Twenty-Seven Lectures Upon Hebrews, Lectures · Lecture 26
The 26. Lecture, vponupon the 13. & 14. verses, before mentioned, & so forth vponupon the 1. & 2. verse of the sixth Chapter.
13 For euerie one that vseth milke, is inexpert in the word of righteousnesse: for he is a childe.
14 But strong meate belongeth to them that are of age, which through long custome hauehave their wits exercised, to to discerne both good and euill.
CHAP. VI.
1 THerefore, leauing the doctrine of the beginning of Christ, let vsus be led forwarde vntounto perfection, not laying againe the foūdation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.
2 Of the doctrine of baptisme, and laying on of handes, & of the resurrection from the dead, and of eternall iudgment.
WE hauehave heard alreadie, what reprehension the Apostle hathe hetherto made, of the slackenesse of the people, in learninge the mysteries of Gods word.
First, because they hauehave beene so carelesse, that they hauehave made the word hard vntounto them, that they cannot vnderstand it: where I tolde you, y• who soeuer he be that accuseth the scripture of hardnesse, the Apostle concludeth against him, that he hath a hard & dul hart. Secondarily, he rebuketh them in respect of the time, which hath beene so long, that they might nowe hauehave taught other, yet they neede to bee taught them selues, yea euen the beginnings. And heere I wishe vsus to looke well vntounto our selues: for all men knowe how longe the time hath beene, in whiche the Gospell hath beene preached vntounto vsus. and howe little we hauehave profited, God knoweth. Thirdly, hee blameth them for their slacknesse, because by it they spoile themselues of a great treasure: for while they be thus rude and ignoraunt, the worde of righteousnesse, that is, perfect knowledge can neuer be taught vntounto them, neither can they bee partakers of the excellent knoweledge of the gospel of Christe: but it is vtterlie impossible, euen as it is for children to eate stronge meate. Then he sheweth who be strong, euen those that hauehave their wisedome perfect, so that they can iudge betweene good and euill.
To this purpose are these laste wordes of the Apostle: EueryEvery one that vseth milke, is inexpert of the word of righteousnesse, for he is a childe: but strong meate, is for the perfect, whiche through long custome hauehave their wittes exercised to discerne good and euill.
Firste, wee hauehave heere to learne this principle of Christianitie: he that is rude and ignoraunt, can not apprehend the excellent knowledge of the Gospell of Christe: that is, he that can say no more but this: I beleeue in one God: wee muste repent vsus of sinne: we are saued by faith: we must worship God in spirite and trueth: we are baptised in the name of the father, the sonne, and the holy ghost: we beleeue the resurrection of our bodyes: we looke for eternal life: and suche like confessions in generall wordes: though, where this is confessed with a single heart, and a minde willing to learne more: God may and will, for his Christes sake, accept it vntounto saluation: yet we that hauehave receiued of the Lorde, bothe time, and abilitie, ought more exactly to vnderstand: if we wil not bee despisers of the manifolde graces of God: as for example, the childe is taught, that there is but one God aboue al, and to worship him alone, whome he confesseth in three distinct persons, the father, the sonne, and the holy Ghoste. Surely, a young Christian man, which with this faith shoud humble him selfe before God, and crye: Our father, which art in heauen: no doubt, God would heare his prayer: yet notwithstanding, seeing this mysterie is not onelyonly taught in generall termes, but is set out also in more particular pointes, in knowledge of al, we must looke for the fulnesse of our comforte, and reioycing that now we hauehave in God. Thou sayest, I beleeue in God the father almightie: thou sayest well, and it is a holy confession, if thou hauehave hearde no more: but if thou hast also learned, that God is a spirit, not of the nature of man, not like vntounto the idols of the Gentiles, not like vntounto any creature that thou hast heard or seene: but a nature of maiestie & glorie, incomprehensible and aboue the thoughts of man: then thou oughtest heere to exercise thy senses with wise meditations, howe greate and glorious the Lord is, whome thine eye cannot see, thine heart can not conceiue, no creature in Heauen or earth can resemble vntounto thee: so thou shalt learne obedience: to say vntounto thy senses, and vntounto thy naturall heart, what hauehave I to doe with you? All carnal cogitations and thoughts of man, be they neuer so high, of Kinges and Emperours, of golde and precious stones, they are vile & filthy to cary into heauen: if thine imaginatiōs will resemble them to the God of glory, thou doest but fill thy soule with corruption and rottennesse: thy fleshly thoughtes shall breede an vnbeleeuing hart, & thou shalt be the foole which