Twenty-Seven Lectures Upon Hebrews, Lectures · Lecture 2
¶The second Lecture vponupon the second and third verses.
2 WHome he hath made heire of all things by whome also he made the worldes.
3 Who beeing the brightnesse of the glorie, and the ingraued forme of hi… person, and bearing vp all thinges by his mightie woorde, ba… by him selfe purged our sinnes, and sitteth at the right hand of the maiestie in the highest places.
WE hauehave heard howe the Apostle hath taught, that our Sauiour Christe the sonne of God hath beene once sent vntounto vsus an eternall Prophet, to teach vsus all thinges which GOD hath done for our saluation, & through the preaching of the gospel to sanctifie vsus all vntounto him: that him alone we should acknowledge to be our leader vntounto eternall life. Now the Apostle beginneth to proue this singular glorie to belong onelyonly to Christe, which he doeth by setting out a full and large description of him▪ in which, as I sayd, he proueth him to be eternall God.
Firste, by his rule ouer all creatures, verse. 2. Then by the glorie of his owne person. Thirdly, by his great power. Fourthly, by his benefite bestowed vponupon vsus. Fiftely, by his glorie purchased to him selfe, verse. 3. Sixtly, by comparison with Angels, verse 4: whiche comparison he maketh in manie pointes, as shall appeare in the residue of the chapter. The rule of Christ ouer all creatures, he sheweth in this, That he is heire of all, and created all. By heire of all: meaning, howe in the person of a mediatour he hath restored all, as in the person of the sonne, he was the wisedome of God to make all. And therefore called the heire, because he restored not the worlde, but by redeeming it, and purchasing it vntounto himselfe, according as God the Father had giuen it to be a recompence of his worke, in whiche respect it is said, that God appointed him heire of all things. This our Sauiour taught vsus, when he say de: Mat. 2…. …. Iohn. 16. 15.All power is giuen vntounto mee in heauen, and in earth. And all things the father hathe are mine: Not onelyonly earthly things, but also heauenly: For of the graces of the spirite he saith also, He shal glorifie me, and take of mine, and giuegive it vntounto you. The Apostle addeth the seconde note of this authoritie. That by him the world was made. Maker of the world.by the worlde meaning all things in heauen, earthe, and vnderunder the earthe. For so Sainct Iohn addeth to this testimonie, And without him nothing was made, what so euer was made: Then if all creatures were by him, himselfe was vncreate, and onelyonly creator of all that is, that we might boldely giuegive him the glorie of the father Almightie, maker of heauen and earth.
And this is notably set out by S. Paul in the first chap ter to the Colossians, where he saith: He created all Col. 1 …5.thinges, in heauen and earth, visible & inuisible, whether they be thrones, dominions, principalities, or powers, all things were made by him: of which, it must needes followe, euen as S. Paule also concludeth, that he is God aboue all.
The second thing wherein Christ is here exalted, is the glorie of his person. First, that he is the brightnesse of his fathers glorie, whiche title is absolutely giuen him, as essentiall vntounto the sonne of God, not Brightnesse of glorie in respect of his fatheronelyonly before vsus, but euen before his Father, that as all the properties of the Godhead hauehave their beeing in the person of the father, so the brightnesse and beautie of them is in the person of the sonne, and so this name was proper to him before the worlde was made, noting, that eternally he was of the father. In whiche sense Sainct Iohn calleth him The worde, not according to the time, in which creatures hauehave bene, but an essentiall worde before all creatures. In the beginning saith he, was the worde, and the word was with God. But of this mysterie I ceasse to speake. For we cannot knowe it, our tongues cannot speake it. And these verie wordes whiche I nowe vse, or any man can vse of Gods maiestie, thinke not that their sense and meaning is according to Gods nature, they are onelyonly helpes of our weakenesse, that by them our faith might be quickened in a spirituall vnderstāding, otherwise all the woordes in the worlde, cannot expresse the least part of the liuing God. Touching vsus, he is called the brightnesse of his fathers glori…, many wayes, as, because in our nature he shewed foorth the liuely countenaunce of his father, in all fulnesse of grace and trueth, and because in the power of his worde, hee wrought mightily in all creatures, and againe expressely Sainct Paule calleth him The image (which is the shining brightnesse) of God, in Iohn. 1. 14. Iohn 5. 36. 2. Cor. 3. 18respect of the cleare manifestation of the Gospel, in which he hath set out so glorious a light of the power of GOD to saue his electe. So he is to vsus the brightnesse of glorie, because many wayes he shewed foorth the glorie of his father vntounto vsus. Euen as Iohn. 1. …8.Sainct Iohn sayth: No man hath seene GOD at any time: that onelyonly begotten sonne, who is in the bosome of his father, he hath reuealed him.
