but miserable wretched caâ—tifes yet let vs not for all that cease to reioyce in God by reason of the tast which he giueth vs by faith of the heauenly glory enheritance which hée hath so dearely purchased for vs from the which we cannot be put if we hope for it Let vs now fall downe before the maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offeÌ„ces beséeching him to make vs more more to féele the gréeuousnes of them to be so touched with theÌ„ as that our repentance might continually be mightiller coÌ„firmed that we might grone for them and so walk in the feare of our God as that he might be glorified by vs to the end we might shew wherfore hée hath redéemed vs and learne to consecrate our selues in all puritie to him and to this great Sauiour who hath sanctified him selfe that we might also be pertakers of his holinesse And that it would please him to poure the graces of his holie spirite vpon vs that by the same meanes wée might be cleansed of all the infirmities and corruptions of our flesh That hée would not onely graunt vs this grace but vnto all people c. The seuenth Sermon of the passion Matthew xxvii 45 ANd from the sixt houre there was darknesse ouer all the lande vnto the nineth houre 46 And about the ninth houre Iesus cryed out with a loude voice saying Eli Eli Lamasabachthani That is to say My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee 47 Then some of them which stood there when they heard that saide This man calleth for Elias 48 And by and by one of them ranne and tooke a spoonge and when hee had filled it full of vineger and put it on a reede hee gaue him to drinke 49 The rest saide Let bee Let vs see whether Elias will come to saue him 50 When Iesus had cryed againe with a loude voice hee yeelded vp the Ghost 51 And behold the vayle of the Temple was rent in two peeces from the toppe to the bottome and the earth did quake and the stones rent 52 And graues were opened and many bodies of Saintes which slept arose 53 And after they were come out of the graues after his resurrection came into the holie Citie and appeared vnto many 54 When the Centurion and they that were with him who watched Iesus sawe the Earth quake and the thinges that were done they feared greatly saying Truely this was the Sonne of God WE saw and heard yesterday that al the scorners and blasphemers of the Maiestie of God were no wayes able to hinder and let that the death passion of our lord Iesus should not bring foorth and manifest the power force thereof euen amiddest the most horrible coÌ„temners and vnthankful people of the world For marke and beholde that notwithstanding the hornorablest of the Iewes chiefliest scorned the sonne of God yet had hée compassion of the poore and miserable théefe and graunted him euerlasting life And therefore no man ought to darken and lessen the glorie of the Sonne of God Nowe if any man alledge say that the state of the miserable théefe is not to be compared with the chiefe Gouernours of the Church being the Priestly trybe whom God had chosen for the teaching of the lawe it is out of all doubt that when we speake of the saluation which God of his fré mercy purchased for vs we must not looke for any worthinesse that is to be founde in vs But rather agrée to that saying of Saint Paule 1. Tim. 1.13 That this is a true doctrine that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners And therefore when wée consider of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ it is méete that all men should yéeld and confesse them selues to be most miserable and shameful to the end God might poure vpon them by that meanes the treasures of his mercy without any other regard to helpe vs saue that he seeth vs most miserably to be plunged ouer head and eares And because that this théefe was a most abiect man and that God had so sodeinly called him yet séeing the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ which hée suffred for all mankinde was auaileable vnto him the same should a great deale the rather confirme vs. Wherefore it is out of all question that God here thrusteth out his hand as it were to all those who thinke them selues worthie thereof and deserue it or at the least to such as the common people thought the most excellent But when hée pulleth damned soules out of the pyt of hell and when hée sheweth himselfe merciful vnto those who were vtterly voide of all hope of life herein shyneth his wonderful goodnes And this is it which giueth vs an entrance into saluation for although hypocrites confesse that they are greatly beholden vnto God for his grace and fauour yet shut they the gate vpon them selues by reason of their arrogancy for their pride is such as that they cannot submit them selues vnto our Lord Iesus Christ And therfore let vs in the first place be fully resolued that Iesus Christ calleth vnto him miserable sinners which are ashamed of themselues stretcheth out his armes to receiue them For if this be not in vs we shal neuer haue the heart to come vnto him But when we shal be throughly persuaded that hée purchased saluation for those who would acknowledge and submit theÌ„selues to be most miserable and wretched sinners and be vtterly ashamed coÌ„fesse their giltines as in déed they ought before the iudgement seate of God let vs be well assured that we shal soone attain to be partakers of the righteousnes which is héere offred vs which is the obteining of fauour and grace at the handes of God Now héere vpon followeth That from the sixt houre vnto the nineth there was darknesse ouer all the lande Hée speaketh thus cleane contrary to our common maner of spéech for wee woulde say from six houres to nine houres But the Euangelist hath followed the ordinary maner of spéech that was then vsed For wheÌ„ he speaketh of the third houre hée meaneth not at thrée of the clocke but the fore part of the day And here in summe are two things to be considered of The one is that they counted the houres otherwise then we doe at this day for they reckoned the day to beginne from the Sunne rising vnto the going downe which was twelue houres where we take the day to be foure and twentie houres accounting from midnight vntill midnight folowing And therfore the clocks were to be set in such sort as that the houres in Sommer shoulde not be longer then they were in Winter and as the dayes were longer or shorter euen so were the houres longer or shorter The other point is this They deuided the day into foure partes quartered it froÌ„ thrée houres to thrée houres calling euery quarter by the beginning of the first houre Insomuch that the time
because wée were stubborne that none of vs thought once to humble our selues before God but were altogether blinded in our offēces Howbeit we sée that this is the naturall meaning of the Prophet that for the obtaining of peace at the handes of God it must néedes be that we were to be reconciled by an other meane I haue alredie said that God being the iudge of the world could not choose but of verie right hate and detest vs for as shall be soone after declared what haue we brought out from the wombe of the sea and what treasure haue wée gathered together all our life long Surely wée doe nothing els but prouoke the wrath of God as if wée had made a league with Satan continually to encrease more and more his fury Sée nowe in what sorte wée haue deserued to bée hated and reiected at the handes of God Beholde how his wrath is kindled against vs and it is impossible but that hée must néedes be our enemy because wée fight against him and with might and mayne make suche warres as that we vyolate and breake all order of iustice And therefore I say must God in this respect ryse vp in iudgement agaynst vs because wée knowe it to bée his verie office to maintaine and defende equitie and right Wherfore since it is so that he seeth vs to be ful of iniquitie and corruption and altogether rebellious it is meete hée shoulde stretch foorth his arme and shewe that because we are his enemyes hée will render vs the lyke And therefore wée had néede to haue peace and our consciences will alwayes witnesse agaynst vs and although wée goe about carelesly to sleape in our flatteryes yet will GOD so pricke and spurre vs and make vs féele in despight of our téeth that wee are altogether malicious and vnthankfull Wherefore it is impossible that GOD shoulde bée mercifull vnto vs and wée to bée assured to finde fauoure with him vntill such tyme as wée féele his correction Not that GOD is desirous of reuenge as men are For a man when he is in an heate woulde haue the fault that is committed to bee amended and some redresse and punishment to be made and had that hee might be reuenged Howbeit there are no suche passions in God But how euer the case standeth God will haue his iustice and iudgement to be knowne and feared to the ende wée might the rather bée afearde of our sinnes and learne to abhorre and detest them For if GOD woulde haue forgiuen vs except Iesus Christ had made intercession and pawned him selfe for vs wée woulde haue made no account of the matter and euerie of vs woulde haue smoothed him selfe and woulde haue taken also a greater occasion of lycense to sinne But when we sée that God hath not spared so rigorously and extreamely to handle his onely Sonne as that hée did not onely cause him to suffer the most gréeuous torments in body that might bée but also so extremely afflicted his soule as that hée made him to crye out and say My God My God why haste thou forsaken mée Mat. 27.46 When wée sée all these thinges I say it is impossible except our heartes bée harder then flynt stones but that wée must bée gréeued and conceiue suche a feare as that it must vtterly confounde vs and neyther will nor choose but detest our sinnes and iniquities since they so prouoke the heauy wrath of God against vs. Thus wée sée why it was requisite that our whole correction of peace shoulde bée layde vpon Iesus Christ to the ende wée might finde fauour before God his Father that is to say that we might be at such a league with him as that we might at this day be bold and frée to call vpon God as our Father although of very right hée is our enemy and hateth vs as wée are in our owne nature Wée sée then at this present what the Prophet his meanyng is when hée sayeth that our Lorde Iesus Christ was afflicted by the hande of God disfigured and forsaken of all men and that no man once vouchsafed to looke vpon him by reason of his merueylous deformitie Howbeit hée sayeth that it was because God had kindled his wrath against vs and was armed and bent to cōfounde and throwe vs downe headlong into the pit of hell vntill such time as that attonement was made And which way came it to passe Forsooth God of his méere mercy and goodnesse fréely forgiueth vs our sinnes howbeit the price of our redemption was in the person of his onely Sonne Now we haue héere to note that by reason of the condemnation of our Lord Iesus Christ we are pardoned and al our sinnes buried shal neuer again rise vp against vs before the maiesty of God whē we speak of the forgiuenes of our sins it is not spokē as though God had so discharged vs as if we had throughly cōtented payde him but we are acquited by his méere liberality And although we are guilty before him yet forgetteth he al receiueth vs to mercie Mat. 7.19 because as the prophet saith he casteth our sins into the bottome of the sea but by the way we haue also here to note that this was no frée forgiuenes vnto the persō of our lord Iesus Christ for it cost him the setting on as we say Now if we cōsider what a grieuous cruel slanderous death this was which he abode besides what anguishes his soule endured whē he was called before the iudgemēt seat of God his father to abide our condēnation if we cōsider wel of all this geare I say we shal find that our Lord Iesus Christ hath made a woonderful paymēt for the discharging of our sins Loe here howe we at this day are fréed of thē And héerof we are throughly to cōsider for the diuel hath cōtinually gone about to darkē this doctrine because it is the chiefest article of our faith In the beginning of the world God would haue sacrifices offred vnto him for the forgiuenesse of sinnes And why was that Forsooth it was to this ende and purpose that men should not trust vnto him but by the meane of a sacrifice and the shedding of blood And therefore they all protested in their sacrifices that they were not able to come néere vnto god except they had béen redéemed by the purging of their sinnes iniquities which was to be done by our Lord Iesus Christ And yet by the way neither Iew nor Gentile but trusted to their own merits thought themselues able to make satisfaction vnto God by thē Here then we sée that the diuel euē at the time wtdrew miserable sinners frō our lord Iesus Christ frō the payment which he had made by his death passiō And yet now sée in what case the papists are For they wil cōfesse that wee haue full remission of our sinnes by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ yea but that is as they
not therefore say that the death and passion of Christ was not effectual nor yet profited vs so much as was expedient because the death wherevnto wée are nowe subiect is but a warning vnto vs of the curse of God For if wée were clearely exempt from death we should then neuer know the grace which was purchased for vs by our Lorde Iesus Christ And we also knowe what néede we haue to bée humbled and that God maketh vs alwayes to féele his wrath For although we were altogether exempt thereof yet ought we to think still of it to the ende we might grone by reason of our sinnes and therefore magnifie his mercy so much the more Wherefore the death to speake properly which all men now dye as it were is not deadly to those which haue faith in Iesus Christ because they passe out of this life to liue vnto God And therefore when we dye wée are to comfort our selues and reioyce because we know that God will be mercifull vnto vs and conuert the euill into good make death which before brought with it a mortall wound to serue for a plaister And howe is that Forsooth because we shall vnderstande that God will not become a seuere Iudge vnto vs poure out his vengeance vpon vs when as we bring Iesus Christ with vs to shewe that hée hath made satisfaction for vs. And therfore death hath not taken such fearefull holde on vs as to confound vs and bring vs to dispaire Ioh. 6.39 10.28 But doe come fréely to put our selues into the handes of God For as it said that Iesus Christ commended his soule vnto God his Father Let vs vnderstand that it was to make him Gardaine of our soules and therefore may wée commende them most assuredly into his handes because hée hath said that whatsoeuer is giuen to him to kéepe shall neuer perish Thus then we sée to what ende this anguish of our Lorde Iesus Christ serueth and that ouer and besides he aboad death and the rest of the tormentes yet had hée also this terrour of the féeling of God to be his Iudge as if hée shoulde haue suffred the paynes of hell Nowe it is so farre off that this is any whit derogatorie from his Maiestie as that it is to make vs a great deale the better vnderstand howe greatly hée estéemed of our saluation and how deare and precious we and our soules were vnto him And therefore although hée was made of no reputation as before hath béen séene and had neither fourme nor fashion why men shoulde be desirous of him yet was this his light estimation of him to exalte him so much the more And in déede although God shewed his highnesse and infinite Maiestie in the creation of the worlde yet haue we a farre more large cause to glorifie God in the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ because Iesus Christ abased and humbled him selfe for vs and for our saluation and although hée was not robbed of his diuine Maiestie yet laye it hyd for a time and was neuer perceiued by any man And this is in summe that which the Prophet here handleth as concerning the payne and greefe of our Lord Iesus Now we sée herein that hée forgot him selfe as it were and neuer cared for him selfe and the reason is because hée was altogether giuen to saue vs And so answered for vs both in bodie and soule and was our onely pledge And in this we sée that the verie curres who would at this day abolish this doctrine haue neyther faith nor religion in them but bark at it like Mastifes they know not why nor wherfore And although our Popish hypocrites who vnderstand this but by halfes are yet notwithstanding howsoeuer the world goeth driuen to confesse that Iesus Christ felt most terrible panges In déed they were neuer able fully to define of al that was in it But yet how euer it commeth to passe they iumble partly at it Notwithstanding there are here a company of villaynes more Monkish thē they which liue in their Celles in those stews out of which they come who haue brought their stench infectiō into the Church of God And therefore this is most certaine that these Dogges which at this day carry the name of Ministers and do also occupie that place and yet make a Swynes stye of the Church of God being like Dogges without all religion and goe about nothing els but to deface and put out of mens mindes all the grace of God and whatsoeuer els our Lord Iesus Christ hath done for vs. Now when we sée that Satan hath thus pushed them forward as to become like shamelesse whores we ought so much the rather to consider of this Article of our faith which is That Iesus Christ was not onely condemned of Pylate being an earthly Iudge to the end we might be pardoned before God his Father and not only crucified that wée might be deliuered from the curse that hée did not onely suffer death that we might be freed from it But also that we at this day might haue peace of conscience and be glad in that we féele the fatherly loue of our God and so may be bolde to call vpon him with open mouth being assured that he will receiue