hea∣ven and earth.

The LORD often so called: not by Angels, as the Law: but by the LORD, the naturall SON of GOD: not by mortall men, as Plato, Aristotle, &c. In this respect the Gospell should be most welcome to us.

The LORD IESUS Himselfe was the Preacher of the Gos∣pell:* 1.9 he went up and downe through Citties and Townes preach∣ing the Gospell.

The first Sermon hee made was in Nazareth, where hee was brought up: from thence he went up to Ierusalem, &c. CHRIST was a Preacher, and shall we thinke basely of Preachers? Was it not an high office, which the Sonne of GOD will take on him? CHRIST would not be a King, be refused that: then what wret∣ches are they that will rayle on Preachers, gibe and jest at them;

make songs of them? Reverence the Preachers, seeing CHRIST Himselfe was a Preacher.

And was confirmed unto us, &c.

Some expound it thus: and after them that heard it of Christ: it was confirmed to me, that is, after it was preached by CHRIST, and the first Apostles that heard him on the earth, it was confirmed to me also as a later Apostle, yet one that heard and saw CHRIST from heaven: rather, Paul in modesty and humilitie puts himselfe in the number of the common Saints and Christians,* 1.10 to whom the Gospell was confirmed by the miracles of the Apostles, or by the Apostles that heard Christ.

Or, he doth not speake here of his doctrine, as if he received that from the Apostles: but that hee was confirmed in the truth of the Gospell by the miracles of the Apostles, which was no dispa∣ragement to him.

This is the strongest argument: to perswade some, that this is none of Pauls Epistle. Saint Paul is wont to stand stiffely on the re∣putation of his Apostle-ship: hee had his doctrine not from men, but God: he was not inferiour to the chiefest Apostles: whereas the Author of this Epistle was one of the Apostles Schollers; he had the doctrine of the Gospell not at the first hand, but at the second.

This may be answered diverse kinde of wayes.

1. Both these may well bee applyed to Saint Paul: the LORD IESUS first preached the Gospell to him from heaven, when he called him, and he was confirmed in it by Ananias.

2 It may be a rhetoricall 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, frequent in divine and pro∣phane writings: when as the speaker assumes that to himselfe, which is proper to the hearers, and by a Synecdoche includes himselfe in their number: as the Penman of this Epistle sayes, how shall wee escape, if we neglect so great salvation? yet he was none of them that neglected this salvation, Heb. 10.26. Yet he did not commit that wilfull and horrible sin against the Holy Ghost. Paul, 1 Thes. 4.17. sayes, We that are alive; yet he was not alive at Christ's second comming: so though he say, which was confirmed to us, yet he speakes in the name of the Hebrews, not of his owne: as 1 Pet. 1.12. where S. Peter seemes to exempt himselfe out of the number of the Apostles, yet he was one.

3 S. Paul by conference with the Apostles, that heard Christ preach when he was on the earth, might without any disparage∣ment to him be the more confirmed in the truth of the Gospell.

4 He doth not say he was confirmed, but the Doctrine was; and that clause 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, imports not the persons, but the time.

Was confirmed to us: that is, to our time, by those that heard him, some of them being still alive even in our time: the Law and the Prophets were to Iohn, that is, to Iohn's time. The Gospell in England hath beene continued to us, that is, to our time: not by me alone which am a secondary Apostle borne out of time; but by the first Apostles of all: those after Christ preached to you Hebrews.

VERSE 4.

GOD Himselfe was a witnesse to the Gospell: therefore let us beleeve it.

But how did GOD beare witnesse to it? by signes and wonders, &c. Then they came not from Satan, but from GOD.

Signa, quia significant, the Divine Power and Majestie of God. Signes are any miracles in generall: as the fleece to Gedeon, &c. Hezekiahs signe.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, prodigia, quòd porrò dicant. Some call them praedicidia, because they doe praedicere aliquid mali, terrible miracles of GOD's wrath and judgement: as the striking of Ananias and Sapphira with sudden death, the killing of Herod by the Angell, the blindnesse of Elymas the Sorcerer: but it is sometimes taken also, for miracles of mercie.

And with diverse miracles, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, whereby the power of God is shewed to the world. Act. 2.43. cap. 5.12. The distributi∣ons of the Holy Ghost. 1. Because they be freely, and frankly bestow∣ed by him. 2. Because liberally and bountifully. vid. 1 Cor. 12.8, 9, 10.

The reason moving him to this distribution is, no merits in us: but his owne blessed will: his gracious goodnesse is the cause of all, both of sending the Gospell by Christ, and of confirming it by so many miracles and gifts.

There be counterfeit miracles, Matth. 24.24. 2 Thes. 2.9. and true miracles: they may be distinguished by the matter, the cause, and the end.

1 Sometimes they seeme to be that which they are not: as the walking of spirits in Church-yards: bloud in their breaden god, whereas they be but a cousenage.

2 They may be substantiall for the matter, and yet effected by a wrong cause; as the Sorcerers in Egypt brought forth true Frogs, &c. yet by the Devill, not by the finger of GOD: and they may be wrought by a naturall cause which men see not, nor can compre∣hend; as they shut up Mahomet in an Iron-Chest, brought him in∣to a Temple, and made it hang aloft, which was done by Load∣stones, that the silly people were ignorant of: There was a Lampe in Venus Temple that burnt continually, which some thought to be a miracle; whereas it was done by a certaine stone called Asbestus which was found in Arcadia.

3 By the end. If it be to confirme falshood, it is a bad mira∣cle, Deut. 13.1. though never so glorious.

Whereas a true miracle is effected by the power of GOD, exceedeth the bounds of Nature, and is for the confirmation of the truth.

The Gospell at the beginning was adorned with many mi∣racles.

• 1. Because it seemed strange to the world, a new doctrine.
• 2. Because it seemed repugnant to the law of Moses instituted by GOD.
• 3. Because it could not bee proved and confirmed by naturall reasons.

But now since the famous miracles of CHRIST Resur∣rection, ascension into heaven, of the sending of the Holy Ghost, of the spreading of the Gospell over all the world, we must not still curiously gape after miracles: that is reproved, Matth. 12.39. Ioh. 4.48. Luk. 23.8. To the law and the testimonie, Isai. 8.20. the people must resort.

The glory of miracles with the Papists is a note of the Church: and they bragge much of their miracles: they have one thousand miracles to our one. Bernard the Monke restored sight to a blind man. Dominicus raised up three from the dead, Antoninus 38.

Franciscus Xavorius the Iesuite cured many dumbe, lame and blind in India. As for us, we have no miracles: therefore ours is not the Church. What of all this?* 1.11 Iohn Baptist wrought never a miracle, yet he was a good Preacher sent from God.

But for the determination of this point. In some sence we will not deny but that miracles may be notes of the Church: but here we must distinguish of notes and of miracles too. One true note of the Church, is the sound preaching of the Word. where that is to beget men, and women to CHRIST, there is the Church: yet miracles may bee an ornament to the Church, a confirmation of it in the truth of the Gospell.

But what miracles?

1. Not forged or counterfeit, as the miracles of the Papists be, their jugling being brought to light, and detected to all the world: but true miracles, wrought by the finger of GOD. not lying wonders, with the which Antichrist should come and delude the world.

2. Not new miracles, that came yesterday out of the mint, but the old and ancient miracles of CHRIST and his Apostles are a demonstration of the Church and of the truth of the Gospell: that the Gospell might be carryed more speedily throughout the world miracles were requisite at the beginning, but now no such ne∣cessitie of them.

A wicked and crooked generation seeketh a signe. Herod would faine see CHRIST, that he might see some miracle done by him. Let us not now gape after new miracles: the miracles wherewith God honoured the Gospell at the first, were sufficient for the con∣firmation of it to all posterity.

The rich man in Hell would faine have had a miracle for the sa∣ving of his brethren. Lazarus must be sent from the dead to them: but it was answered him, they have Moses and the Prophets, that

is enough: if we will not believe for the preaching of the word, all the miracles in the world will not save us.

Yet the Gospell at this day has many miracles, though they be not observed: men are metamorphosed and changed by it: of proud, they become humble; of Devills, Saints: men are raised from the death of sinne by it; they that were blind in the know∣ledge of CHRIST, are come to a cleere sight in matters of reli∣gion: they that were lame and could not walke in the way to the kingdome of heaven, are made to runne cheerfully in it: they that were dumbe and could not speake for CHRIST, are made to speake wisely and boldly in his quarrell.

These are excellent miracles, which might procure an estimati∣on of the Gospell in our hearts.

Now for so much as the LORD honoured the Gospell with so many miracles, let us yeeld a reverent attention to it, and not neglect so great salvation, which with so many great and wonder∣full miracles hath beene so much graced by GOD; let us lay it up in our hearts, let us frame our lives according to it, that wee may feele the power and comfort of it in our hearts, and be saved eter∣nally by CHRIST in the world to come.

He returnes to CHRIST, where, 1. A farther confirmati∣on of his deitie. 2. A transition to his humanitie, Verse 10. His deity is confirmed by this argument: He, to whom the world is sub∣ject, is God: the world is subject to CHRIST. Ergo, he is God. The proposition is laid downe, Verse 5. Where the negative part alone is expressed: but the affirmative is to be supplyed. Not to the Angels, but to CHRIST, which is the heire of all things, the Lord of the whole world.

The assumption is layd downe, Verse 6. Which is confirmed by a testimony out of the Psalmes: Where,

• 1. The allegation:
• 2. The application of it.

In the allegation an admiration of the goodnesse of GOD.

1. The dejection of man.

2. His exaltation, by his neerenesse to the Angels, by his do∣minion over all creatures. In the Application,

• 1. An exposition.
• 2. An anticipation.

