withall he beginneth to prepare vs to that which hee will speake afterward that is to say to what ende this word which is Iesus Christ was sent vs of God his father that is The mysterie of our redemption very great and needfull to the end he might be manifested in the flesh for our saluation He ment then to declare howe greate the mystery of our redemption was and what neede wée had of it in saying that wee haue not comprehended the brightnesse that was in vs as if hee shoulde say It could nothing at all haue profited vs to haue the light that shineth in vs vnlesse we had withall béene redéemed and that this worde had executed and performed the loue of God towarde vs in repairing his image The light of our owne miserie is a good meane to make vs feele the mysterie of our redemption which was defaced in vs through our sinne and wholie disfigured in the first man Marke I say howe Saint Iohn mindeth to prepare vs to know the effect of our redemption and besides hée ment also to shewe vnto vs how that the word of God declareth it selfe in his creatures in as much as all things are preserued by his strength and power And withall hée exhorteth vs to knowe and confesse the graces that God hath bestowed vpon vs more excellent in déede than vpon other creatures to the ende wée might magnifie and prayse him The endes of our light and knowledge moreouer to knowe that séeing hée hath from the beginning imprinted his owne liuely image in vs and hath made vs féele his power it is good reason wée should learne to holde our selues fast to this worde and to confesse both generally and particularly the good thinges that God hath done for mankinde to the ende that the light which hée hath plentifully communicated vnto vs of his grace and goodnesse onely may not be quenched or put out through our malice but that Iesus Christ may in such sort dwell in the middest of vs that being guided and gouerned by the holie Ghost wée may haue such accesse to the father that hée may at the length bring vs into his heauenly glorie Thus I haue handled these thinges as shortly as was possible for mée What men should looke at in expounding the scripture respecting alwayes to touch the marke wherat the Euangelist in this place aimeth notwithstanding if there bee any thing that hath béene omitted because a man can not remember all let euerie one speake thereof that which God shall haue giuen him in that behalfe and if there be any doubt propound the matters to the ende that putting them out they may be made cleare and manifest and that the Church of God may therby bée more and more edified when thinges shall not remaine in doubt but shall be vnderstood according to their true meaning after that wée shall haue disputed and reasoned vpon them as is séemely and according to God and godlinesse A Sermon of the birth of our Lorde Iesus Christ Luke Cap. 2. 1 ANd it came to passe in those dayes that there was a commaundement from Augustus Caesar that all the world should be taxed 2 This first taxing was made when Cyrenius was Gouernor of Syria 3 Therefore all went to bee taxed euerie man to his owne Citie 4 And Ioseph also went vp from Galilee out of a Citie called Nazareth into Iudea vnto the Citie of Dauid which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and linage of Dauid 5 To be taxed with Mary that was giuen him to wife which was with childe 6 And so it fell out that while they were there the dayes were accomplished that shee should be deliuered 7 And she brought foorth her first begotten Sonne wrapped him in swadling cloathes and laide him in a manger because there was no roume for them in the Inne 8 And there were in the same countrey shepheardes abiding in the fielde and keeping watch by night because of their flocke 9 And loe the Angell of the Lorde came vpon them and the glorie of the Lord shoane about them and they were sore afraide 10 Then the Angell saide vnto them be not afraide for behold I bring you tydinges of great ioy that shall be to all people 11 That is that vnto you is borne this day in the Citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. 12 And hee shall be a signe to you yee shall finde the childe swadled and laide in a Maunger 13 And straightway there was with the Angel a multitude of heauenly souldiers praysing God and saying 14 Glorie be to God in the high heauens peace in earth and towardes men good will WE knowe beloued in the Lorde that all our felicitie ioy peace is this euē to be conioyned knit together with the sonne of God for as he is our head so are we likewise his body and do also receiue from him our life health and all whatsoeuer blessednesse else And beside we see in very déede howe miserable our estate should be if wée can not to him to be preserued vnder his protection But by the way we are neuer able to attaine and reach so high séeing we are scarcely able to crawle vpō the ground without he were alredie come néere vnto vs by reason of his birth who hath taken vpon him our flesh and is therby become our brother Neither could we at this present flye vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ sitting at the right hand of God his father 1. Tim. 2. 5. Isaiah 7.14 Math. 1.23 in the glory of the heauens without he had abased himself to become a mortal man his estate condition to become also like vnto ours And here we may likewise sée why the name of man was giuen vnto him whē as hée is called the Mediatour betwéene God and man and so by the selfe fame reason is called Immanuel which is as much to say as God with vs. And therefore as often as wée séeke to be relieued and eased of our miseries by our Lord Iesus Christ and to make him our sure and vndoubted defence wee must first of all begin at his birth Nowe wee are not onely here taught that he was made man like vnto vs but was also so despised and made of so smal account as that he was scarcely taken to be named among the number of men For he was as it were banished denied all harboure and company and was lodged in a Stable and laide in Manger Since thē it is thus let vs here acknowledge that Gods of his goodnesse hath bountifullie spreade abroade his infinite treasures when as hee woulde in this sorte abase his deare Sonne for our sakes And let vs also acknowledge that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath so suffred for vs as that so often as wée séeke him we néede neuer to goe verie farre about to finde him nor yet to vnite our selues truly vnto him For for that cause was he
will get al the substance riches of the earth into their possession And thus we see that the messuage which was told them that they should find him in a Stable swadled in blankets was such a stumbling block vnto these poore men as was able to haue broken the very hearts of them and make thē to be of that mind neuer to come néere our Lord Iesus Christ but rather altogether to flie his company Now we sée that this was the signe which was geuen of the Redeemer that he was laid in a Māger as one not worthy the companie and felowship of men And yet woulde not all this withdraw their mindes from the visiting of him Their cōming then was for this cause to acknowledge him to be as it were the Lord cōfessing the God had cōpassion of them and would in the end accomplish and fulfill the promise which hée had made them from the beginning and so confirmed them selues thereof by this spectacle Seeing then these Shepheardes had so great fayth that it straue against all whatsoeuer might pull them backe from comming vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe wee shal be worthie double blame and without all excuse except wee learne and take foorth this lesson in their schoole and make not the byrth of our Lorde Iesus Christe although there appeared noworldly dignitie pompe or noblenesse therein a stumbling blocke to stay or withdrawe vs from the right way to come to submit our selues vnto him as vnto our siege king and vnto him vnto whom al power and dominion is giuen both in heauen and earth And surely this is an admonitiō very needful for vs for as I haue alreadie saide The doctrine of the Gospell is a very stumbling blocke to all proude and foolish men and to suche as thinke themselues wise we sée also that many fantasticall felowes spurne against whatsoeuer is contrary to their owne mindes On the other side there were many mockers skorners who were neuer touched with any féeling of their sinnes and because they are prophane people who neuer thinke to come to an account and know not any other better life then this whiche they sée héere belowe they thinke it therefore méere foolishnesse so to folow the sonne of God and to be acquainted with him And the more we sée this so much the more ought this aduertisement to strengthen vs to wit that the sonne of God loseth not a iote of his maiestie and glorie neither is any whit lessened because he hath abased himselfe for our saluation but we ought rather to woonder at it knowing his inestimable goodnesse loue towardes vs. We sée then howe we must put this doctrine in practise which is wée must not cease to come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ although we finde not at his handes at the first chop the thing which our flesh or naturall affection desireth And although at his birth he was swadled vp in cloutes and laide in a Manger yet let vs know be fully resolued that hee was notwithstanding a Mediatour to draw vs vnto his father to open the kingdome of heauen for vs whereout wee were vtterly reclosed And although euen at this day he reigneth not gloriously and his Churche despised yet remayneth there suche a playnenesse in his worde as the mightie euen of this worlde reiecte howebeeit let not vs for all that cease to holde our selues vnto him continually and submit our selues vnder his dominion in true obedience of Faith As for example when any man preacheth it is not the thing that greatly draweth vs according to our custome Wée heare a man speake and what is that It is of no great dignitie and credite and besides in effect there is nothing but the worde on the other side in that which is preached by the Gospell there are many thinges which séeme to vs to bée against all reason if wée shoulde iudge thereof after our owne mindes Let vs therefore vnderstande that wée shall neuer submit our selues vnto the thing which God sheweth and declareth vnto vs except we humble our selues in the first place And for a confirmation which hée hath added vs vnto his worde we haue the Sacraments And will one droppe of water suffice to assure vs of remission of our sinnes and that God hath adopted vs for his children and that although wée bée fraile shall we notwithstanding bée cloathed with his heauenly glorie which neuer shall decaye Is it possible for vs to take a pawne and pledge of so notable and great thinges in so small a deale of water May a péece of bread and a little Wine in the Supper of the Lorde suffice to assure vs that God alloweth vs for his children that wée liue in Iesus Christ and no seperation betwéene vs For this might seeme rather to bée a matter of nothing to sée suche Ceremonies wherein is no great glorie and pompe So then wée somewhat better sée this thing whiche is béere spoken by the Ministers belongeth to vs and that wée haue to make our profite thereof at this day to wit let not vs cease to drawe néere vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe and assure our selues that hée it is in whome wée must finde all goodnesse and all ioye and glorie although it séemeth that hée is yet as it were in the Stable in the Maunger and in his swadling cloathes to wit that there are many thinges which are able to make vs become dissolute or wanton or at the least bleare our eyes that wee shall not bée able to perceiue the heauenly glorie which GOD his Father hath giuen him I say in the same humane nature whiche hée tooke vppon vs. For in as muche as hée is GOD hée hath all thing of him selfe as it is said in the seuenteenth Chapter of Saint Iohn but in that hée is man whatsoeuer hée bringeth vs hée hath receiued of frée gift Iohn 17. that wée might drawe out of his fulnesse Iohn 1.16 and finde in him whatsoeuer is to be desired and so rest content our selues in him alone Moreouer let vs heere note that the holy Ghost meaneth to assure vs that we following the Ministers who are héere appointed for maisters and guides ought not to feare falling away for séeing the Shepheardes had none other signe but the Stable and a Manger wée may say Beholde a sorte of simple idiotes who are foolishly and without any reason made to beléeue that this was the Redéemer of the worlde and yet this woulde bée too too easie a matter for vs to doe And therefore wée might stande in doubt but on the other side the shepheardes were confirmed verie certainly that hée was the Sonne of God euen hée that laye so in the Manger to wit when the Angell appeared vnto them and after they had heard this songe which Saint Luke setteth downe where all the kingdome of heauen beare witnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ that hée had all power ouer the creatures both of heauen and earth Let vs therefore learne to receiue in the assurance of the fayth of Iesus Christ whatsoeuer is héere set before vs. For this is certaine and sure that God meaneth to conuince all those of vnthankfulnesse who at this day vouchsafe not to worship his onely Sonne séeing hée
sent suche a multitude of Angels to declare that hée was the promised Redéemer We then haue a trimme way to flatter our selues in our incredulitie as we sée a number of blockish people doe who make no reckoning of whatsoeuer is written in the Gospell There are also certaine scorners of God so senslesse as that whatsoeuer is preached is to them all one for they account of it no better then of the telling of fables Nowe as many as submit not them selues to the woorship of our Lorde Iesus Christ are to be condemned of most obstinate and deuillish rebellion And because there are many faithlesse people an infinite number of the Angels of heauen shal beare witnesse against them for they are the Ministers of the trueth of God Let all the wicked therefore and as many as lye powdred and seasoned in their sinnes and corruptions smoothe and harden themselues as much as they will in their infidelitie and they are sure of this that they haue ouer many sufficient witnesses to ratefie and confirme their condemnation For the Angels in heauen appeared to the ende wée shoulde not bée excused when as we will not receiue Iesus Christ for our soueraigne King and submit our selues vnto his maiestie And therefore by the way Let vs for our part note that God procured our saluation when as hée sent suche a multitude of Angelles that wée might come to our Lorde Iesus Christ with a chearefull minde without any more disputing or doubting But bée fully resolued that wée shall finde in him whatsoeuer is wanting in vs and that hée will haue wherewith to supplye all our pouerties and miseries And to bée short That it is euen hée by whom God ment to communicate him selfe vnto vs. And will wée then séeke for our life any other were then in God Nowe Coloss 2.9 all the fulnesse of the God-head is in our Lorde Iesus Christe And therefore when wée haue suche a testimonie it is as much as if God stretched forth his armes to make vs féele his inestimable goodnesse and onely to shewe that when wée haue fayth in Iesus Christ I meane no hypocriticall fayth we might fully rest on him and considering that wée must holde all of him wée shall then be partakers of all his benefites which wée want and hunger after Moreouer although wée sée not at this day the Angels who for that time only appeared yet is this testimonie registred that it might bée autenticall For the holie Ghost hath spoken it by the mouth of Saint Luke Wherefore let vs be contented that wee haue such a testimonie from God as telleth vs that the Angels haue borne witnesse of the birth of our Lorde Iesus Christ that we knowing that hée was made man yea that of no estimation for our sakes might haue an earnest desire to attaine vnto the kingdome of heauen to the ende to cleaue vnto him in the true vnitie of fayth Wée are after a while to consider also of the place of his birth to wit of Bethlehem Which thing is no small nor light confirmation when as we sée the Sonne of God to be borne which the Prophet so long tyme before had foretolde For if Ioseph and Marie had had their house in Bethlehem and remayned there it had beene no straunge case if shée had béen there deliuered and Iesus Christ to haue béene borne in the same place But the thing which at this day shoulde haue serued our purpose had béene verie greatly darkened for it had not béene knowne that the Prophet had not said without cause And thou Bethlehē although at this day thou be of no great reputation like vnto a village which maketh no great shewe yet shalt thou bring foorth him who shall bée the ruler of my people But when Ioseph and Mary aboad in Nazareth and came vnto the Towne of Bethlehem at the verie time when shée was vppon the pointe of her deliueraunce and Iesus Christe borne who seeth not but that the hande of GOD guided all this géere And therefore it can not be but that men must bée willingly and wickedly blinde when as they will not acknowledge héere the handie woorke of God who hath set a marke of his onely Sonne that hée might without all doubt bée receiued as the promised Messiah In verie déede there was good occasion that made Ioseph to come vnto Bethlehem and that was the publike Edict of the Romane Emperour but to bring a woman thither great with childe and vpon the point of her deliueraunce surely this was not any man his déede but the handie woorke of God And againe we sée that GOD vseth straunge kinde of dealing for the accomplishing of his will For what imported this Edict of Caesars but a tyrannicall subiection for the taxing of the people of the Iewes and a laying of a tribute of euerie man at that time whiche was a signification that they shoulde not looke for any more libertie Iesus Christ was promised to deliuer the Iewes and all the faithfull from the subiection of Satan and from all tyrannie and it séemed that this Edict was made to close vp the gate that GOD should neuer accomplishe the thing that he had promised to his people and yet this was the meanes to perfourme it For when Ioseph and Mary came like poore soules to serue a Tyraunt a Pagane and an Infidell wee sée the Prophecie prooue true that Iesus was borne in Bethlehem And GOD him selfe as I haue alreadie saide giueth here a full certaintie vnto all his not to doubt of the birth of our Lorde Iesus Christ And héere wee sée howe wée must applye the instruction of these thinges which are heere recited vnto our selues For it was not the meaning of S. Luke or rather of the holie Ghost who spake by his mouth simplye to describe vnto vs an historie of that whiche came to passe But hath on the one side laide foorth vnto vs that GOD spared not his onely Sonne for vs and besides on the other side that hée brought an vndoubted testimonie with him that hée was the redéemer of the worlde and that hée might bée so receiued Let vs nowe consider with our selues to make our profite by this historie so that wée may agrée with the song of Angelles in glorifiyng of God and receiue also that whiche it affoordeth vs for the gladding of our soules In the first place The Angell who brought the message vnto the Shepheardes saide Bee not afraide for beholde I bring you tydinges of great ioy And besides this was the common testimonie of all the multitude of the Heauenly Souldiers which GOD had sent And peace in earth to men And thus wée sée what it is that wée must holde fast in
the first place which is wée muste séeke all our ioy in Iesus Christe For to say the trueth when as wee are full of delightes and voluptuousnesse it is without question wée will bathe our selues in all pleasures and yet yf wée bée not too too drowsie yea altogether blockishe our consciences will neuer bée quiet but bée tormented without ende and measure For this worme whereof the Scripture speaketh will gnawe vs our sinnes will checke vs and wee shall féele that God of very right is vtterly against vs and our professed enimie And therefore cursed are all the ioyes of the worlde because they shall bée turned into gnashing of téeth vntill suche time as wée are an attonement with God Cursed then are all ioyes all honours and all thinges els that are to bée desired vntill wée féele Gods mercy vppon vs and when wée are thus reconciled vnto him wée may not onely reioyce with an earthly ioy but with that ioye whiche is namely promised in the holy Ghoste to the ende wée might looke for the same in him Nowe peace and ioy are thinges whiche cannot bee separated For howe can it bée that we should haue any thing wherein to ioy when as wée sée our selues compassed about with so many miseries And besides when wée sée our selues cursed in Adam The children of wrath and God being our iudge armed to execute vengeance to the throwing of vs downe into the bottomlesse depth what ioy is it possible for vs to conceiue who stande in suche a desperate estate And surely when wée thinke héereon It cannot bée that wée shoulde bée onely tormented with vnquiet mindes but also bée oppressed with the horrour of Hell fier which surpasseth all the griefes of this worlde except surely the Diuell hath bewitched vs as many wée sée which ceasse not héerein to make themselues mery although they bée at open defiance euen with God himselfe But if wee had but one droppe of féeling within vs without doubt wée shoulde alwaies liue in torment vntyll such time as wée finde God to shewe himselfe mercifull vnto vs. And therefore this peace must goe before that wée are fully assured that God alloweth vs for his children and that because hee imputeth not our sinnes vnto vs. Nowe are wée in this sorte at peace with God And if wée bée so then surely wée haue wherefore to reioyce yea euen with God according to that which I haue alreadie touched For the very Infidelles haue a certaine kinde of peace that is to say They are so sensles as that they make no reckoning of the iudgement of God yea they are euen angrie with him but it is not with God For they neuer are at peace and rest without it bée when they forget both God themselues become altogether brutish howbeit S. Paul exhorteth vs to be at peace with God Rom. 5.2 that is to say to looke vnto him search how wée may be at peace that is wee drawing néere vnto him are certaine sure of his loue But how shal this bée doone forsooth euen by the forgiuenesse of our sinnes through the loue which hée beareth vs in our Lord Iesus Christe Let vs héere now note that the peace which the Angels of heauen preached at this time brought this ioy whereof the first Angel made mention saying Beholde I bring you tydinges of great ioy that is The saluation which you haue in Iesus Christ For hée is called our peace and this title declareth vnto vs that wée should bée altogether separated from God without he receiued vs by the meanes of his onely sonne Moreouer héereon wée haue also wherfore to glory when God alloweth vs for his children and giueth vs leaue to claime him with open mouth as our father to come fréely vnto him and in him to haue our refuge Let vs héerevpon gather by the way that God hath so appointed his Gospell to bée preached by the mouth of men as yet notwithstanding the Angelles haue gone before them and leade them the way True it is that at this day the Churche must bée taught by the meane of mortall creatures But howe euer it is this is no straunge thing that wee bring but doe onely recite the preaching of the Angelles of heauen and that of no smale number neither but of an infinite multitude and of an huge armie Moreouer wée cannot but néedes bée inflamed to magnifie our God whenas wée are throughly certified of his goodnesse Sée nowe why these two things are ioyned together that the Angels exhort all the worlde to glorifie GOD it is because hée gaue suche a peace vppon the earth wee inioy therefore the benefite which God hath largely bestowed vpon vs by the meane of our Lorde Iesus Christe his onely sonne And hée hath taken the possession of this peace to the ende our prayses might bée heard to the heauens pearse the cloudes and that all the world might resound this songe The Lorde bée blessed and magnified for euer Héerevpon wée are to gather that our mouthes must alwaies bée stopped and that wée can neuer praise God vntill suche time as hée hath caused vs to féele his great goodnesse For to say truely how is it possible for miserable sinners to blesse and magnifie the name of God so long as they haue that trouble of conscience that they knowe not whether God loueth or hateth them But contrariwise their mouthes by reason of their griefes must néedes be fast closed vp so that they are not once able to open their lippes And therefore muste GOD let vs so vnderstande in very good earnest the loue hee beareth vs as that wee may bée fully assured that hee is alwaies our Father and then shall wee haue wherefore to blesse his name But as wée cannot possibly in trueth praise God vntill such time as hee hath declared vnto vs his bountie euen so let vs also learne not to haue a dead and idle faith but when wée sée that he hath bountifully bestowed vpon vs the great treasures of his mercie let our mouth then doe his office in stirryng vp it selfe to blesse his name and let our whole life also answere the same For this is the very right signe Euery of vs must conscecrate himself to the true seruice worship of God because we knowing that hée hath so dearely bought vs ought by good reason to bestow all our thoughts déedes in the blessing magnifying of his most holy glorious name And that when we acknowledge ourselues to bée in very déede his wée might vnderstande that it procéedeth of his frée mercy and goodnesse that it hath so pleased him to accept vs vnto himselfe And therefore this saying is not set downe without cause That peace is graunted to men not for any desert or for that wée haue purchased the same but because it pleased God For the spéeche which Saint Luke vseth importeth this much that wée must séek after none other reason why our Lord Iesus Christe appeared to
vs but because that God had compassion of our miseries as it is also saide in Iohn That God so loued the worlde Iohn 3.16 as that hée spared not to deliuer his onely begotten Sonne to death for vs. And therefore let vs after this manner come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe to wit that the message which is héere published vnto vs by the Angels might bée a burning Lanterne to shew vs the way faith to bée our guide so that wée might vnderstande that hée is nowe God in vs because he is God with vs. For as I haue alreadie saide hée is declared to bée our God with vs when as hée meant to dwell in our humane nature as in his temple But hée is nowe God in vs. That is to say wée féele him conioyned to vs in farre greater power then when hée shewed and declared himselfe a mortal man Yea for he is nowe both God and man in vs. For first hée quickneth vs by the power of his holy spirite and hée is besides man in vs because hée maketh vs pertakers of the Sacrifice which hée offered vp for our saluation and declareth vnto vs that it was not without cause that hee saide that his fleshe was meate indéede and his blood drinke in déede And therefore wée sée why the holy Table is made ready for vs to wit to the end that wée knowing our Lord Iesus to bée descended héere belowe Iohn 6.35 and vtterly abased yet that hée is not for all that separated from vs although hée bée ascended into the heauens in glory and maiestie But rather vpon this condition that wée might bée partakers of his body and blood And why so For wée knowe that his righteousnesse and obedience was the satisfaction for our sinnes and hath appeased the wrath of God through the Sacrifice whiche hée offered of his body and blood in the same humane nature which hée tooke vpon vs. Since thē it is so let not vs doubt when Iesus Christ biddeth vs to this Table although wee can perceiue nothing els but bread wine but that hee verily dwelleth in vs and wee so surely knit vnto him that there is nothing which is his but hée will communicate the same to vs. Let vs therefore I say acknowledge this to the end we might know to make our profit of this Sacrament which he himselfe hath established and let vs vnderstande that so often as wée receiue the same that hée might verie well haue deliuered vs by some other meane from the bottomelesse pitte of Condemnation wherein wée were if it had pleased him but that his meaning was to graunte vs more assurance of the loue hée beare vs when as we haue Iesus Christ for a pawne because we might séeke after our saluation in him and acknowledge that wée are no manner of way whatsoeuer able to reioyce vntill suche time as hée bée geuen vs as it were amongest vs and bée so néere vs as that by his meanes wée might bée brought to the kingdome of heauen whereof wée were depriued by reason of our sinnes And thus wée sée that Iesus Christ must bée the ready way for our saluation if euer wée intend to come vnto God desire to haue a true spirituall ioy and a spirituall contentation and quietnesse and if wee also desire to bee armed against all the temptations wherewith Satan is able to attempt vs. But and if wée will be partakers of this holie table let vs consider wel with our selues in the first place acknowledge our miseries and be displeased and vtterly ashamed of them Moreouer let vs acknowledge and confesse that God meant to asswage all our sorowes griefes when as hée so liberally shewed himselfe in his onelye begotten Sonne and would haue vs fully and wholy ioye in him And although we be subiect to many miseries in this world and are besieged with enimies like vnto rauening woolues so that the deuill ceaseth not to make a pray of vs and the Infidelles barke at vs like mastyfe curres although I say wée be on euery side troubled and threatned and although we must abyde many griefes Philip. 4.7 yet let vs hold this for a most sure ground that wée shall haue alwayes peace in our God and let vs beséech him that he will make vs féele it by his holy spirite because it is a thing that surpasseth all mans reason as we haue already touched of S. Paule and learne to bée so contented with our Lord Iesus Christ and with the spirituall benefites wherof we are pertakers as that we may patiently abide all the afflictions and miseries of this worlde And besides let vs beséeche him that wée take it not in euill parte to bée contemned and on euery side troubled to bée short to bee put too all reproche and shame so that Iesus Christe bée with vs and blesseth all our myseries and afflictions and that wée bryng foorth suche fruite thereby as that it may bee knowne that in the middest of all our miseries wée desire nothing els but the glofiyng of our GOD. And where the worldlinges triumphe to their shame and confusion because all their ioy is too striue against GOD Let our true ioy bée too serue him in all feare and humilitie and yeelde our selues wholy to his obedience And héere wée sée the way by which wée must make our profite vpon this doctrine Let vs nowe fall downe before the Maiestie of our good GOD and acknowledge our faultes beséechyng hym too make vs more and more to féele them that héereby we may learne to submit our selues vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe knowyng that if wee bée separated from him all our whole life and whatsoeuer benefites els wee receiue from GOD shall turne to our most gréeuous condemnation And that wée maye féele his death and passion to bée communicated vnto vs and bee taken for the members of his body to the ende the afflictions whiche wée shall abide héere in this worlde may be so many helpes and furtherances vnto saluation So that wée may all saye O moste Mightie GOD and Heauenlie Father c. The first Sermon of the passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ Math Cap. xxvi 36 Then went Iesus with them into a place called Gethsemane and saide vnto his Disciples Sit ye here while I goe and pray yonder 37 And he tooke Peter and the two Sonnes of Zebedeus and beganne to waxe sorrowful and grieuously troubled 38 Then sayde Iesus vnto them my Soule is very heauy euen vnto the death tarie yee here and watch with me 39 So he went a little farther and fel on his face and praied saying O my Father if it be possible Let this cup passe from me Neuerthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt WHen any thing is spoken which concerneth our saluation The scripture setteth before vs thrée endes The one is That wée might know the inestimable loue which GOD beareth vs to the end wée might glorifie him therfore as he is worthy The
able to giue our selues either to one thing or other but that we shall swarue from the right rule yea and spurne as it were dispituously against his Maiestie And therefore what conflict is it that wée can set in order to doe any good For when we sée that our Lord Iesus Christe in whom was nothing but purenesse and righteousnesse was not able to submit himself vnto God his father without he had denied himselfe is it not to bee doubted that we are any way able throughly to performe it Let vs then learne to fight more couragiously But because we see we cannot and that all our strength and power bendeth it selfe rather to doe euill and not one droppe of goodnesse in our nature but so weake as that wée shoulde be ouercome an hundred times euery minute of an houre let vs come to him that was made weake that wée might as S. Paule saieth be filled with his power And therefore since our Lorde Iesus Christe hath thus denied him selfe let vs learne if wée will bée his Disciples to doe the like And because wée sée that wée cannot of our selues attaine thereto but goe altogether backewarde let vs beséeche him 2. Cor. 13.4 that hée woulde by the power of his holy spirite haue dominion in vs to strengthen vs as it is said that hée suffered in the infirmitie of his fleshe but was raised vp againe through the power of the spirite that we might bée partakers of the afliction which hée susteined and féele the fruit and excellencie of his power in vs. Heere nowe wée sée in effect what it is that wée must beare in minde when it is saide that Christe gaue ouer his owne will that hee might fully and wholy submit himselfe vnto God his Father Notwithstanding we haue heere continually to remember that the Sonne of GOD determined not onely to set foorth himselfe héere for an example or glasse but to shew vs how dearely our saluation cost him For the Deuill meaning to darken the infinite grace of GOD which hath béene shewed vs hath saide That Iesus Christe was onely as it were a patterne of all vertue For marke how these hypocriticall pratling Iacke dawes in Popery behaue them selues who although they cannot set down what obedience is nor yet what it is to forsake a mans selfe yet they say that whatsoeuer the Euangelist hath written of Iesus Christe is to this ende that wée shoulde followe him and bée like vnto him Now this is somewhat But yet not all neither the principall matter For an Angell might very well haue béene sent to haue tolde vs that wee muste followe him But when Iesus Christe became the redéemer of the worlde hée of his owne good will submitted himselfe vnto this miserable condition as héere wée see And therefore must wée alwayes vnderstande that when wée can finde nothing in our selues that may giue vs any hope of saluation it remaineth that wée must séeke for that in him which is wanting in vs. For wee are neuer able to obteine the grace and fauour of GOD nor yet come néere him without wee come as poore Beggers vnto Iesus Christe which can neuer bee doone vntyll such time as we knowe our miseries and wants and to be short except we know vtterly our vnablenesse wee sée then what it is that wee are to remember to the end that after we haue vnderstood that the whole perfection of our life is to obey God and to forsake our affections and thoughts and whatsoeuer els that is in our nature which is to make vs agréeable vnto him when wee vnderstand this much we must craue at the handes of God that which we haue not And that wée might know also that our Lorde Iesus Christ is not deliuered vnto vs for an example onely but is eft soones declared vnto vs that if we be separated from him our life must néedes bee accursed and that in death we sée the bottomlesse depthes of the curse and that gulfe of Gods wrath to swallowe vs quite vp and that not onely one feare but a million of feares haue laide fast holde on vs and al the creatures of God crie for vengeance on our behalfe And therfore let vs haue this féeling because we might acknowledge our sinnes sigh and be ashamed of our selues and take boldnesse to come vnto God with true humilitie and repentance Let vs likewise estéeme of the goodnesse and mercy of our God as héere is shewed vs and haue our mouthes wide open to pay vnto him the Sacrifice of thanksgiuing and depart from the inticements of Satan who hath pitched his nettes to holde vs still in this worlde Let vs also leaue our commodities and pleasures that wee might come vnto this heauenly inheritance which hath béen so dearely purchased for vs and because we haue to communicate the Supper of the Lorde the next Sunday and that God after he hath opened vnto vs the kingdom of heauen setteth before vs a spirituall banket let vs bée so much the more touched with this doctrine And to say the trueth when wée dayly eate and drinke for the refreshing of our hungry bodies God therein sheweth vs sufficiently that he is our father and careth for these earthly bodies insomuch that we cannot eate one morsell of bread but that it witnesseth vnto vs that God is careful ouer vs. But in the Supper is a speciall reason for God doth not there fill our bellies but lifteth our mindes vp into the kingdome of heauen hee setteth before vs our Lorde Iesus Christe his sonne for meate and drinke And Iesus Christe is not onely contented to receiue vs to his Table but intendeth therewith to bee our féeder for hee sheweth vs in effect that his fleshe is meate in déede and his blood drinke indéede Wherefore when wée sée our Lorde Iesus thus gently to bid vs vnto him are not wée too too villanous if we holde not our selues back from doing of any thing that may withdraw vs from him And although we come but as men trailing our legges after vs yet let vs stil be displeased with our sins that we might obey him and streine our selues so much as is possible to be rid of this worlde and come to the kindgdome of heauen And therefore let euery one consider to what ende the holy Supper serueth For when we see that our Lord Iesus calleth vs vnto it that we might be partakers of his death and passion let vs inioy the fruite which he hath obteined for vs by that meane be fully resolued that God alloweth vs for his children and with open mouth claime him for our father Let vs also bring with vs a true faith because we knowe wherefore God the father sent our Lorde Iesus vnto vs and is at this day a Mediator as he hath alwayes béen And thereupon set vs labour to bée so vnited to him as that we may knowe that this is not onely spoken to euery of vs in particuler but to euery of vs in
thou that I cannot pray to my Father and he wil giue me moe then twelue legions of Angels 54 How then should the Scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must be so 55 The same houre saide Iesus to the multitude yee be come out as it were against a theefe with swordes staues to take mee I sate dayly preaching in the Temple among you and ye tooke mee not 56 But all this was done that the Scriptures of the Prophets might be fulfilled TheÌ„ all the Disciples forsooke him and fled 57 And they tooke Iesus and ledde him to Caiphas the high Prieste where the Scribes and the Elders were assembled 58 And Peter followed him a farre of vnto the high Priestes hall and went in and sate with the seruants to see the ende 59 Now the chiefe Priestes and the Elders and all the whole Councell sought false witnesse against Iesus to put him to death 60 But they founde none and though many false witnesses came yet found they none but at the last came two false witnesses 61 And said This man said I can destroy the Temple of God and build it in three dayes 62 Then the chiefe Priest arose and saide to him answerest thou nothing What is the matter that these men witnesse against thee 63 â—ut Iesus held his peace Then the chiefe Priest answered and said to him I charge thee by the liuing God that thou tell vs if thou be the Christ the Sonne of God 64 Iesus said to him thou hast saide it Neuerthelesse I say vnto you hereafter shal yee see the sonne of man sitting at the right hand of the power of God come in the cloudes of the heauen 65 Then the high Priest rent his cloathes saying Hee hath blasphemed What haue we any more neede of witnesses Behold now ye haue heard his blasphemy 66 What thinke yee They answered and said hee is worthie to dye IF we would at the first sight according to mans reason iudge of the taking of our Lorde Iesus Christ it would amaze vs to sée that hée neuer resisted For a man would thinke it became not his maiestie to suffer such shame and rebuke and not to withstand it any whit at all On the other side Peters zeale were greatly to bee commended because hée aduentured him selfe vnto death For he sée before his face the multitude of the enemies and him selfe alone man yet by reason of the loue hée beare to his maister hée drewe and desired rather to dye foorthwith then to suffer his maister to be so wronged Wherin we sée that we must verie humbly and modestly acknowledge to what ende it was why the Sonne of God did and suffered all these thinges and also vnderstand that whatsoeuer séemeth good in our eyes to be starke staring naught But wée are to beséeche God so to guide and gouerne vs as that we none otherwise iudge then accordingly as hée hath shewed vs in his worde For behold what an offence the Gospell is to a number of people and what a number of scoffers there are of it and all to their destruction By reason of their arrogant and rashe iudgement thereof Howbéeit to the ende wée might not bée deceiued wée must alwayes in the first place returne to that which our Lorde Iesus Christ setteth downe vnto vs which is the will of God his father And thus much for this point And besides wée are to consider of the ende thereof which to vs woulde séeme verie straunge Wherefore when wée looke vnto these two considerations wée shal then haue occasion to honour God and acknowledge that whatsoeuer wée thinke to bée foolishe the verie Angelles account it to be great wisedome And for the better vnderstanding hereof let vs looke vnto that which is here recyted of Peter For thus it is said That when hee had drawne his Swoorde hee cut off Malchus eare a seruaunt of Caiphas Héere wée sée howe foole hardie wée are when we follow our own opinion are so blinded as that we care not what we do But when we should obey God we are so slacke as is lamentable in such sort forget our selues as that the least thing in the worlde maketh vs to chaunge our copie And thus we sée we shal haue alwaies an hundreth times more mynde to follow our fond imaginations then to doe the thing which God coÌ„mandeth vs which our calling beareth vs in We see this ouer much in the example of Peter For as after shal be shewed wheÌ„ he was to coÌ„fesse our Lord Iesus Christ hee sweare to his owne destructioÌ„ yet was he coÌ„teÌ„ted to adueÌ„ture his life wheÌ„ as he had no such coÌ„mandement Nowe what was the cause that made him to drawe Surely he did it as it were in a furie For his Maister taught him not to doe any such thing And wheÌ„ he forsooke his maister knew he not before this saying Whosoeuer shall deny me before men I will denie him before my father which is in heauen Mat. 10.33 But he was as I haue before said cockbrayned this fond desire which he had to defend our Lord Iesus after his maner caried him away Let vs therefore after his example learne to endeuour our selues to walke whither soeuer God calleth vs and not to thinke it any hard matter to do which he coÌ„mandeth neither let vs attempt any thing no not so much as the wagging of our litle finger except God allow of it and that we haue a testimonie that he guideth vs. And thus much for this point And in very déede our Lorde Iesus sheweth him that he hath grieuously offended because he was not ignoraunt of this poynt of the lawe which sayeth that whosoeuer sheddeth mans blood his blood shall be shed agayne And therefore Sainte Peter was to haue kepte this lesson in mind That God would not haue anie force nor violeÌ„ce vsed Gen. 9.6 And that which is more in what Schoole was hee brought vp by the space of thrée yéeres And besides did not our Lorde Iesus put him in mind as much as was possible to behaue himselfe gently graciously From whence then should he fetch any allowance of this his rashe dealing Wherefore wée haue so much the rather to obserue that which wée haue already spoken to wit that if wée fetche our zeale from men bée flattered well like off yet will GOD condemne vs if wée transgresse his commaundement neuer so little And therefore wée shal neuer bée saide to bée prayse worthy except we walke as God teacheth vs by his word For so soone as we passe this measure all our vertues stinke and become abhominable Loe then what becommeth of all our deuotions For when soeuer we shall haue trauailed neuer so much to do the thing which seemeth good in our owne braines God wyll vtterly condemne it without it be squared by his word For he alloweth not nor accompteth any thing to be lawful in truth but his very word But as for the
him before the Cock crow thou shalt denye mee thrise So he went out and wept bitterly Chapter xxvij 1 When the morning was come all the chiefe Priestes and Elders of the people tooke counsell againste Iesus to put him to death 2 And led hym away bound and deliuered him vnto Pontius Pylate the Gouernour 3 Then when Iudas whiche betrayed hym sawe that hee was condemned he repented himselfe and brought againe the thyrtie peeces of Siluer to the chiefe Priestes and Elders 4 Saying I haue sinned betrayinge the innocent blood But they sayde what is that to vs looke thou to it 5 And when he had cast downe the Siluer peeces in the temple he departed and hanged him selfe 6 And the chiefe priests tooke the Siluer peeces and saide it is not lawfull for vs to put them into the treasurie because it is the price of blood 7 And they tooke counsell and bought with them a potters fielde for the buriall of Straungers 8 Wherefore that fielde is called the field of blood vntill this day 9 Then was fulfilled that whiche was spoken by Ieremiah the Prophet saying and they tooke their siluer peeces the price of him that was valued whom they of the children of Israel valued 10 And they gaue them for the potters fielde as the Lorde appoynted mee 11 And Iesus stood before the Gouernour and the Gouernour asked him sayinge Art thou the Kinge of the Iewes Iesus saide vnto him thou saist it c. 2. Cor. 2.16 AS Saint Paul telleth vs that the preaching of the Gospell is a sauour of life vnto those whom God hath called to be saued and a sauour of death vnto the reprobate which perish euen so haue wee héere also two notable examples set before vs and worthy the remembraunce to shewe that the death and passion of the sonne of God was saluation vnto the one and a condemnation to the other For in the fall of Peter wee sée what the worke was which must draw him from out the bottomlesse death wherinto he fell headlong For as much as in hym lay he banished himselfe the heauenly kingdome estraunged him selfe from all hope of saluation and cut hym selfe cleane of from the Churche as a rotten member And yet the death of our Lorde Iesus Christ was it that must doo hym good although he deserued it not And as for Iudas it is saide that when hee sée our Lorde Iesus Christ to be condēned he desperatly hung himself Now he should as we haue said haue taken a good hart with hym to haue put his trust in God by reason of the condemnation of our Lorde Iesus Christ bicause we are pardoned by the power and vertue thereof Howbeit it was méete that these two specktacles should héere bee set before vs to the ende we might the better know that if we are not called by an especiall grace and fauour to bee pertakers of the fruite of the death and passion of the sonne of God it will avayle vs nothing And therfore it is not enough that our Lord Iesus Christ suffered without the benefit which he obtayned for vs bée bestowed vpon vs we to haue the full possession therof And euen then are we most assured of it whēas we are drawne vnto him by Faith But to the end we might the more perfectly vnderstand the matter let vs follow the text of the Storye as it is set downe It is sayde that our Lorde Iesus Christ was shamefully entreated in the house of Cayphas that they spit in his face buffeted him and slaunderously skorned him by callinge him a Prophet Now all this was to let vs vnderstand that what soeuer he suffered in in his owne person was to deliuer and frée vs before God and his Angels For there néedeth no spitting in our face to cause vs appeare before God spotted and blemished because we are not onely deformed and ougly by reason of our sinnes but also full of abhominable infections Moreouer we héere sée how that the Sonne of God the derye liuely Image of his Father Heb. 1.13 in whom his glorye and maiestie shineth hath suffered all these shames that wee might now appeare before God in his name to obtayne fauour and grace and thereby acknowledge vs as his Children being cleane voyde of all spots blemishes And this is it which we are to consider of in this fyrst place Now let vs come to the fall of Peter It is sayde That when a Mayd saw him she tolde him that he was one of Iesus Disciples but he denied it And that an other Mayde tolde him the like tale and he agayne denied it Afterwarde diuers pressed him with it and vrged it more vpon him and then hée began to sweare and curse him selfe as if he should haue saide I pray God I bee damned and come to naught and the earth open and swallow mée vp If I know him Héere then we sée how horribly and gréeuouslye Peter fell thrise which ought greatly to feare vs in reading of the Story Now we know how zealous hee was Iohn 24. Moreouer our Lorde Iesus Christ commended him and was called Péeter to signifie vnto vs the constancy of his faith he was brought vp in a very good Schoole and he had heard this doctrine taught whosoeuer denieth mée before men Math. 10.33 I wyll also denie him before my father which is in heauen And yet we sée how he fell And héere euery of vs hath good occasion to tremble and be afearde because Peters weaknesse was no greater then ours if we be not holpen from aboue wherfore in the first place we sée how fraile we are so soone as God taketh his hande from vs. For mention is not héere made of a skorner nor of a prophane man neither yet of one who had not tasted of the gospel nor that feared God or yet reuerenced our Lord Iesus Christ But it was all cleane contrarye because there were excellent giftes in Peter Math. 16.17 For the sonne of God fayde vnto him Fleshe and blood hath not reuealed these things vnto thée but my father which is in heauen We sée then that the holy ghost was in Peter And yet what a combat had he about the denyinge of our Lord Iesus yea with a silly Mayd But if a man had so spoken vnto him or if some honorable personage had made him afeard he might haue had some coulor for himselfe but we sée that a poore Mayd was enough to cause him forsake the hope of lyfe and saluation Let vs therefore looke vpon the person of Péeter and we shal sée that God had néede to strengthē vs euery mynute of an howre because we are not els able to abide it and although we haue laboured to come néere vnto his maiestie and that wee haue done many vertuous déedes yet shall we in the turning of an hande be altogether chaunged without God continueth in vs an inuincible constancie therfore let vs learne to put Paules admonition in