vs that we shal be acceptable vnto him And it was méet that Iesus Christ should be plunged in these horrors which he felt it was also méete that he who was the immaculate Lambe of God should be made like vnto a wretched malefactor and that hée who was the mirror paterne of all holinesse perfection should answere for vs and become our Borrow euen to that verie pinch as if hée shoulde haue béen condemned vnto the bottomlesse pit of hel Moreouer he vanquished ouercame all these sorowes as we haue before said but yet he wrestled stoutly against them first Thus we sée what the meaning of Isaiah is when he saith that Iesus Christ must sée trauels griefes in his soule howbeit we sée that he was notwithstanding well contented and fully satisfied therwith alwayes prouided that we might be redeemed by that meane And therfore wée may at this day be so much the more bold knowing that if we haue a true obedience of fayth whereby to receiue the inestimable benefite which our Lorde Iesus Christ hath obtained for vs wée may féele that hée suffred not all these torments for vs in vaine Wherfore our vnthankfulnesse shall be so much the more inexcusable when as we come not vnto him with such an earnest zeale to enioy this inestimable benefite whereinto he is entred and whereof hée hath in our behalfe taken possession hauing tolde vs that hée hath reconciled vs vnto God his Father who is readie to receiue vs as his children Thus we sée in summe what we haue to consider of in this place Now the Prophet goeth on farther and saith That by his knowledge my righteous seruant shall iustifie many As for this word
practise which is this let him that thinketh he standeth ◠Cor. 10.12 beware he falleth not It is very true we are not able to vphold our selues but let vs runne vnto him that hath the meane to do it and in the meane while let vs as Saint Paul sayeth in another place walk most humbly since it is God that giueth both to wyll and to perfourme and that of his frée mercy and goodnesse For thus it is sayde make an ende of your saluation in feare and in trembling as if he should haue sayd put a part from you all presumption and negligence Now when wee sée how many wayes we haue néede of Gods helpe Phil. 2.12 is it not good reason that we should stand vpon our garde and not presume any whit of our owne strength but carefully night and daye call vpon him and put our selues into his keeping and gouernment And we are besides to weigh and consider that although the temptations be not great yet wold they soone oppresse vs if God of his grace dyd not helpe and remedy them And they who thinke them selues most bould when they are farre from blowes become euen lyke white lyuered souldiers if there blow neuer so small a wind In very déede if God assist vs we are sure to stande fast although there arise neuer so great tempestes For we vnderstande by the similitude which our Lorde Iesus Christe bringeth in that if an house bee buylt vpon a rock although there come neuer so great rage of winds and waters yet will it stand faste But that which is built vpon the sand wyll haue a great fall and soone decay So then when we shall be built vpon God Matth. 7.24 and that hee shall holde vs with his mighty hand we may very well abide great and stout alarmes But if there were no enemye at all to fighte against vs yet shoulde wee bee soone ouerthrowne if God once holde hymselfe farre from vs and taketh from vs his hande as wee haue séene by Peter But hee hath done a great deale worsse for hee denyed not our Lorde Iesus Christ for once but as often as hee was asked the question We sée that hee forced not to passe continually from euill to worse as to fall to cursing whenas he prayd God that hée would curse him and swallow him vp into the pyt of Hell And therfore when wee sée this let vs vnderstand that hee whiche falleth whenas he had most néede to stande vp will throw him selfe continually downe into a greater depth of destruction yea euen vnto his vtter ouerthrow for euer without God helpe to remedy him Thus we sée what our estate and condition is for euen from the beginning it is a wōder to see how we flatter our selues of our owne strength and therefore our Lord Iesus sheweth vs by proofe that it is nothinge and that whensoeuer there bloweth neuer so litle a winde we are soone ouerthrowne And yet wee perswade our selues that we are able to stand as of our selues But we doo but al this while encrease our owne sorrow adding sinne to sinne and excéede more gréeuously in wickednesse If Saint Peter had bene tēpted an hundred times in a day he would haue denied Iesus Christe an hundred tymes and a thowsande in the head of it Loe in what case he had bene if God had not had compassion vpon him but he spared hym and woulde not proue him any further Surely these thrée fals which are heere spoken of are euen enow to shew vs an horrible example and to make the haires of our head stand vpright to sée peter so forget him selfe the third time and become a very beast in the denying of his saluation But ouer and besides this wee are to marke that if hee had bene troubled with any other temptations hee woulde none otherwise haue resisted them and that had bene to haue cast him to the déepest place of hell if God had not so greatly fauoured him And thus wee sée what profyt wee are to prick out of this doctrine Now we heare not these thinges to the ende we should iudge Peter and condemne his cowardlynesse Yet may we in trueth iustly doe it But yet by the way wee must in the first place learne that in knowing our weakenesse we might likewise vnderstande that there is nothing in vs and not be proudlye puffed vp by attributing to our selues through a vaine and foolishe opinion any power or strength And in the meane while let vs also know that for so much as the deuil hath so many waies to deuise our destructiō that he wil soone compasse vs séeing S. Peter fel whē there was no shew of it And besides let vs at last vnderstande that our Lord Iesus hath compassion vpon vs when hee will not suffer vs to bée tempted aboue our strengthes For it is certayne that the mischiefe wyll be so much the more séene and we shall vnderstand that after we haue committed one offence wee shall be ready to redouble it and neuer haue ende except he through his goodnesse holde vs in And thus we see all the thinges whiche héere are to bee obserued But by the way it is saide Luke 22.61 That after Peter heard the Cock crowe and as S. Luke reciteth it after that Iesus Christ had looked vpon him he went out and wept bitterly Vpon this conclusion it is shewed vs as I haue before said that the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ had presently brought forth her effect power for so much as Peter was raysed vp from so horrible a fall For was not this a miracle that God should haue compassion on him and that he had already obtayned mercy after hee had committed so detest able a falt we haue sayde that it could not bée excused by ignoraunce as if it had bene a small falt to denye Iesus Christe for it was saide and tolde him that if he rendered not a reason and a testimony of his faith before men he was worthy to bee altogether rased from before the Angelles of God Luke 9.26 and his name blotted out of the booke of lyfe and yet he made no reckoning to redéeme this miserable and transitory lyfe with so villanous and straunge a denyal not being called to come before the iudges He was not extreamely questioned withall for it was but a Mayde that spoke to him and if they had dealt somewhat more roughlye with hym the very worst had béene this they woulde haue but scourged and beaten him lyke a miserable wretched caytife And yet he styl forgot the feare of God Wherfore when we sée this let vs so much the more thinke of our selues that it must néedes be that God would powre out the infinite treasures of his goodnesse whenas he made Peter to be a pertaker of the fruite of the death and passion of his sonne Héere is thē a myracle to cause vs all to be in an admiration that Peter obtayned forgiuenesse for
