Exposition of the Festival Epistles and Gospels, Explication of epistles and gospels 1 · Part 5
The Epistle
Heb. 1.1.
God in times past diuersly and many waies, spake vntounto the Fathers by Prophets: but in these last daies he hath spoken to vsus by his owne sonne, &c.
THE whole world in old time was distinguished by three principall languages (as it appeares in Pilates inscription or title xIohn 19.20.written on Christs Crosse) Latine, Greeke, Hebrew. The Latine tongue was famous in regard of the yGorran. proem. 2. in epist. Pauli.Romane Empire, which ouerspread and ouertopt all other kingdomes on earth; according to that of zAenead. li. 1.Virgil: Romanos rerum Dominos, &c. or as aApud I…yricum p…m. at corrupt. statu ….another Poet wittily:
Roma tibi quondam suberant domini dominorum,
Seruorum serut nunc tibi sunt domini.
The Greeke tongue was especially regarded, because Greece was the worlds Vniuersitie, the seat of Wisdome, the mint of Arts, and as it were the common Nurserie of all humane learning. In which respect bArchititremius apud Munster. cosm.one commending Paris in France, called it Graeca libris, and
Attica philosophis, rosa mundi Balsamus orbis.
The Hebrew most honoured, in that it is Gods owne language, wherein his owne law was written, and wherewith it was expounded vntounto his owne people. Now Paul preached sermons, and penned Epistles in all these languages, as being a cAct. 9.15.chosen vessell of the Lord, to beare his name before the Gentiles, and Kings, and children of Israel. He preached and wrote to the Romanes, and so he did beare Christs name before Kings, for they were Lords of the world. He preached and wrote to the Grecians, as to the Church of Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, Thessalonica, &c. and so he did beare the name of Christ before the Gentiles. He preached and wrote to the faithfull Hebrewes, as d2 Epist. 3. cap. vers. 15.S. Peter telleth vsus, and so he did beare the name of Christ before the children of Israel. I say Paul wrote to the Iewes, holding with the most and best e… 5. …expositors, that he was author of this excellent Epistle.
Now the reasons are fApud Pri…s… … Pre… …pst ad H. b & … 1. de … …b… D…i, cap. 17. & … 7. … 8.man fold, why Paul did not heere set downe his name: First, because hee was not an Apostle of the Iewes, but of the Gentiles, as he saith himselfe, Galat. 2.7. The Gospell ouer the vnc…rcumsision was commaunded vntounto me, as the Gospell ouer the circumcision was vntounto Peter. Secondly, for that his name was odious vntounto the le…ses (as we reade in the 21. and 22. Chapter of the Acts) often crying out against him, away with such a fellow from the earth, for it is not meet hee should liue. Thirdly, Paul was an Hebrew, 2. Corinth. 11.22. They are Hebrewes, so am I. He therefore concealed his name, because a Prophet is not honoured in his gMat. 11.57.owne countrey. But whether h… m… & …q…. … Ca… & Ma…r… arg…m…t …st. … H…bBarnabas, or Clem…ns, or Luke wrote it, as many thinke; or Paul, as most affirme, iDe…r…ng lect. 1 Heb.the matter is not great: for if the name had beene here, what had it shewed but that God vsed the ministerie of such a man? and no the name is not knowne, it teacheth vsus expresly the doctrine is of God. And for this cause to the bookes of holy Scripture names are sometime prefixed, & sometime not, that we might kI…. 2.1.not hauehave the faith of our glorious Lord Ie…us Christ in respect of persons. Whether it be Paul, or Apollos or Cephas all are l1. Cor. 3.22.yours: happily Paul first planted it in Hebrew, then Luke watered and mPrima…us. L…mbard. ….translated it into Greeke, but God giuegive the grace to both. And therefore we must not attend who, but what. For nR…m. 15.4.whatsoeuer is written afore time, is written for our learning: especially this Epistle penned of purpose to maintaine the chie…e point of holy beleefe, namely, that forgiuenesse of sinnes is by Christ only. These Hebrewe, had ioined the ceremonies of the Law with the Gospell of Christ, as the Christians in the kingdomes of oM…t. D…er….P…st…r Iohn at this houre retaine Circumcision and Baptisme. For albeit pAct. 21.10.many thousands of the Iewes beleeued, yet were they still zealous of the Law, not enduring to heare of the abrogation of it, in so much that they made this a point of faith, and it is the qDeering lect. 1. Heb.ninth article of their Creed at this day, God gaue his Law to Moses his faithfull seruant, and he will neuer change nor alter it for another.
