hée setteth downe this promise That God woulde powre out his Spirite vpon all fleshe Wherein hée sheweth that when God will punishe the iniquitie of the world it is not to make his chosen people dispaire but to confirme them by the exercise of the troubles in this world which are rather laide vpon the chosen then vpon the reprobate Wée sée then how that our Lord is not so redy to powre out his vengeance but that he pardoneth al those which haue recourse vnto his goodnesse and mercy For hée is alwayes néere vnto theÌ„ Psal 145.18 which truly call vpon him Now this hath continually béen the common vaine of the Prophetes that when they woulde comfort poore sinners they would bring them to the knowledge of Iesus Christe And it was not without cause for take vs from Iesus Christ and then what shall wée finde in God Surely we shall finde suche an excellencie and highnesse in him as shall throwe downe all creatures into the bottomeles depth because that when we are come to the knowledge of our selues wée shall finde nothing in vs saue sinne and iniquitie to present our selues before the maiestie of so great and mightie a Iudge wée can by no meanes possible looke for any other thing then the iustice and rigour of his vengeance prepared for vs by reason of our iniquities And I beséeche you which of vs in déed shall bée able to exempt him self from out of the number of sinners that hée may bée bolde to say hée had not néede haue recourse vnto the knowledge of Iesus Christe And yet wée sée howe carelesse wée are in this behalfe In déede there is no man that will openly say that he woulde not know Iesus Christ howbeit there are but a fewe which will trauell to séeke for him as hée ought to bée sought for And therefore it is no maruell though the Prophetes stoode alwaies vpon this point to bring vs to the knowledge of Iesus Christe for that is the only meane by which wée must bée reconciled vnto God and wheron we must be grounded Wée sée then that when the holy Ghost came downe so abundantly that it was to none other end but that al such as were estraunged from the knowledge of Iesus Christe might bee called and we al be brought together to be the people of God so receiue him But for the better vnderstanding of this place we must lay open the saying of the Prophet It will come to passe saith hée in the latter dayes that I will powre my spirite vpon all flâ—she and your sonnes and daughters shall prophesie and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dreame dreames Heerein is to bee obserued that although the Prophet saith that the holy ghoste shall bée powred out vpon all fleshe yet that all men shall not receiue him because we sée that a great many are bereaued thereof Neuertheles God calleth vs all but we vnthankefully and wickedly withstand him And this is alwayes a true saying That none commeth to him but such as the holy Ghost draweth By this also wee are let to vnderstande that if wee come vnto Iesus Christe by faith and so humbly holde vs there we shal receiue the graces of the holy Ghoste so abundantly as that we may bee able to communicate them vnto our neighbours And thus we see that Iesus Christe calleth vs all in generall howbeit it is very farre of that all doe come vnto him because we refuse the benefit that is offered vs. And how so Forsooth by reason we make our selues not worthie thereof alwaies desiring rather to giue our selues vnto our vanities then vnto the feare of God Wherefore since it is so that many receiue not the graces which are offered them although they are all called heere might a question be asked why the Prophet then speaketh after this maner In very deede the Prophet his meaning is to vse this generall kinde of speech to shew that God wil bring some of all estates and ages to knowe him and also because he maketh now no difference betweene the Iewe and the Gentile For the power of the holy Ghoste worketh euery where We see that the people of the Iewes were euen the very first amongst all other nations who knew the true God and although the beléeuing Iewes were few in number yet was the holy Gâ—st offered vnto them all In like case were the Gentiles also instructed by the preaching of the Gospâ—l Thus we sée it to be no wonder in the saying of the Prophet that God hath powred out his spirite vpon all flesh Nowe the doctrine which at the beginning was set foorth by the preaching of the Gospell came first of all to the Iewes to the ende that the saying of Ezechiel might be fulfilled that from the fountaine of Hierusalem the riuers should ouerflowe euen vnto the vttermost partes of the earth Wherein the meaning of the Prophet is that the diuersitie of tongues had neuer byn spread abroade if the holy Ghost had not byn sent vnto the Apostles to haue dispersed their doctrine throughout al the world And therefore let vs rightly coÌ„sider how God by his incoÌ„preheÌ„sible wisedom hath woonderfully