vnto our Lord Iesus Christ hée kept himselfe very couert and close and was afearde to shewe himselfe a true Disciple for wée knowe that the confession of our faith is required in vs Iohn 2. 2◠1◠But when hée came to bury him he declared and confessed that he was of the number of the faithfull company Wherefore since he did so let vs at this day follow his constancy And although the worlde hateth and detesteth our Lorde Iesus Christ and the doctrine of his Gospell yet let vs stick vnto it Let vs also vnderstande that the greatest benefite and contentation that wee can continuallye haue is this whenas God accepteth and liketh of our seruice and besides although wée must suffer abide troubles here in this worlde yet let vs knowe this that because he hath gloryously rysē againe that he dyd it not to the ende to make a separation betwéene him and vs but that hee would when he sée his good time gather vs vnto him selfe Moreouer let vs not maruell although our Lorde Iesus rose againe the third day for it is very good reason that hee should haue some more priuiledge then the common order of the church And héerein is the saying of the Psalmist fulfilled Thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to sée corruption Psal 16. 10. And therefore it was méete that the body of our Lord Iesus should remaine vncorrupt vntill the third day but it was for that time so appoynted and established by the counsell of GOD his Father Howbeit wee haue no time assigned but the last day And therefore let vs abyde troubles and miseries so long as it pleaseth GOD and let vs vnderstand that he wyll in the ende when hee séeeth conuenient time restore vs after wee haue bene cast quite and cleane downe For therevnto Saint Paul exhorteth vs 1. Cor. 15.10 when as hée saieth that Christ Iesus is the first fruites whiche is to pull backe that feruent zeale wherewith wee are often times too too much carryed awaye for by our wylles wee woulde flye without winges and wee are gréeued with God for houldinge vs so longe heere in this worlde because hée wyll not bringe vs to heauen euen at the fyrst 2. Kin. 2. 11. and carry vs vp in a fiery Charit as Eilas was to be short we would faine triumph before we haue fought a blow Now that we might withstand this desire and these foolish lusts Saint Paul telleth vs that Iesus Christ is the first fruites wée must be contented that by his death we haue a sure pawne of the resurrectiō Neuertheles bicause he sitteth at the right hād of god his Father hauing all rule and dominion both in heauen and earth and although his maiestie hath not as yet appeared and that our life is hid in him let vs become like wretched dead people and although we séeme to be liuing héere in this world yet let vs bée as men quite forlorne and abide all this vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus For euen then shall our life be made manifest by him when as he shall thinke it good And thus we sée what it is that wée must obserue about the buriall of our lord Iesus Christ vntil such time as we attaine to the rest which will be a declaration that he hath not onely made satisfaction for all our sinnes but also hath by his victorie obteined all perfect righteousnesse for vs by whiche meane we are become acceptable at this day vnto the maiestie of God both to haue frée accesse vnto him and also to call vpon his holie name And in this confidence and beliefe Let vs fall downe before his diuine maiestie beséeching him to receiue vs all to his mercy and that we may not cease to haue recourse vnto his frée goodnes how miserable wretched soeuer we bée And although we dayly prouoke his heauy wrath and indignation against vs and iustly deserue that hée should forsake vs Let vs patiently wayte vntill hée sheweth the fruit and power of the death passion which his onely Sonne hath suffred by which we are reconciled and not doubt but that hée will be alwayes our Father so long as hée wil graunt vs this fauour as that we may be able to shew our selues his true children Let vs also beséech him that hée will cause vs to declare this by the effect in such sort as that we desire nothing els but to be wholy his and as hée hath very dearely bought vs so wee may also of right fully and wholly agrée to serue him And forsomuch as our weaknesse is such as that we are not able to discharge the hundreth part of our duetie without hée worke it in vs by his holy spirite because the infirmities of our flesh doe alwayes beare such a resisting and striuing sway as that we doe nothing els but euen créepe where we should in déede march as becommeth vs Let vs beséech him to ryd vs of all together that we might be vnited to him by that holy bond which bée hath ordeined to wit our Lorde Iesus Christ his onely Sonne That hée will not onely graunt vs this grace c. ¶ The ninthe Sermon is of his