of any witty man to bee euill because many doe abuse it and is drunken Euen so is holie scripture and other profitable sciences to be esteemed as high giftes although many men puft vp with pride blinded in couetousnes and intangled with other affections haue misused the same scriptures In the Papistry the Vniuersities Colleges cathedrall Churches and Monasteries haue highly exalted the Pope and his false faith and by false interpretation of the scripture brought him so farre that the doctrine of the faith and Christ is vtterly darkened Now whereas lewd learned with false science with wrong vnderstanding of scripture haue broght such high thinges great goodes and plentifull riches to passe drawing so much people vnto themselues we ought not therefore to cease from reading and exercising of the scripture but to take vppon vs to further the true religion and fayth of Christ and to sette it foorth againe with no lesse diligence than they doo theirs If wee will that the true fayth of Christ shall growe continue and increase then wee must bring the same to passe by true vnderstanding of the scripture by pure sounde and wholesome doctrine With the trueth must lyes bee banished with sound doctrine must false bee rooted out with the light must darknesse bee expelled But how can the true vnderstanding of the scripture the vndoubted wholesome and sound doctrine bee had when men doo neyther exercise and imploy themselues nor applye theyr endeuour studie and diligence therein All the charges therefore and expences which heretofore haue been bestowed vpon the vnprofitable and noisome learned men ought now to be conuerted to godly Colleges and studies to the intent that litle seeds which God hath laid vp in yong wits may fruitfully growe be planted and brought forth If thou seeke wisedome as the golde saith Salomon thou shalt finde it Gold is with great trauaile and labour digged out of the inward and secrete veines of the earth and of the high hilles it raineth not downe vpon mens heads euen so must knowledge wisedome bee gotten with great trauaile and diligence not with loytering and idlenesse But when God giueth vs his giftes wee must looke that we be not vnfaithfull in them but vse and bestow them to his glorie and edifiyng of his Church Where godlinesse commeth to knowledge or where they two are together in one man God is highly to bee thanked for so excellent a gift and grace and greatly is such a gift to bee had in estimation but whereas pride heauines contention greedines and selfe loue is in a learned man there is not a more hurtfull poyson found vpon the earth O God thou that of thy grace and fatherly loue hast giuen so good and excellent giftes with singular light of all sciences graunt vnto such as be learned a heart and mind that in all things they may haue respect onely to thy glorie that in all their readings writings teachings and doctrines they may prefer the same For knowledge puffeth a man vp but loue edifieth O suffer not thy holy and excellent gifts to be stayned defiled and marred with the filthy durt of mens affections Graunt that our studies bee not heathenish but godly and Christian Preserue the tender and good youth from wicked and vngodly schoolmaisters that the pure hartes which thou hast consecrated to be a temple for thee and thy holy spirit be not polluted with vice and filthines To testimoniall amazed and wondered saying one to an◠〈…〉 What meaneth this Other mocked saying 〈…〉 of new minds But Peter stept forth 〈…〉 and lift vp his voice and saide vnto them 〈…〉 and all ye that dwell at Hierusalem be this 〈…〉 you and with your eares heare my wordes for these are not drunken as yee suppose seeing it is but the third 〈◊〉 of the day but this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel And it shall be in the last daies saith God I will poure out of my spirite in those daies and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie and your yong men shall see visions and your olde men shall dreame dreames And on my seruantes and on my hand-maides I will poure out of my spirite in those daies and they shall prophesie and I will shew wonders in heauen aboue and tokens in the earth beneath bloud and fire and the vapor of smoke the sunne shal bee turned into darknesse and the moone into bloud before before that great and notable day of the Lord come And it shall come to passe that whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saued Doctrine and fruite WHen the truth is published in the church of Christ the power of God vttereth it selfe there be alwaies some simple people that of good minde seeke to knowe that which they vnderstand not and therefore they demaund questions vnto those the Lorde dooth gladly open himselfe But again there be others that despise slander mocke and abhorre all holy things as in the old and new Testament we haue many witnesses of the same Ierem. 20.26.32 Iohn 8.10.11 Acts. 17. For the naturall man vnderstandeth not the thinges that appertaine vnto God And thus doe they most of all which beeing puffed vp in the wisedome and science of man haue nor yet attained to the spirite and right kernell of the scripture in the sight of which men the wisedome of God and preaching of the crosse of Iesus Christ is but a derision and foolishnes But blessed are they that in the singlenes of their heart with pure minds in meeknes obedience and in the true feare of God submit themselues vnto his doctrine from them cannot God hide himself but openeth their mindes that they may vnderstand the scriptures For they that of a good mind do here aske the question What meaneth this are afterwardes conuerted by Peters preaching Peter the feruent Disciple of Christ the faithful shepheard of Christs sheepe as soone as he receiueth the spirit is bolde to steppe foorth and to confesse him whom before he had denied But first hee perswadeth that the Disciples were not drunken for if such vice were in the Ministers of Christ they truly conuinced thereof it should bring vnto the Gospell and name of Christ great hinderaunce staine his doctrine make it to be despised and subiect Most diligent therefore ought we to bee in keeping vs from such vices whereby our office mniistration and doctrine might bee suspect and set at naught Yet must we not deferre too long in aunswering such euill reports for more diligence must we apply in setting foorth the name and glorie of GOD than in defending and maintaining our owne estimation Thus the Apostle Peter in answering that obiection concerning drunkennes dooth shortly passe ouer and saith Brethren these are not drunken as ye suppose for why the time doth not permit it is yet too earely in the morning Immediately vppon the same he proceedeth forth to admonish them of the excellent graces and
a bone of him And againe another Scripture saith They shall looke on him whom they pierced Doctrine and fruite OVt of the side of him that sleeepeth vpon the crosse runneth the fountain of wholsom water with the which our vncleannes is washed away and the whole world sprinkled purified and cleansed therewith The heart is opened and wounded loue floweth out the bloud gusheth forth to the washing away of all our sins This is the true stonie rocke which being smitten vpon giueth water vnto our thirstie soules like as Eue was taken fashioned out of the rib side of her husband that slept so is the holie Church the spouse of Christ shapen out of the side of her husband This gate is opened wide to all faithfull beleeuers hee that hideth himselfe in this hole is sure from all hurt and harme Of this holie and godly fountaine who so drinketh once or taketh a draught of the holie loue dooth forthwith forget all his aduersities and griefes and shall bee whole from all wicked heate of temporall lustes and bodilie prouocations feruently shall hee bee kindled in loue and desire of eternall thinges and shall bee replenished with the vnspeakable goodnesse of the holie Ghost and in him shall bee a fountaine and well of liuing water flowing into eternall life By this creepeth the poore sinner into the louing heart of Iesus Christ which with exceeding great kindnes is pierced through and there findeth hee rest and quietnes in the stony rocke Here are opened the conduites and well pipes of life the way of our health wherein we finde rest vnto our soules shadow for heate and trauaile this fountaine of grace is neuer dried vp This is the well of the godly 〈◊〉 that floweth out of the middest of paradise to wate◠the whole earth to moysture the drie hearts to wash away sinne Out of this plentifull well ought wee with great desire to draw and drinke that from henceforth wee liue not in our selues but in him who for our sakes was wounded so deep Our hart must we giue whollie vnto him that hath opened his heart so wide His heart and ours must bee all one Nothing requireth he of vs but the heart Sonne saith he giue mee thy heart Our hart must we giue to the Lord not to the world to eternall wisedome not to lightnes There do the true heardmans sheepe find pasture there are the water brookes of life there may they goe in and out Nothing is there vppon earth that so kindleth draweth and pierceth the heart of man as dooth Christes loue declared vppon the crosse When wee thus surrender our heart vnto the Lorde when wee thus wholly and fully giue ouer our heart into the Lordes hands that hee may keepe and possesse it for euer then haue we blessed peace O Lord Iesu Christ drawe thou our hearts vnto thee ioyne them together in vnseparable loue that they may feruently burne that wee may abide in thee thou in vs that the euerlasting couenant betweene vs may stand sure for euer O wound our hearts with the fiery darts of thy pearcing loue Let them pierce through all our slouthfull members and inward powers that wee beeing happily wounded may so become whole and sound Let vs haue no louer but thy selfe alone lette vs seeke no ioy nor comfort but onely in thee Thus haue we the passion and death of our Lord and redeemer Iesus Christ Now as Paule saith let vs go foorth of the tentes vnto him that for our sake is despitefully crucified without the Citie of Hierusalem and lette vs helpe him to beare his rebuke giuing him thankes and praise for his great loue In his death standeth our life for in his death is our death slaine the sting of death and firme is taken awaye Heere finde wee true life and eternall saluation here sinne is forgiuen and pardon graunted A poena culpa heere mercie is denyed vnto no man for the vertue and merites of the Lordes holie passion is bottomlesse Through his shame commeth eternall honour and glorie vnto vs. His passion is the wholesome playster for all woundes his crosse the ouerthrow of all enemies and victorie against all vice From our whole heartes therefore ought wee to reioyce in the great and blessed fruites of thy holie passion O Lorde Iesu whilest wee are in this feeble life graunt vs so to liue that wee maye direct all our workes desires and intentes according to thy godlie will and pleasure that this our temporall course may bee founde and finished in thy grace that after the ouercomming of all temptations and carefull things we may come to the reward of eternall saluation Teach thou vs dayly to die and by the spirit to subdue the flesh that when the flesh corrupteth the spirit may be taken to eternall rest Graunt vs grace chearefully and continually to cleaue vnto thy holy crosse O giue vs blessed teares of true repentance while the doore of grace standeth open graunt that we may stedfastly blessedly finish the thing which commendably is begun Let our daily exercise bee in the confideration of the passion of Christ let him be our mirrour continually let vs not shrinke from the crosse but indure with Christ in life death with him on the crosse with him in the graue and death so shal we continue in rest peace and quietnesse that when Christ our life shall appeare we may rise vp with him in glorie God the Father Sonne and holie Ghost grant this vnto vs all Amen THE BVRIALL OF IESVS CHRIST OVT of the holie Euangelists NOW when it was late for as much as it was the day of preparation afore the Sabaoth there came a rich man of Arimathia named Ioseph such a principall famous Senatour as was iust and righteous The same had not consented to their counsaile and doings for he also was one of those that waited for the kingdome of God a disciple of Iesu but secretly for feare of the Iewes Boldly went he in vnto Pilate and begged the bodie of Iesu But Pilate wondered if he were now dead alreadie And when hee had learned of the Captaine that it was he graunted him the bodie of Iesu and commended it to bee giuen him Ioseph had bought a white linnen cloth and tooke downe the bodie of Iesus and wrapt it in the faire linnen cloth There came also Nicodemus who was come to the Lord afore by night brought mirrhe and Aloes vppon an hundred pound mixt together So taking the body of Iesu they wound it with clothes and prepared it with sweet ointments according as the maner of the Iewes was to burie And by the place where Iesus was crucified there was a garden and in the garden a new sepulchre There Ioseph laid Iesus in his owne new sepulchre which he had caused to be hewen out of a rocke into the which no man had yet been laid Forasmuch then as it was the Iewes day of preparing the
similitude of his death we shall assuredly also be partakers of his resurrection knowing this that our olde man is crucified with him that the bodie of sin might be emptied and that we should serue sinne no more for he that is dead is made righteous from sin if we now be dead with Christ we beleeue that wee shall also liue with him Looke vpon the whole sixte Chapter to the Romanes We must die from the world and from our owne flesh that the world may be crucified and dead vnto vs as we vnto the world The olde Adam who in vs did liue and rule must bee subdued and mortified that Christ onely may liue and raigne in vs. We must burie our bodies with mirrhe and Aloes that is with lamentation and sorow for our sinnes with weeping with fasting and with abstinence which workes of repentance are bitter vnto the bodie But lyke as those bitter things Aloes and mirrhe doe keepe the bodie from corruption so the crosse and aduersitie sent of God and borne for his sake preserueth our flesh from sinne If we thus die with Christ from the world bee buried in his death we shall rise againe to a new life here and in the world to come so as for death we need not be afraid of it For the sepulchre is new and lieth in the garden which noteth vnto vs the return to the pleasant garden of paradise which is opened vs through the death of Christ for hee as a guide is entered in before vs Iohn 14. Heb. 9.10 that we also after a new sort might escape from death and rise againe to a new life For in the death of Christ is death killed ouercome and wholy nenued and as much as altered into a sleepe For we liue vnto God and our bodyes as the Scripture testifieth shall also liue againe And this is the cause that the Scripture affirmeth those which are dead in Christ to be asleep Esay 26. 