wrought to haue the gospel to be published for although Iesus Christ had very sufficiently instructed the Apostles yet were they but grosse headed vntill such time as they had receiued the holye Ghost But after they had receiued him sée howe they became of simple soules such great and learned Clarkes as that they vnderstood the diuersitie of tongues the want of which as I haue alreadie said was an hinderance to the publishing of the Gospel And therefore it was not without cause that the Prophete Ioel saide that God had powred out his spirite vpon al flesh Moreouer wee are to obserue héere in this place this saying That the olde men and young men shoulde prophesie Whereby hee declareth that both olde and young shoulde bee partakers of the grace of the holie Ghost And therefore it is not now néedful for vs to séeke for any glose to vnderstand the meaning of the prophet in this spéech All fleshe because the very Texte sufficiently sheweth his meaning Nowe when hée saieth That the young men should prophesie Hée spake then according to the manner of the time in those dayes because GOD vsed these two kindes of meanes with his seruantes either in vision or els in dreame according to that which is set downe in the booke of Numbers Num. 12.6 that God would shew himself vnto his Prophets by visioÌ„s speake vnto them in dreames But it is said that he would speake with his seruant Moses mouth to mouth Howbeit it might bee alleadged that the doctrine of the law the doctrine of the Gospel is not like that although God manifested himselfe vnto the Prophetes in the olde Testament yet will hée not shewe himselfe vnto vs after that sort To answere this it is to bée considered that although the prophet
wée might be exempt from it and that now in the middest of al our weaknes we should haue neuertheles life euerlasting which must be obtained by fayth vntil such time as it be throughly manifested vnto vs at his comming in the last day And this is the effect of that which wée are to learne out of this place Now the Prophet goeth on further and saieth That hee was cut of from out of the lande of the liuing receued the wounds which were due to his people This is a confirmation of that which wée lately handeled to wyt that the age of our Lorde Iesus Christ should not serue for himself alone but also for the whole body of his Church wherevnto hee is vnited and bounde as it were with an inseperable bonde For the Prophet sheweth that without it it might be saide that the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ should be vnprofitable Now this were a blasphemie not to be borne to think that the son of God came downe into the world to abide so cruel a death and to haue the iudgement of God fall so on his head as that he beare the punishment for our sinnes and was taken to bee the greatest malefactor in the world yet al this not to profit his faithful seruants ani thing at all yt might well inough be saide that this were as a man would say a very iest Wherfore the prophet bringeth vs back to this cōsideration that we should well vnderstand for what end purpose our Lord Iesus was thus scourged beaten And this came not by fortune as hath ben before declared Nether must wée looke only vnto that which men did and to those which vniustly slew him but wée must lift vp the eies of our faith vnto the counsell of God by which he had ordained that Iesus Christ should be sacrificed to the ende hée might purchase remission of our sinnes for vs. Wherefore since it is so we are alwaies to conclude that Iesus Christ suffered not for himselfe but receyued the woundes which were due to vs we are héere in this first place exhorted to enter into the knowledge and examination of our sins whenas the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ is set before vs. It is very true the God therein powreth out the infinit treasures of his goodnes for indéede when S. Paul hath saide that we ar iustified by our lord Iesus that in staying our selues vpon his death passion we may boldly present our selues before god be glad that hée wil alwaies except of vs. After Saint Paul I say hath handled this doctrin that although we be miserable sinners yet wil not God cast vs off but vpholde vs because hée receiueth vs in the name of his only son he goeth on farther sayeth I beséech you Brethren euen in the bowels of the goodnes and mercie of God Wherin he sheweth that in the suffering of Iesus Christ we haue a testimony of the infinit loue of god as if he wold lay open his hart and shew vs his bowels to testefye vnto vs how deare and precious wée and our soules are vnto him Howbeit this is not sett downe to the ende wée shoulde sléepe and take pleasure in our sins For the more that God sheweth himself lyberal in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ so much the more ought wee to féele what a gréeuous thing it is for vs to become his enemies and