Twenty-Seven Lectures Upon Hebrews, Lectures · Lecture 17
The seuenteenth Lecture, vponupon the the residue of the chapter.
15 So long as it is said, To day if you heare his voice, harden not your heartes, as in the prouocation.
16 For some when they heard, prouoked him to anger: howbeit, not all that came out of Aegypt by Moses.
17 But with whome was he displeased fourtie yeeres? Was he not displeased with them that sinned, whose carcases fell in the wildernesse?
18 And to whome sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that obeyed not.
19 So we see that they could not enter in, because of vnbeliefe.
HEre the Apostle proceedeth to amplifie this exhortatiō of ye prophet, in these words. If you heare his voice, harden not your hearts as in the bitter murmuring: touching these wordes, you hauehave heard thē before expounded vntounto you, therefore we now wil let them passe, only noting this vntounto you: the Apostle saith: while it is yet called to day: that the prophet had said to day: the apostle saith: yet that exhortatiō is, & yet it is called to day wherby we learn the prophesies were not for ye present time only, but daily we & our children after vsus, are admonished instructed, and taught in their preaching: so when ye prophet Esaie reproueth the people for vsing their owne counsel, & seeking helpe of the Aegyptians whē they were inaduersitie, y• we should know it was not only then Gods will, that his people should trust in him, & not make thē vaine … of men: but that alwayes he should be our onelyonly refuge, the prophet saith: Now go and write it before them Esai. 30. …in a table, & note it in a book that it may be for the last day, for euer & euer. So the Prophet Ieremie mentioneth Iere. 45. 1.howe Baruche wrote all his wordes, making them an instruction vntounto the posteritie that should reade then. This our sauiour Christ ment, whē he said: one Iohn. 4. 3….soweth, & another reapeth: meaning, ye prophets laboured and we eate the fruite of their labour: and so Peter 1. Pet. …. 12.saith: that Not to them selues but to vsus they ministred those things which nowe are preached vntounto vsus, not onelyonly meaning that they are witnesses of our faith vntounto vsus but our hope, our louelove, & all is grounded vponupon that foūdatiō. A lessō (derely beloued) wel to be marked: for there be many, now a days, which make to small account of Gods prophets: their boldnesse in their ministerie, their sharpe condemning of mans foolish policie, their rules of iustice and iudgement, a great many cast them off as things of another worlde, or another people: but we shal see that God is vnchang able, and his righteousnesse is one for euer: and he hath made his prophets our scholemaisters, and the same worde indureth for euer. I speake not of figures, and suche outward lawes as the Iewes had, for an appointed time, but Gods iustice, & gouernment which is eternal, is contemned of vsus, if we cast away the instructions of rule and of righteousnesse wherof the Prophets preache: but we, because we wil not bringe our neckes vnderunder the yoke of the Lord, therefore wee make light account of their prophesies, though as the prophet saith: they be writtē for euer Esa 30. 8.and …uer: and thus farre of this.
Nowe let vsus see, howe in these woordes follow ing the Apostle applieth this exhortatiō, he saith: For certein …hen they had heard prouoked hi… to anger: howbeit not al that came out of Aegypt, &c. …s if he should also adde: but let it not be so with vsus, let not vsus walke in the way of these sinners, whiche thus prouoked the Lorde, and he was angrie with them: but let vsus followe better aduice, and wiser guides: they did not all murmur that came out of Aegypt: nor all prouoked God: let vsus followe those that obeyed, and if they were fewe in number, yet let vsus striue to walke with those fewe, for their way is better then the way of the multitude: this is the exhortation heere made, and it ought to be often considered of vsus.
