Twenty-Seven Lectures Upon Hebrews, Lectures · Lecture 23
The 23. Lecture, vppon the 4. 5. & 6. verses.
4 And no man taketh this honour vntounto himselfe, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
5 So likewise Christ tooke not to him selfe this honour, to be made the high priest, but he that said vntounto him: Thou are my Sonne, this day begat I thee gaue it him.
6 As he also in another place speaketh, Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech.
Tolde you, the Apostle here maketh comparison betweene the priesthood of Aaron & of Christ: that so by conference, the dignitie of Christ might more appeare.
The comparison hitherto hathe beene in this, that the priest of the olde lawe, must necessarily be a naturall man: then, that he must do the worke of the people, in thinges apperteining to God: thirdly, that he must doe it with some sacrifice: fourthly, with compassion for the peoples errours: in all which Christ onelyonly is excellent aboue all other.
Now, the Apostle goeth forward, and yet sheweth a fifte propertie of the high priest afore, and that is, that he was called of God, and thrust not himselfe into that roome & function. To this purpose now it followeth: And no man taketh vntounto him selfe this honour, but he that is called of God as was Aarō: then in the two verses following, sheweth howe in this also Christe excelled Aaron, and had a more glorious calling then he: first, because an high decree of God was pronounced by the Prophete in which, vnderunder the name of a soone, God ordeyned him priest, saying: Thou art my sonne, this day hauehave I begotten thee: Againe, he called him not vntounto a priesthood of signes and shadowes, which endured but for a while, but he called him to the true priesthood it selfe, which chaunged not, but made him a priest for euer, after the order of Melchisedech. So, as the sonne is higher then a seruant, the trueth better then the figure of it, and that which abydeth euer, better then that which in time is abolished: so much, this calling of Christ exceedeth Aarons calling, and all the priestes of the lawe. Heere let vsus first learne, sith the Apostle speaketh plainely: No man taketh honour to him selfe, but he that is called of God as Aaron was: that bothe it is vnlawfull for any man without a calling to take vppon him the ministerie, neither yet any calling ought to be, which is not according to the will of God: for seeing ye ministerie is honourable, and hee is iustly honoured that executeth it faithfully: how can I exalt my selfe, but of right I ought againe to be brought lowe, and in steede of glorie, hauehave shame? for what doe I in this, but rob Christe of his glorie, who is head of his Churche, and appointeth ministers whom hee will, who ruleth in the house of Iacob, and ordeyneth officers at his owne pleasure? If in an earthlie kingdome, subiectes would presume to take offices at their owne choice, were it not extreme confusion, vtter reproche and shame vntounto the prince? howe muche more to bring this confusion into the Churche of Christ? Therfore, both our Sauiour Christ himselfe did openly ordeine his own apostles, & neuer any of them executed that office, but with protestation, that they had this calling of God: & therfore their Epistles beginne (as you reade) Paule an Apostle of Iesus Christ. Peter the seruant of Iesus Christ. And y• same frō the beginning hath beene a perpetuall lawe in the church of God. Moses, Dauid, Esay, Ieremie, and all the residue, they tooke not this honour to them selues, but were called of God, & in the name of God they declared vntounto the people, his visions and his wordes, from which if they declyned to the righte hand or to the leste, they made them selues sinners: and not onelyonly thus it is in the ministerie, but for as much as the Apostle giueth it a generall terme: No man taketh honour vntounto him selfe: euen in the common wealth, in matters of this vaine life, not onelyonly the God of peace wil not hauehave his people to liue in confusion, eueryevery man to exalte himselfe: but also limitteth to eueryevery one, the bounds of his calling, in which God hath giuen him honour, and without which, bothe hee sinneth against God, and offendeth his Prince that hath appointed him. The Iustice muste deale with those thinges whiche apperteine vntounto a Iustice, & a iudge with the things of a iudge: and as it is rebellion for the priuate man to resist the magistrate: so is it presumptiō in a magistrate, to take vpō him aboue his calling. We hauehave gotten amōg vsus I know not what prouerb, which cōmonly we call, A cast off our office: if this bee to cast off the lawe of our calling, and take more honour then is giuen of the higher power, we deserue it right wel, if for such prety castes, our selues should be cast quite out of our places: for in matters aboue vsus, we be all priuate men and must goe vntounto them, to whom God hath giuen the iudgemente: where we our selu…s hauehave the place of honour: there let vsus be faithful as before the Lord.