so hainous an offence as appeareth by his repentance For this is most sure that if a man be touched to the quicke after hee hath fallen and wéepeth and growneth before God for his pardon it is a token that God hath already receiued him and reconciled him vnto him selfe For repentaunce is a singuler gift procéeding from the holy Ghost shewing vs that god is mercyfull vnto vs would not haue vs to perish but draweth vs vnto him self And this we sée to be in Peter wherfore it foloweth that the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ was already available vnto him after a wonderful maner as hath bene before saide But let vs héere in the first place note that S. Peter aboad still sleepy and blockishe vntill such time as he perceiued the token which our Lord Iesus had tolde him of to wit that the Cock should not crow till he had denied him thrise or els that the Cocke should not crow the second time before Peter had made his thrée denials Since then it is so if our Lord Iesus Christ had not forewarned him he had stoode styff in his sin bene plunged alwaies in destructiō knowing that we had neede to be stil called vpon whēas we haue commited any offence For if God should take away his grace from vs not exhort vs to turne vnto him without doubte Satan would preuent vs and al our sences would become blockish so that we should haue no one good motiō to returne into the way of saluation And this is it which we are ouer besides to beholde in the person of Peter But when S. Luke telleth the Iesus Christ looked on him we are héereby the better taught that it is not enough that we be pricked forward and be pulled by the eare to returne vnto God but Iesus christ must also cast his looke countenance vpon vs. Now this is true that he speaketh not heere but of the looke of the eyes but although our Lord Iesus be not conuersaunt which vs in a visible maner yet without doubt vntil such time as he casteth his eie vpon vs we shal be altogether dulled in our sinnes neuer think ether of wéeping or groning although wee haue prouoked the wrath of God although he hath bent his bow and drawn his sword yet wyll we still be negligent vntil such time as our Lorde Iesus christ causeth vs to féele that he hath not forgotten vs would not haue vs perish but wyll draw vs out of destruction And to proue this to be so we dayly heare Sermons by which we are exhorted to repentaunce but how are we touched with them nether were there euer any mo admonitions and besides doo not al thē creatures of God stirre vs vp to come vnto him surelye if there were but one drop of wisdome in our mindes would not the very rising of the Sunne call vs to an acknowledgement of the worship of God And besides if we beholde how the earth and the Elements doo their duties and the beastes and trées theirs this were enough to shew vs that we must submit our selues vnto his maiestie to the end he might be gloryfyed in vs and yet we thinke no whit at all of it But the Cock may crow as lowde as hee lust and not the Cocke alone but God also causeth al his creatures both in heauen and earth to crye out to exhort vs to come vnto him and that which is more he vouchsafeth to open his holy mouth both by his law Prophets Gospel and saieth vnto vs returne vnto mee O yée people and yet we sée our selues to be so dull and blockish as is monstrous And therefore our Lorde Iesus Christ must looke vpon vs with his eye of mercy as hée dyd vpon Péeter that he might draw out of vs true gronings to be witnesses of our repentaunce For where it is saide that Peter wept bitterly it was to this ende to declare vnto vs the sorrow whereof Saint Paul speaketh that is to saluation and therefore we should not flye it 2. Cor. 7.10 but séeke after it although we naturally desyre to be continually in pleasure and to féele no crosse yet must we be brought to bee sorrowfull for when God afflicteth vs our hartes must néedes bée gréeued in that we haue offended him for this sorrow bringeth vs to quietnes maketh vs to reioyce both before God the Angels And we shall anone sée that Iudas repented him but it was after another and diuers maner But we finde by Peters wéeping that he was greatly displeased with his sinne and returned forthwith vnto Iesus Christ We are also to note that he went out to weepe Surely this procéeded of weaknesse because he was a fearde that the company should sée him repent But be as be may no doubt of it when he wept by him selfe it was a good token that hee was touched with his sinne and offence because he sought not to haue men to be witnesses of his repentance but wept alone before God And in this we sée what it is for vs to doo for if we onely bewaile our sinnes and transgressions in the sight of men by this we shew our hypocrysie but when we withdraw our selues from company and examine our sinnes and offences and be then sorrowfull that argueth that we are no hypocrites but that we know who is our Iudge and doo there beséech him of pardon and forgiunesse knowing also that it is the office of God to pull all damned soules out of the pitte of hell And this is the summe which wee are to consider of that whiche is héere mentioned of Peters fall and of the thrée denialles by which hee deserued to bee cleane cut of from the Kingdome of God if so bee Iesus Christ had not stretched out the power of his death passion to bring him to repentaunce as héere it came to passe now it is saide anone after that the Priestes and gouernours tooke counsell to condemne hym But because they had no power to doo it they brought him manacled and bound vnto Pontius Pilate the gouernour of the Country who had authoritie After this it is said in the Gospel the Iudas repented him when he sée the Iesus Christ was condemned and cast them the mony which he had receued for a reward for his treachery therw t cōfessed his falt Howbeit the priests would not receiue the mony but bought a field of a Potter wherin was potters earth which serued to none other purpose for it was good neither for tyllage nor séede And this Fielde they bought to burye the dead bodies whiche they did vnder a coulor of deuotion for they saide it was not lawfull to put that siluer among the offerings of the temple And herevpon the Euangelist sayeth that that which the Prophet had spoken of was accomplished that the thirtie pence which the children of Israell valued God at might bee bestowed vpon a potters yarde Héere we
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
haue to consider of for this pointe Nowe it is saide for a finall conclusion That the will of God shall prosper in his handes The wordes which the Prophet heere vseth signifieth a worldly will and frée fauour For it were not enough that our Lord Iesus Christ should execute the will of God But that it shoulde be a will procéeding of loue as a testimony of his fatherly affection For Moses executed the will of God when hée published the lawe and yet notwithstanding euerie man was afeard at the thunders lightnings for there was nothing els but threatnings of death And why so Forsooth because the law brought nothing els with it but wrath and vengeance For it was méet that the world should féele in it an horrible condemnation Hebr. 12.18 be wonderfully afeard Howbeit there appeared an other maner of wil of God in Iesus Christ that is this his meaning was to receiue vs vnto himself to haue mercy vpō vs to abolish our sins to discharge vs of the condemnation wherein we were Thus we sée the propertie of the spéech which the Prophet here vseth when he saith That the wil of God should prosper Now it is by by after said in his hands which signifieth that Iesus Christ should be a distributer and bestower of the grace of God for our saluation True it is that God might by some other death haue deliuered vs from death howbeit it was not his meaning neyther yet was it so good And therefore hée appointed our Lord Iesus Christ to the ende wée might by him be redéemed and reconcyled and to bée short that by him wée might obtayne whatsoeuer was requisite for our saluation Let vs nowe make a collection of the summe and effect of this saying It is saide That the good will and free fauour of GOD should prosper in the hands of Iesus Christ Wherefore speaketh the Prophet after this maner Forsooth because we are enclyned vnto mistrust and haue a number of lettes to make vs fainte the holie Ghost preuenteth the matter and declareth vnto vs that howsoeuer the worlde goeth the grace of God shall worke it effect and be accomplished And therefore although the Deuill craftely goeth about to deuise to make the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ to bée of no force and effect vnto vs and bring foorth no fruit in vs and although wée for our partes are so wicked and peruerse as that wée will so fall from it as that wée will make it altogether vnprofitable vnto vs yet will God by his infinite goodnesse ouercome it all To bée shorte the Prophete his meaning héere in this place is that the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christe hath not béene onely sufficient for the saluation of the worlde but also that God will make it so forcible as that wée shall sée the fruite thereof and féele and proue it by experience And heerevpon wée are to gather that God will alwayes haue a Church in the worlde and that the Deuill may very wel deuise all the mischiefe hée can possible and bende all his force to ouerthrowe the house of God and yet be as be may Christ Iesus shall haue the victorie and the grace whereof hée is a distributer and bestower shall bée beneficiall and perfourmed amongst men And for this cause it is saide by the Psalmist Psal 2.1 Why haue the Kinges and Rulers of the earth lifted vp themselues and made couenantes with the people Yet must God in the ende execute his Counsell and iudgement In verie déede they will goe about to imagine muche but yet hée which