Many times in the scripture, we be taught, to set out y• examples of good men vntounto vsus, but especially suche examples as are in the scripture we ought still to remember them: for, for the same purpose they are written vntounto vsus: and if we set them not before vsus to follow, we regarde not the voice of God whiche we heare: this verie example whiche the Apostle biddeth vsus now consider, S. Paul saith: It was written to teach and admonish vsus, vponupon whom the latter ends of the worlde are come: and in the eleuenth chapter of this Epistle, …. Co. 10. 11.the Apostle reciteth a greate number of godlie and faithfull men, by their example prouoking vsus, that seeing we hauehave suche a cloude of witnesses, we should cast off sinne that wrappeth vsus about, and ioyfully runne in the fellowshipp of so manie sainctes. This is written to moue vsus, and this oughte to moue vsus, and this wil moue vsus: if wee quench not the grace of God that is giuen vsus: for who of vsus this day would not be as Paule or Peter, as Abraham or Isaake, as Iosias or Dauid? Who (I say) that is wise in hearte would not walke in their wayes, liue their liues, and leaue their memories behinde them? Or who had leuer be as Simon Magus or Iudas, as the Scribes or Phariseis, as Ieroboam or Achab? And why then be we yet foolishe? If our owne heartes doe sufficiently instruct vsus, and the voice of the Apostle doe so earnestly exhort vsus: why doe we not learne not to tempt God, as many hauehave tempted him, and are destroyed: but to obey and heare his voice, as many hauehave obeyed, and their remembraunce is in blessing? let vsus heare therefore this exhortation. It followeth: But not al that went out of Aegypt: this is added of the Apostle to comfort any y• were weke harted: for some would think hath God so destroyed our fore fathers, and made their carcases to fall in the wildernesse? they that were Num. 1. 55.in multitude as the sand of the sea, did he make them so few in number? of sixe hundred thousand mē and more were there so few left that dyed not in their sinnes? what hope can I hauehave? o… how shall I stand before the face of God? thus I say, if any man should feare, the Apostle addeth a notable comfort: they did not all prouoke God, that came out of Aegypt: but with whome was he angrie fourtie yeres? was it not with those that were disobedient? Heere we learne wisely to trie and examine our selues, whether we be in the fauour of God, or no, and that is by searching our owne heartes, whether we would obey his voice or no: it skilleth nothing what other men are before vsus, or what come vntounto them, but all is in this, what our owne hearts are before God, and how we obey him: if when any nation hauehave filled vpp their iniquities and God roote them out, yet let not the faithful of that nation feare, for God is their God vntounto saluation: put thy trust in the liuing God, and though a thousand fall on thy left hand, and tenne thousande on thy right, yet shall no hurt approch vntounto thee: denie not the words of the holie one, and though the earth be moued, yet thou shalt be in peace: for God regardeth thee not by thy father or mother, or by thy countrie: but if thou wert borne among the moste barbarous people, yet by thy faith thou shalt liue. A notable example we hauehave in Paule, who shewing the great sinnes of his people, & the vengeance that God had executed against them, he maketh streight this obiection: hath God then cast away his owne people? and answereth: God forbid, for I am an Israelite: he held the assurance Rom. …. 1.of his Election, not by his countrie or brethren, but by testimonie of his owne spirit, whiche feared not at ye fall of other, but stood in the assurāce of his owne predestination. Thus here the Apostle comforteth the weake: it is true, God destroyed an infinite multitude of his people, yet feare not thou, if thou abide in his obedience: for whom destroyed he but those whose hearts condemned them selues, those y• were disobedient? He destroyed not Caleb and Iosua, that were of an other spirit: he destroyed not Moses that was faithful in all his house: and if our hearts condemne vsus not, we hauehave boldenes with God, he wil not impute our sinnes vntounto vsus, but hee wil geaunt all our request, & fulfil all our desires: this reioycing let vsus hauehave in our selues, and how so euer the world be moued, no man shall take our ioy from vsus. It is not so with them which put their trust in other things, whether it be in the Pope, or in the Citie of Rome, or in the multitude of their fathers, or what soeuer, in all these, is no suretie at all: for if God shall destroy Rome, and all the buildings of it, what will they then say? or what if the Papacie bee troaden downe, so that none be after found in that seate, is not then all their reioycing done? and what a miserable faith is it, whiche is no stronger then a mortall man, whose spirit is in his nostrels: or, then a walled towne, whiche is easily battered: is this the rock which Christe commendeth, whiche neither storme nor tempest shall euer shake? nay, this is the blinde confidence whiche the people of Israel had in the temple and in mount Sion, whiche vanished as smoke when the people were led into Babylon, and left the temple naked behinde them: So these men, when we shall see such thinges come to passe, they shalbe ashamed of the Pope their expectation, & of Rome which was their glorie: but we wil dwell in the defence of our God, with a true faith, committing our selues vntounto him: and neither Rome, nor Babylon, nor our forefathers, nor our posteritie shall euer turne away his louelove from vsus: this comforte is here taught vsus by the apostle, in this example of our forefathers, whiche kepte their faith in the wildernesse, and were not seduced with the multitude.