searcheth the maiestie, till he be ouerwhelmed of the glorie: for thy God is a spirite, and in spirit and faith thou canst only see him. Thou shalt nowe hate and detest the Idoll and idoll maker, which hauehave fashioned thy God like vntounto an old man, with a gray beard, which hauehave made him sit as in a chaire of estate, and giuen him Angelles in golde and siluer and flaming fire to sit about him: this is shame aboue al shames. To say vntounto the king, thou art a slaue: and vntounto the nobles of the earth, ye are villaines: they be words of honour in comparison of this vnspeakable sacrilege, to say vntounto God, thou art like a man. Againe, when thou saiest, thou beleuest in the father, the sonne, and the holie ghost, y• sayest wel, & acknowledging in thine hart, three persons & one God, in a mysterie which thou canst not expresse, thy faith is accepted. But when y• hearest, the father to be called ye God of all grace, the authour of life, beeing, & mouing: when thou hearest the sonne called the shining brightnesse, and ingrauen fourme of the father, of whose fulnesse we receiue al increase of grace: when thou hearest ye holie ghost called the comforter, the spirit of sanctification, ye pledge of thine election: when thou hearest y• the father hath eternally begotten his sonne: the sonne eternally begottē of the father: the holie ghost eternally proceeding from them both: in al this, shal we learne nothing for more cleare knowlege of our faith? shal we not here confesse, the person of the father to be the beginning & founteine of al goodnes, glorie, life, and immortalitie, that we our selues & whatsoeuer is vntounto vsus happie and blessed, all is only of his free grace and merciemercy? shal wee not confesse that truely and naturally, he is ye father: and because, he hath eternally begotten his sonne; that his sonne is one God with him without beginning? and shall we not humble our soules, faithfully to beleeue this, and neuer to search or inquire of, how it is? for our vaine and corruptible harts, how can they see eternal and euerlasting things? And because ye sonne is the image of his father, shall wee not learne that we knowe nothing of God, nothing at al of his nature, godhead, maiestie, working, will, power, honour, life, and continuance for euer? nothing (I say) but what we hauehave seene & heard in Christe his sonne: for he is the shining brightnesse of his glorie. What hauehave I to do with men, or with the children of men? what counsell can mine owne heart minister vntounto me, I must robbe the sonne of God of his honour: or I must confesse I knowe nothing of God, but in him only. Againe, if of his fulnesse we receiue, we hauehave no felowship with god: but in him, all gace, merciemercy, life, … immortalitie: to him it beelongeth, of him we hauehave it, and for his sake it is giuen vntounto vsus. So likewise, when the spirite is sayd to be our comforter, to proceede from the father & ye sonne: we confesse he is one in nature & godhead with the father and the sonne, in personal substance, proceeding eternally from them both: and because eternally, therefore incomprehensibly, whiche we beleeue in faith, and will not searche by reason: only we waite and reioyce in hope, till God strengthen our eyes to see his maiestie: and then our harts shalbe wise to cōprehend this distinctiō of the persons. Now, this spirit being our comforter, we acknowledge that it is the person of the holy Ghost, which putteth his grace into our harts, to make vsus wise, faithfull, holie, and so sealeth vntounto vsus in full assurance, our inheritance that is in Iesu Christ, according to the free purpose, and good will of God his father. Besides all this, to confesse the humanitie of our sauiour Christ, howe in his owne person he hath borne the punishmente of our sinnes, and ouercome the diuell, who helde vsus in bondage: howe he hath sanctified our nature in himselfe, and made it meete to stand before the presence of God, only by faith, freely giuing vsus his blessings. These and many other things taught vsus in the scripture, to our exceeding comfort, shal we neglecte them, & learne only the confession of Children. I beleeue in God the father, God the sonne, & God the holy Ghoste, three persons & one God: Sure if we wil do thus, I see no other, but that the little children through gods infinite merciemercy, shal be saued, in y• litle knowledge that they hauehave learned: and we by his iust iudgments worthy to be condemned, for his manifolde wisedome which wee hauehave despised. Then (dearly beloued) if we wil not alwayes be childrē, neuer learned in the word of righteousnesse, let vsus not only hold the generall principles of our faith, but so farre also as particular points are taught and mentioned, let vsus wisely learne them, till we may feele in our selues good increase of Gods spirite, to louelove him, to feare him, to walke before him, with al our heart & in all the wayes which he hath appointed for vsus.