The second thing here attributed to him, is, that Ingrauen fourme. Col. 1. 15.he is the ingrauen fourme of the person of his father, noting hereby the vnitie of substance, as in whome the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelt bodilie. Euen as Saint Paule doeth also call him, the image of God: distinguishing him by this name from all shadowes and figures, like as this Apostle vseth the woorde in the tenth chap. And here expressely he addeth ingrauen, aboue all the figures in the lawe, the Ephod, the Vrim, or the Arke it selfe, shewing the excellencie that is in Christe.
The third title of honour here giuen vntounto Christ Susteiner of al thinges.is, of the greatnesse of his power, and that is, that he heareth vp all things with his mightie word. In the metaphore of bearing, after the manner of the Prophets, no doubt he meaneth, the nourishment and preseruation of all things in the state that God hath giuen them, which is the prouidence watching ouer al his woorkes. Now this beeing knowen to be the work of the liuing God, That in him we liue, we moue, we are, Actes. 17. 28.and this manifestly agreeing to Christe, by cleare proofe of all his workes here in fleshe, in which hee reuealed the image of God in him. In this also it is assured that he is very God, the stay and strength of the world, without whose hand all thinges would fall into confusion.
Forthly, he extolleth the person of Christ by the greatnesse of his benefites bestowed vponupon man, in Purger of our sinnes.these wordes, By him selfe hauing purged our sinnes, put in here as a Parenthesis, because it sheweth the way how Christe purchased that excellent dignitie, to sit at the right hand of his father, wherof after he speketh. In that he saith: purged our sinnes: expresly hee warranteth his Godhead. For what creature could hauehave done so excellent a worke? The Iewes could not be ignorant, but though a man were as great as Adam: yet Adam, when sinne rested on him, it draue him out of Paradise, yea, though a man could be as pure as an Angel, yet the Angels, when they sinned, and kept not their first order, their sinne weyed them into Iude. 6.the condemnation of hel, so y• our Sauiour Christ taking our sin vponupon him, & beeing able to purge it, which no sainct or angel could euer doe, it necessarily followed, that he is the eternal God, euen according to the knowen prophecies of the Messias, that they should call him the Lord God our righteousnesse.
The fifte thing wherein Christe is here extolled, Iere. 23. 5.is the high dignitie which he hath gotten, in these woordes, he sitteth on the right hande of high maiestie: Noting hereby, that God the father hath taken him vp into his glorie, so that he sitteth in power and maiestie, equall with his father, and this is plaine in that he calleth it the right hand of highest maiestie. And the scripture sheweth this end of it, till I make thine enimies Psal. …10. 4thy footestoole: shewing that this is the power of God in him, to sitte at the right hand of God. And thus muche of the woordes of the Apostle, in this, magnifying the person of our Sauiour Christ.
Now a litle further we will examine the words and applie them more particularly to our instruction. In that it is saide firste, God made him heire of all. So that we see, howe these woordes of the Apostle Heire of all.hauehave euerie way their weight, to proue that Christe is the sonne of God, the king of his people, God and man, mediatour betweene God and vsus.
