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
that wee must all seeke after And this bread amongst other vertues hath this that is it maketh him who is daily fed therewith more and more encrease in the vnitie of faith vntill such time as hee commeth to the fulnesse of a perfect man And without fayth there is no saluation and fayth as the Apostle witnesseth commeth by hearing and hearing commeth by preaching of the word so that without hearing of the word preached there can be no fayth and consequently no saluation This bread also of the word hath so pleasant a taste as that if the sweetnesse of honie it selfe be compared with it it shall be as bitter as Gal. Surely the godliest and best fruits of the earth in respect of this which restoreth the soule reioyceth the heart strengtheneth the weake and comforteth the afflicted are all but rotten and no whit pleasant or delightfull To be short ouer and besides that we are with so great pleasure thereby in such sort strengthened as no tongue is able to expresse we are moreouer so enriched therewith as that all the treasures in this world in regard of it can be but filthy and stinking And therefore euery one is to consider and vnderstande that the whole felicitie of man resteth in this spiritual foode Here is likewise to be ioyned withall that our labour in trauelling for the same shal not be lost For God the Creator sendeth vs not at this day thankes be giuen to him for it for euer scarcitie of this Manna and heauenly doctrine But most abundantly giueth and poureth it abroad without money all the world ouer to all such as hunger after it But vnto such as are full gorged and lothed therewith so that they reiect it and cast it vp againe by reason of their vnthankfulnesse it turneth to them in stead of good nutriment into deadly poison And contrariwise the more a man desireth it the more it nourisheth doth him good Wherefore our good God and louing Father knowing what neede we haue to be strengthened with this spirituall foode not for a day only but euen so long as we shall creepe here vpon the earth and must haue it put into our mouthes like young children hath appointed Pastors Teachers in his Church soundly and truly to breake vnto al his faithful ones this bread of his word Euen as a father who giuing bread to his children cutteth euery one such a morsel as he seeth to bee most necessarie for him And therefore in this behalfe my good Lord the Church of England hath greatly to thanke the lord our God in that hee hath furnished it with such a number of godly faithfull and sound Ministers as distribute vnto his people the worde of trueth For they in stead of confusedly heaping hudling one thing in an others necke doe verie familiarly and plainely handle and dispose the matter by peece meale and after an excellēt good order and in stead of cutting tearing in sunder wreasting it into a wrong sense and resting in the Barke without making a through entrance doe soundly perfectly truely verie reuerently and without falsifiyng deliuer it vnto vs and feed our soules with the marow thereof Wherefore right honourable seeing this foode of the soule which is the word of God is so precious a thing as that all the kingdomes of the world are not valuable vnto it I haue takē boldnesse to beseech your honor to be the Patron and defender of this my poore trauell in the translation of these Sermons following which I haue done for the benefit good of the meanly lettered sort of my countrimen verie notably learnedly handled by M. Iohn Caluin whose authoritie sound dealing in such causes If I should take in hand to commend I should seeme as we say with a Lanterne to giue light vnto the bright shining Sunne therfore wil hold my peace Againe the doctrine set down by him in them affourdeth vnto all the Readers therof so great commoditie of it selfe as that it needeth not the commendation of any other And I haue the rather dedicated this my rude translatiō vnto your Lordship partly for that I would shew some peece of my humble dutie vnto your honour as a publike testimony therof in respect of being sometimes as then verie young brought vp in your L. fathers house but especially chiefly because Syr you seeke by al means possible the Lord bee thanked for it continue you in the same minde all your life long to his glorie to vse conference with a certeine godly learned man for the better reforming of your self and your whole family to the obedience of the word Which word as Solomon saieth Shal guide you when you walke watch for you when you sleepe and talke with you when you are awake Prou. 6.22 And in the verse following hee saieth That the word is a Lanterne and Instruction a light correction for instructions are the way of life c. Thus haue I my good Lord boldly presumed of your noble and gracious curesie to present these Sermons vnto your honour beseeching you in the behalfe of the Church of God to accept of them In the meane while I shall beseech the Lord our God the Father of all mercy and consolation to strengthen you in that good course which he of his meere loue and singular goodnesse hath so lately begun in you that you may bee like vnto a confortable bright shining light in his Church to shewe your selfe a constant mainteiner of the trueth of the glorious Gospell of his deare Sonne Christ Iesus our Lorde for the stirring vp of many thereto And because I feare that I haue troubled your Lordship with an ouerlōg Epistle I most humbly take my leaue committing both you and all your affayres to the protection of the Almighties most sacred Maiestie London the vi of May. 1581. Your Lordships most duetifully to bee commaunded in the Lord Iesus Tho. Stocker To all the faithfull dispersed people of God in what Countries and Nations soeuer Conrade Badius wisheth Grace and peace from our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ IT is not vnknowne vnto vs Christian Readers what the proude secte of the Pharisees was in whom although there was nothing els but darknesse and ignoraunce yet boasted and bragged they of them selues to bee the most notable enterpretors of the lawe insomuche that from thence they tooke their name as if the verie marowe and secret meaning of the scriptures had beene enclosed and fast shut vp in their breastes And yet in the meane while in stead of feeding the poore people with true and wholesome doctrine they instructed them I know not with what mockeries and vaine ceremonies which they them selues had inuented cleane besides the worde of God And so after the like manner doe our great Doctours of Sorbone and all our howling Monkes and Fryers deale at this day with vs of which company the one sorte of them although they thinke them selues to be the pillers of