fight against his iustice and cause him to set himselfe against vs for the grace which God sheweth vs in our Lord Iesus Christ ought to draw vs continually to repentaunce Now the papistes at this day go about falsely to accuse vs of the doctrine which we preach which is this that we must be saued by the frée mercy of God haue our whole recourse vnto Iesus Christ bicause we knowe that therein wee haue all our perfection of rightuousnes Now forsooth Sir say they you haue made a great speake for then euery man may liue as he lust and they néede neuer care any more for the offending of God Indéed these dogs may bark thus because they neuer knew what it is to tast of the forgiuenesse of sinnes For these hipocrites make a skorne at God and at all religion and haue neuer learned what it is to transgres the law of God And wee also sée how iollily they thinke themselues discharged if they haue once song a Masse bleated and masked and they think that God is as well pleased with this as a young Child is pleased with a pudding Thus we sée how these skorners of God can blaspheme the gospell but when we haue come once to the acknowledgment of our sins and know to what ende the inestimable grace of God is preached vnto vs without doubt wée shoulde bee touched with repentance and be mortally wounded with the horror of anguishe and payne when wée sée God to bee our enimie because wée haue prouoked him to wrath And this is héere the meaning of the prophet that Iesus Christ hath sustained the wonds which were due to vs. Wherin he sheweth that we can neuer liuely féele what good the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ hath done vs except we be inwardly throughly touched with the offending of our God wherby wee haue made him to become as our Iudge enemy vntill such time as we be reconciled vnto him by his méere goodnesse and mercy Now this is sufficiently declared to vs in the holy Scripture but héerein resteth the whole matter that wée applye our witte and studie thereto Math. 11.28 Neuerthelesse be as be may we sée that our Lorde Iesus Christ calleth none but such as doo labor and are heauy laden By this he excludeth all such as sléepe in their iniquities and flatter them selues in them or els which giue them selues to al lycenciousnesse without any feare of God And therefore they which are thus giuen ouer to all wickednesse cannot possibly come néere vnto our Lord Iesus Christ for who shall giue vs an entraunce vnto him but the voyce whiche calleth vs Euen so fareth it with them who are so proude and presumptiouslye blinde as that they make them selues beléeue that they are righteous through their owne deserts and surely he shutteth the gate against all such kind of people so that they can haue no hope that our Lord Iesus christ bringeth them any comfort or solace And why so forsooth because he thus saith come vnto mée who are they All the world Indéed this is true that he calleth all the worlde howbeit hee maketh a distinction of it for thus he saithe all yée that labor and are heauy loden For after he had called all such as had néede of his helpe hée sheweth that none can be partakers thereof but such as doo labor and are heauy loden And therfore when we shall féele our burden and so groane vnder it as that we are able to beare no more sée what a way
second That wée should abhorre our sinnes as we ought and to bée truely ashamed to humble our selues before the Maiestie of our GOD. The thirde that wée might in such sorte estéeme of our saluation as that it might make vs forsake the worlde and whatsoeuer thinge else belongeth vnto this transitorie lyfe and to bée in loue with this enheritaunce which was so déerely purchased for vs. And héere we sée whereon we must cast our eies and bestow all our senses when it is told vs that the Sonne of GOD hath redéemed vs from euerlasting death and purchased for vs euerlasting lyfe Wée must therefore in the first place learne to render vnto God the prayse due vnto him Now to say truely he might if hée had pleased haue deliuered vs from the bottomelesse depthes of death after an other sorte But his good will was largely to bestow and powre vpon vs the treasures of his infinite goodnesse when as hée spared not his onely sonne And our Lord Iesus would héerein giue vs an excellent pawne of his wonderful care towardes vs when as he offred himselfe willingly to death For we shal neuer bée touched to the quick nor enflamed to praise our God without we on the other side doe examine our estate and be as it were throwne downe into the bottomlesse pit of hell knowing what a thing it is to haue prouoke his wrath and to becom our mortall enimie hauing him as a terrible and fearefull Iudge so that it were a great deale better that heauen and earth and all the creatures had conspyred against vs then that wée shoulde once come néere his Maiestie so long as he is against vs. Wherfore it is very