thinges this day in a dreame by reason of him 20 But the chiefe Priestes and the Elders had perswaded the people that they should aske Barabbas destroy Iesus 21 Then the Gouernour answeared and sayde vnto them whether of the twayne wyll yee that I let lose vnto you and they sayd Barabbas 22 Pylate saide vnto them what shall I doe then with Iesus which is called Christ They all saide vnto him let him be crucified 23 Then saide the Gouernour But what euill hath he done Then they cryed out the more saying Let him be crucified 24 When Pylate sawe that hee preuailed nothing but that more tumult was made he tooke water washed his handes before the multitude saying I am innocent of the blood of this iust man looke you vnto it 25 Then answered all the people and said his blood be vpon vs and on our children 26 Then let he Barabbas loose vnto them and scourged Iesus and deliuered him to be crucified WEe haue héere before alreadie séene that our Lord Iesus so willingly offered himselfe to be made a sheriffee for the repairing and blotâ—ing out of our iniquities through his obedience as that hée was verie wel contented to be coÌ„demned And here we sée why it is saide that he answered to none of the accusations that were brought against him Hée was able â—ust â—iâ—ally to haue done it but he held his peace as it is also laide of him by the Prophet Isaiah Which thing was not done Isaiah 53. 7. onely to shew his patience but also that we might be able at this day fréely to glorie that we are iust and innocent before God although our owne consciences accuse and condemne vs because we knowe hee hath receiued vs to â—â—â—â—y and that also in sinnes are taken away by reason of the perfection thee was found to be in our Lord Iesus Christ And thus we see how that the Sonne of God hath purchased vs libertie that we might be able boldly to glorie that we are the children of God and taken before him to be righteous to wit when he would make no reply for the setting foorth of his purenes of life Now in verie déede a man would at the first sight thinke it verie straunge that he held his peace yet saide that he was King of the Iewes For these things séeme to be cleane contrary Howbeit Ioh. 6.15 S. Iohn goeth on further and saith that hée declared that his kingdome was not of this world and besides said that he was the Sonne of God For he protested that he was come into the world to defend the trueth And all this agreeth verie well together For it must néedes be that our Lord Iesus should shewe him selfe to bée the King of the Iewes and the Sonne of God also without yee would haue denied the Prophecies howbeit hée did not this to acquit himself but choose rather to hold his peace and vse few words because he would be condemned We haue then here to note that when we heare the silence of Iesus Christ spokeÌ„ of it was because he would make no excuse and therfore held his peace and yet was he coÌ„tented to speak as much as was néedful We sée also why S. Paul saith that he made a good confession before Pontius Pylate 1. Tim. 6.13 For if our Lord Iesus would haue stood to his defence the Iudge was alreadie persuaded of his innocency And so by his speaking he might haue had the day And this was it that made Pylate so to wonder and yet our Lorde Iesus was contented â—o vnâ—nesse as much as God had enioyned him to do not 〈◊〉 that he should teach for that was no place for the purpose buâ— to confirme and ratefie the doctrine which before he had deâ—â—eâ—â—â— Nowe we are on the one side to note by the way that the offence which chiefliest troubled the Iewes was that he had made a garâ—oâ—â— hindred the payment of tribute to the Emperour of Rome which was a thing to moue the Gouernor being a Pagan whom the Emperour had sent thither to wrath In deed this is very certaine that our Lord Iesus shewed himself to be a king Iohn 6.15 but yet no earthly Prince for we sée that wheÌ„ the Iewes would haue crowned him he withdrew himselfe and hid him in a mountaine and thereby he cut the throate of this slaunder because he should haue made the Gospel to haue béen euil spoken of if he had peruerted the politike order and gouernment of the world For be that came to call vs all to the kingdome of heauen and to make vs partakers therof meant not to abolish earthly kingdoms séeing they are vpholden by him and his power And therfore it was not méet that the Gospell should carry with it any such blame as that Iesus Christ was come to vsurpe any worldly power or authoritie And héere we sée why he namely saieth vnto Pylate that his kingdome was not of this world And to say the trueth what were it and if the kingdom of Iesus Christ were earthly For what should we get by putting our trust in him 1. Cor. 15.19 when as we sée our estate to be so miserable in the worlde Truely the very Infidels are in better case then we considering the afflictions which we must abide In déede it is true that God sendeth his scourges ouer the face of the whole earth and they which desire as much as is possible to be freed from them shal neither will nor choose but be subiect to a number of miseries and afflictions And yet for al this we shal alwayes be more roughly handled For God must first begin to chastise his owne house and Church And therfore if our Lord Iesus had béen an earthly King it shoulde séeme that we were méere straungers vnto him Moreouer let it bée that wée had all the pleasures in the world and that by the meane of the Sonne of God wée were héere as in a Paradise yet shoulde our life bée but a shadowe and our felicitie verie short and transitorie And therefore we ought verie well to knowe and be fully persuaded that the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ is heauenly that wée might bende our selues to the euerlasting life wherevnto wée are called Thus we sée that the kingdome of Iesus Christ is euerlasting because it consisteth not of any thing in this corrupt worlde Let vs therefore patiently beare all our aduersities considering it neither diminisheth nor lesseneth the grace which our Lorde Iesus Christ hath obteined for vs for they are eueÌ„ so many helps to our saluation as Paule witnesseth Rom. 8.28 And when the worlde shall despise and mocke vs we suffer many slanders abide hunger and thirst drawe our legges after vs and be harried on euerie side yet must we haue this consideration that God accepteth of vs. And this is as if hée chocked vs by the thinne and saide Looke vp a soft and set not your mindes
humblinge them selues and to bee repentaunt are so much the more infected and poysoned prouokinge eftsoones the wrath of God and driuing him into an hoat burning flame to consume them therin and all this we sée And therefore let vs looke vpon these two théeues as the mirrors of all the worlde for from hte hyest to the lowest wee are all gultye before the Lorde Yea and yf we all suffered this together what is hee that might bragge of his innocencye or who is hee that coulde purchase his pardon Wherefore séeinge wee are ouer head and eares in condemnation wee iustly suffer for our sinnes and yet we wyll not all alyke graunt it because there are some as we haue said which waxe rather worse and there rebellion agaynst God is openlye séene For they gnashe their téeth spewe out their rage and crueltie and will neuer agrée to this condemnation or els they take the bit in their mouthes and shewe them selues so stubborne as that they wyll not stick to saye that God shall winne nothing by it nor yet haue the masterie of them Now let vs conclude that when miserable sinners acknowledge their sinnes and be humbled and confesse the debt giuinge glory to God declaring also that he handleth thē iustlye and rightlye and that it is good reason they should be so chastised when I say wretched sinners be drawne to this reason let vs vnderstand that God hath put to his hande and touched them with his holy spirit that we may sée his wonderful infynit goodnes whēas he pulleth those out of destruction and hell whose case before was as it were desperat In sūme we sée in the person of this miserable théefe so excellent an example of faith as neuer was séene And therfore we should be so much the rather rauished with such a miracle as thē God wrought for in what state stoode he Beholde he was nie his death hée suffered horrible tormentes he looked to haue his bones to be crushed and broken and to be dismembered whiche was so sharppe and terrible a torment as that it was euen enough to haue made him haue lost both sence and memorye hee sawe also our Lorde Iesus who most flaunderouslye was to be hanged there as well as him selfe and yet sée what wordes he vsed for he doth not onely acknowledge his sinnes for the humblinge him selfe before God he doth not onely vse the office of a teacher to bring home his companyon and to set him in the right way but maketh suche a confession as is more worth then all the rest if we consider well the circumstances I beseeche thee saieth hée remember mee whenas thou commest into thy kingdome How was it possible that he could conceiue that Iesus Christ had a kingdome for hee was hanged on trée and cursed of God and men For this sayinge of the lawe was spoken by the mouth of God cursed is hee that hangeth on tree Deut. 21.23 Galat. 3.13 Neither dyd this come to passe by chaunce as we commonly say that God put his onely sonne to it And therefore when he sée Iesus Christ to be there accursed both before God and men yea as one throwne downe into a desperat case as farre as mans reason could reach vnto hee had not such a stayed brayne to say that Iesus Christ was a Kinge without hee had spoken it in faith and in spirit For he saw such thinges as might haue made him decline from the son of God to haue made him thus conclude that it was but an abuse mockery to trust in him and yet he called him king whē he sée him ready to dye I beseeche thee sayeth hee saue mee and graunt mée lyfe For it thou wilt remember mée that is all the blessednesse that I desyre Now when wee shall well consider of these circumstances without all doubte the faith of this théefe was so excellent and great as that neuer any man that euer lyued had the lyke And therefore let not vs be a shamed to be his disciples for to say the trueth the death of our Lord Iesus Christ wyll neuer stande vs in any stead except we condemne our selues that we might be saued through him neither will God euer pardon vs without wee confesse our selues to be most wicked filthy Since then it is so that we are guiltie before God and that our owne cōsciences doo iudge and condemne vs let vs not be a shamed to folow this théefe his steps séeing he may be a good Scholemaster vnto vs. And because our Lord Iesus is ascended now into heauen and hath taken possession of the glory which God his father hath giuen him Phil. 2.10 to the end euery knée might bow vnto him let vs not doubt to put our selues wholy into his custody cōclude say loe wherin lieth our felicity to wit the Iesus Christ is mindful of vs gouerneth vs because he was ordayned to be our shepheard he wil be watchful ouer our saluation that we might be safe sure vnder his hand and protection Moreouer let vs learne paciently to beare the miseries of this present life so that it maketh not vs decline from comming vnto our Lord Iesus Christ For we sée here that the théefe was heard and yet was hee faine to abide and harde and terrible death Let vs therefore so estéeme of the spirituall grace which is giuen vs by our Lord Iesus Christ and which is dayly offred vnto vs by the preaching of the Gospell as that it may make vs ouercome all the anguishes griefes domages troubles and temptations which any way may come vnto vs so that all our afflictions might be mitigated because we know that they shal all turne to our benefit and welfare through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ And this is it which we are here to obserue And besides let vs here to ioyne the the answere of our Lord Iesus Christ when he promised that hée should be that day with him in Paradise For although our Lord Iesus was not as yet risen from death nor had not accomplished all that was requisit for our redemption and saluation yet had hée alreadie powred abroad the power fruit of his death and passion True it is that the fulfilling of all rested in the resurrection But since it is conioyned with his death and passion and that we know he suffred in the weaknesse of his flesh euen so is he risen again by the vertue of his spirit and as he suffred for our sinnes that wée might be made frée before God so likewise rose he againe for our iustification Nowe when we knowe all this I say let vs with so much the more bold courage come frankly vnto him not doubt but that whē he pleaseth to remember vs and hide vs vnder the shadow of his winges that we may be able to stande against Satan death and al miseries glory in our weaknesse And although we be in the sight of the world
before saide after the example of Dauid My God my God why hast thou forsaken mée Euen so likewise taketh hée at this present the prayer which Dauid made in the one and thirtie Psalme Into thy handes I commend my spirite In very déede Dauid saide these wordes when he was in the middest of all his dangers Psal 31.6 as if hée shoulde haue saide O Lorde I beséeche thée receiue mée into thy protection for my soule is as it were in my hands is there euen at randon for I sée how I am thrust out to all hazardes and my life hangeth as by a thréed and therefore thou must protect mée Wée sée héere then that Dauid by this prayer made God his protector and yet gaue hée not ouer but still called on him whenas he was at the point of death alwayes assuring himselfe that God woulde saue his chosen not only in defending thē héere in this worlde but also when hée calleth them vnto himselfe For the chiefest regarde that God hath on vs is this that when hée hath taken vs out of this worlde hee hideth vs vnder his winges that we might inioy his presence 2. Cor. 5.8 according to the saying of Saint Paule to the Corinthes For when our Lorde Iesus made this prayer hée sheweth that he died quietly whenas he ouercame all the combates which hee susteined for vs and triumpheth in our behalfes both for our profite and for our saluation And a none after he declareth by the same meanes that God is his Sauiour kéepeth his soule as a sufficient pledge For this much his request imported when he said My God thou shalt preserue my soule euen when I am dead When our Lorde Iesus speaketh after this sort it is as muche as if hée assured vs all that wee cannot doe amisse in submitting our selues vnto our GOD séeing that hée for the defending of vs vouchsafeth to take the charge of vs and that we shall neuer perish vnder his hand Now we haue eftsoones to consider that when Iesus Christ saide Into thy handes O Lorde I commend my spirite that hee obteined this priuiledge which Saint Stéeuen gaue him in the seuenth of the Acts Acts. 7.59 which is hée was made the preseruer of all our soules For what was it that S. Stéeuen saide when hee went to his death Forsooth these were his wordes Into thy hands O Lorde I commende my spirite And héere wée sée that Saint Stéeuen shewed the benefite of the request which Iesus Christe made to wit that wée may nowe come vnto him and that wee ought to doe so declaring that since God his Father had made him a Shephearde for vs that wee shoulde not doubt but to bée at peace come life come death knowing that all shall bee for our profite and turne to our benefite and as Saint Paule saieth that when hee had Iesus Christe hee had riches enough Phil. 1.21 and cared neither for life nor death for all shoulde be gayne vnto him Wherfore let vs nowe learne that when death shall assaile vs that Iesus Christe hath broken the sting which might haue stoong vs deadly to the heart and that death shall no longer hurte vs and that when our Lorde Iesus yéelded vp his Spirite vnto God his Father it was not onely to haue it conserued in his owne person but that hee myght haue this Priuiledge that ours might bee preserued eftsoones by the power of this request whenas wee shall come vnto him as vnto one vnder whose protection we cannot peryshe as hee himselfe declareth And this is that triumph wherof wee haue spoken which alreadie profiteth vs. For our Lorde Iesus sheweth howe precious his death is when as hee went so fréely vnto his Father as that wee might bee brought vnto him and to shewe vs the way But the principall point is this that wee might vnderstande what benefite wée receiue thereby because he hath cancelled the Obligation that was against vs that hée hath so purchased full satisfaction for our sinnes as that wee may bee bolde to come before God his Father so that death it selfe is no way able to harme nor hurt vs. And although wee see many thinges in vs which might make vs afearde through the féeling of our miseries let vs not for all that cease to glory in him who so abased himselfe for vs to the ende hée myght rayse vs vp with himselfe And although there is nothing in vs but shame and rebuke yet séeing that Iesus Christe hung vpon the Crosse God woulde haue him by the mouth of Pilate to bee called a King And so although the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christe is nothing estéemed of héere in this worlde yet let vs account it to bée the foundation of all our glory and let vs also vnderstande that although wée be put to shame vnder his conduct yet that wee haue whereof to reioyce because our estate shall be alwayes blessed forsomuch as that whatsoeuer miseries afflictions and rebukes wée shall abide are more honorable and precious before God then all the Scepters pompes and the most honourable thinges wherein wée take any pleasure and delight Thus wée sée how wee must come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe and so stick vnto him as that we might vnderstand of what valure the riches are which he bringeth vs but especially when hée guideth vs by his Gospell let vs forsake all the commodities and pleasures of this world and also abhorre them whenas they shal withdrawe vs frō the right way To be short let our Lord Iesus haue the honor which he deserueth let not vs for our parts be like vnto Réedes carried with euery wind but being established in him let vs call vpon God we shall haue victory ouer life death ouer which he hath alreadie triumphed And besides let vs whiles we are yet in this worlde yéeld him this honour to wit euen to acknowledge that he is our defender which he will do whenas we truly come vnto him neither wil he I say doe it after an ordinary maner but euen myraculously For although death shoulde cast vs downe headlong yet is it his office to drawe vs out of it and guide vs vnto the heauenly inheritance which he so dearely hath purchased for vs. Let vs nowe fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God acknowledge our offences beséeching him that hee will make vs féele them otherwise then we haue done And that we might bee so touched with the lothing of them as that we might returne vnto our God with heartie repentance And not for a day onely but to cōtinue it with sighing and groning And although we shall beheld within this prison of bondage yet let vs alwayes lift vp our harts vnto the heauens and come familiarly vnto our God since he is so enclined to mercy and calleth vs of his owne accord without tarrying till wée séeke him And when wée see that our Lorde Iesus doeth not onely come néere vs to
the end he might declare this his loue vnto vs but woulde be so abased for a time as that he might lift vs aloft so that we through faith shoulde not doubt to attaine thereto tarrying and wayting vntill we be al come thither together That hée will not onely graunt vs this grace but also all nations c. The eight Sermon of the Passion Matthew .xxvii. 55 AND there were many women beholding him a far of which folowed Iesus from Galilee ministring vnto him 56 Among which was Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of Iames and Ioses and the mother of Zebedes children 57 When euening was come there came a riche man from the Citie of Arimathea named Ioseph who also had been Iesus Disciple 58 He went to Pilate and begged the body of Iesus then Pilate commaunded the body to be deliuered 59 And when Ioseph had taken the body he wrapped it in a cleane linnen cloth 60 And laide it in his newe Tombe which hee had heawen out of the rocke and when hee had rolled a greate stone to the dore of the Sepulchre hee departed WE haue héeretofore séene and hearde howe our Lorde Iesus hath shewed and set foorth the fruite and power of his death in this poore theefe who séemed to be as a lost and damned soule Now if all they that before had béen instructed by the Gospell had fallen away from it whenas they sée the sonne of GOD put to death a man woulde thinke that the preaching thereof had béen both vaine vnprofitable And besides we know that the Apostles were chosen to this state of life to be as the chiefe rulers in the Church wherefore it is not like that this election of theirs to this office and estate was a vaine and friuolous thing And therefore it is héere set downe vnto vs that although the Apostles left this estat wherin they shewed a beastly cowardlynes for Saint Peter himselfe denied our Lord Iesus whereby he was as one cut of from all hope of our saluation and worthy to bee taken as a rotten member yet would not God suffer that the Gospel which they had before receiued should be quenched and vtterly abolished In very déede S. Mat. lyketh rather of the faithful constancy of the Women then of the men and it is to this ende that we might learne to magnify the goodnesse of God so much the more who by his power strengthneth our weaknes To this entent purpose are also the wordes of Saint Paule saying that God hath chosē the weak ones of this world to confound the mighty strong to the ende they should not glorifye themselues 1. Cor. 1.27 Since then it was héere this spoken of men and of their great courage and whiche followed our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto his death this might be taken to be as a naturall cause But whenas women being guided by the spirite of God were founde to bee more valyant then those men who were chosen for the publishing of the Gospel throughout the world let vs by this vnderstand that it was the work of God and therfore the prayse to be giuen to him Now it is namly saide that these women followed our Lorde Iesus to serue or minister vnto him Which thing a great deale more declareth their affection in profyting by the Gospell For this was no trifling power that was in them whenas they would leaue their owne houses to wander vp and downe hether and thither both to their great pain and shame also And we know in what state and condition our Lorde Iesus stood whiles he liued héere in this worlde For thus he saith the Foxes had holes and the Birdes of the ayre nestes but that he Mat. 8. 20. had no place wherin to hide his head Contrarywise we sée that these women had wherwith to liue quietly and pleasantly They then which wandred after this sort and could hardly get any lodging féeling hunger thirst were also mightely skorned and laughed at besides their being chased and troubled euery where and yet ouercame all this geare and bare it pacientlye wee must néedes iudge that God strengthned them Now they also declared euen at his death the hope which they had had in our Lord Iesus christ For although their harts were dead as it were as héerafter shal be declared more at full and that they thought him to be cleane dispatcht yet they might perceiue not long after that they were deceiued For he had told them that he should restore the kingdome of God he had also spoken vnto them of perfect blessednes of the saluation which he must make an ende of And what of all these things forsooth héereby we sée that although these séely womens harts were sore troubled bicause they knew not what wold become of our Lord Iesus yet dyd he strengthen thē by his mightie power in ende brought it to so passe as that they might both vnderstand and iudge that hee had made them no vaine promise For they looked for the promise of his resurrection which in the iudgment of the world was not to be hoped of Notwithstāding we sée how he exercised their faith to the ende we should not trouble our selues beyond measure although to the outwarde shew it might appeare that God had forsaken vs all the promisses of the Gospell to be as thinges abolished but that wee should neuerthelesse Stand fast sure in thē For if we do not these women will bewitnesses against vs to our great condemnatiō if we faile in these conflicts Woulde wee haue a grosser tryall then that whiche they abode And yet by Faith they obtayned victorye And therefore let vs arme our selues when we are tolde of the attemps wherwith Satan goeth about to assaile vs and let vs I say be well appoynted before the blow come and shew our selues to be so setled in the power of our Lord Iesus Christ that although wee cannot at the first perceiue how the thing which is tolde vs may come to passe yet let vs rest in him doo him this honor to beléeue that hee will at last shew him selfe faithfull And it is very néedefull that we shoulde be thus tryed euen to the vttermost For otherwise we would bée to to fine and nice and laye our faith to morgage or els faine vs héere an earthly paradice so our sences woulde neuer be able to raise vs as hie as heauen that we might forsake this world Which thing we may very perfectlye sée in the mother of Iohn Iames. For we vnderstand that she was before that so ambitiously carried as that she would haue had our Lord Iesus sit in his Kingly throane with all the pompe and brauery that might be her sonnes to sit by him as his two Lieftennaunts For thus she said vnto him Math. 20.21 I beseech thée Sir cōmaund that one of my sons may sit on thy right hand and the other on thy left Héere we sée a
for out of it was the lawe and the worde of God taught neuerthelesse our Lord Iesus Christ would not shew him selfe vnto his Disciples in that Citie séeinge the wickednesse of it to be as yet so fresh in memory and on the other side his meaning was to conforme him selfe vnto their grosnesse for they were as it were so amazed as that lookes would not haue contēted thē with out he had taken them aside and in such sort haue so shewed hymselfe as that they might haue bene fully satisfyed Howbeit we sée that the women which are héere named forgot not to reuerence our Lord Iesus Christ as their maister although they were greatly troubled with his death whervpō may consequently be iudged that the word of God was déeply rooted in their harts for although their faith was weake yet sought they for our Lorde Iesus at the Sepulchre And as for ignoraunce it could no waies excuse them bicause they should haue lifted vp their minds into heauen looking from thens the resurrection that was promised them séeing it was appointed out vnto them by name to be the third day Now their mindes were so occupied as that they could not comprehend the principall matter to wit the our Lord Iesus should ouercome death that he might therby obtaine life and saluation for vs. I call it the principall poynt because that without it as Paul sayeth the Gospell should haue bene in vaine our fayth in vaine 1. Cor. 15.14 Euen so although these poore women had a good minde vnto the Sonne of GOD and knew that the Gospel whiche was preached vnto them was the very truth yet were they so troubled and in such a maze as that they were not able to reache vnto the depth of his resurrection and therfore came vnto the Sepulchre with their swéete oyntments Now this was a falt worthy condemnation and yet God accepted of their ministery for he excused that their amazednesse vntil he had brought them back to the consideration of the matter Héereby we sée that when our Lorde alloweth of any thing we do it is so farre of that we shoulde make an accompte that we haue deserued any thinge as that contrarywise hée of his frée mercy and goodnesse alloweth the thing which inveridéede was not worthy to be offered vnto him For God may alwayes haue good occasion to condemne our workes if hee woulde straightly examine them because they shall neuer be founde vnspotted Howbeit God spareth vs is contented to receiue the thing which we offer vnto him be it neuer so weake and fauty so that we deliuer it vp in an assured and pure faith and acknowledge that he accepteth vs for Iesus Christ his sake And this is it which wée haue in this place to obserue But in the meane while let vs also vnderstand that it was méete there shuld in the buriall of our Lord Iesus Christ be another maner and a better sauour and of greater force then all the swéete oyntmentes which are héere spoken of We haue already saide that the Iewes customably vsed to anoynt the bodies for the confirmation of their hope in the resurrection and of the heauenly lyfe which was a signification that the bodies did not so corrupt but that they shoulde be preserued vnto the last day till God had restored them But the body of our Lord Iesus Christ was clearly exempt from this corruption Now it was not the swéete baulmes which could doo it Psal 16.10 but because it was said that God would not suffer his holy one to see corruption we sée that our Lorde Iesus was by miracle preserued frō all corruptiō And because he was exempt from corruptiō we are at this present certen assured of the glory of the resurrectiō which we haue already seene in his owne person wherefore wée sée the swéet sauour of the buriall resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ hath so farre stretched out it selfe as that wee are thereby quickned What then remaineth there to be done forsooth let not vs séeke any longer for the Sepulchre as these women did whose ignoraunce and weaknes hath stoode vs in some stead but let vs looke vp into heauen since he calleth vs thither vnto him and hath shewed vs the way thereto and hath beside declared vnto vs that he hath taken possessiō of his heauenly kingdom to the end he might make a roome place ready for vs Iohn 14.2 whē as we shal there seeke after him Howbeit we must also note the saying of S. Mat. for the angel saith he appeared who so feared the Souldiers as that they be came like dead men The women also were in the like flight but the Angel forthwith comforted them saying feare you not for I know yée séeke Iesus which was crucified he is risen as he saide Wée sée héere how God so accepteth of the affection zeale of these womē as that he correcteth notwithstanding the thing which he mislyketh I meane hee correcteth by the mouth of the Angell whom hee appoynted there in his turne We haue already sayde that it procéedeth of the singuler mercy and goodnesse of God whenas hee receiueth our imperfect ministery which he might very wel abhor Howbeit he receueth of vs the thing which is of no value euen as a father taketh of his children many things in good part which otherwise were very bables and trifles Thus we sée how liberally God dealeth with vs and yet he woulde not haue vs please and flatter our selues in our sinnes Let vs therefore beholde how the Angell correcteth these womens imperfection although their drift was to a good ende yet are they condemned of a perticuler vice whiche was in them And loe why S. Luke saith that they were most sharplye rebuked when it is saide Luk. 24.5 wherfore séeke you the liuing among the dead but we are héere to obserue that the faithlesse wicked souldiers who had no feare either of God or of religion were terrefied became like mad men indéede the women were also afeard but they were foorthwith comforted And thus we sée how terrible the maiesty of God is to all those vnto whom he sheweth himselfe and he doth it because we should féele our fraylnes whenas God manifesteth himselfe vnto vs and where before we were presumptuosly puffed vp and so imbouldned as that we thought our selues too be no mortall men whenas God shewed vs any signe of his presence therfore it was méete that of necessitie we should be confoūded and be brought to acknowledge our estate to be but dust asshes al our vertues to be but as slitting vanishing smoke And this falleth out both to good bad Moreouer when God terrifieth the faithles he leueth them as reprobats because they are no way worthy to tast of his goodnes Wee also sée why they flye his presence why they set them selues against him gnash their téethe become so furious as that they are without all
wit reason doo become euen very brutish But the faithfull although they bee terrified yet ar they reléeued and take good courage because that God comforteth and gladdeth them And therfore the feare wherew t the presence of the maiestie of God terrifieth the faithfull is but a preparatiue to humble them to the ende they might reuerence and obey him as he is worthy and confesse themselues to be nothinge that they might looke for al their blessednes in him alone Héere then we sée why the Angell saide feare not Now this sayinge is worthy the noting for it is as muche as if hee had saide I wyll clearely giue ouer these faithlesse and scombe of the world for they are not worthy of any mercye and I direct my speache vnto you and bring you glad tidinges Be not you therfore afeard because yée come to séeke Iesus Christ Nowe when wee sée this let vs learne to séeke our Lorde Iesus but not as I haue sayde thus grosely as these women of whom we haue spoken did as indéede there is now no occasiō to séeke the sepulchre but let vs go directly without hipocyisie vnto him by faith And let vs vnderstand that this message appertaineth to vs and is spoken to vs that wée might bouldly and without feare come vnto him and not in contemptuous maner for we ought to worship the maiesty of GOD in feare and trembling but how euer it is let vs not be so sauadge as though distrust had oppressed vs. And therfore let vs vnderstād that the sonne of God will conforme him selfe like vnto vs whenas we come vnto him by faith yea and wee shall bee sure to finde wherwith to comfort and glad our selues because he hath purchased the kingdome and principalytie of euerlasting life for our profit and welfare And yet notwithstandinge the women departed quicklye with feare and great ioy Loe how the weaknesse of their faith appeared I haue saide that the thing which they went about was to a good ende but they kept not the right course as may be séene by their feare for they were not fully resolued and assured of the resurrection And yet they had hearde it many times spoken of but their mindes were not so setled as to conclude for a truth that there was no looking for our lord Iesus in the sepulchre We sée then from whence this feare came And hereby wee may perceiue that this is a sinful affection Indéede wee must as I haue saide feare GOD reuerence his maiestie obey him and wholy be humbled to the end he might be gloriously exalted and all mouthes be stopped he therby be known to be the only iust wise omnipotēt god But this feare wherof mentiō is made in the 2. place is wicked dānable for it turned to the shame of these séely womē bicause that although they both sée heard the Angel speake yet they thought it to be but a dreame as it were Now by this we are aduertised the god oftētimes so worketh in vs as that we do not perceue as a man would say whether we haue profited any whit or not for we ar so ignorant so fantastical as that we are ouershadowed as with clouds wherby we are not able to behold the clere light to be short all the doctrine of God séemeth to vs very vnprofitable yet wée find some tast amongst which maketh vs féele that god hath wrought in our harts For although ther be but a spark of grace in vs let vs not be discouraged but beséeche the Lord to encrease that litle that he hath begun vntil such time as we be brought to a ful perfection frō the which we are as yet very far of And although the feare and ioy which these women had be accomted and condemned for a falt yet we sée that God continually gouerned them by his holy spirit and that the message which the Angel deliuered vnto them was not altogether vnprofitable We are now to looke farder into the matter and that is this that Lord Iesus appeared in the way vnto them and said feare ye not but goe and tell my Brethren that they meete altogether in Galile and there they shall see mee We see héere in this place a great deale more how that the sonne of God draweth vs vnto him by degrées vntill such time as we be throughly confirmed whereof wee haue great néede Now this was sufficient enough that the women had hard the message deliuered by the mouth of the Angel the signes and tokens wer such as that they could not chuse but think that he was sent from God for his face did shine as it were In very déede the whit garment and such like was not liuely to expresse the maiestie of God howbeit the women had an assured testimony that it was not a mortall man which spake but an Angell from heauen And therfore this was a sufficiēt testimony vnto thē but yet they were a great deale the more assured whenas they had séene our Lord Iesus whom they before knew to be the sonne of God his vnchaungable truth And this more fully ratified the thing which they had before heard by the mouth of the Angel And thus wee sée how we may encrease in faith for at the first we shal not be able to vnderstand what power and effect is in the worde of God but if we be taught well somthing we learne by it and yet is this litle or nothing God wat howbeit God by litle and litle toucheth vs with his holy spirit in the end sheweth vs that it is he himselfe which speaketh And then are we fully resolued insomuch as we haue not only some knowledge but we are also so perswaded as that when the deuill shall go about to deuise whatsoeuer he can possibly yet shall he neuer be able to shake our faith because we hold this principle that the sonne of God is our teacher vpon whom we stay because we know him to haue all mastership ouer vs is worthy of most excellent authority And this we sée was in these women Indéede God worketh not alike in al men For God wil so cal some euen at the first as that we shall perceue that he hath powred vpon thē wonderful extraordinary power yet we shal be oftentimes so taught as that we may plainly sée our grossenes and weaknes to the end we might therby so much the more gloryfy our God acknowledge that whatsoeuer we haue commeth al from him Let vs now come to the saying which hath bene already spoken of Go tel my Brethrē that they meete all together in Galile We see then héere that the son of God appeared not to Mary and to the company which were with her only as to show himself to seuen or eight persons but his meaning was that this message should be published vnto the Apostles the it should be at this present deliuered vnto vs that we might be
sacrifice was offered they did eat and were mery euen so likewise must we now come and receiue our spirituall meat and foode which is héere offered vnto vs in this sacrifice for our redemption In veridéed wee must not eate Iesus Christ fleshly for he is not betwéene our téethes as the Papistes doo dreame But wee take Breade for a sure vndoubted pawne that we féede on the body of Iesus Christ spiritually and we receiue a litle wine to shew that we are spiritually sustained by his precious blood Howbeit let vs with all note the saying of Saint Paul that because vnder the figures of the lawe it was not lawfull to eate leauened bread and that wee are now no more vnder such shadowes wee must cast away the leauen of maliciousnesse and wickednesse and of all our corruptions and take to vs the bread which hath no bitternesse but the bread of purenesse and truth And therefore when we come vnto this holy Table wherein the sonne of God sheweth vs that he is our meat and giueth him selfe vnto vs for a full and whole repast and would haue vs be now partakers of the sacrifice which he once offered for our saluation we ought to looke well vnto it that wee come not hether spotted and filed with sinne and iniquity but vtterly to forsake them all and be altogether cleansed of them to the ende our Lorde Iesus might allow vs to bee the members of his body and by that meanes also be partakers of his life And thus we sée how we must profyt our selues at this day by this holy supper which is made ready for vs which is this that it may lead vs vnto the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ and also vnto his resurrection that therby we may trust to haue life saluation because that by his victorious resurrectiō we are made righteous and the gates of heauen in such sort set open vnto vs as that we may bouldly approche vnto our God and offer our selues before him since wee knowe that hee wyll alwayes take vs as his children Let vs now fall downe before the maiestie of our good God acknowledge our offences beséechinge him to haue mercy vpon vs that we may finde fauour at his handes although we deserue it not And that he will not pardon onely the sinnes whiche wee haue already committed but also ridde vs of all the faultes and miseries of our flesh vntill such time as hee hath clothed vs with the perfection of his holynesse wherevnto hee dalye exhorteth vs. And so let vs all say O almighty God and heauenly Father c. ¶ The first Sermon of the Prophesie of Iesus Christ as concerning his death and passion taken out of the Prophete Isaiah Isaiah Lij 13 BEholde my seruaunt shall prosper he shal be exalted and extolled and be very high 14 As many were astonied at thee His visage was so deformed of men and his forme of the Sonnes of men so shall he sprinkle many nations the kinges shall shut their mouthes at him for that which had not beene tolde them shal they see and that which they had not heard shall they vnderstand Chap. Liij 1 VVHo will beleeue our reporte and to whom is the grace of the Lord reueiled THe Prophet hauing generally spokē of al the people of the Iewes commeth now to the head vpon whō hangeth al that hath bin before said For their redemption was only grounded in vpon our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Cor. 1.20 because in him are al the promises of God accomplished Now it is long time past sithence the redéemer was promised But when it was thoughte that the ligne of Dauid was vtterly extinguished the hope of the faithfull might altogether haue bin abolished For it was said that God would establish a king for euer 2. Kin. 24.15 2. Chro. 36.10 would set him on Dauids seate notwithstanding that he should haue the sunne and the moone of heauē yet should this kingdom be mainteined cōserued that although al the world should perish yet should this be so stable sure as that it should very wel be séen that this was a kingdom wholly consecrated vnto God And yet for al that it decreased yea soone after by little little fell in decay vntil such time as the last king saue one 2. Kin. 15.7 Ierem. 39.6 32.9 was carried away captiue al the kingly ligne translated as it were cleane cut of And the last king who was created at the charge of an Infidel an enemie vnto al religion in the ende playing the rebell against him it so fell out as that the king was takē his eyes put out he was indited his children were slaine he himselfe was most shamefully condemned the temple with al his houses were burnt What was to be thought héervpon Forsooth it must néeds bée that the Iewes assured themselues by the Prophet that God would in the end take compassion on them and bring them out of captiuitie For it was méete he shoulde tel them that that which was spoken to Abraham in the old time was not spokē in vayne That in his séede all the nations of the earth shoulde bee blessed and that there should be a king of the ligne of Dauid established whose Empire should be euerlasting and without end And therefore we sée why Isaiah restraineth heere his spéeche vnto the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ to this end purpose I say that the redēption returne of the people which before hée had spokē of might be holden to be most certayne and sure Nowe we haue séene here aboue Isaiah 42.1 that our Lord Iesus was called The seruaunt of God forsomuch as he most obediently submitted himself for our saluation yea beyng hée who was Lord of glory the head of the Angels and before whom euery knée must bowe Wherfore since this name of seruaunt is geuen vnto him let vs vnderstande that it is because he tooke vpō him our nature and that hée would not only abase himselfe therein but also be made of no reputation For it coulde not bée chosen but that our transgressions and iniquities must be repayred through his obedience And according to that which hée saide to Iohn Baptist Mat. 3 1◠hée must néedes fulfil the measure of al righteousnesse Thus wée sée that although our Lord Iesus Christ was ful of al maiesty God euerlasting yet because he took vpon him our nature and became like vnto vs hée thought not skorne too bée of the lowest degree of men whiche cannot bee gainesayd For although his diuine nature was no whit chaunged Yet if we consider well of the matter it was méete he should abase himselfe Galat. 4.4 as he was a Mediator betwixt God and vs for it is said that he was made subiect to the law although indéed he was no whit indebted to the same for it was he that must rule all and vnto whō al
is not onely spoken of the person of our Lord Iesus Christ but also of the whole course of his Gospell and of the whole order which he taketh for the maintenance gouernment of the faithfull And therefore if we would be assured of our saluation in Iesus Christ we must in the first place not be ashamed that he was so disfigured after the maner of men being sent into the world was taken to be as one most accursed and soone after his Gospel was in such sort slaundered as we sée it to be euen at this day For if we be ashamed to receiue our Lorde Iesus Christ crucified without doubt we are excluded from all hope of saluatioÌ„ For how are we saued by him How belongeth the heauenly enheritance to vs without he had béen made accursed for vs not only accursed before meÌ„ but also by the mouth of God his father Thus we sée that Iesus Christ the fountaine of all blessing hath neuertheles borne our sinnes and was made like vnto the old sacrifices which were called sin offrings 1. Cor. 5. â—â— because the wrath of God was shewed in theÌ„ men were freed pardoned by them And howe could Iesus Christ be called our life if he had not swallowed vp death by his death Either how could we be exalted by him but because hée went down into the bottom of hell to wit he susteined the horrors that were vpon vs and wherwith by reason of our sinne we were held vnder For it must néedes be that God must be our Iudge for euer this is the most fearfull thing that may be to haue God our enemy And it behoued that Iesus Christ should enter into it as our pledge as one that should make satisfaction for vs and sustayne our coÌ„demnation that we therby might be pardoned And therefore let vs thinke it no strange thing to sée him thus disfigured if this in our reason be foolishnesse let vs vnderstand as S. Paul saith that the foolishnesse of God surpasseth all the wisdom of the world Hée calleth that the foolishnesse of God in that our Lorde Iesus Christ was so abased surely if we wold here set down our iudgement we would say without doubt that it were an absurde thing For to what purpose could it be any way possible that hée who was to be worshipped both in heauen and in earth shoulde be so shamefully dealt withall Thus we sée howe that we in our arrogancie presumption will as rashly and boldly as may be continually condemne whatsoeuer God doth for our redemptioÌ„ howbeit God in his secret counsell sheweth that he hath more wit theÌ„ we any way are able to coÌ„ceiue of And therfore let vs in the first place hold this for a sure ground that séeing our Lord Iesus Christ was not only coÌ„temptible abased but also made of no reputatioÌ„ for our sakes not to forget as S. Paul saith to giue him the honour beloÌ„ging vnto him for his glory was no whit empaired therby althogh al men knew it not yet did his gratious goodnes shine so much the more clearly And besides we ought to treÌ„ble wheÌ„as we sée that the soÌ„ne of God refused not to be as it wer disfigured being the very image of God his father Hebr. 1.3 For all this he did because hée would repaire this image in vs. And this is certaine we are so spotted as that when we shal appeare before the maiestie of God it cannot be chosen but that he must reiect vs vntill such time as our Lorde Iesus Christ hath set his brand vpon vs whereby we might become acceptable vnto God and finde fauour at his hands So when we heare that hée was vgly yll fauoured let vs looke well to our selues vnderstand that hée must take vnto himself all our spots blots to the end we might be clensed of them bringing now with vs before the iudgement seate of God nothing but righteousnes holines which we could neuer haue had except God had communicated the same vnto vs in Iesus Christ And herevpon he saith That the mouthes of Kings shal be stopped when as he shal haue beene thus exalted and that they shoulde sée suche a chaunge as neuer was thought of Here then we are told that we must not rashly iudge when as we sée our lord Iesus Christ to be thus abased naught set by but we must consider to what end the Lord hath so brought him which is that such an excellent name was giuen him aboue all other creatures as that euery knée should bow before him as it is said in the second to the Philippians Phili. 2.9 For wheÌ„ S. Paul hath exhorted vs to modestie shewed that we should not estéeme of our selues he setteth before vs our Lord Iesus Christ as a glasse pattern Who saith hée being the true God thought it no robbery to be equal with God made him selfe of no reputation taking vpon him the forme of a seruant yea became obedient euen vnto that most slaunderous and cursed death the death of the crosse and that before God and men and all this hée did to the ende hée woulde take vpon him whatsoeuer was dewe to vs. Wherefore saieth hée God the Father hath exalted him and giuen him such a name as that euerie knée should bowe of things in earth and thinges vnder the earth that euerie tongue shoulde confesse that the Lord is Iesus Christ to the glory of God the Father and that if we would sée what the maiestie of God is glorifie him as hée is worthie we must néedes come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ And this is in effect the meaning of the Prophet That we must not for the basenes of Iesus Christ for a time but beléeue in him and set our whole heart on him and also consider to what end he was thus handled and that whensoeuer we speake of his death we must foorthwith remember his resurrection ioyne them both together For these are two inseperable thinges That Iesus Christ would suffer in the weaknes of our flesh and ryse againe in the power of his spirit and that in this last point 1. Tim. 3.16 2. Cor. 13. 4. Rom. 1.4 as S. Paul saith he shewed himself to be the true sonne of God And we sée also besides the pretence of the Prophet in this place We haue before saide that this was not onely séene in the person of Iesus Christ but also in his Gospel For how was Iesus Christ known and what obedience did the world yéeld him wheÌ„ the Gospell was preached We sée that they vnto whoÌ„ the greatest authoritie was giuen did not only scorne condemne men but also beat them and scourged them and in the ende put them to most shamefull death And therfore since it is so Let vs ouercome all such offences and being armed as the Prophet héere speaketh of Let vs consider to what ende it was that our Lord