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
vpon these worldly matters This then is the summe which wée are héere to obserue And to say the trueth it is not without cause that our Lorde Iesus spake so confidently that hée was borne and came into the worlde to say the trueth and that whosoeuer woulde haue any good taste shoulde stay him selfe vpon his worde By this wée sée that this is a doctrine of great weight â— to vnderstande that the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ is not héere on earth For if this had béen a light saying hee would haue passed it ouer lightly But when he said that he came into the worlde to tell the trueth this was as if he would haue vs giue good eare meditate in our heartes and apply our mindes to this doctrine this was to make vs forsake the world and all the creatures thereof that wée might come to this heauenly King and séeke after the spirituall benefites which are communicated to vs in him to the ende we might enioy them in such measure as he knoweth â—o be most profitable for our saluation And let vs of all that which we sée to bée the verie summarie of the Gospell note well this saying That Iesus Christ came into the world to speake the trueth to the end we might herevpon conclude that whensoeuer we shall giue diligent eare vnto his worde that it shall not be in vaine because this is a certaine resolute conclusioÌ„ that whatsoeuer he had giuen them the choyse either of Iesus or Barabbas who as S. Iohn saith was a théefe Iohn 18.40 and the other Euangelistes say that he was a notorious naughtie man both a murtherer and a sower of sedition and trouble in the Towne Now this was a detestable pestelence of al others and yet the people cryed out Let vs haue Barabbas and let him be pardoned and Iesus Christ crucified By this custome of letting loose a prisoner at Easter we sée with what foolish deuotions men are carried For they thought the feast to be so muche the more honourable in the loosing of a prisoner and that they did God great seruice and yet all was verie abhominable For it is saide That he that iustifieth the wicked Prou. 17.15 he that condemneth the iust euen they both are abhomination vnto the Lord And therfore it is méete that they which sit in the place of iustice should be of vpright mindes For when he armeth them with his sword he saieth not do as you thinke good your selues For his meaning is that they should haue a fatherly care ouer the people and to be verie warie how they lift vp them selues cruelly to wrong others by abusing of their credit and authoritie but would haue them rather be gentle and pitifull Yet must they punish wickednesse for God so commaundeth them But what do we men Forsooth we think we honour the feast of Easter when as we offende God and manifestly transgresse his worde By this wée are admonished not to folowe our owne fantasies when the matter concerâ—eth the seruice of God but altogether doe his will Let vs not therefore fayne a deuotion which séemeth good in our owne eyes but be contented to do the thing which God hath ordeined allowed And here we sée what ariseth vpon this kinde of custome to wit that we make lawes accordingly at this day so that whatsoeuer is receiued for a common order séemeth to be lawfull And yet howsoeuer it séemeth to vs God vtterly condemneth it Nowe wee sée what abuse hath come heerein which is this that this corruptioÌ„ hath made Barabbas to be preferred before the sonne of God A man here would at the first sight thinke it very straunge that our Lord Iesus should be thus lightly estéemed of and a théefe and murderer greatlier priuiledged then he that he shoulde finde such fauour grace amongst men Iesus Christ to be so shamefully slanderously handled For was it not enough that the sonne of God was crucified aboad a most slaÌ„derous kind of death without he must also be greatly tormented The death of the crosse was but as a punishment for théeues it was not onely as at this day the gallowes should be but it was as if he should haue abidden the whéele Was it not then enough that after Iesus Christ had béen buffeted spetted on brought euen downe to the pitte of hell but that he must in comparison be shewed to be accursed of al the world For if we should iudge of it according to natural reasoÌ„ looke vpon the outward shew surely we should be coÌ„founded but we must lift vp the eies of faith a great deale higher come vnto that which before we haue said to wit that all this was gouerned by the counsel of God And therfore let vs not stand vpon that which the people Pylate did but let vs behold the vnchangeable decrée of God which is that for the better humbling of vs his wil was to haue his Sonne so shamefully to be cast down yea to be cast vnder the féete of al the malefactors of the world béeing crucified betwéene two théeues as hereafter shal be seene We sée theÌ„ what it is for vs to obserue wheÌ„ it is here said that Barabbas must be let lose and Iesus Christ bée made the most abhominable man of the world Yet for all this Pilate went about to haue deliuered our Lord Iesus but it was by a deuilish meane to wit by buffeting of him which they then called punishing would haue let him gone wheÌ„ he had so punished him as one that had committed a fault For by this he pretended to appease the stirre of the people Now if our Lord Iesus had bin thus deliuered what had become of the Gospell and of the saluation of the world For this correction which Pylate brought him to was a signe and token of dishonestie for euer as if the Gospell had béen a wicked doctrine considering that the Iudge of the countrie condemned it and the person of our Lord Iesus Christ was clearely refused And yet had we all bin lost because there was none other meane to recoÌ„cile vs vnto God but by the death of his onely sonne And thus we sée that the death of our Lord Iesus was the very open way vnto life So then we sée that the Deuill did the best hée could not to haue our Lord Iesus to dye and yet who clapped the Priestes their like vpon the backes to pursue Iesus Christ vnto death but the Deuil himselfe This is very true for hée bewitched them as we sée that God sendeth the spirit of trouble madnesse vpon all the vngodly so that they are one against an other euen as the waues of the Sea beate one an other euen so was the Deuill carried when as on the one side he went about to abolish the memory of our Lorde Iesus Christ besides on the other side meant to hinder the redemption of mankinde But God so