VERSE 5.

NOw hee comes to the confutation of them, that opposed themselves to the Deity of CHRIST: wherein we have two things.

• 1. A constant holding of the conclusion, that CHRIST is GOD.
• 2. An overthrow of the argument against the Deitie.

The conclusion soundly and largely ratified before is confir∣med by a new argument: if the world be subject to CHRIST, not to the Angels; then he is God, superiour to the Angels: but the world is subject to him, not to the Angels, ergo.

Here the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is to be supplyed.

The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, doth signifie to subject in a military ranke or order, when as the whole armie is subjected to one captaine, leader or governour, as the Church is to CHRIST.

Whether hath this coherence with that which went before,* 1.12 or with that which followeth after?

Some thinke it is a proofe of that, Verse 3. That CHRIST was called (Lord.) The world is subject to him: therefore hee is Lord of all.

Others that it is a confirmation of that in the former Cha. con∣cerning Christs superiority over the Angels. It may have depen∣dance on the words going before; for he doth all things according to his owne will, in regard whereof he hath subjected the whole world to his Sonne, not to the Angels.

It is rather a patheticall introduction of the maine conclusion: which still he keepeth in mind, and prefixeth as a firme foundation; the adversaries with all their cunning are not able to shake: say what they will, yet Christ is God: for he hath subjected the world to him. As for the Lord: they deliver that first as the ground of all.

What is meant by the world to come?

Some expound it of that time and part of the world that is to come, since the publike preaching of the Gospell, till Christs second comming. In the former time of the world, while the Law was in force, Moses and the Angels seemed to beare sway, by whom the law was delivered: but the world to come in the time of the Gos∣pell God hath subjected to Christ, not to the Angels. Others inter∣pret it of the world to come, after the day of judgement. In this world the Angels seeme to have rule, they be the governours of the world, Satan is the Prince of the world: but in the world to come, the Angels shall have nothing to do:* 1.13 that shall be wholly subject to Christ alone.

Yet the Apostles meaning seemes to be more generall: the whole world both present and to come is subject to CHRIST: he hath all power in heaven and earth, and Eph. 1.20.21. Phil. 2.9.

and the Apostle alleadgeth out of the Psalme, Verse 8. that all things are put in subjection under him.

The world in generall is said to come, in respect of CHRIST, which was from all eternity: CHRIST was alwayes the everla∣sting Iehovah. Before Abraham was, I Am: but the world in time was to come. Now this world to come with all things, with all creatures contained in it, above and beneath, hath the LORD sub∣jected to CHRIST, not to the Angels: ergo, he is God above the Angels and all other creatures. Thus our Saviour Christ the second Adam, is said to come in regard of the first Adam, that went be∣fore him, Rom. 5.14. So the world is said to come in respect of CHRIST, that went before the world.

By the world to come is meant the whole company of Gods elect, that shall be gathered together in the life to come: the which is termed the world to come, because both the number and perfection of them is to come: the whole number not yet being accomplished in this world, nor having aspired to perfection.

This agreeth with that which went before: if we neglect so great salvation which is reposed for us in the world to come: the which world, God hath subdued to Christ, that he may be the King of the Church and reigne for ever.

Whereof we speake in this our treatise, shewing that all things are subject to Christ: who is not only superiour to the Angels, as he is God alone; but even as he is God and man, the mediatour of the Church.

VERSE 6.

THen he comes to the Argument: which the adversaries used for the overthrow of CHRISTS Deity. Man is infe∣riour to the Angels; CHRIST was a man: therefore, in∣feriour to the Angels.

The proposition they proved out of the Psalme: What is man? thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels.

To this hee answereth .i. confessing Christ to bee a man, and in regard of humane infirmities, his death, passion, &c. inferiour to the Angels: yet the same man Iesus Christ, being God too, is ad∣vanced above the Angels.

The proofe of the proposition: One sayth in a certaine place, &c.

Why doth he shoote at rovers, not at pricks?

Hee speakes not this in contempt: but. 1. Because the Psalmes were well knowne to the Iewes above other portions of Scripture, being sung continually at home in their houses, and publikely in their Synagogues: therefore Saint Paul thinkes it needlesse to name the place, which was common and triviall among them all. One sayes, you know whom I meane, I need not to name any.

2 Peradventure it was doubtfull who was the Penman of the Psalme, whether David, Asaph, or one of the Sons of Chore: there∣fore S. Paul sayes generally, one saith: it makes no matter who he was, the Holy Ghost being the author of the Psalme.

3 Hee did not well remember at the present what Psalme in order it was: therefore hee contents himselfe with a generall al∣legation.

Many now a dayes take a pride in quoting the very Chapter and Verse. S. Paul was not so scrupulous: no more were the ancient Fathers: they thought it sufficient to cite Scripture, oftentimes not naming the Book, out of the which the testimony was desumed. And indeed it was a long time before the Scripture was sorted into Chapters: of late yeeres was it divided into verses. Let us be sure to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Scripture aptly and fitly: and let us not be curious about chapter and verse, which were but of late invention.

Here you have an admiration of Gods goodnesse towards man. What is man? Aenosh, of Anash, indoluit, aegrotavit, a receptacle of all miseries: or of [Nashash] oblivisci: he hath forgotten thee; yet thou hast not forgotten him: or, the son of Adam, the progeny and off-spring of man: what a vile and contemptible thing, of no worth, of no value? In respect of his originall, he is dust; for the course of his life on the face of the earth, he is subject to all griefes, sorrowes, sicknesses, diseases, a continuall sinner against thee: for his end, he is wormes-meat.

That thou once mindest him: that thou hast such a fatherly care over him: that thou carriest him in thy remembrance: that thou hast written him in thy Table-bookes, and art mindfull continually to doe him good? Non vacat exiguis rebus adesse Iovi, said the Poet.

Visitest him? There is Visitatio irae & gratiae: not in judgement,* 1.14 but in mercy: as appeareth by that which followeth: as a Physitian his Patient, or a Father his Son.

Elizabeth wondred that the Virgin Mary should visit her. Whence commeth this to me, that the Mother of my Lord, &c. Much more may we admire this visitation, that the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords should visit us.

Forsomuch as this Psalme is applyed to the Messiah by our Saviour Christ, Mat. 21.16. and by Paul, 1 Cor. 15.27. the Author of this Epistle doth directly apply it to him in the words follow∣ing: Sundry learned and godly men apply it first and principally to our Saviour Christ: but I see not how that can be: shall wee say of CHRIST, What is he, that God should be mindfull of him? his be∣loved Son in whom he is well pleased, that never did any thing amisse, that never transgressed his Commandement: though hee bee a man as wee are, yet hee is an unspotted man, separate from sinners, higher than the heavens: as hee is man, so he is GOD too; and shall we say of him, What is he, that God should visit him?

Sundry things in this Psalme must needs be applied to him: but not the whole Psalme. It is not so in any Psalme. First it is un∣derstood

of the type, then of him that is figured by the type.

What is man? He doth not speake of man in his first creation: he retained that estate but a while: therefore he would rather have deplored, than admired it. He doth not speak of man as he is after his fall, for in that respect he is most miserable, not glorious: there∣fore he must needs speake of man, as he is ingraffed into Christ by whom he is advanced to wonderfull and unspeakable glory.

What is man? Not onely considered in his first creation, but even in his renovation: what is the best man that ever was? What is Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob? What is Moses, David, Peter, Paul? What is the holiest man on the face of the earth, that God should have any respect to him? by creation indeed he is the workeman∣ship of God, the image of God Almighty; yet for all that, in respect of his originall, he was taken out of the ground: he is but a peece of earth, since the fall, he is a masse of sin: though he be regenerate, and by faith ingraffed into Christ, yet still he hath sin in him, and must dye. Therefore what is this man, that thou shouldest powre downe so many blessings on him? That the Sun, Moone, and Stars, should give him light? That the birds of the Ayre, fishes of the Sea, the beasts of the field should be his meat? That he should walke as a King on the earth? especially that thou shouldest send thy only Son to dye for him, make him a member of his body, and provide an everlasting kingdome for him in the life to come? What is vile, wretched, sinfull, corrupted man, that thou shouldest be so farre mindfull of him? Protect him with the shield of thy fauours from all dangers? That thou shouldest vouchsafe him thy word and Sacraments? That thou shouldest give him thy holy Spirit to helpe him to pray, and to comfort him in all miseries?

We should not be like the Peacock spreading forth our golden feathers, and say within our selves, what goodly men be we? wee ought to thinke basely of our selves: what are we that God should regard us?

What am I and my Fathers house, said that regall Prophet, that thou hast brought me hitherto? What are we miserable wretches, wormes meat, that God Almighty should doe any thing for us? we are lesse than the least of all his mercies. Yet we are wont to vaunt of our selves: doe ye not know who I am? Doest thou not consider to whom thou speakest? yes, very well. I speake to dust and ashes. Let no high conceit of our selves enter into our minds: let us thinke basely of our selves: What am I, O Lord, that thou shouldest give me the least thing in the world? A drop of drinke, a crust of bread, an hole to hide my head in, especially that thou shouldest give me thine only Son, and together with him all things that be good?

What is any man in the world? Art thou a rich man? God can puffe away thy riches and make thee poore: Art thou a wise man? God can take away thy senses and make thee a foole: art thou a beautifull man? God can send the pox and many diseases

to take away thy beauty: art thou a strong man? God can send sick∣nes and make thee weak: art thou a Gentleman, a Knight, a Lord? yet thy breath is in Gods hand. This night he can take away thy soule from thee, and what art thou then? therefore let us all have an humble opinion of our selves: let us cast downe our selves at Gods feet, and say, What are we, O Lord, that thou art mindfull of us, that thou so graciously visitest us, especially with thy everlasting mercies in Christ Iesus?