1. Thess 4. Afore time had death mightily and openly raigned euen ouer those also that had not sinned like vnto Adam yet had they put on Adams image were therefore subdued vnto the curse but when the second Adam namely Christ appeared purchased lyfe agayne for mankind through the death of his flesh destroying the dominion of death and rising from death againe Then was death renued changed and became like vnto a sleepe for it destroyeth vs not for euer but is a gate and enterance into a better and eternall life therfore haue we a much more perfect hope of the resurrection in Christ than they of olde which therefore buried the bodies so costly and honorably because they hoped in the resurrection to come As for vs wee must bestowe such cost vpon Christ in his members clothing feeding the poore and being ready also to loose all things for his sake Graunt vnto vs O God that as concerning the world and the olde life wee may die with thy sonne our head and be truly buried in his death that with him and in him we may rise againe to a new life that we weak and feeble may with Ioseph and Nichodemu◠grow in vertue and stedfastnes daily laying somwhat to the heape of godly exercises being euer still renued in the spirit that we in our hearts laying vp Christ who dyed for our sakes may so in thankfull remembrance burie him to the intent that our soule bodie may still remaine pure and vnspotted vntill the comming of our Lord Amen MArie Magdalene and Mary Ioses sitting ouer against the sepulchre beheld where Iesus was laide For certaine women there were which comming with him from Galilee and following him beheld the sepulchre and how his bodie was laide Those returned back and prepared sweet odors but vpon the saboth they rested because of the commandement The next daie after the daie of preparation the high Priests and Pharesies came vnto Pilate and said Sir we remember that this deceuer said while he was yet aliue that after three daies hee should rise againe Cause therefore the graue to be kept vntill the third daie least his disciples happily come and steale him awaie and saie vnto the people that he is risen from the dead and so shall the last error bee worse than the first Pilate said vnto them Yee haue watchmen go and keepe it as ye know They went and kept prouided the sepulchre with watchmen and sealed the stone Doctrine and fruite HEre we learne to haue an earnest diligent and feruent loue vnto Christ hearing with what zeale and feruentnes that deuout women 〈◊〉 vnto him and serue him in life and death Him whome they loued in life will they not forsake in death but cheerefully with constant mindes they ieopard their lyfe and goods What auaileth vs then that we cannot shew friendship loue and seruice vnto Christ as well as these women Seeing we haue not Christ alwayes bodily with vs who nowe beeing in his kingdome needeth no corporall ministration seruice we ought to bestow the same vppon his poore ones whom we haue alwaies with vs. Heerein ought wee to spare neither goods nor money to serue please Christ who vnto death did ieopard and giue his body and lyfe for vs. But like as in the women there was a deuout gesture good mind toward Christ so in the Iewish priests and pharesies there was found a great malice and hatred against Christ They were not satisfied in persecuting him while he was aliue but vndertooke also to hinder his resurrection Yet God by his wisdome vseth their wickednesse to the glorie of Christ that euen the enemies themselues albeit against their wil must beare record of his buriall and resurrection in that they keepe the graue with watch men and seale the stone The truth is immortall the more it is opprest the more it breaketh forth Therfore ought we to beware that wee neuer goe about to hinder the truth for if we should so doo we should both labor in vaine procure vnto our selues euerlasting hurt THE RESVRRECTION OF IESVS CHRIST out of the holie Euangelists AND when the Sabbaoth was now past euen the Sabaoth day at euen Marie Magdalene Marie Iames and Salome bought sweete spices that they might come and annoint Iesus The euening when the sabaoth is ended and the first day dawneth after the Sabaoth namely the first day of the weeke while it was yet darke and the Sun brake forth and began to arise the women came to the Sepulchre to see it But there happened first a great earthquake for the Angell of the Lord came downe from heauen and went and rolled backe the stone from the mouth of the sepulchre and sate vpon it His countenance was like the lightening and his raiment white as snow And for feare of him the keepers were astonied and became as dead men And behold some of them that had watched the sepulchre came into the Citie and told the high Priests all
office or that we shoulde delight in their euill but to the intent that malitious iudgement may be auoyded that there be no villanie done to the annoynted of the Lorde More respect and regard shuld we haue to the word of God that they bring vnto vs than to their liuing and â—aults more to the giuer than to the minister It is not thâ—y that worke but God worketh through his owne power he cannot faile vs in his promise The minister lendeth his hand and mouth but the holie Ghost worketh in the harts of the beleeuers neither can the wickednesse of the Priest diminish or hinder that operation If we our selues haue pure cleane and faithfull beleeuing mindes It is not the vncleannes of the minister that can either defile or hurt vs. This is now the story of the Resurrection of Christ wherein we see how the goodnes of the Lord wondefully striueth with the weake faith of those that are his For when the Angels could not perswade them that he was risen againe he himselfe appeareth vnto them aliue and proueth by many euident testimonies that he is of a truth risen againe and reuiued talketh with them eateth with them offereth himselfe vnto them that they may see him and handle him sendeth the women and certaine disciples for witnesses and leaueth nothing vnattempted that may perswade them For in the faith and beleefe of the resurrection of Iesus Christ lieth all our welfare We must therefore beseech Almightie God to establish in vs this faith and by his spirite mightilie to worke that we from sinne may truely rise againe to a newe and godlie life and afterward with our bodies to enter into an immortall and euerlasting life Hereunto helpe vs God the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost Amen Heere endeth the Sermons vpon the Resurrection of Iesus Christ according to the true copie of the Author and now followeth the Sermons of the Ascension THE ASCENSION OF IESVS CHRIST out of the holie Euangelists IESVS lead his Disciples out into Bethanie And when he had brought them together hee spake vnto them of the kingdome of God commanded them that they should not depart from Ierusalem but to waite for the promise of the father For Iohn saith he baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with the holy Ghost after these few dayes When they therefore were come together they asked of him saying Lorde wilt thou at this time restore againe the kingdome to Israel And he said vnto them It is not for you to knowe the times and the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power But yee shall receiue power after that the holie Ghost is come vpon you and yee shall be witnesses vnto mee not onely in Ierusalem but also in all Iurie and in Samaria and euen vnto the worlds ende Now when Iesus had spoken these words vnto them he lifted vp his handes and blessed them and was taken vp and a clowd receiued him out of their sight so that hee departed from them and was carried vp in heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God And whilest they looked stedfastly vp towards heauen as he went behold two men stood by them in white apparrell which also said Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing vp into heauen The same Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shal so come euen as you haue seene him go into heauen So when they had worshipped him they returned with great ioy into Hierusalem from Mount Oliuet which is from Hierusalem a Sabaoth daies iourney And when they were come in they went vp into a parlour where abode Peter and Iames Iohn and Andrew Philip and Thomas Bartholmew and Mathew Iames the sonne of Alpheus and Simon Zelotes and Iudas the brother of Iames. These all continued still with one accord in the temple lauding praising God and making their praiers with the women and Mary the mother of Iesu and with his brethren Doctrine and fruite CHrist who loued his Disciples declareth vnto them his loue euen vnto the ende yea he neuer ceaseth to loue them For though hee leaue them as concerning his bodilie presence yet with his loue grace and power he is euer still with them Forasmuch now as after sufficient proofe of his resurrection he will depart from them and goe to his Father that had sent him he taketh them forth with him vnto the place from whence he mindeth to depart from them And manifestly before their eyes hee ascendeth into heauen into the glorie of his father that they might be witnesses as well of his glorious ascension as of all other things which they had heard seene before O how feruent words spake hee then vnto them How deepely entred he into their hearts How earnestly printed hee those his last wordes into them The eternall wisedome speaketh nothing vainely nothing slenderly nothing without profite Although the Disciples as men yet somewhat carnall doe aske questions concerning the restitution of a bodily and temporall kingdome yet maketh hee no aunswere vnto their demaund but directeth them vnto that which is for their profie and belongeth to their office drawing their hearts from the earthly kingdom from the which they ought to bee mortified vnto the kingdome of heauen euen vnto the kingdome of God in the which he himselfe is king into the which they now were receiued as citizens that they shuld declare the same throughout the whole world and offer it vnto all men This is the gospell of the kingdom of God which for a testimonie vnto all nations must bee preached in the whole world to witnesse the grace of GOD vnto the elect But to the damned and vnbeleeuers a testimonie of their damnation in that they are conuinced of their owne infidelitie and shall haue no excuse if they contemne and despise the grace offered vnto them By this ought wee also to learne to see such thinges which are most profitable and wholesome vnto vs and which bring vs the nearest way to put our trust in God and to loue our neighbours for that part of the play is ours As for vnprofitable and contentious questions if we meddle not with them then the lesse diuision and the more loue and edifieng in the Church of God shall follow Manie times are wee too much carefull for such things as wee desire our selues as what ende this thing or that will come vnto when God will set vp our prosperitie and what shall bee done hereafter when and how God will punish those that are against vs. And this temptation carnall zeale and curiositie chaunceth oft euen in the hearts of the faythfull as we see heere in the Disciples of Christ Sometimes there bee froward and wicked mindes which pretending to bee Christians seeke out of the Gospell nothing but honour lucre and profite but such bee both false and fained Notwithstanding all these set apart wee ought to commit and refer all things vnto our mercifull creator and
wildernesse through much trauell and labour Blessed are they that in patience without murmuring suffer the Lorde to worke and doo faithfully follow him All this and more than I can saie ought to be the consideration and exercise when we celebrate the supper of the Lord Iesu that wee so sprinkle the bloud of Christ in our heartes and drinke it into vs that it may worke in vs and bring forth fruit Our eies and hearts we ought to lift vp in to heauen and consider what the bread and wine pointeth vs vnto namely vnto the bodie of Christ that was offered vp vpon the crosse for our sinnes and to his bloud that was shed for the washing awaie of our offences and that we fashion our selues vnto his image and practise also such loue one towardes another This is the proofe that Paul speaketh of with the which a faithfull beleeuer ought to exercise himself before and in the Lords supper examining well his faith and loue which out of the loue of God towards vs is kindled and increased First ought a man to consider the excellent loue of our Lord Iesus Christ who so loued vs that he died for vs. And seeing that he biddeth vs to so high a feast of his grace we ought also to ponder the same in such sorte that wee bee thankfull vnto him and prepare our selues thereafter Saint Paul saith that there is a feeding with milke and a feeding with strong meate which is to bee obserued according to the nature and propertie of those that receiue the meate And in the Church of God there be three sortes of men as the same by the high illuminated goodwise teacher Augustine and by others is written First there be men which hauing spent their former time past in pastime and wantonnesse of the world and considering the carefull end thereof as they be inwardly moued by the grace of God haue vndertaken to cease and refraine from sinne and from all occasions of sinne in most diligent wise as neere as they can with the assistance grace and helpe of God to be circumspect and warie thereof albeit they are yet weake and haue not so strong a spirite as to laie aside and despise all worldly things out of hand And these are the right true beginners of repentant and penitent persons though they be not new beginners yet are they vnto God the Lord so deare that all things cannot sufficiently commend and praise it This is witnessed vnto vs by the holy Gospell of the vnthriftie sonne who when with shamefull riot hee had wantonly consumed his inheritance did in time of his extreame hunger conuert and turne againe to his louing Father and receiued not onely gracious forgiuenesse of his trespasse but also speciall tokens of his fathers loue as the garment the kisse the fat calfe the sweete minstrelsie and melodie This is the first anker of true repentance This is the first state concerning the blessed swineheard who forsaking the hogges wiih the coddes draffe or swillinges that hee sometimes greedily filled his belly withall and returning to his louing father is now in his first comming againe to his mercifull father graciously taken vp receiued and rewarded Who so now with this vnthriftie sonne forsaketh his sinnes and comming agayne in true and heartie repentance vnto God his most louing and gracious Father saith meekely O Father I am not worthie to bee called thy sonne for I haue sinned against heauen and before thee O make nice one of thy hired seruants To him shall the father denie nothing Who so nowe with an vnfained heart and mouth may speake this vnto God and truely and vnfainedly seeketh Iesus assuredly hee findeth him and hath with him a cheerefull supper Looke vnto whom God in his great mercie giueth such a tast of his geace let him render thanks and praise vnto almightie GOD let him nowe looke for it that the Father who hath receiued him will also nourture him in his owne schoole and through manifolde aduersities furnish him prepare him and make him more perfect Hee hath beene fedde with the milke hee must learne also to knowe what harde meate meaneth Through aduersitie and trouble some chaunces hee must bee tempted and proued whether hee haue ought in him of the blessed seede that groweth vpwardes vnto eternall life Which thing shall well appeare and bee made manifest if in time of temptation and troubles hee bee not choaked with the thornes nor troden downe by the high waie side nor withered among the stones but founde fruitfull in a good and fertill ground Other men there bee which are called reformers to whome belongeth somewhat more than there doth vnto the other For like as it appertaineth to the first repentant or prnitent persons that they continually and feruently with the confession of their sinnes vnto God with sorrowe and lamentation with praier watching and chastising of the the bodie doo breake out a waie from theyr olde sinnes harnessing and arming themselues agaynst others for to come and earnestly withstanding and forsaking their owne euill and naughtie customes if they minde to bring foorth fruite and not to fall awaie againe Euen so the reformers in the seconde order and manner after the harde rooting out of vice and wickednesse must still exercise them selues in the will of God and in good works seeking diligently experience thereof in holy Scripture and of those teachers who by reason of long practise and by the Scriptures can declare and teach the same waie When these men in such a stedfast purpose to walke and practise themselues in the will of God with his grace and power doe goe vnto the supper of the Lord they inwardly with ioy and fruit of the godly feast are nourished and refreshed For who so desireth to cleaue vnto vertue and to a godly life shall no where find the same so euidently and plaine as in Christs passion whereof hee is mindfull at the supper with faith and thankesgiuing The third sort of men are â—â—lled perfect not that anie man here in time may be perfect as to lacke nothing or to haue no sinne in him but therefore are they named perfect because theyr exercise is such that after long accustomate doing of vertuous deeds after many spiritual fruits brought forth by them in patience after many temptations which they with the help of God haue ouercome They haue so wholy humbled and cast downe themselues before God being reconciled with him that they are become one spirite with Christ their head whom they cleaue vnto whose crosse and holy passion they follow without fainting so farre as theyr wit and power may suffer being dead from the world the flesh following onely the Lord Iesu Christ suffering with him and liuing with him These with their minds harts step somwhat higher than the others hauing their dwelling in heauen in the sweet contemplation beholding of Gods Almightinesse wisedome and goodnes with feruent deuotion Which men also by inioying of the said feast