they that passed by reuiled him wagging their heads 40 And saying thou that destroyedst the temple and builded stâ—â— in three dayes saue thy selfe If thou bee the sonne of God come downe from the crosse 41 Likewise also the high Priestes mockinge him with the Scribes and Elders and Pharisees saide 42 Hee saued others but he cannot saue himselfe If hee bee the King of Israel let him nowe come downe from the crosse and wee will beleeue him 43 Hee trusteth in God let him deliuer him now if hee will haue him for he said I am the sonne of God 44 That same also the theeues which were crucified with him cast in his teeth AS concerning the matter which before we haue handeled we must yet a great deale better consider that the kingdom of our Lorde Iesus Christe is not of this worlde For wée sée that he was shamefully dealt withall and made a very iesting stocke and in stéede of a kingly Diademe hée had a crowne of thorne in stéede of a Scepter a Réed and besides whatsoeuer shame might bée deuised against a man it was done to him And therefore if we shal let our senses stay vpoÌ„ the thing which is héere rehearsed it will bée a maruellous obiect of offence as it were to estrange vs from our Lorde Iesus Christe and so consequently from all hope of saluation But wée must looke vpoÌ„ the spiritual kingdom wherof mention hath héere before ben made by faith and then conclude That although wée make a iest at the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christe yet doth God and the Angelles estéeme of it according to the worthinesse thereof Yea and we are to call to minde that the sonne of God was after that sort entreated in his owne person to the end hée might take vpon him all the rebuke shame which wée iustly had deserued For how can wée come before the Maiestie of God so long as we are defiled with sinne and iniquitie But because our Lorde Iesus was contented to haue his face spet on to bée buffetted and abide all reproche sée howe wée at this day are acknowledged and allowed to â—e the children of God and herein standeth all our trust and confidence We haue moreouer continually to consider that GOD will cause vs a little better to féele our sinnes and iniquities to the end wée might abhorre and deteâ—â— them when as wée sée that the Sonne of God must repayre and amende them and suffered so muche to purchase vs grace and pardon and the heauenly father also not to spare him for the doyng of it Thus when we sée that our sinnes were such as wrought so great a confusion and shame to the Sonne of God we ought to be humbled and be altogether ashamed of our selues yet notwithstanding we must take a good heart vnto vs and be so fully assured as not once to doubt when we shal come before the Maiestie of God that our Lord Iesus Christ hath purchased our pardon seing he was coÌ„tented for our cause to be so lightly regarded For by this mean he hath gotteÌ„ vs glory worship eueÌ„ before God his Angels Now it is here said that our Lorde Iesâ—â— was 〈◊〉 to the place called Golgotha to wit a place of dead mens â—kulles The Hebrue woorde from whence this is deriued signifie thâ— to rowle or bowle Howebeit they then vsed it so because that wheâ— any carcase is through rotted and turned to dust the head is then very drie and like a round bowle Wherefore they called the name of this place Golgotha because that many malefactors 〈◊〉 there punished there their heades remayned And here we are to remember the saying of the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrues Heb. 13.11 That our Lorde Iesus Christ was led out of the Towne as the burnt offrings were woont to be whose blood was carries into the Sanctuarie for the wyping away of the sinnes of the people Now it was saide that that sacrifice was as a man wâ—â—â—d say accursed and therfore it was méete it should be carried a great way of Thus we sée that the sonne of God would take vpon him this state and condition that we might in very 〈…〉 to that God hath now fréed and pardoned vs For we are woorthie that GOD should geue vs ouer and powre vpoÌ„ vs his hâ—rrible 〈◊〉 so loÌ„g as he séeth what we are Wherfore there is now other way for vs to obtaine pardoÌ„ but to come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ receiue al our succor from him because he discharged vs of a greate burden whenas hee woulde as it were beâ—â—â—e accused and abhorred for our sakes that we might finde fauour before God and so obey his holy will For although Pylate his Iudge had oftentimes iustified him yet for al that must he take vpon him in his owne person al whatsoeuer was requisite for our redemption for hée was our pledge and surety and therefore must wholly answers for vs. So then wheÌ„ we haue vnderstood that our Lord Iesus was thus cast of as one not worthy to be accoÌ„pted amongst the felowship of men yea euen so stinking as that he could not be abidden wheÌ„ we sée al this I say let vs learne to follow him forsake the world as here in this place we are exhorted And if it so fall out that wée must néeds be made iesting stockes and bée cut of as rotten members and bée abhorred and detested Let vs paciently abide al this geare and not sée it vntill such time as that day commeth wherin our sorowes shalbée turned into ioy God shal wype away the teares from our eyes and that the thing which is nowe thought to bée as shameful shall then bée wholly turned to honour and glory For without al doubt looke whatsoeuer wée suffer for the name of Iesus Christ is more honorable before God then all the pompes and glittering shewes of this worlde And this is it which wée are to consider of in this place Nowe the Euangelist goeth on and saieth that they which passed by mocked our Lord Iesus but especially the Priestes the Scribes and such like And what was the matter I beséeche you Forsooth thus they saide If hee bee the Sonne of GOD let him come downe and saue himselfe for hée hath saued others and if hée bée the king of Israel let him nowe shewe himselfe so Héere wée sée howe terrible blinde these wretched people were whom Satan had so possessed as that they had neither féeling nor yet discretion Wée sée also the Priestes who shoulde haue béene the Angels or messengers of GOD for hée had appoynted them for that purpose Malach. to the ende his worde and will might be knowen from their mouthes VVee sée likewise the Scribes who were acquainted with the lawe and yet by thinking to make our Lorde Iesus no bodie declared that they troade vnder foote the Holie Scripture al the Religion whereof they so much bragged For when the Messias was spoken of