Now true Christianitie reades a contrary lecture, namely, that the ceremonies of the law were primò mortales, postea mortuae, postremò mortiferae. So that to leaue Christ for them, or to ioyne Christ with them, is the plaine way to destruction. rApud Io. C…mb. Comp…nd. Theolig. lib. 6. cap. 8.Augustine excellently, Legalia fuerunt ante passionem Domini viua, stati… post passionem mortua, hodie sepulta. That is, the Iewish ceremonies afore Christ came were aliue; when hee suffered on the Crosse they were dead, and now they be buried. And so by consequent they may not rise vp againe to be put in the ballance with his glory: for the gold, siluer, precious stones, and all other ornaments of the magnificent Temple compared with his rich mercies, are but beggerly rudiments, as our Apostle speakes, Galat. 4 9. Nothing in earth, or vnderunder earth, or in heauen, or in the heauen of heauens is so glorious as he, sAct. 4.12.no name else that is named, in which, or by which, we can be saued, but onelyonly the name of Iesus Christ.
The whole tract t… in Heb. 1. Idem Deering & al….is diuided in two parts:
The first is concerning Christs excellencie, shewing in the ten first Chapters what he is, in u… …ez…. Ps…a….respect of his
Nature,
Diuine, cap. 1.
Humane, cap. 2.
Offices,
Propheticall, in the third and fourth chapter.
Sacerdotall: chap. 5.6.7.8 9.10.
Regall, of which our Apostle writes not as of the former two purposely and copiously, but incidently and briefly: chap. 1. vers. 2, 3, 8, 13. chap. 2. vers. 9. chap. 7. vers. 2. chap. 8. vers. 1.
The second, how saluation is onelyonly through him in the residue.
The Law was ordained by glorious Angels, written by Moses, obserued by the Priests, expounded by the Prophets. In the first and second chapter Paul compares our Sauiour with Angels and Prophets In the third with Mos…s. In the 4 5.6.7.8.9.10. with the Priests and their ceremonies; intimating in all, that the Law is deficient, and that Christ in the worke of our saluation is only sufficient and efficient. Our only Prophet, in whole word we must rest: our onelyonly Priest, in whose sacrifice we must rest: our only King▪ vnderunder whose protection wee must rest: who with his blessed Spirit leadeth vsus in waies of eternall life, working in vsus all in all. x… Kaymaudum de Saban de Theolog. natural. Tit. 277.Quemadmodum enim membrum ipsius corporis recipit ab epate humores, à corde vitam, à capite sensum & motum: sic homo recipit ab homne carnem, à Deo animam, à Christo homine & Deo sensum & motum, id est totum bene esse & gratiam: & sicat membrum habet duos motus, vnum de natura sua cadere deorsum, & alium à capite, s…ilicet motum sursum, & iste motus est supra naturam membri: conformiter homo quoad amimam habet duos motus, vnum de natura sua, & Christe motus est cadere deorsum ad nihil, ad non esse, ad preprum voluntatem, & elongari à Deo; & alium habet à Christo, solicet moueri sursum ad Deum, &c.