atturney your aduocate mediatour so that ye haue lacked nothing neither hath any man hurt you Seeing now I haue hitherto neuer failed you I wil also from henceforth not forsake you but pray vnto my Father who shall sende vnto you the holy Ghost The same shall perfectly bring to your remembrance and be your teacher in al that I haue shewed you hee shall exhort and admonish you aide succour and comfort you so that yee shall not be without consolation He shall be your tutour and defender neither shall he be with you onely for a time as I haue beene but euen in your heartes shall he dwell with you and neuer depart from you Of this helper comforter teacher and tutor shall yee also haue neede for great trouble and persecution shall the world moue against you To ouercom the same is your flesh too feeble therefore will I send you downe from heauen a power whereby in all aduersitie ye may be able to stand fast and to haue the victorie O the vnspeakeable loue of our Lord Iesu Christ who taketh such diligent care for vs and endueth vs with so excellent a gift namely his owne holy spirite With what modestie and sobernesse with how pure and honest behauiour ought wee to walke seeing that God hath into our hartes giuen his holy spirite who vtterly abhorreth and loatheth all vice and all filthines of sinne Great diligence ought we therfore to applie in keeping cleane and vndefiled our bodies and soules which God through his holy spirite hath purified and consecrated to bee his owne dwelling place and temple least we expell the chast spirite of God For in no froward soule abideth hee neither dwelleth hee in that bodie which maketh it selfe slaue and thrall vnto sin The eares of our minde ought we to open and to harken whereof this spirite admonisheth vs and what doctrine hee in our Sauiours words doth teach vs and his motion ought we to followe Afraid ought we not to be he that is in vs is stronger than all our enemies This spirite hath Christ by his prayer and merites obtained of his Father for hee prayed with weeping and teares and was heard for his worthines sake He is called also the spirite of trueth because hee proceedeth of the truth teacheth the trueth and maketh vs true we are else of our owne nature altogether lyers inconstant vntrue and dissembling hypocrites and whatsoeuer the world speaketh doth it is nothing but vanitie and lyes Blessed therefore are they vnto whom God giueth the high gift of his trueth The world that is to say fleshly men and children of the world receiue not this spirite for they despise the word of Christ and laugh it to scorne Therefore God sheweth not himselfe vnto them for they loue him not which thing they declare in that they refuse his word But who so receiueth his word sheweth thereby that he loueth Christ and God him wil God loue againe and open himselfe euer more and more vnto him This is a high reward which God giueth vnto his louers that hee commeth vnto them maketh his dwelling and abideth alwaie with them working all good things in them and by them Therfore ought wee earnestly to heare his worde to loue him and to keepe his commandements And so euen the same his owne spirit which hee gaue vs at the beginning shall hee still graunt vnto vs more perfectly from time to time Thus shall that spirite poure out loue in our harts and indue them with more perfeâ—tion The loue of the world which is not of God the Father shall this spirit roote out and daily consume but the loue of God it shall continually plant and increase The more loue there is the more groweth the knowledge of God yea the more Gods knowledge increaseth the more feruent perfect is loue Grant vs ô gratious Father thy holy spirit to take possession of our heart that it may onely trust in thee loue thee aboue all things keepe thy commandements cleaue still vnto thee for euermore Amen THese things haue I spoken vnto you beeing yet present with you But that comfort which is the holie Ghost whom my father will send in my name he shal teach you all thinges and bring all thinges to your remembrance whatsoeuer I haue taught you Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you Let not your hart be troubled neither feare Ye haue heard that I said vnto you I go and come vnto you If ye loued me ye would verely reioice because I said I go vnto the father for the father is greater than I. And now haue I shewed you before it come that when it is come to passe ye might beleeue Hereafter will I not talke many words with you for the ruler of this worlde commeth and hath naught in me But that the world may knowe that I loue the father as the father gaue me commaundement euen so doâ— I. Arise let vs go hence Doctrine and fruite THe Lord Iesus continueth his Oration in comforting his Disciples and in telling them what the office of the holy Ghost should be Whereby we learne that all reading and hearing yea and al doctrine bringeth vtterly no fruite if the holy Ghost do not giue vs vnderstanding and teach vs the word of God For the Disciples were ignorant and forgetfull Many thinges that Christ had tolde them they vnderstood not many thinges had they forgotten in many thinges they doubted Such like happen also vnto vs therefore ought wee at all times to pray vnto God that he will send vs his holy spirite to admonish and prouoke vs to comfort and strengthen vs to instruct and teach vs all thinges that are necessarie for vs to saluation Hee is the right heauenly schoolemaister when hee commeth into vs hee expelleth all ignorance away But forasmuch as there remaineth much trouble and aduersitie vnto all faithfull beleeuers while they liue in this time Christ doth therefore promise them his peace against the turmoyling vnquietnes and trouble of this world In the world are many hurley burlyes and aduersities In Christ we find true peace and quietnesse And Christ vnto those that are his giueth such a peace as surmounteth all vnderstanding in the which peace they beeing coupled and knitte are able valiauntly to ouercome all enemies and aduersitie For in as much as they knowe and be vndoubtedly assured through faith that their sins are forgiuen and taken awaie by Christ that the father of heauen is fauorable and gracious vnto them that they be his owne children and inheritours they doe little passe what thing outwardly happeneth vnto them All aduersitie and trouble that outwardlie is layde vpon them is through the inward ioy and peace which they haue in God cleane swallowed vp and so forgotten They settle and staie their harts vppon saluation and eternall peace The peace of the world seeketh quietnesse rest of the bodie throweth awaie the crosse
Iesus to kisse him And when he came he stept vnto him and sayd All haile master and with that kissed him Iesus sayd vnto him Friend whereto art thou come Iudas betrayest thou the sonne of man with a kisse Iesus knowing all things that were to come vpon himselfe went forth and sayd vnto them Whom seeke ye They said Iesus of Nazareth Then sayd he vnto them I am he And Iudas that betraied him stood with them Now when Iesus sayd I am hee they went backeward and fell to the ground Then Iesus asked them againe whome seeke ye They said Iesus of Nazareth Then answered Iesus and said I haue tolde you that I am hee If ye seeke me then let these depart that the saying which he spake might bee fulfilled Of them whome thou gauest me I haue lost none Doctrine and fruit CHrist the worthy and strong Captaine when he hath whollie giuen ouer himselfe steppeth forth weaponed going manfully and stedfastlie against the prince of this world and his ministers yeelding and offering himselfe willingly to suffer for vs as Esay saith quia voluit for so was it his will No man had beene able to take him or put him to death if hee had not so willed himselfe for hee had power to leaue his owne life Many times afore did hee giue place to their fury and got himselfe out of the way but when the houre apointed of the father was come he goeth himselfe willingly meeteth death by the way Heere ought we also to learne willingly and stoutly to goe into aduersity if it bee the will of our father if Gods honour and our neighbours welfare so require For like as the father suffreth not his son to die till the houre of death come euen so standeth our life in his hand The limits that hee hath set vnto vs may we neither preuent nor ouer passe neither lieth it in the power of our enemies to kill vs when they will themselues Christ careth for those that are his the enemies are able to doe vs no harme at all no neither in bodie nor goods till the Father giue them leaue Therfore he sayth Let these go The father according to his greate mercie and gracious will thrusteth vs into aduersitie with Christ his deare beloued sonne in such wise so much and at what time he will himselfe Against his will ought we not to striue but patiently and with obedience submit our selues wholy vnto it Oh what an vnspeakable great loue is heere The shepheard dieth to saue the lyfe of the poore sheepe the Lorde goeth vnto death to the intent that the seruants should not die the creator spareth not himselfe to saue his creature If the sonne of God nowe doeth not abhorre to suffer death for vs why would wee then bee ashamed to suffer and die for hys sake And though he be verie God and sheweth his enemies the brightnes of his godly strength in that he so throweth them to the grounde yet will not he in the same houre vse such his diuine power to deliuer himself albeit he admonisheth them therby to cease from their conceiued mallice for his godly strength casteth them downe his mercie grace lifteth them vp again Out of the which great myracle they shuld haue learned not to laie hande on him malitiously they shoulde haue considered that if it had beene his pleasure hee might well haue escaped their handes so that they had not beene able to holde him but the vnbeleeuing rable are blinded indurate and hardned that neither myracle nor kindnes can moue them Oh the high maiestie of Christ how shall vnbeleeuers be able to stand before him when he shal appeare in the iudgement whereas before his weaknesse and humilitie when hee was now to bee iudged himselfe they were not able to stand If his louing voice wherewith hee speaketh so gentlie vnto them and saith I am hee dooth so feare them and throw them down What wil then the horrible voice of the Iudge doe when hee shall say depart yee cursed into euerlasting fire O how innocently and godly ought we to liue before him who is among vs and in vs heareth all our words seeth all our workes sercheth and looketh thorow all our thoughts howe secret so euer they be Christ at this time withdrew his high power and in weaknes of the flesh and in wonderfull high patience stept he forth to suffer By his ensample must wee learne not to take vs to our high estate but with patience and humblenes of mind to meet the enemie Like patience and gentlenes vseth he also towards his traitour whome hee goeth to meet not speaking rough wordes vnto him brawleth not with him rateth him not as he was well worthy but receiueth him with all softnes of mind and gentlenes whereas yet hee came to deliuer betray him into the hands of the wicked and vnto death Neither dooth the Lorde denie him so much as the kisse the token of friendship but louingly also talketh he with him albeit he also maketh mention of his vnfeined and dissembling friendship telling him of it admonishing him if he had not bene hardened to cease from his conceaued treason Wherefore we also must learne of Christ so far as concerneth our owne person and estimation with all mildnesse softnesse of mind patience and greatest loue to meete those that hate vs and betray vs if peraduenture with such loue and gentlenes of minde wee may bring them away from their malice and wickednes Heere also with great feare dread ought we to consider of the iudgement God in Iudas that he being one of the twelue and elect Disciples dooth betray and sell the Lord Iesus his gratious louing Maister Whereby wee are taught how that amongst all men there is nothing throughly perfect and whole seeing that in so holy and small number there is one man so greatly stuffed with wickednesse Therefore he that standeth let him looke that he fall not Lette couetousnes blind no man let the desire of temporall good possesse and rule no mans heart for out of couetousnes the roote of all vice groweth nothing but treason and despaire No righteousnesse no fidelity no truth no honesty can be in that hart wherin greedie couetousnes hath taken root Iudas for verie greedines of money giueth ouer God all loue and hee that afore was a fellowe and companion of the holy congregation of Gods children is become a mate companion and Captaine of the wicked vnbeleeuers hee that was chosen to the preaching of the Gospell is become an enemie persecutor and traitour against the truth O from how high great honour to what shame dishonestie and vile state falleth Iudas who hauing woluish conditions vnder sheepes cloathing doth vnder the token of loue practise treason against the trueth From Iesus the true health hee seperateth himselfe to the children of the Deuill hee getteth him amongst the bloud-thirstie yea euen he that hitherto in outward appearaunce had