would thinke al were marred cleane lost Thē must wee haue recourse to this saying of the Prophet that although hee was abased in his death yet the God exalted him aboue al the rest of his creatures And thus must we lift vp our faith vnto the heauens But hée as be may let vs learne not to take any offence at the crucifiyng of the sonne of God neither yet at the shames slanders which he suffered in his owne person nor at the disdaining of his members at this day and at all the reproches which are done vnto them in the whole world let not al these dooings I say withdraw vs frō continually remaining firme constāt in the faith of the Gospel Now because this cōbate or cōflict is hardly to be performed marke why the prophet bringeth vs back to the reasō why our Lord Iesus suffred for to say truly it is impossible for vs to trust vnto the sōne of god vntil such time as we are surely certainly persuaded of the fruit benefit which cōmeth vnto vs by his death passiō And why so forsooth because at the first sight as I haue already said a mā would cōdemne it to be a foolish thing that a mortal man should be the Author of life that he should die no simple death but such a slanderous death as God cursed euen to be hanged as a théefe vpon the Gallow trée Now whē we shoulde sée all this geare no doubt of it wée should be brought into such a maruellous hatred of the matter as that we should neuer be able to come vnto Iesus Christ but héere is the rightest remedie that we haue that we vnderstād why he died how his death hath profited vs what benefit we haue receiued by it then wée shall auoyde all offences As for exāple if griefe sorrow oppresse my hearte and doe beholde the onelie Sonne of God to bée as it were troade vnder foote and abhorred of all men I must néeds enter into a cōsideration with my selfe For if I looke but only into Iesus Christ I shal passe it ouer make no reckoning of it but if in the first place I looke vnto my selfe afterwarde come vnto him then shal I finde a good sauour and taste in his suffering And how so Forsooth if I consider with my selfe that I am a miserable sinner and haue so prouoked the wrath of God against me as that he is become mine enemy and my Iudge if then I thinke of my sinnes and therevpon doe conceyue what an horrible and terrible thing the wrath of God is and that hée is my iudge to cast mée into the bottomlesse pitte of hell then will I begin to say Goe to now what meane hast thou to make an attonement betwéen God and thée Art thou able any way to satisfie him only for the least offence that thou hast committed against him Alas no thou arte no way able Can I with trauelling by Sea and lande all the worlde ouer be able to make recompence Can the Angels of heauen helpe mée No surely Why then it is Iesus Christ alone that must appeare for mée in my name he must bée my pledge and warrant Thus we sée that the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ shal bee no more any foolishnesse vnto vs but wee shall thinke that because wée were thus accursed and had no remedie to find fauour at the handes of GOD since we had so prouoked him to bée our enimie it could not bée chosen but that wee must néeds bée eftsoones subiect to Satā vnto his tiranny vntil such time as Iesus Christ had deliuered quited vs of thē Thus we sée how we should begin to magnifye the infinit goodnesse of this our God which is an abhorring our sinnes and by being a shamed of them as much as is possible We also sée how this imaginatiue offence and fond deuice of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ shall bee blotted out to wit when we shal enter into the consideratiō of our selues and truly trie our sinnes and acknowledge that we are so detestable vnto God as that he him selfe must néedes come in the person of his sonne to make satisfaction for them to repayre our iniquities to the ende we might be reconciled vnto him And this is héere the order of the Prophet On the one side he sayeth that Iesus Christ shall haue nether forme nor fashion and that nothing shall be founde in him worthy to bée desired And that which is more to sée him a farre of would make a mans hart yarne Howbeit when he had said all this he addeth Now it was for our sins that he was afflicted As if he had saide Ah miserable blind soules you make no reckoning of the sonne of God yea and euery of you through your vnthankfulnesse shutteth the gate so hard vpon him-as that you are no way able to come néere him to obtaine the saluation which he bringeth you And what should be the cause truly for that you haue not knowne your sins that you might be humbled and because you are drowsy and blockish and féede your selues with your vaine flatteries but looke into your miseries corruptions and then wyll you be ashamed of your state conditiō acknowledge that you haue none other meane but Iesus Christ alone to be your mediator who taketh vpon his owne person the thing which made you the enimies of God who becommeth your pleadge maketh him selfe as a poore sinner to lay vpon his own shoulders the burthē of your sins Now when you shal think vpō all these things thē wil you find some good sauor to submit your selues vnto the sonne of God not cleaue any more to your vain fantasies nether yet be offended that Iesus Christ was thus bacely accompted of whenas you shall vnderstande in what condemnation you haue deserued and the recompence and satisfaction due for the same Moreouer the Prophet namly saith we haue seene him disdained him therby to declare that our Lord Iesus should not only be contēned reiected of the smalest nūber of people but euen of the gretest nūber of his peculier people for whē the prophet setteth hī in the ranke of those which had refused our Lord Iesus he had a regard vnto the people of the Iewes whereof he came and he ment also ouer and besides this to shewe that this was the common opinion as a man would say that Iesus Christ was reiected in all places And therefore we are so much the more surely armed not to tie our selues to mens fantasies when as we shall not onely sée in this behalf hundreths of infidels but also great troupes and mightie armies yea Myllions that a man shall hardly finde thrée or foure amongst an hundreth which will quietly submit them selues vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ and albeit we sée it to be thus yet let vs for all that cleaue fast vnto him Thus we
want of abilitie to say any thing for our excuse yet will hee defende vs and God will also adiudge vs for innocentes because our sinnes were thus repayred Thus we sée at what end we must begin and then shal we haue greater courage and be much better disposed to kéepe our tonges whenas we shall be any way afflicted by the hand of God And héerevpon the Prophet saith that he was lifted out of anguishe or out of prison for the word importeth thus much of iudgemet There are some which expound it as if Iesus Christ had bene put to death by some sodaine violēce but we are rather told that death ouercame him not but was raised vp againe by the power of God his father Now it is not enough for vs that we vnderstande that our Lorde Iesus hath suffered for our saluatiō and when we haue examined our life we shal feele that without this help we were al damned vtterly lost if there were nothing els spoken of but of the death and passion of the sonne of God we should alwaies stande in doubt for how can it be possible that we should hope for life at his hands séeing he himself was hedlong cast down into death surely we should neuer perceiue any diuine nor heauenly power without the which wee can no way conceiue to put our trust in him because wee should sée nothing but weakenesse which would feare vs. And as the Prophet hath héeretofore spoken of the frute which we receiue by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ euen so doth he now say that it is because he shall be lyfted vp by the power of god his father he was lifted vp saith he out of anguish and iudgemēt And although he was condemned yet did not God leaue puttinge to his helping hand but exalted him that hee might haue the chiefe dominion and rule ouer all creatures Rom. 1 4. This is it which S. Paul setteth foorth in the Epistle to the Romaines where he saith that he shewed himselfe to be the son of god by his rising againe For if we doo but only looke into the lyfe of Iesus Christ as he liued héere amongst men and also into his death we should neuer finde that in him which is requisit for our saluation In very déede the miracles which he dyd the doctrine which he preached and the rest of the signes which he shewed was sufficient to declare him to be the son of god without our faith were to to weake And yet should we remaine alwaies in shame and doubt to sée Iesus Christ offer himselfe as a common and contemptible man and besides it woulde make vs more ashamed and gréeued whenas we should sée him in the ende subiect to so cursed shamefull a death But when we passe from his death vnto his resurrection then we know that our Lord Iesus Christ got the victory for vs. And to the same purpose is that saying of S. Paul to the Corin. that although hée was crucified in weaknesse 2. Cor. 13.4 yet rose hée againe by the power of God his Father So then the order which the prophet héere kéepeth tendeth to the same ende that we shoulde not stand in doubt but that our Lord Iesus Christ had life in his hand and was Lord maister therof because it was séene in his owne person And therefore let vs vnderstande that the sonne of God was made of no reputation for our sakes bicause wee know eftsoones that he was not spoyled of his power and although he kept it close for a time yet haue we such a sure testimonie thereof in his resurrection as that we shall not néede to make any excuse but fully and wholy beléeue in him and bouldly set our selues against hel sin séeing Iesus Christ hath triumphed ouer them and the hande of God sustained him to be exempt of all anguishes and was exalted by himselfe to be God his Fathers lieutennaunt as I haue already said to haue the chiefest gouernment in the worlde This then is the effect of the which wee are to learne whenas it is saide that he was lifted from out of prison iudgement Now it must néedes fal out that our Lord Iesus should discend into the bottomlesse depthes before such time as he should be exalted into the glory of heauen for if he had appeared onely in maiestie how is it possible for vs at this day to bee assured that our sinnes are forgiuen vs. Surely wée might sée the sonne of God the fountaine of lyfe but wée should sée him as one deuided from vs and wée should haue nothing that is common to him nor yet once come néere him Moreouer wée should haue alwaies matter enough to dispaire on because we are guilty of an infinit number of sinnes And therfore if our Lorde Iesus Christ had gone downe into the bottomlesse depthes and had not bene afterwarde exalted into heauen what had wée ben the better truly no whit but alwayes remaine lyke miserable caytiues out of all measure disquieted and horrybly tormented by séeing the wrath of God continuallye vpon vs. But when it is saide in the first place that he was condemned and suffered most fearefull panges to the ende we might be freed from them and be at peace with God as yesterday was tolde you wée now know that he loueth and fauoureth vs receiueth vs to mercy and therefore when we vnderstande that Iesus Christe was therevpon exalted wée may also very well conclude that it was to draw vs vnto him to the ende we might be partakers of the glory which was giuen vnto him by God his father Moreouer we are also to note the wordes of the Prophet which followeth Who is he that is able to number his yeares For by these wordes he meaneth to shew that the effect and power of the resurrection of our Lord Iesus was for euer and that it is no temporal thing which many times melteth and vanisheth away And this is a very necessary point for some haue taken this age for the eternall generation of our Lord Iesus Christ because he was begotten by God his father from all eternitie Some other haue strayned the woordes of the Prophet this way and that but when we shall looke more narrowly into the matter there is no doubt but that he meant to shewe that the honour which was giuen to Iesus Christ was not for him selfe and his owne person and for a day onely but that he purchased vs euerlasting life for as Saint Paule sayeth That inasmuch as he dyed he dyed once for sinne Rom. 6.10 But in that he now liueth he liueth vnto God shal neuer die again By this he declareth that the sacrifice whiche our Lorde Iesus Christ offered is sufficient for vs because hee hath most perfectlye sanctified vs by that meane And therefore it was not néedefull that the Sonne of God should suffer any more then once Heb. 7.27 but because this
and others also shal find inough at his hands for the moe of vs that come vnto him the richer shall we finde him to help our néede And therefore we haue héere to note that it is not for naught that the prophet saieth that he bare the sinnes of many to wit to the ende we should not malice and enuy our neighburs as if wée could not be holpen bicause some of them haue to much of him This then is the summe and effect of that which we are to learne out of this place Moreouer it is said That it was because hee was accounted amongest transgressors We are héere to obserue in the firste place that hée must néedes be hanged betwéene two théeues that hée might suffer all the condemnation that wée deserued and to the ende that wée might haue a more sure and certaine pawne that God his Father hath pardoned and forgiuen vs all our sinnes and iniquities Marke also why Saint Mark aleadgeth this saying of the Prophet Mark 15 2◠that there were two Théeues hanged with our Lorde Iesus Christe to shewe that hée was taken to bée a most detestable and cursed man and to the end it might bee openlye séene that hée was placed in the rank with all shame rebuke because we should at this dai be exempt from the wrath of god from the punishment of the euill déeds which we had deserued and where before we were cast down euen vnto the pit of hell wee might now bee coupled together with the Angels of heauen who altogether worshippe God and haue fulfilled all righteousnesse All this benefit then haue wee by this in that it hath pleased our Lorde Iesus Christ to take vpon him this place and to become a malefactor to the end he would bée thought the most shamefull amongst men Thus wee see how the shame of our Lorde Iesus Christ hath exalted vs on hie to the ende sinne should not be laide to our Charge and we to be free from all condemnation For wherein consisted our saluation if our sinnes were not couered and taken away surely we were neuer able to come to this by any other meane without the sonne of God as S. Paul saith were our redemption that is to say 1. Cor. 1.30 he was the price and paiment of that which wee owed to the end that we might now be quitted and discharged therof And therfore it was not for naught that the Prophet ioyned these two thinges together and dayly sheweth vs as héeretofore hath béene saide that wée haue wherefore to gloryfie our Lorde Iesus Christ in that he was put to all the shame that might bée séeing the fruite and commoditie that wée reape thereby For if our Lorde Iesus Christ should haue done that onely for a shew and token of humilytie it had béene too too bare a matter but hée did it to this end and purpose that we might finde that in him which we want and that it might also be the remedy for the same thing which might gréeue and oppresse vs. Wherefore when we are so reconciled vnto God as that wée obtaine righteousnesse thereby and full forgiuenesse of our sinnes Beholde wée néede not then be a feard to come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ albeit his crucifying in the view of the worlde séemeth at the first blush to bée very shamefull and yet wée sée that hée so triumphed ouer Satan sinne as that he hath made vs righteous and canceled the obligation that was against vs so that wee may now come bouldly to God with good assuraunce that wée are righteous and with open mouth glorifie him for it wherfore before we were most horribly condemned And this is the effect of that which the Prophet meaneth againe to put vs in minde of After all these thinges he saithe that he praid for the trespassers This is namely put in to shew that Iesus Christ in his death and passiō plaid the part of a priest for if this had not ben done also we shuld neuer haue had al the was requisit for the assurāce of our saluatiō True it is that forsomuch as the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ is the sacrifice whereby our sinnes are wiped away and his blood our washing and cleasing his obedience the avolishing of all our rebellions the obteining of our righteousnes by this we haue wherin to reioyce Howbeit this is not all Because it is said That whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of God shall bee saued Neuerthelesse Ioel. 2. 3◠howe were it possible for vs to haue recourse vnto God What boldnes were it for vs to pray and cry out with open mouth and say O our father Were not this ouermuch presumption to come thus pure and cleane to God and vaunt our selues to bée his children if we had not the word to beare vs in it And againe where shoulde wee find such an Aduocat and Proctor that would doe so much for vs except we come to Iesus Christe Thus then we sée what the Prophet meant to adde for a conclusion of that which went before To wit that Iesus Christ praied for the trespassers Now this is very true that he praied of god his father when he was on the Crosse that he would pardon and forgiue his persecutors For these are his wordes Father saith he I beséeche thée pardon thē for they know not what they do Luke 23.34 Here we sée what a prayer our Lord Iesus made for the trespassers for his enimies who so cruelly handeled him by whose handes he was crucified But it was not the meaning of the Prophet to speake only of this especiall prayer but rather to declare the Sacrificing of our Lord Iesus Christ And by the way let vs here wel consider that it was not for naught that he spake here of the Trespassers It is said a litle before that he beare the sinnes of the people of God and suffered for the transgressions of many But now the Prophet attributeth another name to those for whom Christ praied calleth thē transgressors When he spake of the people of God it was to shewe that those whom a man would thinke to be most excellent righteous had néede of forgiuenesse of sinnes which they could neuer haue had had it not béen that Iesus Christe had shed his most precious heart blood for the washing cleansing of them And thus muche then for this point That if we would be of the Church be allowed to be of the congregation of God we must néedes vnderstand that it is because Iesus Christ is our redéemer and therefore let vs not feare to come in great companies to him rather then faile let euery one bring his neighbour with him because he is able to saue vs al. Moreouer it is here set downe that we are all transgressors to the end we might throughly consider of our sins For we know our selues to be so bold and rash as that we will oftētimes be
Hebr. 5.6 7.17 Forsooth because it is said that Iesus Christ was appointed to be the Sacrificer of God his Father And how Truely euen with a solemne oth I haue sworne saieth hée and doe not repent mée of it Here then we sée whervpon we should lay our foundation to wyt vpon the intercession of our Lord Iesus Christ because as Saint Paule saieth to the Ephesians we may come neare vnto God Ephes 3. ◠and present our selues vnto him when as our Lord Iesus Christ shall guide vs the way who as I haue alredie saide is hée that must bring vs into the fauour with him Now what would the Papists doe Forsooth euen make the sacrifice of our Lord Iesus Christ of none effect and to be nothing at all And when they will come with such a Deuilish boldnesse as to ouerthrow the vnchaungeable decrée of God how can they hope any way to be heard Let vs therefore conclude that all this doctrine was cleane buried in Poperie And why so Verely I know they will say that we are vnworthy to come before the Maiestie of God That is verie true and who doubteth thereof But let vs consider by the way where it is that we must séeke for our dignitie must we not séeke it in Iesus Christ alone And yet will they runne to the virgine Mary to Saint Michaell and to the Apostles and besides they will haue their Saintes of their owne deuising whiche were neuer heard of in the whole worlde before or else whiche were canonized at the Popes pleasure euen in the bottome of hell Loe here are their goodly Patrons and Aduocates But let it be that wée graunted the Papistes all this That their Saints which neuer were or els which were half Deuils phantasticall spirites had béene Apostles and Martyres and had liued as holily as were possible had not they I beséech you as great néede of a Medyator as the rest This is most certaine that the Virgine Marie could not finde grace before the Maiestie of God without the head and principall it was as néedfull for her that Iesus Christ should be her Redéemer as well as oures The Apostles Martyres Patryarches Mat. 11.28 and Prophetes had also the selfe same néed to runne vnto this common Redéemer of all men And what shall we doe when we goe about to séeke him Wherefore forsomuch as the Apostles doe sende vs vnto Iesus Christ and haue tolde vs that it is hée that must be our guide and stay and who inuiteth vs so louingly saying Come vnto mée c. Let vs not draw backward nor royle abroade but boldly drawe néere vnto him For hée spake not these woordes onely for the behoofe of the Apostles Martyres or for the Virgine Mary But his meaning was to entertaine vs all with him selfe as in déede it is most necessarie for vs. Let vs I say learne not to wander too and fro when we pray vnto God and let vs also vnderstande what a good turne hée hath done vs when as it hath pleased him to draw vs from out of this bottomlesse confusion of Poperie and sheweth vs an open plaine way to come vnto him to wit Because Iesus Christ is our Intercessour Let vs rest our selues there without turning either to the one side or yet to the other For this is out of all doubt that if our prayers be not ordered and squared according to the worde of God they are altogether vayne and of none effect and God vtterly reiecteth them and besides they can not be made in Fayth without the certaintie of them procéedeth from the trueth of God Now then if wée would build our Prayers vpon fayth they must be agréeable vnto the worde of God and wée must followe that which hée commaundeth vs and that is wee must take Iesus Christ for our Intercessour Aduocate and Mediator Thus wée sée what a proppe it is which hée giueth vs and what the foundation is wherevpon wée must stay our selues that we might not be shaken like Réedes with euerie winde Wée sée also why hée so often saieth Ioh. 14.15 15.16.16.24 Whatsoeuer yée aske my Father in my name hée will giue it you Yea and we our selues likewise sée that although the faythfull who liued vnder the law sée not so clearely as we at this day sée by reason of the Gospell yet had they Iesus Christ euer before their eyes euen vnder that figure which was giuen them For thus they say Psal 84.9 Looke vpon the face of thy Christ O Lord and heare vs for thine annointed sake Daniell likewise saieth O eternall God heare vs for the Lordes sake and this kinde of saying is in the Psalmes verie often repeated In déede all this was spoken by Dauid but it was because hée was a figure of our Lord Iesus Christ And besides Dan. 9.17 when Daniell saieth For the Lordes sake hée verie well declareth that it was the Redéemer that was promised and whose comming was then neare at hand Howbeit Iesus Christ speaketh more plainly Iohn 16.24 and saieth Hethertoo haue yée asked my Father nothing in my name But aske now and it shall be giuen you As if hée shoulde haue saide Hethertoo yée haue not knowne that mine office was to be a Mediator betwéene God my Father and you And in déede hée was not as yet ascended into heauen neither had he yet brokē the vayle of the Temple that we might haue accesse vnto him Hebr. 9.24 But we may nowe come verie familiarly vnto him because the vaile of the Temple is broken and Iesus Christ is entred not into a materiall Sanctuary as the Priests in the old law did but into heauen in the maiestie of God his Father that there with him wée might finde grace So that the Throne of God is not now a Throne of maiestie to feare vs but hée graciously and after a Fatherly louing maner calleth vs because wee came vnto him in the name and by the mean of this Priest which was appointed for vs. Thus then we sée that the intercession of our Lorde Iesus Christ is alwayes profitable and an inuicible strength for vs and that so forcible also that whē we come vnto him he will so heare vs as that we shall by proofe féele that whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lorde shall be saued Ioel. 2.32 Rom. 10.22 And although the Prophet Ioell spake these wordes before the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ yet the faithfull who liued in the time of the lawe did so practise it as that we our selues by their example ought to be conformable and assured we I say that haue the full perfection and accomplishment of all that was shadowed vnder the law that whē we come to pray and call vpon our God in the name of him who was established our Mediator we should in trueth alwayes féele him to make intercession for vs to the ende that all our petitions might be heard Let vs nowe fall downe
therefore wée must conclude that there is but one Father of life which is Iesus Christ Wherefore wée come to séeke him in the Supper and euery one that commeth must haue this setled mind to bée able to say I come hyther to haue a testimony that Iesus Christe is my life that being incorporate into him I might liue for euer But after what sort come wée to finde him in the supper If wée come after the manner of the Papistes to find the body of our Lord Iesus we deceiue our selues For that is the moste cursed Idolatrie that may bée to thinke the bread that we receiue there to bée the body of our Lorde Iesus Christe Wée muste therfore séeke for him aboue and although we know him to be in heauen yet doubt we not but that he is with vs by his grace insomuch that euen as we sée and touch the signes so likewise doth Iesus Christe accomplish in vs the thing which the signes represent vnto vs to wit that he dwelleth in our soules And although by nature our soules are in déede dead by reason of our sinnes yet wil he make vs partakers of this euerlasting life For as he saith This bread presenteth vnto you my body euen so doth he truly accomplish the same in our soules and as our bodies are susteined with bread euen so our soules receiuing Iesus Christ for a spirituall foode are preserued by the power of God and hee remaineth in vs by his grace Howbeit héere is not al to haue vnderstoode thus much but we must also lift vp our mindes vnto heauen for els we should neuer be vnited to Iesus Christe No doubt of it there are many which know well enough that Iesus Christe is not in the bread and wine but in the meane while where are their harts Forsooth some of their heartes are plunged ouer head and eares in couetousnesse some of them are drunken with ambition and other some their heartes are wrapped vp in all kind of villanie For behold the Whooremonger his mind is set on nothing els but vpon Lecherie others vpon drunkennesse and belly cheare in other some is nothing but blasphemy murmuring all villanie which Saint Paule calleth earthly members Colos 3. 5. If you will saith he come néere vnto Iesus Christ you must mortifie your earthly members What must we forgoe our handes and féete No that is not his meaning But we must mortifie our fornications vncleannesse inordinate affections euill concupiscences ambition and couetousnesse which is worshipping of Images and all other such like Would wée then séeke for Iesus Christ in heauen Then must we rid our selues of al these earthly mēbers For what agréement can there be betwéene vs Iesus Christ Wée must not thrust him amongest our pollutions but let vs goe vnto him that hée may rid vs of them Thus we sée that wee must not onely vnderstande that he in heauē but we must also mortifie these earthly members which doe separate vs from him and haue our mindes occupied a loft How is that Let vs liue chastly soberly charitably temperatly patiently and altogether vertuosly And these are the fethers wherewith we must flie vp into heauen although to speake properly wee must haue neither winges to flie with nor yet ladders to climbe vp But it is Iesus Christe that bringeth vs thither and rayseth vs vp by the graces which I haue named and which hée bestoweth vpon vs. Héere then wée sée howe wee must apply this doctrine to the Supper so that when the bread and wine shal be deliuered vs wée must learne to séeke for all our felicitie in Iesus Christe liue in brotherly loue together and euery man mortifie his sinfull lustes and affections If I féele my selfe to bée by any meanes carried away from Iesus Christe I ought to pull that meane from mée out by the rootes that I might bee truely raysed vp to Iesus Christ not that we can be perfectly raysed vp but we must labour to goe more and more on For in déede the Supper was ordeined to that end and we should not receiue it onely once in our life but very often to signifie vnto vs that we must goe on in this worlde vntill such time as he hath deliuered vs from this corrupt body and brought vs vnto himselfe And according to this holy doctrine let vs fall downe before the face of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him that he will not suffer vs to be so giuen ouer vnto thē as héeretofore we haue béen but so weane vs from them as that we séeke after none other thing but our Lorde Iesus Christ and obey his commandementes because that is the rule and order by which he would haue vs to bée brought vnto himselfe And so let vs all say O Almightie God and heauenly father c. The second Sermon of the Ascention Acts first 4 AND when Iesus had gathered his Disciples together hee commaunded them that they shoulde not depart from Ierusalem but waite for the promise of the Father of whom saith hee ye haue heard of mee 5 For Iohn truely baptized with water but yee shall be baptized after a while with the holy Ghost WEE haue héeretofore spoken of the obedience of the Apostles and of their patient wayting for the promise which Iesus Christ had made them by mouth and besides although they were appointed to this office of Apostleship yet did they not thruste them selues in to preach before such time as they had bin confirmed by the holy Ghost Héere then wée see their obedience ioyned with humilitie in that they acknowledged God to bee their guide And now wée are to handle that which followeth that when Iesus Christe told them of the promise of God his father hée said yee haue hearde of mee heretofore As if hée should haue said That they were not to looke for that at the handes of God which they in their owne iudgement thought to bée best but for the thing which he had promised To bée short wee must héere gather a doctrine vnto our selues which is this wée must not build our faith vpon any thing that we our selues shall imagine Rom. 10.17 but vpon the promises of God For Saint Paule saith That faith commeth by hearing not by the hering of mens spéeches and talkes but only by the hearing of the worde of God And in deed because wee are inclined to diuers temptations it is méet we should build vpon God and vpon his worde Yea verily howbeit he will not come downe from heauen to speake to vs. That is true in déede but we must be wel assured that the doctrine which is preached vnto vs commeth from him whereof Iesus Christe is a witnesse when he spake vnto his Apostles For all things saith hee that I haue hearde of my Father haue I made knowne vnto you Iohn 15.15 And therefore you muste not in any wise distrust me because I am a faithfull witnesse For we sée that Iesus
in doubte to bée drawne this way and that wee must altogether endeuour our selues to haue a regard to our consciences and then is Iesus Christe our Phisition who is able to remedy vs. And according to this doctrine let vs fal down before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him not to remember our life passed but to giue vs warning thereof to the end that wée being ashamed of our selues it would please him so to gouerne vs as that after this life wée might reigne also with him And so let vs say O Almightie God and heauenly father c. The fourth Sermon of the Ascention Acts first 9 AND when he had spoken these thinges while they beheld hee was taken vp an high and a cloude receiued him vp out of their sight 10 And while they looked vp stedfastly towarde heauen as he went behold two men stood by them in white apparrell 11 Which also said yee men of Galilee why stand ye gazing vp into heauen This same Iesus which is taken vp frō you into heauen shall so come euen as you haue seene him goe into heauen NOw we haue at this time to hādle the matter which S. Luke héere setteth down of the Apostles beholding of the Ascention of our Lord Iesus into heauen Now it is not enough for vs that we knowe the hystorie but wée are also to note that hée setteth downe this as a chiefe Article of our Faith and surely the Articles of our faith are not onely profitable but also necessary for our saluation Howbeit wée shall neuer profite our selues greatly by the Ascention of our Lorde without we know it to be true in déede And therefore Saint Luke saith that the Apostles sawe him ascend and saith besides that they abode stil gazing there vntill such time as they were told that they must tarry no longer but returne to Ierusalem to doe their office as was commanded them vntill the iudgement day Thus we sée what he saith of the Ascention of our Lorde to the end it might not be called againe into question Very true it is that is saide that they are blessed which haue beléeued and not séene Wherefore wée must beléeue this Ascention rather then if wée had séene it for since the Apostles see it Iohn 20.29 and tell vs of it it is not for vs any whit to doubt thereof Let vs nowe come to the wordes of S. Luke That a clowd receiued him vp out of their sight Now here might a questiō be asked why the heauens opened not that the Apostles might haue séen the glorious estate of our Lord Iesus But there was great reason why they should loose the sight of him by meane of a cloude because our Lord knoweth well enough our condition and therefore for the correcting of our high minds it is good we should be restrained Yea verily for if the Apostles had séene into heauen wée woulde haue taken occasion thereby to haue growne hautie as wée sée in déede we are thereto ouermuch giuen For we are too too mad headed and without modestie to desire to vnderstand euen those secretes of God which hée woulde not haue vs to knowe And therefore it was expedient that this clowde shoulde be betwéene them and him By this then wée are let to vnderstande that we must be humbled and not be so arrogant as to ascend vp into the heauens to search after the workes of the Lord. And this instruction are we to learne by this place Now it is saide that there appeared two Angels but Saint Luke calleth them men according to the common maner of the Scripture For because Angels are naturally spirituall wee cannot sée them except they shewe themselues in some visible shape Wée sée now the reason why our Lorde would from the beginning haue them appeare in mens shapes Howbeit he left alwaies som token with them that they might bée knowne to be Angels For if we vnderstand thē to be only as mortall men we would neuer do them that honor which vnto them apperteined which woulde derogate from the giuing credite vnto their message And therefore God alwaies set a marke on them that we might know them For beholde why it is héere saide Iohn 20.12 that they were clad in white apparrell and in the resurrection also of Iesus Christe they appeared in white garments Héerein then the mind of our Lord was to declare that wée should reuerently receiue them and vndoubtedly credite their message Thus I say we sée why S. Luke heere sayth that they were apparrelled in white garments Now we are héere to note all the circumstances of this matter for God would not haue any one of them to be lost nor yet ouerslipt such is his infinite wisedome ouer all the worlde If the Angels then haue such a Maiestie in their appearance vnto vs what shall we say of the glorious appearing of our good God For the brightnesse of God his glorious Maiestie is not only as the brightnesse of the Sunne but farre excelling the brightnesse of an hundred thousand Sunnes if they shoane héere all at once in the world So then whenas wée sée that the Angels should be so precious vnto vs as that wée should so wonderfully reuerence them we must consider what the Maiestie of God is to bée spoken of yea euen the very thinking of him shoulde cause vs meruellously to worship him and acknowledge our selues to be no body in respect of him who is maiestie it selfe And thus wée sée what is meāt by the speaking of the maiestie of Angels although they appeare but in mens shapes Now let vs come to their spéech Yee men of Galilee say they why stand yee gazing vp into heauen It is cōmonly thought that the Apostles were héere called Galileans by way of reproche for wée sée that the Galileans were of no greate estimation in the world And therfore this was the opiniō that went of thē as if the Angels should haue said O yée miserable blockheads know ye not that as hée is ascended vp into heauen that so hee shall also come againe Howbeit you perceiue not why this was thus spoken and in this sense And therefore let vs vnderstand that the angels called the Apostles galileans because they were taken to be such Iesus Christ was also so called and when the Disciples should haue béen accused to be of the company of Iesus Christ it was asked thē Matth. 2◠Are not you also of Galilée And sithēce the death of our Lord Iesus the wicked haue vsed this saying as may be perceiued by the wicked Apostate Iulian who at his death said Thou hast ouercome mée O Galilean being angry and dispited with Iesus Christ because he felt that hée had ouercome him And so were the Apostles called héere Galileans because they were taken for those countrie men Moreouer it is not without cause that the Angels héere reproue them For they knewe that Iesus Christe should ascend into
heauen because he had many times foretold them and also said vnto them Iohn 16. 7. It is expedient for you that I depart hence For if I goe not away the comforter wil not come vnto you but if I depart I wil send him vnto you And therfore it must néeds be that they had forgotten it séeing they stoode gazing vp into heauen to sée the issue thereof For as I haue already said he had told them that it was expedient that he shoulde depart from them and had also foretolde them that he must reigne and that they shoulde serue him héere in the meane time Hée had likewise foretold them that he must sit at the right hand of God his Father to make intercession for all the faithfull but they rightly shewed that they had cleane forgotten whatsoeuer hée had so oftentimes manifested vnto them Now this their ignorance should serue vs for a good aduertisement For this was not spoken only for their cause but for ours also And therefore let vs marke the saying of the Angels that we might vnderstand what coÌ„moditie redoundeth to vs by the ascending of Iesus Christ But as touching this saying That he shoulde come euen as they had seene him goe vp into heauen That declareth that we must not looâ—e for him héere belowe but when hee shall come to iudge the world And therefore if wée will séeke for him now wée must doe it by faith which surpasseth all mens vnderstanding This then is the first point of this place that is worthie the obseruation For since we naturally haue our mindes setled héere belowe it would goe very hardly with vs if wée superstitiously bent not our selues whenas wée shoulde heare the Ascension of our Lorde Iesus Christe spoken of And in déede wee sée that this is already come to passe For although hée be ascended into heauen and that it is written that hee shall come downe héere below euen as hée was seene to ascende yet are there greate numbers of suche as call them selues Christians who haue not ceased looking for him héere on earth So that it hath come thus to passe that they seeke for Iesus Christe in bread and wine close him vp in a Pipe carry him hither thither and play with him as they would play with a Puppet And from whence came these superstitions but because our nature is like a sâ—one heere on earth Nowe when I say that we are giuen to be altogether earthly minded it is because wee would eftsoones draw god and whatsoeuer knowledge we haue of him to vs and make him like vnto our selues Wée see then by experience that we would haue Iesus Christe continually in the flesh with vs But wee see on the other side that the Angels would put vs beside such speculations for they said yée men of Galilée why stand yee gazing vp into heauen In very déede if wée wil séeke for our Lorde Iesus we must lift vp our mindes vnto heauen but we must not séek for him after our owne mindes and vnderstandings and therefore faith must at this present beare rule ouer vs. For doe not we know that faith surmounteth all mens reason Neither haue wée suche a benefit by inheritance but it is a grace giuen vs of God to amend our nature Wée must then séeke for our Lorde Iesus but not with our eyes eares feete nor handes But it is faith that muste supply all our wantes Euen so whenas wee shall haue rightly vnderstoode this place we shal be sufficiently fenced agaynst all popish faÌ„tasies where they say by a peece of bread Behold héere is God thinke he may be closed vp like a Puppet Wee shall I say be sufficiently fenced against them whenas we vnderstand that it is said that we must not seek for him according to a natural mans reason but by faith Moreouer wee are admonished not to slacke the raines to superstition and thinke that we cannot haue God corporally with vs. And because we haue béen continually infected with this vice wee ought the more wisely to beware of this point Exod. 32. Wee see that the Iewes said vnto Aaron Make vs Gods to goe before vs. See howe wee woulde haue GOD to bee with vs that wee myght handle him and make sporte with him Let vs therefore consider of this place that wee might bee armed agaynst this vice For although Iesus Christe hath shewed himselfe vnto vs and is our brother yet can wee not comprehende him but by faith neither must we when he offereth himselfe vnto vs imagine of him according to our fantasie Moreouer since we knowe that hée is ascended into this heauenly glory Let vs marke why he is there Let vs in the first place remember vs of that which is said That he is not entred into the holy place made with mans handes Heb. 9.24 but that he is in heauen and therevpon maketh intercession for vs vnto God his Father so that whensoeuer we pray vnto God hée will not heare vs with out Iesus Christ were there in our name being there hée is our Intercessour and is the cause that our praiers come vnto him and that they are hearde euen as though we our selues were priueledged to speake our mindes and powre out our heartes before God And this is it which wée reade in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Exo. 28. That as the high Priest entred into the Sanctuary for all men Euen so since Iesus Christe is in heauen wée shoulde bée certaine and sure that hée maketh intercession for vs. For when the high Prieste entred into the Sanctuary hée had vpon his head the names of the children of Israell and before him hée had twelue stones which signified the twelue Tribes of Israell which declared that although hée went in alone yet hee did it for all the rest Since then Iesus Christe is entred into heauen and beareth vs there although wee bee as it were bruite beastes and carrieth vs also before him to declare that he hath vs in his heart we must not then pray vnto God doubtingly but be assured that our praiers shall alwaies be acceptable vnto him because Iesus Christe speaketh vnto him for vs. Now if this had béene before time throughly vnderstood there had not béen such stoare of Superstition in Popery For what is the cause that they haue so many Patrones Why runne they so faste vnto the Virgin Mary Forsooth because they neuer vnderstood wherefore it was that Iesus Christe ascended into heauen For if they had knowne that hée had ascended to bée our Intercessour they would neuer haue saide that they had béen vnworthie to haue offered vp their prayers vnto God and therfore had néede of Aduocates But they had knowne that since Iesus Christ is there in our name and in our behalfe wée might there haue accesse vnto him without either Patrones or Aduocates And this wee haue to vnderstande in the first place Moreouer hée ascended to the end that sitting at the
right hand of God his Father he might gouerne the worlde and so gouerneth it as that he alwayes assisteth his faithfull ones and hath a special care ouer them Now if Iesus Christ had continually abode with vs ouer and besides that we had béen more giuen to superstition hée had not had the power to haue had all thinges vnder his subiection In déede hée might haue had it But we speake not nowe of him but according to that order which hée hath set downe in his Gospell And to say the trueth it were a foolishe kinde of reasoning to say that otherwise hee had not béen able to haue done either this thing or that because his power is infinite But yet he saide after his resurrection that God had giuen him all power and authoritie and this is also our beliefe Math. 28.18 Mat. 28. 18 That hee sitteth at the right hande of God his Father Almightie What is the meaning héere of this that hée hath a seat and sitteth in it No no But this is it that hée is an assistant vnto God as his Lieuetenaunt For if wée woulde stande before the glorious Maiestie of God we shoulde bée crushed to powder but because wée might come vnto him wée haue for vs there Iesus Christ vnto whom hée hath giuen all thinges in subiection both in heauen and earth And although our Lord Iesus had from eternitie all power yet wée saide not that hée sitteth at the right hande of God vntill such time as we saide that he was ascended into heauen Wée sée then that he had this preheminence ouer all after that he was ascended And héere wee haue to note that the principalitie which Iesus Christe had is for vs because hée hath no néede of it himselfe séeing hée is euerlasting with the Father But what hée is at the right hande of God in our nature And it is to this end that wée might bée assured wée shall take no harme being vnder his protection In very déed hée is wel cōtented that our fleshe shoulde bée troubled and that wée shoulde bée wrapped in many miseries But what then Hee is alwayes ready to stretch foorth his hande to helpe vs and let vs be assured that although wée abide it for a time yet in the ende it shall turne to our benefite This then is it that we must vnderstand when we heare his ascension spoken of Euen so since he is ascended into heauen for vs let vs note that we ought not to feare any thing so long as we are in this world Surely wée are subiect to so many miseries as that it is lamentable to sée our estate for we are more then miserable and yet wee must not be abashed for all that nor yet regarde our owne persons but wée must haue a respect to our head who is alredy in Heauen and saye although I be weake yet beholde Iesus Christ is stronge inough to make mée stand vpright although I be féeble yet loe Iesus Christ is my force and although I bee full of miseries yet is Iesus Christ in immortall glorye and looke what hée hath shall one day be mine and I shall bee partaker of all his benefites Iohn 12.31 Eph. 6. 12 True it is that the Deuill is called the Prince of this worlde but what then yet Iesus Christ keepeth hym short because hée is King both of heauen and earth Beholde the Deuils that are aboue in the ayre who warre against vs but what of al that Iesus Christ reigneth aboue them all and directeth all our fight and therefore we ought not to doubt of victory I am héere subiect to such a number of changes as might euen take a way my courage but what then Beholde the sonne of God is my head in whom there is no chaunge and therefore I must trust to that Thus wee sée what a regarde wée must haue vnto his ascension and make it profitable vnto our selues Let vs now come to the saying of the Angels yee shall see him come downe from heauen euen as you haue seene him goe vp meaning that wée should not looke for him vntill he come to the day of iudgement Now this shoulde not onely plucke all superstition vp by the rootes out of vs but also draw vs to heauen vnto him Howbeit wee haue already saide Col. 3.2 that we must not séeke for him but by Faith And since it is so let vs harken to the saying of Saint Paule to the Collossians Séeing Christ Iesus your head dwelleth in Heauen in whom is all your lyfe it is méete that your affection should bée on thinges aboue although your bodies be héere Wherefore since wée know Iesus Christ to be aboue wée must learne to forsake the world and be vnited to him There is a great space betwixt him and vs therefore it were impossible for vs to be ioyned together except we should vse the meane which S. Paule telleth vs which is to mortefye these earthlye members as Fornication vncleannesse couetousnes gluttonie pride enuy and al such like would we be partakers of this Ascension Then must we not separate our selues frō him But how should we be ioyned vnto him Forsooth wee must mortifie these earthly members and all other thinges that holde vs héere belowe Some are geuen to vncleannesse some to reuenge some to gluttonie and other some to certaine other vices Now then as faith looketh vpward euen so must our affections follow to the end we might forsake the world and al other things whatsoeuer which may any way hinder vs from béeing vnited vnto our head Héere wée sée what is meant by this saying That he will come in such sort as he was seene to goe vp into Heauen to the end wée might learne héereby to ioyne vnto him with al the affections of our heart By this the Angels had no pretence nor colour to speake either of the apparrel of Iesus Christ eyther yet of anie other things as many fantastical braynes doe séeking after things neyther requisite nor yet profitable to saluation But the spéech of the Angels was to this purpose to shew that he would come in visible maner As if they should haue said vnto the Apostles it gréeueth you that your maister is taken from out of your company howbeit let not the gréeue you because you shall sée him come againe in such immortal glorie as yée now sée him Nowe the Papistes haue other pretie childish subtleties saying that their GOD is in their masse and and make such sport with him there euen as they lust Indéed say they it is very true that Iesus Christ wil come visibly and manifestly to iudgement But yet say they at this present he commeth closely and couertly Surely he commeth daylie vnto vs and it is not for nothing that the Scripture saith the GOD visiteth vs and it is also wel said of vs that the Gospel is a testimonie of his presence But let vs marke how it is that hée dwelleth with vs. Indéed S.