The second thing to be learned in these wordes, is, that we hauehave all, such a calling, as we may be sure it is of God: for we must be called of God, as Aaron was.
Heere (dearely beloued) I woulde wee had no cause to complaine: or, seeing thinges are so ill as they are, I would we had the spirite of the prophete Ieremie, to wishe that our handes were full of water, or in our eyes were a founteine of teares, that we might weepe day and night for the sinnes of our nation: then the Lorde in due time would hearken vntounto vsus, and the highest from his holy seate woulde regarde vsus, that our eyes might see all our ruines restored. But nowe, touching this calling in magistrates and officers of our common wealth, I will say no more, but in one worde, as the scripture speaketh. God calleth him vntounto his dignitie, who is orderly appointed, and is a man of courage, fearinge God, dealing truely, hauing no respecte of persons, and hating couetousnesse: otherwise, if by bribing, by ambition, or by any vnlawfull meanes, he come to his preferment, the more he knoweth himselfe; the more he wil feare least his calling be not of God: but this they will regarde, to whome it belongeth: our speciall doctrine here, is in the callinge of the ministers, wherof (by the grace of god) I wil tel you the trueth: but because this, and other thinges are nowe in bitter controuersie betweene our selues, so that the vncharitable wordes of our mouthes are witnesses against vsus of the euill affections of our hearts, and our hurtfull doings one toward another do shew abundantly, that euil will hath taken deepe root within vsus, I protest y• I hauehave neither part nor fe lowship in this diuisiō, but in louelove & vnitie. I beare him witnesse who speaketh trueth, and beare with his errour who is deceiued, acknowledging my self more vnworthie then either both. And that you (dearly beloued) may hold fast the bonde of peace, and not be broken off with euerie temptation, I befeeche you consider but this with me: hath not God giuen his gifts diuersly, to one more, to one lesse, to one ten pounds, as it is in the parable, to another but one, and can we thē all know a like? must we not of necessity one know more, another lesse, one be more wise, another lesse, one vnderstand this truth, another that, euen as God reuealeth it: and euerie one of vsus hauehave our wantes, in which wee may bee better taught: and shall it not be euer so, as long as our knowledge is in part, & we see not the fulnes of all trueth? and hath not God giuen this diuersitie vntounto vsus for a good purpose, y• thus standing in neede one of another, wee should all more effectually louelove and helpe one another: looke not for it therefore wee all agree in euerie thing, for it shall neuer be till wee do all see the Lorde Iesu, who onelyonly is perfecte wisedome and trueth. But looke for this, and pray that you may see it, that seeing wee agree in the faith of Gods elect, and in the hope of saluation, that is, in the Lorde Iesu, that we may walke together in it in louelove, and kepe this vnitie of the spirite, in the bande of peace. And to those who are aduersaries in this case against vsus, if they vouchsafe to heare, moste humbly I beseeche them to consider, howe precious all trueth of the Lord is, and to seperate all affections from them, so that their heartes may beare them witnesse in the night, bothe vnseinedly they seeke it, and faithfully they will imbrace it, all that the Lord shall reueale vntounto them: which mind the Lord graunt vntounto vsus with them, that his truth may be of all embraced, & his churche may hauehave holy peace.
Now, let vsus returne to our text: No man taketh honour vntounto himselfe, but he that is called of God, as Aaron was: a very flat and plaine sentence.
No minister ought to be called in the Churche, but he whose calling may be knowen to be of God. Suche persons, such qualities, suche places, as may be knowen, y• Lord hath ordeined, onelyonly suche elections ought to be in the Churche: and this all men must needes graunt. Hereof I may first conclude, touching the person of the minister: that because in all places, by the prophets, by the Apostles, by our sauiour Christe, God alway requireth that his ministers bee of good reporte, well grounded in faith, able to teache his people: therefore, if ruffians, if Papistes, or men of an vnknowen religion: if ignorant men, and not able to teach, be chosen vntounto this office, I dare boldely affirme it, their calling is not allowed of God, and therefore not accusing any of ruffianrie, or poperie, I leaue that vntounto the Lorde: yet I thinke it not amisse, to adde a worde or two of their popishe orders, and priestes of their calling.