stubborne flesh with the cords of thy feare and nurture yoke vs vnder thy holie worke and obedience Yea thy bands make quite free from all sinnes thy bandes keepe vs and drawe vs in that we run not at large in curiositie worldly vanitie they preserue vs in thy holy seruice vnder continual nurture and blessed perseuerance O grant that it bee light and not greeuous vnto vs to breake and yeelde our selues that wee doo not loath nor abhorre to bee enfourmed taught lead and corrected against our owne selfe will Graunt that wee neuer become disobedient vnquiet stubborne busie headie and contentious that wee neuer bee found fighters neyther such as vse brawling and scoulding Make thou vs quyet milde soft minded tractable and meeke euer readie and not loth to keepe thy commaundementes Bow downe our necke vnder the yoake of thy obedience helpe vs through straite exercises to tame and ouercome our flesh and wicked dispositions which wee are most inclined vnto O Lord Iesus Christ graunt vnto vs whome thou hast deliuered that fully and perfectly wee may yeelde our selues vnto thee committing vs wholly vnto thy spirite and to haue alwayes before our eyes and hearts that wee are euen as sheepe appointed to the butcherie and shammels that we defende not our selues in ire and greedinesse of vengeaunce for thou hast numbred our haires and giuen vs thine Angels to bee our keepers Wherefore preserue thou our mindes from displeasure and desire of reuengement graunt vs a milde friendly stomacke towardes our enemie that we may loue him speake good vnto him pray for him recompence him good for euill that wee may bee readie to offer the other cheeke also And when wee stand in anie daunger O graunt vs that we do nothing which doth euil become thy children and that is not agreeable vnto thine example ANd Annas sent him so bounde vnto Caiphas the high Priest The souldiers tooke Iesus and lead him vnto the high Priest Caiphas there as the Scribes the Elders and Pharisies were come together But Peter followed after a farre off into the pallace of the high Priest and so did another Disciple the same Disciple was knowne to the high Priest and went in with Iesu into the high Priests pallace But Peter stood without at the doore Then the other Disciple who was knowne to the high Priest went out and spake to the damosell that kept the doore and brought Peter in So Peter went in and sate with the seruants to see the end They had a fire and coales kindled in the middest of the pallace and sate about it Peter also sate amongst them and warmed him by the fire The other seruants also stood round about the fire and warmed themselues for it was colde and Peter beeing with them stoode and warmed himselfe Nowe when the high Priestes maide that kept the doore sawe Peter and spyed him by the light of the fire she saide Wast not thou also with Iesus of Nazareth the Galilean Art not thou likewise one of his Disciples Another said he also was with him Then Peter denied before them all and said Woman I knowe him not I am not hee neither wote I whereof thou speakest And when hee was gone out into the porch the cocke crew Then there spyed him another Damsell which said vnto those that were there This fellow also was with Iesus of Nazareth Then denied hee againe with an oath and saide I neuer knewe the man After a little while as it were about an houre others that stood there spyed him and saide Verely thou art one of them for thou art a Galilean thine owne speech bewraieth thee Then saide one of the Priests seruantes a kinsman of his whose eare Peter had smitten off Did not I see thee with him in the garden But Peter began to sweare and to curse himselfe to make great protestation that hee neuer knew the man Immediately while he yet spake the cocke crew againe And the Lord turned him about and he held Peter Then Peter remembred the word that Iesus had said vnto him Afore the cocke crow twise thou shalt denie mee three times And hee went forth and wept bitterly Doctrine and fruite O The sodaine change O the great inconstancie of mans weaknesse O the vnsearcheable iudgementes of God! Not long heretofore would Peter haue gone with Christ his maister into prison death But now he is so afraid at the words of one Damosell that hee denieth the Lord. Of the which fall Christ told Peter and the other Disciples afore for a warning but they beleeuing it not became presumptuous and ascribed too much vnto themselues therfore the Lord suffereth them to fall that they may learne what they haue of themselues and what they haue of God yea that we all may see what the Apostles were afore the receiuing of the holy Ghost and what they became after the power that was giuen them from aboue Afore they receiued the holy Ghost they were weake feeble inconstaunt and wauering but when God hath cloathed them with power from aboue they became feruent earnest and steadfast Greeuously dooth Peter fall in deniyng of his maister which thing yet turneth to the wealth of him all men to the intent that thereby we might learne how hurtfull and daungerous it is for a man to trust to himselfe to his own strength and not onely vnto God without whome we are able to doe nothing that good is Good godly people do fall many times and thorow feare and greatnes of the battaile they should vtterly giue ouer if they were not fortified and preserued by the power of God Therefore the mercie of God which continually careth for vs hath brought to passe and appointed that such examples should be noted in the scripture to teach vs to declare vnto vs his power goodnesse in euerie thing Thus the sinnes falles of holy and vertuous men are set before vs partly to the intent that if we stand we should so continue vpright looking well to our selues that we fall not and partly that if we be fallen we should learne to rise vp again to amend our liues and to bewaile our sinnes And so haue the holye Euangelistes perfectlie and vniformelie described the fall and deniall of Peter not that thereby they thought to deface Peter or to publishe and make knowen his trespasse but that the power of GOD in him might be knowen and praised As for such sinnes as holy men commit through weaknesse and ignorance God vseth them to his glorie and our commoditie that with the woundes of his Saintes he might heale ours and that the shipwracke of the godly might bee vnto vs a sure port hauen Peters fall serueth first to the knowledge and praise of the power and goodnesse of God in that we see how mightily he setteth Peter vp again strengtheneth him howe graciously hee forgiueth him his sinnes that we which are fallen should not despaire but hope for assistance and forgiuenesse of
his sake to beare vile buffets and all vngentlenes for all this suffreth he for the truthes sake Euen he whome the Angels â—oe worship is blasphemed of vnthrifts hee that giueth true answere is named a blasphemer the righteous Iudge is condemned of the vnrighteous and pronounced to be worthie of death But the gracious Lord is quietly content to keepe silence and dooth suffer and therefore the more humble hee is and submitteth him selfe to bee mis-intreated the more glorious is his victorie With many wicked euill words is he defaced and scorned sore beaten and mishandled That gracious face which the Angels delight to beholde is blinde-folded spitted vpon and buffeted the head the face and necke beaten with many sore strokes Christ is become a straunger vnto all his friends forsaken of al his acquaintance and kinsfolkes a mocking and ieasting stocke vnto all men Euen as if it were a dizard foole is hee laughed to scorne that is wisest of all vppon whom the cruell dogs all the night long practise their vnsatiable malice and pleasure with mocking nipping pulling buffeting spitting and reuiling of him In all this doth his swiftnes of mind and excellent patience abide still constant and vnmoueable wherby we may iustly learne to bee ashamed of our presumptuous brags in our pompe and pride which we vse in our soft and costly apparell where as Christ for our sakes became most poore and vilely reputed Verie euill beseemeth it vs yea a shame it is for vs which of Christ are called Christians and will bee his disciples to seeke bodily pleasure and earthy ioy and sensualitie in all thinges wheras the Lord Iesus our head dooth beare and suffer all that is contrarie therunto O how vnlike are we to our head forgoer How farare wee froÌ„ right true humilitie when for the least wrong and vnaduised word we bee displeased with our brethren and whereas we should giue thanks for being rebuked to our profite we are vnpacient and miscontent O Lord Iesus Christ graunt vs so to consider thy holy passion that it bring fruite in vs make vs pacient when hurt and displeasure is done vnto vs teach vs after thine owne liuing example not to feare the rayling wordes and persecution of wicked people neither to be discouraged for any wrongfull accusation that happeneth vppon vs. Teach vs to see our owne vilenesse how iustly we are of the people reuiled and despised for our sinnes Haue mercie ô lord vpon our vnperfectnes thou wast reuiled that thou mightst take from vs euerlasting shame beaten thou wasâ— that from the stripes which we with our sinnes haue deserued thou mightest deliuer vs spitted vppon and mocked to bring vs from euerlasting confusion to euerlasting honour Wherefore strengthen our minds ô Lord that in lowly shamefastnes wee may paciently suffer and beare the hard wordes and checkes that other folkes giue vs for our sinnes and offences for many mo falser accusations and rebukes hast thou borne with highest patience for vs vile sinners O let the hard strokes and knockes of thy head be vnto vs a swaging of all our bodily paines lette that scornfull blindfolding of thine eyes bee vnto vs a restraint and keeping in of our sight from all wantonnes vanitie lightnes of eies let the vile spitting vpon thy holy face expell out of vs all carnall lustes and teach vs not to regard the outward appearance but to holde and keepe in honour the vertues of the soule That carrying about and scornefull derision which happened vnto thee vndeserued driue froÌ„ vs all dissolute manners and wanton gestures Let that refusing of thy worthines quench in vs all desires of temporall honor let it moue vs vnto things that of the worlde are contemned and in small estimation Giue vs ô Lorde a strong victorie in all patience that from our heart rootes wee may acknowledge and confesse our selues to be most worthie of al contempt and slaunder of all rebuke shame and punishment Amen EArlie in the morning at the break of the day went the chiefe Priests and Elders of the people to counsail 〈◊〉 they might destroy Iesus And they brought him to their Counsaile and said If thou bee Christ tell vs Then said Iesus vnto them if I tell you ye will not beleeue me if I aske you a question you will giue me no aunswere neither let me go But from this time forth shal the sonne of man sitte at the right hand of the power of God Then said they all Art thou then the sonne of God Then said hee Ye say it I am They said What need we any more witnesse We haue heard it our selues out of his own mouth Then arose the whole multitude as many as were there and bound Iesus and led him from Caiphas to Pilate into the iudgement hall And it was earely in the morning They went not into the iudgement hall least they shuld be defiled but that they might eat Passah Then went Pilate forth vnto them and they broght Iesus bound and deliuered him vnto Pontius Pilate the deputie Doctrine and fruite SAthan sleepeth not but watcheth and is diligent to driue his houshold together to destroy Iesus Christ to make him sure and to bring him to his end For they thought if they might haue Iesus once deade then had they rooted out the doctrine of the trueth But foolish and vaine is their deuise for the truth is immortall the more it is opprest the more it breaketh forth againe when men vndertake for to quench it then doth the shine and brightnes therof appeare more glorious Shame therfore and rebuke yea eternall punishment bring all they vppon themselues that withstanding the trueth take it prisoner bind it and deliuer it to the Iudge They thinke they bind the truth but the truth and worde of God cannot be bound for it maketh all thinges free and such as are tangled and wrapt in the snares of sinne those it deliuereth Who so goeth about to bind the truth dooth knitte and snare himselfe with vnlowsable bands and casteth from him the band of loue wherwith God offereth to draw him vnto himselfe and to binde him vnder his yoke Wherefore let vs be obedient vnto the truth and not striue against it for if we vndertake to condemne it it shall so appeare againe in high Maiestie that through the beautifull faire and cleare brightnesse thereof wee shall all perish and be blinded WHen Iudas which had betraied him sawe that Iesus was condemned hee repented so that hee tooke the money the thirtie siluer pence and brought them to the high Priestes and to the Elders of the people and saide I haue sinned in betraying that innocent bloud They said What haue we to do withall Looke thou to that So he cast the money from him in the temple went his way and hanged himselfe in a snare But the high Priestes tooke the money saide It is not lawfull to put it into the treasurie for it is the price of bloud And
they tooke counsell bought with the same money a potters field to bury strangers in Wherfore the same field is called Acheldema that is the field of bloud vntill this day Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Ieremie the Prophet saying And they tooke thirtie siluer plates the price of him that was vâ—lued whom they bought of the children of Israel and gaâ—â— them for the potters field as the Lord appointed me Doctrine and fruite LIke as we haue had in Peter an ensample of the grace and mercie of God so haue we in Iudas a fearefull and terrible ensample of Gods righteousnesse In Iudas are described vnto vs all vnbeleeuing desperate persons whom the gracious God of his bottomlesse mercie calleth to his goodnes and seruice but they despise it and followe satan who blindeth them and entiseth them through manifold wickednes which they consider not but when they are come into the deepnesse of vice they force not of it The deuill also to whom they surrender themselues to serue and that hath taken possession of their heart blindeth them in such sorte that they ponder not the vilenesse grieuousnesse and greatnes of their sinnes till they haue fully finished the abhomination for if they did consider it they should repent amend How many louing admonitions had Iudas heard of the Lord to dissuade him from his purpose yet all could not helpe At the last openeth hee their eies that they repent but a godly repentaunce they receiue not They beholde the greatnesse and grieuousnesse of the sinne and offence but the greatnes of Gods mercie in Christ they see not by meanes whereof they despaire in theyr sinnes and are damned In the Priests that loath the bloud monie and yet abhorre not to shed the innocent bloud is set foorth before our eyes an ensample of all hypocrites which outwardly appeare to be good and vertuous and yet regard not the godlynes of the spirit A gnat choaketh them and a camell they swallow vp But vnto vs poore straungers and pilgrimes there is prepared and bought through the bloud of Christ a field and Church-yard that wee beeing washed cleane from our sinnes might find eternal rest to our soules Preserue vs O God from couetousnesse and despaire from false hypocrisie treason and bloushedding G lead vs not into temptation And whereas we haue sinned grant vs true fruitfull repentance that we neuer forget thy goodnes mercie but immediatly cease from sinne and serue thee continually vntill our end Amen IEsus stood before the deputie Then said the deputy what accusation bring ye against this man They answered said If he were not an euill doer we had not deliuered him vnto thee Then said Pilate vnto them Take yee him and iudge him after your law Then said the Iewes It is not lawfull for vs to put anie man to death that the saying of Iesus might be fulfilled which he spake signifieng what death hee should die Then began they to accuse him sayd We haue found this man peruerting the people forbidding to giue tribute vnto the Emperor naming himself to be Christ a king Pilate asked him said Art thou king of the Iews Then answered he and sayd Thou hast spoken it Then said Pilate to the chiefe Priests and to the people I 〈…〉 nor guiltines in the man Then were they more earnest and said he hath with his doctrine mooued