vnto vs the comming of the Gospel into the world which was wrought by the power of his holy spirit euen so likewise that euery of vs for our part might feele the same And as we ought fully to be persuaded and resolued that the word which is preached to vs is not of men Euen so also ought not the interpretation therof as S. Peter saith 1. Pet. 1. 20 he handled according to euery mans fantastical head for he setteth down these two pointes together saying Since the spirite of God hath spoken by his holy Prophets we for our parts also when wée wold vnderstand that which is deliuered vnto vs by their doctrine ought to lay aside our owne naturall reason fantasies in saying It séemeth thus to mée I thinke so soberly discréetly beséech the Lorde to gouerne and lead vs by his holie spirite vnto the vnderstanding of his word wherof he him selfe is Authour And thus much for this now forsomuch as at this day we see how the Deuill hath filled the world with a number of Sectes so that there are many heretikes which cease not to trouble and infect the puritie of the Gospell and besides since there are such a sort of contemners of God and of Mastife Curres in whom is neither fayth nor yet religion so much the rather had we néede continually to offer our selues before the Lord to the end he might enlighten vs with his trueth and we to be so vnited vnto our Lord Iesus Christ as that nothing may be able to separate vs from him And againe let vs beséech him to graunt vs a stout and constant minde vnto the end Because that although the enemies of the truth be neuer so fierce yet that we may notwithstanding perseuere coÌ„tinue still therin that Satan therby might be vaÌ„quished Neither must we be careful onely for our selues but also think of others In déed it is an easie matter for vs here at this day to make coÌ„fession of our faith for we sée not the bright stambing fires before vs as our poore brethreÌ„ do neither do we heare the terrible threats wherwith they are threatened nor yet féele we the tempests garboiles that â—ight vpoÌ„ their heads yet are we the members of one bodie Now what is the reason why we thus assemble our selues together but to the ende wée might be ioyned together in a true brotherhood since God of his infinite goodnesse hath adopted vs for his children daily witnesseth vnto vs that he will be our Father And therfore it is good reason that we should be careful for these who are as it were in the Wolfes chapes daily féele straunge troubles let vs haue this compassion vpon them at the least as to beséech the lord to succour and strengthen them in all their conflicts so farfoorth as shall be néedfull and not suffer them to be confounded So that howsoeuer Satan goeth about to ouerthrow their fayth yet that it would please him to giue them patience and perseuerance vnto the ende We had néede also to be admonished of the thinges that are euen at this day come to passe For if euer there were any persecution at any tyme attempted it is euen nowe and especially in one place the furie of the enemies of God hath within these eight dayes béene so set on fire as that they haue taken greater occasion theÌ„ euer hath hitherto yet been séene to execute their crueltie against the poore faythfull soules of God We sée also howe Satan hath possessed these cursed Tyrauntes insomuch that they are become so frantike as that there is no hope any way of their recouerie And euen there are our poore afflicted brethren thrust out for a pray being watched and narrowly looked vnto and it may very well bée séene that there is the greatest preparation for fury and cruelty that may possibly bée thought on so that the obstinacy of the wicked against God is more incorrigible then euer yt was This then is our benefite that God in the meane while hath graunted vs leasure earnestly to consider of it and to put this historie in practise which here we sée to wit that since the holy Ghost descended vpon them who were of one accord as Saint Luke maketh mention Let vs learne to assemble our selues and although we be far from blows yet let vs ioyne our selues with them that fight by ayding them in their conflictes with our prayers and supplications and that in such sort as that the spirit of God may be the guider of the whole and we for our part so zealously enflamed that in stead of our key coldnesse that we may feruently and earnestly call vpon our God And as for our brethren who haue néede to be confirmed in such assaultes wherewith they are attempted let our good God shew that it is he him selfe which worketh in them and guideth and gouerneth them Moreouer we are throughly to consider of this saying of consent and accord that we might be brought backe againe vnto our head euen Iesus Christ our lord For we sée how plentifully the Gospell is at this day preached but if there were a register kept of the faithfull we should finde a small number of them thin sowne For there are but a fewe places where the pure doctrine of God is preached and yet where there is any Church there are in it many coÌ„temners of God and dissolute and prophane people who would infect all the rest if God by his wonderful power preserued them not And besides there are some which would euen coÌ„tinue stil in their beastlines Yea ther are such a number of them at this day as that for these twenty or two and twenty yeares a man cannot perceiue that they haue gone one step forward in the knowledge of God for they no more know faith nor worship theÌ„ very bruit beasts Other some there are who although they haue knowledge sufficient yet want courage and boldnes and are altogether drowsie making no reckoning either of God or of his word so that the number of the true shéepe Lambes is verie small Now we sée by the way what scope and elbow roome the Deuill hath all Europe ouer for there all his leasings deceits and illusions are receiued and the world is so bewitched as that it is impossible to bring it againe in frame We sée how men doe not onely set them selues against God wittingly blaspheme him but also are furiously enflamed that a man woulde thinke they would pull the Sonne out of heauen take his light from him Now when we sée all this geare we had need ioyne our selues againe vnto our head Christ Iesus our Lord. For what is the cause of this coÌ„tempt and vngodlines of so many rebellions mockeries in the world but because grace is not graunted to all men to be ledde vnder this excellent Shepheard whom God his father hath appointed for vs. And we know that they whoÌ„ he kéepeth
Diuers Sermons of Master Iohn Caluin concerning the Diuinitie Humanitie and Natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus Christe As also touching his Passion Death Resurrection Ascention togeather with the comming downe of the holy Ghoste vpon his Apostles and the first Sermon of S. Peter The order of which you shall finde in the Page ensuing ¶ At London printed for George Byshop 1581. The order and number of the Sermons conteined in this Booke The first Sermon of the Diuinitie of Christe taken out of the first Chapter of Saint Iohns Gospel One Sermon of the Natiuitie of Christ taken out of the second Chapter of Saint Luke Nine Sermons of his Passion death buriall and resurrection taken out of the xxvj of Saint Matthew Seuen Sermons of the mysterie of his death and passion taken out of the Lij and Liij Chapters of Isaiah Fower Sermons of his Ascention and of the commandement which hee gaue vnto his Apostles taken out of the first of the Actes Fowre Sermons of the descending of the holy Ghost at Whitsuntide and of Peter his first Sermō taken out of the second of the Acts. One Sermon of the latter comming of our Lord Iesus Christ taken out of the first Chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians To the right honorable Edward de Veere Earle of Oxonford Vicunt Bulbacke Lord of Escales and Badlesmere and Lorde great Chamberlaine of England The Lorde God graunt increase a liuely and true faith and continuance in the zeale of the blessed religion of our alone Sauiour Iesus Christe for euer IT is impossible right honorable for a man to turne himselfe any kinde of way heere in this world either in calling to minde generally the heauens and earth either yet particulerly the glorious garnishing light brightnes mouings of the one and the great plentie of all sortes of beasts foules and fruits of the other together with the infinite diuersitie of flowres wherewith God by his heauenly wisedome and goodnesse euery yeere afreshe meruellously clotheth and repareth them as it were with rich and beautifull attyres and colours But that hee as often I say as hee beholdeth these so wonderful works of his maiestie muste euen so often needes confesse that there is set before his eyes a most large matter argument for him to glorifie thee altogether good only omnipotēt God who hath not created all things for the vse of man only but also euen for his delight and pleasure For hee is so good and glorious a Father to all his children as that his very meaning is so wee take them modestly and thankfully to haue vs freely vse his benefits for our necessitie yea and receiue them with pleasure and delight without scruple of conscience For els to what purpose should we haue created such a number of sortes of fruites differing in substance strength and nurriture of so sundry shapes in greatnes thicknes colour in smel tast sauor except it had bin both to strēghtē delight vs For doth wine onely strengthen our bodies doth it not likewise as Dauid reckoneth it amōgst the benefites of the Almighty glad the heart of man And therefore what is hee that can bee so blockish as not to thinke as much generally of all the rest of the benefites of God which he dayly bestoweth vpon vs for the sustening of our bodies Yet notwithstanding this were not enough for vs hereupon to acknowledge as our dutie is the fatherly care which hee hath ouer our present life in administring to vs whatsoeuer is needfull for the same except wee eftsoones learned also heereby that hee alone who principally is the father of our soules for it is hee that hath created and regenerated them giueth the foode of euerlasting life vnto them by the bread of his holy word to the end we might be drawn as it were by degrees by our bodily food to attaine vnto spirituall life and thereby eternally liue in blisse which neuer shal haue end And in deed the eternall God brought the children of Israel heereunto by that Manna wherwith he fed them in the wildernesse Whereupon it will come to passe that if we doe as many of thē did who made none other reckoning but of stuffinge their paunches and thereby looked into none other matter that wee also shal die euen as they did For as it is impossible for vs to liue heere in this world without the vse of bread and other food which God the Creator hath ordeined as means wherby he adioyning thereto his heauenly power would susteine vs in this corporal life Euen so likewise is it as impossible for vs to be partakers of euerlasting life except we be fed with this food of the soule wherewith being appointed by God to the same end the holy Ghoste serueth as it were for an instrument to cause vs possesse through a liuely and true faith Christe Iesus who is alone giuen to vs for life and without whom we continually abide in death Wherefore seeing the soule is more excellent then the body the heauenly bread more precious then corruptible bread and euerlasting life farre more worth then the transitory life for a day it is most certaine that heauenly benefits are without al comparison a great deale more excellent then corporal and to be preferred before them Now if wee woulde at the least consider as in deede wee ought what a benefite were it to haue the true feare and knowledge of God in steede of being altogether ignorant thereof and contemning the same to trust surely in him alone in stead of trusting too too muche vnto our selues vnfeinedlye to loue our neighbors in steade of enuying and hating of them before wee are regenerate and to haue a pure and sounde heart belonging to euerlasting life in steade of all iniquitie wherein wee bathe and feede our selues as fish in the water To bee short if wee thinke it no small matter that all supernaturall giftes altogether abolished in man through sinne be restored to vs through Christ Iesus alone and that reason vnderstanding iudgement will and other such naturall giftes which man had of his Creator howbeit corrupted by the same fall be likewise through the same Sauiour renued in vs and to speake in one word if the image of God which was defaced by man his disobedience bee repaired in vs by our Redeemer who alone hath recōciled vs to God his Father cleansing vs from our sinnes making vs his brethren and enheritors of the kingdome of heauen freed from the tyranny of sinne and of the Deuill empouerishing himselfe to make vs Princes and companions with Angels and by his death recouering vs life If these inestimable benefites I say be not lightly considered of vs we should esteeme of them as it is good reason aboue all other things yea we should leaue forsake all other things to seeke and enioy them and neuer bee wearied with any paine neither yet faint hearted seeing it is the bread of the word of God
shall haue looked euerie where we shall finde that this worde Gospel is not taken in any other signification And beholde also wherefore men haue giuen this name or title to the foure histories that are written touching our Lorde Iesus Christ how he came into the world and was conuersant therein howe he died rose againe and went vp into heauen men I say haue giuen the name or title of the Gospell to this And why so because the substance of the Gospell is comprehended in the person of God his sonne as I haue alreadie saide The auncient fathers had in déed the promises of saluation The difference betwene the fathers vnder the law and as vnder the Gospel they were also very well assured that God would be their father but yet they had not in such plaine sort as we haue the gage and pledge of Gods loue towards them of their owne adoption For when Iesus Christ came into the world then God signed and sealed his fatherly loue vnto vs and we had the full testimonie of life and in déed haue also the substance thereof in Iesus Christ as I haue alreadie saide ◠Cor. 1.20 And this is the cause why S. Paule saieth That all Gods promises are in him yea and Amen to wit because then God ratified and confirmed all that which he had spoken before and had promised to men So then it is not without cause that these foure histories wherin is declared vnto vs how the sonne of God was sent that he tooke mans flesh also that he liued here vppon earth amongst men haue béen so named Men then haue comprehended all this vnder the worde Gospell 2. Tim. 2.8 because therein it is declared and set out vnto vs howe God hath made perfect and accomplished all that which was requisite for mens saluation and that we haue had the fulfilling of al in the person of his sonne Indéed S. Paul speaketh of his Gospell but after what sort It is not as though he had writtē an history of the Gospel but because his doctrine was conformable agréeable to all that which is conteined therein So according to that which I haue alreadie saide when the Gospel was preached vnto vs S. Paules Epistles not called the gospell in what sense it is a plaine manifesting of Iesus Christ to the ende that we should know that in him all things are perfected and that we haue the trueth of that which had béen promised in all times before And yet for all this S. Paules Epistles are not called the Gospell And why so because that therein wee haue not a continuall historie which declareth vnto vs after what sort God sent his sonne howe it pleased him that in putting vpon him our nature hée might haue a true brotherhood with vs how he died rose againe and ascended into heauen This I say is not largely laid out with a continual order course of spéech in S. Paule very certaine is it that the doctrine which is conteined in his Epistles is conformable and agréeable with the doctrine of the Gospel But for all that that word Gospell is specially attributed to these foure histories for the reason which I haue alreadie alledged Nowe where we say that the substance of the Gospell is comprehended in the person of the Sonne of God this is not onely to say that Iesus Christ came into the world but that we should know also what his office is what charge God his father hath committed vnto him and what vertue power he hath which thing wée ought to mark wel for from thence we may gather the difference of the Gospel according to S. Iohn Wherin the 4. Euangelists agree Hebr. 4.15 and those which the other thrée wrote The foure Euangelists agrée verie well in this that they declared vnto vs how the sonne of god appeared in the world that he became true and verie man like vnto vs in all thing sin excepted Afterwards they declare vnto vs how he died rose again and ascended into heauen To be short all that was committed vnto him to draw vs to God his father by is declared and set foorth vnto vs therein But there are two thinges which are peculiar to S. Iohn One is Iohn hath two things peculiar too him selfe from the other Euangelists that he stayeth and standeth vpon the doctrine of Iesus Christ more then the other Euangelists doe The other that with a greater liuelinesse he declareth vnto vs Iesus Christes vertue and power True it is that the other Euangelists speake well of the doctrine of Iesus Christ but that is rather briefly and shortly as who haue collected some small Summaries and Abridgementes thereof Iohn 6.1.2 But S. Iohn maketh a long and large declaration therof as we sée in the sixth Chapter where mention is made of that myracle which he wrought in the wildernesse whē he refreshed fed so great a multitude For therevpon S. Iohn commeth to enter into spéech and to shewe howe Iesus Christ is the bread of eternall life We sée then this doctrine of Iesus Christ which was declared at large by S. Iohn and that with a more great dilating discoursing thereon then is set out by the other Euangelistes yea we sée that they quite and cleane omitted that doctrine So much also may be saide of the rest for after that he hath touched some myracles and histories Iohn 12. to 18. hee alwayes commeth backe to the doctrine and taketh occasion to enter into the matter to handle and speake of the power of our Lorde Iesus Christ as from the xii Chapter til you come to the historie of the Passiō he intreateth of nothing The Gospel according to S. Io. giueth light to the other Euangelistes but this doctrine So then now we sée what difference there is betwéene the Gospell according to S. Iohn the other thrée Euangelistes insomuch that to speake rightly the Gospell according to S. Iohn is as it were the key to giue vs some entraunce and opening to the other For if we reade S. Matthew S. Marke and S. Luke we shall not so well know wherefore Iesus Christ was sent into the worlde as when we shal haue read S. Iohn Hauing reade S. Iohn we shall knowe afterwardes to what ende it serueth vs that Iesus Christ hath wrought and also that he hath taken mans flesh and that he died and rose againe We shal know I say what is the ende and substaunce of all these thinges in reading this Gospell And this is the cause why hée standeth not so much vpon the historie as we shall sée by the order which he will kéepe hereafter It is true that these thinges rightly deserue to be more largely diducted and layde out but because there is great matter in the Text which we haue to expounde I doe but touche these thinges as briefly as I can Wherefore let vs content our selues with that which we haue summarily and
and vaine speculations and by a certaine deuilish boldnesse For when the question hath béene to handle these matters men haue ouerwhelmed them selues in as much as they ment besides the reuelatiō of the doctrine to search out with a certain curiositie boldnes the eternal essence and being of Almightie God as a man in the Papacie shall heare disputations that are made thereof euen as if men disputed of a flocke of Goates or I know not whereof They haue no more reuerence to God thē to a beast Now we néede not séeke out a better witnesse against the doctrine of the Sophisters of Sorbone to know that the Deuill raigneth there Sorbone is the name of the place wher the brotherhood of the Sorbonists doe yet remaine to this day in Paris and hath alwayes raigned there thē this And this I say that albeit their doctrine were not false yet so it is that when men sée they haue so litle reuerence and regard to Gods maiestie we must néeds say that it is a deuilish doctrine euē that I mean which is at this day practised by the Sophisters Sorbonists in all the Popes Colledges So then let vs as I haue saide content our selues with that simplicitie which is declared vnto vs by the holy spirite for he toucheth and speaketh of that which is good profitable for our saluation and as I haue alreadie declared he hath heere brought and deliuered vnto vs that which was méete fit for vs to knowe Iam. 1.17 Rom. 11.29 Let vs come now to this true word When S Iohn calleth Iesus Christ That word it is as if he should say the eternall counsell of God or the wisdome that remaineth in him Notwithstanding we must marke that God is not like to men when we haue a Counsell it may alter and chaunge but it is not so with God for that which is in God is vnchaungeable Besides the counsell which we haue Though man be wauering yet God is constant Iames 1.17 is not our verie Essence or substance but the counsell which is in God is verely truly God for God is not as a vaile or couerture wher ther are shadowy places as S. Iam. vseth this similitude we are as a shadowe that flitteth vp and downe and we cannot abide firme and constant But this is not in God for that which is in him is of his essence and eternitie And this is the cause wherfore S. Iohn declareth that this word is verely and truely God But as concerning the worde wee must not as I haue alreadie saide imagine a counsell or a wisedome in God which should be like to the worde of men True it is that we may well take some comparison from our selues but yet we ought alwayes to marke the long distance and great difference An apt similitude that is betwéene vs and God for if the heauens be much higher than the earth much more must it néedes be that we should knowe and confesse that God is more high than we yea there is no proportion or resemblance as it were betwéene God and men So then when men shall bring or alledge vnto vs some similitude taken from the creatures wée must alwayes marke this great distance difference There are two partes or powers of a mans soule to wit vnderstanding and will See his Institut Lib 1. Cap. 15. Sect. 5.7 which is betwéene God and vs. As a man may verie well say that in the soule of a man there is a certaine vnderstanding which is in such sort ioyned to the soule that the soule cannot be without vnderstanding There is also a will not as when we haue nowe one desire nowe another but a certaine power as a man would say to wil which thing man hath in him self for man is not as a stone or as a pile of wood without sense and reason but he hath imprinted in him this propertie to will this or that So then we may take and vse such similitudes but yet notwithstanding we must consider that spéech is here had of so high thinges as of necessitie all mans vnderstanding and wit must be abased and brought low and we must handle them and intreate of them in all humilitie applying them to their true meaning Curiositie and vaine imaginations must be auoided must not be ouer curious we then haue that fonde imagination which hath borne swaye and ruled heretofore in the worlde but we must come to Gods schoole to hearken to that which he shall speake vnto vs and to flye from al that which men shall set out Gods voice must onely be obeied and shal be founde contrarie to that which the holie Ghost hath left vs. Nowe furthermore we must also marke that some hauing been thrust forwarde by the deuill haue peruerted the meaning of this doctrine affirming that this worde was nothing els A perillous opinion confuted but some certaine counsell deliberation and purpose that God had to redéeme mankinde in the person of Iesus Christ who was a certaine forme as they call him as when a man shal haue purposed to doe some worke and shall haue conceaued the same in his spirite or vnderstanding leauing not by so saying euerlastingnes of essence or being to the sonne of God But we sée alreadie shall sée héereafter more largely how and in what sort S. Iohn calleth Iesus Christe that worde of God thereby to declare set out his deitie as I haue alredy said And that so it is behold a plaine testimonie of God himselfe for he saeith that this worde was in the beginning so then it must néedes be that it hath béen eternall euerlasting It is true that some will replie against it because Moses saith Gen. 1. ◠that God in the beginning created heauen earth and that now S. Iohn saith that this word was in the beginning that it séemeth hereby séeing that so it is that the heauen the earth other creatures had a beginning that we cannot proue the eternitie or euerlastingnes of Iesus Christ because it is saide that the worde was in the beginning But the answere is easie to wit that when Moses speaketh of the beginning An obiection answered we are to remember mark whereof he speaketh that is of heauen of earth other things that haue indéede a beginning But now let vs weigh and marke that which S. Iohn saith In the beginning saith he was that word And where was the beginning verely in God And what is Gods beginning I pray you Certainely he had none for otherwise it must néeds be that God should be framed made So that when mention is made of the beginning of God we must conclude that it is such a beginning as hath not any time at al. There is then much to be sayd and great difference also betwene Moses his place when he saith Iesus Christ i◠our God eternall 1. Tim. 3.16 that God created all
contented to submit him selfe vnto all shame and rebuke insomuche that all men as it were vtterly forsooke him And therefore let vs here learne also by the way humblenesse and lowlinesse if we meane that he shoulde entertayne vs. For it is verie good reason that at the least there should be a conformitie or an euen agréement betwéene the head and the members Neither must wée so despise our selues as to make no reckoning of our selues for wée shal by nature finde such pouertie and wants in our selues as that we shal haue very good occasiō altogether to abase our selues But let vs acknowledge our selues to be such as in déede we are to the ende we might offer vp our selues in true humilitie vnto our Lord Iesus Christ that he might acknowledge allow vs for his Wée haue moreouer to note by the way that in the history which Saint Luke here reciteth that on the one side we are to learne that the sonne of God made himself of no reputation for our saluation and yet on the other side notwithstanding that he ceased not to bee a sure and vndoubted testimonie that he was the Redéemer of the worlde promised from the beginning neither tooke hee vpon him our nature because he was not able to defende and preserue his heauenly Maiestie Both which are heere set downe vnto vs for our Lorde Iesus Christ was laide in a Manger as one cleane forsaken of the worlde and in extreame pouertie without honour without reputation and as one subiecte to all bondage and slauerie and yet did the Angelles in heauen magnifie him dooing him all homage and reuerence And heere in the first place an Angell brought tydinges of his byrth but hee was soone after accompanied with an whole armie who were all present and appeared as witnesses sent from God to shewe that although our Lord Iesus Christ was so abased for our saluation yet was he for all that the King of the whole worlde and had all thinges vnder his power and rule And beside the place of Bethlehem yelded a good proofe that it was euen hee that was promised from the beginning For the Prophet Micheah Micheah 5.2 had so prophecied of him where it is saide And thou Bethlehem although thou bee of no great reputation like vnto a village which maketh no great shewe neither verie well inhabited yet out of thee shall hée come foorth vnto me who shal be the ruler of my people whose going foorth haue béen from euerlasting And here we sée that our Lord Iesus Christ hath not spared himselfe to the ende we might haue readie passage vnto him not doubt but that he will receiue vs as his owne bodie séeing he woulde not only become a mortall man clothed with our nature but also become like vnto a poore worme of the earth voide of all felicitie And therefore let vs not doubt how miserable soeuer we be but that he will take vs alwayes for his members Howbeit on the other side we sée him marked as it were by the hand of God to the end he should be willingly receiued as the man frō whō we must looke for our saluation by whō we are receiued into the kingdom of God frō which we were before banished For we sée a diuine or heauenly power maiestie to be in him because the Angels tooke him as it were for their superior souereigne king neither must we doubt that whē we are vnder his protectiō that he hath wherwithal to defēd preserue vs. Howbeit let vs know this by the way that although he hath so abased himself yet that it is no whit derogatory frō his diuine power neither yet any hinderance to vs from being safe sure vnder his gouernment Here therfore we sée the sum effect of this history which is that in the first place we might acknowledge the sonne of God euē our mediator to be linked vnto vs with such a bond as that we should not doubt but that we are alwayes pertakers both of his life also of his riches And in the mean while let vs likewise acknowledge that he brought with himselfe to vs whatsoeuer was requisit for our saluatiō For as we haue alredy said he was not made of so vile reputatiō but that he alwayes kept with him his heauenly power maiestie and although the world accounted him to be of no credit yet neuertheles he was alwayes not only the enheritor of this worlde because hée is head of the Church but also verie God for euer Moreouer let vs learn of them who are here appointed to be our maisters guides how to come to our lord Iesus Christ In very déed the wise men of this world so swell with pride presumption as that they will scarcely vouchsafe to bee taught of simple men and of shepheardes of the fielde and yet all the wisedome we haue is to learne of these shepheards of whom we haue here spoken to come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ For if our heades were fraught with all the knowledge in the worlde to what ende serued it if wée had not life to wit him in whome as Saint Paule sayeth Colos 2.3 all the treasures of the worlde lie hid heere wee sée therefore at which ende we must begin which is That it is not hurtfull vnto vs to follow their steppes who haue shewed vs the way to come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ Now God hath not done this honour vnto the mighty men of this world neyther to the wise nor to the rich eyther yet to the noble but hath chosen very shepheards for the purpose And since it is so let vs follow the order there set downe Matth. 2. 1. It is very true that the wise men came from the East to doe homage vnto our Lord Iesus Christ but it so fell out that the shepheards first beganne to the end al pride and presumption might be cut of and that hée who would be taken for a Christian might bee as it were a foole héere in this world Wherefore let not foolish arrogācie so carry vs away 1. Cor. 3.18 as to iudge of the woonderfull secretes of God after our owne fantasies but simply woorship them Moreouer let vs consider of the faith of these shepheardes and then wée shall thinke it no hard thing to followe them For they came to woorship the Redéemer of the world but in what case found they him Forsooth they found him lodged in a Manger and swadled in poore and simple swadling clouts according to the signe which the Angel had geuen them Now this straunge sight séeme to abashe them yea and to make them goe backe and not to acknowledge Iesus Christ to be a Sauiour For the Scribes and doctors of the Iewes thought in very déede that the Redéemer which was promised should come with great pompe and bring all the world vnder his subiection and be in such woonderfull prosperitie as that they should haue the world at
that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath purchased vs life by his resurrection so that wee must goe strait to him wtout séeking any other meanes to direct vs then such as hée hath assigned vs. We haue also alreadie saide that hée hath ordeined two Sacramentes for our better confirmation If the manner of the Iewes buriall had béen necessarie for vs no doubt Iesus Christ would haue had it continue in his Church But hée would not that we should stay our selues vpoÌ„ this earthly and childish Elements And therfore it is enough for vs to vse the plaine order of burying leaue the swéet ointments which figure vnto vs the resurrection and was manifested in our Lord Iesus Christ Wherefore we should but separate our selues from him if we would be thus basely and simply instructed For marke what Saint Paul saieth Colos 3.2 That if our affection be on things aboue we must séeke it in fayth and in spirit and be conioyned vnto our Lord Iesus Christ Colos 12.8.9 18. that we should bend our selues to him and not be nusseled in any thing which might withdraw hinder or kéepe vs backe from being vnited to him as vnto our head since his body is said to be the Temple of God And thus much wée are to consider of for buryall Howbeit this is also to be remembred that hée was laide in a newe Tombe which was not made but by the singular prouidence of God For he might verie wel haue béen buried in a Tombe which had serued for that purpose long before For Ioseph of Arimathea had many auncestors and in such wealthy mens houses there was a commoÌ„ Tombe made for the nonce Notwithstanding God had otherwise prouided for the matter and would haue our Lorde Iesus Christ to be laide in a newe Tombe wherin neuer man had béen laide Neither was it without cause that hée was called the first fruites of the resurrection and the first borne of the dead who had béen made partakers of life before our Lord Iesus Christ For we read that Lazarus rose again Wée sée also that Enock Elie were taken vp and neuer felt any naturall death but were gathered together into an incorruptible life Howbéeit al this hangeth vpon the resurrection of our Lord Iesus And therfore we must take him to be as the first fruites In the law the fruites of the yéere were consecrated to GOD by the only bringing of an eare of Corne and a bunche of Grapes to lay vpon the Auâ—ter Now when this was offered to God it was a generall consecrating of al the fruits of the yéere When the first born also were coÌ„secrated to God it was a declaratioÌ„ of the holines of the tribe of Israel that God accompted it for his inheritaunce which he had reserued to himselfe and contented himselfe with this people as if a man would be contented with his Patrimonie EueÌ„ so let vs vnderstand that when we come to our Lord Iesus Christ we are al coÌ„secrated and offered in his person to the end we might at this day receiue life through death that it should no more be deadly as before it was And thus we sée what we are to obserue as concerning the new Tombe that is that the buriall of our Lord Iesus Christ must bring vs vnto his resurrection Neuerthelesse let vs looke wel to our selues for al whatsoeuer that must serue our faith hath béene accomplished in the person of the Sonne of GOD And although wée haue a sure testimonie that it is sufficient for vs yet by reason of our grosenesse weakenesse wée are very farre from comming vnto Lorde Iesus Christ And therefore let euery of vs which acknowledge our offences séeke remedy for them be of good courage For we sée how Ioseph Nicodemus did Now here are two things to be considered of for our example The first is that they had no cléere insight in the fruite of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ Wherefore their vnderstanding was grosse and their faith very weake The other is that notwithstanding this extremitie yet fought they against all temptations and came to looke for our Lorde Iesus Christ who was dead to put him into the Tumbe protesting that they hoped to come to the blessed resurrection which was promised them And although we feele our selues weake yet let it not discourage vs. It is true indéed that we are weake and God may reiect vs when as hée shal roughly entreate vs. But yet when we shall féele these wantes let vs vnderstand that he will accept our desire although it be imperfect Moreouer since at this day our Lorde Iesus is risen in glory and although we must here suffer many miseries and calamities and that a man would thinke he were daily crucified in his members as in déed the vngodly as much as in theÌ„ lieth doe yet let not vs quayle for al this because we knowe that we cannot be put beside that which is promised vs in the doctrine of the Gospel and although wee must runne through a number of afflictions yet let vs alwayes haue an eye vnto our heade For Ioseph and Nicodemus neuer had the aduantage that wée at this day haue which is they neuer beheald the power of the spirite of God which is shewed in the resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ and yet was not their faith for all this wholly morgaged And since our Lorde Iesus calleth vs now vnto him and telleth vs allowde that hée is ascended into heauen to the ende he might gather vs altogether let vs constantly perseuere both to séeke him and follow him and that it is no hurt for vs to die with him since we shal be partakers of his glory And Saint Paule exhorteth vs to be like vnto Iesus Christ not onely as touching his death but also as concerning his buriall For there are some that coulde bée contented to die with our Lord Iesus Christ for a minute of an houre but it wold grieue them to doe it any longer And for this cause I haue sayde that wée must not die for a while but wée must also paciently abide at last to be buried I call this dying whenas God séeth vs so suffer for his names sake for although wée bée not at the first condemned and brought to the stake yet when wée are afflicted this is a kinde of death which wée must paciently abyde But because wée are not by and by humbled it is méete wée shoulde bée longer time scourged and bée contented and paciently beare it For as the Diuel neuer ceaseth to deuise whatsoeuer may withdrawe vs and make vs growe woorse and woorse Euen so must wée al our life long fight against him And although this be a very hard and grieuous condition yet let vs tary til the time bee come that God calleth vs vnto him and not bée wéery in confessing our fayth and therein followe Nicodemus but not in his temerousnes For when he first came
is laide open vnto vs to come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ because he hath stretched out his armes to imbrace vs. For we shall sée héerafter that hée was sent vnto those whose hartes were abased and cast downe Wherfore wée must bée sacrificed after this maner that wée might bée made like vnto our Lord Iesus Christ In very déede the sacrifice which he offered is our full hope and assuraunce to wit we must not presume to adde any thing vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ because he hath purchased ful saluation by his sacrificing of him selfe vnto God his father but by the way it is méete that wée shoulde be threatned by the iudgements of God to the ende we might vnderstand how gréeuos a thing it is that wée béeing poore wormes of the earth should lift our selues vp against the maiestie of our creator and violate his iustice considering that we are placed héere in this world to serue and honor him And therfore let vs haue a liuely féeling of this that wee might come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ Now it should séeme héere at the first sight that the Prophet had set downe a straunge reason when hée saith bicause hee was cut of from the lande of the liuing For in asmuch as Iesus Christ was exalted and hath now the rule both in heauen and in earth it shuld séeme that this was no fit meane without he had first bene as one cut of For this glory wherein now he is he alwayes had Iohn 17.5 before the world was made according to the saying of S. Iohn And therfore Iesus Christ as touching his deuine essence or being obtained vnto himselfe no straunge thing Now to bee cast downe into the bottomlesse pitte of death as it were was not the way to come vnto heauenly glory and to be condemned by a mortall man is not like that he should be made iudge of the whole worlde Howbeit the meaning of God was such as that he would worke beyond mans reason neither must wée bring our counsell hether with vs and think that wée are able to amend this counsel which wée know to be the cause and springhead of our saluation but let vs most humbly gloryfy God because hee woulde haue his sonne to be thus cut off from the lande of the liuing Now the Prophet namely speaketh after this manner as though Iesus Christ had bene vtterly abolished and would not make mention onely of a common death but euen of such a death as should vtterly root him out as if the remembrance of him had bene cléerelye abolished and defaced For although of necessitie all men must dye thereby are cut of from the land of the lyuing yet hath this ben specially séene in our Lord Iesus Christ that his death was to haue shut him quite out from the company of men For as we haue already said it was a most shamefull death and curssed of God and besides it was almost euen the very gulfe of hell yet not that Iesus christ was swalowed vp of it howbeit he straue mightely against the angushes of death And therefore it is not for naught that the prophet setteth him downe héere as one that had ben abolished from amoÌ„gst meÌ„ Neuertheles how euer it is he obtained by this menes such maiestie in this nature of ours as that at this day he being our brother Eph. 2.8 yet ceaseth not also to become our iudge And marke what S. Paul saith of it that he rendred himself obedient vnto death yea euen to the most curssed death of the Crosse in saying that he rendred himselfe obedient he noteth vnto vs that which wee haue already declared out of the prophet to wit that that which our Lord Iesus Christ suffered was willingly done But because wee are guilty before god are his enemies it is saide that Iesus Christ submitted himself for as S. Paul saith he who had all power and authority tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant the state of those that were vnder the yoke Thus we sée how obedient he was all his lyfe long would be vnder the law And not only in this but although he felt the horrible panges of death which made him sweat water blood draue him to say O father if it be possible I beséech thée Mark 14.36 let this so sower a cup passe ouer mée neuertheles he restraineth himselfe saith yet not my will but thine be done Now herevpon S. Paul saith that God his father for this cause exalted him gaue him a name aboue all other names that euery knée at this day might bow vnto Wherfore let vs vnderstand that Iesus Christ himself hath euen in our nature an excellent maiestie to the end we might come to him in full assurance for vpon what condition is he made iudge ouer all the world forsooth it is because that he is not onely made our Brother but also for that he offred himself to be our pledge borrow and hath borne al our sins He was scourged beaten by the hand of god that we might be healed of the wounds which we deserued to haue and for this cause is he now exalted to the ende we might bouldlye draw néere vnto him Now this is very true that the wicked ones the deuils must in despite of their téethes féele that the son of God is far aboue them for he must tread all his enemies vnder his féet Psal 110 1â— Howbeit we for our parts ar to do him honor willingly to submit our selues quietly vnto him acknowledge the maiestie that was giuen vnto him in his humane nature to the ende we might haue wherewith to glory triumph against sin Now that this is ment by the person of our Lord Iesus Christ sufficiently appeareth by the words of S. Luke for when the Eunuke was come to worship at the temple of Ierusalem he read this place Luk. 8. â—2 it was expounded vnto him by Philip whom God had sent by the liuelye ministerie of an Angell to the end he might come to this poore blinde ignorant man which sought after God hauing as yet no knowledge of him Howbeit this place was in such sort expounded vnto him as that with once preaching he was conuerted vnto our lord Iesus Christ crauing and requâ—ering that he might be baptised in his name And this is a thing that should greatly touch vs for in the first place we are admonished that although we are not able at the first chop to haue the sound vnderstanding of the doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ and what fruit we gather out of that which is dayly preached vnto vs yet must we not dispaire for all that but search out of the Scripture that thing which we know not and then God hauinge pittie on vs will giue vs his hand and set vs in the right way And since this poore ignoraÌ„t maÌ„ who gaue himself to read in the bible knew not what
more shamefast sober in requiring of any thing at the hands of amortall man thē we wil be when we come before the Maiestie of god Now the Prophet héere pulleth downe all the Peacocks plumbs when he calleth vs transgressors as if he should haue said O you cursed wicked ones what are you that dare presume to cal vpon God by the name of father Frō whence haue you this dignitie What is he the dareth once enterprise to come before the presence of the Maiestie of god and say I am one of thy children Away saith he and goe hide your selues for you are al malefactors and in comming before God you come before your Iudge and therefore you ought to tremble be vtterly ashamed Howbeit the onely remedy to assure your selues is this that when you call vpon the name of God you haue an inuincible defense by the power intercession of the Mediatour For without him there is no hope of your saluation but are altogether dead in your sinnes And therefore vnderstand you that you had néede haue the sonne of God to be betwéene you him to make intercession for you by playing the Priestes part We sée then here why the Prophet namely calleth vs al trespassers transgressors to wit to the end we might know that the gate is shut vpon vs are vnworthie to come neare vnto God and that we are all oppressed confounded if we run not to that help For without this remedy we must néedes perish and rotte in our wretchednes and miseries Now when we are thus humbled then may we come to our Lord Iesus Christ Because we knowe that it is he that speaketh for vs that by him also wée may boldly call our selues the children of God For when wée come to pray say O our father which art in heauen we must néedes acknowledge that our mouthes as cōcerning our selues are filthie therfore not worthie once to call God our Creator it is so farre of in déede as that we ought not to bee so presumptuous as to take our selues for his children And yet our Lord Iesus Christ speaketh for vs Heb. so by his mean our prayers supplications are sanctified For so it is said in the Epistle to the Hebrewes That by him it is by whom we render vnto god the sacrifice of praise all our praiers and that he is our mediator in whose name at this day we cal vpon God our Father And therefore wee may boldly glorifie our selues in that he will take vs for his children Wée sée then howe we are to put this place in practise Now we sée that our Lord Iesus Christ hath verified this when he prayed for his as appeareth in the Gospell after S. Iohn Looke vnto them Iohn 17.11 holy Father which thou hast giuen mée for now I goe out of the world Those that thou gauest mée I haue kept none of them is lost but the lost child but those whom thou gauest me in charge haue I kept Nowe I pray for them not onely for them but also for al those which shal beléeue on me through their preaching I pray not for the worlde but for those whom thou hast giuen me that thou wouldest blesse sanctifie them that they might also be one as we are When then we see the sonne of God pray and sée him also who is God eternall so to abase himself as to become a peticioner and offer vp his supplication vnto God his father in our name should not we here acknowledge an infinite goodnesse And wee are in the first place alwaies to consider of that which hath gone before to wit that wée shall doe nothing els but prophane the name of God with calling vpon him if we do it not in the name of Iesus Christ And why so Forsooth because our mouthes are filthie vncleane yea we our selues full of corruption no better then stinking wormes but because our Lord Iesus Christ abased himselfe euen vnto the state of a Begger to become a peticioner vnto god his father for vs there should be a sure setled staiednes in vs whē there ariseth any question in the framing of our prayers at this day It is true that as the Prophet Isaiah saith that Iesus Christ praied for the trāsgressors euē so likewise saith he himself that he praied not for al the world for such as take pleasure in their iniquities continue obstinate for such men are quite cleane cut of frō this benefite priueledge which is onely reserued for the children of God And therefore if we remain still in the world be separated frō our Lord Iesus Christ without doubt no whit of the prayer which he made vnto God his father apperteineth vnto vs neither shall it doe vs any good But let vs hearken to that which he saith Behold Iohn 17 6.2◠I haue shewed thy word vnto them they beléeued it I pray for thē saith he and not onely for them to wit the Disciples But also for all those which shall beléeue their preaching And therefore let vs at this day vnderstande that wée are made companions with the Disciples and Apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ and that this prayer which hée once made will very well serue our turnes and leaue an open way for our prayers so that we receiue the doctrine of the Gospell in faithful obediēce Wherfore we néed not now stād in doubt how to frame our petitions For since we know that Iesus Christ hath prayed we haue no more to say howe shall we be assured that the power of this prayer shall doe vs good Forsooth let vs beléeue the Gospel and then we shall follow the Apostles and Disciples and be linked together with them Would we make the sonne of God a lyer who is the euerlasting and vnchangeable trueth I thinke there is none that would Now hee hath spoken it with his owne mouth that all they that will receiue the preaching of the Gospell are linked to this prayer and comprehended within it Since then it is so although on the one side wee are miserable transgressors and therefore not worthie to come néere vnto God yet when we by the meane of the Gospell doe imbrace through faith the promises therein conteined then may wée present our selues vnto the Lord because he wil not only accept vs forasmuch as his onely Sonne hath made intercession for vs but that we may also at this day call vpon him and be likewise as hee himself saith Companions with him Isaiah 8.18 Heb. 2.13 for these are his wordes Behold mee and the seruants which thou hast giuen mée He offereth himselfe héere in the first place as hath already béen declared in the viii Chapter and then bringeth with him his whole company Now it is said that hee and all the company which were giuen vnto him were there redy to worship God his Father And therefore there