Now where he saith: With whome was he angrie fourtie yeere: we hauehave here to learne what is the long suffering of the Lord, who doeth not streight punishe the sinner, but as he endured the māners of the people of Israel fourtie yeeres, so he beareth with vsus in all our transgressions: and so the prophet Dauid setteth out vntounto vsus this example, that God made his ways knowen vntounto Moses, and his workes vntounto the children of Israel, Psal. 103.that we might see, The Lord is ful of compassion, and verie stowe to anger, and of great kindnes: & againe in the hundreth and seuenth Psalme, reckoning vpp the works which God did for his people in the wildernesse, making this an instruction vntounto vsus of his long patience & goodnesse, he addeth streight: O that men would therfore confesse before the Lord his louing kindnes, Psal. 107. 8.& his wonderful workes before the sonnes of men: if thus we consider this example & such like, we are no idle hearers, but profitably exercise ourselues in his iudg ments: and as we ought to giuegive him this praise, that he is long suffering, patient, and of much merciemercy: so let vsus knowe what duetie wee ought againe to render vntounto God, for all his goodnesse: for a greate manie of vsus, we cry with loude voyces, The Lord is mercifull: but we be dum be & deafe, and hauehave no hearts, when we should learne what his merciemercy requireth of vsus. Be wise then, and learne of the blessed Apostle Paule, who thus teacheth the Romanes: The bountifulnesse of God must prouoke thee to repentance: Rom. …. 4.for else thou despisest the bountifulnesse, & patience and long suffering of the Lorde. Marke this well (derely beloued) & be not mocked: if we say God is good, & the Lord is gratious, & full of patience to the children of men: know, that our owne hearts do then answer vsus: render againe praises & obedience to him, that is so good vntounto thee: for, tell me, what wouldst thou think of such a child, who, because his father is louing & kinde, would therefore be rebellious & riotous? what wouldest y• think of a seruāt, that because his maister is gētle & courteous, would therefore be carelesse in his worke, and not regarde him? what subiect (thinke we) were he, that because his prince is good and fauourable, woulde therefore be trayterous, and conspire against him? would we not giuegive speedie sentēce against such monstrous & vnnaturall men? and what heartes then hauehave wee that be here this day, if we will confesse this greate goodnes of God, our king & father, and yet walke in our sinnes before him? we know it to be true, and we cānot deny it: if sinne should carrie vsus still away, all the day long to be defiled in it, our consciences would aunswer vsus at night, euen as Paul saith: This hardnesse of ours, and harts that cannot repent, they Rom. 2. 5.heape vp vntounto vsus wrath against the daye of wrath: when this merciful father will shewe himselfe, that he is also a righteous and a iust God: and if we do not in time beleue it, & foresee it now while it is yet called to day, experience, which is the scholemistres of fooles, shall make vsus cōfesse at y• last, that god forgetteth it not which he long leaueth vnpunished. I remember this was once the fault of Israel, why they lied vntounto the Lorde, and set not their mindes on him, because (as the Prophet saith:) God helde his peace, and that of long time. But why should this faulte Esal. 27. ….be ours, who by their example should learne wisedome: nay, let vsus rather leaue them in their wayes, and followe the spouse of the bridegrome Christe, who in the day of he… calling, though shee sleepe, yet her heart waketh, and when the head of her beloued Cant. 5. ….is ful of deawe, and his lockes with the drops of the night, shee despiseth not his long patience, but aunswereth in the ioy of her heart? I hauehave put off my coate, how shall I put it on? I hauehave washed my feete, how shal I file them againc: as the Church saith in the Canticles. Thus let vsus answere the long suffering of our God: and how so euer he be angrie with many, as with the Israelites in the wildernesse, he wilbe pleased with vsus, as with Caleb, or Moses, and we shall enter into his rest.