the people to sedicâ—â—â— thorow out whole Iewrie beginning in Galilee and from thence hither vnto this place Nowe when Pilate heard of Galilee he asked if he were a Galilean And when hee perceiued that he was vnder Herods iurisdiction hee sent him vnto Herode who then was at Hierusalem Doctrine and fruite ALL they that hitherto from the beginning of the world haue at any time preached the truth were of the aduersaries noted and accused to be sedicious deceiuers of the people which thing was brought vpon them to rid them out of the way Hereof find we examples enow in the olde and new Testament Ieremy 26.32.38 3. Reg. 18. Amos 7. In Christ and his Apostles we see it euident Therefore haue wee no cause to giue ouer the truth for wee are no better than our maister And though wee bee complained vppon for the truthes sake it ought not greatly to greeue vs for as much as we see that the like happened vnto Christ in whose mouth there was neuer found guile Hee is set forth vnto vs for an example of most perfect patience We that be spirituail Disciples of Christ must goe vnto him to schoole and learne of him meeknes obedience patience and lowlines of mind Beholde our head standeth before an Hethenish vnrighteous Iudge wrongfully and sore is hee accused euen our â—â—uiour our king Lord yea euen he that is iudge 〈…〉 whole world Why should we then 〈…〉 for Gods sake to obey worldly 〈…〉 though they oppresse vs do vs wrong 〈◊〉 innocent as for vs we are in many things guiltie Neuer should the patience of Iesus slip out of our hearts Haue mercie vpon our impatiencie O mercifull Father and print in our heartes the image of thy son grant vs grace to follow his footsteps expell out of vs all feare of worldly accusations false iudgments giue vs such a gentle spirite as when we bee wrongfully accused or vniustly punished is not soone vnquieted ô driue thou out of vs all fumishnesse indignation and selfe will let thy loue increase and growe in vs through the contemning of our selues and whatsoeuer is in vs that striueth or resisteth against thy holie will let the same bee cleane extinct and die AND when Herode sawe Iesus he was exceeding glad for hee was desirous to see him of a long season because he had heard many things of him and he trusted to haue seene some myracle done by him Then he questioned with him many wordes but Iesus aunswered nothing The high Priests and Scribes stood forth and accused him straightly And Herode with his men of warre despised him And when he had mocked him he araied him in white clothing and sent him againe to Pilate And the same daie Pilate and Herode were made friendes together for before they were at variance Doctrine and fruite THe euerlasting wisedome of God is mocked iested at as a desert foole the truth is belied Vs therefore that of nature are foolish and liers it shuld not grieue to be reuiled for Gods sake No answere giueth Christ to the vngodly voluptuous king who of a curious desire woulde faine haue seene or heard some new thing of Christ for at that houre to answere it could not edifie It was a time wherein it pleased him to suffer not to doo miracles Thus the innocent Lord Iesus for vs guiltie is drawen and haled from one vnrighteous iudge to another All reproch shame dishonour and derision taketh he vppon himselfe for our sakes euerie where is hee grieuously accused in euery place is there hurt done
men cried Away with him crucifie him crucifie him O the wonderfull great lenitie of our Lord Iesus Christ They reuile and misintreat him to the vttermost he praieth for them that they beeing conuerted from their wickednes may acknowledge him the very true son of God to haue appeared in the flesh Here is fulfilled that Esay said hee hath borne the sinnes of many and made intercession for the transgressours that they should not perish Who now being in sinne wil despaire in the mercie of God when the great offenders that crucified and slewe the giuer of all remission found so great grace and goodnes A stedfast hope therefore ought we to conceiue and to bee sure of howe great soeuer our sinne be The hope of life standeth yet open the bowels of mercie are yet readie prepared Onely vnto him let vs resort full gratiously will hee receiue vs so far as wee giue ouer our selues vnto him Heere likewise by the example of our fore-goer wee must learne to forgiue our neighbour to pray also for our enemies and for those that do vs harme If we gladly forgiue that little God will forgiue vs the great If we so do we finde grace and are the children of the heauenly Father As for the recompencing of all despite taking of vengeance wee must commit and refer that vnto our Father who iudgeth righteously O Iesu thou heauenly schoolmaster teach vs this and graunt vs grace to doe it Giue vs also an assured hope of thy mercie and grace that wee fall into no despaire through the multitude of our sinnes but with faithfull minds to consider that for to heale sin thou camest into this world hast shed thy bloud O graunt vnto vs free refuge and sure defence vnder the shadowe of thy winges and vnder the inuincible token of thy holie crosse Receiue vs poore sinners which vtterly trust not in anie good deede or merit of our owne but onely in thy mercie Amen Verie spitefull extremitie is shewed vnto our Sauiour in that he must beholde and see how the vile vnthriftes part his clothes amongst them By this is there set forth vnto vs a doctrine how wee ought to behaue our selues if our temporall goodes bee withdrawne and taken from vs. Wee must bee readier to suffer temporal harme than to bee reuenged or with vnquiet suite at the law to require our owne He that created the whole worlde hath not a corner where to rest his head Hee that beautifieth and decketh all things hangeth bare and naked himselfe Whereby we must learne to be pacient if that which is ours be taken from vs wee must learne to bee content with few thinges and to take in good part things of small reputation and not to grudge but with quiet minds to be thankfull vnto God O Lord grant vnto vs that we appeare not naked and bare before thee cloth vs with the wedding garment of faith and loue and when wee suffer wrong giue vs grace to followe thine example in patience that no sorrowe nor heauinesse for losse of temporall goods lead vs away from thee Amen THey that passed by reuiled and blasphemed him wagging their heades and saieng ha thou that breakest downe the temple and settest it vp againe in three dayes helpe now thy selfe if thou be the Sonne of God come downe from the crosse The high Priestes also mocked him together with the Scribes and Elders and saide amongst themselues He helped others can hee not helpe himselfe If he be Christ the chosen of God the king of Israell lette him come downe now from the crosse we will beleeue him He setteth his hope and trust in God let him deliuer him if hee will haue him for hee hath said I am the Sonne of GOD. The murtherers also that were crucified with him cast the same in his teeth and reuiled him The people stoode there and wayted and the chiefe of them mocked him and saide Hath hee helped others and cannot helpe himselfe and is Christ the chosen of GOD. The souldiers also mocked him came and proffered him vineger and said If thou be king of the Iewes helpe thy selfe One of the murtherers that hanged by him reuiled him also and said If thou bee Christ helpe thy selfe and vs. But the other rebuked him and said Fearest thou not God seeing thou art in the same damnation As for vs we are iustly punished for we receiue according to our deeds but this man hath done nothing amisse And he said vnto Iesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome And Iesus said vnto him Verely I say vnto thee this day shalt thou be with me in paradise Doctrine and fruite IEsus for our sake tooke vpon himselfe the most extreme shame rebuke derision to deliuer vs from eternall villainy and that wee should learne gladly to suffer reproch and shame and to despise the vain-glorie of this world He is mocked contemned of high and lowe of spirituall temporall and of euerie man For they being ful of gal bitternes and poison poure it out with their false tongues and outwarde gestures casting out wicked slaundrous wordes and sharpening their venemous tongs against the innocent sauiour They rather shuld haue bewailed their owne great sinnes but there is no compassion nor mercie in them their harts are stopt Sathan hath the leading of them Yet cannot their malice ouercome good Iesus Through their wickednesse and despite cannot his patience bee vanquished No opprobrious or vile word might cause him to omit the worke of our redemption but hee continueth in loue and performeth it with an honorable ende Euen as hee teacheth vs to endure vnto the end so doth he practise it himselfe and declareth it vnto vs in deede and example We therfore that wil be followers of Iesu Christ shuld set before vs this excellent example of our forgoer and learne to contemne the world and stoutlie to abide in our holie vocation and purpose It is the worke of Christ that we haue in hand and before vs we haue an high perfect example giuer of whom we ought to learne euen Christ Iesus who for our sakes was obedient to the Father vntill the death of the crosse Wherefore seeing we are become children of God throgh grace we must be obedient to our heauenly father looking to his good pleasure bidding the world farewell despising the mocks and scorns therof looking vp euer diligently vnto the crucified Lorde Iesus who waiteth for vs with outstretched armes calleth vs louingly vnto him and for a shorte trauaile promiseth vs eternall rewarde and saith If thou suffer with mee thou shalt raigne with mee If thou dye with mee thou shalt also be crowned with mee O Lord Iesu Christ our fore-goer and protector graunt vs grace stedfastly to continue in our holie vocation and to abide in thy seruice that through no tediousnes or slouth we shrinke or cease from the feruentnes of good workes and holie exercises that we being alway readie
furnished with watching and praier may stedfastly stand and with a constant mind despise all bodily prouocations shewing patience in aduersitie not fearing the slaunders and despitefull swordes of the people neyther desiring the prayse and honour of this worlde that in the onely eternal wealth wee may sette all our trust and neuer to goe backe from the crosse for wealth nor woe but that vnder the same banner through true patience meeknesse and obedience wee may finish our life with a blessed ende Amen In the offendor that receiued of Christ the promis of grace there is set before vs a comfortable example of the mercie and loue of God for hee that afore had beene a murtherer and now was become a penitent and repentaunt person assoone as he acknowledged the trespasse and was vnfainedly sorrie for his offences committed confessing Christ the fountaine of life there was promised vnto him forgiuenesse of his sinnes and entrance into ioy Wherby wee see that no true penitent commeth too late and that no conuersion is vnfruitfull if it bee doone vnfainedly from out of the heart Here should we learne to goe into our selues to acknowledge and confesse our sinnes to complaine vnto GOD with lamentation and to desire grace at his hande affirming also that wee are well worthie of all rebuke and shame all punishment payne and aduersitie Neuerthelesse in the consideration of Gods eternal mercie wee ought not to despayre but to turne vs vnto the Bishop and chiefe shepheard of our soules and to saye Lorde remember vs in thy kingdome where thou sittest at the right hande of GOD thy Father so shall wee vndoubtedly heare this chearefull voice To day shalt thou bee with mee in paradise This word of consolation this gratious promise shall strengthen comfort our troubled hart in the carefull terrible houre so that we shal be able quietly to die forasmuch as Iesus so friendly speaketh to vs and receiueth vs so graciously Great and vnsearchable is the mercie of God that pardoneth so great a sinner and offendour and doth not cast him off neither will hee reiect our feruent praier which we in true confidence make vnto him Hee desireth not the death of a sinner but willeth that hee conuert and liue So loued hee the worlde that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth on him should not perish but haue euerlasting life neither came hee to call the righteous but sinners O Iesu bee mindfull of thy promisse thinke vpon vs thy seruantes and when wee shall depart hence speake vnto our soule these louing wordes To day shalt thou bee with mee in ioy O Lord Iesu Christ remember vs thy seruauntes that trust in thee when our tongue cannot speake when the sight of our eies fayleth and when our eares are stopped Suffer not the olde Serpent and wicked enemie the Deuill to finde anie thing in vs though hee subtilly tempt vs and craftily lay wayte for vs. In thee shall we ouercome him for in thee is our strength thou takest al our sinnes vppon thy selfe so that hee shall finde nothing in vs but must departe from vs with shame Lette them bee turned backe and soone confounded but lette our soule alway reioyce in thee and bee ioyfull of thy saluation which thou through thy death hast purchased for vs. IT was neare hande about the sixt houre And beside the crosse of Iesus stoode Marie his mother and his mothers sister Marie the wife of Cleophas and Marie Magdalene Now when Iesus sawe his mother and the disciple standing whom he loued he said vnto his mother Woman behold thy sonne Afterward said hee to the disciple Behold thy mother And from that houre foorth the disciple tooke her for his owne Doctrine and fruite IN the passion of Christ as is mentioned afore it ought to be considered that he was most extremely reuyled and suffered most great paine for our sakes This now appertaineth to the increasing of his paine that hee seeth his mother in all aduersitie who might not helpe him neyther hee her Nowe doth the sworde that Simeon spake of pierce thorow her heart But Iesus seeing her in sorrowe and heauinesse declareth his carefull loue vppon the honour and worthinesse of his dearely beloued mother and giueth her a tutour such an one as will looke vnto her On both the parties maye wee perceyue great loue which wee ought to learne of the Lord and to exercise towardes those that bee committed vnto vs. Neither is it written of the Euangelist for naught that shee stoode for thereby we see that though Marie was in verie greate heauinesse and sorrowe yet behaueth shee not heâ—selfe vnseemelie nor vndiscreetly as carnall men doe in aduersitie manie times Shee standeth demurely and soberly beeing fortified through the strength of the spirite that stayeth her Whereby wee may learne when our deare friendes die not to bee sorie for them beyond measure and discretion But chiefly we learne when aduersitie commeth one to haue respect to another to care for our owne faithfully to coÌ„mit them vnto others that one may brotherly and truly looke to another but specially we ought to be carefull for those which are deare vnto God FRom the sixt houre there was darkenesse vppon all the earth till about the ninth houre and the Sunne was darkened About the ninth houre Iesus cryed with a lowd voyce Ely Ely lama sabacthani that is My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Some standing there when they heard it said He calleth to Helias Immediately one of them ranne and tooke a spunge and filled it with vineger and put it vppon a reede and gaue him to drinke Other said lette vs see whether Helias will come and deliuer him Doctrine and fruite IN all aduersitie and despight is all bodily and temporall comfort withdrawne from Christ that euen when hee without all consolation dooth suffer most greuous extremitie wee might perceiue his loue The Lord of all creatures that lacketh nothing commeth into so great affliction and necessitie for our sake that hee complaineth himselfe to bee forsaken of him who worketh all things in him This is the voyce of the passible mortall flesh which for vs poore sinners crieth vpon the crosse His patience is our comfort his complaint is our helpe his sicknesse is our health his paine is our satisfaction The Phisitian came from heauen that hee thorow great compassion might giue ouer him selfe into exceeding many torments and rebukes Therfore with the sick he is sicke with those that suffer hee suffereth with the sorrowfull he is sorie with them that suffer violence hee complaineth for his feeble and weake members he praieth And the voyce of the flesh and of naturall sence is neither rebellious nor desperate The fleshe feeleth great paine vndeserued the innocent holy body suffereth sore punishment the Godhead neuerthelesse vseth the highest silence And as for the diuine presence the sensible paine is not minished by it But a merueilous steadfastnes