You knowe first this certeine principle: No man ought to take honour, but he that is called of God, as Aaron was. Now would I faine knowe, of all those orders which the Papistes had, what one of them was of God? either touching the woorke whereto they are appointed, or else the qualities required in them, of which they be examined? For first, touching the qualities of Gods ministers, of whiche the churche examineth them, wee all know this day, that these they are: they must bee blamelesse, watchfull, sober, modest, herberous, wise, gentle, apt to teache, able to conuince the aduersarie, such as gouern wel their whole families, no drunkardes, no quarellers, no couetous men: these be the qualities that God requireth. But the Pope, how doth hee examine his priestes? the Bishop, or else the Archdeacon, with some other priestes, they call the parties, and examine them: first, whether they be xxv. yeare olde: then, whether he vnderstand any latine: then, whether his father and mother were honest, or whether he be a bastarde: fourthly, they must marke & handle euerie member of his bodie, whether they be sounde, and number his eyes, his eares, his nostrels, his hands, his fingers, his feete! and if they mistrust, hee must put off his shooes, to see whether his feete bee of wood, or no. Fiftely, whether he hauehave chast flesh: that is, whether he hauehave married two wiues, or else a widowe. Sixtely, how long he hath bene in orders, and what, when, and of whome hee had his orders. Seuenthly, what liuing hee hath to mainteine him, either by patrimonie, or by benefice, These thinges by streight examination beeing well knowen, then the Bishop telleth them that there be xiiii. especiall thinges, which Sainct Paule to Timothie, requireth in a minister, and wisheth them to consider of them. Was there euer darke night so contrarie to a shining day, as these bables of Antichrist, are contrarie to the ordinaunce of God?
Now, touching the office, wherevnto God appointeth the ministers of his Gospel, is it not this: to preache his worde, and minister sacramentes? other gouernours of his Church, are they not for the peoples obedience vntounto this worde, and, for prouision of the poore? But the Popes officers from the highest to the lowest, what similitude hauehave they with these? the first officer in their churche is a porter, and he hath this authoritie giuen him, to ringe The Papisticall offices & offiicers.the bell, …o vnlocke the Church and vestrie doores to open his booke, if any man preache: and this hee is charged to doe sincerly, euen as he will make his accompt to God.
Their second officer is a lesson reader: and he must reade, or sing the lessons, and hallow breade, and all greene fruite, and studie the booke in whiche their lessons are, and all this he must do faithfully, and to the full. The third office they hauehave, is, to coniure: and the exorcist or coniurer, he hath charge with a certeine charme to cast out diuels: to bid them that doe not communicate, departe: and to powre water into the chalice at communion: and this hee muste doe verie diligentlie. The fourth office, is of Acolites: and they must carie the candlestickes, light the tapers, and prepare bread and wine, when there is a communion: and of this they must hauehave greate consideration. Their fist order or office, is of greater accompt, and is of Subdeacons: and they muste prouide water against masse, washe the palles, and corporasse clothes, giuegive the Chalice and couer vntounto the Deacon: and this they must do verie cleanly and diligently: beside, they muste vowe chastitie, serue at the Altar, and hauehave authoritie to reade the Epistle for the quick and the dead. The sixte order is, of Deacons; and he may sometime for want of a better, baptise and preache, but his especiall charge and authoritie is, to serue at the altar and reade the Gospel for the quick and the deade: and hee must greatly bethinke him, what an high degree he hath taken. The seuenth order is, of priesthood: and it is tolde him that he must preach, baptise, blesse, and rule: but his principall & sole authoritie giuen him in consecration is, to say masse, offer sacrifice for the quick and the dead, and to forgiue sinnes. This authoritie hath also the Byshop, when he will: and specially, he must beare a crosyre staffe, weare a ring, and rule ouer other. The Pope him selfe, he may do the like, but especially he may weare a crowne and a pall, and hath fulnesse of power to doe all things, for the glorie of God, and the blessed virgine, and the holy Apostles, Peter and Paule, and for the church of Rome. These (dearely beloued) are the order sof the Popish church, not one worde feigned of me, but euerie whit set out in their owne Pontificall, as you may plainly see it. Now iudge your selues, and I appeale to the conscience of euerie man y• hath an vnderstanding heart, whether suche creatures hauehave their calling of God, or no? I might likewise alledge that fourme and manner of ordeining, as contrarie to Christes institution as these former are: for, where Christes ordinaunce is, that his ministers should be made with prayer and fasting, and with laying on of handes: they, as men thinking basely of suche simple dealing, and a great deale more to making of their priestes: they must hauehave oyle, candels, basens, towels, amices, albes, stoales, gyrdles, maniples, myters, bookes, crosses, linnen bandes, chalices, pattens, singing cakes, wine and water, flowre, and such other things, trifled and toyed with all, with so many foolishe gestures, as I am persuaded, that any wise man, this day, reading it in their owne bookes, woulde abhorre it, either as intollerable pride, or vnspeakeable foolishenesse: but wisedome is the Lords, and he giueth it to whome he will: and let vsus praise him for his goodnesse, to whome he hath giuen eyes to see. If any will here obiecte, notwithstanding all these abuses: yet the priest had that whiche was principall, libertie to preache and minister sacramentes: therefore their ministerie not to be reiected.