méete that sinners should be wounded with the féeling and conceiuing of their sinnes that they might know themselues to bée most miserable and feare their estate to the end they might thereby knowe how greatly they are beholden and bounde vnto God in that he hath compassion vpon them and séeing them in a desperate case hath very good will to helpe them without regard of any their worthinesse but onlie for their myseries sake And so also is it as we haue already saide because we are too too much intangled here below and when as God calleth vs vnto him our mindes and affections so kéepe vs backe as that we had néed to make much of the heauenly life as it is woorthy and knowe with how déere a price it was purchased for vs. And héere wée sée why it is told vs that our Lorde Iesus Christ did not only meane to suffer death and offered himselfe a Sacrifice to appease the the wrath of God his Father but also to the ende that hée might truely and indéede be our pledge he refused not to abide the anguishes and griefes which were prepared for all such as in conscience are touched and féele themselues guiltie of euerlasting death and condemnation before God Let vs then heare rightly note that the Sonne of God was not contented to offer vp his fleshe and blood and yéeld himselfe vnto death but would withall appeare before the iudgement seate of GOD in the name and person of all sinners ready there to be condemned and that because he beare our burden And therefore we must not be ashamed séeing the sonne of God hath submitted him selfe to such an infirmitie Neither was it without cause that Saint Paule exhorteth vs not to be ashamed of the preaching of the Crosse albeit it be to some foolishnesse and an offence to many For the more that our Lord Iesus Christ was humbled we sée thereby that the offences for the which wée were in arrerages and behinde with God could not be abolished without great extremitie And in déed we know that he was made weake that wée might be made strong by his power and besides hée would abide all our sufferinges sinne excepted to the ende hée might be readie at this day to helpe vs. For if hée had not felte in his owne person the feares doubtes and torments which we endure he would not be so enclined to be mercifull vnto vs as hée is Wée say that he who knoweth not what hunger and thirst meaneth will neuer be stirred vp to haue compassion vpon those that féele it because they haue alwayes taken their ease and liued in pleasure Now it is true that although God in his owne nature suffereth not any of our passions yet ceaseth hée not for all that to be curteous vnto vs but that is because hée is the fountayne of all goodnesse and mercy Neuerthelesse to the end we might be assured that our Lord Iesus Christ knoweth our weaknes to help it that we might come the boldlier vnto him haue a more familiar accesse The apostle saith Hebr. 2.10 that he would for the same cause be tēpted euen as we are So then we haue to obserue in this text which we haue read that whē our Lord Iesus was come into this village of Gethsamene namely into the Mount Oliuet it was to offer him self willingly to death And herein his will was to be discharged of the office charge that was committed vnto him For why cloathed he him self with our flesh nature without it were to repaire all our rebellions through his obedience to the end to purchase vs full perfect righteousnes before God his Father And therefore offered he him self to death because we might not be reconciled by any other meane neither yet appease the wrath of God prouoked by sin but by this onely obedience Thus we sée why the Sonne of God came fréely vnto the place where he knew that Iudas should finde him And let vs knowe that it so fell out because our father Adam through his transgression had throwne vs all downe headlōg into the bottomlesse depth that the sonne of God who had power ouer all creatures might be subiect and take vpon him the state of a seruant as he is likewise called the seruant of God of all his Sée also why S. Paul Isaiah 42.1 in shewing vs how we must stay our selues when we call vpon God with full assurance be heard as his children saith that we are reputed righteous through the obedience of our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 5.19 For this is as it were a cloake to couer all our sinnes offences so that the thing that might hinder vs for the obteining of grace might not come into a reckoning before God But we on the contrary part sée that the price of our redemption cost very deare when as our Lord Iesus Christ was so tormented that hee aboad the very terror feare of death insomuch that hée sweat droppes of blood was as it were lyke one besides himselfe desiring if it were possible that hée might escape that distresse And therfore since we sée it to be thus it is good for vs to come to the acknowledging of our sinnes For it is no time for vs to rocke our selues here