of patience is heere declared to performe the redemption of mankinde This paine and smart is so great that euen the Elements which haue no sence declare tokens of their compassion The Sunne lost his shine and hid his cheerefull light from the wicked rabble hauing as it were a displeasure for the death of their maker Seeing now that the sun mourneth and the earth quaketh much more ought we reasonable men to haue compassion and to consider the death of our maker Behold O faithfull seruant of God how thy foregoer in all his punishment and sorrowfull trouble indureth stil mild and patient and that there is heard no bitternes out of his mouth His praier and complaint sendeth hee vppe vnto his heauenlie Father neither nameth hee any other saue onely God To him alone hee complaineth and openeth his desolation Euen so ought wee to doe when aduersitie reproch or any such thing assaulteth vs wee must not vndiscreetly sorrow or be angrie but runne straight way vnto the Crosse and at the Crosse tarrie and abide a little while with the Lorde If thou be forsaken complaine of thy trouble vnto GOD the Father Consider that Iesus also for thy sake was left in great trouble and anguishe Learne thou likewise to bee soft minded and patient without murmuring or cursing Keepe thee to the onelie comfort of God giue ouer all the ioy of this world so shalt thou not bee forsaken of him All earthlie thinges set apart turne thou thy minde vppe into the Countrey of Heauen Take GOD for thy Father Iesus for thy brother Thou art of a noble high kindred namelie a childe of the euer liuing God O mercifull father wee crie vnto thee in all trouble and call vppon thee through the crucified Iesus Suffer vs not to sincke in great afflictions giue vs not ouer vnto our owne strength but the more the enemie presseth vppon vs the more bee thou our assistance For in all anguishe and trouble thou art the right helper and most faithfull friend If temptation then come vppon vs by thy fatherly will graunt vs grace O Lord patientlie to beare it and to lay the burthen vpon thy mercie that in all trouble we being els destitute of all consolatiō may put our whole trust onely in thee Amen AFter this Iesus knowing that all thinges were nowe perfourmed that the scripture might be fulfilled hee saith I thirst So there stood a vessell by full of vineger Therfore they filled a spunge with vinegar and wound it about with Isope and put to his mouth Assoone as Iesus then receiued of the Vinegar hee answered and saide It is finished Doctrine and fruite ADam satisfied his lust in the forbidden Apple which noisome lust was ocasion of our death But Iesus for the reformation of this concupiscence suffreth also vpon his tongue to restore vs againe from the fall and to conquere vs in this life His bitter drinke is vnto vs a blessed medicine Such great vnthankefulnesse of the Iewes was prophecied by King Dauid in the Psalmes To him that fedde them in the wildernesse with bread from heauen and gaue them water to drinke out of the hard stonie Rocke Euen vnto him for a recompence they giue Vineger and Gall. O the sower and vnnaturall fruite that the LORDE receiueth of his owne Vineyard which he had planted and garnished so faire To vs heere is prepared a soueraigne medicine against glotonie and all voluptuousnes of the flesh thorow the loue whereof God is forgotten and forsaken Now when Christ who is the fulfiller of the law and all the Prophets had whollie and fully perfourmed the will of his heauenlie father hee saith for a conclusion and ende of his life it is finished as hee would say Now is finished all that the old law hath written and spoken of me all that the old Testament figured with oblations and sacrifices with glory and beautie in the Gods seruice Now are truly fulfilled the holy prophesies of the Prophetes and the long wished desires of the holye olde Fathers Nowe is wrought and perfourmed all that belonged concerned the redemption of mankinde It is all as it was promised of God concluded with an honourable blessed end And looke what is behinde shall vndoubtedly be fulfilled in due time I haue accomplished the commandement of my Father who sent me into this world the worke that hee gaue mee to do haue I finished What could I do more for thee O my people that I haue not done Vppon the sixt daye hee finished the worke of the creation of the world And nowe vppon the sixt day and age of the world hee perfourmeth the blessed worke of mans redemption Vppon the sixt day hee created man and made him of the mould of the earth Vpon the sixt day hee restored him againe and deliuered him with his holy bloud Thus all things are finished the great worke of his mercie and most excellent loue is accomplished the way vnto heauen is opened and the deuils power is broken In such hope ought wee valiauntlie to trauaile at this time in this vnconstant world and not to let fall the worke of God that is begun but by his assistance to bring it vnto a blessed ende and stoutly to endure therein It is well-nie come to the point that all shal bee finished the euening and ende of our life commeth on apace wherein we may say with glad harts as Christ our foregoer did It is all finished Wherefore deare brethren let vs euer most diligently and earnestly walke in the way of the truth and of commendable vertues begun exercising our selues in righteousnes We must not think otherwise but to haue battaile against vice against the flesh the world and Satan Daily goe we on a pace towardes death in hope to attain eternal life O that we might say with Paule I haue fought a good fight I haue fulfilled my course I haue kept the faith We must suffer and haue trauaile yet a litle season the time of our deliuerance will shortly be heere O Lord Iesu direct thou all our works according to thy good pleasure illuminate purifie our minds and thoughts Teach vs how wee euer to the praise and honour of thy holy name may meekly beginne diligently doo and blessedly end all our workes and enterprises O giue vs grace faithfully to labour in the Vineyard of the Lord that the heat and trauaile driue vs not back that we faint not that in the schole of heauenly exercise wee may steadfastly indure till wee giue vp the ghost and that through thy mercie after many commendable battails and long striuing wee may say in the last houre of our life It is all finished Vouchsafe thou to bee the finall occasion of our whole life and of all our woorkings so shall it followe that thou wilt bee also our eternall reward ioy and saluation Amen ANd Iesus criyng with a loud voyce said Father into thy hands I commit my spirite And when hee had thus
the thinges that had happened Then gathered they themselues with the Elders and tooke counsaile and gaue large money vnto the soldiers saying Say ye that his Disciples came by night and stole him away while yee slept And if this come to the rulers eares wee will perswade him and saue you harmelesse So they tooke the money and did as they were taught And this saying is noised among the Iewes vnto this day Now as the women were in the way going they saide among themselues Who will roule vs the stone away from the doore of the Sepulchre for it was a verie great one as they looked they sawe that the stone was rolled awaie Then went they into the Sepulchre and found not the bodie of the Lord Iesu but saw a young man sitting at the right side clothed in a long white garment and they were afraid But the Aungell sayde vnto them Feare not I knowe whome yee seeke Ye seeke Iesus of Nazareth that was crucified Hee is not heere he is risen as he saide Beholde the place where they laide him But goe yee and tell his Disciples and Peter that he is risen againe from the dead Behold hee goeth before you into Galilee as he said vnto you Lo I haue tolde you Doctrine and fruit THE resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead is verie diligently and perfectly described of the foure Euangelistes for right profitable and necessarie is it for the strengthening and stablishing of our beleefe in Christ And whereas in the description of this historie they speake not all alike the same happeneth to our wealth through the ordinaunce of the holie Ghost that we should exercise our faith therein and applie our diligence perfectly to learne and comprehend the same Resurrection of Christ For where that is right conceyued and beleeued there is faith perfect The Euangelistes nowe in describing Christes Resurrection doo most of all declare to what high honour Christ came after death and that in one order and degree according as our beleefe and weakenesse increaseth and groweth towards perfection At the first is faith in vs feeble and vnperfect but through the grace of him that hath giuen it it daily groweth Verie hard also is it for our naturall reason to receiue and beleeue the resurrection of the dead therefore doe the Euangelistes right diligently and with manie wordes set forth the same resurrection of Christ that our beleefe therein might be assured and stedfast For whosoeuer truely and constantly beleeueth the resurrection of Iesu Christ is readie prepared to beleeue all that concerneth Christ Neither is there anie thing that maketh a man more ioyfull then when he beleeueth that at the comming of the Lorde he shal rise againe and receiue a glorified bodie after Christ and with Christ What can be tedious to suche a faithfull beleeuing man when hee beholdeth so high a rewarde from God Diligently therefore ought we to heare what the holy Euangelists write of his resurrection and to giue credence to the witnesses that saw it First wee heare agayne the great zeale and the feruent loue and diligence of these deuout women in that they desire to shew honour vnto the Lorde being dead but the Angell a messenger of his resurrection commaundeth them to declare this ioy vnto the Disciples and to get them vnto the Lord nowe being aliue Heauenly is the messenger and proclaimer of the resurrection for it passeth farre all natural reason and all flesh Therefore are the women also afraid of him and at the faire brightnes of his countenance and apparel For our feeble flesh is not able to sustaine the glorious shine of the heauenly light and godly clearenes but is afraid at it and feareth Neuerthelesse God by his Angell doth right soon comfort the womens weakenes taketh from them their feare speaketh louingly vnto them maketh them Apostles that is messengers and proclaimers of the ioifull resurrection So little doth God reiect our weaknes that he maketh euen women to be the declarers of his resurrection for he euer delighteth of the last to make the first Forasmuch then as they were the beginners of death in sinne they are heere first afore the Apostles chosen to bee declarers of that immortall life which euen out of death is come forth vnto vs in Christ As Christ with the earthquake died on the crosse so riseth hee with the earthquake which also was heard in the sending of the holie Ghost This signified that through his death and resurrection and by the power of the holy Ghost when the Apostles declare the same in the world the whole world should be moued and chaunged And though the vngratious falshood of the high Priestes vndertooke with their lies to hide and suppresse the trueth of Christs resurrection yet God did directe it an other waie Looâ—â—her with they minded to oppresse the truth 〈◊〉 with the same haue they helped to set it forth and thereby was it signified how the Iewish people should bee blinded and refused And forasmuch as they had no loue vnto the trueth but reiected it it it was moche that they should be blinded and darkened in lyes and that there shoulde errour and blindnsse enough fall vpon them The Angel is not ashamed to call Iesus the crucified for the crosse is the token of Christes victorie through the crosse beganne his honour and glorie through the crosse was death ouercome the crosse is the glorious token of all Christians In the crosse is the exaltation of Christ the heade and of all his members Wee ought not therefore to bee ashamed of the crosse of our Lorde which was crucified for therein standeth our health life and resurrection all our reioicing and glorie Commission is giuen that vnto Peter before other disciples they should declare the Lords resurrectioÌ„ that from the feare wherin he stood by reason of the denial he might be deliuered and so comforted He sendeth them to Galilee thither wil he go before them that they might bee safe from the feare of the Iewes which at that time raged horribly Grant vs O God an earnest zeale and loue vnto the poore in whom we may highly honor Iesus thy son And wheras we throgh the weaknes of the flesh are inclined to bee faint hearted and not able of our selues to behold the bright shine and clearnes of his glorious Resurrection strengthen and comfort thou vs by thy holie Angell that wee may constantly beleeue the Resurrection of thy sonne whereby 〈◊〉 receiuing an holy hope of the life to come 〈…〉 immortall Resurrection of our bodies may be 〈◊〉 also to comfort and strengthen others that be 〈◊〉 O make thou this hard earth of our fleshe to 〈◊〉 and mooue through the power of thy spirit to holie fruitfull pennaunce amendment and confession of our life Preserue vs that wee neuer resist the truth nor take part with lies Graunt vs loue vnto the truth keepe vs from errour and blindnesse Let our ioye bee in the crosse