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
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
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
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
haue to cōsider of in this place But because God worketh after a strange incomprehensible maner it shoulde confirme vs a great deale the more For if the Gospell were preached by men of great estimation so that kings and princes and al honourable estates euery where submitted thēselues vnto it that it might bee thus cōcluded whereunto we must sticke This is the heauenly trueth which we must agrée vnto And euery man is to fauour it and to put to all his force and substance Nowe this were like vnto a far groūd well tylled planted with trées vines sowen with wheat which at the world helpeth spareth for no cost When land then is this tilled hath raine in due season and should continue so euer after and to be short no cost to be spared Why Surely this were the very naturall kindly handeling of ground and therefore a man woulde thinke that God had not put his hande herevnto But when wée sée what disputations and resistances are at this day to oppresse the gospel what a number of hired tongues for the same purpose for not only the popish hypocrites at this day let out their tongues like cōmon harlots to blaspheme God his word but also a many of curres euen amongst vs yet shal we besides likewise see what crueltie they vse against the poore childrē of God laying cōtinually strange platfourmes to the deuising of Edict vpon Edict to bring this doctrine vtterly to naught We shall also sée at this day what vile and scornefull spéeches prophane men wil haue because they would abolish al religion And therefore when we looke vpon al these things we must néedes cōclude that God is aboue them al the doctrin victorious procéedeth frō him Wherfore this ought to confirme vs that although we sée there is nothing in the world to aduaunce the dominion of our Lord Iesus Christ the doctrine of his gospel but that al things rather hinder it yet notwithstanding that it findeth an entrāce kéepeth his course In the meane while we are conuinced of vnthākfulnes if we take any offence thereat séeing God calleth vs vnto himself sheweth vs that it is his hādy worke and therefore we must necessarily conclude that it is miraculous to sée the gospel thus prosper Thus we sée in summe how we must put in practise this doctrin in these daies Yet there is somthing more and that is this that Iesus Christ must be disfigured The Prophet hath already saide That hee should be like vnto a small twigge But that which is more he should bee contemned refused not once vouchsafed to be looked on neither should there be any thing in him that were to be desired And this is to declare that our Lord Iesus Christ should as we haue already said be vily estéemed of the world and suffer al reproch and shame as if men had not onely forsaken him but God also Now to séek our saluation which is a thing so greatly to be desired in him in whom is no kinde of likelihood this should seeme to be a great abuse And therefore if we wil come to Iesus Christ we must ouercome this tēptatiō Now this is a very necessary point first bicause the Iewes looked for an earthly kingdō for this was so couetous proud a natiō as that they thought god could not shew himself merciful vnto thē except he heaped on thē great riches of the worlde that they might liue gloriously in al pleasure thus we sée what a redemer it was that they looked for and yet had God throughly aduertised thē that the redemer should be like vnto a litle twig whō the world shuld refuse And this admonitiō was not only necessary for thē but also as necessary for vs euē at this day for this offēce remained after the resurrectiō of our Lord Iesus Christ for S. Luke saith that the Gentiles made a mocke as it were at Iesus Christ the Iewes were venimously maliciously armed against him stumbled at him as at a stūbling stone And of these exāples we haue ynough euen at this day with vs. Wée are therfore to consider so much the more of this doctrine that is that it must néedes bée that the sonne of God must be thus mishappen and yll fauoured and that there shoulde bée nothing in him woorthy commendation in the sight of the worlde for by the way we must alwaies haue this note which S. Iohn speaketh of that the glory of the sonne of God appeared in him howbeit ther were many blind fooles which neuer vnderstood thus much Now when the Prophet Isaiah saieth that Iesus Christ shalbée like a mishappen forlorne man ful of deformity he signifieth héereby that it was impossible for a naturall man to vnderstande that hée was sent to saue them that hée should haue all power both of life and death and that the fulnes of al righteousnesse wisedome and holinesse shoulde bée in him no man I say was able to conceaue this in his head Thus we sée how this place is to be taken For although our Lorde Iesus Christ had done many notable miracles which testified his heauēly power yet for all that he remayned stil disfigured and the faithlesse perceiued it neuer a whit And therefore this place of the Prophet hath fully béene accomplished Psal 45.3 that there was no gloriousnes in Iesus Christ to draw mē to like of him It is very rightly saide of the Psalmist that he shuld be gloriously and beautifully lifted vp aboue al mankind But this is a spiritual beautifulnesse accordingly as we haue already said That the glorie of the sonne of God appeared in him euen vnto al those that had had their eyes and were able to sée him Loe then how our Lord Iesus Christ hath surpassed all men in beautie because God had geuen him infallible markes tokens wherby hée might be known that he was in very déed the liuely image of God his father Iohn 1.14 We haue then sufficient reason ynough to magnifie our Lorde Iesus Christ Howbeit the worlde knew it not And so we must come backe againe vnto the saying of the Prophet that euery man hath turned his backe and closed vp his eyes as against a most horrible and detestable thing What to seeke for lyfe in death to trust to him that coulde not helpe himself to séeke strength and power in him that was so weake what a thing were this To be short we al know haue had too too much experience in our selues that as our Lord Iesus Christ was abased in his death euē so wil our faith he cast downe headlong if it be not vpholden from elswhere When there is any questiō of the setling our selues vpō our Lord Iesus Christ in running trusting fully wholly to him then this cōsideration cōmeth into our minds what how be this why he was so abased in his death as that a man