Egypt wée shoulde there sée their wonderfull vnthankfulnesse For when God commaunded them to goe against their enemies and promised them that they should haue victorie they woulde not goe on but murmured against him Why say they whether shoulde wée goe It shoulde séeme that hée goeth about to destroy vs and to sende vs lyke shéepe to the Butcherie Loe such was their rebellion Contrariwise when God saide stirre not they would néedes march on and would not be staide What say they wee loose time why march we not forwarde Héere we sée howe that wée will march when God sayeth we shall not againe when he saieth march on there is no man that will step one foote forward To be short it séemeth we woulde endeuour our selues to gainsay God Loe here our dealing Surely we are much of the boldnesse of mad men For they are strong and a mad man will be strong enough both to kill him selfe and others For when God woulde retire vs we are madde and would make hauocke of all thinges and againe when God would haue vs march on we are so slack as that euerie finger is a thumbe And therfore we are to beséech the Lord to graunt vnto vs the lyke grace that hée gaue vnto his Apostles that we stay when he commaundeth vs to stay and march on whē hée biddeth vs. Thus we sée why hée hath appointed to euery one his seuerall office and charge When he ordeined housholdes hée declared what authoritie the man should haue ouer his wife and family and what the womans obedience was vnto the husbande and the childrens to the Parentes so hée ordeined a lawe for euerie one And to the same purpose and effect was his ordinaunce for the administration of Ciuill gouernment For hée declared vnto Magistrates what their duetie was and howe they ought to vse the authoritie committed vnto them and to the Ministers of his worde likewise hée set downe a lesson in writing Thus wée sée that Iesus Christ hath so well ordered vs Rom. 14.25 as that if we haue any regarde vnto him we will attempt nothing which hée commaundeth vs not We sée also the saying of Saint Paule That whatsoeuer is not of Fayth is sinne Nowe if God leaueth vs in doubt of any thing that we haue to doe we cannot but continually sinne and therfore he hath set downe a rule vnto vs what we shal doe and what we shall not doe Wherfore let vs looke well that we be ruled by him and attempt nothing on our owne foolish braine Moreouer we sée that the Apostles staied in Ierusalem because Iesus Christ had so willed them yea although they knewe that God had ordeined them to that calling And although Iesus Christ had giuen them the holie Ghost by breathing vpon them neuerthelesse they might very well know that they were not as yet fenced as was méete Ioh. 26.22 but looked for the promise of the Father This promise as wée shall héereafter sée was the holie Ghost Wherefore wayted they forsooth it was euen for vs. Wée sée then héere that although Iesus Christ was ascended into heauen yet that hée had care of vs helpeth vs from thence neither is hée so farre from vs but that hée keepeth vs companie and gouerneth vs by his grace And héere wée sée why S. Luke sayeth that hée was taken vp into heauen after that hée had by his holie spirite giuen commaundement to his Apostles whom hée had chosen And hée went not thus away without thinking of vs. Howe then Forsooth hée gaue a charge vnto his Apostles and shewed them howe they shoulde gouerne them selues after they had receiued the holie Ghost And now wée haue héere a pledge that wée shall neuer want his helpe so that wée sticke vnto him Moreouer this is one notable comfort for vs that Iesus Christ béeing ascended into heauen hath all power and authoritie in his owne hande and is aboue all Creatures because hée is made Gods Lieutennaunt to the ende hée might rule all thinges both in heauen and in earth Nowe that wée might make our profite by this let vs marke that although God hath so highly exalted Iesus Christ as that all Creatures are subiect vnto him Col. 1.16.17.18 yet is hée our head and that this his great rule and Empire is all for our benefite if so be we are his members But hée can not be our head without we be truely vnited vnto him This then is the full assuraunce of our saluation which is that because Iesus Christ is ascended into heauen and ruleth all thinges insomuch that the verie Angels are his subiectes both they and all the rest of the Creatures shoulde minister to vs herein And againe hée so fast and sure holdeth in the Deuilles as that they can doe nothing without his leaue Wherefore we are assured that they can doe vs no hurt And why so Forsooth because they were not able any way to stand against him Moreouer wée must ioyne this glorious power with that knowledge which wée héere haue not as though it was doone but for that present but the power thereof extendeth it selfe euen vnto vs because it reacheth ouer heauen and earth Nowe this witnesseth vnto vs that hée is with vs whenas wée vnderstande his word because hée hath so promised and hée vseth not to lye as men doe Thus wée sée howe sure wée are of his presence and wil defend vs by his holy spirite For els what should become of vs Euery thing woulde make vs quaile because wee are as fraile as is possible Contrariwise wée sée howe the Diuell is armed at all pointes against vs. And therfore it is néedefull that God shoulde assist vs with his holy spirite that wée might withstande all his forces Wée sée then that although the body of our Lorde Iesus Christe bée farre from vs yet are wée néere him through his power and might which thing hée sheweth vs in the Supper and therefore are to apply this doctrine to our selues For the bringing of which to passe wée must not approch vnto him as many doe which come vnto him like beastes but let vs vnderstand what it is that is there giuen vs. When wée see God giue vs foode for our bodies it is a great blessing But wée come not thither to fill our paunches Why so Because it signifieth vnto vs that wée ought not to séeke for our bodily sustenance therein For as Saint Paule saith 1. Cor. 11. 22 Wée haue houses to eate and drinke in and therefore wée came not hither to fill our bellies Wherefore then Forsooth it is a testimonie that Iesus Christe will féede our soules What shall our soules bee fed with bread and wine No no that is not the meaning For there is nothing wherewith they can bée fed but with Iesus Christe For they must bee mainteined with euerlasting life which the Angels themselues cannot giue For as they had no being from eternitie so also may they haue an ende And
in the name of God yet when hée commeth to age wée sée him enclined to all mischiefe and therefore wée cannot say that hée is a new man but rather like a bruite beast And yet wée cannot say but that the Sacrament had his full nature and proprietie For baptisme of it selfe is as much as if we were renued and then if wée bée not so the fault is oures because wee will not suffer Iesus Christ to accomplishe his grace in vs and so for want of beliefe wée in such sort close vp our heartes as that there is no entraunce for his graces which hée woulde largely bestow vpon vs. Thus we sée that the Sacrament is neuer without his power and vertue howbeit we receiue no fruit nor benefite by it because it cannot enter without faith Wée haue héere therefore to note that the trueth of Baptisme is not in the water but in the holie Ghost And besides Iesus Christ geueth vs the holie Ghost And therefore wée are throughly to marke that if we woulde bée benefited by Baptisme we must not sticke so much to the water as though our saluation were enclosed therein but let vs vnderstand that it is the holie Ghost that must woorke all Moreouer wée sée that the worlde hath receiued this doctrine very perniciously for the Papistes thinke that the grace of God is tyed to it and they charme it like Coniurers geuing to the water the power of the Sacrament And therefore they say that that childe that is not baptized is damned Wherefore for the preuenting of this danger they are not onely contented to geue power authoritie to all men of what state and condition soeuer they bée to baptize but euen to women also for feare say they that the children might die without baptisme And so they think that the truth of baptisme consisteth in the water so that by this meane the blood of Iesus Christ is layde cleane aside But as for vs let vs learne that the truth of baptisme is not in the water but in the holy Ghost And yet is not the signe vnprofitable for it witnesseth vnto vs that our soules are washed But if wée wil haue the truth of it we must come to the holie Ghost as wée haue already shewed Moreouer it is saide that Iesus Christ giueth the holy Ghost to the end wée should neither séeke for it in the water nor yet at the handes of men but looke vp vnto heauen And this is also a poynt wherewith the world hath béen deceiued For who is hée that looketh to Iesus Christ when we speake of any thing concerning our saluation No man For wée thinke it to bée in the power of men as if Iesus Christ had resigned his office vnto them that he had no more to doe in heauen Sée I pray you how blockishe wee are Nowe the Scripture choketh vs by the chin as wée say to make vs looke aloft for in it is the thing which wée heare Iesus Christ teache vs beholde it is I that baptizeth you I graunt it is said that God sendeth the holie Ghost and so doeth Iesus Christ also Iohn 14.16.26 Iohn 15.26 16.7 Mat. 28.18 For when the father sendeth him hée sendeth him in the name of Iesus Christ at his request And besides Iesus Christ speaking of himself said that hée would send him And indéede hée is one and the selfesame God with the father And besides inasmuch as being made man hée became our Mediator al power both in heauen and earth was giuen him so that hée is as it were the very arme and hande to bestow the graces of God vpon vs. Let vs also note why it was that Iohn spake of the Baptisme with the holie Ghost and with fire vsing these twoo woordes For it is all one thing When hée speaketh of fire it is because hée meaneth to boyle vs againe to scombe of al our filthynesse as men vse to melt golde or siluer when they would fine it and as we sée men purge filthy places with fyre And therfore the holy ghost beareth not this name in vaine séeing it is hée that must purge all our spots and blots and it is also to signifie vnto vs that so soone as we come into this worlde we bring nothing with vs but vncleanesse and the longer wée liue the greater heape of vncleane thinges wée lay vp together whereof Ieremie speaketh sayinge that man knoweth not himselfe Ierem. 17.9 for there is such a gulfe of wickednesse in vs as there is none but God alone that knoweth it A man may well cast an Anchor into the bottom of the sea but none is able to search our harts but God For we stinke before the face of God and are more filthy then Lazarus yea too too horrible stinking and filthy But what of all this Beholde héere is our comfort whenas wée sée that Iesus Christ wil purge vs by his holy spirit for we haue thereof a sure testimonye in Baptisme that he wil make vs new cretures by purging of our infirmities But as by purging with fyre all superfluities are taken away euen so also let vs vnderstande that when God will reconcile vs to himselfe all what soeuer is ours must bee cleane taken away Moreouer let vs note that so longe as wee shall remayne in our selues wee cannot choose but perish and yet if wée would alwaies remaine safe and sounde GOD must néedes bray vs that hée might saue vs and make vs become acceptable in his sighte And this hée doth by his holy spirit And thus wée sée that it is by God alone that we must be gloryfied Indéede we are contented to haue a good opinion of our selues that we might be extolled amongst men but when it shall be sifted before the maiestie of God the thing that wée thought to be excellent hée will make no reckoninge of Let vs learne then that there is no goodnesse at all in vs but if there be any it is because that he hath purged vs with his holy spirit Moreouer when he saieth That it shall be after a while it is to encourage them the more and not to murmer and be discouraged when God deferreth his aide for wee must appoint him no time And indéede the time which he taketh is alwaies very short How so because hée leaueth vs not one minute of an houre without ayde As for example let it be that we are any war afflicted and then we call vpon God howbeit he wil not at the first cho◠forthwith deliuer vs but commonly for the most part the torment encreaseth and yet God assisteth vs because hée comforteth vs. And this shall we verie well perceiue when as we fall into the consideration thereof For what man is able to beare the least griefe that is if God assist him not By this we see a proofe of his ayde when as we quaile not For as S. Paule saieth if we haue any tribulation and doe beare it paciently then we knowe that God
Paule saith that he dwelleth in vs by faith 1. Cor. ◠19 2. Cor. 6 1◠And therefore let vs not geue place vnto our foolishe dolteries but vnderstande it according to the meaning of S. Paule saying Knowe yée not that you are the Temple of the liuing GOD which dwelleth in you And so as God is inuisibly euery where and in all thinges euen so Iesus Christ communicateth himselfe with vs. And therefore when wée are vnited to him our soules are fedde with the very substance of his bodie although he be in heauen but it is through the operation of faith of the holie Ghost For Iesus Christ commeth not downe corporally Wherfore the papists are doltishly ignorant when they say that he commeth closely and hydeth himselfe vnder the bread and wine playing bo péepe Nowe since we know the meaning of these wordes let vs apply them to our vse we haue saide that the Angels promised the Apostles because they shoulde not thinke that they had lost his presence that like as they had séene him ascend into heauen euen so hee shoulde come downe agayne For what should his descending and the suffering of his death and passion do vs good if we hoped not to sée him againe But séeing it was promised vs that he should come againe to gather vs together vnite vs to himselfe what a notable comfort is this for vs. And therefore this was not spoken only in the behalfe of the Apostles but also for our behoofe and herein resteth our comfort that although we are separated from him a great long distance of yet wil he shew himselfe for our redemption And therefore wée may boldly lift vp our heades and ouercome whatsoeuer griefes may come vnto vs. By this we may very wel iudge whether we beléeue in Iesus Christ or not For when we heare it said that he wil come againe and then reioyce at it and féele his comming in our heartes it is a token that we haue a true beliefe in him But contrariwise if wée stande in doubte of that day and haue a mynde to put it of if it were possible this is a true token of our infidelitie Wée sée then that faith at this day is very rare to bee founde in all the worlde For to heare the day of his comming spoken of should bée a greate comforte to vs because it is the day of our redemption as Paule to the Romanes saith Rom. 8.23 Howbeit there are very few that beléeue it But if we bee sorie and grieued to heare it spoken that that day will come is this a token that we hope Iesus Christ to bee our Redéemer Surely our redemption was purchased by his death but yet when wee shall be ridde of this bodie no doubte of it wee shall then bee ridde of the bondage of sinne Loe what an acceptable thing death should be vnto vs. Howbéeit because the vniuersall redemption shal not be vntil the latter day we ought to grone as all the Creatures grone looking for that day because they are subiect to corruption by reason of our sinnes and desire to bée deliuered thereof Wée sée then that heauen and earth and all the rest of the Creatures within them doe desire the appearing of our Lorde Iesus Christ and shall not wee be more ashamed if wée haue no greater desire of his comming then in sensible beastes For wée haue not onely the knowledge which God hath giuen vs as mortall men but hée hath also giuen vs an vnderstanding to wishe and desire his comming And therefore Luk. 21.28 this is a verie notable true signe of infidelitie when as wée haue no desire to sée that day and besides if wee rere not vp our heades so often as wée heare this saying pronounced we sufficiently declare that we haue no fayth in Christ Iesus Moreouer as the faythfull are comforted by this sentence euen so must the wicked féele an inward feare of this comming And although they make a iest at it yet doeth feare and trembling possesse their heartes which is this that our Lorde Iesus putteth them ouer vnto his iudgement And the reason why many men take Iesus Christ for their Iudge Iohn 19.37 is this because they haue no will to receiue him when as God his meaning is to giue them him to be their Redéemer In verie déede there are a number which at this day make but a laughing game thereat yet shall they neither will nor choose Apoc. 1.7 but feele his heauy hande whom they had persed For there are some suche men vnto whom if the iudgement of God be named that wil answere and say Well Syr well we shall be sure to sée him but not vntill hée come As certeine of my gentle scoffers scoffed here vpon Tuesday last past who not onely made light account and set them selues against God in the Tauernes but also made a muster héere of their impyetie and shamelesnesse and because they woulde shewe them selues to be lyke the most impudent whores of the Stewes they came and scoffed at God and his word euen in the Church in the presence of all his faythfull Well let them scoffe at him and spare not yet shall they féele him I say whom they had pearsed And let them be sure that he will come yea that he will come For he is not ascended vp into heauen to suffer the wicked ones to scoffe at him but that hee will surely be reuenged of them and kéepeth a register of all their scoffes and scornes And since they wil not willingly come to a reckoning they shall neither will nor choose but receiue iudgement with their fathers and brothers the Deuilles Nowe since this doctrine is deliuered vnto vs for our instructiō let vs in Gods name learne to humble our selues and worship Iesus Christ for since he is Prince and Gouernour of the Angels whom they obey let vs follow them for company And besides let vs be well assured that we may boldly pray vnto him since hée standdeth for vs before God his Father Moreouer let vs comfort our selues if at this day we suffer much and let vs looke for that day of the Lorde whereat our Lorde Iesus hath promised to be to vnite vs vnto him selfe And according to this holie doctrine Let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him that he will not suffer vs to walter our selues continually a sleape in them but awake vs and vnite vs vnto his Sonne And since hée hath called vs to the knowledge of him that it woulde please him to graunt vs the grace to profite our selues therein vntill such tyme as wée bée brought to that perfection wherevnto hée calleth vs. And so let vs all say O Almighty God heauenly father c. The first Sermon of the descending of the holie Ghost Actes second 1 ANd when the day of Pentecost or Whitsontide was come they were all with one accord in one place 2
hée rose againe he shewed himselfe to bée the very sonne of God Thus we sée the meaning of Saint Peter his woords when hée saieth Whom God raised vp being deliuered to death Now 2. Cor. 13.4 in that hée saieth The sorrowes of death hée meaneth not the sorrowes of the bodily death which Iesus Christ suffered but the horrible anguishes wherein hée was because he was to bée our pledge beare the punishment of all our sinnes Wherefore hée suffered not only in body but also in spirit and yet was hée not for al that ouercome But because we cannot at this present go on with the declaration of the sorrowes of his death as is very behouefull wée therefore will reserue it vntill the next time According to this doctrine let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him so to touch vs with the confessing of them as that although we haue héeretofore giuen the reine to our affections yet that it woulde please him to hold vs in that wée might bée obedient vnto his worde and so in pardoning of our offences past not rigorously iudge vs but accept those graces and thanksgiuing which wée yéelde vnto him for all the benefites which he hath bestowed vpon vs. And so let vs all say O Almightie God and heauenly Father c. A Sermon of the latter day Second to the Thessalonians Chapter first 6 IT is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation vnto them that trouble you 7 And to you which are troubled rest with vs in the Reuelation of our Lord Iesus from heauen with the angels of his power 8 In flaming fier rendring vengeance vnto them that knowe not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christe 9 Which shall bee punished with euerlasting damnation from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 10 When hee shall come to bee glorified in his Saintes and to be made maruellous in all them that beleeue because our testimony towardes you was beleeued in that day ONe of the principallest Articles of our faith is this that our Lorde Iesus Christe must appeare from heauen Now it cannot be that his comming shoulde bée vnprofitable and therfore it necessarily followeth that we must looke and wait for our redemptioÌ„ and saluation from thence Neither must wée stand any whit in doubt thereof because if wée shoulde so doe it were euen enough to make whatsoeuer our Lorde Iesus Christe hath doone and suffered of none effect For why came hée downe into the worlde why tooke hée our fleshe vpon him why suffered hée vpon the Crosse why rose hée againe and why ascended hée into heauen Forsooth hée did all this to this ende and purpose that hée woulde gather vs together into his kingdome whenas hée shall appeare And therfore this his comming is as it were to seale and ratifie all whatsoeuer hée hath doone and indured for our saluation Nowe this were euen sufficient to stay vs for the resisting of all the temptations in the world but because wée are so fraile and inconstant as that wée cannot beléeue the thing which God himselfe saith Saint Paule now vseth a strange kinde of Argument the better to confirme vs in this hope whereunto hée hath exhorted vs in the person of the Thessalonians which is That GOD will not be so lightly set by by the contemners of his Gospell who make no reckoning of his heauenly Maiestie neither will hée suffer his creatures to lift them selues vp against him to withstand him Thus wée sée by howe much more wée shoulde bée confirmed in the hope of our saluation séeing that God hath an interest therein is his owne cause And this is a point which wée are diligently to obserue For although as I haue alredy said God excéedingly assureth vs that he hath great care of our saluatioÌ„ yet our nature is so woÌ„derfull mistrustful as that we coÌ„tinually stand in doubt But when it is set down vnto vs the god wil defend his own right and not suffer vs to treade his maiestie vnder foote this is a doctrine which shoulde make vs full assured and resolute And besides GOD sheweth vs such fauour in ioyning his glorie with our saluation as that there is an inseparable bonde betwéene the one and the other For doe not wée sée an infallible assurance that our Lord Iesus will come to giue vs rest and quietnesse because it cannot otherwise bée but that God will mainteyn his maiestie against the pride and enmitie of men And therefore let vs diligently marke that Iesus Christ cannot mainteyne the glory of his father but that he must eftsoones declare himself to be our redéemer And these things as I haue said cannot bée sundered Wherefore wée héerein sée the infinite loue of our God towardes his faythfull ones whenas hée conioyneth himself in â—uch sort with them for as hée cannot possibly forget his owne glorie no more can hée also forget our saluation and as hée will shew his power to be reuenged of al such as resist him euen so will hée likewise punishe all those that haue vniustly afflicted his chosen people Thus wée sée what S. Paule his meaning is when as hée sayeth that Iesus Christ wil come to render vengeance to al those which haue not knowne God and obeyed his Gospel As if hée should haue said Behold your enimies which persecuted you Nowe you were in doubt whether God regarded your afflictions and whether hée had coÌ„passion of you or not for the remedying of them What Thinke you that GOD maketh no reckoning to mainteyne and defend his glory Nowe as the Aduersaries afflict you for cleauing vnto the Gospel euen so likewise will God in the defence of his own cause bée your Protector and defendor And by the way S. Paule also giueth vs here in this place many profitable aduertisementes For when hée speaketh of the vengeance which is prepared for our enimies hée saith That Iesus Christ will come with the Angels of his power and in flaming fire But to what ende Forsooth to confirme his saying to wit that the enimies of his truth saieth hée might sustaine their punishment both before God and his maiestie As if hée should haue said surely you can no more comprehend the torment which the faithlesse shall suffer then wée doe sée the glorie of God For when wée heare the glorie of God spoken of we know it to bée without end and measure and therefore wée ought to woonder at it Euen so fareth it with the horrible vengeaunce which is prepared for all the faithlesse Séeing God must shewe foorth his power vpon them For since his Maiestie as I haue said is inestimable therefore must their torment be also incomprehensible for our cause and thus much for this poynt Moreouer when S. Paule speaketh of Infidels and of the enimies of God hée saieth That they knew him not nor yet obeyed his Gospel Or that they were
estéemed and honoured and yet will wee thrust him out at the Cartes arse as wée say who made vs for what purpose doe they this Is it not a thing cleane against nature but let vs by the way marke that the ignorance of Infidels and incredulous Papistes procéedeth not of méere simplicitie but of very malice pride and hypocrisie which causeth them to bée so cléerely voyd of wit and discretion And how so because without all doubt if we might once come to the knowledge of God we could neither will nor choose but huÌ„ble our selues before him For it is impossible for vs to bee able to thinke what God is except wée bée liuely touched with some feare which may make vs yéelde vnto him And therefore so long as wée are Rebels and his enimies it is a token that wee neuer knew him for this knowledge of God is too too liuely a thing to say there wée sée him and yet bée as obstinate and rebellious as Infidels And if any man say that they are ignoraunt I graunt but let them take this withall that they are also cursed hypocrites Is there either one or other of vs that hath any thing in him able to excuse him No surely for if wée had but the séede of nature in vs giuen by God the verie beholding of heauen and earth were ynough to make vs think that there were some one who created all these thinges God reuealeth vnto vs as it were in a glasse his maiestie and glorie and yet there is none of vs all that will yéeld vnto it Surely the moste vngodly and such as make a scorne of GOD whenas they bée in any paine or griefe will call vpon him and yet thinke no whit at all indéede of him and héerevnto doeth GOD driue them that they might bée without all excuse insomuch that they as I haue already sayd which are most incredulous are not yet so ignorant but that they play the very Hipocrites They would gladly couer and cloake it Howbéeit they close vp their eyes for the very nonce Wée are proude also malicious for if wée did beare that honour vnto God that wée ought we would haue another maner of care to séeke to know him and his will And therefore whenas wée are so lazie and colde it is a token that wée care not for him So that by that meane our desire is to walke altogether in the darke Why so what is then to bée done Forsooth when wée come néere vnto GOD and that hée rebuketh vs for our offences wée shoulde learne to bée offended with our sinnes and reforme our liues Howbéeit wée are contented to lulle our selues asléepe in our miseries and thus wée sée howe wée flye from his brightnes Wée are therefore héere to note that we are not punished without good cause although we bée ignorant for wée cannot iustly say that wée are simple but rather hypocriticall proud and malicious We sée then why S. Paule saith That they which had sinned without law to wit they which had no vnderstanding of the woorde of God should notwithstanding die without law saying further that God had ingraueÌ„ a law in euery mans heart for although we had neither Scripture nor preaching yet doth our consciences serue for a law to condemne vs and this shalbée sufficient at the latter day well wée may haue many starting holes to deceiue men withall and wée thinke it a good discharge but when wée come once before the heauenly Iudge wée shal come short of our reckoning for there wée shall sée all our excuses to be vaine Let vs then note out of the saying in this place That the Lord wil come to render vengeance vnto al those which haue not knowne GOD and obeyed the gospel to wit vnto al incredulous persons Now by this wee sée that faith is the only port or gate vnto saluatioÌ„ life because Iesus Christ wil come to confound al those which haue not beléeued Moreouer we must vnderstand that vntill such time as GOD enlighteneth vs wée are altogether ignorant and blind And why so Forsooth wée haue a faire catch to know whatsoeuer is in heauen in earth yet not knowe God then to what purpose serueth all our knowledge And surely wée shal neuer know him aright vntil such time as hée hath enlightened vs with his holie spirit Whervpon we sée that our ignorance shal not excuse vs to the end no man should flatter himselfe and become carelesse yet let vs also note one thing by the way that when wee are come to the knowledge of God wée ought of very right submit our selues vnto him to the end hee might kéepe vs in awe that all our thoughts and affections might be guided after his wil so that wée may haue such a faith vnto the Gospel as that we may say with Dauid Psal 19 1â— that this doctrine is sweeter then hony more precious then gold or siluer And thus much for this poynt Moreouer wee here sée how GOD meaneth to certefie vs of our saluation For if Iesus Christ must come to doe vengeaunce vpon all those which haue not beléeued the Gospel but resisted it wée must néedes conclude that the worlde shall bée iudged by the Gospel Nowe it is there sayde vnto vs that when wee haue receiued the promises of God with a true and liuely faith we must not stand in doubt of his fauour and loue to vs warde neither yet doubt that Iesus Christe will not stande to the thing which hee hath offered for vs and for our redemption And therefore all they which doe beléeue in the Gospell may without all doubt reioyce that Iesus Christe will come to be their Redéemer And this assurance as I haue alreadie said God maketh vs so that wée refuse not such a benefite As for the power and glory of Iesus Christe which Saint Paul héere speaketh of it is as hath béene before saide to this ende that his comming might bée the more terrible to all incredulous and rebellious persons And is this a small matter to say that Iesus Christe wyll come accompanied with his Angels in flaming fier and with an incomprehensible Maiestie thundering and lightening vpon all those that are his enimies By this wee sée that Saint Paule his meaning héere is to admonishe all faithlesse people if they are to bée holpen to beware how they continue still without amâ—ndment Notwithstanding because wee sée that such as Satan leadeth and whose heartes hee hardeneth doe nothing els but make a mocke at the threatninges of God let vs for our partes make our profite thereby and when wée heare that Iesus Christe wyll come in such a feareful maner as that hee will so feare and bridle vs that when Satan shall goe about to spurre and pricke vs forwarde to withdrawe vs from the obedience of the Gospell wée might bée able to thinke thus with our selues and say how fareth it with vs how headlong runne we into destruction What meane
the Church fellowes with the Apostles and the verie shoppe of the holie Ghost from whence wee must fetch the full exposition of the scriptures and the verie assured resolution of all the pointes of religion yet tell they vs nothing els but vaine and doltish tales either busie them selues about curious questions and ful of Sophistrie besides a thousand other subtleties seruing to no edification in the whole world The other sort of them in stead of the word of God preach nothing els but constitutions and ordinaunces of their owne making for the establishing of the tyrannie of their holie Father the Pope the verie Antechrist and enemy to the truth and the third sort vomit and cast vp arrogant and proude speeches in the Pulpyt against the children of God against all such as Iesus Christ hath reuealed him selfe vnto in these latter dayes calling them Lutherans and seditious persons falsly deuising a thousand leasings against them and in steade of feeding their miserable starued sheepe with the true foode of the worde of God they are faine to moysten their soules with those pestilent kindes of poisons whereas they should be fed with spiritual and heauenly nurriture Wherefore dearely beloued brethren in our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ whensoeuer that God sendeth vnto vs any good and faithfull teacher who sincerely and purely deliuereth vnto his Auditorie the worde of the Lorde wee ought to make a meruellous great account of him for we shal finde verie few such men as will faithfully acquite them selues of their charge and function and we ought amongst other things greatly to reuerence all those whom God hath endowed with speciall graces and the gift of enterpreting Euen as at this day the faithful Pastor and good seruant of God Iohn Caluin hath made that precious talēt which God bestowed vpō him verie profitable whose Sermons yelde vnto vs a good testimony therof which also in the iudgement of indifferēt men were not slightly made nor hastily hudled vp but duely truely premeditated and rightly deliuered vnto the capacitie of his flocke hauing alwayes in open shew the liuely impression of the benefit of the Lord Iesus in their hearts Neither are these like vnto common places caught in a net either yet bosome Sermons which may serue for any text of scripture as a stoole for al feete But are true sincere plaine and meete expositions seruing for the text which he had to treate of neither are they stuffed with friuolous exhortations either yet filled with ambitious inuectiues For as it is verie needful that the superstitions of Poperie shoulde by the worde of God bee daily enueighed against to the ende they might be cleane rinsed and scowred out of our heartes as a strong sauour wherewith we haue beene seasoned euen from our infancie yet if the place which hee handled did not orderly speake against such abuses hee woulde not passe the boundes of his Texte and crye out vpon them as the Papists alwaies and to no purpose like Mastife Curres barke and baye against the Gospell renued in this latter age of the worlde But his manner was to holde a plaine and direct course tending to edification without omitting any thing which might serue and make for the honour of God and instruction of his Auditorie I woulde if it pleased God there were a great many moe his lyke For then I knowe that the Church of Christ should be greatly eased and furthered But it is out of al doubt that our vnthankfulnesse is the cause why God sendeth not moe faithfull Pastours at this present then are for if there bee any that will duetifully discharge their office and deliuer the word of God freely as Saint Paule commaundeth reproouing sinne and setting them selues against iniquitie for the maintenaunce of his honour by whom they are sent they are foorthwith furiously dealt with rayled on and slaundered As questionlesse the partie before saide who for his vprightnesse and great fidelitie by him vsed in the executing of his charge hath gotten such a mightie number of enemies as that they which neuer see nor heard him neither yet euer read two wordes of his woorkes haue wished his death Howbeit God be thanked for it his good conscience and the testimonie which hee had before God his Angelles and the faithful which daily heard him did so assure him that men did him wrong for wishing of him so great hurt as that they encouraged him constantly to pursue the Lordes workes He sawe howe hardly his maister was dealt with and after him the Apostles and therefore it greeued him not to follow their steppes because he knew that God was of power able to defende and keepe his pledge and that they which suffred for his sake should be taken to be worthie of the kingdome of heauen Nowe because all men could not bee of that Church whereby they might be partakers of the heauenly foode which this good shepheard many yeares ceased not to administer and that it was very expedient that they which were newly come to the charge which hee had might see his manner of teaching and so followe it and likewise that they which thought hee did nothing els but speake euill and crye out against the Pope and all his rable of shauelinges thundring against their traditions without any other handling of the Scripture or els that hee went about none other thing but to bring the people vnto a carnal libertie and thereby cast of the obedience and subiection which they ought to Kinges and Princes to the end therefore that they might read his Sermons and thereby see that hee hath great iniurie done vnto him in hauing this blame laide vpon him and cease the yl opinion which they haue conceiued of him many godly honest men determined to prynt a certein of them but especially Lawrence of Normandie whose zeale and godly conuersation is sufficiently wel knowne hath for many yeares bestowed all his studie trauel to prynt bookes for the edifiyng of the Church In verie deede I must needes say thus much as I haue in the preface of the Sermons of the tenne Commaundementes let you before vnderstande that the Authour was not willing nor yet consenting heretoo not that hee woulde hinder the benefite and fruite that hereby might redounde to the Church but wished that his Sermons might passe no further then vnto his owne flocke as well for that they were specially made for his sheepe vnto whose capacitie he framed him selfe the best he could and therefore thought that an other order and disposition were more requisite therin for the publishing them abrode in the view of al the world but as for the ouer looking of them to the ende to polish them ouer and besides that his leasure would not serue him hee would neuer busie himselfe about the matter For if he himselfe had meant to haue put them foorth he intended to haue made new homilies of them and better penned and not to haue published any thing
eyes shut Act. 17.27.28 yet so it is that we may know this power of God And howe so Because it is here within vs. In whō is it that we liue that we haue our moouing and being It is in God who hath breathed life into vs by whom we subsist or stand This thē is that which S. Iohn sheweth vs saying that all things were made by it By this we know that that worde of God hath béene from the beginning who also is our God God applieth himselfe to our rudenesse And how know we this Certainely we cannot climbe so high and therefore God is come down euen vnto vs God I say with that his word so that we may knowe him And albeit that our vnderstanding stretcheth not it selfe so far neither yet is able to ascende aboue the cloudes yet so it is that wée are constrained to knowe that this worde is truely God And how so Because all things were made by it In it is it then that all thinges haue béen as the Apostle Paule in his Epistle to the Hebrues sheweth the same Hebr. 1.2 Hebr. 11.3 Wee confesse saieth hée that the word of God is eternall and euerlasting And why so Because so it is that by this word all thinges were made And this is also the same that S. Paule speaketh in the 17. Chap. of the Actes of the Apostles Act. 17.24 Act. 14.17 that God hath not manifested himself vnto vs without a large testimony witnesse because we may behold him in all his creatures So then in as much as al things were made by his word He meneth Seruetus his adherents as I take it See Institut Lib. 1. Gap 13. Sec. 7.8.23 Ge◠1.3 we must know that he is our eternall God There are certaine Heretiques that suppose that this worde of God had beginning in the creation of the worlde because there was neuer any spéech had of the worde vntill suche time as the worlde was created As Moyses saith God saide let there be light and the light was made c. Nowe they woulde inferre héere vpon that that worde then beganne Is it so we may rather contrariwise by that conclude that that worde is eternall For if a man begin to doe some thing we can not therevppon say that hée was not before that If this be true in creatures what will it be when wée shall come to God So then albeit that worde of God hath not spread abroade and made manifest the power therof before the creation of the world yet none can thervpon conclude that it was not already before that time And this is that which S. Iohn ment to set out declare by this manner of spéech wherin it is said that al things were made by this word Moreouer let vs marke A good 〈◊〉 which ought well to be remembred Rom. 11.36 that when we speake of God the Father and of his worde we say then that God made all thinges whatsoeuer and that by his worde and this word by is attributed onely vnto Iesus Christ True it is that when we speak of God singly and by himselfe and without distinction of the persons we may well say that all thinges are by and from God but when there is a distinction as in this place there is behold then the proprietie which belongeth and agreeth to Iesus Christ to wit that al things were made by him And this is that distinction of persons which I haue alreadie spoken of that is that all things are of God the father but that Iesus Christ is the meane thereof Marke then what S. Iohn ment as if hée should say that God by his worde hath made all things Wherefore God sheweth that hée is the fountaine of them all and that it must néedes bée that hée shoulde make and create all thinges but yet by the meane and power of that his woorde And without it nothing was made of that which was made Saint Iohn commeth héere to repeate the same Sentence Two causes of S. Iohns repetition not onely because it is his custome to repeate one and the selfe same thing after two sorts but also by reason of mens ingratitude vnthankfulnesse For albeit that it is saide vnto them that God made all thinges by his worde yet they doe not at the first conceiue vnderstand or beléeue the same Wée sée that Gods Creatures touch vs not to the quicke and that we are so dull and so blockish in our vnderstanding that we are notable to comprehend these things euen in such plaine and simple sort as they are propounded and set out vnto vs. Wherfore S. Iohn that he might the better expresse the same vnto vs addeth without it nothing was made of that which was made The dulnesse of mans wit in Gods matters should teach vs true humilitie As if he should say Surely we are accursed if we doe not receiue this eternall word of God séeing that by it is that wée haue béene created yea that all the worlde hath béene made the heauen the starres and the earth which bringeth foorth for vs our foode and nourishment to be short that all good thinges haue béen giuen vs by the meanes of this word So then séeing wée perceiue that our life procéedeth from thence wée must wholy kéepe our selues fast thereto and cast from vs all that that men will set before vs to the contrarie This is here a double exposition in respect of the placing of the words not that they are changed but because wée haue diuersly disposed and placed them Our sort read it thus That by that word all thinges were made We must heede◠looke howe woordes and matters are placed in the scripture and that without it nothing was made and ende there their sentence afterwards they adde All that which was made was life in it But this declaration is not aptly set It is true that the sense which they giue is in déede almost all one for they haue in a maner the same exposition that we haue but the maner of speech is verie straunge for it is not saide of the creatures that they are life but that is attributed vnto God Rom. 8.10 as Saint Paule saieth in his Epistle to the Romans that the Spirite is life by reason of the fréedome that hath béene bestowed vpon vs by Iesus Christ To be short though wée shall viewe all the holie Scripture yet wée shall neuer finde that it is saide There is a double life euen in this life Act. 17.28 that wée are life in our selues but that God only hath life and that not onely the spirituall life but euen that life from which all things haue their being and by which wée liue and that we haue life and breath in him as I haue alreadie alleadged out of S. Paules saying And by this we sée the trueth of this sentence to wit that nothing of all that which was made was made without that
worde of God And this is the order of the reading that hath béen found and obserued in all the most old Gréeke Doctors and other expositors The Manichees and their opinion confuted neither was there any but one alone that hath otherwise expounded it Furthermore we haue to note that the Manichees laboured to peruert and wrest this place saying All that was made in him was life to prooue their foolish opinions as that all creatures had life in them and were liuing for example Stones Trées Corne Otes All this in their fantasie was liuing insomuch that they durst not eate bread vnlesse they were sanctified of God before hande And wherefore hée must be good that eateth this woulde they say The Deuill certainly possessed them and yet notwithstanding they would alledge places of Scripture The Deuil and his instrumētes do continually wrest the scriptures and abuse them to prooue their foolish speculations withall Now I ment in déede to touch this by the way to declare that the Deuill hath alwayes indeuoured to peruert wrest and wring the holie Scripture but whatsoeuer it be if wée search and séeke after Gods trueth wée shall finde it pure and simple as it is and the Deuill shall not be able to deuise or perfourme any thing against it or vs to turne vs away from it because it is shewed and set out vnto vs before our eyes and it shall appertaine to none but to vs if wée will beholde it in his puritie and kéepe it in such sort as God hath reuealed the same vnto vs. Then let vs come to the naturall meaning After that Saint Iohn had said That nothing was made of that which was made without this worde Hée addeth That in it was life Nowe héere hée mindeth to set out two diuers thinges that is to say that as all was once created by the power of that worde of God so all thinges continue and are preserued by that power and by the same meane Two thinges worthie to be marked And these are two matters which it behooueth vs wel to consider and way The one that we haue our beginning and life by this word the other that we are vpholden and mainteined therby and that not wée onely but all the worlde Also that the worlde was not onely created at the beginning by this word but also that it should bée no more nor continue any longer vnlesse it were preserued in it owne estate by the same meane And therefore as I haue saide let vs marke and kéepe fast All things in the world are vphelde by Christ these two thinges as they are in this place pointed out vnto vs with the finger by S. Iohn In the first place then hée declareth vnto vs That nothing of that which was made was made without this worde And howe then Mindeth hée to accept I know not what that was not made Séemeth it that he would say that the Angels were not created No no he meaneth no such thing but mindeth to declare that we haue nothing at all which dependeth not wholy of God and hath not it being altogether in him Touching Angels It is true that the Angels haue a very noble and excellent nature but yet notwithstanding they subsist and haue their being by this word and are founded in it otherwise they could not cōtinue and abide As also there is nothing in the world but it is preserued by this verie word Now here we are taught and instructed howe great our pouertie and wretchednesse would be vnlesse that God vphelde vs by his grace And this is it that the Psalmist speaketh that so soone as God shal withdraw his spirit from vs Psal 104 29. beholde we returne to pouder and dust and vanish away altogether It is true that he speaketh in that place of creatures bodely things but so it is that we sée how all the rest also is vpholden by the vertue and power of this word Now euen as we cannot subsist or be but by that word of God so we must likewise marke that it is by the meanes thereof that we haue begun to haue life And who is hée that declareth the same vnto vs The Euangelist This is also the selfe same which the Apostle saith in the first Cap. to the Hebrues that the sonne of God is the brightnesse of the glory Hebr. 1.3 or the image of his substance and person of God his Father and that he vpholdeth all thinges by his worde Hée vseth there the worde worde but yet in such a signification that hée meaneth not onely the power of the sonne of God but also a certaine wonderfull disposition a verie fit and séemely order which hée hath set in the thinges created because he is the wisdom of God we may behold him in al the creatures because he vpholdeth al things by his vertue and power Marke then how we haue life moouing and after the first day of our life we continue in the same to wit because that God preserueth vs Mans life and the continuance thereof is from God alone for in respect of our selues we must néedes perishe euerie minute of an houre if this were not that that word of God mainteineth vs. Behold then in what sense the Euangelist saieth that that word was life that is that not onely all thinges were made by it but that they must of necessitie also be grounded therevpon and that it mainteine them in their being Nowe he addeth afterwards that that life was that light of men And wherefore is it that hée addeth this It is for two causes The first is that after that we haue knowne the might of God and the power of that his word both on high and beneath and euerie where we must then come to our selues for this is good reason that we should and that with a greater diligence beholde that which toucheth vs verie nigh As how I ought to knowe Gods goodnesse in this that hée preserueth Horses and Oxen as Dauid speaketh to vs therof Psal 36.6 Psalm 104.27 Gen. 1 1◠saying that it is hée that giueth nourishment and foode to euerie beast I sée on the other side the Earth which by the commaundement and blessing of God bringeth foorth her fruites If I looke thē vpon beastes I ought to knowe the goodnesse of God which declareth it selfe euen towards Asses Dogs but much more towards mée God commeth to mée that I might inwardly féele his power hée giueth mée bread wherewith I am nourished and ought I not to be touched to the quicke for so many benefits blessinges It is true that I should Besides also when men set out Gods workes they speak expresly of men Gods power appeareth specially in man because that God doth set out his most great excellent power rather in vs then in other creatures God then wil in déed be magnified both in heauen in earth and in all his workes that we sée but