able to giue our selues either to one thing or other but that we shall swarue from the right rule yea and spurne as it were dispituously against his Maiestie And therefore what conflict is it that wée can set in order to doe any good For when we sée that our Lord Iesus Christe in whom was nothing but purenesse and righteousnesse was not able to submit himself vnto God his father without he had denied himselfe is it not to bee doubted that we are any way able throughly to performe it Let vs then learne to fight more couragiously But because we see we cannot and that all our strength and power bendeth it selfe rather to doe euill and not one droppe of goodnesse in our nature but so weake as that wée shoulde be ouercome an hundred times euery minute of an houre let vs come to him that was made weake that wée might as S. Paule saieth be filled with his power And therefore since our Lorde Iesus Christe hath thus denied him selfe let vs learne if wée will bée his Disciples to doe the like And because wée sée that wée cannot of our selues attaine thereto but goe altogether backewarde let vs beséeche him 2. Cor. 13.4 that hée woulde by the power of his holy spirite haue dominion in vs to strengthen vs as it is said that hée suffered in the infirmitie of his fleshe but was raised vp againe through the power of the spirite that we might bée partakers of the afliction which hée susteined and féele the fruit and excellencie of his power in vs. Heere nowe wée sée in effect what it is that wée must beare in minde when it is saide that Christe gaue ouer his owne will that hee might fully and wholy submit himselfe vnto God his Father Notwithstanding we haue heere continually to remember that the Sonne of GOD determined not onely to set foorth himselfe héere for an example or glasse but to shew vs how dearely our saluation cost him For the Deuill meaning to darken the infinite grace of GOD which hath béene shewed vs hath saide That Iesus Christe was onely as it were a patterne of all vertue For marke how these hypocriticall pratling Iacke dawes in Popery behaue them selues who although they cannot set down what obedience is nor yet what it is to forsake a mans selfe yet they say that whatsoeuer the Euangelist hath written of Iesus Christe is to this ende that wée shoulde followe him and bée like vnto him Now this is somewhat But yet not all neither the principall matter For an Angell might very well haue béene sent to haue tolde vs that wee muste followe him But when Iesus Christe became the redéemer of the worlde hée of his owne good will submitted himselfe vnto this miserable condition as héere wée see And therefore must wée alwayes vnderstande that when wée can finde nothing in our selues that may giue vs any hope of saluation it remaineth that wée must séeke for that in him which is wanting in vs. For wee are neuer able to obteine the grace and fauour of GOD nor yet come néere him without wee come as poore Beggers vnto Iesus Christe which can neuer bee doone vntyll such time as we knowe our miseries and wants and to be short except we know vtterly our vnablenesse wee sée then what it is that wee are to remember to the end that after we haue vnderstood that the whole perfection of our life is to obey God and to forsake our affections and thoughts and whatsoeuer els that is in our nature which is to make vs agréeable vnto him when wee vnderstand this much we must craue at the handes of God that which we haue not And that wée might know also that our Lorde Iesus Christ is not deliuered vnto vs for an example onely but is eft soones declared vnto vs that if we be separated from him our life must néedes bee accursed and that in death we sée the bottomlesse depthes of the curse and that gulfe of Gods wrath to swallowe vs quite vp and that not onely one feare but a million of feares haue laide fast holde on vs and al the creatures of God crie for vengeance on our behalfe And therfore let vs haue this féeling because we might acknowledge our sinnes sigh and be ashamed of our selues and take boldnesse to come vnto God with true humilitie and repentance Let vs likewise estéeme of the goodnesse and mercy of our God as héere is shewed vs and haue our mouthes wide open to pay vnto him the Sacrifice of thanksgiuing and depart from the inticements of Satan who hath pitched his nettes to holde vs still in this worlde Let vs also leaue our commodities and pleasures that wee might come vnto this heauenly inheritance which hath béen so dearely purchased for vs and because we haue to communicate the Supper of the Lorde the next Sunday and that God after he hath opened vnto vs the kingdom of heauen setteth before vs a spirituall banket let vs bée so much the more touched with this doctrine And to say the trueth when wée dayly eate and drinke for the refreshing of our hungry bodies God therein sheweth vs sufficiently that he