power was in him to blot out all our iniquities at once let vs bouldly runne vnto his death and passion and not doubt but that it wil alwayes haue this strength in it as to reconcile vs vnto God Now the life wherinto our Lorde Iesus Christ entred is heauenly for it was such a perfect condition as could not be amended And when S. Paul saieth that he liueth vnto God it is as muche as that he is now cleane exempt from all our miseries and from the condition that hée had before taken which was to become a mortall man Wherefore Iesus Christ hath discharged al this geare and is now rid of all humaine frailenesse to the end that we which are his members might hope for the like in our selues And so let vs in the first place note that the Prophet hath héere declared that our Lorde Iesus Christ rose not agayne to bée any more subiect to death but hath purchased euerlasting life In the 2 place we haue to learne that this was not done onely for himselfe but also for all his whole Church For when it said by the Psalmist that God was exalted and tooke the spoyle of his enemies this is to shewe that when our Lord Iesus christ was lifted vp after his death that it all turned to the common benefit welfare of his Churche Psal 68.19 The ouercomming then of Satan and of sinne was to this end that we might be deliuered of them and enioy the fruit of such a conquest and therein triumph This then is the very effect of that whiche we haue to learne out of this place Now the whole substance of the matter is this that wée might vnderstand how to apply it rightly vnto our owne vse And therfore when it is saide that the son of God was lifted vp from out of anguish condemnation let vs learn that when we are moued to become desperat to set Iesus Christe before our eies since we know that he hath passed the course that God his father stretched out his hand vnto him that he might not be oppressed all which was done for our sakes Wherfore we haue a very good way to come out of our angushes and paines so long as we haue Iesus Christ for our Captaine and follow his steps because that whatsoeuer was accomplished in him as being our heade belongeth to vs and the effect thereof will appeare in euery faithfull man And when his age is spoken off it is to this end that we might vnderstande that hee will bee of power able to defende his Church euen vnto the ende for he will not be deuided from his body In very déede our estate and condition differeth greatly from his vntill such time as wée be taken out of this world but in that he is the first borne of the dead he is also the first fruits of all those which shall rise againe Let vs then vnderstande 1. Cor. 15.20 Coll. 1.18 that because the Sonne of God is not onely in his owne essence or being and in his deuine maiestie immortall but also in his flesh and humaine nature that it is to this end that his church might be alwaies preserued in this world neuer â—ecay True it is we shal sée great troubles and indéede a man would think many times that the church of God should vtterly perish for if there arise neuer so small a tempest the surges will by and by be so mightie horrible as that a maÌ„ would say all were lost cleane dasht And this is so common a thing as may be For what outwarde shew of maintenaunce can there be to the church of God wheÌ„as it is assailed thus on al hands must it not néedes be thought that it cannot be but vtterlye ouerthrowne whenas it is thus wonderfully assaulted howbeit this is the truth of it we must be faine to resort to our head Wherfore since the age of our Lord Iesus is without end and that all the changes in the world cannot stay him from hauing a very good eye vnto his church although the temptations were farre greater and more violent then they are yet let not vs shrink at the matter And this is not to be applied only to the whole company of the faithful but also to euery one of vs. And therefore let vs vnderstand and be throughly perswaded that although our Lyfe be but a blast we ready euery minute to vanish away yet notwithstanding that we haue a lyfe which lasteth for euer because we are the members of our Lorde Iesus Christ Moreouer let vs eftsoones learne to walk through this world since this is not our life which we héere presently enioy but a pilgrimage which we must passe on quickly vntil such time as we haue come vnto our quiet enheritance Thus we sée that in hoping for euerlasting life wee must forsake all this which is but a shadow not suffer our sences to be eÌ„folded in that which we openly sée and may occasion vs to tarry stil héere in this world for surely as many as haue their mindes set héere on this lyfe without doubt doo thereby seperate themselues from the sonne of God and are vnworthy to haue any part or portion with him in his euerlasting kingdome And therfore let vs forsake this world if we wil ioyne our selues vnto the son of god Furthermore because this doctrine might take the better holde of vs the prophet cryeth out he saieth not that the age of our Lord Iesus Christ shall be onelye euerlasting but casteth it out as a man meruelously abashed saying Who shall be able to number his yeares Wherfore we are admonished to striue against all temptations although we be some times hindred this way and that be as it were cast downe wtout mouing yet let vs resist with much to doo enforce vs vntill such time as wée haue attained vnto this which is héere shewed vs to wit the mans reason is not able to vnderstande nor yet any mouth able to expresse the age of our Lord Iesus And for the bringing of this matter about we must be also very wel aduertised to surmouÌ„t all our thoughts wheÌ„as we fal in reasoning of putting our trust in our lord Iesus Christ folow him for the partaking of the heaueÌ„ly enheritaunce which he hath purchased for vs. Neither must we stick to our own opinion and fantasy whenas this doctrine shal be well treated of as if it were to bée debated by words But let vs know this that although our faith hangeth vpon hearing yet shall it neuer haue through assurance except it receiue such a testimony from God and from his holy spirite as surpasseth whatsoeuer the tong of man is able to expresse For this cause must wée not dwell in our owne vnderstandinges and iudge as we thinke best but let vs know that it is a wonderfull and an in comprehensible secret the the sonne of God became a mortall man and subiect to death that