Againe, where it is here set out, howe God was angrie: let vsus remember the commaundemente of our sauiour Christ to vsus: Be perfect, as your heauenly father Matth. 5. 48is perfect. The prophet Dauid being greatly prouoked against his enimies, yet would he not hurte Psal. 26. 3.them, because (saith he) thy louing kindenesse was before mine eyes, and therefore I walked in thy trueth: So wee, if Gods image and likenesse shine in our dooinges, we are sure wee walke in peace: therefore, where the scripture biddeth: Be angrie, but sinne not: how can we Psal. 5. 4.hauehave a better rule, then to see in the worde, howe God is saide to be angrie with his people?
He is angrie here, because they refused wisdome, & imbraced follie, because they forsooke the word of trueth, and followed vaine deuices, because they would not enter into the rest promised them, but had more desire to returne to the heauie laboure and bondage of Aegypt. This madnes of the people, the Lorde is angrie with, as a louing Father that had care ouer them. So if we wil hauehave holie anger, let it be free from all hatred and reuenge, and arise onlie for the profite and well doing of our brethren. Thus we read our sauiour Christ was angrie, when he sawe the frowardnesse of the Iewes, who by no admonitions would be made wiser. Thus Paul prouoketh Matth. …. 5.Timothie to anger, when he saith: Reproue and sharplie rebuke men, that they do not turne away from 2. Tim. 4. 4the trueth. So S. Iude biddeth vsus all, if we fall into Iud. 23.companie with froward men: To saue them with feare as if we would soudenly pluck them out of fier. Thus if wee can hauehave our affections moued, we are holily angrie: for the end of our doing is the profite of our brother. Thus, you that be maisters may be angrie with your seruants: God requireth of them faithful labour, no eye seruice, as seeking to please men, but in singlenes of heart, to doe their dutie to him, vnderunder whome God hath placed them: and in this account eueryevery seruant must appere before God. If thou seeing thy seruant disobedient or slouthfull, hast this respect to be grieued with him, because hee offended God: thine anger is a blessed anger: and if thou chyde sharply with thy seruaunt, thy louelove is more acceptable before God: but if all thy anger bee for thine owne cause, for thy meate, thy drink, thine apparell, thy hawke, thy …ound, if thou hauehave none other respect, thy seruant hath done very …l, in being carelesse for his maisters busines, and thou hast done much woors…e, who for a trifle canst be angrie with thy brother: but if the other be thy greatest care, that thy seruant should knowe God, and doe the duetie which he requireth at his hand, then art thou blessed in thine anger, and thy …luding woordes, are as a sweete oyntment (as Dauid saith) that shall not breake his head.Psal. 141. 5.
In the wordes following: Was it not with those that sinned, whose bodies fel in the wildernesse? The Apostle here sheweth, first, why God was angrie with them, then what punishment he laid vponupon them: the cause of his anger was their sinne: wherin we see, there is no calamitie commeth to the wicked but for their sinne, and all the chasticements of God, which come vponupon them, are to admonish them of their euill, that they might turne vntounto the Lord: so when the sinnes of Israel were high desperate, and past hope of amendment, the Lord sayth: He wil melt them, & trie them: for what should he do else for the daughter of my people: Iere. 9. 7.noting this to be the extreme remedie, by which if wee be not healed, wee must dye in our euill diseases.
So, long before when their fathers were as …uil, & had all fallen away from God, & were not amended by punishment, the Lord sayth by his prophet: Wherfore should you be smitten any more: seeing you fall Esai. 1. 5.away more and more: shewing expresly this cause of their plagues, that they should hauehave turned from their sinnes: Let this be a greate comforte vntounto euerie one, whose sinnes accuse him, that he is not smitten of the Lorde, but for his amendement: let him not faint, because the hand of God is heauie vp on him, but let him reioyce, because the merciemercy of God is offered largely vntounto him: for therefore he is punished, that he should repent. A singular example we hauehave of this, in Man uses, y• king of Iudah, who had set vp al abhominations, and multiplied offences without number, but when he was bowed downe with many yron bands, and the king of Ashur …aid him in painefull imprisonment, where he could not lift vp his head, then he remembred the Lorde God of his fathers, who saued not onelyonly Abraham, and Isaake, and Iacob, and their righteous seede, but in his greate mercies receiued sinners into fauour againe: and therefore in his tribulation, he humbled him selfe exceedingly, and came before God to aske forgiuenesse for all his sinnes, whiche were more in number then the sandes of the sea, and the Lord was intreated of him, and forgaue all his offences.