VERSE 7.

MAclohim. Some interpret it, then God, as Hierome, Bucer. But the seventy Interpreters translate it, Angels: so doth the Chalde Paraphrase: and the word in Scripture is most commonly applied to them.

The Angels are glorious creatures: and when we speake of an excellent man, we call him an Angell, 1 Sam. 29.9. 2 Sam. 14.20. Acts 6.15.

There is not much ods betweene the Angels and us: they are immortall wholly; we immortall in part: they have no sin, because they never fell; we that are ingrafted into Christ have sin within us, yet it is covered with the garment of Christs righteousnesse, so that it is not imputed to us.

They have a rule and dominion under GOD in the world; whereupon they are called, principalities, powers, thrones, dominati∣ons: and wee have a rule in the world too, all things through CHRIST being subjected to us: they are in heaven, and behold the face of God: So wee one day shall be in heaven and like the Angels: they are endewed with wisedome, knowledge and under∣standing; So are we, though we come short of them by many a mile: they are our brethren and fellow servants: in sundry things, there is not much difference betweene them and us. We are but a little inferiour to them: we have massie, heavy, sinfull, corruptible bodies: So have not they. They tooke to them true bodies for a time, but those bodies were no essentiall parts of them, they were not personally united to them, as ours are. Otherwise there is no great difference, no not betweene the Angels and us. How are wee to magnifie God, that hath so highly exalted man? The conside∣ration hereof should cause us to lead a life in some acceptable mea∣sure worthy of that honour whereunto we be advanced. We are not much inferiour to the Angels: yet a number of our lives are as ill, nay, worse than bruit beasts. The Oxe knowes his owner, the Asse his masters crib: but wee will not know, love and feare that God which feedeth us.

A Dogge will love his Master that makes much of him; wee will not love, no not those, that deserve well at our hands. A Dove will keepe her selfe to her owne mate: many of us will not keepe

our selves to our owne Wives: bring an horse to the water, to the sweetest water in the world, he will drinke no more than will doe him good: we are excessive and more than brutish in drinking, all places ring of this sinne, this beastly sinne of drunkennesse: what a vile thing is this? How doe wee forget our selves? Hath GOD made us but a little inferiour to the Angels, and shall we live like bruit beasts, and give over our selves to all uncleannesse? How doe we disgrace that worthy estate whereunto God hath advanced us? As we draw neere to the Angels any kinde of wayes, so let us, so farre as is possible, lead an angelicall life with the Angels in this world, that we may remaine with them in the world to come.

Thou crownedst him. He shewes wherein our excellency doth consist: he hath made him a King and set a Crowne on his head.

With many glorious gifts, that are a wonderfull honour to man, both externall and internall, especially with the knowledge of CHRIST, wherein consists eternall life.

One part of that glory is, that he hath a Soveraigntie and do∣minion over all creatures, which was given him at the creation, Genesis 1. renewed and ratified by GODS seale after the floud, Genesis 9. enlarged (no doubt) to the faithfull by CHRIST 1 Cor. 3.21.

VERSE 8.

VNder his feete. This agreeth to all men in generall: to the faithfull in speciall, whom God hath made Kings and Lords over all his creatures by CHRIST. But principally it is to be understood of our SAVIOUR CHRIST,* 1.15 who is the chiefe Lord of the world, the King and mediatour of the Church: he hath all power in heaven and earth. All things, yea, even the Devils themselves are put in subjection under his feete. God hath given him a name above every name, that at the name of IESUS every knee should bow, Phil. 2.9. We also by him: because wee are members of his body and his brethren, we have an interest to all creatures: all things throughout the wide world are ours. The heaven, the earth, the birds, the beasts, the fishes, the trees, the flowers are ours: Death is ours: the very Devill himselfe is our slave and subject: God hath put him under our feet.

1. Here we may behold the dignity of Christians: all things by IESUS CHRIST are under our dominion. O what a boun∣tifull GOD is this, that hath given us so large a possession! Let us sound forth his praises for it, and use his liberalitie to his glory. As God said to Peter, arise, kill, and eate; when the sheete full of all kinde of creatures was let downe to him from heaven:* 1.16 so doth hee say to us all: we may freely eate of all creatures whatsoever: but let us not abuse GODS creatures to his dishonour and our de∣struction.

Let, us use them soberly, religiously, to make us more cheerefull in the service of our God.

2 Let us not stand in a slavish feare of any creature; of the stars, the windes, no not of the Devils themselves: for all are put in subjection under our feet, by Iesus Christ that loved us, and hath given us a superiority over all; we shall be conquerers over them all; a singular comfort to the faithfull! Satan may tempt and assault us, but God will tread him under our feet.

3 For this dominion let us thanke the Lord Iesus Christ. Of our selves we are worth nothing, starke beggars: in CHRIST and by CHRIST we have all that we have. Let us magnifie him for it. Then he concludeth from the generall to the speciall. If all things be subject to him, then nothing is exempted from his Domi∣nion, no not the Angels themselves.

To the former the adversaries againe replied: thou talkest of a glorious Empire, Rule, and Dominion, whereunto Christ is ad∣vanced, but it is an imaginary conquest: for we see not all things subdued to him. The Kings and Princes of the earth, cast away his yoke, and submit not themselves to the Scepter of his Word. Satan and his instruments rebell against him: sin and death still play the tyrants, and are not subdued to him.

VERSE. 9.

TO that he answers. 1. Though we see it not, yet all things may be subject to him: we see not God; yet there is a God: we see not our owne soule: yet we have a soule. Here it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: there is a difference betweene videre and cernere: wee doe discerne so as it cannot be denied: a man may see a thing and yet not discerne it.

2 He answers it by a distinction of submission, or subjection. The one is externall, conspicuous to the eye of the world: the other internall, seene by the eye of faith. Christ's kingdome is not of this world; it is not temporall, but spirituall: all things are subdued to him, though he suffer his enemies for the triall and exercise of his children to tyrannize over them for a time. A Beareheard may have a Beare under his rule and authority, though he suffer him now and then to range abroad: so hath Christ the Devill. Yet we see Iesus, that was made a little lower than the Angels, through the suffering of death, to be crowned with glory and honor.

These words, [Through the suffering of death,] may be referred to that which goes before, or followes after: after he had suffered death, he was crowned with glory, as Phil. 2.9.

But rather refer them to the former: he was made a little lower than the Angels through suffering of death. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a little while: refer it to the time, that is, during his death, passion,* 1.17 continuance in the grave 3. dayes, and 3. nights: all this while he was inferior to the

Angels: not at the time he lived upon the earth; for Mat. 4.11. The Angels Ministred to him as servants to their Lord. But in his Passion, and Death, the Deity withdrew his power, and the humani∣ty was left alone: then he was lower than the Angels: the Angels are immortall, and dye not; Christ was mortall, and died: in that respect he was inferior to them.

But he was afterwards exalted to all glory and dignity, placed at the right hand of God, and so superior to the Angels.

We that are the faithfull, see him crowned with glory and ho∣nour; in that he raised up himselfe from the dead, ascended into heaven in a cloud in the sight of his Disciples, the Angels attending on him; in that Stephen saw him sitting at the right-hand of God; in that he sent downe the Holy Ghost from heaven, and by a few simple men to look to, through the preaching of the Gospell con∣quered all the world. We may all see him crowned with glory and honour. Thus he is higher than the Angels, though through the suffering of death, he was for a time lower than they: Christ truly suffered death, not phantastically, in a phantasticall body, as the Manichees and Apollinarists dreamed; he felt and indured the bitter pangs of death.

Which is illustrated by two causes, the efficient, and finall: the efficient, is the grace, love, and mercy of God, Iohn 3.16. the finall, that as much as lay in Christ, all men might be saved.

CHRIST's death was sufficient for all, 1 Tim. 2.4. effectuall only to them that beleeve, Isay 9.6. Mat. 26.28. Physick is offered to many sicke Patients, that may doe them good, if they will re∣ceive it: but many are so froward that they will none of it: the fault why they doe not recover, is not in the physicke, nor in the Physitian, but in themselves: so CHRIST offers the sove∣raigne medicine of salvation, purchased by his death, to all: but some reject it, and will not beleeve it can save them. It is effectu∣all for all those that be sanctified, that be his brethren, as it is ex∣pounded afterwards.

Whereas it is said, that Christ tasted death, therein he dealt as the Physitian doth: he needs not the physike prepared for his pati∣ents; yet the better to induce them to take it, he tastes of it him∣selfe before their eyes. So death belonged not to Christ, because he had no sinne: yet he would taste of it, that we might be more wil∣ling to taste and drink of that cup. The Metaphor must not be pres∣sed too farre: as if Christ did but sip and taste of the cup of death; as a man tastes vinegar, but drinkes not of it: for he swallowed it up quite, 1 Cor. 15.54.

It is a borrowed speech. Death is resembled to a cup whereof CHRIST did taste: let this cup passe from me. This hath reference to the time that hee continued in death, not to the sharpenesse of his death.

They that taste of a thing, tarry not long at it, their lips are quickly removed from it: so CHRIST did not continue long

in death, not past three dayes and three nights: hee did but tast as it were of it, and so away: yet he truly dyed, and it was a most bit∣ter taste to him.

Thus the tasting of death was no dishonour, but an honour to Christ.

By it hee brought many to eternall life: for all that hee is a∣bove the Angels, and all other creatures whatsoever.