dwelleth aboue in the heauens will mocke them all to scorne in his wrath Let vs therefore well consider that the meaning of the holie Ghost is to declare that the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ wil alwayes worke his effect to the end the Church of God might stande firme and sure so that it shall neuer be ouerthrowne by all the assaultes tempestes and whirlewyndes whatsoeuer that the enemies with Satan their head can any way possible raise vp against it And this saying to prosper is set downe to shew that God will make the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ florish to the end it might more and more fructifie and when it shall séeme that it shoulde bée vtterly defaced that God will vpholde it and ouercome whatsoeuer may bée any let for the bringing of it to a perfect ende Moreouer euery of vs ought to apply this vnto himselfe and not doubt that although our winges flagge and we the bondslaues of sin yet that God will deliuer vs from out of that slauerie wherin we are make perfect that which hée hath begun in vs and amend also whatsoeuer is wanting in vs. And how Forsooth wee must first come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ because it is he which putteth to his hande and to him the charge thereof is committed and this office hée receiued from God his Father And therefore let vs be contented that since hee is appointed to be the Minister of our saluation there shall be no defect or want which hée will not accomplish by his meane and that because hée hath so determined it 2. Cor. 5.19 Now let vs by the way apply to this which is héere set downe the place of Saint Paul before by vs alledged to the end we might be partakers of the fruit of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ that is let vs giue eare vnto the message that is dayly brought vs. For it were not enough that Iesus Christ had suffred in his owne person and appointed to be a sacrifice for vs but wée must also be certified thereof by the Gospell that wée haue this testimony by it and not doubt but that wée are iustified by him because we knowe that hée hath made satisfaction for our offences And therevpon let vs looke that God will in such sort continue his woorke in this Redéemer as that hée will make it encrease more and more vntill hée hath brought it to a full end and perfection Let vs now fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offēces beséeching him so to make vs féele them as that wée may be more more displeased with them also learne vs so to looke into the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ as that it may be a good instruction for vs to be gréeued and grone for our sinnes not doubt since that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath discharged vs of that whereof we were guiltie but that wée might nowe come before the Maiestie of God his Father and be receiued as his children although in déede we are vnworthie to be reckoned amongst the number of his creatures And that wée may in this strength fight against all our vices and wicked lustes and so bée made partakers of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes as also we might be strengthened to
make all our whole life agréeable vnto God and as hée hath shewed him selfe fauourable vnto vs we might also labour most obediently to please him That it would please him not to shew this fauour vnto vs onely but also vnto all people and nations on the earth c. The sixt Sermon of the Prophesie of our Lord Iesus Christ Isaiah Liii 11 HE shall see of the trauaile of his soule and shall bee satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many for hee shall beare their iniquities ALthough the Prophet for a confirmation of that which hée hath alredy said bringeth in this sentence to wit that the death of the Sonne of God shoulde not be vnprofitable but should yéeld a most excellent fruite for the saluation of the worlde yet doeth hée more liuely set it foorth then héeretofore hée hath done For in the first place hée sheweth vnto vs the loue whiche Iesus Christ beare vs saying That hee shall be satisfied by reason hée had purchased for vs by his death euerlasting life and besides hee sheweth in the second place that hée shall not suffer onely in his bodie but in his soule also Nowe we knowe that this saying to be Satisfied or to be Contented importeth or carieth with it a great desire For many thinges shall come to passe which shall touch vs no whit and we ouerslip them yea and although they be for our commoditie yet is not for vs to say that we altogether rest in them And a man may haue a great number of things and yet not be contented For it is possible that he hath not the principall or els that hée hath not the whole But the Prophet sheweth that the Sonne of God shal be throughly satisfied neuer respecting him selfe when as hée shall sée that hée hath gotten vnto him his Church and that poore sinners shal be deliuered from the curse wherein they were and so be reconciled vnto God for the obtayning of the heauenly enheritance To be short wée sée here that our Lorde Iesus neuer respected his owne person but was rauished with the loue of vs wherin hée sought his whole contentment and felicitie as if that had béene his onely desire loue and care Now we haue againe here to note that if so be we looke for the benefite which our Lorde Iesus Christ purchased for vs by Fayth which is dayly offred vnto vs by the Gospell wée shall neuer be voide of our hope For the Prophet sayeth That hee shall see by which hée expresseth that God doeth not onely meane to shewe his mercy vnto vs in the person of his Sonne when as hée deliuered him to death But will bring it also to passe by his holy spirite that this his death shall not be fruitlesse and that many shall see finde by experience that it was not in vayne nor for naught that hée suffred so great tormentes And therefore let vs embrase our Lorde Iesus Christ to the end we drawing neare vnto him by fayth might be made partakers of the fruite of his death passion and let vs be assured that whēsoeuer we shal at any time estrange our heartes from him that God will not adde this benefit with the rest that as his wil was that his Sonne should be our Redéemer euen so also should we truly enioy the benefit which he hath brought vs and vnderstande that it was not in vaine that hée suffred such cruell torments for vs. And this is the thing which we are to consider of out of this place As for the second point which is propounded it is here shewed that Iesus Christ should not onely be beaten scourged and afflicted by the hand of God his father that he might beare the chastisement which wée were woorthie of but that his soule also shoulde bée gréeued and vexed It is not héere said that hée shall sée the fruite of his strypes affliction and death as the Prophet had before saide But also the fruite of the trauayle and griefe of his soule For the woordes which hée vseth importeth as much And therefore hée meant to expresse that Iesus Christ was not onely crucified after hée had aboad the gréeuous tormēts in his bodie but that hée should goe a great deale farther to wyt that hée should be heauy and sory for vs and suffer the sorrowes of death and be euen subiect theretoo for our iustification And to say truly to what purpose had it bin if our Lord Iesus Christ had but openly suffred in the sight of the world For if he had suffred but in body hee should then haue bin a Redéemer of bodies onely But because the principall matter why wée should beléeue in him is that we might féele and be fully persuaded that death shal be no more deadly vnto vs and that wée are freed from the curse of God it was méet that our Lord Iesus shoulde féele these pointes in himselfe so comming before God might be as a wretched malefactor before his Iudge For we know that the sin of man brought not with it a temporall death onely but also a féeling of the enmitie of God and of his horrible iudgement against vs. And what is that Forsooth the most insupportable and terrible thing that possibly may be And therfore it was méet that our Lord Iesus shuld be driuen theretoo for our deliuerance and this is it whiche the Prophet at this present declareth vnto vs. And héere we sée a great deale the better howe God hath loued vs and what the infinite Treasures of his grace and goodnesse are which hée hath powred out vpon vs. Moreouer wee may also verie well vnderstande what care and zeale our Lorde Iesus Christ had ouer our saluation when as hée forced not to make his owne bodie answere the satisfaction of our sinnes but also to bring him selfe into such an horrible feare as one that should féele the iudgement of God who layde holde on him as vpon him who had deserued the curse which God had pronounced from his owne mouth to wyt that it was the verie thing to swallowe vs vp into hell and a gulfe vtterly to destroy vs. And therefore it was méete that Iesus Christ should féele all this Nowe to say the trueth when wée sée that hée had thereby sweat water and blood Luk. 22.3 and that the Angels came downe to comfort him this could not choose but be an wonderfull extream sorrow and griefe séeing the like example had neuer béen séene all the worlde ouer Thus we sée the meaning of these wordes Of the trauaile or griefe of the soule of our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe it is true as Saint Peter sayeth that the sorrowes of hell could not hold him vnder howbeit it was méet hée should striue with them Act. 2.24 and in the end hée had the victorie ouer them but it was not without great and painefull fight Moreouer wée are presently to gather out of this place that although wée must dye wée must