We must learne, of our selues we hauehave nothing: but beeing ingraffed in him, we are owners of all thinges. In mine owne right I am naked and voyde of all, I hauehave no meate to feede my hungrie bodie, no drinke to comfort my faint and thirstie spirite, no cloathes to keepe me warme, no house to harbour mee, I am to take no profite of any creature, nor no pleasure in the sight of the Sunne. For the earth is the Lord Iesu Christes, and all that is in it. I may hauehave from man my warrant here in earth, that my house is mine, and my lande is mine, and he is a theefe and a robber that taketh it from mee. But all the men in the worlde cannot giuegive me my possession before the liuing God, but onelyonly his Sonne Christ, who is Heire of all. And I am a theefe and a robber, if before God I claime any other right in it. Then, that our hands may be our owne: our goods our own: our seruants, our wiues, our childrē, ours: Let vsus be Christes, that in him we may hauehave the good assurance of all our substance. Take not thy meate, but as the gift of Christ, who hath sanctified it vntounto thee, nor any thing thou hast but with thankesgiuing to Christ that hathe sanctified it for thee: if thou doest, thou art an intrudour, into the right, not of a mortal man, but of the fonne of God: and thou shalt be sure the recompence of the iniuries that thou hast done, will fall vppon thee: and thou shalt know what it is, so to dishonor thy God. But contrariwise, if I know my self by faith made a member of Christe, and his right is mine in the creatures of the worlde, and in his name, and to his glorie I vse them, whatsoeuer God hath giuen mee in the dayes of my pilgrimage, the profite of it is mine, I may vse it to my necessitie, and the pleasure of it is mine, I may vse it to my delight. If my garments be silke, I may put them on. If my table be furnished with sortes of meate, I may eate what my stomach craueth. If I hauehave fieldes pleasant and delectable, I may walkein them. If I hauehave orchards of great delight, I may eate the fruit of them. Nay, I will say more, that their condemnation may be iust which louelove not the Lord Iesus. If thy dogges will hunt the beastes of the fielde: or thy hauke will kill the birdes of the aire, thou mayst vse the delight of Gods creatures. I meane so farr as the state of Gods people, in common wealthes, which he hath ordeyned, doth permit to euerie one, for his holy recreation and pleasure, who walketh faithfully in his calling, to the glorie of God, and profite of his people. I do not iustifie the shamefull abuse of the worlde, which hath carried away the christian libertie into carnall wantonnesse. I allowe them not, which wil needs weare silke, and are not able to buy cloth: or those, whiche so giuegive ouer themselues to vanitie, that the day is to short to make thē pastime, except they watche the night at cardes and dice, and riotous dauncing, with suche men I meddle not, but in their sinne in which I find them, in it I leaue them. I speake onelyonly of the goodnesse of God vntounto his Saincts, what recreation God hath giuen in their wearie life.
And where it is further saide, All things were made Al things made by him.by Christ, we may boldly conclude, that no man hath power ouer his creatures, but they must serue their creator. What hauehave I to doe with another mannes worke? God hath appointed his creatures a vse, in it they are holie. If thou wilt set them another law, thou prophanest thy selfe in them. When S. Paule had saide that to forbid meates was the doctrine of deuils, he proueth it by this reason: because God created them to be receiued with thankesgiuing. If God created them, who will exalt him selfe to be Lord ouer them? If God appointed them to be receiued, who shall say 1. Tim. 4. 3.vntounto me, they are vncleane to vse? Surely (dearly beloued) and before the Lord, who hath made all, & will iudge all, that proude and arrogant man of sinne, who hath left all the ordinances of God, to fill the world with his decrees, and decretalles, he hath taught vsus the doctrine of diuels, and let vsus cast it frō vsus. We are Christes, & he hath made all, in his holy appointments let vsus euer liue. For other lawes of meates, drinks, dayes, apparel, &c. as then they may stand, when they are profitable to any countrie, and made onelyonly for policie: so they are to be despised, when they are thrust vpō the church, & made matters of faith and religion.