is our father and careth for these earthly bodies insomuch that we cannot eate one morsell of bread but that it witnesseth vnto vs that God is careful ouer vs. But in the Supper is a speciall reason for God doth not there fill our bellies but lifteth our mindes vp into the kingdome of heauen hee setteth before vs our Lorde Iesus Christe his sonne for meate and drinke And Iesus Christe is not onely contented to receiue vs to his Table but intendeth therewith to bee our féeder for hee sheweth vs in effect that his fleshe is meate in déede and his blood drinke indéede Wherefore when wée sée our Lorde Iesus thus gently to bid vs vnto him are not wée too too villanous if we holde not our selues back from doing of any thing that may withdraw vs from him And although we come but as men trailing our legges after vs yet let vs stil be displeased with our sins that we might obey him and streine our selues so much as is possible to be rid of this worlde and come to the kindgdome of heauen And therefore let euery one consider to what ende the holy Supper serueth For when we see that our Lord Iesus calleth vs vnto it that we might be partakers of his death and passion let vs inioy the fruite which he hath obteined for vs by that meane be fully resolued that God alloweth vs for his children and with open mouth claime him for our father Let vs also bring with vs a true faith because we knowe wherefore God the father sent our Lorde Iesus vnto vs and is at this day a Mediator as he hath alwayes béen And thereupon set vs labour to bée so vnited to him as that we may knowe that this is not onely spoken to euery of vs in particuler but to euery of vs in
18 3◠we shall finde that neuer any man had iust occasion to attempt any thing against him In very déede the priests tolde Pylate that they would neuer haue brought him before his worship without he had bene a malefactor Mat. 11.5 Iohn 6.11 Now it is so farre of that Iesus Christ dyd any shrewd turnes if the matter be throwly examined as that he dyd none other hurte but make the blinde to sée the lame to goe heale the sick and diseased raise the dead fil the hungry néedy to be short all the riches of the goodnes mercy of God that were to bée séene were powred out vpon him What was the reasō then that mē thus persecuted him surely it must néeds be that this procéeded from some other cause Héere therefore wée sée why the prophet bringeth vs back to the remēbrance of our sins iniquities whēas he speaketh of the purenes of our lord Iesus Nether must we think that the prophet ment héere simply to iustifie the sonne of God For this were a very bare kinde of speach to say loe I beséeche you hée was guilty in nothing but so behaued himself as that al the world was to loue honor him Al this is true indéed howbeit this were ouer cold a kind of doctrin to be taught that our lord Iesus had néede to be excused exempt from all blame And therefore the prophet had a farder consideratiō with him ioineth these 2 points together which are héere set downe to wit the god had put his only son to al horrible rebuke shame yet was innocent guiltles Now if men should lift vp thēselues against him it not done by the prouidēce counsel of god it might be said that they were furiously bēt yet knew not any cause why neuertheles it is said that it was done by the hande of God For although the priestes and all the Iewes in general the Souldiers were stirred vp by the Deuill to vomit out these blasphemies which we read of in the Gospell against our Lord Iesus yet Isaiah saith that they had neuer bin able to haue done it with out the appointment of the Lorde and therefore we must not fixe our eyes onely vpon men to say that this or that they haue done but it is as if God had set him selfe downe in his iudgment seat to haue fully determined to sende his onely sonne into the handes of such wicked and cruell tirauntes as that no shame and villanye that was possibly to be deuised should not light vpon him And therfore when it is not onely said that men but the God his father also spared him not Iohn 3 16. who gaue him to death for our redemption whereof Saint Iohn also speaketh that God so loued the world as that hée woulde shewe it in the person of his Sonne because he gaue him ouer to so bitter a death for vs if we so lift vp our eyes as to acknowledge that nothing came vnto the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ but by the determination of God we must conclude that since Iesus Christ was innocēt as indéede he was that therin manifestly appeared our sinnes and iniquities so that all the shames and reproches which lighted vpon him shoulde haue bene vpon vs. And therfore let vs vnderstande that it is méete that all the Creatures in the worlde shoulde arme them selues to crye for vengeaunce vpon vs yea and although they haue neither mouthe nor tongue yet might they be there so to discouer all our shames and