Seruant we haue before séene that it is no whit derogatorie from the maiestie of our Lorde Iesus Christ For although hée was Lord ouer all Creatures yet obteined he a newe gouernment in the person of a Mediatour and in our nature according to that saying of Saint Paule to the Philippians and as we haue also séene partly heretofore Phil. 2.9 for it was his meaning to become a seruant and to humble him selfe vnder that state and condition And therefore it was not in vaine that hée was called the seruaunt of God Now this ought to be no straunge thing vnto vs But this should be much more strange vnto vs that Iesus Christ being the verie Sonne of God Iohn 17.9 and coequall with God his Father in glorie should become a seruant to men as it is saide in the Gospell after Saint Iohn and so abase him selfe vnder this condition Mat. 20.28 as that hée woulde serue vs and yet notwithstanding it was so in déede Marke also why hée saide I was conuersaunt amongst you as a seruant and not as a Maister Nowe since it is so that Iesus Christ became so humble as to make him selfe the seruant of men it is not for naught then that hée is here called the seruant of God And to say the truth he could not otherwise haue redéemed vs. I speake now in respect that God his Father had so decréede it as we haue alredie heretofore sayde For I know that God could if it had pleased him haue saued vs without any meane But we are alwayes to presuppose that it was Iesus Christ which must purchase life for vs. And therefore for the bringing of this matter to passe it was eftsoones méet that he should become a seruant because hee could not otherwise haue yéelded his obedience vnto God his Father and without this obedience it was impossible for him to haue repaired our transgressions and iniquities Thus then we sée why he was called a righteous seruant To be short the Prophet doeth vs to wit that because we were and yet are rebels to God vntill such time as he hath reformed vs by his holy spirit and againe although after he hath giuen vs the touch of a good mind yet are we vnprofitable seruants and tryp and stumble euerie hand while and besides when wée shall thinke that the seruice which we doe him should be well accepted of him yet may it be verie well amended yea worthie to be reiected and therefore for the blotting out of our offences it was méete that the seruice and obedience of our Lord Iesus Christ should please God and that it should also carry with it a right and full satisfaction This then is the summe and effect of his meaning And herevpon we are to gather that Iesus Christ did not onely iustifie vs in that he was God but through the power of his obedience in that he tooke vpon him our nature and therein would accomplish and fulfill the lawe which was impossible for vs to doe because it was such a burthen as would haue pressed vs all downe and haue broken our neckes Forsomuch then as our Lord Iesus Christ forsooke himselfe for our saluation and became obedient vnto God his Father we sée in what sort he hath iustified vs. Now he speaketh also namely of his knowledge meaning thereby to expresse that it was not inough that our Lorde Iesus Christ performed in his own person all whatsoeuer that was necessarie for our saluation but that wee also should take fast hold therof by fayth And therefore knowledge is verie requisite For how many incredulous or vnbeléeuing persons doe we sée perishe vnto whom the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ serueth to none other purpose saue onely for their greater condemnation because they treade his most holie and precious blood vnder their féete and vtterly refuse his grace which hee offreth vnto them Iohn 3.14 Numb 21.9 And so although our Lorde Iesus Christ be lyke vnto the Serpent whiche was set vp in the wildernesse for the healing of all diseases yet can we for our partes receiue no profite by him except we know him For as it was méete also that the brasen Serpent should be looked on in the wildernesse and without which looking on the byting or stinging of the Serpentes was alwayes deadly Euen so at this day is the Gospell vnto vs as a Scaffolde whereon to set vp our Lorde Iesus Christ or els lyke a Banner to represent him vnto our eyes 3. Cor. 4.1 that we might sée him a great way of To bee short The preaching of the Gospell as Saint Paule sayeth is not darke For we may in it beholde the grace of God appearing in our Lorde Iesus Christ or els the Deuill hath blindfolded our eyes But howe euer it is we are throughly to consider of that which is here spoken that Iesus Christ iustifieth not but by his knowledge In deede it is most true that the verie substance of our saluation must come from thence For when it is saide that we are iustified by Fayth this is not to exclude Iesus Christ neyther yet the mercies of God but rather to lead vs and bring vs vnto them But to the ende we might the easelyer come to the vnderstanding hereof we are to consider in the first place that we are not righteous of our selues since we must borrowe it of some other For if wee were able so to rule and order our life that it might be all in all answerable vnto the law and will of God then in déed we deserued that hee should accept vs. And why so Forsooth because he is to allowe of the good since he is the fountayne thereof for els hee shoulde deny him selfe And therefore if we coulde frame our lyues to agrée with the lawe of God and bee so perfect as hee requireth we should then without doubt be iustified by our woorkes and Iesus Christ as Saint Paul saith should profite vs nothing Collos 5.4 But contrariwise when we are driuen to borow our righteousnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ and séeke it at his handes that is as much to say that we are as bare of it as we say as my nayle Wherefore let vs thus conclude that the whole worlde is condemned of sinne and God sheweth vs that wee are all accursed when as it is saide that wee must come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ And thus much for this point Now to say the trueth the auncient Philosophers spake thus much of vertue and this hath béene alwayes a common opinion that God will accept of vs for our good life and conuersation But what are wee the better for all this For there was nothing but hypocrisie in the best liuers and in such as was thought coulde in no wise be touched and as for the rest they were altogether giuen to wickednesse But to speake of those who were thought of all others to bée the most able and renowmed people
were notwithstanding infected with verie gréeuous sinnes And therefore let men presume as much as they lust and think howe they will to liue vertuously yet when they haue done all they can and set downe many lawes and rules for their gouernment they shall neuer be able to be iustified before God by that meane And why so Forsooth because sinne hath taken suche déepe roote in vs as that it cannot bee pulde out of vs by mans helpe To bee shorte wee shall neuer bee iustified by goyng to Schoole with men although they teache neuer so muche what vertue is And that which is more Beholde God publisheth the lawe wherein is true and perfect righteousnesse for marke what Moyses sayeth Beholde sayeth hee I pronounce at this day both good and euill I shewe vnto thee the way both of life and death But by the way can wee bee iustified by it Can it so order vs as that God will take our life to bee good and holie 2. Cor. 3.7 Rom. 4.15 No surely it is all cleane contrarie For the lawe engendreth death redoubleth our condemnation and kindleth the wrath of God against vs. Thus wee see what tytles the holie Scripture giueth vnto it And therefore since the lawe of it selfe cannot iustifie vs how then is it possible for men by their doctrine statutes and ordinaunces make vs to be truely righteous Nowe if it be asked howe and wherefore the lawe is not able to iustifie the reason is alredie set downe It is true in deed that God declareth vnto vs in his lawe howe wee ought and may attayne vnto lyfe if so bee wee were suche as that there were no let in vs. Wherefore although the lawe of God speaketh vnto vs yet it refourmeth not our heartes For when God telleth vs and sayeth Beholde what it is that I