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
vntill such time as wee are wholly vnited vnto Iesus Christ And in déede we knowe that although God enlightneth vs with his holie spirite and we haue a desire to walk in his feare and acknowledge his goodnesse wherevnto wee trust yet are our infirmities so many as is lamentable and we are to fight against a number of temptatiōs wherwith we are oftentimes ouercome What shall become then of all this geare Is it enough that wée haue entred No no But wée must vnderstande that our lyfe is a way and we must still be going on vntill wee be come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ And so must the kingdome of God more and more encrease vntill wée are quite rydde of sinne For wée daily haue experience enough héereof although we are a great way of from being vnited to God as we ought Wherefore this is a token that God reigneth not in vs as hée shoulde For if he did all our power and force woulde bende it selfe that way Contrariwise wée féele euen as great rebellion as may be when as wée woulde goe about to doe that whiche God teacheth vs. Séeing then we in such sort stande against God and his iustice it is a signe that hée ruleth not vs peaceably For all that euer we haue euen without our bellies as we say should goe that way that the glorie of God might appeare and shine throughout Contrariwise we sée that there is nothing in vs euen from the toppe to the toe but horrible rebellion ◠Cor. 15.18 And thus we may sée that the kingdome of God is not accomplished Wherefore we are admonished to goe on vntill such time as God is all in all to wyt we should be so full of him as that we should be emptie of our selues namely we shoulde be vncloathed of this bodie be raysed vp into that glory which is promised vs. The spéech then which our Lord Iesus Christ had with his Apostles of the kingdome of God tended to this end that wée shoulde forsake our selues and ouerthrow whatsoeuer is oures and that Iesus Christ might set vp his Throne and guide vs so that we might be altogether agréeable vnto his righteousnes seeke only to folow him as our soueraigne and liege Lord King And all this is spoken to vs. Why so Forsooth because the Apostles were not taught onely for them selues but for vs. And therefore let this be a note vnto vs that whensoeuer the Gospel is deliuered vnto vs it is to this end that we should be readie to leaue this world to wit al the wicked affections and vanities that are in vs which kéepe vs back here below For we must be wholly chaunged God must giue vs a new life Thus we sée how it is that the Gospell must doe good to the end it might be indéed the verie kingdome of God beare such authoritie with vs as is méete And by the way God calleth vs not vnto him meaning to kéepe vs alwayes in one state but will continually pricke vs on vntill he hath brought vs to perfection making vs to vnderstande that this present life is like a Sea full of all miseries thus we sée howe Iesus Christe bendeth him selfe to bring vs vnto the heauenly kingdome after we are once entred into the kingdome of God in this world It is saide That he forbad them going from Ierusalem vntill such time as they had receiued the promise of God And all this was spoken for the building vp of our Fayth For we sée howe necessarie it is for vs to be assured and resolued of this point to wyt that men deuised not the doctrine of the Gospell but that God sent it from heauen And therfore this ought to be put out of all doubt What would then become of it if it were not throughly declared and verified vnto vs that Iesus Christ in such sort sent his Apostles and were not ledde by their owne motion counsell or will but sent by God who taught them their lesson and vnderstood not of their owne witts this doctrine but by the holie Ghost And therefore the wordes of Saint Luke are here to bée well marked that hée handled this doctrine oftentimes amongst them to the ende they might be the better instructed therein and not runne at randon Ouer and besides this it is saide that they must néedes be enlightened with the holie Ghost that they might bée quite voide of all worldly wisedome and that it might be knowne that their doctrine was the verie word of God Let vs therfore marke this well that our Fayth may alwayes cleaue vnto God as a fast Anker holde For wée shall finde nothing in the Creatures but shall flyt away lyke water and therfore it were an yll foundation to builde our Fayth on them but when we shall builde it vpon God it shall not be subiect to réele this way and that but shall stande fast and sure And héere wée sée why the Apostles were forbidden to departe from Ierusalem vntill they had receiued the holie Ghost Nowe by this we sée their obedience For in mans reason they might haue somewhat replyed and saide What Are not we the Apostles of God haue not we authoritie to preach his worde Are not we able to execute our charge They had some shewe why they might thus haue saide For to what purpose had God iustified them in this charge without they might doe it But they knew well enough that it was he whom they must obey For cursed is that man who trusteth in him selfe to doe any worke before God putteth him forwarde to doe it And contrariwise when God sendeth him hée must not striue against it but say Loe here am I Lorde employ mée as pleaseth thée And thus we sée howe Saint Luke sheweth that the Apostles obeyed Iesus Christ when as he forbad them to depart from Ierusalem vntill suche time as God had perfourmed his promise vnto them And herein we sée that the grace of the holy Ghost had alredie wrought in them For not long before they were clean out of the way they had forsakē their Maister they knew nothing what the assistance sauegard of God ment and suffred Satan to disperse them abroad But what when as God had once graunted them the grace to vnderstande his voyce and meaning hée néeded not but to haue beckened his finger and they woulde haue obeyed him And if he had forbidden them any thing they would not haue attempted it But contrariwise when he commaunded them to goe neither fyre nor water coulde staye them Thus then wee sée that it is God whiche must worke in vs to bring vs vnto such a subiection For els when he would say retyer we would goe on and when he woulde byd vs march on Num. 14.3 40. we woulde goe backe Nowe héere we sée what our nature is And this notable myrror haue wee euen in the Iewes For if we reade howe they behaued them selues after they were deliuered out of