wée might bée the better confirmed in this doctrine let vs note that when our Lorde Iesus prayed hée did not onely pray for himselfe and for his owne behoofe but hath so consecrated all our petitions and prayers as that they are sanctified and allowed of God according to his heartes desire as is saide in Iohn Iohn 17. Hée was sanctified that wée might bée sanctified in him And this may also bee a very good conclusion for vs. That hee prayed because his prayer is auaileable and strong euen at this day by meane whereof wée are all hearde And this reason wée are highly to estéeme of when hée saith that the spirite is ready but the fleshe weake which declareth vnto vs that wée haue all néede of that remedy which hée héere ordeined for his Disciples For many thinke that if they bee neuer so little well disposed that they haue gotten all the worlde and this supposall in very déede maketh them nothing worth And héereby they become soone after so idle and colde as that they fall from GOD and contemne his ayde which is the cause also why God many times withdraweth him self hideth his power For it is good reason that when men truste too much vnto them selues they should bée left to their owne willes that GOD might scorne their arrogant and foolish imagination Wherefore to the end both great and small might knowe and vnderstande that they ought not lightly to passe ouer the helpe of God and the graces which they haue receiued of him hée must therefore alwayes continue and increase that in them which hée hath giuen vnto them that they might be made strōg It is said here that the spirit is readie c. That is to say that although wée féele some willingnesse in our selues and that God hath set vs in the right way and giuen vs his hande so that wée may finde by very good proofe that hée guideth vs by his holy spirite Although I say we haue all this yet must we not bée slacke in praying And why so Because if we well consider the matter wée are no better then a puft of winde Now no doubt of it wée shall finde many remnants of infirmities in vs although god hath alredie so holpē vs as that we are highly to thanke him and to magnifie his goodnesse yet is it good reason wée shoulde stoupe and cast downe our heads and sée in very déed that if hée forsake vs wée shall soone I say not onely be weakened but bée vtterly ouerthrowne To be short our Lorde Iesus Christe his meaning héere is to shewe that the most perfect and forewarde of those vpon whom God hath enlarged the graces and vertues of his holy spirite must notwithstanding humble themselues and carefully and fearefully walke and call vpon God euery houre that they might knowe that it is not enough for him to haue begunne except hée make it perfect and that all goodnesse commeth from him so that when hée hath giuen a good minde hee must eftsoones graunt the perfourmance thereof Forsomuch as perseuerance is the most speciall and rarest gift that may be And thus we sée whereunto the exhortation of our Lorde Iesus tendeth Now if they who call themselues spirituall to wit who haue a feruent zeale to serue GOD and still haue recourse vnto his Maiestie with Prayers and supplications are yet so weake as that they may bee ouerthrowne euen in the minute of an houre except they continually call vpon GOD Howe shall they then doe who are so earthly and heauie as is lamentable insomuch as they are not able to traile their legges after them and haue scarsely any good motion or yet one good thought howe greatly ought these men I say in respect of the rest inforce themselues Let euery man therefore examine himselfe and wée shall finde our selues to bée so cold and blockishe as when any question shall bée mooued of praying vnto God wee goe to it sometimes more for a fashion then for any affection and loue we haue thereto when we see this to be in vs let vs learne to bée displeased with such a vice and with such a coldnesse yea let vs detest such a corruption and doe our best to call vpon God and lift vp our mindes vnto heauen and séeke for the remedie which is héere set before vs Thus wee see in effect what it is that we must remember For where it is saide that the Disciples were a sléepe the thirde time yea although they were so liuely stirred vp ouer and besides that which we haue this morning spoken of to wit that we right well see that our Lorde Iesus Christe chose vnto him no companion for the helping of him to finishe the worke of our saluation Let vs also behold our dulnesse for it is most certaine that wée haue no more ablenes then these thrée of whō mention is héere made and yet were they the most notable men of all the company and those whom Iesus Christe had marked as it were to bee the very floure of the twelue for the publishig of the Gospell throughout the worlde And although héere was already neuer so good a beginning yet for all that wée sée howe weake they were And this is set downe to this ende that we should altogether haue recourse vnto the Sonne of God and seeke for our want in him and not to bee faint hearted whenas we shall féele suche weaknesse in our selues In very déede the example of the Apostles must not giue vs occasion to flatter ourselues as many there are which wil say that they may very well sléepe because that Peter Iohn and Iames stept But let vs be angrie with our selues for our sinnes and know that our Lorde Iesus is ready to receiue vs if that wée will come vnto him Moreouer this hath alwayes béene the most speciall reason which wee haue declared this morning That what soeuer is in men must néedes bée weake to the ende wee might knowe that in him is the accomplishment of our saluation whom God had appointed to bée our Mediator And besides wée are to note that the néerer wée come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe wée ought then to bée most watchfull For the worldlinges and such as God hath cut of as rotten members and forsaketh thē neuer haue any great conflict Because the Diuell hath alreadie dominion ouer them And therefore wée see that they may sléepe at pleasure But as our Lorde Iesus sheweth vs this fauour to call vs vnto himselfe and familiarly to come néere vs euen so likewise doeth Satan prepare combates for vs because hée woulde retire vs from the obedience of the sonne of God And therefore I say when hée séeth vs in any good towardnesse then doeth hée most roughly assaile vs. Wherefore let euery man make readie himselfe knowing whereunto God hath called him and what his charge is This then is the summe of that we are to kéepe in minde Moreouer where it is said Sleepe hence
so hainous an offence as appeareth by his repentance For this is most sure that if a man be touched to the quicke after hee hath fallen and wéepeth and growneth before God for his pardon it is a token that God hath already receiued him and reconciled him vnto him selfe For repentaunce is a singuler gift procéeding from the holy Ghost shewing vs that god is mercyfull vnto vs would not haue vs to perish but draweth vs vnto him self And this we sée to be in Peter wherfore it foloweth that the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ was already available vnto him after a wonderful maner as hath bene before saide But let vs héere in the first place note that S. Peter aboad still sleepy and blockishe vntill such time as he perceiued the token which our Lord Iesus had tolde him of to wit that the Cock should not crow till he had denied him thrise or els that the Cocke should not crow the second time before Peter had made his thrée denials Since then it is so if our Lord Iesus Christ had not forewarned him he had stoode styff in his sin bene plunged alwaies in destructiō knowing that we had neede to be stil called vpon whēas we haue commited any offence For if God should take away his grace from vs not exhort vs to turne vnto him without doubte Satan would preuent vs and al our sences would become blockish so that we should haue no one good motiō to returne into the way of saluation And this is it which we are ouer besides to beholde in the person of Peter But when S. Luke telleth the Iesus Christ looked on him we are héereby the better taught that it is not enough that we be pricked forward and be pulled by the eare to returne vnto God but Iesus christ must also cast his looke countenance vpon vs. Now this is true that he speaketh not heere but of the looke of the eyes but although our Lord Iesus be not conuersaunt which vs in a visible maner yet without doubt vntil such time as he casteth his eie vpon vs we shal be altogether dulled in our sinnes neuer think ether of wéeping or groning although wee haue prouoked the wrath of God although he hath bent his bow and drawn his sword yet wyll we still be negligent vntil such time as our Lorde Iesus christ causeth vs to féele that he hath not forgotten vs would not haue vs perish but wyll draw vs out of destruction And to proue this to be so we dayly heare Sermons by which we are exhorted to repentaunce but how are we touched with them nether were there euer any mo admonitions and besides doo not al thē creatures of God stirre vs vp to come vnto him surelye if there were but one drop of wisdome in our mindes would not the very rising of the Sunne call vs to an acknowledgement of the worship of God And besides if we beholde how the earth and the Elements doo their duties and the beastes and trées theirs this were enough to shew vs that we must submit our selues vnto his maiestie to the end he might be gloryfyed in vs and yet we thinke no whit at all of it But the Cock may crow as lowde as hee lust and not the Cocke alone but God also causeth al his creatures both in heauen and earth to crye out to exhort vs to come vnto him and that which is more he vouchsafeth to open his holy mouth both by his law Prophets Gospel and saieth vnto vs returne vnto mee O yée people and yet we sée our selues to be so dull and blockish as is monstrous And therefore our Lorde Iesus Christ must looke vpon vs with his eye of mercy as hée dyd vpon Péeter that he might draw out of vs true gronings to be witnesses of our repentaunce For where it is saide that Peter wept bitterly it was to this ende to declare vnto vs the sorrow whereof Saint Paul speaketh that is to saluation and therefore we should not flye it 2. Cor. 7.10 but séeke after it although we naturally desyre to be continually in pleasure and to féele no crosse yet must we be brought to bee sorrowfull for when God afflicteth vs our hartes must néedes bée gréeued in that we haue offended him for this sorrow bringeth vs to quietnes maketh vs to reioyce both before God the Angels And we shall anone sée that Iudas repented him but it was after another and diuers maner But we finde by Peters wéeping that he was greatly displeased with his sinne and returned forthwith vnto Iesus Christ We are also to note that he went out to weepe Surely this procéeded of weaknesse because he was a fearde that the company should sée him repent But be as be may no doubt of it when he wept by him selfe it was a good token that hee was touched with his sinne and offence because he sought not to haue men to be witnesses of his repentance but wept alone before God And in this we sée what it is for vs to doo for if we onely bewaile our sinnes and transgressions in the sight of men by this we shew our hypocrysie but when we withdraw our selues from company and examine our sinnes and offences and be then sorrowfull that argueth that we are no hypocrites but that we know who is our Iudge and doo there beséech him of pardon and forgiunesse knowing also that it is the office of God to pull all damned soules out of the pitte of hell And this is the summe which wee are to consider of that whiche is héere mentioned of Peters fall and of the thrée denialles by which hee deserued to bee cleane cut of from the Kingdome of God if so bee Iesus Christ had not stretched out the power of his death passion to bring him to repentaunce as héere it came to passe now it is saide anone after that the Priestes and gouernours tooke counsell to condemne hym But because they had no power to doo it they brought him manacled and bound vnto Pontius Pilate the gouernour of the Country who had authoritie After this it is said in the Gospel the Iudas repented him when he sée the Iesus Christ was condemned and cast them the mony which he had receued for a reward for his treachery therw t cōfessed his falt Howbeit the priests would not receiue the mony but bought a field of a Potter wherin was potters earth which serued to none other purpose for it was good neither for tyllage nor séede And this Fielde they bought to burye the dead bodies whiche they did vnder a coulor of deuotion for they saide it was not lawfull to put that siluer among the offerings of the temple And herevpon the Euangelist sayeth that that which the Prophet had spoken of was accomplished that the thirtie pence which the children of Israell valued God at might bee bestowed vpon a potters yarde Héere we
any thing to saue themselues for beholde their owne mouthes condemne them For if our Lorde Iesus saued other without doubt hée was able to saue hymselfe but that he preferred others before him selfe What other thing can héere bée seene saue onely a wonderfull goodnes in that he would bée throwne downe as men thought to drawe vs out of the bottomeles depthes that he woulde suffer all that wée deserued to the end he might acquite vs thereof to be short hée forsooke all temporall welfare that is to say hée cared not for his life hée spared not his owne person that wee might bee assured of our euerlasting saluation and haue such a pawne and payment for it So much the more therefore ought our faith to bée strengthened and when wée sée that al whatsoeuer the diuel hath deuised to trouble and hinder vs from going to our Lorde Iesus Christ ought to serue for our furtherance that we might be thereof assured and profite our selues thereby Now this is certaine that the Diuell bendeth all his force to hinder vs in this behalfe For hée knowing wherein our saluation lyeth hath set himselfe altogether against it that hée might spoyle vs thereof For hée knoweth that if hée can bring vs to bée offended at the person of our Lorde Iesus Christe that wée are all vndoone by it and wée haue too too much experience thereof Moreouer all the offences which the Diuell rayseth against vs and setteth before our eyes to withdrawe vs from the sonne of God should be things to confirme vs. For as alredy hath béene declared when it is saide that Iesus Christe saued others and not himselfe it is a speache which in our iudgement shoulde cause vs to conceiue a disdaine against the person of the sonne of God euen to refuse him and not to truste in him But let vs cleane contrary vnderstand that when the sonne of God had no regard to himselfe nor cared for his owne life it was because hée estéemed the saluation of soules to bée so deare and precious as that he would bestow all hée had thereon And therefore since it is so wée shoulde bée so fully minded as to call on him and be throughly certified that he suffered not on vaine for vs. Now for that they said Behold him which destroyeth the temple and buildeth it again it three dayes this was too too villanous a malice to faine that Iesus Christe saide that he woulde destroy the Temple Iohn 2.19 But he said destroy yée this Temple and in the ende of thrée dayes I will builde it againe Now hée had none other meaning but that his enimies should be the destructiō of the temple which he spake of And when they had crucified him might they not thē haue vnderstood that the thing was alreadie begun to be accomplished For they were not ignorant that Iesus Christe shewed himselfe to be the true Temple of God as touching his humane body ◠Tim. 3. 16. for séeing his Godhead was manifested in the fleshe and his diuine being was vnited vnto our nature since I say all the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth in him it is out of all doubt that his Body was more worthie to bée called a Temple then the Temple of Ierusalem yea more worthie then all the heauens Now they destroyed it as much as lay in them and hee built it againe in the ende of thrée dayes Neither had they forgotten it for they knewe Mat. 27.63 that they had soone after tolde as muche to Pylate But héerein we sée that when the Deuill hath taken possession of vs hee maketh vs so blockish as that there is no wit in vs to discerne betwéene good and euil and wée grow so ful of madnesse as that wée will clearely cast God out at the Cartes arse as wée say euen as though fully and of set purpose we meant to distrust him Now when we sée this let vs be admonished to walke so much the rather in the feare of God when we knowe howe hée hath wrought by his wonderfull power to declare that Iesus Christ spake not these wordes out of his owne mouth in vayne Destroy this Temple and in thrée dayes I will build it agayne For to the outwarde shewe and according to our reason we sée nothing els in his death but shame and confusion howbeit Iesus Christ amended all in his resurrection And therefore since it is so our faith ought to be so much the rather confirmed and wée to set our selues against Satan and against all that hée is able to imagine and deuise for the shaking of our faith and making of vs to doubt As concerning that which is saide That they gaue our Lorde Iesus Christ vineger mingeled with Gall and Myrrhe to drinke It is to be presumed that they did it according to the custome that was in those dayes to shorten the life of malefactors Howbéeit our Lorde Iesus when hée had tasted of it woulde not drinke it because hée knew that his houre was not yet come They had then a custome that before the malefactors were vpon the top of the Gallowes to giue them this drinke that it might trouble the blood and so they should yéeld vp the ghost the sooner For this kinde of death was verie cruell and therefore they had néed of these helpes And in déede wée shall hereafter sée that the théeues had their bones crushed and broken to the end they might féele no more payne But howeuer it was our Lord Iesus would not drinke this drinke because hée would shew that hée was readie obediently to receiue the state and condition which God his Father had committed vnto him In déede this was a verie sharpe kinde of death For as we haue before heard ouer and beside the terriblenesse of it there were in it spirituall torments whereof by Gods leaue we will speake to morrow All which were to cause our Lord Iesus to hasten his death as much as was possible but his will was to submit him selfe most obediently to abide what punishment soeuer vntill hée were deliuered without the helpe of man And this is it which here we haue to consider of But as for the parting of his garments and the casting of lots on them these thinges were done Psal 22.19 that the scipture might be fulfilled For Dauid being a figure of our Lorde Iesus Christ maketh the like complaintes True it is that this was spoken but by way of a similitude when it is saide that vineger and gall were mixt together in his drink Psal 69.22 and that there was a deuise made to spoile him and that hée should be more and more greeued in his afflictions euen as cruell and sauage people will adde more affliction vnto miserable soules whē they haue done the worst they can And this similitude Dauid vsed when it is said that hée was made a pray euen for the spoile For he spake it in respect of his wife his house and of all his goods
foolishe glorious woman who woulde faine haue séene her children in some glistringe earthly tryumph But beholde she saw héere a farre other manner of Schole for she saw our Lorde Iesus Christ hanging vpon the Crosse so shamfully and reprochefully as that all the worlde was against him and there honge as if God had cursed and forsaken him And thus wée see that when we shall bee brought vnto such a shame as that our mindes shal be terrifyed with feare gréefe that God then taketh from vs all earthly affections to the ende we might not be hindered from lifting vp our mindes vnto heauen and to the spirituall lyfe wherunto we must attaine Which we shall neuer be able to come vnto except we be cleansed of al whatsoeuer kepeth vs back héere below Thus we sée what we are to consider of touchinge these women Iho. 19.26 And yet for all that the meaning is not but that there were men also for we know that our Lord spake vnto Iohn and commēded his mother vnto him But the intent purpose of the holy ghost was to set héere such a mirror or glasse before vs to the ende we might vnderstand that it was God who guided these women by his holy spirit by which hee would set forth his power and grace by choosinge in mennes iudgementes suche féeble and weake instrumēts The like was also seene in Nicodemus and in Ioseph Indéede S. Matthew S. Luke and S. Marke make mētion of none but of Ioseph because it was he that came to Pilat thervpon Nicodemus tooke hart when hee sée himselfe to haue so good a guide True it is that Nicodemus was a Doctor of great estimation and Ioseph of Arimathea was a riche man and of hie calling and a Counsailor also as héere it is said But yet let vs sée whether their zeale was such as that they would geue their liues for our Lorde Iesus Christ or not and whether they had in their life time forsaken their houses to follow him No no but when it came to that that they must giue theyr liues it was God that stirred them therto cleane contrary to all worldly iudgement Héere then we sée that God hath made a straunge and wonderfull alteration in geuing this bouldnesse to Ioseph and Nycodemus that they feared not the rage of the people when they came to bury our Lorde Iesus Christ Before time Nycodemus came in the night for feare of being euill spoken of and yet when it was growne euen now to the worst Ioh. 3.2 he burieth him And therfore it cannot be chosen but that God gaue him a new harte for he came before closely there was no darknesse dark ynough considering his fearefullnesse and cowardize if God had not corrected this fault in him To be short we see what good the death of our Lorde Iesus Christe hath done in that he then powred out the graces of his holy spirite vpon these wretched people who neuer before durst declare their faith nor yet render a reason thereof Wherefore they doe not onely confesse it with their mouth but that which they did sheweth that they had rather bee accounted cursed before the worlde then that they would not be the disciples of our Lorde Iesus Christ and so the thing which they had before obteined to wit the free saluation which was set before them And héere we also sée why it is namely said that Ioseph looked for the kingdome of God Now by these woordes wée are tolde that God hath forsaken vs and we are banished his kingdome vntyll such time as hée gathereth vs vnto himselfe as his people in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe Wherefore wée sée how miserable our estate is vntill our Lorde Iesus calleth vs vnto himselfe to consecrate vs vnto God his father And if this benefite bée taken away from vs cursed and confounded are we Nowe this then was a wonderfull power strength to waite for the kingdome of God because the Iewes were made Bastards vnto it and in the opinion of the worlde the occasions therof were very great For the Prophets had foretold that at the returne of the people out of Babylon Agge 2.10 that God woulde become such a redéemer vnto them that his kingdome should florish most honorably that the temple should be built more gloriously then euer before it was that they should inioy al the pleasures that might be lead a most blessed life that all men should be in quiet no talk be had but of reioysing in God of blessing his name and of yéelding him praise thansgiuing And this is it which the Prophets promised But how fared it with the people Forsooth their neighbours dyd eate drinke thē vp they gréeued vexed them there was such tyranny vsed as that innocēt blood was spilt throughout al the towne the booke of the law burnt euery man forbidden vpon paine of death not once to read it such cruelties cōmitted as were horrible The temple also was altogether polluted And what became of the house of Dauid Forsooth it was cut cleane downe at last the whole state became worse worse And therfore no maruel although so rude a people so giuen ouer to all their desires lustes had not almost fallen from the true religion and béen cleane out of heart because we sée that the number of those which paciently suffered Luk. 2.25.36 Mat. 2.19 and were constant in faith were very rare and fewe And of this number were Simeon Anna the Prophetesse and Ioseph But what The holy Ghost setteth downe vnto vs in so great a multitude amongest the Iewes and in a countrie so notably peopled foure or fiue as a thing which was not ordinary and witnesseth that it were they onely who looked for the kingdome of God and it was to this end that we might learne that when things were confounded in a desperate case that we should then looke stedfastly vpon God And because his trueth is infallible vnchangeable let vs bée constant vnto the end ouercome all troubles offences and griefes of the world neither let vs when we sigh grone cease to go on whither our Lord calleth vs which is let vs paciently abide vntyll his kingdome bée established in vs and in the meane while let it suffice vs that hée hath giuen vs a pawne from his holy Spirite by which hee witnesseth vnto vs our frée adoption And therefore when God sheweth that hee taketh vs for his children and engraueth the same in our heartes by his holy Spirite and besides when wée haue the doctrine of the Gospell dayly sounding in our eares Let our faith be confirmed and let vs not slyde albeit all thinges were so confounded as could not be possibly be more wished And thus wee sée what it is that we haue to consider of out of this place Wee are also to note the thing that Saint Iohn reciteth before our Lord
vnto our Lord Iesus Christ hée kept himselfe very couert and close and was afearde to shewe himselfe a true Disciple for wée knowe that the confession of our faith is required in vs Iohn 2. 2◠1◠But when hée came to bury him he declared and confessed that he was of the number of the faithfull company Wherefore since he did so let vs at this day follow his constancy And although the worlde hateth and detesteth our Lorde Iesus Christ and the doctrine of his Gospell yet let vs stick vnto it Let vs also vnderstande that the greatest benefite and contentation that wee can continuallye haue is this whenas God accepteth and liketh of our seruice and besides although wée must suffer abide troubles here in this worlde yet let vs knowe this that because he hath gloryously rysē againe that he dyd it not to the ende to make a separation betwéene him and vs but that hee would when he sée his good time gather vs vnto him selfe Moreouer let vs not maruell although our Lorde Iesus rose againe the third day for it is very good reason that hee should haue some more priuiledge then the common order of the church And héerein is the saying of the Psalmist fulfilled Thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to sée corruption Psal 16. 10. And therefore it was méete that the body of our Lord Iesus should remaine vncorrupt vntill the third day but it was for that time so appoynted and established by the counsell of GOD his Father Howbeit wee haue no time assigned but the last day And therefore let vs abyde troubles and miseries so long as it pleaseth GOD and let vs vnderstand that he wyll in the ende when hee séeeth conuenient time restore vs after wee haue bene cast quite and cleane downe For therevnto Saint Paul exhorteth vs 1. Cor. 15.10 when as hée saieth that Christ Iesus is the first fruites whiche is to pull backe that feruent zeale wherewith wee are often times too too much carryed awaye for by our wylles wee woulde flye without winges and wee are gréeued with God for houldinge vs so longe heere in this worlde because hée wyll not bringe vs to heauen euen at the fyrst 2. Kin. 2. 11. and carry vs vp in a fiery Charit as Eilas was to be short we would faine triumph before we haue fought a blow Now that we might withstand this desire and these foolish lusts Saint Paul telleth vs that Iesus Christ is the first fruites wée must be contented that by his death we haue a sure pawne of the resurrectiō Neuertheles bicause he sitteth at the right hād of god his Father hauing all rule and dominion both in heauen and earth and although his maiestie hath not as yet appeared and that our life is hid in him let vs become like wretched dead people and although we séeme to be liuing héere in this world yet let vs bée as men quite forlorne and abide all this vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus For euen then shall our life be made manifest by him when as he shall thinke it good And thus we sée what it is that wée must obserue about the buriall of our lord Iesus Christ vntil such time as we attaine to the rest which will be a declaration that he hath not onely made satisfaction for all our sinnes but also hath by his victorie obteined all perfect righteousnesse for vs by whiche meane we are become acceptable at this day vnto the maiestie of God both to haue frée accesse vnto him and also to call vpon his holie name And in this confidence and beliefe Let vs fall downe before his diuine maiestie beséeching him to receiue vs all to his mercy and that we may not cease to haue recourse vnto his frée goodnes how miserable wretched soeuer we bée And although we dayly prouoke his heauy wrath and indignation against vs and iustly deserue that hée should forsake vs Let vs patiently wayte vntill hée sheweth the fruit and power of the death passion which his onely Sonne hath suffred by which we are reconciled and not doubt but that hée will be alwayes our Father so long as hée wil graunt vs this fauour as that we may be able to shew our selues his true children Let vs also beséech him that hée will cause vs to declare this by the effect in such sort as that we desire nothing els but to be wholy his and as hée hath very dearely bought vs so wee may also of right fully and wholly agrée to serue him And forsomuch as our weaknesse is such as that we are not able to discharge the hundreth part of our duetie without hée worke it in vs by his holy spirite because the infirmities of our flesh doe alwayes beare such a resisting and striuing sway as that we doe nothing els but euen créepe where we should in déede march as becommeth vs Let vs beséech him to ryd vs of all together that we might be vnited to him by that holy bond which bée hath ordeined to wit our Lorde Iesus Christ his onely Sonne That hée will not onely graunt vs this grace c. ¶ The ninthe Sermon is of his resurrection at which time was celebrated the holie SVPPER Matthew xxviii 1 IN the latter ende of the Sabboth day whiche dawneth the first day of the weeke came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the Sepulchre 2 And beholde there was a great earthquake for the Angell of the Lorde descended from Heauen and came and rowlled back the Stone from the Dore and sate vpon it 3 His countenaunce was like lightninge and his rayment white as Snow 4 And for feare of him the keepers dyd shake and became as dead men 5 The Angell aunswered and sayde vnto the women feare yee not for I knowe yee seeke Iesus whiche was crucifyed 6 He is not heere hee is risen as he saide come see the place where that the Lord was laide 7 And goe quickly and tel his disciples that hee is risen from the dead And beholde he goeth before you into Galile there shall you see him loe I haue tolde you 8 And they departed quickly from the Sepulchre with feare and great ioye and dyd runne to bring his Disciples worde 9 And as they went to tell his Disciples beholde Iesus met them saying al hayle And they came and helde him by the feete and worshipped him 10 Then sayd Iesus vnto them bee not afraide goe tell my Brethren that they go into Galile and there shal they see mee A Man would at the first sight thinke it straunge that our Lorde Iesus Christ woulde shew him selfe after his resurrection rather to women then vnto his Disciples Howbeit wee are hereby to consider that his meaning was to trye the basenesse and lowlinesse of our faith Because we must not build vpon mans wisdome but obedientlye receiue what soeuer we know to come from him Againe no doubt of it his meaning was
Iesus came to stop the mouthes that is to say to make men astonied that they shoulde not be able to reply as we sée the Ganderlike gagling and iangling Infidelles and faithlesse doe Now it is true that there is such dealing and they cannot come to honour our Lorde Iesus Christ because as they thinke they haue some reason to say to the contrary Howbeit we are héere told that if wée did consider wherfore it was that our Lorde Iesus came and what the ende and fruite of his death and passion which hée suffered for vs was that then our mouthes shoulde bée stopped For when the Scripture speaketh after this sort it bringeth vs to a consideration of the sure established and setled woorkes of God For so long as our mouthes are open as I haue alreadie saide wée will enter into the cause and so reason as that God shall bee shut cleane out of the doores and whatsoeuer hée hath done shall be naught set by But when it is saide that euerie mouth shall holde it peace and be silent before the Lorde this sheweth that all our reasons should bée daunted and emprisoned yea euen to bridle our tongues that we might quietly cōfesse that God is to be glorified in the person of his onely Sonne And if this be saide of Princes what shall the common people doe Wée are therefore throughly to consider of the order which the Prophet héere setteth downe For hée giueth vs this animaduersion or warning that our Lorde Iesus Christ must be as it were vgly and yll fauoured and be refused of the worlde Wherefore since the holy Ghost thus warneth vs Let vs not thinke it straunge nor yet bée carelesse to embrase him with a liuely faith although his Crosse which is a detestable Gallow trée in the sight of men might withdraw vs and altogether estraunge vs from him yet let not vs bée slacke in séeking after our whole glorie to wit in Iesus Christ crucified Moreouer let vs not stay our selues vpō his suffring wherby we might conceiue a great shame in him whervnto he willingly submitted himselfe for vs But let vs ioyne his resurrection and his death together and vnderstand that although he was crucified yet that hée sitteth as Lieftenant to God his Father exercising the most excellent gouernment hauing all power giuen him aswell in heauen as in earth And here we sée why it is said that he shall bée exalted In verie déed that he was lifted vp exalted vnto the gallowes was in the sight of men a shamefull thing howbeit he mocked and beguiled the Deuil set himself against all the world in saying that hée should be liuely exalted and when he was put to this shame that euery mans tongue walked vomited out their blasphemies villainies against him yet sitteth hée in his throne as we haue alredie declared out of the place of S. Paule Colos 2. 15. And in an other place hée namely saieth that the Crosse although it was before time a Gallowes full of shame was now as it were a Charyot of tryumph and that Iesus Christ hath not only ouercome the Deuill therein but also hath shewed that we might nowe glorifie our selues forsomuch as we are freed from all condemnation that sinne hath no more power ouer vs and that al the deuils in hel are altogether cut off from all kinde of pretense whatsoeuer against vs. We sée then in summe that we must ascend vp by fayth vnto the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ to the ende we might not be ashamed to séeke for our saluatiō in his Crosse our blessing in his curse our life in his death our glory in his shame and our ioy in his anguishes out of which came water and blood And this is the summe which we haue to consider of in this place Luk. 22.44 Nowe the Prophet namely saith That he will bedeaw or sprinkle In very déede this saying by a similitude signifieth also to speake fayre But when we shall consider better of the matter we shall finde that the naturall meaning of the Prophet in these wordes That Iesus Christ shall bedeaw all nations is this to wit that although hée be a dry and fruitlesse blocke yet shall all the worlde be bedeawed through his power and vertue To be short he sheweth that God wil work after an incomprehensible maner and that the Iewes should not looke for any worldly helpe but beleeue that God will surpasse all mens thoughtes and imaginations For when we are told of myracles our sences must needes fayle vs and when we are tolde of misteries that is to say secrets we must vnderstand that we are not sufficient Iudges nor Arbiters or dayes men to say it must néedes be so But let vs worship the thing that cannot sinke into our brayne nor which we cannot finde out the reason of And thus much we haue in summe to consider of Now this admonition apperteineth to vs for as I haue alredie saide we should abide to be bedewed with our Lord Iesus Christ and although he hath appeared to be as one that were fruitlesse and that there can be nothing found in him worthy reputation yet when hée shall offer himself vnto vs and come néere vs let vs not thrust him back through misbeliefe but rather giue him frée accesse through fayth And this is in summe the thing which we are to learne out of this doctrine of the Prophet Moreouer hée saieth that all the world shall be bedeawed with our Lord Iesus Christ to wit by the preaching of the Gospell For they saieth hée who neuer heard any speech of him shall heare of him and they which neuer vnderstood shall vnderstand of him Héere the Prophet amplifieth his purpose shewing that God the Father would send our Lorde Iesus Christ not onely to bée a Sauiour vnto the Iewes although hée was liuely promised vnto them but also vnto the whole world Now to proue the meaning of the Prophet to be thus Rom. 15.21 S. Paul himself saith as much in his Epistle to the Romans applying this saying vnto his being sent into straunge countries hauing trauelled here and there filling all nations with the Gospell in such places as God was neuer spoken of preaching not only vnto the Iewes but also vnto the Gentiles Thus we sée the drift of the Prophete and this place ought to bée as a keye to open vnto vs the kingdome God For if Iesus Christ had not béene promised but onely to the ligne of Abraham what had wée béene the better for him For although hée was a Sauiour and Redéemer yet is this nothing to vs we haue neither part nor portion herein But because it was tolde of so long time before hée was sent that hée should bedeaw all people Forsooth because that they which neuer before vnderstood might vnderstand and that they to whom it was neuer before told might heare Let vs vnderstande that our God had adopted vs when as Iesus Christ
and being borne in a Stable lead all the dayes of his life like a miserable poore handicraftes man and at last wée sée that all men set themselues against him and so raged as that they detested and hated him and to make fewe wordes and well crucified him Now this was a death which God cursed and hée was not only disfigured with buffetting spitting on crowned with thorne but also was accursed being hanged betwéene two théeues as if hée had béene the most horrible villaine that euer was knowne or hearde of And this was a terrible kinde of death because it was accursed by the law We sée how fouly hee was disfigured which was the very meane why he became a stumbling blocke vnto the worlde And therefore the Prophet namely saith that they would not beléeue the Gospell because the world could not conceiue it to bée a reasonable thing neither yet â—llow that the only Sonne of God the very glory of the Lorde shoulde bée put to such shame and rebuke This eternall counsell of God which was from the beginning coulde neuer sinke into their braine And thus wée sée the meaning of the Prophet Now it is hereupoÌ„ said notwithstanding That he shal be exalted Although at the first there is no shewe of it yet God will increase him and they shall sée saith he euen before their faces that although he was miserable and bare a poore twigge yet that this was no let vnto his aduancement nor to his glorious floorishing because that God woulde put his haÌ„d bring it to passe And besides he bringeth vs backe to our sinnes that hee might take away our conceiued offence by reason of the ouerthwartnes of our vnderstanding Wherfore to the end we should not refuse to come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ by séeing him thus disfigured the Prophet sheweth vs the cause why For to say truely if we come once to the acknowledging of our sinnes and foorthwith conceiue of the wrath of god for the same then shall we come to our Lord Iesus Christ desire him to helpe vs be so much the more earnest to receiue his death and passion for wée must vnderstand that it is the most necessary remedy that may be for the euil that is in vs Thus in sume we sée here the procéeding of the Prophet Now when he maketh comparison betwéen our Lord Iesus Christ and a smal twigge or braunch a roote in a dry and barren ground it is to shew that the beginnings should be base of no valure so that all the worlde should scoffe laugh at them In the eleuenth Chapter he compareth him vnto a sory twigge or braunch saying that he should come of the stocke of Isai Dauid his father And therefore because the kingly house was then base and of no honour hee said it shoulde be as sometimes it had béen that Isai was a countrie man his children Neat heardes Shepheardes This house in those dayes was nothing and of no reputation and besides was like vnto the body of a trée lying on the grouÌ„d which men troode vpon and of no estimation Iesus Christe then was like vnto a silly twigge or branche But it is saide soone after that hée should so wonderfully growe as that hée shoulde ouershadowe the whole worlde Héere the Prophet also sheweth that it muste néedes bée that our Lorde Iesus shoulde bee thus contemptible at the first For if this had not béen namely declared they might very well haue béen offended whenas they see our Lord Iesus Christ to be thus contemptible as touching the worlde For it was saide that one should coÌ„tinually sit vpon the seat of Dauid that this kingdome should florish although he held the Sun Moone And now behold that this princely house was as it were razed vtterly defaced who would thinke that the promise should be accoÌ„plished in the persoÌ„ of our Lord Iesus For there was no likelihood that he should haue béen restored to the princely estate but wheÌ„ it is said that this house should as it were come to naught he of no more estimation nor haue no more rule preheminence that it should be ashame as a man would say to sée such a destruction and confusion when the Prophetes I say haue told this much then haue wee a very good entrée to wit Iesus Christ Neither must wee bee abashed as at a strange vnknowne thing although our Lord Iesus Christ shewed himself in so base a state and condition For to say the trueth it is not in this place alone that the holy Ghoste hath thus saide Wée sée also what the Prophet Amos saith That God will raise this seate Amos. 9.11 Acts. 15.16 which before was ouerthrowne And this place is also set downe in the Acts of the Apostles to declare that our Lorde Iesus Christe shall beginne to raigne when it shal please God to repare the things that were confounded And namely it was said that this kingdome with the kingly crowne shoulde be trode vnder foote as it were and haue no head vntill such time as the Redéemer were come into the worlde And therefore all these thinges should confirme and strengthen vs to the end these base beginnings of our Lorde Iesus Christe might not séeme straÌ„ge vnto vs. Moreouer by this saying of a desert or barreÌ„ land the Prophet meaneth that it should séeme that our Lorde Iesus should no more increase or grow vp then a trée in the desert where is neither moystnesse nor any goodnesse Behold then he is like vnto a disfigured or yll fauoured trée which wanteth nourishmente and the substance and moysture of the earth Nowe it is saide that Iesus Christe shal be so from the beginning expressing thereby that there shoulde be no meanes héere on earth to make him florish but that he should be increased froÌ„ heauen that by the secrete power of God his Father and not be ayded by the worlde because it is altogether barren fruitlesse And this was not only said of his byrth but is also to be referred to the whole course of the Gospell In déede this was a signe that Iesus Christ was but a poore twig whenas he could not get a place to be lodged amongst men but was like one that was banished excluded froÌ„ all coÌ„pany so poorely brought vp as euer was man And this was to prepare the hearts of the faithful to vnderstaÌ„d that Iesus Christ should be reiected conteÌ„ned as touching the world but the principal matter for theÌ„ to vnderstaÌ„d was wheÌ„ he should come to preach the Gospel and execute the charge coÌ„mitted vnto him by God his father For then they began to say Is not this the CarpeÌ„ters sonne doe not we know his bringing vp And in what schoole he hath learned to be so great a Doctor Mat. 15.55 And his kindred séeing him to be so extréemely hated would haue made him beléeue that hee had béen mad
sée in summe what we haue to cōsider of in this place For if we should at this day come to voyces and a fewe weake people should beholde it what would they say There is but a small handfull of men which beléeue the Gospell howbeit if they were the greater number I could bée well contented to goe that way but for mée to thrust my selfe into so small a company and forsake the greater multitude what a folly were that Now the Prophet to the end hée might cut the throat of these obiections sayeth that there woulde not be aboue foure or tenne at the most but that all men for the more parte woulde refuse to obey our Lorde Iesus Christ And no doubt of it his meaning was to finde fault perticulerly with the Iewes For wée haue alredie alledged out of the eight Chapiter that hée should be a stumbling blocke to these two houses to wit to the trybe of Abraham Wée sée then that a man would haue thought that the people whom God had specially chosen to him selfe must néedes haue knowne their Redéemer For to whom was Iesus Christ promised Forsooth euen to the Iewes For it is saide that he was the Minister of the Circumcision to the ende hée might accomplishe the promises made vnto the Fathers Rom. 11.8 Psal 118.22 And therefore the Iewes must néedes bée acquainted with Iesus Christ before he appeared vnto the worlde and with ease receiue him Nowe it is sayde that the principall and chiefe builders refused him to wyt the Princes and heades of the people And euen so fareth it at this day For not onely Turkes and Infidelles refuse Iesus Christ but also verie many false Christians in name yea and wée shall haue numbers that professe the Gospell who many tymes become prophane and villainous scorners of God and woulde gladly that all the doctrine of saluation were clearely abolished for the shewe that they make of it is onely for the shame of men But howeuer it is we are sure of this that Iesus Christ shall be refused and contemned and if it had not béen so foretold of our fayth might very wel haue bin shaken But this saying of Isaiah is a verie good staffe for vs to leane vnto euen as vnto a sure rock when as we sée all the worlde thus stumble at him as to sée some to set them selues furiously against him his doctrine some to scorne him and put out their tongues to speake euill of all religion But yet let vs notwithstanding constantly perseuere in our Fayth Surely it is greatly to be wished for that we might sée Iesus Christ a far off and submit our selues vnto him because hée is the true Glasse and patterne of al holines Howbeit the more we sée the world refuse him the greater ought our fayth to be For howe is it possible for vs to discerne that Iesus Christ is the Redéemer of the worlde Forsooth let vs consider what all the Prophets haue saide of him For to say truely this is the onely Glasse wherein we must beholde the onely Sonne of God For behold the true testimonies which God hath sent down from heauen to set a sure marke of him that should be the Redéemer to wit that all the worlde should forsake him and euery man lift him selfe vp against him And therefore since it is so let vs receiue him with this condition and not doubt that although it séemeth to vs that we should be vtterly ouerthrowne and troad vnder foote through the boldnesse and pride of the vngodly yet that God will magnifie our Lorde Iesus Christ and so strengthen our fayth by his holie spirit as that it shall haue victorie vnto the end and that as our Lorde Iesus hath ouercome the Deuill as in the end both hée and all his Supporters must be made his footestoole euen so likewise will hée cause vs to tryumph with him to march vpon all those which persecute and lift them selues vp so furiously against vs and against all those which contemne and despight him Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him to cause vs so to féele them as that we may grone and sigh for them so that we being after truely humbled may come to our Lorde Iesus Christ knowing that in him must be all our helpe and comfort And forsomuch as it pleased God his Father to punish him for our sinnes Let vs set all our affection vpon him and be so willingly gréeued for our prouoking of our God vnto anger as that we may haue both our selues and our sinnes in detestation and hatred vntill such time as we be throughly cleansed of them And that it would please him in the mean time so to assist vs as that we neuer dout but that hée will be alwayes mercifull vnto vs because that Iesus Christ hath not once onely suffred to abolish our sinnes but also daily offreth vs forgiuenesse of the same when as we séeke that at his handes which is wanting in vs. So let vs beséech him that hée will not onely graunt vs this grace but vnto all people and nations of the world c. The third Sermon of the Prophesie of Christe Isaiah liii 4 SVrely hee hath borne our infirmities and carryed our sorrowes yet we did iudge him as plagued and smitten of God and humbled 5 But hee was wounded for our transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed 6 All wee lyke sheepe haue gone astray wee haue turned euerie one to his owne way and the Lorde hath layde vpon him the iniquitie of vs all WHen wee beholde all the woorkes of GOD héere in this worlde wee are taught to prayse him according to his excellency and highnesse But when we looke vpon the person of our Lord Iesus Christ wée are then to magnifie him in his lowlinesse and humilitie Héere then are two manner of wayes set downe vnto vs howe to praise God The one is Because hée sheweth vs his infinite goodnesse righteousnes and power in the creation and framing of all things and in the ordering and disposing of the same therefore we ought also to honour and exalt him not that we are able to make him honourable But the scripture vseth this kinde of spéech to the ende we might lift vp our mindes vnto heauen aboue all worldly things whē as we would glorifie our God according vnto his worthines The other is that because our Lorde Iesus Christ in whom dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead was not onely abased for our saluatiō but also wold be made of no reputation no not refusing to suffer the sharpe anguishes of death as if he had entred into hell for this cause therfore I say is God more to be glorified then for all the mightie gloriousnesse that is to be séene in all the worlde besides And of this we spake somewhat yesterday But because the Prophet