CHRIST hath tasted of death before us: therefore let not us that be Christians, be too much afraid of death. There is a potion brought to a sicke Patient, which the eye loathes, and the mouth distasts. The poore sick man is loath to drinke of it, the Physitian takes it into his hand, tasts of it before his eyes: by that he is encou∣raged to receive it: so is it with us, death is a sowre cup, which na∣ture abhorreth: we are all unwilling naturally to drink of it; but for so much as Christ our loving and heavenly Physitian hath tasted of it before hand, let us not be afraid of it. The godliest men in the world cannot but in some measure feare death; Christ feared it, Et non est fortior miles quàm Imperator: yet let this be as Sugar to sweeten this bitter Cup to us; CHRIST tasted of it, and over∣came it: so shall wee doe by his vertue and power. As after the receit of a purgation, the body is the better, more sound than before: so after we have drunk this bitter Cup, of Death, both in soule and body we shall be the better, farre more glorious than before: there∣fore let us be willing, whensoever it shall seeme good to the Lord for us to taste it.

All of us should have died eternally: At what time thou eatest thereof, thou shalt dye, both thou, and all thy posterity. Wee should have trodden the Winepresse of GOD's wrath, and beene tormented with the Devill and his angels, in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever: but CHRIST hath tasted death for us all.

O the wonderfull and unspeakable love of Christ! as if a com∣pany of Traytors were going to the Scaffold to be executed; the Kings Sonne should step forth to dye for them: what an admirable thing were that! We by nature are enemies to God, traytors to his Majestie: the Son of the King of Kings comes from heaven and dies for us. Is not this to be admired of us all? scarce will any dye for a righteous man; we were unholy, unrighteous, defiled with the scab of sin, in soule and body; yet the Lord Iesus died for us. Life is sweet: who will dye for his friend? but will any dye for his enemy? The consideration of the death of Christ, should occupie our mindes continually: we should ever be thinking of it: it should cause us to be alwayes singing of that song, Worthy is the Lambe that was killed for us, to receive all honour, &c.

But why did Christ tast death for us? what moved God to send his Son to dye for us? Surely his owne grace, mercy, and favour: eter∣nall life is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. So God loved the world, that he gave, &c.

There was no goodnes in us, that might procure Christ to die for us:

no praevisa opera, nor praevisa fides: it is the grace of God, that we are preserved from eternall death: by grace ye are saved, not by workes. Let us not part stakes with the Lord, give halfe to our selves, and halfe to him: but let us ascribe the whole praise of our salvation to the grace of God alone: not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to thy owne name, and mercy, in thy Sonne Christ Iesus, be given all praise for ever and ever.

VERSE 10.

NOw he descendeth to Christs humanity, by preventing an objection of the adversaries.

Well, you have affirmed Christ to be God, above the Angels, and all other creatures, and that his suffering of death was no derogation from the glory of his Deity, but a declaration of Gods grace and mercy to mankinde by his death, to preserve men from death eternall: but seeing hee was GOD, what need was there that hee should become man, suffer afflictions, and dye? Hee might have saved men by the power of his Deity, yea, even by his bare and naked word, whereby he made all things at the first.

Answer: indeed, GOD being omnipotent might have saved mankinde (if it had seemed good to him) by some other meanes than by the incarnation and death of his Son: yet this seemed to be the most fit and convenient meanes; that as man by sin had deser∣ved death, so by the death of a man he should be redeemed from sin and death. The necessity of Christs incarnation, he proves, first from the end of it: He that by suffering for men, was to bring men to salvation, must be man: Christ by suffering for men, was to bring men to salvation: ergo, Christ was to bring many to glory. This he could not do but by afflictions, and namely by death it selfe: for the Crosse must goe before the Crowne: therefore it was requisite that in our humane nature he should first suffer.

It became: this was most comely, fit and convenient for him: namely, that God, ver. 9. which so graciously gave his Son for us, that is, God the Father, by whose grace and mercy Christ died for us.

It became him for the better illustration of his owneglory; for a more lively demonstration of his mercy and justice to the world; of his mercy in not sparing his owne Son, but giving him up to the death for us: of his justice, in punishing the sins of the world so se∣verely in his owne Son.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. These words are to be referred to Christ, not to God the Father. 1. They are affirmed of him in Scripture, 1 Cor. 8.6. Col. 1.16. 2. Before hee spake of his humiliation, it was meet to premise something concerning his glory, power, and dignity. 3. For so much as it is said, he was to be perfected through afflictions, by affli∣ctions to mount up to glory; that concerning his Deity was well

premised, that we might know it was no new glory, which he took, but that which hee had from all eternity, as hee was GOD, Ioh. 17.5.

It became God the Father to perfect the Prince of our salvati∣on through afflictions; for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, after he had brought many children to glory.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, having made them willing by his holy spirit. Wee are said also to be drawne: Sed trahit sua quem{que}, voluptas. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by the Syntaxis might better be referred to CHRIST, than to the Father: otherwise the participle should have beene in the dative case, to agree with the pronoune 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, then in the accusative case. It ought to bee translated thus; for it became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, to consecrate the Prince of their▪ salvation through afflictions, bringing many Children to glory.

Children: not friends, but Children: begotten by the word, made the Sonnes of God by faith, Iohn 1.12. knowne by the spi∣rit, Rom. 8.14.

Not a few, but many: for he is a powerfull SAVIOUR: ma∣ny shall come from the East, &c. Not all men:* 1.18 because all imbrace him not, being offered to them. Sundry were called to the feast that came not.

To glory, in the kingdome of heaven.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Some translate it, Sanctifie, because of the next Verse: but the words are diverse.

To perfect. CHRIST is said to bee perfected, because after his suffering hee was glorified in his Humanity, as well as in his Deitie.

CHRIST his afflictions are so farre from being a shame or ignominie to him, that they bee solemne rites or sacred ceremonies, whereby he was consecrated Bishop of the universall Church.

Through afflictions; in the whole course of his life: especially at his death and passion.

The Arch-duke, the Captaine, the leader, in whose steps wee are to tread, the Author of their salvation, Acts 3.15.

If CHRIST had not become man, afflicted and put to death; he could not have carryed men into the kingdome of heaven: for a purgation must be made for the sinne of man by the fiery furnace of affliction, and especially by death: therefore it became Christ to be made man too, though he were God.

GOD is the efficient and finall cause of all. 1. There is nothing but it is by GOD; the Host of heaven, the Sunne, Moone and Starres are by him: the birds of the ayre, the fishies of the Sea, the beasts of the field, the greene and flourishing coat that the earth hath, is by him.

All men, yea Angels, even the Devils themselves are by him: not as Devils .i. malicious accusers of the Saints: but as they be invisible and immortall spirits, all are by him: nay, to proceede a

little further, and yet to keepe our selves within compasse of sound Divinity, sin it selfe is not without the providence of God, it is not à Deo creante, sed disponente: he disposeth of all the grosse sins that be in the world, to his owne glory: as a wise Physition makes a good use, even of poyson in his confections.

Furthermore, as all things are by GOD, so all for him: all serve his holy will and blessed pleasure; some unwillingly, some willingly. GOD makes Satan and his instruments to be for him, whether they will or no: but the faithfull are willingly for him, and serve him with all cheerefulnesse. Let us remember, that wee our selves and all that we have, is for God: he made us, he redeemed us with the bloud of his Sonne; therefore we are his, not our owne: our wit, wealth, honour, worship, learning, our soules, our bodies, our eyes, tongues, hands, feete, all are for him: with all that wee have we must glorifie him.* 1.19 Our tongues are our owne, sayd the wick∣ed: that is false: all that we have is Gods; therefore all must be at his commandement.

The pot is for him that made it, and the servant must be im∣ployed about his Masters businesse: he must be his masters man, not his owne: therefore as we were created by God, so let us be whol∣ly for him.

Now it became this high and mighty God, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, which worketh all as seemeth best to him, to consecrate the Prince of their salvation, through af∣flictions, bringing many children to glory. CHRIST brought them to glory, which he could not doe, but by enduring many af∣flictions.

1 Here we see that CHRIST could not bring us to heaven, without innumerable afflictions, which our sinnes had deserved: he himselfe knew no sin; but he was afflicted for our sins. And indeed, he was wonderfully afflicted for them, from his cradle to his grave: A man of sorrowes, as the Prophet termeth him: he was borne, not of a wealthy Lady, but of a poore woman, base and contemptible to the eyes of the world: at his first comming, he was not laid in a costly Cradle, but in a Cratch: not in a Chamber well furnished, but in a Stable: borne in Winter, and in the night; when he was an Infant, banished into Egypt: hee wrought (as is thought) in the trade of his Father, and was a Carpenter: he had not a hole to hide his head in: women were faine to minister to him of their owne substance, as he went up and downe preaching the Gospell: he had not bags of silver and gold about him, but was faine to send to the Sea for a peece of 20^d. hungry and thirsty he was many times: He was called all to naught, a bibber of wine, a Samaritane, and one that had a devill: a little before his Passion, they blindfolded him, spit on his face, buffeted him, whipped him extreamely, platted a crowne of Thornes on his Head, that made the bloud run about his Eares: they stripped off all his clothes, nailed him hand and foot to the Crosse, where he continued in bitter paines of soule and body

a long while together. Thus was this innocent Lambe killed, and pittifully handled for our sakes. Our sins were the causes of all: He bore our infirmities, and hee was wounded for our transgressions. These were the knives that cut the throat of this Lambe; and yet shall we take delight in sin? CHRIST went through all these af∣flictions, for our drunkennesse, uncleannesse, covetousnes, pride, &c. yet shall we lye wallowing in these sins? the consideration of the manifold afflictions that Christ suffered for sin, should cause sin to be odious and loathsome to us all.