So Saint Paule in al his hatred and enuious persecutions, Acts. ….when he was strucken downe, he despaired not, but with a good heart which God gaue vntounto him, he cryed with trembling and with feare, Lord what wilt thou that I should die?
These examples are set out vntounto vsus, which be so great sinners, that we should not despaire in our afflictions, but turne vntounto the lord, who offereth merciemercy vntounto vsus: & for our sinnes, be they neuer so great, yet the righteousnes of our sauiour Christ is greater: let vsus onelyonly beleeue, and they are abolished.
Nowe, as we knowe, the afflictions of the wicked are for their sinnes, and that when they be chasticed, they be called to repentance: so also, we must remember, that many occasions are, why God somtime chasticeth his sainctes, though their sinnes are all forgiuen and forgotten: for besides this, that we should turne vntounto the Lorde, many other benefites are also in our troubles: for in them our faith is tried, that it is accepted of God: and therefore Peter calleth affliction, y• triall of our faith: for though we ought all to hauehave a ful purpose, in wealth & wo, to cleaue vntounto the Lorde: yet experience bringeth boldnesse, that our faith in deede is strong, and fayleth not. We trust that we would not forgett God, in the day of prosperitie: but the prince and noble man, who are full of peace, they knowe whether their heartes be knitt vntounto God in louelove and obedience, which all honour and glorie cannot shake.
We trust we would not murmur in aduersitie, but Iob and Lazarus, and men so farre oppressed with miserie, they know how strong their hope is to endure the crosse. We may reioyce in the persuasion of our minde, and our faith that feareth not, at the remembrance of the euill day, is wel pleasing before God: but they may glorie more in the triall of their worke, who hauehave had experience of euil, and fainted not: and, they may more boldely sing the song of victorie, that they glorie in affliction, knowing that affliction hath wrought patience, & patience experience, & Rom. 5. 3.experience hope, and their hope shal neuer be confounded. This I adde, that we might knowe, though afflictions be to the amendement of our sinnes, yet alwayes the Lord respecteth not this, but by afflictions doth giuegive vsus greater glorie, and therefore let vsus not faint in them, nor be discouraged.
The second thing I saide we shoulde marke in this verse, is, what punishment God brought vponupon them, that is, that their bodies fel in the wildernesse: this punishment Sainct Paule also expressly noteth in the tenth of the first to the Corinthians, & therefore is well to be wayed of vsus▪ whiche so oft is set 1. Cor. 10. 15.ou… vntounto vsus in the scripture▪ their destruction therefore is our example to beware, and to feare before the angrie iudgementes of God: for their deathes were no common deaths, but (as Paule noteth) souden and greate destructions, as in one day, when 23000, were slaine, for their fornications, & againe; a great multitude destroyed by fierie serpentes, for murmuring against God: and at other times the angel of God brought many plagues vppon them, in which they perished: the… lieau… iudgements were not executed of God, nor written for vsus, that wee should forget them. The prophet Dauid in the hundred and sixt psalme, reherseth these and many other Psal. 106.punishmentes of that people: in consideration of all which, he finally maketh this exhortation to vsus al: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for euer and euer, and let all people say Amen: praise ye the Lord. If Sainct Paule applie this, to make it our instruction, that we shoulde feare, and flee farre from the like sinnes: if the propher Dauid in the remembrance of these so many, and so righteous iudgements, do so earnestly prouoke vsus, to prayse the Lorde in all his noble actes, and to shewe foorth his praises, and to runne vnderunder the protection of his hand, to be saued from our enimies: why should wee lightly let goe these admonitions, and not rather, with faithfull hearts, see what great things the Lord hath done, and consecrate our selues, to do his will, who is the God of glorie: if we doe not, what hope can wee hauehave to escape his iudgements? He that spared not his owne people, the children of Abraham, the naturall plants, which he had planted: howe should he spare vsus, that were straungers from his couenant, and wilde oliue braunches, which contrarie to our nature, are by his louelove graffed into the naturall oliue tree? Let vsus therefore beware by their harmes: and the great iudgements, which God hath executed in our eyes, let them make vsus feare before him, and walke with reuerence in his ordinaunces and wayes.