In this text appointed fitly for this time, Christ is first yL…nbard. G…rram.conferred, and then preferred before the Prophets and Angels. In the comparison betweene Christ and the Prophets, ob…erue the zAretius.consent, and dissent between the old Testament and the new. The consent and agreement is, in that one God spake in both, in the one by his seruants: in the other by his Sonne. The same God is author of both, and the same Christ is subiect of both, in so much that each Testament is in other; in the Law there is an hidden Gospell, and in the Gospell a reuealed Law. So like as the two aExod. 25.20.Cherubins on the mercy seat, whose faces looked one to another. And like the Seraphims, Esay 6.3. one crying to another, holy, holy, holy, both hauing one voice saith bIn Psal. 49.Augustine. Or resembling each other, as Iesus and Iames: who were so like that they were one anothers cIgnatius epist. ad I…b…am. senier…m.glasse. God in times past, and God in these last daies hath spoken to vsus. And whosoeuer hee be to whom this ministry shall bee committed, if hee will be numbred with Patriarkes, and Prophets, Apostles and Pastors, and with our Sauiour Christ himselfe: whatsoeuer hee speake, let him speake d1 Pet. 4.11.as the word of God. For this couenant hath God made with his seruants, Esay 59.21. My spirit that is vponupon thee, and my words which I hauehave put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed from henceforth euen for euer. And indeed whose word else should discerne the eHeb. 4 12.thoughts of the soule, but his onelyonly who is the fPsalm. 7.10.searcher of the heart? and whose word should kill our carnall affections, but his onelyonly who giues the sword of the spirit?
God spake] The word God here may be taken either essentially for the whole gKilius.Trinity; because God the sonne (being a hIsas 40.3.crier in the wildernesse) spake by the Prophets as well as God the Father, and God the holy Ghost as well as either of them, according to that of S. i2 Epist. 1 cap. vers. 21. & Act. 1.16.Peter, Prophecie came not in olde time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost. Or it may be construed in respect of Christs office personally. God, kPrimasius. Anselm. Pisca…er.that is, God the Father, spake to the fathers by Prophets, and by his owne sonne to vsus.
The dissent and difference betweene the two Testaments is in regard of the
manner for
Time, sundry times.
Fashion, many waies.
men
VntoUnto whom, vntounto the fathers in times past, but in these last daies vntounto vsus.
In whom, or by whom, God spake by the Prophets in the one, by his owne sonne in the other.
The lAretius. Deering.first dissent is in respect of time, the times of the Fathers are olde and past: but the time of Christs preaching passeth not, it is for euer, alway continuing rew; mHeb. 13.8.Iesus Christ yesterday, and to day, and the same … for euer. The doctrine taught by the Prophets in old time was reuealed multis vicibus, as Beza translates, at sundry times as our English Bible. But that which Christ himselfe deliuered, is reuealed but once. The which is in…inuated heere, but expressed else where by this author, as in chap. 9. vers. 26. But now in the end of the world hath Christ beene once reuealed. And in chap. 12. vers. 26. Yet once will I strike, not the ca…th onelyonly, but also heauen. And this it is which nEpist. of Iud. vers. 3.Iude saith of the Christian faith, that it was once giuen vntounto the Saints. Once, oAq…ine. Caistane. Aret. in epist. Iude.that is, perfectly, so that wee need not another Gospell. Almightie God hath spoken last in his sonne; that is, in the pGalat 4.4.fulnesse of time so fully, qSa…e…us. L…mbard. Marlorat.that we may not expect hee should vent in time to come any new doctrine. For albeit the spirit was giuen after Christs ascension; yet the same spirit taught that onelyonly, which Christ had taught afore. See Gospell 4. Sunday after Easter.
From hence we may learne boldly to refuse whatsoeuer is r1. Tim. 13.foreign, that is, an after, or another doctrine sprung vp since. A… the new Gospell of Anabaptists, and idolatries of Mahomet, and the reuelations of S. Briget, and all superstitious positions and expositions of Papists. In a word, sDeering. lect. 1. Heb.whatsoeuer bastard religion is contrary to Christs once preaching vponupon earth, which because it was once, confutes all after it, and abrogates all afore it which had diuersitie of time, as our Apostle gathereth in the 12. chapter of this Epistle, vers. 27.