I answer: In this, on one side was the greate goodnesse of God, that in time to come, his children might assuredly knowe, he reserued to him selfe a church, euen in the middes of all desolation: and that he called them by his woorde, and confirmed by his sacramentes, euen as at this day: for seeing there can be no sinne so greate, but faith in Iesu Christ scattereth it all away, it was impossible that the man of sinne shoulde so muche adulterate either the word of God, but that it should be to the faithfull a gospel of saluation: or else the sacramentes of God, but that they should be pledges of eternall life to those that did beleeue.
Againe, on the other side, in that they kept this authoritie to their priestes, to preache & to baptise: it was the pestilent sleight and subtiltie of the diuell, the more easily by suche a colour to deceiue them: for if he had vtterly dented preaching of the Gospel, and vse of sacramentes, who woulde then hauehave beene seduced? these be his wayes to destroy Pagans and Infidels: but to corrupt the churche of God, he putteth on an Angels cloathing, that vnderunder pretence of holinesse he might deceiue. And in deede he did deceiue: for he hath so farre prophaned the preaching of the Gospell, and the sacramentes of Christe, that we ought, according to the word of God, to separate our selues, and to say, accurssed, to all their doings, although God of his infinite goodnesse, who calleth things that are not, as though they were, euen in that ministerie gaue grace vntounto his Saincts.
I say therefore againe, as I sayde before, that in the Popish church, from the crowne of the head to the soule of the foote, not one order is of God, nor any peece of their priesthood is honour giuen of God: wherein I appeale vntounto their owne consciences, whose wisedome is without affection in them: and thus farre of this 4. verse.
Touching the two nexte verses, I hauehave before shewed the meaning of them, that by testimonie of the Prophet, the Apostle proueth that Christ also had his calling of God, euen as Christ him self often witnesseth, that he was sent of his father: touching this text: Thou art my sonne, this day hauehave I begotten thee: it meaneth, that openly and plainely, God made it manifest, that Christ was his only sonne, by many signes and miracles, in which, as Paule sayth, God was made manifest in flesh: but of this I spake more vntounto you in the exposition of the fifte verse of the first chapter. The other text heere alledged, is out of y• 110. Psalme: Thou art a priest for euer, after the order of Melchisc. lcch: of which text we shal also hauehave occasiō to speake more largely hereafter: this now we hauehave to learne, y• this Psalme is ment of Christ, and this sentence is his caling to y• priesthod: of this y• apostle is a plaine witnesse, & our sauiour Christ in the 22. of Math. teacheth yt this psalme could not be meant of Dauid, because it is said in it, The Lord saide vntounto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, vntil I make thine enimies thy footestoole: and reason teacheth it plainely: for seeing, as is heere alledged, it is to the praise of an high priest, how could it be of King Dauid, to whome the priesthood in no case belonged? or how could it be of any Priest of the lawe, who had their proper calling of God, where this was an other, after the order of Melchisedech, who was bothe a King and a priest: and therfore it is plaine to bee ment of Christe who was figured in Melchisdech. The conclusion then of the Apostle in all this, is, that Christe had his calling of God, as Aaron had, and a more glorious & excellent calling, therfore a greater high priest then any before him: but the time is past. Let vsus pray &c.