Now in the wordes following. But strong meate is for the perfect, whiche through long custome hauehave their witts exercised to discerne betweene good & euil. Here appeareth, as I said, who are childrē & who are strong: they are children which hauehave not yet had triall and experience wherby they might bee rooted in faith, and confirmed by knowledge against al falshod & errour: which kind of childhod, Saint Paule telleth the Ephesians, at the last we ought all to leaue of, & Ephe. 4. 14.grow vp in the vnitie of faith, and of the knowledge of the sonne of God, into a perfect mā, & to the full measure of our age in Christ: that we be not alwayes children, wauering & carried about with euerie blast of doctrine by the deceipt of men with craftinesse, which lie in waite to deceiue. And as this is a plaine description of Children: so, as plainly here the Apostle sheweth who are perfecte men: euen those that are able, with wise senses, to iudge betweene good & euill, y• is, who hauehave their mindes lightned with ye word of God, so that they are able to trie what is acceptable & well pleasing vntounto god. Nowe (dearly beloued) if these wordes be plaine enough, giuegive me leaue to beseeche you in this plaine case, as Paul beseeched ye Corinthians in y• like: My brethren, be not children i… vnderstanding: be childrē in ma 2. Cor. 14. 20lice, but in vnderstanding be of perfect age: and if you see the plaine and manifest meaning of the scripture, what it is, be wise, and beleeue it: and confesse this, that we ought to be learned in Gods worde, so that we hauehave good ground of our saith, and be able to consute falshod. As now in our owne dayes, we see the Pope claimeth authoritie, that he can despense against the word of God: but if our witts be exercised in the knowledge of the word of truth, we do see where the sixe tribes of Israel do curse such presumption.
In the xxvi. of Deuter. vppon Mouut Eball, Ruben, Gad, Asher, Zebulon, Dan, and Nepthtalim, they pronounce a decree: Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this booke, and all the people shal say, A men. If to confirme and ratifie, be not to repeale or giuegive contrarie dispensation, then all ye Israel of the Lord must accurse his blasphemie, that wildispense against the word of God. We see, the Pope vseth a triple crowne, and challengeth honour aboue Emperours and kings: but if we hauehave learned the commaundement of Christe, and are lightened by it, to iudge betweene good and euill: when Christ saith, Kings of the nations reigne ouer them: and their rulers are called gratious Lords: but it shall not be so among you: we Luke. 22. 25 Antichristian pride.muste needes knowe the Popes pride is intollerable, which taketh such honour vntounto him selfe.
We see how they cry against vsus: The Church, the church: & make vsus beleeue that they are the church, and they cannot erre: but if we be exercised in the scripture, to discerne betweene trueth and salshod, we knowe that Christ hath built his church vppon the rocke, which rocke is not Peter and his successours in Rome (as the Pope expoundeth it) but our Sauiour Christe sayth, He that heareth his woorde and M…tt. 7. …4. M…tt. 16. 18.obeyeth it, he is the wise man that buildeth vponupon the rocke, and neither stormes, nor tempestes, nor the gates of Hell shall preuaile against that buyldinge: and Sainct Paule Ephe. 2. 20.saith, The foundation or rocke vppon which we be buylte, is the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets. And who so euer commeth vntounto vsus, and bringeth vsus that doctrine, though they say they bee Apostles, yet they belyers: and though they say they be the church, yet they are an assembly of theeues and murtherers.