The second difference betweene the two Testaments is, that God in the one spake many waies and diuersly, either by Angel, or by the Cloud, or betweene the Cherubins, or by visions, or by dreames, after sundry kindes of speech, and diuers kindes of actions: but the doctrine of the other is taught after one sort, euen by preaching of the Gospell; tRom. 1.16.which is the power of God vntounto saluation to eueryevery one that beleeueth, and it worketh more mightily then all those kinds of reuelations, and pierceth into he heart of man more deepely then any manner of perswasion; yea though one should rise from the dead and seeke to vsus.
The third dissent is, that God in old time spake only to the Fathers, Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, vntounto some few men, and one nation. uPsal. 147.19He shewed his word vntounto Iacob his sta…es an… ordinances vntounto Israel, hee dealt not so with any people, neither had the heathen knowledge of his Lawes. But in these last daies he hath spoken vntounto vsus indefinitely, to Iew, to Gentile, to bond, to free, to male, to female, being xGalat. 3.28.a…one in Christ Iesus, hauing all through faith one entrance vntounto the throne of grace, Heb. 4 16. So that I need not say now, Lord remember Dauid, or the couenant made with Abraham: but in time of need I may go boldly to the throne of grace, saying, yLuk. 23.42.Lord remember me, zLuk. 18.13.O God be mercifull to me, aMark. 10.47.Iesus hauehave pitie on me. For vntounto those that are nigh, and vntounto those that are farre off, there is but one couenant in Iesus Christ, Eph 2.13.17.
The fourth difference betweene the two Testam…nts is, that God in the one, spake by Prophets his seruants: in the other, by Christ his owne sonne, by meere men in times past vntounto the fathers: but vntounto vsus hee hath spoken by that eternall word which is God, whom hee hath made heire of all things, by whom also hee hath made the world, &c. bAretius.The maine proposition of this chapter is that Christ who reuealed the Gospell is the sonne of God, yea, God himselfe. Now the first part, namely, that Christ is he who brought into the world the Gospell: is concessum & confessum. The faithlesse Hebrew complained of it, and the faithful Hebrew beleeued it. And therfore taking this as granted, hee doth insist in the latter part only, prouing at large that Christ is God. And that
In respect of the
Glorie of his name, being Gods owne sonne, and heire of all things.
Worthinesse of his person, as being The brightnesse of the glorie of God, and the very image of his person.
Greatnesse of his power, vpholding all things by his mightie word.
Benefit purchased for vsus, hauing by himselfe purgedous sinnes.
Dignitie procured to himself, in that he sitteth at the right hand of the maiesty on high.
In all which he doth excell Angels, as first hauing obtained a more excellent name then they. For albeit Angels are called sonnes of God in respect of their creation, and Israel the cExod. 4.22.first borne of God, and all elect the dRom. 8.14.children of God, in respect of adoption and grace: yet no man or Angell is the sonne of God by nature, but Christ alone begotten of the substance of the Father, as being the brightnesse of his glorie, and expresse image of his person. Of whom the Father said in the second Psal. Thou art my sonne, this day hauehave I begotten thee. And in another e2. Sam. 7.14. & 1. Chron. 22. 10.text, I will be his father, and he shall be my sonne. And when hee bringeth in the first begotten sonne into the world, fPsalm. 97.7.he saith, and let all Angels worship him. Insinuating that Christ is not onelyonly greater then Angels, but also God, to be honoured of all Angels. Againe, whereas Christ is an eternall King, whose gPsalm. 45.7.scepter is a right scepter, and whose throne is for euer and euer: Angels are but subiects and seruants, according to that of the hPsal. 104.4.Psalmist, He maketh his Angels spirits, and his ministers a flime of fire.