aydeth vs. Rom. 5. 4. Thus we sée that although God deliuereth vs not foorthwith yet leaueth he not vs euer languishing For so long as we are able to say that we haue life God promiseth to assist vs against all assalts and to deliuer vs howbeit we must warre against all the temptatioÌ„s of our flesh so long as we are in this world That is very true But if we looke into the shortnes of our life shal we finde it to be of any long continuance No 2. Pet. 3.8 For a thousand yeares are as but one day with God If we coÌ„sider theÌ„ of this it wil be no charge vnto vs to abide it all our life long Let vs now sée wherefore hée said that it should be within a short time after And so let vs learne to make our profit vpon this place which is not onely to vnderstand that Iesus Christ spake it to his Apostles but that it was also spoken to vs. True it is that we receiue not the holy Ghost in a firie maner and yet this office was not giuen to Iesus Christ in vaine and we haue also the power thereof neither hath hée taken Baptisme a way with him But euen as hée hath left vs the signe so likewise is it eftsoones a manifest proofe that he will alwayes bée present with vs to make this Sacrament availeable vnto vs by his holie spirite And we must also acknowledge that we are altogether polluted to the ende we might goe to Iesus Christ and bée made cleane by him In déed this counsell would neuer come from our selues and therefore must God by the admonitions which he hath set downe for that purpose bring vs to Iesus Christ for the finding out of the trueth of Baptisme And let vs noâ— be 〈◊〉 foolish as to thinke that any creature is able to helpe vs But let vs goe directly on to Iesus Christ and acknowledge him to be wholy ours Surely when it is saide That he baptizeth although we sée him to be far froÌ„ vs aduanced vnto this excelleÌ„t maiesty aboue al other creatures a man would thinke that this might bée an occâ—sion for vs to mistrust but because hée is our brother wée haue a ready way to come vnto him Let vs therefore beléeue that hée will stand to his promise and that whatsoeuer hée hath said is vndoubtedly true and besides that it will not bée long too Wherefore when wée haue abidden a day let vs also bée ready to tarrie a moneth and looke vnto that euerlasting kingdome and so without doubt wée shall not onely steppe for ward but also continue to goe on vntil such time as wée haue attained vnto the marke which is set before vs. And according to this doctrine let vs fall downe before the face of our good God and beséech him not to punishe vs for our sinful life past but so renue vs with his holy spirit as that we cease not marching on vntil such time as we be come vnto this glorie wherof he hath already giuen vs some taste and féeling And so let vs say O Almighty God and heauenly Father c. The third Sermon of the Ascention Actes first 6 VVHen they therefore were come together they asked of him saying Lorde wilte thou at this time restore the kingdome of Israel 7 And hee saide vnto them it is not for you to knowe the times and the seasons which the father hath put in his owne power 8 But yee shall receyue power after that the holy Ghost is come vpon you and yee shal bee witnesses vnto mee both in Hierusalem in all Iurie and in Samaria and euen vnto the worldes ende IF wée could enter into the consideration of our weakenesse whenas God forsaketh vs we should doe our selues greate good Nowe vnder this woorde weaknesse I meane all our vices and imperfections as very féeble thinges and easily to bée ouercome with euery temptation according to the corruption and peruersenesse of our grose wits and mindes Wherefore whenas wée shal haue déepely considered of these thinges wée must pray vnto God and beséech him to haue an eye to the remedying of all the miseries wherunto wée are subiect Thus we sée I say how wée shal greatly profite our selues by the consideration of these things We haue therfore to note the matter which Saint Luke setteth downe héere in this place because hée declareth how grosse mynded the Apostles were hauing béen taught by the space of thrée whole yéeres from the mouth of our Lorde Iesus Christ all whatsoeuer belonged to their saluation Héere then wée sée that they are like vnto young Schollers as if they had neuer vnderstood one woord of that which was taught them And what is the reason Forsooth wée should bée continually vnable to any goodnesse without GOD shoulde firste correct this ignoraunce which is a thing that ought greatly to humble vs. And therefore wée must vnderstand that our hearing of whatsoeuer is saide vnto vs will bée to no purpose and that because it is spoken as vnto a Blocke vntil such time as God taketh away the grosnesse of our corrupt nature for els wée shall neuer vnderstand what hée saith vnto vs by reason his woord is farre beyong our reach Neither néed wée any other proofe to coÌ„demne the ignorance of the Apostles theÌ„ their own words For the questioÌ„ which they asked Iesus Christ was foolish of no valure but only a superfluous curiosity whenas they saide vnto him wilt thou at this time restore the kingdoÌ„ of Israel now by saying at this time they declared that they would eueÌ„ at the first dash haue come to honor without any more paynes taking whereas they were called to take paines for the plaÌ„ting of the gospel throughout the world they wold in no wise away with that but be forth with filled with al maner of prosperity with was a double fault besides wheÌ„ they spake of the Kingdome they â—ayled also in that For they thought our Lorde Iesus Christ should haue béen an earthly King and reigne after the manner of worldly Princes and so they being neare about him should take no paine nor haue any harme but liue honourably with great offices and in high dignitie And they fayled also in naming of Israel because they restrained the grace of God to Israel which hée had promised to all the world Thus we sée that they spake neuer a word which was not false and erronious Moreouer Iesus Christ reproued them with the answere which hée made them and although hée saide not flatly you are deceiued yet the wordes which hée vsed declare no lesse but that hée spake them to their reproofe when as hée saide It is not for you to know the times and the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power hée reproued them of this fonde curiositie for where they shoulde haue enquired after some necessarie or profitable matter their mindes roued at curious thinges and of no valure Howbéeit we must