vices as that both heauen and earthe might bee ashamed of vs. Wée sée now what we are to consider of in this first place For either God must at pleasure haue thus afflicted his onely sonne or els haue shewed vs what we deserued for the greeuosnes of our sins to wit that wee are blame worthie of al handes In very deede wee cannot a way with the least punishment that may be and besides we are so effeminate and impacient as that if our credit bée touched we will eftsoones wonderfully storme and all this is because we know not what we are neither iudge wée whether wée bée rightfully or wrongfully blamed Wherfore let vs well consider that although the rebuke and shame which we deserue are abolished in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ yet is it méete that God should moue and stirre vs to repentance although we would not by our willes enter into the tryall and examination of our shame yet rayseth hée vp men to awake vs and the more that wée woulde goe about to hyde our faultes by vaine excuses the more layeth hée our shame open before vs to the ende it might bée knowne Saint Paule amongst the fruites of repentance setteth downe this 1. Cor. 14.25 2. Cor. 7.11 That when we think of our wicked life past wée shoulde close our eyes grone before the Lord God and be ashamed of our selues But what is he that doth it so perfectly as it ought to bée done Nay we rather séeke after an hipocritical maner to forget our sinnes and iniquities and GOD meaneth to remember vs and to call vs to an account whenas he séeth vs so sleightly and cunningly hide them But by the way let vs consider that wee may now present our selues before God and his Angels and be assured that our sinnes shall not bée layde vnto our charge neither yet our vncleannesse bée discouered and that because our Lorde Iesus hath borne such blame neither was this by chaunce as wée commonly say neither yet did men falsely take this matter vpon them against him without the good will and pleasure of God But because God had thus established the matter by his heauenly iudgement Nowe forsomuche as our Lorde Iesus was iust and righteous it was also very méete that hée should beare our burden vpon him being in this sort afflicted And therefore let vs in the first place vnderstand that we deserue to haue all rebuke and shame to bee laide vpon vs and yet for all this that wée are pardoned of the same because he hath discharged vs thereof and hath made satisfaction for it in his owne person Thus wée sée why and to what purpose the innocencie and puritie of the Sonne of God is héere spoken of For it is not set downe to the ende to excuse him but for this cause that we might féele what wee are and whether we must néedes be brought except we were redéemed and bought from it Moreouer the Prophet meaning to expresse such a full perfection as coulde not be amended sayth That there was no deceite founde in his mouth Nowe Saint Iames saith Iames. 3.2 That he must needes be a very perfect man out of whose mouth escapeth not an ill word because the tongue is the weakest thing that maybe And although we be too too much inclined to al kind of wickednes yet that man that can refrain his handes and féet and in
and terrefie the whole worlde and all mankinde that we might worship God with one accorde and bée obedient vnto him But by the way we must be wakened because we are too too blockish and we must also lay aside all arrogācie that wée might be brought to obey his Maiestie séeing wée right well know that we are most miserable and no better then dust and ashes yea our soules also are verie corrupt vntil it pleaseth the Lord to renue them Moreouer when the holie Ghost came downe in such a likenesse to wit in clouen and firie tongues that was the more liuely to expresse vnto vs howe God would worke by the preaching of the Gospell If a man speake his voice vanisheth away in the ayre Rom. 1.16 and dyeth Nowe it is saide that the Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to all beléeuers What can a sounde which flyeth in the ayre and vanisheth bring vs to the kingdome of heauen There is no man liuing that is able of him selfe to make the least flye that is it is saide That the image of God is repaired in vs ◠Pet. 1.23 and that wee receiue this incorruptible séede whereby we might attaine to this heauenly glorie be companions with the Angels be transfigured euen into the glory and immortalitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ and be partakers as S. Peter saieth 2. Pet. 1.4 of the diuine nature And may all this be done by the voice of a man No sure But it is here namely saide that the holie Ghost is linked with an inseparable bonde vnto the word preached For why tooke hée vpon him this shape of tongues Surely there is alwayes some likelihood betwéene the visible signes and th◠trueth which is figured in them And therefore we are to consider wherefore the holy