resurrection at which time was celebrated the holie SVPPER Matthew xxviii 1 IN the latter ende of the Sabboth day whiche dawneth the first day of the weeke came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the Sepulchre 2 And beholde there was a great earthquake for the Angell of the Lorde descended from Heauen and came and rowlled back the Stone from the Dore and sate vpon it 3 His countenaunce was like lightninge and his rayment white as Snow 4 And for feare of him the keepers dyd shake and became as dead men 5 The Angell aunswered and sayde vnto the women feare yee not for I knowe yee seeke Iesus whiche was crucifyed 6 He is not heere hee is risen as he saide come see the place where that the Lord was laide 7 And goe quickly and tel his disciples that hee is risen from the dead And beholde he goeth before you into Galile there shall you see him loe I haue tolde you 8 And they departed quickly from the Sepulchre with feare and great ioye and dyd runne to bring his Disciples worde 9 And as they went to tell his Disciples beholde Iesus met them saying al hayle And they came and helde him by the feete and worshipped him 10 Then sayd Iesus vnto them bee not afraide goe tell my Brethren that they go into Galile and there shal they see mee A Man would at the first sight thinke it straunge that our Lorde Iesus Christ woulde shew him selfe after his resurrection rather to women then vnto his Disciples Howbeit wee are hereby to consider that his meaning was to trye the basenesse and lowlinesse of our faith Because we must not build vpon mans wisdome but obedientlye receiue what soeuer we know to come from him Againe no doubt of it his meaning was
vpon these worldly matters This then is the summe which wée are héere to obserue And to say the trueth it is not without cause that our Lorde Iesus spake so confidently that hée was borne and came into the worlde to say the trueth and that whosoeuer woulde haue any good taste shoulde stay him selfe vpon his worde By this wée sée that this is a doctrine of great weight â— to vnderstande that the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ is not héere on earth For if this had béen a light saying hee would haue passed it ouer lightly But when he said that he came into the worlde to tell the trueth this was as if he would haue vs giue good eare meditate in our heartes and apply our mindes to this doctrine this was to make vs forsake the world and all the creatures thereof that wée might come to this heauenly King and séeke after the spirituall benefites which are communicated to vs in him to the ende we might enioy them in such measure as he knoweth â—o be most profitable for our saluation And let vs of all that which we sée to bée the verie summarie of the Gospell note well this saying That Iesus Christ came into the world to speake the trueth to the end we might herevpon conclude that whensoeuer we shall giue diligent eare vnto his worde that it shall not be in vaine because this is a certaine resolute conclusioÌ„ that whatsoeuer he had giuen them the choyse either of Iesus or Barabbas who as S. Iohn saith was a théefe Iohn 18.40 and the other Euangelistes say that he was a notorious naughtie man both a murtherer and a sower of sedition and trouble in the Towne Now this was a detestable pestelence of al others and yet the people cryed out Let vs haue Barabbas and let him be pardoned and Iesus Christ crucified By this custome of letting loose a prisoner at Easter we sée with what foolish deuotions men are carried For they thought the feast to be so muche the more honourable in the loosing of a prisoner and that they did God great seruice and yet all was verie abhominable For it is saide That he that iustifieth the wicked Prou. 17.15 he that condemneth the iust euen they both are abhomination vnto the Lord And therfore it is méete that they which sit in the place of iustice should be of vpright mindes For when he armeth them with his sword he saieth not do as you thinke good your selues For his meaning is that they should haue a fatherly care ouer the people and to be verie warie how they lift vp them selues cruelly to wrong others by abusing of their credit and authoritie but would haue them rather be gentle and pitifull Yet must they punish wickednesse for God so commaundeth them But what do we men Forsooth we think we honour the feast of Easter when as we offende God and manifestly transgresse his worde By this wée are admonished not to folowe our owne fantasies when the matter concerâ—eth the seruice of God but altogether doe his will Let vs not therefore fayne a deuotion which séemeth good in our owne eyes but be contented to do the thing which God hath ordeined allowed And here we sée what ariseth vpon this kinde of custome to wit that we make lawes accordingly at this day so that whatsoeuer is