it is true It should séeme then that his meaning is that wée ought not to make enquiry after these thinges No not so for that is not the thing which the father hath in his owne power whereof Iesus Christ spake vnto his Apostles that it is not for them to know of it but hée spake of thinges which hée reserued a part vnto himselfe and the knowledge of which is cléerely forbidden vs and therefore not for vs to know of it Now hée hath declared vnto vs the thinges which come by order of nature that winter must bée cold and Summer whot For if wée haue any great colde in Summer let vs vnderstand that such a peruerting of the order of nature commeth by reason of our sinnes and that for the horriblenesse of them wée iustly deserue that all thinges shoulde bée turned out of course Howbeit God ceaseth not to helpe all those things So thē since God hath declared this vnto vs hée hath not reserued it to himselfe alone For hée would not haue vs to imagine his power to bée a superfluous power but the thing which hée would not haue vs know hée so kéepeth backe as that wée shall neuer bée able to vnderstand it This saying then of Iesus Christ it is not for you to knowe the times seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power is as much as if hée had sayde Bée contented with that which I haue sayde vnto you and hold you there For if you would enter into disputation with him to enquire after that which he would not haue you knowe It woulde turne to your confusion séeyng hée hath not spared to let you vnderstande whatsoeuer hee thought to bée méete for you to knowe Nowe if wée woulde goe beyonde this this were as a man would say to set our selues against him Let vs sée then what we are to note out of this place to witte wée must learne to submit and kéepe our selues within a compasse and not séeke after that which God would not haue vs know and diligently vnderstand and search to know whatsoeuer hée woulde haue vs for to learne And ouer and besides all this let vs not bée too too inquisitiue and say Why is this and wherefore is that But let vs take héede of such curiousnesse as of a deadly Plague Now this can no man doe without euery of vs violently striueth against his owne nature for we are naturally inclined to such foolishnesse as to leaue the principall matter which is most necessary for vs and to occupie our heads about that which is neither necessary nor profitable but onely foolish and vaine curiousnesse as euery of vs for our own part sheweth himself As for example behold wée haue the Gospell the very fountaine of all wisedome which teacheth vs to beléeue in God to runne onely to him and cal vpon him to the end we might fight against all our carnall affections to submit our selues wholy obedient vnto him Loe this is the very meaning of our Lord throughout all the Scripture Now wée thinke this to bée but a small matter to vnderstand euery of vs séeketh to sticke vnto such thinges as God woulde not haue vs knowe wée woulde faine contruoll our Lorde and wee thinke hee had doone better if hée had doone otherwise Marke how it fareth with vs. And therefore as I haue said If we would put this doctrine in practise and not bée curious wée must euery of vs brydle his nature because it driueth vs into such imaginations whereby man is not contented to consider of God in the creation of the world although these workes therein are enough wherewith to satisfie vs. But what Wée forget euen those his workes which he wrought for our redemption a worke without length depth breadth and heigth and goe about to enquire why God so greatly busied himselfe in the creation of the worlde Ephes 3.18 séeing it is not yet seuen thousand yéeres since it was made But let vs note that before God created the worlde hée had made Hell to throwe suche curious searchers into And surely hée had great reason in it for ouer and besides that this curiositie of entring into such thoughts is worthie reprehension what a boldnesse is this to lift our selues vp against GOD in lifting vp our selues against his workes as though wée thought them not to bee good We sée therefore that we must content our selues with the things which God hath giuen vs to vnderstand for although we haue beheld them all our lyfe long yet haue we not haue had time inough to vnderstand the least part of them And let euery man know that he must obey whatsoeuer Iesus Christ hath saide and not enquire after that which the Father hath reserued to himself to wit the thinges which are not declared by his word Héereby we sée that he sheweth vs our vncapablenesse which hée more and more confirmeth in this that followeth saying But you shall receiue power after the holy ghost is come vpon you and then shall you be better able to vnderstand the thing whiche God hath declared vnto you In this Iesus Christ aduiseth vs that wee doo rashly in enquiring to vnderstand farther of any thing then God declareth vnto vs For it is as if wée who haue no winges would flye beyond the Moone séeing that if wée knew our state wée would be very warie how wée aduaunced our selues as wée are wonted to doo And héerein we are diligently to note this saying The power of the holy ghost comming vpon you Which is as much as if he had said vnderstand yee poore and miserable wretches What you are what spirite haue you to vnderstand so hie thinges how is it possible for these thinges to enter into you Learne therefore to humble your selues rather and acknowledge your ignorance and pray vnto God In summe wée haue héere a generall aduertisment that whiles God leaueth vs to our owne wittes we are as bruitishe as maye be and the least thing in the world will dull vs so that wee shall not be able to vnderstand the least percell of scripture although it be handeled before vs péecemeale And therfore this vnderstanding must come from God who of his méere goodnesse bestoweth it vpon vs. For although we haue the Scriptures expounded vnto vs it is none otherwise then as if the Sun shined vpō vs being stark blinde Wherfore there remaineth nothing for vs but to beséech the Lorde to helpe our ignoraunce Let vs now come to the seconde errour which is they woulde haue bene honorable at the first and besides they would haue lyued according to their harts desire without any paines takinge Now this is a falt which is common vnto vs all for there is neuer a man in the worlde but desireth to reigne with Iesus Christe in that euerlasting kingdome which he hath promised But when we are tolde of the bearing of his Crosse and of fightinge against Satan the world and our owne flesh when we
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