2 If the Prince could nor get to Heaven without afflictions, should the subjects imagine to go thither without crosses? the Ma∣ster was afflicted, and shall the servants thinke to live without affli∣ction? it cannot be avoided: we must all drinke of Christs cup, and be baptised with his baptisme: Many in their hearts complaine of God that he is too hard to them; they are never without some crosse or other; one while in their soules, another while in their bo∣dies, sometimes in goods, in good-name, one while they have the tooth-ach, another while the head-ach; one while vexed with children, another while with servants; one while losses in goods, another while by lying and malevolent tongues, they are robbed of their good names: sometimes God stirreth up adversaries against them, in Towne, or Countrey, as he did against Salomon.

Marvell not at that, neither repine nor grudge at it. God grie∣vously afflicted his naturall Son, and shall we thinke much if he af∣flict his adopted sons? GOD imposed many afflictions upon him that knew no sin, and shall we sinners stomack it if we be afflicted? CHRIST hath gone before as a Captaine in the foule way of af∣flictions; we must follow him. All that will live godly in Christ Iesus,* 1.20 * 1.21 shall suffer persecution through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God, Acts 14.22. no remedy. They that Will goe to London in the dead of Winter, must goe through many showres: and if we will passe to that high Citie, the heavenly Ierusalem, it must be through afflictions: they that are without correction, are bastards, not children.

It is an argument of a wicked man, of whom God makes no reckoning, to bee without affliction:* 1.22 they are not in trouble as other men. If we Will be glorified with Christ, let us suffer with Christ: as he went to heaven through afflictions, so must we: else we shall never get thither: we must not think to goe to heaven out of all pro∣sperity, but out of adversitie.* 1.23 These be they that came out of many tri∣bulations. Therefore let not afflictions be altogether unwelcome to us: nay, let us boast of them after an heavenly manner.* 1.24 I carry about with me the markes of CHRIST, sayes Saint Paul: afflictions are CHRIST his markes, by them wee are knowne to belong to him: afflictions consecrate us.

There is no Bishop elected, but will joyfully goe to his conse∣cration: afflictions consecrate us as Kings and Priests to GOD Al∣mighty: therefore though irkesome to the flesh, yet in some sort

let us willingly embrace them, as some Martyrs did the flame of fire. CHRIST went to Heaven by afflictions: and let us be con∣tent to be afflicted here for a short season, that wee may live with CHRIST for ever: let us suffer with Christ, that we may be glorified with Him.

VERSE 11.

ANother reason, why it became Christ to be man: it is taken from the impurity of our nature. Men had sinned, and were destitute of the grace of God: they were by nature impure and unholy, conceived, borne, brought up in sin: now it was neces∣sary they should be sanctified, made cleane, and holy. This could not be done by the bloud of Goates and other sacrifices in the Law: neither could they sanctifie themselves by their owne good workes and merits: therefore it was requisite that God should take this san∣ctification on him. Now mans nature being corrupt, was to be san∣ctified by a man, that knew no sin or corruption: for he that san∣ctifieth, and they that are sanctified, are of one: therefore Christ be∣came man.

The High Priest that sanctified the people in the time of the Law, and the people sanctified by him were both of one Father, namely Abraham, the Father of the Israelites; so Christ that san∣ctifieth us, and we that be sanctified by him, are of one, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in the neuter gender, of one thing, of one nature.

Of one,] that is, of one Parent of whom came all mankinde, Acts 17.26. Christ and we, came of one Adam: whereupon S. Luke deduceth his Genealogie from Adam, Luke 3.38. We are all of one; high and low, rich and poore, and Christ is man like to us, sin one∣ly excepted?

All the persons in the Trinity sanctifie us. God the Father by the Son, God the Son by the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost immediate∣ly by himselfe: but Christ, as the Mediator of the Church, sancti∣fieth it. As the ointment came from Aarons head downe to the skirts of his garment: so the spirituall oile of holinesse, comes from Christ the Head, to us, that be his members. Christ is our onely sancti∣fier, 1 Cor. 1.30. No Saint, as the Virgin Mary; no Angell can sanctifie us. How he sanctifies us, is apparent, Ephes. 5.26, 27. 1 Cor. 6.11. by purging us from our sins, clothing us with his righteous∣nesse, renewing us by his Spirit, making us New Creatures, and fit for the holy Ierusalem.

This doth give us to understand, that by nature we are unholy and un-sanctified, conceived, borne, and brought forth in sinne, the children of Gods wrath. In us, that is, in our flesh dwels no good thing. Being considered in our selves, we are Idolaters, Whoremongers, Wantons, Raylers, Drunkards, ready to be carried into all impiety. Such were some of you, sayes S. Paul: but ye are washed. As the

Leper in the time of the law cryed out, I am uncleane, I am uncleane: So must every mothers Sonne of us say, we are as uncleane swine by nature, except the Lord Iesus sanctifie us. When Christ washing his Disciples feet came to Saint Peter, he repelled him, saying, thou shalt not wash my feete. No, sayes Christ? then thou hast no por∣tion in me. Saint Peter hearing that answered: Lord, not my feete alone, but my head and hands. Wee are corrupt in soule and body: therefore let us entreat Christ to wash and sanctifie us in them both. No uncleane thing shall enter into the heavenly Hierusalem: Dogs, Enchanters, Whoremongers are without. Therefore let us beseech CHRIST to make us cleane by his Word and Spirit in this life, that wee may have entrance into the holy Hierusalem in the life to come.

If CHRIST and we are all of one, much more are we among our selves.

A King and a beggar are of one: a rich man and a poore man are of one: a faire and beautifull man or woman, and they that want beauty are of one: we descended all of Adam, and were taken out of the dust of the ground: therefore let us not insult one over another. GOD for a season hath advanced one above another, the Magi∣strate above the Subject, the Father above the Son, the Rich man above the poore man, and every one is to be honoured according to that place, whereunto God hath exalted him: yet if we look back to our originall, to the stocke from whence we are taken, we are all of one. The Wax that hath the print of the Kings seale on it, is the same in substance with the waxe that hath the print of the seale of a meane man: yet it is honoured, in that the Kings seale is set on it: So we are all of one weake and waxie nature: save that it pleaseth God to set a more honourable print upon one, then on another. Therefore let us not thinke highly of ourselves, and contemne our brethren, but submitte to them of low degree, using the greatnesse that GOD hath given us, to the glory of the Giver. Seest thou a poore Lazarus full of sores, desirous to bee refreshed with the crumbes that fall from rich mens bordes? Contemne him not in thy heart: he and thou, though thou farest deliciously every day, and rufflest out in silkes and velvet, are both of one.

This he proveth by the relatives. They that be brethren, come of one Father and Mother: CHRIST and wee are brethren: therefore we are of one: of one Adam, which is our Father, and of one Mother, which is Eve.

Whereas some interpret it of one God, of one heavenly Father; it is impertinent to the Text.

He doth not simply say, they are his brethren: but, hee is not a∣shamed to call them brethren, Prov. 19.7. All the brethren of the poore doe hate him: how much more doe his friends goe far from him? He pursueth them with words, but they are wanting to him. But Christ thought it no disparagement to his glorious Deity, to call men his brethren. Though there be wonderfull ods betweene

Christ and us; hee the Creator, we the creatures; hee the LORD and Master, we his servants; he without sinne, we defiled with sinne in Soule and body; he mervailous rich, heaven and earth being his; we poore men, of our selves not worth a groat: yet Christ is not ashamed to call us brethren. If a man come once to be Lord Major of London, hee will scant acknowledge his poore brethren and Si∣sters, when they come to him. Christ is not a Lord for a yeere and a day, but an everlasting King, yea the King of Kings, yet he vouch∣safes to call us, brethren. One Iudge will call another, brother; and if he be a Sergeant, he shall have that name; but every pettifogger and paltrie Lawyer shall not be the Iudges brother: yet Christ the Iudge of the whole world calls us all brethren. O the humility of Christ, and the dignity whereunto he hath advanced us!

VERSE 12.

THis he proved out of the Psalme 22.22.

Many things in that Psalme are in the New Testament applyed to CHRIST, as Verse 1. Verse 16. Verse 18.

The Prophet speaketh this of himselfe: that when GOD had delivered him from his enemies, he would declare his name to the peo∣ple which were his brethren, though GOD had exalted him above them. But prophetically also he speaketh of the Messiah: after that CHRIST was delivered from Satans fury and the rage of his instruments, from the power of death and of the grave, hee would declare the name of GOD to his brethren. This he did, while he was alive, Ioh. 17.6. but especially after his resurrection, when hee sent his Apostles to preach the Gospell to all nations. CHRIST was not only the Author and matter of the Gospell: but he was also the proclaimer and Preacher of it: he declared it in his owne life time by himselfe; after his Ascension, by his Apostles.

The name, that is the power, mercie, and goodnesse of God.

By brethren here are understood, not the Apostles or faithfull onely, though they in more speciall manner bee the brethren of CHRIST, Matth. 12.49. Ioh. 20.17. but all men generally: for CHRIST and all men came of one, which is Adam, and were made by one God, Mal. 2.10. CHRIST will not declare his name in a corner, but in the middest of the Church. In the middest of the Church among the rest of my brethren as fellow singers. Christ did sing with his Disciples after the supper, he prayed, worshipped, and sung as we doe.

CHRIST hath many Brethren.

• 1. All men in respect of our humane nature, which Christ as∣sumed to himselfe, are his brethren: hee a man, as all are.
• ...