euery one Forsooth I will tell you because when as wee are generally condemned we are not so liuely moued and touched as we ought to be In déede this must néedes bée a plaine condemnation whenas it is saide that there is not amongst the children of men one iust man Psal 14.2 and is also said in another place of the Psalmist That God looked downe from heauen saw not one man that was not corrupt in his sinnes Hée speaketh also there aswell of the godly who were in great estimation and dignitie as also of the wicked It is saide that all men haue gone astray and that there could not bée founde one who was not corrupt before the Lorde and of this doctrine the holy Scripture is full Rom. 3.9 Saint Paul also sheweth this very sufficiently in his Epistle to the Romans whenas he bryngeth in the sayinges of the Psalmist and of the Prophets where any thing is spoken of infamous men saying That there is nothing but malice and treason in them full of crueltie poyson violence deceipt and robbery and their throat an open Sepulchre When all these thinges are spoken of Saint Paule saith that all men are heerein comprehended without exception vntill such time as GOD hath changed and renued them by his holy Spirite Nowe let this doctrine bée preached and wée must néedes all stoupe and yéelde for shame and feare will not suffer vs to reply against our God And to say the trueth what shall wée get by our reasoning and disputing For wee must feele in despite of our téethes that wée are not condemned in vaine since it is God that iudgeth vs. And yet notwithstanding euery of vs wil return home to his house and bee no whit moued thereat and the thing that hath béene tolde vs will not touch vs at all Wée will well enough agrée that wee are all sinners and that euery man is guiltie before the Lorde But doe wée in the meane while féele the burden of our sinnes and be displeased with them and besides are we stirred vp to séeke for the fauour of our Lorde Iesus Christe and deny our selues No no and yet we think we are sufficiently discharged if wée say that wée are sinners And that which is worse wée shall oftentimes sée men bouldly couer and cloke their sinnes when they are accused and conuinced of them Ho good Syr wyll they say It is very true that al mē are sinners Surely if a mā exhort a wicked blasphemer of the name of God or some such one as hath committed a cursed and horrible déede hee will deny it at the first chop and neuer confes it but by constraint But what if he see him selfe to be conuicted In very déede Syr will he thē say we are all sinners And that is asmuch to say that thou art a wicked hypocrite that thus scornest God Thus we sée that vnder these general words there are very many which wil finde out this excuse to the end they would not haue their filthinesse knowne as it ought to be And for this cause after the Prophet had saide That all haue erred he addeth Euery one euery one as if he should haue saide looke not generall what mankinde is but let euery man sift himselfe a part and consider and way wel with your selues what you are For the way to cause vs to be touched with the iudgements of God and to be brought to true humilitie is whenas wee are brought to repent vs of our wickednesse that euery man in this sort shall as it were haue secretely examined his owne conscience Thus we sée the meaning of the Prophet Moreouer when hee saith That euery man hath departed from his way hee declareth in the first place that he speaketh of those mē who are gouerned by their lustes and according to their owne reason and wisdome And this is a point to be throughly marked of vs because we sée the folly of some to be such as that all the persuasions in the worlde cannot withdrawe them from running into destruction by doing of that which séemeth best in their owne eyes The other sort doe so beastly follow their desires as that they vnderstand not that they plunge themselues wittingly into the bottome of Hell except god restrained them For we sée how the Papists at this day deale whenas they are found fault with by the word of God are conuinced therby I beséech you sir wil they say let me alone for be as be may I will be sure to go on that course which I haue begunne And wilt thou so why then thou surely goest the direct way to hel for this is thy way if thou folow that thy course Ho tush why man I haue such a good deuotiō as that it is impossible for God to reiect it Wel sir but the Prophet Isaiah speaketh also héere of the deuotiō which euery man maketh to himself thinkest thou that the holy ghost who spake in those daies by his mouth knew not that thou wouldst be an hypocrite full of poyson pride that thou wouldest be ruled as thou lustest that thou wouldst deuise a seruice of god at thy owne pleasure that thou wouldst worship idols thinke thou diddest wel that therein should stand thy religiō hath the holy ghost vnderstood all thy villanies Then looke thou to that which he hath spoken Euery man hath walked in his owne way to wit euery mā hath gone the straite way to hell Euery man hath run into destruction by taking his own course Héere then we see what the waies are that we take And so we are taught by this place to cast of all fond arrogancie to vnderstand that when we doe that which séemeth good in our own eies which we think to be very resonable it is as if we had made a league with Satā to catch vs in his snares And therfore this doctrine serueth for the correction of all presumption to the end we might be cōtented to be ruled only by spirite of God by his word and let vs also in like maner obserue that the Prophet Isaiah hath declared by these wordes that although wee know the thing that is good yet wil we not leaue frō doing the thing that is wicked naught And why so Forsooth because al our affections are enimies to God although we sée that we must refuse the euil yet wil we be carried away therwith that not forcibly but euen very wittingly wickedly it is so hid in vs as that the fruit must néedes shew what the rootes are And therefore let vs in the first place vnderstand that we know not how to walke a right there is but one only way which God alloweth of which wil bring vs to saluatiō to wit whenas our Lord Iesus shal take vs into his protection be the shéepe of his flocke follow him as our shepheard let vs also further vnderstand that al the affections are
18 3◠we shall finde that neuer any man had iust occasion to attempt any thing against him In very déede the priests tolde Pylate that they would neuer haue brought him before his worship without he had bene a malefactor Mat. 11.5 Iohn 6.11 Now it is so farre of that Iesus Christ dyd any shrewd turnes if the matter be throwly examined as that he dyd none other hurte but make the blinde to sée the lame to goe heale the sick and diseased raise the dead fil the hungry néedy to be short all the riches of the goodnes mercy of God that were to bée séene were powred out vpon him What was the reasō then that mē thus persecuted him surely it must néeds be that this procéeded from some other cause Héere therefore wée sée why the prophet bringeth vs back to the remēbrance of our sins iniquities whēas he speaketh of the purenes of our lord Iesus Nether must we think that the prophet ment héere simply to iustifie the sonne of God For this were a very bare kinde of speach to say loe I beséeche you hée was guilty in nothing but so behaued himself as that al the world was to loue honor him Al this is true indéed howbeit this were ouer cold a kind of doctrin to be taught that our lord Iesus had néede to be excused exempt from all blame And therefore the prophet had a farder consideratiō with him ioineth these 2 points together which are héere set downe to wit the god had put his only son to al horrible rebuke shame yet was innocent guiltles Now if men should lift vp thēselues against him it not done by the prouidēce counsel of god it might be said that they were furiously bēt yet knew not any cause why neuertheles it is said that it was done by the hande of God For although the priestes and all the Iewes in general the Souldiers were stirred vp by the Deuill to vomit out these blasphemies which we read of in the Gospell against our Lord Iesus yet Isaiah saith that they had neuer bin able to haue done it with out the appointment of the Lorde and therefore we must not fixe our eyes onely vpon men to say that this or that they haue done but it is as if God had set him selfe downe in his iudgment seat to haue fully determined to sende his onely sonne into the handes of such wicked and cruell tirauntes as that no shame and villanye that was possibly to be deuised should not light vpon him And therfore when it is not onely said that men but the God his father also spared him not Iohn 3 16. who gaue him to death for our redemption whereof Saint Iohn also speaketh that God so loued the world as that hée woulde shewe it in the person of his Sonne because he gaue him ouer to so bitter a death for vs if we so lift vp our eyes as to acknowledge that nothing came vnto the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ but by the determination of God we must conclude that since Iesus Christ was innocēt as indéede he was that therin manifestly appeared our sinnes and iniquities so that all the shames and reproches which lighted vpon him shoulde haue bene vpon vs. And therfore let vs vnderstande that it is méete that all the Creatures in the worlde shoulde arme them selues to crye for vengeaunce vpon vs yea and although they haue neither mouthe nor tongue yet might they be there so to discouer all our shames and vices as that both heauen and earthe might bee ashamed of vs. Wée sée now what we are to consider of in this first place For either God must at pleasure haue thus afflicted his onely sonne or els haue shewed vs what we deserued for the greeuosnes of our sins to wit that wee are blame worthie of al handes In very deede wee cannot a way with the least punishment that may be and besides we are so effeminate and impacient as that if our credit bée touched we will eftsoones wonderfully storme and all this is because we know not what we are neither iudge wée whether wée bée rightfully or wrongfully blamed Wherfore let vs well consider that although the rebuke and shame which we deserue are abolished in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ yet is it méete that God should moue and stirre vs to repentance although we would not by our willes enter into the tryall and examination of our shame yet rayseth hée vp men to awake vs and the more that wée woulde goe about to hyde our faultes by vaine excuses the more layeth hée our shame open before vs to the ende it might bée knowne Saint Paule amongst the fruites of repentance setteth downe this 1. Cor. 14.25 2. Cor. 7.11 That when we think of our wicked life past wée shoulde close our eyes grone before the Lord God and be ashamed of our selues But what is he that doth it so perfectly as it ought to bée done Nay we rather séeke after an hipocritical maner to forget our sinnes and iniquities and GOD meaneth to remember vs and to call vs to an account whenas he séeth vs so sleightly and cunningly hide them But by the way let vs consider that wee may now present our selues before God and his Angels and be assured that our sinnes shall not bée layde vnto our charge neither yet our vncleannesse bée discouered and that because our Lorde Iesus hath borne such blame neither was this by chaunce as wée commonly say neither yet did men falsely take this matter vpon them against him without the good will and pleasure of God But because God had thus established the matter by his heauenly iudgement Nowe forsomuche as our Lorde Iesus was iust and righteous it was also very méete that hée should beare our burden vpon him being in this sort afflicted And therefore let vs in the first place vnderstand that we deserue to haue all rebuke and shame to bee laide vpon vs and yet for all this that wée are pardoned of the same because he hath discharged vs thereof and hath made satisfaction for it in his owne person Thus wée sée why and to what purpose the innocencie and puritie of the Sonne of God is héere spoken of For it is not set downe to the ende to excuse him but for this cause that we might féele what wee are and whether we must néedes be brought except we were redéemed and bought from it Moreouer the Prophet meaning to expresse such a full perfection as coulde not be amended sayth That there was no deceite founde in his mouth Nowe Saint Iames saith Iames. 3.2 That he must needes be a very perfect man out of whose mouth escapeth not an ill word because the tongue is the weakest thing that maybe And although we be too too much inclined to al kind of wickednes yet that man that can refrain his handes and féet and in
such sort lead the whole course of this life as that he is séene to liue vertuously in the feare of God yet is hée neuer able to refraine his tongue but that there wyll appeare some light inconsiderate lying or dissembling spéeche in him To bée short it is saide that there was no deceite to bée founde in our Lorde Iesus Christe to shewe that in all his wordes and deedes hée was a myrrour of all holinesse Nowe it is most certaine that all the miseries which we féele are the very fruites of our sinnes For had we aboade in the same puritie wherein God set our father Adam our punishments should cease and bée abolished in the worlde And therefore the fruit of our sinnes is the cause of our punishments So then wée are to conclude that forsomuch as there was not found the least blot that might bée in our Lorde Iesus Christe he therefore beare the punishment which we were worthie of and deserued And marke besides why the Prophet addeth that God woulde make him subiect to infirmities This worde Infirmitie hath a large scope in the Scriptures for it importeth all the thinges which make men contemptible as wée sée in many places thereof For pouertie sicknesse griefe of minde or contemptiblenesse and a man that hath no good grace either to speake or do well neyther yet good gesture or behauiour nor habiltie of wit and discretion are al called in the Scripture infirmities To bée shorte this is to bryng vs backe to the thing which the Prophet hath already touched to wit that our Lorde Iesus Christe was like a deformed Creature and suche a one as in whom was no shew of reputation and credit amongst men And yet not such a one neither but that there appeared in him sure and certaine markes and tokēs that he was to bée honored as the onely Sonne of God Iohn 1.14 But it was in such sorte darkened by his sufferings and his infirmitie such as that there was no power or vertue séene in him and it séemed that there was no grace nor fauour in hym why hée shoulde bée estéemed and had in honour Wée must also call to minde the thing that hath béene before recited to wit that he was beaten and scourged by the hand of God suffered the horrible anguishes of his iudgement in his body beare the fearefullest torments that might be and ouer and besides all this he was so vily thought of as that he was not estéemed to bée placed amongst the most wicked and slauishe company Thus wée sée howe the Sonne of God was punished Wherefore since the case thus standeth let vs vnderstande that forsomuche as God spared not him that wée for our partes shall not bée spared and yet notwithstanding hée hath giuen vs occasion to humble our selues to the ende wée shoulde not waxe prowde and take in hand to iustifie our selues or els not cast our sinnes behind our backes but dayly thinke vpon them and bée ashamed whenas wée sée howe deare a recompence was made for them For is this such a triflyng matter If a miserable and wretched théefe shall haue committed many theftes and robberies and after that his wicked déedes were knowne the sonne of a King shoulde bée brought to be arrained and condemned for the same and so beare the punishment therof the théefe to be discharged and pardoned should he reioyce and make a scofe at him whenas he sée the sonne of a King to bée put to death and suffer the punishment that he deserued Euen so at this present fareth it with vs. For beholde howe Iesus Christe the onely sonne of God is imprisoned and wée deliuered hée condemned and wée pardoned he put to all shame and we receiued to honour at last hée descended into the bottomeles pit of Hell and the kingdome of heauen is set open for vs to enter into And therfore when we here al these things is it for vs to be drowsie headed liue securely and to delight and flatter our selues in our sinnes and iniquities Wherefore let vs well consider of the meaning of the holy Ghoste and alwayes weigh these wordes That it was the wyll of God to haue him thus afflicted as if hée shoulde haue saide Actes 2.23 4.28 That it is not for vs to thinke that our Lord Iesus was forsaken as that the wicked ones might torment him at their will and pleasure For as Saint Peter saith in the Actes of the Apostles They could doe nothing against him otherwise then had béen determined before by the secret counsell of God And therefore it is not for naught that the Prophete bringeth vs alwaies back to this that we must lift our minds vnto God acknowledge that he being iudge of the world would be satisfied for our sinnes offences euen in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ his only sonne to the end we might be discharged of thē and that it was not without cause that Iesus Christe was so rudely hādeled that we might looke vp the cherefullier and that we might vnderstād that God would not remēber our faults with made vs to be as it were detestable in his sight Wherefore when wée shall haue knowne all this we shall haue greatly profited not onely for a day but also all the dayes of our life For to say the trueth it is a doctrine wherewith wee must so acquaint our selues as that although we thinke we know it wel enough yet that we must not cease more more to cōforme our selues thereto And for that more liuely expressing héere of sée why the prophet goeth on further and saith That hee will make his soule an offering for sin to wit that Iesus Christ will forget his own life for the redéeming of our liues the price of our sinnes and iniquities Héere the Prophet againe setteth before vs the willing obedience of the Sonne of God For as hee hath saide that as it was the will of the father hee shoulde bee afflicted euen so likewise hée nowe saith that the Sonne yéelded himselfe willingly thereto thrusting himselfe forwarde to become a Sacrifice without force or constraint For the common maner of offering vp of Sacrifices vnto the Lorde God was alwayes done of a francke will and deuotion And therfore it must necessarily fall out that our Lorde Iesus Christe shoulde yéelde and offer vp himselfe to the death which he suffered For without that as yesterday was declared our rebellions had neuer béen repared before God But when he offered vp his soule to wit that he was prest and redy to suffer the condemnation that we deserued in this we may sée that we haue by his death full assurance of saluation And this he himselfe saith in the Gospell after Saint Iohn No mā Iohn 16.18 saith he shal take away my life but I wil fréely offer it vp my selfe In déede his life was taken from him when he was crucified and wée sée also how vngently furiously they dealt
with him that crucified him Howbeit they coulde neuer haue doone any thing against him do the best they had could without it had béen so before ordeined by the sacred decrée appointment of God the father as hath béen alredy alledged out of the Actes Acts. 2. 23. 4.28 where it is saide That they did nothing but that which the hand and counsell of God had ordeined But ouer and besides all this our Lorde Iesus Christe was contēted well pleased with the sentence iudgement that was giuen vpon him for our sakes Now the prophet setteth it namely down that it was for sin For all sacrifices were called sin offerings because that he who had cōmitted an offence whē he came to ask pardon brought his sacrifice with him thereupon was discharged as if hée should haue said Alas my good God behold I stande héere before thée as a guiltie condemned person and it is impossible for mee to beare the punishment that I haue deserued for it but should rather bée a burden vtterly to cast mée downe into the pit of hell Howebeit for remedie héereof I craue pardon at thy maiesties hand by meane of the sacrifice which héere is offered vp vnto thée Héere we see why they were called sinne offeringes to wit because the curse which we deserued vnder the which we were altogether cast downe was as it were discharged and laid vpon a bullocke or shéepe or vpon some such like thing that was offered Now all this was done in the lawe vnder a figure So then our Lorde Iesus was called sinne because he bare our curse that God his Father might blesse vs. Neither let vs thinke that this is any whit derogatory from his Maiestie but that wée ought rather so much the more to magnifie him For as S. Paule saith in his Epistle to the Corinthes That hée who knew not what sin meant 2. Cor. 5.21 was made sinne for vs that we might be the righteousnes of God in him There is no doubt but that Saint Paul meant to set foorth vnto vs the fruite and benefite of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ euen as the Prophet héere setteth it downe vnto vs. Wée sée then that Iesus Christ was innocent without spot or wrinkle And therefore since it is so hée was méetest to beare the charge of others Nowe hée in such sort beare it as that hée was made sinne to wit hée susteined our curse And how so Forsooth to the ende that wée now might haue righteousnesse to aunswere the Maiestie of God For the obedience of our Lord Iesus Christ is as a cloke to couer al our iniquities and besides his blood is as a thing to cleanse vs when wée are washed therein and as Saint Peter saith Bedeawed and begot therewith by his holy Spirite Héere then wée sée the meaning of this place 1. Pet. 1.2 Marke also héere againe that to the ende wée might detest and abhorre both our sins our selues we must cōsider of the wonderful sufferings of the sonne of God because it is so strange a thing as that it ought to put vs in a maruellous admiration that he who is the fountaine of all righteousnes was made sinne that hée who is blessed sanctifieth all things yea euen the very Angels of heauen became accursed Nowe when wée heare all these thinges spoken of and sée them to bée very strange yet haue wée not the wit and vnderstanding to apply them to our edifying For since the Sonne of God was brought to this point is it possible for vs to finde any remedy els where No surely for wée may soone iudge that neither men Angels nor nothing els whatsoeuer was able to doe vs any good but that we must néedes haue our help at the hāds of the sonne of God And therfore this Diuel Seruetus which was héere executed is so much the more accursed and damnable because he hath falsified stayned the holy Bible in saying that all this was prophesied of Cyrus an Heathē Idolater and robbed our Lord Iesus Christe of the thing which so properly belonged vnto him as that when Isaiah had fastened this as it were vnto a liuely Table that euen thē Iesus Christ was crucified the things could not be made more manifest and plaine And yet this Diuell brought with him such an horrible wickednesse as that hée hath spoyled our Lorde Iesus Christ both of his dignitie and office and saith That it was an Heathen man that suffered for the people whenas in déede what by reason of his ambition and couetousnesse hée would néedes shed the blood of a man and therefore receiued his iust rewarde for the same Howbeit this is a fearefull falsifiyng of this godly Prophesie and to say truely neuer man aliue euer once thought of any such meanyng as this cursed fellowe hath deuised For although a great number of shamelesse Heretikes haue peruerted the doctrine of the holy Scripture yet neuer did any of them come thus farre And therefore it cannot bée chosen but that al the signes and tokens of a reprobate appeared in this cursed man Wherfore wée are héere so much the rather to note that whē the Prophet bringeth vs backe to the consideration of our Lorde Iesus Christe that in the first place it is to this ende that wee might bée ashamed of our selues and besides that we might magnifie the inestimable goodnesse of our God because hée would haue his onely Sonne to become sinne for vs and that our Lord Iesus Christe himselfe refused it not but as one forgetting himselfe had such care of our saluation as that hée descended into the bottomeles depthes of horror to the ende hee would beare our curse And therefore wée are héere also to consider of this point that there is none other meane for vs to be discharged before God but to set before vs the satisfaction of the Sacrifice which was offered vp for vs once for all Indéede this is very true that the worlde alwaies hath a meaning to deuise some one thing or an other I know not what wherewith to pay God as hath heeretofore béene saide and for example wée sée what store of pretie fonde triflyng bables many Papistes vse wherwith to appease the wrath of god For in déed they tell vs that it is impossible for vs to bée forgiuen without we make satisfaction for say they although God of his frée mercy goodnesse forgiueth vs the fault yet hée reserueth alwayes the punishment vntill such time as euery of vs hath discharged himself before him And héereupon wée sée from whence commeth the foundation of Purgatorie For because wée cannot whiles wée lyue héere make satisfaction but that there must remaine alwaies some remnant and arrerages wée must therefore say they beare the punishment out of this worlde that is it that must pay god Loe héere howe the miserable worlde hath béen deceiued and blinly lead with the leasinges and doting dreames of
Satan And therfore wée are so much the rather to make an obseruation of this doctrine That as God hath not set downe in the Law and saide You shall not serue mée this way and that as pleaseth you But placed and ordeined the sacrifices Ceremonies conteined in the Law thereon stay them selues without deuising any newe and strange kind of Seruice meane to obteine fauour grace Euen so likewise must we at this day be contented with the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christe because we know that that is the only meane by which God will be mercifull fauourable vnto vs by which also he wil receiue adopt vs vnto himselfe Thus we namely sée what it is that the Prophet meaneth to offer héere vnto vs. Now it is moreouer said That he will prolong his dayes that he shall see his seed to be permanent that the wil or plesure of the Lorde shall prosper in his handes Héere he bringeth vs yet once againe back vnto the consideration of the glory excellencie of our Lord Iesus Christ to the end wee might be so muche the more assured that we may come vnto him for if hée had remoued in death as a vanquished person it had béen impossible for vs to haue béen euer iustified quickened by his grace For how could death a lone haue brought righteousnes life with it as of it selfe but because of the sacrifice of his death he rose again therin resteth our ful whole cōfidēce Thus we sée that we haue obteined victory ouer sin to the end we might be takē to be righteous death is abolished in vs that wée might haue life In déede this in the first place hath relation vnto the person of the Sonne of God For as wée haue alredy said hée dyed according to the infirmitie of his fleshe 2. Cor. 13. 4. howbeit the heauenly power of his holy Spirite was shewed in his resurrection and heereof hée gaue this testimony for these were his wordes destroy yée this Temple and within thrée dayes I will rayse it vp againe Iohn 2.19 Loe héere howe the Sonne of God as touching his person did sée a great age For hee rose not againe to shew himselfe vnto the worlde for a whyle and then dye againe But after hée had shewed himselfe vnto his Disciples and made them witnesses of his resurrection hée ascended into heauen and so exempted himself from all humane frailtie This then it is whereon wee must builde our faith in him when as wee sée him to haue in such sort ouercome death and the Diuell and triumphed ouer him as that after that hée was offered vp for a Sacrifice hée was receiued and exalted vnto this power and dignitie whereof mention hath alredy béen made But wée must also note by the way that all this belongeth to the whole body of the Church for it is not the purpose of Iesus Christe to separate himselfe from it Heb. 2.11 And in déede it is further said that hee shall see his seed True it is wée are called the brethren of Iesus Christe For wée coulde not bée called the children of god but by the same name And therfore hée who is the onely beloued must receiue and ioyne vs so vnto himselfe as that we might haue that by adoption which is onely his by nature howbeit this is no let vnto vs from being as children ingendred of his séede For what is the true séede of the Churche Verily euen the worde of the Gospell as Saint Peter telleth vs. 1. Pet. 1. 23. 25. And in déede it is the very selfe same which we haue already séene veryfied vnto vs out of the Prophet Isaiah That the worde of the Lorde endureth for euer because by it wee are made incorruptible Isaiah 40.8 whenas wee receiue profite thereby according to that measure that it is giuen vnto vs by the holy ghost this then is the séede by which wee are regenerate into euerlasting life Howbeit wee must fyrst come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe And how commeth it to passe that the Gospell hath this office and Property to beget vs to bée the children of GOD Forsooth the reason is this because the blood of our Lorde Iesus Christe was a true séede to quicken vs. And therefore it is not for naught sayde héere That hee shall see a seede of long continuance or an euerlasting seede So then wee are againe to conclude that the benefit which our Lorde obteined by his resurrection was not particuler for him selfe alone But that wée might haue parte thereof and be called vnto his company because we are members of his bodie Nowe wée are héere by the way admonished not to séeke for one droppe of life in our selues but to take it wholly from our lord Iesus Christ Why howe will God then acknowledge vs to be his children Howe shall wée haue any place in his Church Howe shall wée be taken to be of his flocke Forsooth wée must come to this point Because wée are partakers with our lord Iesus Christ Thus wée sée howe God accepteth of vs this is our begetting and first birth And nowe let our fréewill men goe and brag of their frée will by which they suppose them selues to be readie to receiue the grace of God For what abilitie is hée able to haue to doe eyther good or yll that is not yet begotten in the wombe of his mother Wherefore let vs vnderstande thus much that since our chiefe and first creation is this that we are begotten in Iesus Christ that wée are able to doe nothing neither yet that any thing procéedeth from our power and strength but that all whatsoeuer wée haue commeth from that frée goodnesse of his whereof we are made partakers And this is the summe and effect of all that which wée haue to consider of But by the way to the ende wée might also haue a great deale the better taste of his death passion it is saide Because hee gaue his soule an offring for sinne to wit for satisfaction or for sacrifice that hee should see his seede For wée right well shewe that wée would blot out all hope of saluation if wée glorified not the goodnesse of God in the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ And to say truely they that proudly disdaine to cleaue vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ because hée was crucified rightly declare that they haue not knowne the ende thereof For without it what should become of vs Surely wée shoulde haue no Church in the worlde there should be no saluation and to be short there should bée no hope of any goodnesse For without doubt wée should bée all remedilesse confounded lost and condemned without Iesus Christ had offred vp his soule bought vs againe by that onely meane 1. Cor. 6. 30. And for this cause the Scripture also oftentimes sheweth vs that wee were redéemed with no small price And thus much we
shewed him selfe a lyue after hée had béen dead with so manifest and many proofes wée must learne to build vpon such a foundation as shall neuer be able to be shaken And as he hath thus ouercome death euen so doeth hée now stretch foorth his hand to guide and bring vs to saluation And so often as wée would assure our selues of our saluation wée must not runne vnto Creatures but let vs behold as it were in a glasse that as Christ Iesus is risen againe and hath ouercome death euen so also hath he opened the kingdome of heauen that we might enter into it vnder his charge It is further saide that when hée shewed him selfe That hee spake of the kingdome of God amongst his friendes Wherein wee are to note that the Commission which was graunted vnto these from whom we receiue the doctrine of the Gospell was not set downe in a worde or for a minute of an houre but that they were so sufficiently instructed for a long while and that they haue not instructed vs at randon not knowing what they meant but were taught and instructed as they shoulde bée And when they had thus fully and wholly receiued this doctrine and therewithall authoritie to bestow it they haue deliuered the same faythfully vnto vs. Thus we sée what wée haue to note in this saying Nowe it is saide that Iesus Christ shewed him selfe vnto his Apostles and in shewing him selfe Hee spake of the kingdome of God amongst them But héere we are to vnderstande what it is that Saint Luke meaneth by the kingdome of God hée meaneth not by this kingdome of God euerlasting life as we commonly take it and as at the first sight it might here be taken as who shoulde say That that is the kingdome of God which we wayte for through hope But Saint Luke taketh it to bee the spirituall gouernment by whiche Iesus Christe holdeth vs in his obedience vntill hée hath wholly refourmed vs vnto his owne Image and hauing dispoyled vs of this mortal body sendeth vs to heauen And this is the very meaning of S. Luke But to make the matter more easie and plaine let vs take the kingdome of God cleane contrarie and that is this the life of men which follow their corrupt nature And in déede if Iesus Christ should goe from vs and let vs goe whether we listed our selues surely we should be quite clean out of the kingdome of God For by the kingdom of God is meant a reformation and we bring nothing with vs but miseries corruptions in this worlde to be short we are wandring beasts and the Deuill ruleth vs and so thralleth vs euen as it pleaseth him selfe Thus we sée what man is vntill God hath refourmed him Wherefore let vs take out this lesson to know what wée are vntill such time as Iesus Christ hath refourmed vs. Why then would we haue a greater mischiefe then this as to haue Satan so to possesse vs and to be our Maister And thus I say we sée what we are vntill such time as God of his infinite goodnesse stretcheth foorth his hande vnto vs euen to bring vs into his kingdome that we might be obedient vnto him and to his iustice Nowe by the way we are also to sée howe highly we ought to estéeme of this grace when it is offred vs and that Iesus Christ draweth vs vnto him And loe here is all our blessednesse that God is our King In déed although Kings couet to haue kingdomes to encrease their honour and wealth and to be Lordes ouer nations without any regard to a better ende yet if any Prince be endued with excellent graces euerie man will think him selfe blessed that is his subiect But when Iesus Christ reigneth ouer vs we haue a king that is not onely endued with many excellent graces but also who reigneth ouer vs for our benefit And to say the trueth he is no whit bettered by vs for we can no more encrease then we can diminish Psal 16.2 Thus we sée that the thing which I haue alredie said is very true That we are blessed when as God setteth vp his kingly throne amongst vs to reigne ouer vs. Here we sée what we are taught in the secōd place to wit to esteeme and make muche of such a benefite when God bestoweth it vpon vs now the meane commeth by the Gospel We also sée why Iesus Christ spake so oftentimes of the Gospel Mat. 13.24.31.33.44.45 calling it the kingdome of God For if we sticke not to it we are verie rebelles to God and banished from all his graces For wée shall neuer haue parte of them vntill we be refourmed Which thing the Gospell worketh by calling vs to Iesus Christ and shewing vs that we must be regenerate by his holie spirite Since then it is so when the Gospel is preached it is to the end we might bée lyke vnto Iesus Christ forsake whatsoeuer is in our selues that we might be raysed vp agayne by his grace And therefore the Gospell is not called the kingdome of God without good cause And in déede as without it the Deuill reigneth and by reason therof is called the King of this world Euen so when Iesus Christ causeth his Gospell to be preached in any countrie it is as much as if hée shoulde say I will reigne ouer you and be your King But yet it cannot be saide that all they which dwell in that countrie where the Gospell is preached doe obey God For we sée some of them lift them selues vp and shewe foorth their iniquitie which before laye hid in them and othersome contemne the doctrine in whom is no fruite of the kingdome of God And yet Christ Iesus hath alwayes a little congregation where the Gospel is preached And howe so Forsooth because there is no King but hath subiectes Neuerthelesse wée may conclude that it is an inestimable benefite when GOD offreth vs his Gospell For what would wée more then when our Lorde Iesus Christ sayeth vnto vs. Loe héere I am and take charge of you to the ende you might bée vnder my winges and protection nowe what can you desire more Wée knowe then that all this commeth vnto vs by the Gospell And this is the perfection of all our happinesse if wée could rightly vnderstand it Moreouer this is certaine that when Iesus Christ thus bringeth vs into his kingdome and taketh vs vnto him selfe it is because hée woulde cloth vs so much the rather with immortalitie incorruption to the ende wée might enter into his promised glory And therfore when we receiue this Gospel we enter into the kingdome of God But what This is only but an entraunce howbeit we must go on a great deale further into it which thing is brought to passe when as he deliuereth vs from this cursed bondage of sin and setteth vs at the libertie which he promised vs. Thus wée sée that it is not enough to haue an entraunce but wée must goe still forwarde
Christe neuer went beyond his bondes Whatsoeuer therfore that we waite for let vs neither looke this way nor that but stand to his worde Moreouer because the name of God is often abused let vs looke narrowly and warely whether it is hée that hath spoken vnto vs or not And although Iesus Christe himselfe speaketh not at this present vnto vs yet hath hee ratified whatsoeuer is conteined in the Lawe and the Prophetes Wee must not therefore stand in doubt of the doctrine Why so Because it is allowed Thus we sée that if wée follow this doctrine we cannot do amisse and contrariwise this were a trimme kinde of spéeche to say wee are Christians when in very deede there is nothing in vs but a vaine opinion And nowe let vs beholde the faith which is taught in Popery They will say forsooth I beléeue this and that but if they be asked why beléeue you so They will answere because they were so told But who is it that taught you thus Our auncestours Thus wée sée that there is no certentie in their beliefe but a vaine opinion And therefore we are to consider of the great grace of GOD to vs warde in that he hath pluckt vs from that religion for wée go not nowe by thinking and ghessing but we must stay our selues vpon this infallible trueth which he hath giuen vs. In very déede wee cannot doe thus without the holy Ghoste ratifie the same in our heartes For otherwise it were a iolly kinde of spéeche to say God hath saide it and this is his doctrine And therefore vntill suche time as the holy Ghost hath wrought in vs to shew vs that the promises of God are Autenticall wée shall but stumble But as Iesus Christe is a faithfull witnesse of God his Father euen so confirmeth hee vs by his holy spirite and wee are to beseech him that he would perfourme it more and more in vs. And this is it which wee at this present are to stande vpon For Iesus Christe promised to send the holy Ghoste vnto his Apostles as may bee seene in Iohns Gospell Iohn 14.16.26 15.26 where this promise is set downe that Iesus Christ said vnto them when I am ascended vp into heauen I will sende you the holy Ghoste This saying then hée confirmed vnto them that they might constantly looke for it It followeth Iohn baptized with water but yee shall be baptized with the holy Ghost And this is a confirmation of the promise which he gaue them as if hée shoulde haue saide my office is to baptize not with water but with the holy Ghost And God my Father hâ—th not giuen mée this office in vaine and therefore you must féele the benefite thereof by experience Let vs therefore vnderstand this one point that nothing is in vain giueÌ„ to Iesus Christ Now he hath no néede of this himselfe But it is for his members to the end we might all draw grace with grace Iohn 1.16 out of his fulnesse And so let vs conclude that since Iesus Christe hath this office of baptizing with the holy Ghoste wée must néedes féele it by proofe and be partakers of such a benefite for otherwise it were but an vncertaine title and no trueth in it which were very blasphemie so to say Wee are therefore to vnderstand that Iesus Christ acquainteth vs with such a Baptisme For mark what it was that he said to his Apostles Now S. Iohn Baptist had told the Iewes before that he baptized but with water and the reason why hee so saide was this that they would haue giuen ouermuch honor vnto him and so haue derogated from Iesus Christ And therefore he refused this and said that he did but administer the visible signe of water so that it belonged not to him to giue grace to Baptisme but was the office of Iesus Christ to doe it Behold saith he I baptize you with water Mat. 3.11 Mark 1.7 Luke 3.16 Iohn 1.26 But there is one whom you yet know not that hath power to baptize with the holy Ghoste whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to vntie for although I came before him yet am I no body and it is hée that must haue all the honor And this is the spéech of Iohn Baptist and now Iesus Christ vseth the same as if he should say This ought to be no strange thing vnto you for it was knowne vnto you long ago how that the priuiledge of baptizing with the holy Ghost was reserued to me alone Nowe héere might arise a questioÌ„ why Iesus Christ rather spake of Iohn baptist theÌ„ of any other The reason is manifest because the greatnes of Iohn Baptist as they had abused it was a let that Iesus Christe was not honored as he ought although he had spokeÌ„ of any other yet would it haue ben thought notwithstanding that Iohn might wel enough haue béen compared to Iesus Christ And therfore he chose to speak of the most excellent man to the end he wold shew that he would not haue the worlde deceiued but that it was himself vnto whom all honor was to be giuen And thus we sée that where men go about to get themselues credite estimation amongst men Saint Iohn baptist here doth al he can to abase himself Iohn 3. 30. because he would haue no more giuen vnto him then became him And after hee had vsed many spéeches hée concluded that he must be abased and Iesus Christ exalted Neither was this hypocritically saide of him but in trueth and in déede And I would it pleased God that the world would take foorth this lesson But what Wée are so continually giuen to this wicked superstition as that we looke stil vnto the creatures who are so many vailes to kéepe vs from beholding of Iesus Christ And by this wée sée what the cause hath béen of the setting vp of such an infinite number of Idols in the world For looke how many holy men and women haue béene in the world euen so many Idols haue béen set vp yea although the graces which God hath liberally bestowed vpon vs ought to be Argumentes sufficient to haue vs put our trust in him not in creatures And the papists when they will honor their Saints say it is written Praise God in his Saints I will not call them beastes Psal 150.1 for taking of this place after this sorte séeing the Prophet in saying Praise God in his holy place or in his Sanctuary meaneth the heauens as if hée should haue said praise this diuine maiestie who ruleth in his heauenly throne ouer all his Creatures And yet they so magnifie the Saints amongst them as that as they themselues say God is not knowne from his Apostles or els is placed all in one ranke with the rest Now this diuelish Prouerbe which is among them A man cannot know God from his Apostles will bée a testimony against them that they haue torne in peeces the glory of god like mastiffe Curres
content our selues with that which it pleaseth God to declare vnto vs and we cannot doe better then to be ignorant of that which God will not teach vs in the scripture and thus we sée how hee reproueth this their curiositie Besides when hee saide vnto them Yee shall receiue power after the holy Ghost is come vpon you Héereby hée shewed them that they were fooles to aspire so high as to enquire and seeke after the secretes of God For they were not able to attaine thereto vntill they had receiued this power from aboue In déede they had receiued some portion of the holie Ghost but hee tolde them that it was verie néedfull the same should be encreased in them and that it was then no time to tryumph but to fight and they might sée also that it was not long before it should come to passe And afterwarde hée saide Yee shall be witnesses vnto mee both in Ierusalem in all Iewrie and in Samaria and euen vnto the worldes ende As if hée shoulde haue saide you thinke that I shoulde reigne lyke a worldly Prince but you are deceiued for my kingdome is spirituall And thus hée correcteth their last errour touching their question of the kingdome of Israel by saying that the Gospell must be conneied euen to Samaria For there was great inimitie betwéene the Iewes and the Samaritanes albeit they were néere neighbours and agréeed so me what in the principles of religion as wée and the Papists doe at this day For there is a kinde of familiaritie betwéene vs because we haue the Gospell and they also say that they haue it The Samaritanes likewise had the same law with the Iewes but they had altogether peruerted it euen as the Papists now do and therefore the hatred was the greater betweene them Now Iesus Christe telleth his Apostles héere That the Gospel must bée preached to the Samaritanes Wée see then that Iesus Christe liuely reproueth their errors and bringeth them into the right way This must wée apply to our owne vse and in the first place if the Apostles were so grosse minded as wée may sée very well this vice was not in them alone but it is also in vs. And therefore let vs looke vpon this as in a glasse that it is not enough that we bée preached vnto but God must also inlighten vs make a way for his worde that it might enter into vs and open also the eyes of our mindes that wée may bée able to comprehend his wil for els our hearing will bée to no purpose and without profite And therefore let vs beséeche God to graunt vs his grace to vnderstand his will or els wée shall remaine in our beast linesse stil Héere wée sée what wée are to note in the first place of this Scripture Now for the faultes which the Apostles cōmitted in their question we must consider of them by the reprochfull answere which Iesus Christ maketh them In the first place we sée that wée our selues haue experience euen of our selues how curious we are And now let vs sée whether we are giuen to desire such thinges as are necessary méete for vs. Surely no for if we be told twise of a thing we thinke it doth but breake our braine Againe if an harde matter yea such a thing as in déed is most necessary to be vnderstood be told vs in two words we thinke it euen enough What an inconstancie is this in vs not to settle our mindes vpon necessary things But if we should heare a sort of tales lyes and things nothing worth ho wee would neuer bée weary of hearing of them all the day and night long And thus we sée that our minds are so toyish as that we haue no care of any necessary things but are desirous of all vaine and vnprofitable matter yea and to speake of any good and profitable thing it is as wée say lost labour Héere wée may perceiue how wée ought to bestow al our life time to wit to consider of the grace that God hath giuen vs in sending of vs Iesus Christ to make vs wise for this wisedome stretcheth it selfe through heauen and earth And this is it whereof S. Paule speaketh to the Ephesians Ephe. 3.18 when he maketh mention of length bredth heigth and depth That is to say that so farrefooth as our mindes are able to reache we should giue our selues more and more to vnderstande the loue which Iesus Christ hath shewed vs in bestowing of vs his welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ After this sort as I haue saide must wée bestow our time and yet if we be but preached vnto one halfe houre wée thinke it ouer long Whereby we sée howe wandring minded wée are to all vayne and vnprofitable thinges and therein take all our delight and pleasure But if there bée any matter in question that might confirme and stay vs or that wée bée tolde of thinges that shall come vnto vs wée will neuer hearken to that but our minde will foorthwith be turned cleane away wandring too and fro building as wée say castles in the ayre so that hée which hath Goods thinketh neither of his possessions nor of his riches and hée that hath none will continue and abide like a senslesse bruite beast and neuer once thinke vpon that which is spoken vnto him Behold I pray you how closely we are linked to this vice and there is no man but is condemned before God thereof And although wée sée that the Apostles were curious to vnderstande of thinges which appertayned nothing vnto them yet let not vs be busie to condēne them in it but let vs know that there is matter ynough in vs to condemne our selues Séeing then wée know this to bée so common a fault euery of vs ought to withdraw his mind from being so fantasticall and not wittingly be so toy headed but let vs apply our minds to vnderstand whatsoeuer it pleaseth God liberally to bestow vpon vs from out of the knowledge of his counsell and hold vs there and let vs diligently weigh the saying that is héere set downe It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the father hath put in his owne power Now this saying ought to bridle vs and pull vs backe at once from al curiositie yea and although our nature would pricke vs to goe on yet ought wée to draw backe and vnderstand what Solomon saieth that hée which goeth about to seeke out the secretes of God shall bée oppressed with his glory Prou. 25 27. And therefore if wée be such curious searchers hée will make vs right well feele that hée spake not this in vayne Wherefore let not vs goe beyond this reach but let vs looke what it is that hée forbiddeth vs to searche after That which the Father hath put in his owne power Now héere might rise a questiō to wit whether the father hath put in his owne power Winter and Summer and the rule of all times and seasons Yea