require at your handes But if in the meane while all our desires affections thoughts bee altogether against that which hee commaundeth wée are not onely condemned But the lawe also as I haue alredie saide maketh vs so muche the more guiltie before the Maiestie of God For before the lawe was giuen wée sinned through ignoraunce but nowe wee so wittingly and willingly stande against him as that it séemeth we woulde euen despight him For we know that the seruant which knoweth his Maisters will and doeth it not shall be beaten with many strypes Thus we see why it â—e said that the lawe engendreth nothing els but wrath to wit that when wée haue béen instructed in it it kindleth God his wrath so muche the more against vs and bringeth with it death but howe Because forsooth we sée in it that we are condemned and vtterly cast away What is it so that it announceth not life no and yet by the way we cannot attaine theretoo And therefore we must be iustified after an other maner which is by the Gospell For God saieth not vnto vs in the Gospell Beholde yée shall doe this or that But hée saieth Beléeue that my onely Sonne is your Redeemer embraâ—e his death and passion as a remedie for all your diseases wash your selues in his blood and he shall purge you and ye shall bee made cleane therewith staye your selues vpon the sacrifice whiche hee hath offred vp vnto mee and then see in what sort you shal bee iustified Wherefore forsomuch as the Gospell bringeth vs back vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ and commaundeth vs to seeke for all our righteousnesse in him because he hath made full satisfaction for vs through the free mercy of God see howe we shall be iustified by his knowledge Rom. 10. And this is it which Saint Paule handleth in his Epistle to the Romanes For there hee maketh a comparison betweene the righteousnesse of the lawe and the righteousnesse of Fayth For he sayth that there is this righteousnesse in the lawe when as it sayeth Whosoeuer shall doe all these thinges shal liue by them For this is most true that if wee be able to fulfill all the commaundementes of God so that our life be in such sort ruled as that it is without spot or wrinckle God hath promised to receyue vs as righteous that wee shall be verie sure of our rewarde and not misse of it Marke then the certayntie that is in the lawe but tel mée who it is that doeth al that the law commandeth Surely we goe altogether backward and a man would thinks as I haue beforesaid that wée would go about euen to set our selues against God Thus we sée that the gate of the righteousnesse of the law is quite shut vp against vs and that there remayneth nothing els for vs but the very curse of God But in the Gospel it is saide behold the woorde is in thine heart and in thy mouth But how forsooth after thiâ— sort S. Paule speaketh of it and saith Rom. 10. â— That if wée will haue the word in our heartes and mouthes wée must come vnto Iesus Christe because it is hée which wryteth and imprinteth the doctrine of saluation by his holy spirite with which doctrine wée haue had our eares beaten vnprofitably and in vayne And therefore since our Lorde Iesus Christ putteth his word in our heartes let â—â— beséech him to graunt vs this grace as that we may haue a pure and frée affection to the end we might séeke in him whatsoeuer is wanting in vs. Thus wée sée howe wée shall bée iustified by his knowledge for it is out of al doubte that wée are no way able to bring any satisfaction of our owne with vs which may please God and to make this accompt as to say wée haue deserued O Lord that thou shouldest receiue vs but we should rather say we confesse O Lorde that wee are miserable sinners bound ouer so thy iudgement and it is impossible for vs to make satisfaction therto so that wée must néeds acknowledge that there is no sufficieÌ„cie in any but in Iesus Christ alone to make satisfaction for the same Wherfore we should most humbly coÌ„fesse this say that we are forlorne damned creatures vntil such time as our Lorde Iesus reacheth out his hand to pâ—â— vs out of the pit of hell Now here we confessed all this to be so And besides wee knowe that our Lorde Iesus also supplyeth all our wantes For if wée â—ée foule and filthie his blood washeth vs wherewith wee 〈◊〉 â—â—eane If wee bee fallen in debte not onelye vnto GOD â—ut also vnto Satan as too our enemie Ephe. 5.1 the payment was made â— the death and passion of the Sonne of GOD And if wée bée defyled and not to bée abidden the Sacrifice which our Lorde Iesus Christe offered is suche a sweete smelling sauour as that all our wickednesse is defaced Thus then we sée how we are iustified by the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ And according to this doctrine wée sée in the first place that we must not séeke far for our righteousnes because we shal find it in
if they doo but sleightly conceiue of that whiche is taught but wée are taught to take our Lorde Iesus to be the only cause of our saluation Whiche thinge wée are neâ—er able to doo without wée liuely féele that wée are lost in our selues and besides that as God ment to receiue vs once for al to his mercy euen so he at this day encreaseth the same in vs. And to say the trueth it is impossible for vs to attain to this knowledge except we be inlightened with his holy spirite Which wheÌ„ we haue obteined it is an vndoubted signe that god meaneth to worke in vs to the ende he woulde put vs into the possession of that righteousnesse from the which wée were before very farre of Wée see then that God would gladly haue the Gospell preached But yet that is not enough for we shoulde vnderstande no more of it then an high Almane as we say vntill suche time as he inwardly touched vs with his holy spirite thus wée sée from whence faith procéedeth and then are we the true good disciples of Iesus Christ able to feele the fruite of this doctrine And this is it which the Prophet here sheweth vnto vs. Now he again maketh a recitall of Iesus Christ his bearing of sinnes whereby he meaneth to declare that he made satisfaction for them and that our sinnes should be such a charge as should cast vs headlong into the bottomeles pit of hel if we were not holpen eased by our lord Iesus Christ For what is meant by sin but the very wrath of god For if God but once hold vp his finger it is enough to destroy and ouerthrow the whole world for it is said that with his breath the rockes should riue in péeces Psal 104.32 the mountaines bee softned melt like waxe Wherefore if God sheweth the least token of his fury and wrath there is nothing so firme sure in the worlde but shall melt away and what shall become of vs then who are so fraile creatures when as God shall shewe vnto vs the face of a terrible iudge call vs to an account Were it not méete that we shoulde hearken vnto his voice howebeit the only signe that hee will giue vs to summon withall shal be a bottomeles depth to swalow vs vp in And therfore it cannot be chosen but that our sinnes must néeds bée a burden not able for vs to beare Nowe there is an infinite number of them in vs and we haue not the shoulders to stand vnder them and to beare them But although our Lord Iesus Christ suffered in the weaknesse of his flesh yet did the power of the spirite which he had alwaies vphold him 2. Cor. â—3 4 Collos 2.1.5 And marke howe hee himselfe as Saint Paule sayeth tryumphed vpon the Crosse And therefore wée muste alwayes come backe againe to the saying of the Prophete and Saint Peter also is a good expositour heereof when hee sayeth That hee beare our sinnes vpoÌ„ the trée 1. Pet. 2.24 Indéed the vertue of the trée did no way help our Lord Iesus Christe for the bearing of our sinnes howbeit it is said hee bare theÌ„ on the tree because that wheÌ„ he was crufied he was as one accursed of God and had receiued the whole curse wherein wee were plunged All this then he tooke vpon him to the end that we might féele the fruite thereof and reioyce in the victory whereof at this day he hath made vs partakers And therefore if wee be ouercharged let vs come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe that we might be eased and acknowledge him to be the meane because we are so discharged by him of al our debts as that we must not once imagine that we are euer able to make satisfaction or payment when as we shal come to make our Audite before God we must therfore beginne at this end to be vtterly ashamed and besides not stand in doubt but that we are nowe discharged since our Lorde Iesus Christe hath borne our burden and that wee may also be bold because we knowe that we are freed from the iudgement of God This then is the summe of that which we are héere to consider of That forsomuch as we haue once for all beene sanctified through the Sacrifice which Iesus Christe offered vp whenas he consecrated himselfe vnto the seruice of God as he then saide wee must at this day lay all our sinnes on his backe Gala. 3.10 Deut. 27.29 and