Let vsus then bee wise at the laste: it is not ignoraunce, it is perfect knowledge: it is not infancie, it is ripe vnderstanding: that must commend vsus vntounto God.
And mark it wel, that you may knowe what God requireth of vsus. That which is here translated, long custome, the Apostle calleth it foreign, that is, a knoweledge with long studie and practise learned, as lawe in the Iudge or counseller, as physick in the learned expert Physician: so must diuinitie be in vsus.
Againe, he sayth: we must hauehave our senses exercised: it is not enough to know, nor to know much, but wee muste bring the practise of it in our life, neither concealing our knowledge, nor withholding our obedience, but with minde and bodie testifying our faith, til experience teach vsus, that Gods spirit hath the victorie in vsus. Lastly, he sayth: wee must be able to iudge betweene good and euill, or as S. Paule termeth it, able to trie the difference of things one from other: that is, that we may know Rom. 2. 18.how to discerne between… Gods wisedome, and mans vaine inuentions: betweene trueth and falsehoode: betweene vertue and vice: not as the manner of some is, that stil be babes, and worse then babes, with whom if you wil reason of their religion, to persuade them by the worde of trueth, they will say, I am not booke learned, I can not dispute with you, let me alone with my faith, other men hauehave bene as well learned as they be now, I am sure they beleeued otherwise: are not these miserable people? and are not they more miserable, whiche thus hauehave seduced them? and shall not wee thanke God this day, who hath saued vsus from suche vnspeakable madnesse, both of the cursed teacher, and of the wretched disciple? yes (dearly beloued) let vsus thanke God, and let vsus leaue the blinde leaders of the blinde and let vsus pray, that God would giuegive vntounto vsus according to his glorious riches, the strength of his spirite in the inner man, that by faith Christ may dwel in our heartes, and wee may apprehende with all the saints, the heigth, the breadth, ye length, the depth, and knowe the louelove of Christ, whiche i… aboue all knowledge, and be filled with the fulnesse of God.
Nowe it followeth in the sixte Chapter. Therefore, leuing the doctrine of the beginning of Christ, let vsus be led forward vntounto perfection, not laying again the foūdatiō of repentāce from dead works, & of faith towards God, &c. In these words, the Apostle first maketh the conclu sion of his exhortation, therfore let vsus leaue the beginnings, and go foreward vntounto perfection. In the wordes following, he sheweth by particular pointes what is this beginning beyond which we must go, that we may be perfecte, and hee numbereth foure points, repentance from dead works, faith towardes God, the resurrection of the bodie, & eternall iudgment, whiche principles were learned and confessed of Christian mens children, in the day of their confirmation, of Gentiles that came to the faith of Christ in the day of their baptisme: in this meaning some thinke he calleth these forenamed points, the doctrine of baptismes and laying on of hands: meaning thereby, that seeing this confession and knowledge is in vsus then, when first we are receiued into the felowship of the church, to be partakers of their mysteries, howe ought wee of all duetie to growe vntounto greater knowledge and wisedome, when now many yeares we hauehave bene of the Church, & daily taught all the counsels of God? or, it may bee, that the Apostle here reciteth the manner of catechising, vsed them in Churches, for instruction of children: in which they were taught especially, these sixe principles of religion, what they are, and howe they should learne them: that is, Repentance, Faith, Baptisme, Laying on of handes, the Resurrection, and eternall iudgement: whiche things being first learned of them, and giuen vntounto them in bookes, such as our Catechismes are, the Apostle may seme to speake thus. Let vsus not alwayes be beginners: when we were yet children, we learned this: since so long time hearing the word preached, and religion more perfectly taught vsus, howe shal we be blamelesse, if we learne no more? By which wordes, the meaning of the apostle is, to giuegive vsus no time of rest, when we should thinke we were wise enough, wee neede learne no more: but as long as God continueth our life, so long we should continue our studie, still to knowe more of his vnsearcheable wisedome and goodnesse.