Further, in that, that it is saide in the third verse, That Christ is the brightnes of glorie, & ingrauen fourme of the substance of his father. Let vsus marke well why the the bright nesse of glorie.Apostle thus magnifieth the person of Christe. For no other cause, but to warrant vntounto vsus the trueth of his worde, that he is our Prophet, & we must beleue him. And so S. Peter in the Acts, teaching Christ to be the onelyonly warrant of faith & saluation, he sayth: God approued him thervnto by many signes and miracles, & Act. 2. 22.mightie workes. And in deed the father himself with a voice of excellent glorie, approued him out of the clowd, & his voice was heard, This is my beloued sonne heare him. And all this was, that Christe alone might Matth. 3. 17.be before vsus, the onelyonly warrant of trueth. Nowe he that shall take vponupon him this honour, & bid y• world beleeue because he hathe spoken, what doeth he but boast himselfe as if he were the brightnesse of Gods glorie, or that God had approued him by signes and miracles? and who would do this, that feared either to be, or to be called the verie Antichrist, that should come? Againe, it is said: he beareth vp al things with his mightie word. Where we must marke, it is attributed Vpholdeth all things.to Gods mightie power, the gouernance of all things in our sight either great or small, that wee should learne not to measure the power of God by our weake senses. It is his mightie power y• vpholdeth the earth, that stretcheth out y• heauens, that sē deth forth the windes, that raiseth on high the great waues of the sea, & these things we cōfesse are great & mightie, but as it is here, so eueryevery where, ye mightie power of God maketh the fether to moue, & his strong arme leadeth the flie in her way, & the same force which now shaketh a lease, if he had sent it against a monteine, it would hauehave turned it vp from the foundations: and the same strength that bloweth vp the dust, if it came against the earth, it would shake the bottoms of it. And this should make vsus feare before him, y• what soeuer he hath done, whether it seeme great or little, wee should confesse his handie work, & according to his greatnesse, so wee should honour him, that whatsoeuer he hath commaunded, whether it seme weightie or light, al our obedience should be streight vntounto it. It foloweth, by him self he hath purged our sinnes. I do not doubt but you knowe how Christ hath purged our sinnes, and the more you know it, I am sure you are the more glad to heare it, & for this cōfort that we hauehave all in it, I thought euē my duty to make some rehearsall of it. Thus therefore we are taught, and thus we doe beleeue. Our Sauiour Christ being y• eternall sonne of God, through the work of the holy ghost was made man of the virgin Marie, and borne without originall sinne, and by the same spirit filled still his manhood more and more with grace, till the fulnesse of all righteousnesse was within him, that so his manhood might inherit saluation, according to the promisse: Do this, and thou shalt liue. But hitherto, as he is Luke. 10.righteous, so he is righteous for him selfe, and only that man is yet blessed, which was conceiued by the holie Ghost, and borne of the virgin Marie. Our sinnes doe yet remaine, and we abide holden vnderunder the death of them, and therefore, as his first woorke sanctified him self, so yet there remained more, that he might sanctifie vsus, For when he commeth to vsus, he findeth vsus in sinne, & through sinne in death, and in the condemnation of the diuell, who had the power of death. So that he had nowe another worke, then in his first righteousnesse to sanctifie his owne bodie. He must also abolish sinne and death, and hel in which we were holden, if he wil be a sauiour vntounto vsus. And heere he must multiplie all his former righteousnesse, and make it infinite, for a greater worke is behind, and a new law is giuen vntounto him, a law neuer giuen to all flesh, a singular law, out of the depth of Gods wisdome and goodnesse, which without the fall of Adam, had neuer beene seene neither of man, nor Angel: a law of a redeemer, that is, a law, by which he might bring man from death to life, from hel to heauen, from hatred to louelove, and from the diuell to God: a work farre greater then to make the worlde of nothing. This law was to louelove God, & his brother, not in vsual things of life, whervnto al we were appointed, but in taking vponupon him sin and death, and treading the winepresse of the anger of almightie God.