Moreouer, Christ in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heauens are the workes of his hands, and iExod. 10.11.all that in them is, kColoss. 1.16.things visible and inuisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all were created by him and for him; and therefore seeing Christ is Creator, and Angels his creatures; hee doth excell them, as farre as things infinite can exceed things finite. Lastly, Christ sitteth at the right hand of the Maiestie on high: heereby signifying that God hath giuen him all power in heauen and in earth, lMat. 28.18.and taken him into the f…llowship of his glorie, for all things that the father hath are mine, saith mIoh. 16.15.our Sauiour: whereas Ang…ls, howsoeuer the, nMat. 18.10.he hold the face of our heauenly father, and enioy his presence; yet are they but m…ss…ngers and mi…ters, extending about his throne, for the good of such as are …eires of saluation, as the oDu. Batt…. 1.day. 1. weeke. …ag. 29.Nightingale of Prince swee…ty:
The sacred tutors of the Saints, the guard of Gods elect, the pursuiuants prepar'd
To execute the counsels of the highest, Gods glorious Heralds, heauens swift harbingers,
Twixt heauen and earth the true interpreters.
And here let vsus according to the present occasion of text and time, magnifie the Father of mercy, for that the Sonne of God on this day for our sake became the sonne of man, yea seruant vntounto men, in that he came into the world not to be serued, but to serue, Matth. 20.28. For that the brightnesse of Gods glorie tooke vponupon him the vilenesse of our nature, being made pPsal. 22.6.a worme and no man, a very scorne of men, and outcast of the people. For that he who was more excellent then Angels, at this time became lesse then Angels, that hee might make vsus so great as Angels. qAns…lm spec. euang. cap. 1.Vt not equaret Angelis, minoratus est ab Angelis: for that he who laid the foundation of the earth, and made the world, was himselfe now made. rAugust ser. 27. de temp.Factor terra, factus in terra, Creator coeli, creatus sub coelo, sLe…ser. 6 de nat. Don….being the childe of Mary, who was the father of Mary. tAug. ser. 16. de temp.Sine quo pater nunquam fuit, sine quo mater nunquam fuisser: so that whereas Dauid, Psalme 118.24. This is the day which the Lord hath made: uFuseb. Emis. hem 2. de nat. D…mwe may say, This is the day wherein the Lord was made, wee will reioice and be glad in it. For that he who sits on the right hand of the maiestie on high, and xEsa. 40.12.measureth the waters in his fist, and heauen with his spanne, was now lodged in a stable, crouded in a cratch, and swadled in a few ragges. O beloued, if we were not in this great light of the Gospell, almost so blinde as the Bat, we would wish our selues all eie, to behold the babe Iesus in the manger. If wee were not as deafe as the stubborne Adder, we would wish our selues all eare, to heare the tidings of great ioy to all people; namely, yLuk. ….11.that vntounto vsus is borne this day in the citie of Dauid a Sauiour, which is Christ the Lord. If we were not in some sort possessed with a dumbe spirit, wee would wish our selues all tongue, to chaunt that heauenly caroll of the glorious Angels, zLuk. 2.14.Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace, and good will toward men.
It is the fashion of many men, at this festiuall especially, to boast of their rich attire, great attendance, good fire, large cheere: yet (seeing Christ is heire of all things in the world) they cannot in their owne right enioy so much as a Christmas log, or a Christmas pye, till they be first ingraffed in him. I may hauehave from man, my warrant on earth heere, that my land is mine, my benefice mine, my coate mine, house, horse, hose mine: and he is a very theefe that taketh away these from me: But all the men in the world cannot giuegive me my possession before the liuing God, but his sonne Christ onelyonly, who is heire of all; and therefore that our land may bee our owne, our apparell our owne, our meate our owne, our men and money our owne: let vsus be Christs, that in him wee may hauehave the good assurance of all our substance: that I may pronounce that vntounto you, which our a1 Cor. 3.22.Apostle to the Corinthians: All are yours, and yee Christs, and Christ Gods.