• 2. In regard of Country and lineall descent the Iewes are his brethren, of whom Christ came according to the flesh, Rom. 9.5. Deut. 18.18.
• 3. In respect of consanguinity; the kinsfolke of CHRIST in the Scripture are called his brethren, Iames the brother of the Lord, that is, the kinsman of the Lord.
• 4. In respect of the Ministery; the Preachers of the Word are CHRIST his brethren: for hee was a Minister and Preacher of the Gospell as we are; although in gifts and graces he excelled us all, as the Sunne doth the Starres. But more neerely and properly, the faithfull are his brethren, being made the Sonnes of GOD by faith in CHRIST IESUS. I goe to my God and your God, to my Father and your Father, Ioh. 20.17.

1. As CHRIST is not ashamed to call us brethren; so let us doe nothing so neere as wee can, that may shame this our Brother.

Is it not a shame that the Kings brother should bee a common drunkard, whoremaster, or such like? Doth not the King take himselfe disgraced by it? And shall wee that are Brethren to the King of Kings, take such courses, as that great ignominie should redound to CHRIST by it? As hee is not ashamed to call us brethren, so let us doe nothing that may pull a shame on him and his Gospell.

2. Can a brother that is a wealthie man, of faire revenewes, and ample possessions, see any of his brethren goe a begging? will hee not rather receive him to his owne house, and set him at his table? CHRIST which is the Lord of heaven and earth, is our brother: therefore let us feare no want, so long as wee feare him. This may be a comfort to us in all our calamities; that CHRIST and we are brethren.

VERSE 13.

AN other argument to prove the humanity of Christ: it is drawne from the effects. Christ putteth his trust in God: therefore he is man.

Hee that trusteth to another, is inferiour to him, to whom hee trusts: the party whom he makes his pillar to leane upon, is superi∣our to him, greater than he: CHRIST trusted in GOD the Fa∣ther: therefore in respect of his humanity, he is inferiour to the Father.

These words, whether deduced out of Isai. 12.2. or out of Psalme 18.2. are fitly applyed to CHRIST. Chasah, I will flye to him, as to a strong tower and Castle. That song in Isaiah, is sung by the whole Church, and so consequently by CHRIST the head of the Church. The 70. have it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

In the Psalme, though David speakes it of himselfe, that for all

the fury of his adversaries, hee would trust in God, of whose good∣nesse hee had comfortable experience by his deliverance from the house of Saul, as in the title: yet being a type of Christ, figurative∣ly hee speaketh also of him. Sundry things in that Psalme cannot be applyed to David, as Verse 43. and that, Verse 7. Whereas at the passion of Christ the earth quaked.

Our Saviour Christ in his bitter agony in the garden, trusted in God: and when he hung on the crosse, he knew that though God see∣med to forsake him for a time, yet hee would deliver him out of all, and assume him into his kingdome: thus he still put his trust in GOD.

If he did trust in God in all calamities, from whom the Deitie was never separated; much more ought we miserable men in all ad∣versities, trust in God. Some trust in Charets, and some in Horses: but let us remember the name of the Lord our God, and trust in him. Cur∣sed be he that maketh flesh his arme. Let us not put our trust in riches, though our barnes be never so full of corne, our coffers of gold and silver. Let us not trust in our strength, in the multitude of our men, in our walled townes and defenced castles. Let us not put our trust in the fortitude of this good yland, that is compassed about with the Seas. Let us not put our trust in our friends. When we be sicke, let us not put our trust in the Physitions, as Asa did: not trust in our pollicie, as Achitophel: but let us alwayes in all difficulties put our trust in GOD, hee is able and willing to plucke us out of all dangers.

Hee delivered the Israelites from the red Sea: Daniel from the the Lions: Peter from the fury of Herod. Hee can and will pre∣serve us from all the devils of hell: the gates of hell shall never pre∣vaile against us.

Happy are they that put their trust in him: he is a sure friend that will never faile them.

The fourth argument to prove the humanity of Christ, is taken from the relatives. The Father and the children are of one nature: Christ is the Father, we his children. ergo.

This is at large amplified by the Apostle.

1. He that makes himselfe equall with the rest of the faithfull, and of the servants and children of God, is a man as they be: but Christ makes himselfe equall with the rest of the faithfull, of the servants and children of God. Ergo.

2. Hee that receiveth children as a gift from God, is inferiour to GOD, that gave him these children: but CHRIST receiveth children as a gift from GOD: ergo, he is inferiour to GOD: which cannot be but in respect of his humanity. Ergo, he is man as well as GOD.

He produces an other testimony, Isa. 8.18. That this testimony is to be applyed to the Messiah, is evident by many places in that chap∣ter where he is called Immanuel. 2. That v. 14. is expounded of Christ in sundry places of the New Testament, as Luk. 2. Rom. 9. 1 Pet. 2.

3. Though this was true in the Prophet himselfe, and in his Disci∣ples, yet it is verified likewise of Christ, of whom the Prophet was a Type.

Behold,] this argues his prompt and ready obedience, present∣ing himselfe to the Lord: so Christ was obedient to God the Father, even to the death, yea, of the Crosse.

By children are meant servants, followers, attendants upon any, 1 Sam. 21.4. Acts 4.25. Ioh. 21.5. by them are signified the faith∣full, which as children and servants waited on Christ, and attended to his voice, as children doe to the voice of their Father.

All the faithfull in the world, by whose ministery soever turned, are Christs children: he the chiefe Father; we secondarily: they are his children principally; ours instrumentally. It is CHRIST that begets us, though not now in his owne person, yet by the Mi∣nisters and Preachers, who are our Fathers under Christ, and we their Children. GOD the Father gave him those children. 1. By the administration of baptisme: 2. Then by the working of his Spi∣rit, and the powerfull preaching of his word: Ioh. 17.9.6. Ioh. 6.37. Iohn 10.29.

Properly to speake, they are given to no Prophet nor Minister, but to Christ alone.

That they be as signes and wonders, agreeth well to Christ, and all the faithfull. Christ was despised, & so are we, Ioh. 15.18. 1 Cor. 4.9. to 14. S. Paul might have had more pregnant testimonies for the confirmation of Christs humanity, than these be; yet he made choice of these, partly because peradventure they were applied by the Rab∣bins and the Iewes themselves to the Messiah: partly because these set forth to us, the mercy of God towards us, and our honour and dignity, that we should be Christ's brethren, that he and we should be in a manner equall, coupled together in one yoke.

This is true in the Prophets and in CHRIST too: the preach∣ers of the Word have children given them of the Lord. The Pro∣phets in their time had their children: the Apostles theirs: and we ours. Saint Paul begat Onesimus in his bonds. GOD gave Lydia as a child to Saint Paul, in opening her heart, and causing her to be∣leeve. Yea, many Nations were given to S. Paul. GOD gave those three thousand soules as a great company of children to St. Peter. And the Lord by the ministry of the Word gives us children at this present day. You are our children; and therefore you ought to love and honour us. What childe will raile on his Father? they be Bastards that endeavour to pluck out their Parents eyes: yet some doe on the Ministers, their spirituall fathers.

This also may be affirmed of Christ; he is our brother, and our father too, he is the right and proper father of the faithfull, whom he begetteth by the word of truth: and they that are truly begotten by the word, are Christs children, whom the Father gave to him from all eternity, before all times, and whom in time he giveth to him daily, by the preaching of the Gospell to the worlds end.

1 We have not these children of our selves, simply by our prea∣ching, be it never so powerfull: It is GOD that gives them to us. Children are the inheritance of the Lord, so these spirituall chil∣dren. Let us praise God for them. A Father rejoyces in his chil∣dren; so may and doe Preachers in their Children.

2 There is no Father but will protect his Children, as much as lieth in him: hee will bee content to take a blow in defence of his Childe: and doe ye think that Christ Iesus our spirituall Father will not defend us? A Hen hides her Chickens under her wings against the Kite: and Christ will shrowd us under the wings of his power and providence against Satan and all enemies.

3 What Father will see his childe want, being a man of abi∣lity? CHRIST that is the LORD of all the world, The Earth is his, and the fulnesse thereof, will not suffer us that be his children to want the thing that is good. Because Wine is hurtfull for young children, it inflames their bloud, which is hot of it selfe, a wise Father will not give his childe Wine, yet he loves him well enough: so because GOD our heavenly Father oftentimes sees wealth, honour, ease, to bee hurtfull for his children, to drowne them in the pit of perdition, he keepes them away from them: but let us assure our selves of this, he will deny us that be his children, nothing that is good for the salvation of our soules.

As we are the children of CHRIST, so let us walke worthy of such a Father. You are of your Father the Divell, sayes Christ to the Pharisees, for the workes of your Father ye will doe. A fearefull thing to call CHRIST Father, and to doe as the Devill bids us. A childe must doe the commandement of his Father: and if we be CHRIST's children, we must doe as he will have us. CHRIST would not have us sweare: therefore let us not rend Gods name in peeces by swearing: Christ would have us to be sober and temperate in the use of his creatures; therefore let gluttony and drunkennesse be avoided by us: let us shew our selves to be the dutifull children of Christ in this life, that we may have the inheritance prepared for children in the life to come.

VERSE 14.

1 A Description of CHRISTS incarnation. 2. An appli∣cation of it, Verse 17.

In the description. 1. The equity of it. 2. The ends of it. 3. An exaggeration of it by a comparison, Verse 16.

The ends are two. 1. The overthrow of the Devill. 2. Our deliverance out of the hands of the Devill, Verse 15.

In the comparison. 1. The nature refused. 2. The nature assu∣med, verse 16.