are tolde of this I say wée would gladly draw our selues out of the heape Wherfore wée are so much the rather to consider of this place to witte that if we would be partakers of the benefits of Iesus Christ wee must euen in this lyfe set our hand to the labor Would wée bée conquerours with him let vs thē fight whiles wée are in the warres And if we would be partakers of al his benefits we must abide all the miseries which he will haue vs beare in this world Rom. 8. 17. 2. Tim. 2.12 For as Saint Paul saith if we bee partakers of his sufferinges we shall also be partakers of his ioyes Behold Iesus Christ now sitteth in his glorious throne into whose hande all things are put But how behaued hée himselfe in this world before he came to it what numbers of afflictions suffered he surely he was so afflicted as that his life was thought to be accursed for he was continually tormented all his life longe and in the ende wée sée that he suffered the most cruell death that was possibly to be deuised and that which is more it séemed that God his father had forsaken him in that he suffered him to be thus condemned by the world Héere then we are to consider that if we entend to enter into this immortall glory wee must beare his crosse in this present lyfe Now we coulde be very well contented to beare a litle blame for him But we would not step one foote forewarde to abide to be hated despised and afflicted And yet this must wee doo because it is not in vs to chaunge the inviolable order which God hath sette downe We would bee glad to know what is done in heauen but we would not hold the way thither and surely God hath not placed vs héere belowe but to the ende to serue Iesus Christ in this worlde that we might be partakers of his glory after that wee haue with might and maine resisted all the assaultes whiche were attempted against vs for the withdrawing of vs from him But if we haue a desire to know what is done in heauen and will not holde the way thither it is very mockery Wee must therefore looke whereunto God hath called vs and wee shall finde that hee hath called vs to fight and it is so harde a matter for vs to ouercome these combates as that wee shall haue no leysure to occupie our selues to séeke after vaine and curious thinges which serue vs to no purpose but let it suffice vs that we haue this worde which sheweth vs which way to holde Now héere are two things wherwith Iesus Christ correcteth the curiositie of his Apostles to wit he telleth thē that they must discerne of the thing which they haue to doe Loe here I say is the way whereby to correct this faulte whereunto we are enclined to wit we must looke vnto the thing which God teacheth vs by his worde and then if we shall be very diligent héerein we shal surely be quit of this fault of béeing ouer foole hardie and curious First of all they haue the promises which Iesus Christ made them The holie Ghost shall come vpon you As if he shoulde haue saide Bee you contented with that which God meaneth to send you And therefore let vs learne that when our nature tickleth vs to cast away our fond presumption and hold vs to the promises of GOD and acknowledge and say Loe wherunto it is that we must sticke let vs then be contented herewith féed and refresh vs with it And besides wée haue the commaundements of God to leade vs to vnderstand what he wil haue vs to doe When then wee knowe all this wée shall haue no leysure to roame ouer the fieldes But wée shall finde roome ynough in the high way yea euen to flye when there were any thing spoken of which hée commaunded vs. Which thing wée shoulde more easily vnderstand if we knewe that the woorde of God were the phisicke that coulde amend this curiositie Howe is that Beholde that GOD promiseth to assist vs in this present life and Iesus Christ likewise hath taught vs to desire our daily bread But what of all this yet is not this the principall poynt for hée extendeth his hand euen to the bruite beastes and féedeth them And therefore it were nothing for vs to looke into But our principall matter is to taste his mercie knowing that hée hath compassion vpon most miserable wretched sinners and woulde not haue vs perishe in our follies but stretcheth foorth his hande to pull vs out of them and therefore let vs trust vnto it And besides hee calleth vs vnto euerlasting life with Iesus Christ promiseth vs that we shalbée vnited to him Séeing then we haue all these promises let euery of vs acquainte himselfe with the same both morning and eueninge and let it bee our wisdome And besides wée haue his commaundementes whereunto wée must cleaue not bée bée smeared with superstition and let euerye man forsake him selfe and liue to together in loue and charitie one with another soberly chastly humblye and honestly and be pure cleane from all the filthinesse of the flesh loe héere a generall rule Moreouer in them euery man is taught his perticular lesson For firste the Husbande is taught to vnderstande what loue hee ought to beare vnto his wife and the wife her dutie towardes her Husband and either of them are aduertised what instruction they ought to giue vnto their Children Moreouer the Maiestrates are taught their lessons and the Minister of the worde theirs To be short this is a perfect docttrine accomplished in all poynts where euery man is so sufficientlye instructed that no man can be ignoraunt of his charge and duty And thus we sée what we haue to note And therefore if euery man apply himself héereunto as he ought without doubt hee shall haue no leasure to royle ouer the féeldes Moreouer if wée be such royling roges surely it is a signe that we neuer vnderstood the principall point of our saluation nor yet how to bée the Disciples of our Lorde Iesus Christ And thus we may be able to reproue these curious questioners and saye vnto them freind because you are so full of fryuelous questions surelye you neuer yet vnderstood the effect of your Baptisme for by it you should acknowledge the forsaking of your selfe but you could now be wel pleased that God would giue you leaue to wander whether you lust your selfe well goe your waies and study of these questions and an hundred yeares hence they shall be disputed of Wherefore wée ought to bée so much the rather dilligent thus to think marke whereunto God calleth vs to witte that we might vnderstande wherein the hope of our saluation consisteth and besides let vs beséeche him that hée would haue mercy vpon vs and that we might also learne to amend our liues And héereunto must wee bende all our wit and force and when wée shall stande
And sodainly there came a sounde from heauen as it had been the comming of a mightie winde and it filled all the house where they were sitting 3 And there appeared vnto them clouen tongues like as they had been of fyre and it sate vpon each one of them 4 And they were all filled with the holie Ghost and began to speake with other tongues as the spirite gaue them vtteraunce WEe are all so naturally enclined vnto incredulitie as that it behoueth vs to haue the trueth of the Lord Authentically sealed in our hearts to the end we might receiue it stay our selues wholly thereon Ephe. 1.13 It is verie true that God sealeth it in the heartes of all his faythfull ones by the holy Ghost and marke also why it is called the seale of the Gospell yet they which are to deliuer this doctrine all the worlde ouer ought first of all to be sealed and besides God must so gouerne and guide them as that we might at this day be fully assured of the doctrine which they haue published vnto vs and not receiue it from them as from mortall men but as from God the true Authour thereof For we know that our fayth should haue a weake foundation if we should laye it vpon the authoritie of men And we shoulde then continually wauer and doubt if we lifted not vp our mindes farre beyonde the worlde and founded them in and vpon God since we know that this word of saluation which is daily preached vnto vs commeth from him Thus we séee why it is that this historie is set downe vnto vs in writing to wit because that as often as we read or heare the word of God we should remember that whatsoeuer is cōteined in the old and new Testament was not deuised by mans brayne but that God hath testified by a visible signe so farfoorth as was néedfull that men were but the instrumentes onely of his holie spirite For as concerning Moses and all the rest of the Prophetes they approued them selues to be sent of God Insomuch that if we should stande in doubt of their doctrine it were both vnthankfully and wickedly done of vs. Now it is here said That before the Apostles preached the Gospell throughout the world God sent downe his holy spirite vpon them to the ende we might know that they deliuered nothing as from them selues but faithfully distributed the thing which God had commaunded them We sée then to what purpose this present historie must serue our turnes For if we were not assured that the Apostles had as it were become newe men and that God had giuen them a sure and certaine token which declared that he allowed and authorized them what should become of our faith Surely it would be but a running opiniō For thus we might well enough say I think so or it should séeme so But it were impossible for vs to say that we were rightly and firmely grounded stayed theron For what is in man And therfore because this worlde is nothing but vanitie Hebr. 6.9 it is very méet we should according to the saying of the Apostle take Anker hold in heauen Here then we sée how we may ryde out all stormes tempests so that whatsoeuer either the world or the Deuil deuise yet are they not any way able to hurt vs But we shall alwayes haue a sure faith which shal neuer bend one way or other whē we shal take this for a grounded principle That it is God that guideth calleth vs to himself that the doctrine which is taught vs is his pure vndoubted trueth Loe then to what end we must referre the whole summe effect of that which we haue at this present read Forsooth euen to this ende purpose that whē God raised vp this mighty winde his meaning was to declare by a visible signe that he had chosen the twelue Apostles to carry the glad tydings of saluation hither thither In very déed there were at that time but eleuen of them But yet there remained alwayes a full and setled number because that Matthias was placed in Iudas stead Thus we sée that the number was filled vp which was before scattered howbeit this want was but for a litle while as appeareth by the words of Saint Luke in the first Chapiter going before Act. 1.26 Here nowe we sée the full number of the twelue Ambassadours of our Lorde Iesus Christ whom he had before chosen and marked Neuerthelesse it was méete hée should furnish them with graces sufficient and requisite for so high and wonderful a calling Wherefore it was behoueful they should be fashioned and framed from aboue and that God should miraculously worke in them far beyond mans reach and capacitie Now as for the sound of a mightie winde or tempest that shewed that the holy Ghost came not downe vpon the Apostles to make them onely partakers of his graces but also that the whole world should be shaken therwith For it was so spoken of by the Prophet Aggeah in these words After a while saith the Lord Agge 2. I will make heauen earth tremble Which was in déede fulfilled in the preaching of the Gospel We sée then that when the holy Ghost descended that it was not only for a handful of men but he came down to fill all the endes and borders of the worlde For otherwise we shoulde haue had but a colde pull of it as we say if we were not throughly persuaded that God all at one time sent his holy Ghost for vs also for the establishing of our fayth Moreouer God could haue sēt the holie Ghost after a mylder maner if he had listed But let vs note that this sodeine violent winde was to abate the pride of the flesh and againe to waken vs because we are ouer slow and drousie Surely there are two great faultes in vs which hinder our féeling of the power of the spirite of God for the submitting of our selues vnto the Gospell The one is That wee are proude and verie presumptuous Nowe all this must be pulde downe that both great and smal of vs might humbly learn so to worship God as to abase our selues altogether and be contented to liue by him and by his méere fauour grace And therfore it is méete that this pryde which is so déepely rooted in our nature should be violently reformed Because we are ouer much hardened therein On the other side euery mā féeleth such an heauy earthly burthē in himself as that our mindes are altogether occupied nusled in this world To be short we are become so blockish as it were as that we can féele no taste either of God or of the power of his holie spirit without we be wakened spite of our téethes We sée then why it is saide that there arose a tempest as if it had béen a violent or mightie winde Nowe we are to consider in the first place that the holie Ghost descended to shake
corrupt and defiled For let our mindes be searched our affections and desires examined and they will be founde altogether soule and stinking And therefore we must be as men new perboyled that God might purge vs after a straunge maner Agayne wée are on the other side as colde as may bée Wherefore wée had néede to bée enflambed with the loue of GOD and where wée are wholly geuē to the world let vs looke vp into heauē which must bée brought to passe by his word Thus we sée to what purpose this historie serueth vs at this day In the first place it is to the end we might receiue the doctrine of the Gospel as a certain and vndoubted truth because it beareth about with it the marke of God is sealed with his holy spirite and is also an excellent testimonie of our adoption Wée sée then how we are brought to obedience by reason that God hath allowed and confirmed his Gospel to the ende our faith shoulde not be changeable and wée become wauering for the altering of our mynde and opinion But that wée shoulde goe on continually in the right way vntil such time as we haue finished our course Here we sée howe by the power of the spirite of God our faith shal ouercome the worlde Colos 2.23 For as wée haue already said and as S. Paule also saith if we should buylde vpon the wisedome of men what should become of it But so long as we haue the spirite of God for our ground woorke let vs be sure neuer to bee shaken In the meane while wée haue to cōsider with our selues because God maketh vs at this day Partakers of the thing which we haue of late declared that is let vs call vpon him with one accord although I say we are deuided in tongues besides let vs become new mē through the doctrine which is preached vnto vs in such sort as that we might know that there is fire in it to change and cleanse our minds wits hearts frō al the corruptiōs of this world For although Gods chosen people are brought home agayne by the meane of the Gospel yet sée wée the enemies of the truth become more cruel and rebellious so that it is euen sufficient to set all the worlde together by the eares as by experience at this day may bée séene For during the time that the Gospel was not preached all the world liued carelesly and quietly and there were not many questions nor disputatiōs And how so Forsooth because the diuel then raigned without gainsaying But when our Lord Iesus appeared with the pure doctrine of the Gospel what skirmishing was there foorthwith Wée sée also at this day what contentions there are amongst those which beare the name of Christians So much the rather therefore are wée to beséech the Lorde to make vs féele wherefore the holie Ghost descended vpon his Apostles and to beséech him also to graunt vs that grace that we may obediently testifie that it was to gather vs together that where before we were seuered wee might nowe bee conioyned vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ as members of his bodie and let him bee our true head Moreouer for the attayning thereto we are also to beséech him so to strēgthen vs as that our hearts may be set on fire where now they are key colde and also to perboyle vs that the corruptions of our nature might be scoombed of and to be short that we might bée so renued as that wee might be quite and cleane separated from the worlde Wée shal oftentimes sée how the word of God becommeth a fire but it is after another sort euen to cōsume those which speake against it according to that saying of the prophet Ieremiah where he sheweth that it fared euen so with the children of Israel whom the worde of God consumed like straw and stubble for their wickednesse and rebellion And I beséech you let vs sée how many at this day can pleade not guiltie because they stubbornely lifte vp themselues against God like foming wild beasts or els some scorning and profane men who set themselues against God not geuing any authoritie or honour vnto his holy word In very déede these people shal neuer make the worde of GOD vnprofitable not yet without power but it will consume them like a whot consuming fire to cender and ashes Let vs therefore make this obseruation why it was the wil of God to haue the holie Ghost appeare in fyery tongues Surely it was to this end and purpose that the faithfull might vnderstande that they had great néede to be so touched to the quicke as that GOD might chaunge and renue them Thus wee see in summe what wee are to consider of for the better applying of this historie to our vse Howbeit ouer and besides al this let vs marke the twoo principall poyntes of fayth and then let vs returne to our selues and vnderstand what wée woulde doe if GOD wrought not therein First of all there is in faith knowledge and certayntie and next of all is assurednesse and constancie Now whē God speaketh we are euē deaf at his words bicause our mindes are altogether set vpon this world and indéed we wil account all the wisedome that is conteined in the Gospell to be verie foolishnesse vntill such time as God hath enlightened vs. 1. Cor. 2.14 In the first place therefore God must open our hearres for the vnderstanding of this trueth for sticking thereto otherwise we shall be both deafe blockish without apprehending of this word Thus much then for this point Nowe for the second point it shall stand vs in hand stoutly to withstand all the assaultes attempts wherewith Satan assaileth vs and to be well armed appointed for the same purpose And how is it possible for vs to be so vntill such time as God hath put to his helping hand and there is no way to help that but by the onely power of the holy Ghost And therefore although we be an hundreth times taught the Gospel yet forsomuch as wée are light fickle brained we should soone be pulled from it if God did not strengthen vs therin yea and at this day it is so full of perils threates as that the silly faithfull soules can no sooner open their mouthes to call vpon God but that they are foorthwith at the point to be put to death neither can they any sooner confesse their faith but that the fire is lightned vtterly to abolish the memorie of our Lord Iesus Christ Since then it is so mightily stood a-against as that they who should defend the Christian faith Satan hath enflamed thē if it were possible vtterly to ouerthrow al must not God therfore shew his power herein We are then at this day taught by experience admonished what néede we haue to put in practise the thing cōteined in this history thervpon pray vnto the Lord beseech him that as his wil pleasure was to testifie
shall neuer perish as hée himself hath said Iohn 6.39 10.28 Wherfore let vs submit our selues vnto our lord Iesus Christ if we will féele the benefite accomplishment of the thing which S. Luke here speaketh of to our saluation to wit that God doth not onely speake to our eares his voice resounde in the ayre But his doctrine also pearseth our heartes that wée might be so enflamed perboyled renued as that we might cast away the corruptions of this world So that as we would be taken allowed for his people we might in trueth call vpon our God in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whō we are conioyned to this end that he might perfectly vnite vs vnto God his father And therfore behold why this holy Table is at this present made readie for vs. For as I haue before said we cannot possibly be partakers of any of the graces of the holy Ghost but by being the members of our Lord Iesus Christ Now how can we attain therto without he offer himself vnto vs biddeth vs vpon such a condition as truely ioyneth vs vnto him and he so dwelleth in vs as that whatsoeuer hée hath is oures whereby we might enioy the benefites which were graunted to him in our name Isaiah 11.2 It is said in the prophesie of Isaiah That the spirit of God rested on him howbeit it was not because he had any néed of the same nor yet for his own priuate vse But it was for the benefite of his whole body to wit the whole Church Let vs then know that since the Supper is at this time offred vnto vs that the meaning of our Lord Iesus is that we shoulde séeke all our felicitie in him And because we are very farre from him he of his great goodnesse commeth neare to vs. In very déed hée leaueth not his heauenly glory For we must not thinke that hée descendeth héere below as the Papists imagine to bestowe his body and blood vpon vs But although wée are farre from him yet ceaseth hée not to refresh vs with his body and blood neyther let vs leaue so farre foorth as shall be néedefull for vs to bée perfectly vnited to him Nowe marke why I say perfectly although in very déede hée maketh vs go on in some measure but yet how euer it is let not vs leaue to ioyne our selues to him And let vs vnderstand that hee will not deceiue vs of our hope séeing hee hath declared vnto vs that hée is our head and wée his members and that if wée suffer him to gouerne and guide vs wée shall finde him to bée a good and sure guide and the power of his holy Spirite to bée infinite to defend vs. In the first place then when wée come to this holy Table Let vs vnderstand that it is a secrete surpassing our capacities and therefore wee must héere giue place vnto faith And let vs know that the thing which wée cannot conceiue and vnderstand is notwithstanding accomplished by the secret and inuisible grace of the holy Ghost for sée how we are made partakers of the body blood of our Lord Iesus Christe Moreouer since hée dwelleth in vs and that wée are truly and in déed his body let vs not doubt but that whatsoeuer Isaiah speaketh of the graces of the holy Ghoste they belong and are proper vnto vs In very déede wee receiue not the holy Ghoste perfectly Ephe. 4.7 because there is a measure of the gift according to the saying of Saint Paule and wée must increase in it more more Besides it is not without cause that our Lorde Iesus hath so distributed it to vs by certaine and sure portions and degrées For it is néedefull that his power shoulde bee made perfect in our weakenesse to the end wée might hang alwayes vpon him 2. Cor. 12.9 and carefully call vpon his holy name that wée myght also bée humbled because wee know that there are many things in vs which may be amended Wée see then that wee should vnderstand that Iesus Christ dwelleth not in vaine in vs because hee will effectually witnesse vnto vs that his holy Spirite will powre foorth his power to strengthen vs in him that we might forsake this world and come vnto heauen It is said in that place of Isaiah That the Spirit of wisedome rested vpon him by which hée meaneth to shew that we are nothing but darknesse and miserable blinde foules and in steed of thinking our selues to be both able and skilfull wee shal alwaies peruert and falsifie the trueth of God vntill such time as hée inlightened vs and graunted vs an heauenly cléerenes which commeth not vnto vs either by birth or yet by inheritance And it is said besides that he hath the spirite of the feare of God and al because our desires are so many enimies against the will of God vntill such time as they be refourmed Rom 8.7 and altogether chaunged Besides it is said also that he hath the spirite of power to the ende we might vnderstand our weakenesse so that we coulde not choose but quaile if we were not strengthened from aboue wée shoulde then feele al these things whenas we should come to the receiuing of the testimonie which is héere set downe vnto vs and we should be persuaded that as mortall men distribute the bread and wine euen so will our Lord Iesus worke therein because it is done by his authoritie in his name is no deuised thing of mans braine but that Iesus Christe is the Authour thereof Thus we sée wherunto we must apply this history Moreouer let vs bée so vnited vnto this head as that wee may worship our God with one heart and one mouth and in the meane while let vs ioyne our selues together For it is not said that the apostles ioyned with all in one accord Because al the whole towne of Ierusalem was an enimie vnto them and yet although they were but few in number and a contemptible people they ceased not to persist and ioyne themselues together vnder the Ensigne or banner of God in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Euen so thē séeing there are such a number of Curre Dogges barking against vs and that the Diuell raiseth vp so diuersly many troubles let vs ioyne our selues together so much the more constantly and let not the bond of our concord bée loosed Rom. 12.18 that wée may by that meane be able to set our selues against Satan all his supporters True it is that we ought generally to séeke for peace with all men without exception For we should loue those which hate and persecute vs and wish them good although they deserue it not and yet wee must be their enimies for otherwise we should separate our selues from Iesus Christe And therefore let vs set our selues against all the world and let vs besides vnderstand that we must forsake our selues to be ioined to our Lorde Iesus Christe and he doth
strange kinde of excuse And therefore when wée sée that God so liberally dealeth as that hée will neither exclude age nor sexe from receiuing of the holy ghoste are not wée very accursed to withdraw ourselues from him when as hée is desirous to come néere vs And to say the truth the prophesie that is héere spoken of is to be accomplished at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christe Wherfore since he at this day hath all power and dominion it must néedes bée manifested wée must also vnderstand that the thing which was foretolde is most true And therfore since the thing that was spoken of hath so manifestly appeared cursed are we if wée doe not our best to walke in the feare of the Lorde and receiue the graces whiche hee offereth vs. Wée haue alredye saide that hée taketh exceptions too none Howbeit wée are so wicked as that wée cannot take in good part the thing offered vnto vs. What is the cause thereof surely surely our infidelitie Wherefore neither young nor old can excuse themselues of this fault in not submitting themselues vnto the obedience of God séeing hée hath called all thereto Neither is it to be wondered at although they so little profit in this doctrine For if we marke it the elder sort will growe so obstinate and ouer growne in wickednesse as that no exhortation will doe them good And the younger sort are as dissolute as Diuels For if they bée exhorted they waxe so madde as that to any mans thinking they would tread vnder foote both God and his worde and as many as deliuer it Now Iesus Christe who is the wisedome mildenesse and méekenesse of the Father wyl haue nothing to doe with such foxes and Lions And if they be told that they must humble themselues vnder the mightie hand of God to the ende they might vnderstand that they haue a Father in heauen who will not care onely for their bodily nurriture but will also entertaine and gouerne them by his holy spirite they passe not an hawe of al this but take leaue to doe what wickednesse soeuer they lust Now because the time will not serue to procéede any further héerein we will reserue the handeling of the residue vntil Sunday next And sith we cannot be acceptable in the sight of the Lord our God but by the meane of our Lord Iesus Christ let vs fall downe before his maiestie in his name and beséech him so to instruct vs by his holy spirite as that wée may vnderstande that the Prophetes spake by him for our instruction and that we also might learne to benefite our selues so that it might turne to the glory and praise of his holy name and the edifying of our neighbours And so let vs most humbly say O Almighty God and heauenly father c. The third Sermon of the descending of the holie Ghost Actes second 18 ANd surely in those dayes I wil powre out of my spirit vpon my seruants vpon my handmaides and they shall prophesie 19 And I will shewe wonders in heauen aboue and tokens in the earth beneath blood and fire and the vapour of moke 20 The Sunne shal be turned into darknesse and the Moone into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord come 21 And it shall come to passe that whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lorde shall bee saued VPON Sunday last past we declared vnto you howe that at the comming of Iesus Christe God so powred out his great treasures in the worlde as that both men women young and olde were partakers of his grace Now the riches which the Lord God of his bountifull goodnesse so liberally bestowed were no earthly riches which could perish come to naught But euen the holy Ghoste himselfe from whom commeth all the riches and treasure of saluation And besides wée haue shewed that God hath not doone it only for a time but is also redy to continue the same which hée hath spoken yea and at this day he inricheth vs with his graces if the fault be not ours But wee bée so accursed as that wée are voyd of them by reason of our vnthankefulnesse For his liberalitie is as great at this day as euer it was in the time of the Apostles whenas hée sent downe vnto them the holie Ghost euen to make vs partakers of the self same grace which hée liberally bestowed vpon them howbeit wée are so incredulous and faythlesse as that we stoppe that way vpon him by which he would come vnto vs. For when hée calleth vs by his worde to make vs partakers of his holie spirite wée drawe arsewarde so that a man would thinke wée had conspired to set our selues against him And where both olde and young men and women are called to be partakers of this grace and ought to endeuour them selues by all meanes possible to receiue the holie Ghost and more and more to perseuere and continue in receiuing of the same we sée the elder sort to be more hard hearted and obstinate then the rest and the younger people to be giuen ouer to all kinde of lewdnesse so that if they be tolde of their dissolutenesse they wax so madde and furious as that it should séeme they would marre all And when men should be manlyke and sharpe witted to giue diligent héede vnto the word of God they are become as blockish as bruit beastes And where the women also shoulde be humble and walke soberly and honestly they are extreame dissolute and too too gallaunt and full of all superfluous vaine vanities And therefore if nowe we sée not men enioy the graces of the holie Ghost which God here speaketh of that hée will poure out vpon his seruantes and handmaydes it is not because hée hath chaunged any whit his determination and purpose but by reason we will not suffer him to do vs good For when he commeth neare vs we drawe backward Wherefore hée is not the let why we doe not all receiue his graces For the Prophet saieth as wée haue heretofore saide That God will poure out his holie spirite vpon all flesh Hée namely sayeth vpon all flesh which is vpon all people without exception True it is that Iesus Christ was sent vnto the Iewes not onely to pull them from out of the bondage of the Deuill but to make them partakers also of the giftes of the holie Ghost Howbeit wée are at this present gathered altogether into one Church and therfore there remaineth nothing but to shewe the effect of our Christianitie and of the graces which God hath bestowed on vs and thē let vs not doubt but that we shall receiue the giftes of the holie Ghost since it is saide that God hath not poured them out vpon one or two but generally vpon all men Wherefore it is not enough for vs to boast that we are Christians without we shew the effect thereof that it may be knowne that we vainly take not vpon vs this name of Christianitie For
we must not doe as many of the Papists doe who neither care for God nor his worde but content them selues onely with this bare name of a Christian and so they may be called by that name they care for no more Nowe if they be asked and if they be Christians I pray you what answer will they make Surely they think they haue great wrong offred them to haue this question demaunded What I beséech you good Syr will they say are we not Christians haue we not béene baptized Yea ywis I graunt it But what faith haue you for all this Verely they will say that they beléeue as the Church beléeueth And so by this meane they haue aswadled fayth wherin their teachers haue instructed them in saying That it is sufficiēt for them to beléeue as the Church beléeueth Let them also be asked how God is to be serued and worshipped why they thinke that question is soone answered And thus doeth God iustly punish the iniquitie of men when we sée simple soules guided by such instructers of Satan to bring them tumbling headlonges together into the bottomlesse pyt of hell with them selues Thus we sée howe this Romish Idoll hath licoured Christendome with all kinde of lying and false doctrine And howe so Forsooth because men haue stopped vp the way against the word of God and are contented to be lycoured with leasing But by the way let vs come home to our selues and let vs neither condemne the Papistes nor yet any others but eftsoones apply this doctrine vnto our owne vse First of all we haue the Gospell the doctrine of all wisedome and yet how deafe and blockish are wée we are daily preached vnto But what instruction receiue we thereby for all that Surely surely it is wel enough perceiued and the fruit that commeth by it Without all doubt it is truely sayde That wée haue the Gospell But if we liue not in all obedience therevnto what testimony shall wée haue that wée are the seruants of God For according to that which wée handled on Sunday last we cannot be the seruants of God without wee be partakers of his holie spirite who is not without cause called the spirite of wisedome For by this we are shewed that we cannot haue so small a portion of the holy Ghost if we will continue it but that God wil more and more augment it in vs. In verie déede euerie man cannot haue the lyke measure thereof howbeit that is no let why we shoulde not encrease our small Talent For although a man hath the gift of tongues yet may he not haue one some grace which an other man hath And héerevpon is that saying of Saint Paule verefied Rom. 12.3 Ephes 4.7 That God will giue of his graces to euerie man according to such measure as wée are the members of Iesus Christ As we sée that the members of one bodie haue not all one office For the féete will doe that which the handes cannot doe the eyes are put to an other maner of vse then the eares are and so consequently are all the parts of the bodie Euen so our Lord will bestow his holie spirite vpon some after an other sort then hée will vpon other some and yet it is all one and the selfe same spirit and therfore if we would be knowne to be Christiās we must haue the knowledge of that which is spoken of and that it is God which guideth vs by his holie spirite to the ende we should not be like vnto those blinde ones which walke in infidelitie And thus much for this saying That God wil poure out of his holie spirite vpon all flesh Moreouer where it is saide That they shall prophesie herein the meaning of the Prophet is to signifie vnto vs That when God will instruct vs hée will doe it so perfectly as that the doctrine shall not onely profite our selues but that we shall also be able to teach others And in déede whosoeuer shall receiue greater graces from God then the rest is so much the more bounde to instruct the base and simple ones and giue him selfe to teach his neighbors Wherefore let vs vnderstande that after God hath instructed vs that it is our duetie to labour to bring others vnto the knowledge of him And hereupon it is that Isaiah speaketh saying Isaiah 2.2 Mich. 4.1 Let euerie man take his neighbour by the hand and lead him vp vnto the holy hill And this is one of the most principall pointes whereby God alloweth our Christianitie whē as we so loue our neighbours as to instruct them in the word of God Now this is done by the doctrine which we haue receiued of him at the handes of the Apostles which came out as we said last Sunday of the fountaine of Ierusalem whose riuers so ouerflowed the whole world as that euery man might not onely receiue it for his owne behoofe but also distribute it vnto our neighbours In déed all men are not Doctors to teach howbeit if we be Christians we haue sufficient wherewith to exhort our neighbours Let vs now come to the other part of the prophesie of the Prophet Ioell where it is saide That God will send terrible and wonderous signes blood and fyre and the vapoure of smoke The Sunne shall be turned into darknesse and the Moone into blood Wherein as wée haue briefly saide the Prophet meant to shewe that when God would visite his people at the comming of Iesus Christ although great felicitie and blessing was promised yet the meaning was not for all that but that we should sée horrible and merueylous thinges And therefore it was verie néedfull that we should be told of it to the ende we might vnderstande that the comming of Iesus Christ was not to place vs in this world as in a Paradise and to liue in it at our ease and pleasure But that Iesus Christ was sent to an other ende to wit that wee might be drawne from these earthly things and be lifted vp vnto heauenly matters And to say truely there were neuer so horrible and wonderfull thinges as were at the comming of Iesus Christ Nowe if it be asked why such thinges came to passe after that Iesus Christ was manifested it is because we were so cursed as that we would not receiue the graces which hée would haue bestowed vpon vs. And therefore when our Lorde offreth him selfe vnto vs and we refuse him must hée not then of necessitie so lift vp his hande as to thunder and storme that we might be afearde of that our so great vnthankfulnesse We sée therefore why it is saide that when God had poured out his holie spirit that we must néedes sée wonderfull troubles and whē we haue looked vnto heauen aboue and vpon the earth beneath we shall sée in them both such great trouble and feare as that a man woulde think heauen and earth should euen goe together so that the Sunne shoulde bée darkened the Moone be turned to blood the Starres
fall from heauen and other wonderfull signes appeare In verie déede there are some which restraine this vnto the latter day howbeit the Prophet meaneth to speake of all the reigne and dominion of Iesus Christ vntill his comming at the last day to iudge the world And therefore we must apply all the signes whereof the Prophet here speaketh vnto our time For if we considered of the thinges which are come to passe euen since the Gospell hath béen preached in these dayes yet could not be possible but that the verie thinking of them would make the haires of our head stand vpright Surely if we had séene the thinges that were done at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ we should haue been verie blockish if wée had not been afeard For if we did but rightly consider of the thinges that are continually done euen at this day we should haue matter enough to wonder at And therefore it was not the meaning of the Prophet to signifie for a season the signes that should here appeare at the comming of Iesus Christ For although at his comming hée poured out his great treasures to disperse them abroad vpon all men yet for all that we shall sée merueylous iudgements by reason of the vnthākfulnesse of men who will not receiue the thing that is offred them And to the selfe same purpose serueth that saying of Iesus Christ when hée spake of the destruction of the Temple For marke Mat. 24.3 the Disciples asked him when all these thinges should come to passe and what signe there should be of his comming of the destruction of the worlde for they thought as fondly as the Iewes that the Temple should cōtinue euen vnto consummatiō of the world and that they in the mean while should reigne peaceably like earthly Princes Thus we sée what the question was that they asked notwithstanding that Iesus Christ had no spéech of the last day Now hée answered them thus you shall sée saieth hée merueylous terrible thinges For you make this reckoning that yée shal dwell héere on earth peaceably and rule at your pleasure howbeit yée shall finde it cleane contrarie because there will sodeinely come deceiuers and besides the Deuil will do all hée can to spread false doctrine in euerie place There shal be pestilence warres and famine so that a man would thinke that the world should be turned vpside downe And when you shall sée all these thinges yet is not the ende come For Ierusalem shall be destroyed Wherby hée sheweth that it is so farre of that the Iewes should haue any peaceable life here in this world as that it cannot be chosen but that they must féele the iudgementes of God come vpon them for their vnthankfulnesse which shal soone after be dispersed throughout the face of the whole world And consequently hée goeth on and saieth That after the troubles in those dayes The Sunne should be darkened and the Moone lose her light that the Starres should fall from heauen and all the powers of the heauens be moued Which wordes agrée iust with the saying of the Prophet as if hée should haue said That great troubles shall not onely be séene here below but also if a man did looke vp vnto heauen hée should sée a generall confusion And yet must we not for all that but come for t our selues For although we sée both in heauen and earth many troubles and breaches so that if we went all the world ouer we should sée nothing els but all accursed yet must we take pleasure and delight in the maker of all these thinges This then is the summe and effect of the meaning of the Prophet And this is at this present spoken euen vnto vs For although God visiteth vs and bestoweth his Gospell vpon vs yet doeth hée not it to this end that we should in such sort liue heere as it pleaseth our selues in all ease and delight and be voyde of warre famine and pestilence But wée are aduisedly to consider that when such thinges come to passe and that we sée so great and generall a confusion so that we cannot tell which way to turne vs wee must euen then I say prepare our heartes paciently to abide those afflictions and not thinke them straunge because they light vpon vs for our vnthankfulnesse For the meaning of our good God is to shew him selfe a gentle and louing Father and if we paciently suffer these thinges at his handes it will appeare that hée calleth not vs his good Sonnes for nothing But if we be so rude and vnmannerlie as that we will not take and acknowledge him for our Father is it not méete that hée should correct vs for such a contempt For let vs vnderstande that hée hath as great authoritie ouer vs as any father hath ouer his childe Howbeit he is a Father for euer and therefore when as hée afflicteth vs be it neuer so gréeuously yet must we not dispaire for all that But wée must vnderstande that hée doeth it because we are vnthankfull Wée see then in summe howe we are to consider of the iudgementes of God and that whatsoeuer the Prophets haue foretold is fulfilled euen before our faces And nowe let vs come vnto the comfort which the Prophet setteth downe herevpon which is That whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of God shall bee saued If hée had saide no more but that which went before wée might then in déede haue béene meruellously astonished because it were altogether to discomfort vs but hée setteth downe eftsoones a comfort withall That if we call vpon the name of God we shall bée saued euen amiddest the greatest troubles and dissentions that may bée yea for although hell were readie to swallow vs vp yet haue wée this assured refuge that if we trust in our God and call vpon him wée are out of doubt to be saued When any man is gréeued and troubled then this is the comming of Satan to make him distrust to the ende hée might not come vnto God and call vpon him Howbéeit héere is a great comforte which wée ought to laye holde on to the contrarie in that God appointeth vs no set time to call vpon him so that whensoeuer wée are cast downe as it were into the bottomlesse pyt of hell yet may we euen then call boldly vpon him For as the Propet sayeth That hée which shal call vpon the name of God shall be saued euen so contrariwise he that calleth not vpon him shal be damned yea although he were as in a Paradise For if the verie Angelles did not call on him God might reiect them which is impossible to be done Nowe we may hereby sée that it is impossible for vs to continue here in this world one minute of an houre without we did call vpon the name of God And therefore we ought to call this lesson oftentimes to mynde For the Prophet pronounceth iudgement against all those which call not vpon the name of God in saying That whosoeuer
we to prouoke him against vs vnto whom all maiestie power glory and dominion is giuen to cast down euen into the pit of hell as many as resist him Now if wée throughly cōsidered of this without doubt we would kéepe so good a hand of our selues as that all the fleshly lustes and temptations of the world should neuer bée able to preuaile against vs. Saint Paule also meant to make a comparison betwixt the first comming of our Lorde Iesus Christe and the second Why then doe the wicked and vngodly contemners of the Gospell so boldly lift vp themselues as that they become dissolute and starke staring mad Surely it is because they heare that while Iesus Christe was héere on earth hée tooke vpon him the state of a seruant Phil. 2.7 yea and abased himselfe and Saint Paule saith euen vnto this most shamefull and slaunderous death And because the enimies of God vnderstand such an infirmitie to bée in Iesus Christ they take vpon them to speak thus wickedly and furiously of him as we sée it is euen so howbeit they sée not that as hée suffered as hée was man that hée likewise rose againe through the power of his spirite For hée then in such sort shewed foorth his glory as that both great and small ought to tremble thereat 2. Cor. 13.4 But if these faithlesse people are not able to vnderstand the power that appeared in the resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christe let them giue eare to that which is héere spoken to wit that hée will come in glory For in his first comming hée appeared contemptible because hée woulde shewe him selfe obedient in our behalfes for that hée was to make satisfaction for our sinnes But at his seconde comming hée will come to bée our iudge Hée was iudged and condemned that wée might bée deliuered from the iudgement seate of God and bée pardoned of all our sinnes Then will hée not questionlesse come in such humble sort but will come with his angels in glory And this is the meaning which Saint Paule woulde haue vs note to the ende the wicked and faithlesse might not take occasion to contemn this his last comming vnder colour the Iesus Christe once appeared as hée was man like vnto vs and was made like vnto a worme of the earth as it is saide in the Psalme and as Isaiah sayeth hée was disfigured from toppe to toe all to wounded and that for our redemption For since hee accomplished that which the iustice of God required there remayned nothing but that hee shoulde shewe himselfe in this glory which was appointed for him For wée knowe as Saint Paule sayeth That hée hath giuen him a name aboue all names Phil. 2.9 that al the Creatures in Heauen Earth and Hell should bowe vnto him that euery thing shoulde tremble at his excellent Maiestie which also the despisers of his Gospell shoulde well know to their paine though late first Thus wee see what the Apostle Saint Paul his pretense is when hee sayeth That his comming shall bee fearefull Let vs also eftsoones mark that which followeth That he shall come to appeare meruellous and to be glorified in his Saintes Now it is not for nothing that Saint Paule setteth downe this saying for what are wee that wée shoulde be able to abide the presence of the Sonne of God whenas hee shall come in flambing fier And therefore when hee shall come with an incomprehensible power Alas must not we néedes melt before him as Snowe before the Sunne and come to nothing Loe howe we shoulde bee caste downe whenas wée doe but onely heare the heauenly glory of Iesus Christe spoken of But Saint Paule sheweth vs that if wée bee of the faithfull sorte that we must not be afraide at the appearing of our Lorde Iesus Christe neither yet waxe sorowfull and melancholike at the brightnesse of his Maiestie And why so Because sayeth hée hee will bee glorified and made wonderfull in his Saintes As if he shoulde haue saide that the mention which he before made of the flambing fier and of the horror and feare was not to discourage the faithfull ones as though they desired not the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ and as though they helde not vp their heads as often as they hearde it spoken of because hée shall come to redéeme them And this is a doctrine which is very common in the holy Scriptures to wit that our Lord ioyneth these two thinges together That hee will come to be reuenged of his enimies and to deliuer his people that hee will come to saue al those that haue serued and honored him and to cast downe and confounde all those who haue hardened them selues againste him and his worde Let vs nowe then kéepe in minde that this terrible description which héere before hath béene set downe is not to make vs sorowfull and melancholike But rather to make vs ioyfull and glad whenas wée sée what loue and fauour God beareth vs. Beholde our Lorde Iesus Christe will come and that terribly And wherfore will hée do so Forsooth euen to throwe downe headlong all his enimies and to take vengeance of al the shames and afflictions which we haue abidden How so I beséech you Are wee worthie that the Sonne of God should powre out his Maiestie shewe himselfe so terribly against all his creatures for our causes No without doubt But yet will hée doe so forsomuch as he loueth vs This then is it which I haue alreadie said that we might be comforted when as we heare it saide That the Sonne of God will come so horribly and fearefully For herein he effectually sheweth the infinite loue hee beareth vs in that hee spareth not his power and Maiestie to take vengeance of all the wrongs which haue béene done to vs. Neuerthelesse we shall neuer be able to féele the sauour of it without this thing be obserued which Saint Paule namely setteth downe in this place to wit that our Lorde Iesus Christ will not come to be onely reuenged of his enemies and of all such as haue been enimies vnto his Gospel but also To bee glorified and made wonderfull in his saints and in those which haue beleeued Nowe whenas Sainte Paul did set downe this it is asmuch as if he had saide that hee would come to make vs partakers of his glory That whatsoeuer is in him worthie reuerence and honor all that I say shall be communicated vnto vs. To be short S. Paule saieth That our Lorde Iesus Christ shall not come him selfe alone and kéepe his glorie to him selfe but to the end it might be poured out vpon all the members of his bodie And for this cause we sée it is saide in the Collossians That our life lyeth nowe hid Col. 3. 3. but that it shall appeare at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ And therefore hée shall not come perticulerly for him selfe and for his owne glorie alone but rather that we might be partakers therof and not