Touching the learning of these thinges, to bee milke and meate of children, I tolde you before by some examples, howe we might vnderstand it: it is milke, to know these things in the simplicitie of the wordes: it is strong meate, to bee able to distribute them into euerie part, and applie it to our selues in our life. Repentance, whereof he first speaketh, hath here a sorrowe and purpose of amendment, as these affections can be in children, which is, to be grieued, or wepe, for a thing done, and to beware afterward for feare of the like: but the wise and graue man, that hath profited in the schole of Christe, his sorrowe sinketh much deeper: he remembreth by good accompts, what things the Lord hath done for him, how he hath blessed him, from what present perils he hath saued him, & how againe him self hath bene euer vnthankfull, vnworthy of the least of al Gods mercies: yea, by many speciall crimes, deseruing wrath and anger: which thoughtes doe worke in him a troubled spirite, and pensiue soule: so that, not onelyonly teares, but the state of the whole bodie, sheweth the griefe of his minde: and not the bodie onelyonly, but in all his life it worketh great care, much praying, anger with our selues, feare, desire, zeale, punishment also, that by iudging our selues we may preuent the iudgement of God: it maketh vsus detest our sinne, and the remembrance of our sinne, as in the Acts of the Apostles, they burne their bookes of sorceries, which were of great price & value: and as Saint Iude sayth, They hate euen the coate spotted with the flesh: and according to this is the amendement of their life, with all louelove and desire. If they hauehave beene extortioners, they will make restitution: if they hauehave beene vsurers, they will giuegive back increase: if they hauehave giuen their handes, and knees, and members of their bodyes, to the Popish Masse, with all their strength now againe they will deteste it, and make it knowen, they hate their firste sinne: this manner of repentance, is stronge meate of perfect men.
The second point heere spoken of, is faith toward God, of which, so much as may be apprehended of children, is called milke: as to beleeue that God the father of his greate louelove, gaue his onelyonly begotten sonne Iesu Christe, to be made man, who in his bodie might fulfil all righteousnesse, and beare the punishment of sinne, which also by the power of his spirit he ourcame, and hath gotten eternall redemption, for all that shall beleeue. But so to examine this faith wisely, and according to Scripture, that when we finde the beginning in God the father, the work in God the sonne, the applying and bestowing of it in the holie Ghoste: and when we be wise, so to distinguish these graces in eueryevery person, that yet wee diuide them not, as taking away from the one vtterly, what soeuer especially wee giuegive vntounto the other: this I say, when we hauehave so learned, that wee see all the glorie of sauing health is in God, no merit or desert in man, but that without the law, the righteousnesse of God is laid open vntounto vsus, witnessed by the law and by the prophets, then we be perfect to fede of this strong meate, that faith alone iustifieth. Againe, when we knowe that this is the gifte of God, with whome there is no chaunge, nor shadowe of chaunge, but he is constant in his louelove for euer: whē faith hereof taketh boldnesse, that nether heigth, nor deapth, nor life, nor death, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor any creature shall euer be able to remoue me from the louelove with whiche God hath looued mee: this assured boldenesse is the meat of the man of God, who is perfect in faith.
Likewise Baptisme, the thirde thing here mentioned, the milke of it is to knowe, that by it they be sealed into the couenant of Gods grace and mercy, which he hath to the fathers and their children: but to knowe by this, how to be baptised into the death of Christ, that as he is rysen againe from the deade, so wee should walke in newnesse of life, that is, to knowe that our Baptisme presenteth vntounto vsus, the free forgiuenesse of our sinnes, washed away with the bloud of Christe. While as hee dyed and was buried for our sinnes: so wee also should dye vntounto sinne, that it hauehave no more rule in our mortal body: and as he rose againe from the deade, so that death hath no more rule ouer him: so we should after liue in newnesse of life, offering vp vntounto God, our bodies and our soules, who hath redeemed them, and purchased them vntounto him selfe. To knowe all this according to the scripture, is the perfect knowledge of our Baptisme.