In the application. 1. A repetition of the incarnation. 2. An illustration of it by the ends thereof. 1. That he might be a faith∣full

high Priest, in making our reconciliation. 2. A mercifull high Priest, in succouring us in our temptations.

He inferreth upon the two testimonies going before in the 12. and 13. Verses. a plaine conclusion of Christs humanity, and makes it open to all the world.

Hee concludeth it, à pari. They that were to bee redeemed by him were men: therefore he also would be a man. This is amplifi∣ed by the end, and by a comparison.

Our humane nature is here described by the matter, and the substance, whereof it consisteth.

By flesh and bloud sometimes is signified the corrupt nature of man, 1 Cor. 15.50. Flesh and bloud defiled with sinne, subject to mortality and corruption cannot inherit heaven.

Sometimes it is taken for the substance of mans nature as here: and Matth. 16.17. Gal. 1.16. The children did all com∣municate of flesh and bloud: it was the common condition of all.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, even as they did: as milke is like milke. That hee might be their neighbour and kinsman, our Immanuel; he partici∣pated of flesh and bloud too.

He tooke part of it .i. The substance, but not the vicious qua∣lities: hee knew no sinne. A spirit hath not flesh and bone, as yee see mee have: He was the fruit of his mothers wombe, made of a woman: hee names that part of our nature, which is visible, the other also being included, namely the soule, which quickned this flesh and bloud. But here is the difference.

• 1. Wee take flesh of both our Parents: hee but of one. Filius hominis is here of the feminine gender.
• 2. Our flesh is polluted with sinne: so is not his.
• 3. We are meere men: he both God and man.
• 4. Our mothers ceased to be Virgins, when they brought forth us: his was a maide and a mother too.

Here we have a lively description of man: he is but flesh and bloud, which is weake, fraile and subject to many miseries. A knife may easily cut it, the heate scorch it, the cold benumme it: it is sub∣ject to thirst, hunger, faintnesse, wearinesse, &c. All flesh is as grasse. With them is an arme of flesh, with us is God. We are not steele, yron,* 1.25 brasse: but flesh and bloud. A wise Salomon, a strong Samson, a beautifull Absalom, Bathshebah, a learned Paul that spake tongues more than all, a Lord, a Lady, are but flesh and bloud, dust, and must returne to dust: the consideration whereof should humble us all.

The fowles of the ayre, the beasts of the field, are flesh and bloud too: yea theirs excells ours. 1. Their flesh and bloud is clothed at their first entrance: ours naked. 2. Their's well fenced: ours soone pierced. 3. More profit may bee made of their flesh when they dye, they will sell for something: so not ours. 4. As sound as a fish, they are free from diseases. Sicknesses grow in ours, and GOD makes our's meate for Wormes. Let this appellation then pull downe our Peacocks feathers, and make us walke humbly before our God.

But as CHRIST did participate of our flesh and bloud; So shall we of his: he shall change our vile bodies, that they may bee fashioned according to his glorious body, Phil. 3.21.

Now hee proceeds to the ends of Christs incarnation. 1. The overthrow of the Devill. 2. Our deliverance out of his clawes. 1. He describes him. 2. He names him.

The cause why CHRIST tooke our humane nature upon him was, that being compassed with flesh and bloud he might ••ye, and so conquer the Devill, and deliver men out of his clawes. If he had not beene man, he could not have dyed, and then we had not beene delivered. The meanes for the vanquishing of the Devill, sinne and death, was his owne death. As the brazen Serpent was lifted up, and by looking on it the Israelites were delivered from the fierie Serpents: So Christ was lifted on the crosse; and we are sa∣ved by looking on him with the eye of faith. The death of this immaculate Lambe was the overthrow of the Devill and of death too: which Hosea in the spirit of prophesie foretold, and was after∣wards accordingly verefied, Hos. 13.14. 1 Cor. 15.54. As Samp∣son by his owne death, vanquished the Philistims, Iud. 16.30. So CHRIST by his death overcame death, and destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devill: and that with his owne sword.

He doth not say, that he might weaken the Devill, diminish his force, or give him a wound, but destroy him. So that he hath no∣thing against us, Ioh. 12.31.

Not death alone, but the Devill too, the LORD of death. The Devill by carrying men into sinne, had power also to carry them into death: the wages of sinne is death, Rom. 6.23. First hee entises men to sin, and then he hath power and autoritie from God, to give them the wages they have deserved, that is death: thus he has the power of death as a thiefe and murderer.

Not to hold us in suspence, he names him the Devill, who compasses the earth to and fro, ranging up and downe like a roa∣ring Lion, seeking whom he may devoure, 1 Pet. 5.8.

There be three that have the power of death: God, Man and the Devill.

1. GOD, He strikes men dead, and that suddenly: he rayses up from the dead, as Hannah speakes in her song: The Lord killeth and maketh alive, he bringeth downe to the grave, and raiseth up, 1 Sam. 2.6. hee hath supremam potestatem: Gods power is immediate, abso∣lute, and unlimited.

2. Man, a King or a Iudge hath the power of death. As Pilate said to our Saviour, Iohn 19.10. Knowest thou not, that I have power to crucifie thee, and have power to release thee? True: man hath a de∣legatam potestatem.

3. The Devill hath power, that is rule and empyre; sed conse∣quutam potestatem: tanquam carnifex, he may not kill us at his owne will and pleasure; no more than the hangman may execute a male∣factor at his will, but according to the appointment of the Iudge.

VERSE. 15.

NOw he comes to the second end of Christs incarnation and death, that hee might deliver us from the divels hands: non liberaretur humanum genus, nisi sermo Dei factus esset hu∣manus, August.

Deliver them: set them free, quaking at the cogitation of death, in regard of eternall damnation which it brought with it for their innumerable sinnes, whereof their owne consciences accu∣sed them.

Deliverance is a comfortable thing, most welcome unto all: Galley-slaves and Prisoners are glad to heare of their deliverance.

Not some, but all: so many as imbrace his deliverance.

Not onely those which were bound, but subject to bondage: that had willingly subjected themselves to the Devill: which had bound themselves apprentises to him, Rom. 6.16. The Indentures were made betweene them and the devill: we will serve thee, thou shalt be our Master: this was our estate.

Why were we subject to him? what kept us in subjection? the feare of death all our life time: they were subject to bondage, that is, to the stroake of death, which they expected every moment. The devill threatned death to us all our life time, every houre: being sinners, we might looke for death every moment: not onely for a temporall death, but for an eternall in hell-fire. Death is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: we quaked at the mention of death: this kept us in bondage to the devill.

A miserable condition! but Christ hath delivered us out of it: he hath taken away the feare of death, that made us to shake, the fetter, wherewith the Devill kept us bound. Now death is but a sleepe, a passage to a better life: yea, it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as Basil speakes. Thus he hath rescued us out of the divels clawes, and made us free, Iohn 8.36. The devill, sin, and death, are left still ad agonem, to ex∣ercise us withall, as Antagonists to wrastle withall: but the victo∣ry through Christ is ours. We sin, we dye; and the devill like a roaring Lion, walkes up and downe, seeking how to devoure us: but none of these shall be able to prevaile over us. Sinne, though it re∣maines, yet it doth not reigne in us. 2. The guilt and the punish∣ment of it is taken away, so that it shall not condemne us, Rom. 8.1. The sting of death is gone. O death where is thy sting? Cogitur, non abesse, sed non obesse: hence the servants of God have wished for it, Phil. 1.23. I desire to be dissolved, &c. Neither can it separate us from the love of God in Christ Iesus. The malice of Satan, that shall turne to our good. GOD may suffer him to tempt and assault us; he walkes up and downe like a roaring Lion. 1. That wee should not be secure. 2. To stir us up to pray: but, 1. we are no longer in his jurisdiction. 2. we shall be conquerors over him, God will

tread him under our feet, Rom. 16.20. and will give us an issue with the temptation, 1 Cor. 10.13. Satan may plot against us, 1 Thes. 2.18. Luke 22.31. but God will confound him: he may make us sin, but he cannot make us continue in sin. Sin, the Divell, and Death, are three of the mightiest enemies that we have: all these are destroyed by Christ for us: therefore let us be thankefull to Christ, that hath wrought for us so great and gracious a deliverance.

Let us not stand in an immoderate feare of death. Death is a Serpent without a sting. Though he gripe us, yet he cannot hurt us. Damocles the Parasite extolled the magnificence of Dyonisius, affir∣ming that there was not an happier man in the world than he; wilt thou have a taste of my happinesse? I: he caused him to be set in a chaire of state, the Table furnished with all delicates, singing-men and women making melodie with voices and Instruments, noble attendants to wait on him: but therewithall he commanded a sharp naked sword to be hung over his head, by a slender Horse-haire; the which he espying, tooke no pleasure in that Paradise, but besought him earnestly to take him out of his happinesse againe. So though we have the world at will, though we be Gentlemen, &c. yet the sword of death hanging over our heads continually, must needs quaile the courage of the greatest Gallant.

O quàm pulchrum esset dominantibus hic dominari, Si mors non posset dominantibus insidiari!

It is appointed for all men once to dye: when, and how suddenly we know not: our breath may be stopped on the sudden, as Valen∣tinians, Luc. 12.20. We are all obnoxious to the feare of death: but Christ hath delivered us from a slavish feare of it.

VERSE 16.

HEre you have the amplification of it, by the comparison of a more excellent nature refused by him: the Angels far sur∣passe us, yet he tooke not on him their nature, but ours.

Not the seed of Adam, of Noah, but of Abraham, because the promise was made to him, In thy seed shall all Nations of the earth bee blessed.