Mary is the annointed king and high Priest the sauior of the world promised of God spoken of afore by the Prophets And euen hee it is who being of the heauenly father annointed king euerlasting was to come after Dauid to raigne for euer This king is the redeemer and sauiour of mankind the very true sonne of God If we beleeue in Christ we beleeue in the true God one onely God we honor one onely God we worship Seeing now that we honor worship Christ we worship God for only God is to be worshipped Forasmuch now as we worship the sonne no lesse than the father it is certaine that Christ is of one nature with the father yea this ought we to beleeue that he came downe into this world to die for vs to wash and wipe away our sins to kill sin in our mortal flesh when he maketh vs partakers of his passion mightily worketh in vs by his spirite in mortifieng our carnall desires We must also beleeue that he by his godly power arose againe from death to a new glorious immortall life For if we thought that hee died beleeued not that he were risen againe to life wee should haue no life in him For vs he died for our sakes hee rose againe for our welfare reigneth he for euer A newe godly blessed life worketh hee in vs with his resurrection and after this life haue we in him life euerlasting AFterward did Iesus shew himselfe againe at the sea of Tiberias And on this wise shewed he himselfe There were together Simon Peter and Thomas which is called Didâ—â—us and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee the sons of Zebedee and two other of his disciples Simon Peter saith vnto them I will go a fishing They say vnto him We also will go with thee They went their way and entred into a shippe immediately and that night caught they nothing But when the morning was now come Iesus stoode on the shâ—â—e but the Disciples knewe not that it was Iesus Iesus saith vnto them Children haue ye any meat They answered him no. And he saith vnto them Cast out the net on the right side of the ship and ye shal find They cast out therfore and anone they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes Then said the Disciple whom Iesus loued to Peter It is the Lord. When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord he girt his coate vnto him for he was naked and sprang into the sea The other Disciples came by shippe for they were not farre from lande but as it were two hundred cubites and they drew the nette with fishes As soone then as they were come to land they sawe hote coales and fish layde thereon and bread Iesus saith vnto them Bring of the fish that yee now haue caught Simon Peter went vp and drew the net to the land full of great fishes an hundred and three and fiftie And for all there were so many yet was not the net broken Iesus saith vnto them Come and dine And none of the disciples durst aske him What art thou For they knew that it was the Lord Iesus then came tooke breade and gaue them and fish likewise This is now the third time that Iesus appeared to his Disciples after that he was risen againe from death Doctrine and fruite WE read in the holy Euangelists that at the first Christ called his disciples namelie Peter and the others from fishing which they also left and came to Christ who told them that he would make them fishers of men Now when hee wil send them out to that office depart from them he appeareth againe vnto them at their fishing And like as he did afore at their vocatioÌ„ he doth before them a great miracle in the which hee admonisheth them of their office and chargeth them diligently to care for his sheepe committed vnto them But first he proueth his resurrection to stablish and confirme their weake faith therby commaunding them afterward to bring other folks also thereto This historie in it selfe is euident enough therefore ought wee first to consider it after the letter for the letter also teacheth for it self Christ like as he appeared vnto those that were sorrowful mourned so doth he heere appeare vnto those that labour and trauaile Christ gaue his disciples authoritie out of the Gospell that they preach to take a competent honest liuing as foode and necessaries of the bodieâ— and yet did not hee restrayne them that they should not or might not labour when occasion serueth Therefore Paule also vsed not that liberty at certaine times but labored with his owne hands and wan his meate So did the Disciples of Christ exercise themselues in their labour For when they were come into Galelee from the feast of Easter which they had kept at Hierusalem afore the holy ghost was giuen them they would not goe idle and thereby become a burthen vnto other men for he that goeth idle lieth vpon other folkes eating that theirs is and ouerchargeth them but vndertake to get their owne lyuing with their handy worke which they had vsed afore Whereby wee must learne to apply our selues vnto labour and not to bee idle for idlenes is the mother of many and great vices Euery man ought to haue an honest traiuaile to bee exercised either with the body or with the minde Who so laboureth not must not eat Man was created to labour as the bird to flie Therfore ought euery father to bring vp his children in honest exercise from their youth vp that the deuill get no place in their hearts which yet commeth to passe if he finde them idle The first commaundement giuen to our forefather Adam after the fall was this In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread Now when we in true faith and confidence vnto God doe take in hand the worke that he hath committed vnto our charge we ought not to doubt God shal prosper it and giue vs his rich and gracious blessing in it as it is written Prouer. 3. In althy waies remember the Lord and hee shall direct and order thy doings Eccles 5.9 Heere is also to bee considered how Christ vttereth his godly power before his disciples in the great miracle that hee did in their sight to confirme our faith in him For out of the appearing of Christ groweth faith Psal 85. And his true resurrection will hee print in them in that he appeareth vnto them eateth with them Heere wee see the ardent desire of Peter which leapeth into the sea as soone as he heareth that it is the Lord he that afore had denied him maketh now speedie hast againe vnto him Though wee of mans feeblenesse and feare doo fall into sinne yet alwaies wheÌ„ we heare God in his word we ought forth with to turne againe vnto him and so shall hee with the lost sonne graciously receiue and embrace is agayne In that
For they that so are taught instructed by the word of God that they put all their confidence in God through Christ those verily are loosed and discharged of their sins But he that either wil not heare or when he heareth will not receiue and beleeue this grace declared to the world through Christ offred vnto him by the ministers of the word him doo the ministers bind that is they leaue him stil in his error according as Christ commandeth his disciples Mat. 10. that from such as will not receiue and heare their word they shal depart shake off the dust from their shooes vpon them Thus dyd Paul binde Act. 13.18 To bind then with the word is nothing else but when the word of the grace of God is preached not receiued to leaue such impenitent people and to haue no fellowship neyther ought to do with the despisers of the truth and grace For in the daie of iudgement it shall bee easier vnto Sodome and Gomorrha than vnto such Now although the word that the Apostles preach is not theyr own but Gods no man may cleanse vnbinde and discharge from sinne but onely God yet Christ of his grace and according to the propertie of the Scripture ascribeth such vnto the Apostles For the gracious father of his aboundant loue and kindnesse and by reason of the couenant that he hath made with vs doeth oft ascribe vnto vs many things which can properly belong vnto none saue onely to himselfe Neither is this any maruell seeing he hath giuen vs his onely begotten and most deare sonne to be our owne for how cannot he geue vs al things with him Notwithstanding we ought not by reason hereof to be high minded and proud and to ascribe vnto our selues that which onely is Gods but much rather to be thankfull for his grace and diligent in our vocation faythfully to employ and bestow the high treasure gifts of God and not to abuse them This thing therefore extendeth not so farre as that euerie one man properly to speake doth of his owne power and authoritie forgiue sinne But forasmuch as the Apostles and ministers of the word doo publish and declare remission of sinne they bring the keyes and forgiue sinnes ministerially and as ministers Neuerthelesse if here withal the spirit of God do not worke in the hearer to beleeue the word when it is prached then is not the sinne forgiuen All the power therefore and working is Gods Thus the Apostles may damne no man but vndoubtedly they may by the word declare damnation to the vnbeleeuers Where an assured promise of grace is declared there sinnes are forgiuen Nowe when the Apostles shew vnto sinners remission of sinne they doo it out of the holy Ghost and are not deceiued for they preach that our sinnes are pardoned vs through Christ who hath made satisfaction for them If this faith vpon Christ bee liuely in vs so that we abhorre sinne and bee desirous of heauenly things then are our sinnes forgiuen vs through the holy Ghost for no man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost The key there extendeth to this end that the minister declare remission of sinnes thorough Christe Who so now beleeueth the Gospell preached shall be saued hee that beleeueth not shall bee condemned And seeing that faith is an inwarde thing in the soul inspired of God the minister cannot know who in the sight of God beleeueth or beleeueth not for God onely knoweth the heart Howbeit by the outward confession which is done with the mouth by receiuing of the preaching and by the fruits the minister may iudge For who so receiueth the word openly confessing Christ and doeth not outwardlie defile himselfe with vile deedes to such the minister openeth with the key and dischargeth them that is he taketh them into the Church of Christ numbereth them among the people of God and receiueth thē into the kingdom of heauen As for those that wil not heare the worde preached or that when they heare it doo refuse it not confessing Christ or vttering theyr vnbeleefe with foule grosse and open vices those the minister bindeth that is hee shutteth them out of the Church and banisheth them out of the realme of heauen To him that is in the Church is forgiuenesse of sinnes promised who so despiseth charitable loue hath not faith vpon such one remaineth sinne still and the wrath of God Now what the Apostles Ministers of the word doo that doo they not in theyr owne name not in their own power but as they which are sent of God and that declare his word the holy gospell out of the power of God euen out of the holy Ghost who being giuen vnto them doth speak and work by them What these binde is bound before God and in heauen for out of God is it that they iudge and what they vnbinde is vnbound before God for God wyll ratifie and allowe what they doo that beeing sent of him keepe themselues in exercise and meddle within his word and commission As for him that is not sent of God and declareth not his worde and Gospell but of his owne proper power will binde one man and vnbinde another set this man in heauen that man in hell is it any maruell if such one do many times misse and be called a wolfe and not a shepheard seeing his proceedings commeth not of God Heere also we learne with what desire and thankfulnesse wee ought to receiue the ministers of God that bring vs his holy word and comfort of our conscience how wee ought to esteeme them that haue the holy Ghost who speaketh vnto vs by them For if we despise them we despise God himselfe S. Paul therefore exhorteth vs to be obedient vnto them to haue them in worthie estimation that shew vs the word of God Worthie they be of double honour partly for that through them God speaketh whose ministers and ambassadors they bee for the highest king of all sendeth them out vnto vs with his commission partly for that they be charged with so dangerous and heauie an office and trauell For though as concerning themselues they liue iustly well and blamelesse yet if they regarde not the life of theyr sheepe but neglect them they must looke for greate and sore punishment Not only for themselues must they giue account but for al the soules that are committed vnto them if one of them perish throgh their negligence Wee should not therefore haue respect to the infirmitie or basenesse of the ministerie but vnto him that sent him and whose commission hee executeth When a Prince or king sendeth out a meane seruant with a commission and charge who will despise him without the wrath and indignation of the prince How can we then contemne the ministers of the high eternall king without plague and punishment This be spoken not that vnworthie and vnmeet men should be placed in so high an
God became after sinne like vnto the deuill filthie and shamefull yea altogether carnall hauing nothing more of the spirite in him as the scripture in the booke of creation testifieth For as much now as the miserable man was degenerate from the noble spirituall and godly nature to an vncleane carnall and diuelish disposition becomming altogether flesh hee was able no more eyther to thinke or woorke any spirituall or godlie thing All his thoughts and imaginations are carnall in that he is fallen into eternall death and hath lost the life of the spirite for the affections and lustes of the flesh are death but the desires of the spirite are life and peace The affections of the flesh are enmitie against God for the flesh is not subiect vnto the lawe of GOD neyther can bee they therefore which are in the flesh cannot please GOD. Nowe when man who had taken so hurtfull a fall was brought downe from life vnto death from the grace of God into his wrath life might not bee giuen him againe but by the spirite of God whome man by sinne hath lost Therefore like as the Father at the beginning had created man so fashioneth hee him againe by his Sonne who ouercommeth and destroyeth death and giueth vnto vs againe the way of immortalitie For into a froward soule entereth not the spirite of GOD therefore is it conuenient and necessarie that such soule and corrupt flesh bee purged and cleansed againe By Christ the eternall worde were all thinges created by him therefore after the fall must all things be restored againe for this cause died Christ vppon the crosse to banish the sinne of the worlde and to make satisfaction for it From death also hee riseth agayne to giue vs a certaine and assured hope and an vndoubted pledge of an immortall and eternall life and that hee hath ouercome death and sinne for vs. Immediately after the resurrection he breatheth vpon his disciples and giueth them the holy Ghost to declare that he is the same who at the beginning created our nature and sealed it it with his spirite and that it is euen hee who now in the beginning of a new life must by his spirite renew and restore our decayed nature againe that thus Christ who is the liuing and expresse image of the inuisible GOD may bee fashioned and fourmed of the newe in vs now cannot Christ the image of GOD bee right proportioned and renewed in vs but by the holie Ghost Nowe like as Christ after the resurrection gaue his Disciples the spirite to print into them a newe life whereby they knewe and were assured that hee was the fountaine and giuer of the spirite and therefore hee saide All that the Father hath is mine Item All power is giuen vnto mee in heauen and in earth euen so immediately after the same hee ascended vp into heauen to declare vnto them that he was the Lord of all thinges Out of the high and reall throne where he sitteth at the right hand of God his Father Christ the eternall king sent downe his holie spirite vpon all flesh that we by him might obtaine the old innocencie and saluation againe that the Image of God stained and defiled by sinne might be restored vnto vs and that wee thus might become partakers of eternall life What they be vnto whom God giueth his spirit that see we well heere namely euen vnto those that in vnitie of faith and feruent loue are gathered togither with one accord for of all vnitie he is the fountaine and originall In contentious and proud hearts dwelleth not the holy Ghost therefore is it meet that we pray Come O holie spirite replenish the harts of thy faithfull beleeuers and kindle in them the fire of thy loue thou that through manifolde tongues hast gathered together all the nations of the heathen in vnitie of faith O take all dissention and discord out of thy holie Church and make vs to be of one mind in vnfained loue without the which wee cannot please thee THere were dwelling at Hierusalem Iewes deuout men out of euerie nation of them that are in heauen now when this was noysed about the multitude came together and were astonied because that euerie man heard them speake with his owne language They wondered