And this thing he hath also done. For being righteous, pure, holie, and without spot, the sinne that abounded, he tooke it all vponupon him, and deathe that reigned, he submitted him selfe vntounto it, and went as despised among men, in shame, in ignominie, in affliction of the flesh, for the sinne of our bodies: and in anguishe of spirite, in mourning and in sorrowe, to beare the sinnes of our soules: before GOD, feeling the heauinesse of his wrathe, whiche was the sting of death and condemnation: and before man, shewing the signes of it vponupon a cursed crosse, in agonies, bloudie sweates, and in wofull crying according to the sense and feeling of sorrowe that was vppon him. And all this he endured, not vnwillingly, for then he had done nothing, but with exceeding ioy of heart, that he had found out the miserie, in whiche he might seale it, howe muche he loued his father, and make it manifest, howe he loued vsus. So went he willingly vntounto death: and that he might satisfie the iustice of his father, and purge the sinnes of his people, with all his heart he gaue his bodie vntounto the crosse, and his soule a sacrifice for our sinne, which obedience was accepted of his father the iust punishment of all sinne, and full redemption of all his elect. And this the Apostle here meaneth, when he sayth, that by himselfe he purged our sinnes.
And because he saith, by himselfe he purged our sinnes, in this we see a cleare discharge giuen to the Tabernacle, and all the sacrifices at the doore of it: not one of them purged sinne. And though some wee called sinne offeringes, and the sinnes of the people in such sacrifices were saide to be forgiuen: yet they had that name and calling, not according to the merite of the woorke, but according to the vertue of the thing they signified, euen as the Lordes supper is called the communion of the bodie of Christe, and baptisme is saide to bee the washing away of our sinnes, not in trueth of the thing, but in mysterie of the signe. The phrase being so vsed for more assurance and warrant of the promise: not to carrie the grace of God from our sauiour Christ and his spirit, to the dumbe elements of bread or water. And if the Iewes are here instructed, to leaue their vaine trust and confidence in the lawe, and to knowe that the forgiuenesse of their sinnes was not in meates & drinkes, and diuerse washings and carnall rites of the temple, nor in the bloud of Goates and Calues, or in the ashes of an heifer, sprinckling thē which are vncleane, but onelyonly in the precious bloud shed and the bodie crucified of Iesus Christ: notwithstanding all these ordinaunces were giuen them of God, what could our fathers say, who sawe the Lawe abrogate, the temple pulled downe, the lande prophaned, the Iewes scattered, the wordes of faith preached, and that they should glorie in nothing, but in the Crosse of Iesu Christ? what could they say, either Tertullian Ter. de ieiunio de Cor. Mil. Cypr. de …psis. Theo. li. 8. de Mattir. Cyril. li. 10. c…. 18. in Ios. In E…he ridio…. c…. 10.for fasting, crossing, oyling, whiche he learned and had of Montanus the heretique? Or Cyprian, for satisfaction: or Theodoretus, for martyrs merits: or Cyrill for iustification of woorkes: or Augustine, for prayer for the dead: or Ierome for so many superstitions of lights, garments, vessels &c. Nay, what can we say, who hauehave seene all that the olde fathers hauehave seene, why at this day we should louelove their errours? nay, why we should deuise new of our owne, which the oldefathers knew not? why hauehave we loued the popes woful Iubileis, or his damned pardons? why do we yet think that the masse is a sacrifice propitiatorie for the quick & dead? why was purgatorie first drempt on, as much hotter thē our fire, as ours is hotter then a painted fire? or why was the building of chapels, chauntries, or religious houses, thought to be a meanes to deliuer vsus from such burning? A thousand such things why we hauehave loued them, what cause can wee alledge before the Lord? The lawe of God giuen by Moses his faithfull seruant, a lawe which had bene a scholemaister to leade many thousands vntounto Christ, could it not stand with Christ, without darkening of his glorie? and can the lawe of the pope giuen by Summists & Canonists, a people not knowē in y• house of God, which lawe onelyonly leadeth to the obedience of the church of Rome, can it be that it should bring any light to the gospel of Christ? I nede not stand in ma ny words to confute so great folie, I leaue it to the conscience of all that be wise hearted, whether God abrogating his ownelaw, ment that the pope shuld institute a new: or whether he ment to take away all earnall ordinaunces, that hee might make it plaine whiche the Apostle heere teacheth, that by Christe alone all our sinnes are purged?