It followeth nowe in the Apostle: Towhom sware he, that they should not enter into his rest: was it not to those that obeyed not? This is but a repetition of the other wordes of the prophet, all to one purpose, that by a double testimonie, as it were, wee might hauehave sure hope, that the punishments of God shall not come, if our rebellion do not pull it downe vppon vsus: for the promises of God are for euer true, that at what Ezech.time so euer a sinner do repent him of his sione, the Lorde will also repent of all punishmentes, whiche he threatned to bring vppon him: neither can wee possiblie stumble and fall downe in our wayes, except we be solde vnderunder our sinne, to worke wickednes in his sight without repentance. And thus farre the Apostle hauing clearely taught, that sinne is all the cause of Gods anger.
Now in the latter end he saith further: And we see that they could not enter for their …liefe: in these wordes concluding what is the roote and founteine of all disobedience in vsus, and that is vnbeliefe, infidelitie, a heart that can not giuegive full credite to all the threatnings and promises of God: of this by occasion of the Apostles woordes I spake vntounto you in the former Lecture, now that the Apostle repeateth it, we may be sure as Paule sayth: as it was not grieuous vntounto him to tell vsus the same thinge often: so it is for our saftie often to heare it: and therfore I say vntounto you as I sayd before: let there bee in none of you an euil heart of vnbeliefe, for hence is the prouocation to all euill.
Bring a faithful heart which with an assured assent, shall receiue the woord that is preached vntounto thee, and thou art armed with a stronge shielde which shall quench all the fierie dar…es of the diuel. Ephe. 6.No man can beleue what things God hath reserued for his Saincts, but hee must needes accompt all the worlde to be but dung, to the ende hee may winne Christe.
No man can see what are the threateninges of Hell fire, whiche is not quenched, but hee will abhorre his sinnes more then hee abhorreth anie death, and flee from them, least they should bringe him to so great condemnation: let vsus then be armed that the darts of infidelitie do not wound vsus, and all the sho… of other temptations they shal scarce strike through our eyelids: true it is, that our flesh is weak, but an armour of proofe bringes it strong defence: so we may be easily …educed with y… dec…it of sinne, but a liuely faith wil sone lighten our eyes, that we shall not sleape in death. Though the world be full of all euil concupiscence: yet, This is the victorie that euer commeth the world, euen our …th. And see I beeseech thee, iudge of the first sinne of our first parents 1. Ioh. 5. 4.Adam and Eue, and by one offence iudge all: was not Eue ouercome by infidelitie? and first did shee not dout of Gods threatnings, before she eate of the Apple when God had saide yee shall dye the death, did she not fall to halting and began with p…aduenture? shee could not tell well whether it were so or no? and from this staggering fell shee not away to sinne, and turned not till she fell into the wrath of God for euer▪ did not Adam also follow her example? and this corruption let vsus be sure we hauehave taken from his loines, and sucked from her breasts: by it the diuel is strong against vsus, but let vsus beware of it, and be faithfull, and his strength is broken. The Lion of the tribe of Iudah hath ouercome the crooked serpent, and by fayth in him wee shall surely liue.
This (dearely beloued) the Apostle heere doeth teach vsus, a blessed lesson if we can happily learne it, and in which we shalbe saued foreuer more, and all our enimies shalbe our footestoole. And the Lorde graunt for his Christes sake, that we may be made riche in all knowledge of his will, and abounde in a great measure of faith, that we may cleaue vnseparablie vntounto God, and vnremouablie to be ioyned as chaste virgines, with a pure faith, vntounto his Sonne Christe. And let vsus pray, &c.