If he should have taken on him the nature of Angels; it was ei∣ther for the good Angels, or the bad. The good needed it not, be∣cause they never fell: as for the evill Angels, there was no such reason, because they sinned in a more high degree than men. 1. They sinned of themselves without the instigation of any: man fell by the subtile provocation of the Serpent. 2. They sinned in heaven, in the Court of the King of Kings: we sinned on earth, which is his footstoole. 3. They were indued with more excellent gifts, of wisdome, knowledge, and understanding: we are but babes and children to them. 4. They were only of a spiritual essence, they had

no flesh to intise them to sin, as we have: but the greatest of all is his owne goodnesse, and mercy, Isai. 9.6. Iohn 3.16. Both had sin∣ned, Angels, and men. Why was Christ made a man to dye for men, and not an Angell, to redeeme Angels, from everlasting death? because it was his owne good will and pleasure, his singular love to mankinde. Let us therefore magnifie him for it, from ge∣neration to generation.

Some, as Augustine observeth, tooke occasion from hence to be proud and insolent. See, Christ tooke on him our nature, not the Angels: therefore we are exalted above Angels: we have just cause to thinke highly of our selves. As if a sick man should boast: the Physitian came to my house, not to my neighbours; therefore, I am a better man than my neighbour: the reason why Christ tooke on him thy nature, not the Angels, was because thou wert sick of sin: so were not the good Angels.

Neverthelesse, it is a preferment to us, that Christ should as∣sume our nature to his, our corruptible nature, to his incorruptible: as if a King should take the patcht cloake of a beggar, and annex it to his royall cloake, decked with Pearles, and precious Stones. Now as Christ hath honoured our nature in becomming man: so let not us men dishonour our owne nature by drunkennesse, unclean∣nesse, covetousnesse, nor by wrangling and contending one with another. Christ hath graced our nature, let not us disgrace it.

VERSE 17.

WHereupon he returnes to his conclusion, which he would have to be infixed in our memories: I will declare thy name to my brethren: which he could not doe, unlesse hee were a man, as his brethren are.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, debuit, he ought, because it was his fathers will, and his owne will too: necessitate, non coactione.

In all things appertaining to the substance, not to the corrupti∣on of our nature: He was like unto us in all things, sin only excepted.

He was like to us, in all the faculties and members of soule and body. He had the same affections that we have, yet unstained with sin. We are sorrowfull; so was He: My soule is heavie to the death: We are joyfull; so was He, Luke 10.21. In that houre Iesus rejoyced in spirit, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. We are zealous; so was He, the zeale of thy house hath eaten me up. We are hungry; so was hee, Marke 3.5. Wee wonder at all things; so did He. We are afraid of death; so was He: My soule is heavie to the death.

Come to the Body:

We are little ones, grow in stature; so Christ, Luke 2. ult. We are hungry, thirsty, sleepy; so was He: He slept in a Ship, Mat. 8.24. not in a Church. We are weary; so was he: He rested himselfe on Iacobs-Well, Iohn 4:6. We dye; so He died also. As He is like

to us, so let us be like him; in meekenesse, patience, charity, in pray∣ing for our enemies.

Brethren. All are his brethren, quoad naturam: the faithfull, quoad gratiam. Iohn 20.17. He will not be ashamed to call us Bre∣thren, at the day of judgement, Mat. 25.40. and shall not we call one another brother? The King and Subjects are brethren, the Mi∣nisters and their People, rich and poore are brethren: and let us not be snapping and snarling one at another, but live lovingly together as brethren.

Both members are unfolded in the words following, that is, he was a faithfull High Priest.

Appertaining to God. In divine, not in humane matters. The High Priest made an attonement for the people, Levit. 16. So did Christ for his people. GOD and man were fallen out, Christ made us friends. God was displeased with us, he pacified his wrath to∣wards us: which the Father by an audible voice witnessed from heaven; Matth. 3.17. This is my beloved Sonne, in whom I am well pleased. How? by the bloud of his Crosse, which was Gods bloud, Acts 20.28. We were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious bloud of Christ, as of a Lambe without ble∣mish and without spot. 1 Pet. 1.18, 19.

In many things we offend all: who then can be saved? our sins for number exceed the sands of the Sea, & the least sin is sufficient to throw us into hell without Christ. But by Christ we are reconciled to his Father, and have peace with him, Col. 1.20. Luke 2.14. Rom. 5.1. Oh I have sinned: but 1 Iohn 2.2. Christ is the propitiation for our sins. Worthy then is the Lamb, the Lord Iesus, to receive all glory. Men at Christ-masse use to take a greater liberty to sin, to quaffe, swill, and carowse, to open the floud-gates of all impiety: but the considera∣tion of Christs comming into the world, should be a bridle to re∣straine us from sin. Christ came now to make a reconciliation for our sins, and shall we plunge our selves deeper into the Sea of sin? God forbid. The love of Christ should constraine us to forsake sin: it should not make us wallow in the filthy puddle, and sinke of sin. Wilt thou make much of the knife that cut thy Fathers throat? Da∣vid, though he longed for the water of the Well of Bethlehem, yet when it was brought to him, by three of his Worthies, he re∣fused to drinke of it, saying, Is not this the bloud of the men, that went in jeopardie of their lives? 2 Sam. 23.17. Sin cost the bloud of Christ: let us not then drinke iniquity like water.

VERSE 18.

HEE prosecuteth the former branch, touching mercy.

As CHRIST was like to us in nature, so hee was tempted as we are. Saepius ipse miser, miseris succurrere dis∣ce. Art thou tempted, whether thou art the child of GOD or not? A shrowd temptation, wherewith the best men and women are sha∣ken! So was CHRIST: If thou beest the Sonne of God: the De∣vill calls it into question, and would have had CHRIST to doubt of it. Art thou tempted with povertie, with want of things neces∣sarie for this life? So Was Christ; from his Cradle to his grave: he was borne in a stable, laid in a cratch, had not an hole to hide his head in; he had no money in his purse, but was faine to send to the Sea for some: he kept his Passeover in an other mans chamber, was buryed in an other mans grave. Art thou tempted with malevolent tongues, with some that are ever rayling on thee? So was Christ: hee was termed a Wine bibber, a glutton, &c. Art thou tempted with sicknesse, the toothach, the headach, the cholike, the gout, &c. We never read that Christ was sicke, because he had no sinne in him, yet being clothed with our nature, hee knowes what belongs to paine, and will succour us in all our distresses.

Art thou persecuted? Herod sought his life, as soone as he was borne. A rich man that hath a good fire continually in his house, a table furnished with all delicates, that lyes soft on a bed of dowlne, he cannot so well pitty a poore man, as one poore man may doe another.

CHRIST being rich would become poore: he would bee a man, that he might the better pittie us that be men: that he might be a mercifull high Priest to us all: and shall we be unmercifull one to another? As the elect of God, put on bowels of mercy, Col. 3.12. We have a mercifull high Priest; Let us be mercifull one to ano∣ther. It is a token of a wicked man, of a reprobate, to be unmerci∣full: as that rich glutton was, that saw Lazarus dayly at his gates, and would have no compassion on him. True Christians are mer∣cifull, as Christ is.

Iudas came howling to the high Priests and Pharises; Oh I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud: what is that to us, say they? See thou to that: So, such a neighbour is sicke in the Towne, such a one is mourning for the death of his Children, his Wife, &c. Such a poore man hath neither meat nor firing, nothing to relieve himselfe and his Children withall: what is that to us? A lamentable thing! There is a thorne in the foot that paines it, and makes it to swell: shall the head and hands say, what is that to us? We are members one of another, and we have an head that is pittifull to us. Let us be pittifull one to another, that Christ may have pittie and compas∣sion on us, both in this world, and in that which is to come.

This may be a singular comfort to us all. They say, he is hap∣py that hath a friend in the Court, especially if he be gracious with the King: wee have a friend in the Court of heaven that is deepe in Gods bookes; such a friend, as hath a feeling of all our infirmities. He and we are as Hippocrates twins, weeping and laughing together. Saul, why persecutest thou me? If we be sicke, or grieved—he is, &c. This was one speciall end why CHRIST assumed our nature, that hee might the better have compassion on us in our calamities. As the bowels of the true mother yerned, when her Child should have beene cut in pieces: so if wee bee in any affliction, the bowels of CHRIST yerne towards us: therefore let us sound forth the praises of CHRIST with a cheerefull heart, that tooke our na∣ture on him: let us glorifie this our elder brother, LORD and Sa∣viour in this life, that we may be glorified with himselfe in eter∣nall glory, in the life to come.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Acts 8.10.
• * 1.2

  Luk. 8.18.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 68.2.
• * 1.4

  Luke 24.14.
• * 1.5

  Acts 17.11.
• * 1.6

  Ier. 48.10.
• * 1.7

  2 Cor. 3.
• * 1.8

  Ephes. 1.13. Act. 13.26. Rom. 1.16.
• * 1.9

  Luk. 8.1.
• * 1.10

  1 Cor. 15.8 9.
• * 1.11

  Ioh. 10.41.
• * 1.12

  Quest.
• * 1.13

  1 Cor. 15.24.
• * 1.14

  Luke 1.68.78
• * 1.15

  1 Cor. 15.27.
• * 1.16

  Acts 10.
• * 1.17

  Act 5.34.
• * 1.18

  Matth. 22.
• * 1.19

  Psal. 12.
• * 1.20

  Luk. 24.26.
• * 1.21

  2 Tim. 3.12.
• * 1.22

  Psal. 73.5.
• * 1.23

  Apoc. 7.14.
• * 1.24

  Gal. 6.17.
• * 1.25

  Isai. 40.6.