séeke our full righteousnesse in him for the perfourming wherof let vs lend our eares to the hearing of the Gospell because we knowe that God with a louing voice calleth vs vnto himself requiring no impossible thing at our handes which might make vs dispaire as it is saide in the Lawe Cursed be he which doeth not fulfill all these things which was to exclude vs from all hope of saluation But that it is héere tolde vs that although we are miserable sinners yet that God applyeth a conuenient remedy vnto vs which is that we comming vnto our Lorde Iesus like poore beggers might be iustified by him and be holpen in such a necessitie as in deede wee are And besides that we might vnderstande that when our Lorde is called Righteous Rom. 10.6 it is to shewe vs that we are iustified by him inasmuch as he hath taken vpon him our nature that we might haue familiar recourse vnto God for the inioying of such a benefite and not say Who shall ascend vp into heauen For when Saint Paule alleadgeth this place of Moses he sheweth that when wee heare the Gospell preached we must not make any long discourses to knowe whether God bee neare vs or not For that were to plucke Iesus Christe out of his heauenly throne And likewyse that we myght no more say Who shall goe down into hell For Iesus Christe descended thither to the ende we might be assured that hee hath fetcht vs out thence and playeth nowe the parte of a Mediator and meaneth to make vs such partakers of his righteousnes as that wee shall be clothed therewith and haue suche possession thereof as that it shall dwell in vs and that by it we might with a full hope be so lifted vp vnto God his father as to call vpon him without doubting Let vs nowe fall down before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him to make vs so too féele them as that we may truely repent vs of them and dayly amend our liues vntill such time as we haue so muche profited as that we may be ioyned vnto that perfection of his righteousnesse whereunto wée must bende our selues and also seeke to attaine vnto it all the dayes of our life And in the meane whyle in suche sort magnifie the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christe as that wee may wholy rest therein so that we might no more wonder after our false and deceitefull imaginations which Satan continually laboureth to set
are tolde of this I say wée would gladly draw our selues out of the heape Wherfore wée are so much the rather to consider of this place to witte that if we would be partakers of the benefits of Iesus Christ wee must euen in this lyfe set our hand to the labor Would wée bée conquerours with him let vs thē fight whiles wée are in the warres And if we would be partakers of al his benefits we must abide all the miseries which he will haue vs beare in this world Rom. 8. 17. 2. Tim. 2.12 For as Saint Paul saith if we bee partakers of his sufferinges we shall also be partakers of his ioyes Behold Iesus Christ now sitteth in his glorious throne into whose hande all things are put But how behaued hée himselfe in this world before he came to it what numbers of afflictions suffered he surely he was so afflicted as that his life was thought to be accursed for he was continually tormented all his life longe and in the ende wée sée that he suffered the most cruell death that was possibly to be deuised and that which is more it séemed that God his father had forsaken him in that he suffered him to be thus condemned by the world Héere then we are to consider that if we entend to enter into this immortall glory wee must beare his crosse in this present lyfe Now we coulde be very well contented to beare a litle blame for him But we would not step one foote forewarde to abide to be hated despised and afflicted And yet this must wee doo because it is not in vs to chaunge the inviolable order which God hath sette downe We would bee glad to know what is done in heauen but we would not hold the way thither and surely God hath not placed vs héere belowe but to the ende to serue Iesus Christ in this worlde that we might be partakers of his glory after that wee haue with might and maine resisted all the assaultes whiche were attempted against vs for the withdrawing of vs from him But if we haue a desire to know what is done in heauen and will not holde the way thither it is very mockery Wee must therefore looke whereunto God hath called vs and wee shall finde that hee hath called vs to fight and it is so harde a matter for vs to ouercome these combates as that wee shall haue no leysure to occupie our selues to séeke after vaine and curious thinges which serue vs to no purpose but let it suffice vs that we haue this worde which sheweth vs which way to holde Now héere are two things wherwith Iesus Christ correcteth the curiositie of his Apostles to wit he telleth thē that they must discerne of the thing which they haue to doe Loe here I say is the way whereby to correct this faulte whereunto we are enclined to wit we must looke vnto the thing which God teacheth vs by his worde and then if we shall be very diligent héerein we shal surely be quit of this fault of béeing ouer foole hardie and curious First of all they haue the promises which Iesus Christ made them The holie Ghost shall come vpon you As if he shoulde haue saide Bee you contented with that which God meaneth to send you And therefore let vs learne that when our nature tickleth vs to cast away our fond presumption and hold vs to the promises of GOD and acknowledge and say Loe wherunto it is that we must sticke let vs then be contented herewith féed and refresh vs with it And besides wée haue the commaundements of God to leade vs to vnderstand what he wil haue vs to doe When then wee knowe all this wée shall haue no leysure to roame ouer the fieldes But wée shall finde roome ynough in the high way yea euen to flye when there were any thing spoken of which hée commaunded vs. Which thing wée shoulde more easily vnderstand if we knewe that the woorde of God were the phisicke that coulde amend this curiositie Howe is that Beholde that GOD promiseth to assist vs in this present life and Iesus Christ likewise hath taught vs to desire our daily bread But what of all this yet is not this the principall poynt for hée extendeth his hand euen to the bruite beastes and féedeth them And therefore it were nothing for vs to looke into But our principall matter is to taste his mercie knowing that hée hath compassion vpon most miserable wretched sinners and woulde not haue vs perishe in our follies but stretcheth foorth his hande to pull vs out of them and therefore let vs trust vnto it And besides hee calleth vs vnto euerlasting life with Iesus Christ promiseth vs that we shalbée vnited to him Séeing then we haue all these promises let euery of vs acquainte himselfe with the same both morning and eueninge and let it bee our wisdome And besides wée haue his commaundementes whereunto wée must cleaue not bée bée smeared with superstition and let euerye man forsake him selfe and liue to together in loue and charitie one with another soberly chastly humblye and honestly and be pure cleane from all the filthinesse of the flesh loe héere a generall rule Moreouer in them euery man is taught his perticular lesson For firste the Husbande is taught to vnderstande what loue hee ought to beare vnto his wife and the wife her dutie towardes her Husband and either of them are aduertised what instruction they ought to giue vnto their Children Moreouer the Maiestrates are taught their lessons and the Minister of the worde theirs To be short this is a perfect docttrine accomplished in all poynts where euery man is so sufficientlye instructed that no man can be ignoraunt of his charge and duty And thus we sée what we haue to note And therefore if euery man apply himself héereunto as he ought without doubt hee shall haue no leasure to royle ouer the féeldes Moreouer if wée be such royling roges surely it is a signe that we neuer vnderstood the principall point of our saluation nor yet how to bée the Disciples of our Lorde Iesus Christ And thus we may be able to reproue these curious questioners and saye vnto them freind because you are so full of fryuelous questions surelye you neuer yet vnderstood the effect of your Baptisme for by it you should acknowledge the forsaking of your selfe but you could now be wel pleased that God would giue you leaue to wander whether you lust your selfe well goe your waies and study of these questions and an hundred yeares hence they shall be disputed of Wherefore wée ought to bée so much the rather dilligent thus to think marke whereunto God calleth vs to witte that we might vnderstande wherein the hope of our saluation consisteth and besides let vs beséeche him that hée would haue mercy vpon vs and that we might also learne to amend our liues And héereunto must wee bende all our wit and force and when wée shall stande
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