Imposition of handes, that was a solemne ceremonie vsed with prayer, in whiche it was declared, that the parties were accepted of GOD into his Church, according to the faith of Christe, whiche then they professed: this was the milke which children had fead on. But to see in it a free and bolde profession of faith, before all men to be holden, and a holy vowe, or promise, in whiche they bounde them selues to perpetuall holinesse, by the laying on of handes, as by a solemne othe, to hauehave it witnessed of the Lord they were his children, and to witnesse it in them selues, they woulde abide the temples of the holie Ghoste: to be short, to promise a persourmaunce of all, what so euer was hoped for in vsus, in the day of our baptisme: this is the strong meate. And this which this day ought to be practised, as a thing verie profitable in the Churche of God, it is miserably defaced by the Papistes: for where it was in the Churche of God an vse, that Christian children should be taught the principles of fayth, which when they had wel learned, and could giuegive a good accompt of their faith, then in y• open congregation, with prayer and laying on of handes on their heades, they were declared to be receiued as partakers of the graces and sacramentes of the church: this good order the Papistes hauehave chaunged, and made them a sacrament of confirmation, onelyonly by the Bishop to be ministred, and by him to little children of no knwledge, to whome hee giueth a newe Godfather or godmother, which should speake for them when they cannot speak for them selues. And whereas in the scripture, this hath beene euer a ceremonie, in solemne blessinges, in sacrifices, in admitting ministers, in giuing spirituall giftes, and no where vsed but onelie with prayer, this order seemed base to them, that knewe no end of their owne inuentions, and they would needes hauehave crosses, tapers, oyle, miters, surplices &c. without which there was with them no confirmation: thus in this as in all thinges, prophaning the holie ordinaunce of God.
The resurrection of the bodie, another poynte here mentioned, was for Children, that they might knowe their bodies should not die. as the bodies of beastes, to consume in earthe and not returne: but that they shoulde rise againe at the latter daye, and their owne bodies should be made immortall: but in this also, to see the glorie, what a bodie it is whiche shall liue for euer, which shal be made like to the body of Christ, which shalbe made able to stand in the presence and behold the glorie God, of which shalbe set free, from sorrow, care, sicknesse, death, & al aduersitie. This mysterie which ye Angels of God desire to behold, when we can wisely see it, & know therefore we are here but pilgrimes and straungers: another countrie is our owne, whiche God hath made and not man, in which we set our heart, with all the delight and pleasure of it, in this to reioyce: this the strong meate with whiche the hope of the resurrection feedeth perfect men. Last of all, heere is mention made of eternal iudgement, which was taught to children, that they might knowe, when all bodies should arise againe, then the Lorde woulde set a day of his iudgemente, in whiche he would iustifie and crowne with immortall glorie, al his children, and cast out into darknesse and endlesse condemnation, al the wicked and reprobate. But, so to hauehave knowledge of this iudgement, that we now behold in faith, how the son of man shal come with maiestie, and all his holy Angels with him: how he shal come with a great crie, with the voice of an Archangel, & with y• blast of y• trumpet of God, that all creatures may heate his voice, to restore again ye bodies y• they had consumed, so y• al nations & kinreds of men, should stande at once before him, of which he shall make separation on his right hande, and on his left, to fill the one with life and glorie, and put songs into their mouthes of euerlasting ioy: and to condemne ye other in hell and death, with shamefull crying and gnashing of teeth. To knowe this with vnspeakable comfort, & long looking for of all the promises of God, and with feare and trembling at all his heauie threatenings: this is thy strong meate of eternall iudgement, which the Lord God of spirites graunt vntounto vsus, for his sonnes sake, who must needes be vntounto vsus a mercifull iudge, if we do rest in him as in our only sauiour. The time is past. Now let vsus praye. &c.