Ghost appeared in the fourme of tongues forsooth it was to shew that hée woulde be in the mouthes of the Apostles and woulde giue them whatsoeuer was requisite for the executing of their office and commission and likewise so blesse their labour as that it should not be vnprofitable Nowe we knowe in the first place that the most able man that is to be found cannot vtter one word without the spirit of God gouerneth him And herein God sheweth what we are 1. Cor. 12.3 séeing wée are not able to open our mouthes to speake one word to his glory which shall turne to any purpose without it come from him It must therefore néedes fall out that the spirite of God gouerned the Apostles for els they had become dumbe We sée besides how groase headed they were For they might haue bin more quick and sharpe witted but that God meant to shew vnto vs as in a glasse by their groasenesse what we are vntill such time as he hath enlightned vs with his grace In déed when the Apostles kept company with our Lord Iesus whō they tooke to be their maister they verie soberly obeyed his doctrine But in the meane while what was their knowledge without doubt we sée that they were verie beastes insomuch that when we consider of them howe litle they profited in so good a Schoole their slacknesse should make vs ashamed Howbeit this their dealing hath greatly profited vs For behold they were chaunged in the minute of an houre whereby the grace of God hath shined a great deale the more because wée sée they spake so wonderfull mightely of the secretes of God whereat euerie man was abashed where before it was thought to be nothing Moreouer let vs consider of their power and constancy surely they all quayled and it should séeme that their fayth was dead and of no force For mark how Peter euen one of the chiefest of them villainously forsooke his Maister and yelded himself the bondslaue of Satan Wherefore it was God that must put too his hand because it was impossible for any man to helpe it And so let vs obserue that it was not without cause that the spirite of God appeared in the likenesse of tongues because it was a declaration that God by that meane had allowed and sealed vp the doctrine of the Gospell to the ende we might reuerently and humbly receiue it and not reason from whence it came séeing God hath stretched foorth his arme and declared him selfe to be the Authour thereof And besides it is not without cause that they were clouen and fierie tongues For we know how mankinde had deuided it selfe by the estraunging of it selfe from God And the platforme that was layde for the building vp of the Tower of Babylon Gen. 11 7. was the cause that men vnderstood not one an other nor yet spake one to the other so that they thought that God of verie anger had deuided them Howe falleth it out then that the Apostles hauing been alwayes enclosed as simple and vnlearned people in this corner of Iudea were able to publish the Gospell throughout the worlde if God had not accomplished that which before hee had promised to wit Isaiah 19.18 that all languages and nations should know him In déede it was said that all men should speake the Hebrew tongue that they might agrée together in one true fayth But it is more manifestly set foorth when as it is saide that all the faithfull of what nation soeuer they were should call vpon God with one accord and crye Abba Rom. 8.15 Father notwithstanding their sundry languages Thus we sée how the spirite of God would poure abroad the power of his tongues Ephes 2.14 to the end that all men might call vpon the name of God that we might all be made partakers together of this couenant of saluation which apperteined onely to the Iewes vntill the wall was broken downe And herein we sée the vnspeakeable goodnesse of God in conuerting of yll into good For if we séeke for the cause why there are so many languages in the worlde we must néedes confesse it to be the curse of God and yet herein appeareth his wonderfull fatherly goodnesse and mercy to haue the glad tydinges of euerlasting life to be caried through the world in all languages Thus we sée howe God hath conuerted euill into good And therefore we haue hereby the more to glorifie and blesse his holy name because wee knowe that the diuersitie of tongues haue not letted him to declare vnto all the worlde that hée meaneth to receiue all such as had before estraunged them selues from him and thrust them all as it were into his bosome vntill suche time as hée hath brought them together into the heauenly enheritance And thus much for this Howbeit this were not enough to haue the Gospell preached and to haue God to be knowne all the world ouer without this doctrine had foorthwith power liuely to touch mens heartes that they might be brought to obedience This then was the cause why the fyrie tongues appeared Yea verely For in the first place we had néede to be purged because we are altogether