all maruelled saying amongst themselues Beholde are not all these which speake of Galilee and how heare wee euerie man his owne tongue wherein we were borne Partheans Medes and Elemytes and the inhabiters of Mesopotamia and of Iewrie and of Capadocia of Pontus and Asia Phrigia Pamphilia of Egypt and of the parties of Lybia which is besides Siren and strangers of Rome Iewes and Proselytes Greekes and Arabians wee haue heard them speake in our owne tongues the great works of God Doctrine and fruite THE eternall wisedome hath indued all good minds diligently to learne and search the thing wherein they thinke to finde that which they desire and what can be more worthie to be desired or more acceptable to the mind of man than eternal life and saluation which onely consisteth in God the highest good of all Now was the sacred scripture giuen of the holie Ghost that man thereby might bee guided and lead vnto saluation and to most excellent felicity For they that exercise themselues in holie scripture studying and perusing it ought thus to doe euen to direct themselues and others vnto life Therefore by the ordinance of God there hath been euer men in all nations which to instruct others haue applyed themselues to the scripture as among the Iewes wee finde Leui of whome in the Prophet Malachie it is written that the lawe of the truth was in his mouth and no wickednes in his lippes that he walked before God in peace and equitie and conuerted many from vngodlines for the lippes of the Priest are sure of knowledge and the law is required at his mouth for hee is a messenger of the Lorde of hosts Thus as it may wel be coniectured there were at Ierusalem congregations of learned men that exercised themselues in the holy scripture For though all wisedome come of God as the fountaine wel no man can be learned whom God himselfe teacheth not yet will not he giue his grace spirite and knowledge to the idle slouthfull and vnthankfull neither to the proud but vnto those that with meeknes feare of God practise themselues in the scripture and that applying vnto feruent praier doe not despise the meanes and gratious giftes granted them of God And if any man will say that all falshood and destruction all erroneous doctrine and discorde were come into the church by such as be learned let him consider that the thing which in himselfe is good ought not for the abuses sake to bee refused remoue the abuse and then the thing is good and profitable Wine is a profitable and wholesome thing created of GOD for the behoofe of man and is neuer dispraised
gifts which the God of mercie had promised before and now performed them But this satisfaction concerning drunkennes and this instruction of the ignorant is made with all meeknes and yet with sinceritie and stedfastnes not lordly or braggingly although he was highly endewed with the holy Ghost Thus we that be Ministers of Christ and teachers of his congregations ought not by reason of our office or high giftes to take too much vppon vs that with bragging or arrogancie wee would outface the weake but worthily and valiantly with sinceritie truth of the scripture to instruct such as be ignorant and out of the way Our mouth is an instrument of the holy Ghost and of the truth not of any lightnes bragging or presumption This word prophecie is taken not onely to tell shew before of godly and high thinges but also to harken vnto the same and to perceiue them this maketh for the vnderstanding of this place For the holy Ghost declareth by Ioel and promiseth also as he dooth by Ieremie that the knowledge of GOD should bee common in all the world and that from the least vnto the most euerie one should be instructed in Gods knowledge through the guiding of the spirit which knowledge before time was common onely to the Iewes and Scribes but by Christ is such abundant and plentifull knowledge of God powred out in all the world through his holy spirit who worketh in the Church vntill the ende not onely in Scribes from whome such high mysteries of Gods wisedome are oftentimes hidde but vnto simple vnlearned fishers and to others that in the sight of the world are not esteemed Yea richly powreth he out of his holie spirite vppon all flesh vnto euerie one his measure as it best pleaseth him no man excludeth hee from his grace his knowledge suffereth he to flow ouer all the earth as a water floud vnto all those that are his seruantes and hand maides This is the deare and excellent treasure which in stead of it that was giuen before by the incarnation of Christ is now offered that the knowledge of God which by the holy Ghost is the preaching of the Gospell is come forth into all the world whereas before it was manifest only amongst the Iewes For after the death of the Lorde finished vpon the crosse was the Gospell published in all the world by the which preaching the children of God dispersed abroad are gathered together The holie Ghost also who was before in the godly did by his giftes and operations worke much more mightily strongly after the death and ascension of Christ than before by the which holy Ghost the captiuitie of of the law and ceremonies is taken away heauenly freedome giuen to the children of God For as much as to know Christ his kingdome it minisâ—â—eth true godlines and eternall life Peter in his oration trauelleth especially to this end that the Iewes being there present which helde Christ for a wicked doer and put him to death might know him to be the true sauiour of the world and to be risen againe from death and therefore hee alleadgeth the prophecies which in Christ were fulfilled As if I would say Behold Ioel tolde before of the time that these your children should prophecie now ye see it performed in them whereby ye may well perceiue that the kingdome of Messias which is a spirituall thing is now begun already In the which kingdom must bee not onely Iewes which haue the outward temple ceremonies but all as call vpon the name of the Lord wheresoeuer they be in the world Vnto the Iew was promised a sauiour neuertheles such one as shuld not onely saue them but also the whole world and whose kingdome should be euerlasting that hee also should deliuer and bring them yea all mankind from the captiuitie of the prince of this world Of these things there were amongst the Iewish people many signes and figures whereby in bodily and corporall thinges God did partly set foorth these thinges spirituall which they also which are spirituall and elect amongst the people of the Iewes vnderstood right well though darkely in that they with the eyes of inward fayth had a further respect than to gaze onely vppon the outwarde corporall things Thus God the holie Ghost by visible thinges lead and taught them euen as a yong scholler is first taught by letters and syllables vnder the schoolmaister vntill the time that the glorious kingdom came that in Christ the true Messias all things were reformed and became spirituall Thus had the Iewes the corporall kingdome of Dauid and of other kinges and thus for their sinnes they were brought vnto Babylon into captiuity By the which captiuitie was figured the greeuous bondage and thraldome of mankind vnder the violent power of the deuill But when they were in captiuitie at Babylon God comforting them by his Prophets promised to bring them thence and to restore them to their owne land in the which deliuerance was figured the redemption of the world by Christ This custome had all the Prophets that when they told the people before hand and promised of Gods behalf deliuerance out of the captiuity before they came into it they alwaies made mention also of the punishment of the sinnes that should go before Prosperitie shall come said they but first there must bee an horrible plague for sinne the iustice of God must first be satisfied Thus doth Ioel heere also in whom partly we learne that God will not suffer our sinnes to passe without punishment as wee see also in the greeuous captiuity of all mankinde that God will haue the sinne so worthily satisfied that euen his only begotten sonne by whom no sinne was committed must therefore die and by his innocent death 〈…〉 sinnes If God now spared not his onely 〈…〉 how may we then think that he will 〈…〉 sinfull life to passe without punishâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 we paciently and with good will beare the 〈◊〉 â—â—nishment of our sins sent vnto vs of God and conuerting from our sinnes doe turne vs to the gratious father that beateth vs God vndoubtedly shall send vs grace prosperitie and welfare and help vs out of all miserie Once we must eyther liue a godly and innocent life and throghly amend our selues or els sinne must bee punished and euery vncleane thing must in the fire punishment of Gods wrath be consumed Againe though we were vertuous godly yet is God of this nature that he maketh his chosen to bee like fashioned vnto the image of his sonne and by much aduersitie and trouble hee leadeth them vnto ioy Euen as it behooued Christ to suffer so to enter into his glory The punishment of sinne is harde and the iudgement of the Lorde as often as he commeth to recompence sinne is sharp which the Prophet partly by bodily thinges dooth describe as other Prophets do also The sunne shall be turned into bloud c and
right hand of God is exalted and hath receiued of the Father the promise of the holie Ghost he hath shed foorth this gift which yee now see and heare For Dauid is not ascended into heauen but he saith The Lorde saide to my Lorde Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foot stoole Doctrine and fruite WE beleeue that Iesus Christ our king and Sauiour is not onely risen againe from death to life but also is ascended vp into heauen sitteth at the right hand of God and raigneth for euer For though hee heere a season was despised and refused as the stone of the builders yet hath the strong hand of God exalted him and mightily wrought in him Which thing may well bee perceiued by this as Saint Peter heere valiantly concludeth that hee sendeth downe from on high such an excellent gift of the holy Ghost vpon those that are his This is a sure euidence that he mightily raigneth at the right hand of God and hath all things in his hand seeing he hath power of the spirite of God whom he poureth into the hearts of his and that sometime in visible manner For the glorious triumpher ascending vp to heauen with great victorie did after the custome of great kings and let fall his giftes downe vppon vs and parted them among vs namely the gifts of the holy Ghost whom he as man receiued of the Father but after the godhead he had him alwaie for of the father and of the sonne there is one onely spirite Neither may this bee applied vnto Dauid for though hee as a iust friend of GOD bee saued and come to heauen yet did not hee immediatly after death ascend into heauen with bodie and soule that he might be reported to sit at the right hand of God for his wordes speake of another whome he calleth his Lord namely in the hundreth and ninth Psalme he saith God the Father sayd vnto my Lorde euen the Sonne Sit thou on my right hand So therefore let all the house of Ierusalem know for a suretie that God hath made this Iesus whom ye haue crucified Tord and Messias Doctrine and fruit WIth these wordes doth Peter conclude his Oration exhorting them not to doubt Iesus Christ to be the same annointed sauiour and king who of God the father was first promised then giuen for the deliuerance of the people of the Iewes and of all nations In this conclusion is comprehended the summe of the whole Christian faith namely that wee beleeue that Iesus who was borne of the virgine Marie and crucified of the Iewes is the true Christ that is to saie Messias euen the king that was ordained annointed of God to raigne foreuer ouer all faithful beleeuers Lorde of the whole world and sauiour of all such as put their trust in him This hath God the Father opened and set forth vnto vs by myracles by the resurrection by the ascension by the power of the holy Ghost that wee might beleeue it and not doubt thereof Therefore saith Iohn Who so beleeueth that Iesus is Christ the same is borne of God WHen they heard this they were prickt in their hearts and said vnto Peter and to the other Apostles Ye men and brethren what shall we doe Peter said vnto them Repent of your sinnes and be baptised euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinners and yee shall receiue the gifte of the holy Ghost For the promise was made vnto you to your children and to all that are a farre off euen as many as the Lord our God shall call And with many other words bare he witnesse and exhorted them saying Saue your selues from this vntoward generation Then they that gladly receiued his preaching were baptised And the same daie there were added vnto them about three thousand soules Doctrine and fruite THis is the fruit and end which followeth out of the preaching of the worde of God that they whose heartes God toucheth are so sorrie for theyr sinnes that it euen pearceth them for Gods word is euen a sharpe two edged sword and entreth through to the depth Blessed are all they which so reade and heare the word of God that they begin to be ashamed of their sinnes and wickednesse beeing repentant and sorrie therefore A blessed and wholsome sorrow is that which riseth and groweth out of the truth which is opened vnto the heart by the holy Ghost Which spirite in the heart giueth hope vpon the mercie of God and driueth awaie all despaire Then beginneth a man to aske What shall I doo Then enquireth he after the will of God and such a man that so asketh is easie to be helped soone is he healed that knowing his disease would faine be made whole Vnto such a man doth the faithfull Minister of Christ giue counsell out of the Scripture and sheweth him the fruit of Christ preached and knowen He doth not bid him bestow monie on solemnities and Diriges on Images Monisteries or coâ—les inâ—â—â—ying of pardons He doth not will to runne vnto Rome or to Lawret but requireth of him the best and most profitable thing of all namely amendement conuersion of life Our mindes our workes and maners must be altered if we will please God Who so saith with his heart that he beleeueth in Christ holding Christ for his sauiour and king must forsake his euil waie eschuing euill and doing good Iere. 7.11 Isa 1 Niniue stood still vpright when they tooke vppon them true conuersion and amendement As for Hierusalem though they offered many sacrifices fasted much it helped not because there was no true reformation and forsaking of sinne needs must they be destroied and miserablie perish To botch or patch the matter it will not helpe there is no remedie wee must become godly and vertuous of life it auaileth not to dissemble God looketh into the heart which he will haue pure and vnfained Forasmuch then as we through baptisme in the faith of Christ haue receiued Christ and are marked out for him hauing once forgiuenesse of sinnes through the grace and gift of Christ let vs be of a vertuous lfe walking innocently and in the feare of God Let vs die therefore to the innocencie which is restored vnto vs againe through Christ let vs daily remember to harken follow the admonishment of the spirit which teacheth vs all good things We are they vnto whom God hath promised his grace of the spirite yea and vnto our children also so farre as we abide in his couenants Let vs thankfully receiue such excellent grace deare brethren being ware that we stain not the temple of Iesus Christ and of his holy spirit with filthinesse of the worlde that wee neuer make our selues partakers in the iniquitie of wicked and faithlesse men but to leade here a pure and cleane conuersation with a good conscience before GOD our most louing father and alwaie lift vp our minds vnto