But heere, some man by a subtile enimie may bee easily deceiued, who will saye: All this neede not, they attribute not the forgiuenesse of sinnes to the popes pardons, or to any masses, but to Christ alone. The Pope and masses are onelyonly the applying of the fruit of Christes death vntounto vsus. If it were thus, yet what is become of building religious houses, of pilgrimage, of numbering many prayers, of their holie orders, their garments, their fasting, &c? All these they let sink in their own shame with out defēce, for these applied not the death of Christ vntounto vsus, but in the merite of the worke they were commended. But as these hauehave no colour of good defence, so the excuse of the other is very vaine: for how say they that the pope or priests applie the me rites of Christ, seeing this application cannot stand, by their owne confession, without a real sacrificing of Christ? For saith not y• Apostle here, that Christ did it by him selfe? not onelyonly making Christe the woorke but also the woorkman, the price and the chapman, the sacrifice & sacrificer, not al the world can giuegive any other recompence for sinne but him: nor all the world can giuegive him but him self, as both more plainly we shall heare afterwarde. And here is expressely saide, that he did it by him selfe, with as great warrant giuing vntounto him y• doing as the thing done. As wel and with as litle sinne we may choose another sacrifice as another sacrificer. For by the same worde of God bothe are giuen to him a like. And as there is not mentioned any other thing that euer could be offered, so there is not named any other person that euer could offer this. But as he is alone our king, and alone spoiled principalities and powers vponupon his crosse: so he is alone our priest, and alone he sacrificed vp his bodie once for all.
Now where it followeth in the Apostles words: That he sitteth at the right hand of high maiestie: we must first marke the change of wordes, where it is vsually saide: he sitteth on the right hand of God. Here The right hande of maiestie.he saith, on the right hand of the highest maiestie, whiche is as it were an interpretation of the right hand of God, signifying nothing else, but the power and glorie of God, giuen vntounto the person of the mediatour, according to that saying of Paule: God hath highly exalted him, and giuen him a name aboue all names. Phil. 2. 9.Beside this, seeing the right hand of God doth signifie his power: wee must learne to be wise hearted, & not make vntounto God a right hand or a left, like vntounto ours. Wee know the commandement: Thou shalt make vntounto thy selfe no grauen image, nor the likenes of any thing that is in heauen aboue, or in earth beneath, or in the water vnderunder the earth. Let vsus giuegive our obedience, and confesse that God is incomprehensible, not like to any thing which possibly our bodilie eyes can see. And let vsus not seeke vaine pretences, that we might committe sinne and see it not: to say, I will make it for a remembraunce, or the more to stirre vp our mindes: make it howe thou wilt, the precept is broken, which saith: thou shalt not make it. And be thou well assured, as long as S. Paules wordes shall betruer then thine, so long it shall stand, that if thou do make any similitude in the worlde, to represent God: Thou hast now turned the trueth of God into a lie, & changed the glorie of the incorruptible God, to the likenes of Rom. 1. 23.the image of a corruptible creature: and if accordingly God giuegive thee vp to a reprobate sense for this pride in thine owne wisedome, he doth with thee but as he did with thy forefathers: & therfore take heede. The cause why the Scripture attributeth vntounto God eares, and eyes, and hands, and feete: it is because we are not able yet to comprehende any thing of Gods maiestie, & therfore the holie Ghost applieth speach to our infirmitie, that we might by these woordes: the Lord seeth, heareth, kepeth, and ruleth al things, that in him we might boldly trust. Let not vsus carrie away this great goodnesse of God into rebellion, to leaue his glorie whiche we see onelyonly by faith, and make him handes and feete and gray haire, like vntounto a wretched bodie that is consumed with yeares. But the time is past. Let vsus pray that it would please God our heauenly father, to humble our hearts vnderunder the mightie power of his sonne Christ, that wee may feare, louelove, and obey him: reioycing in the excellencie of glory that he hath giuen vntounto vsus, who is the sonne of God: and the Lord increase in vsus our faith and hope, that in the assurance of Gods louelove, our consciences may be at peace, and in the reuelation of Gods glorie our hearts may be filled with ioy in the Lord: which we be seech God to graunt vntounto vsus, euen for his sonnes sake our only mediatour and aduocate.
Amen.