receiued for a common order séemeth to be lawfull And yet howsoeuer it séemeth to vs God vtterly condemneth it Nowe wee sée what abuse hath come heerein which is this that this corruptioÌ„ hath made Barabbas to be preferred before the sonne of God A man here would at the first sight thinke it very straunge that our Lord Iesus should be thus lightly estéemed of and a théefe and murderer greatlier priuiledged then he that he shoulde finde such fauour grace amongst men Iesus Christ to be so shamefully slanderously handled For was it not enough that the sonne of God was crucified aboad a most slaÌ„derous kind of death without he must also be greatly tormented The death of the crosse was but as a punishment for théeues it was not onely as at this day the gallowes should be but it was as if he should haue abidden the whéele Was it not then enough that after Iesus Christ had béen buffeted spetted on brought euen downe to the pitte of hell but that he must in comparison be shewed to be accursed of al the world For if we should iudge of it according to natural reasoÌ„ looke vpon the outward shew surely we should be coÌ„founded but we must lift vp the eies of faith a great deale higher come vnto that which before we haue said to wit that all this was gouerned by the counsel of God And therfore let vs not stand vpon that which the people Pylate did but let vs behold the vnchangeable decrée of God which is that for the better humbling of vs his wil was to haue his Sonne so shamefully to be cast down yea to be cast vnder the féete of al the malefactors of the world béeing crucified betwéene two théeues as hereafter shal be seene We sée theÌ„ what it is for vs to obserue wheÌ„ it is here said that Barabbas must be let lose and Iesus Christ bée made the most abhominable man of the world Yet for all this Pilate went about to haue deliuered our Lord Iesus but it was by a deuilish meane to wit by buffeting of him which they then called punishing would haue let him gone wheÌ„ he had so punished him as one that had committed a fault For by this he pretended to appease the stirre of the people Now if our Lord Iesus had bin thus deliuered what had become of the Gospell and of the saluation of the world For this correction which Pylate brought him to was a signe and token of dishonestie for euer as if the Gospell had béen a wicked doctrine considering that the Iudge of the countrie condemned it and the person of our Lord Iesus Christ was clearely refused And yet had we all bin lost because there was none other meane to recoÌ„cile vs vnto God but by the death of his onely sonne And thus we sée that the death of our Lord Iesus was the very open way vnto life So then we sée that the Deuill did the best hée could not to haue our Lord Iesus to dye and yet who clapped the Priestes their like vpon the backes to pursue Iesus Christ vnto death but the Deuil himselfe This is very true for hée bewitched them as we sée that God sendeth the spirit of trouble madnesse vpon all the vngodly so that they are one against an other euen as the waues of the Sea beate one an other euen so was the Deuill carried when as on the one side he went about to abolish the memory of our Lorde Iesus Christ besides on the other side meant to hinder the redemption of mankinde But God so
before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him to make vs more and more féele them that it might bée so to our humbling as that wée might daily fight against them and be spoiled of all together and that we might séeke to be clad with his righteousnesse and enriched with the giftes of his holy spirite to the end we might appeare pure and innocent before him And forsomuch as we had néede to be daily reconciled vnto him by meane of the Mediator that it would please him to graunt vs the grace to pray vnto him with a sure hope and trust so that we staying our selues on him might by true faith and power embrase the promise which hée hath made vs Mat. 11. â—8 when as hée saieth Come vnto mée all yée that labour and are heauy laden and I wil ease and refresh you So that we may féele that the office of the Mediator which was giuen him is not in vain and of no effect But that by his meane wée might at this day bée heard and our petitions and supplications so dedicated and consecrated vnto him as that God would receiue and allowe them Let vs therefore beséech him that hée will not shewe this fauour to vs alone but also vnto all people and nations of the world c. The first Sermon of the ascention of our Lord Iesus Christ Actes first 1 THe former booke haue I made O Theophilus of all that Iesus began both to doe and teach 2 Vntill the day in which hee was taken vp after that hee through the holy Ghost had giuen commandements vnto the Apostles whom he had chosen 3 To whom also he shewed himselfe aliue after his passion and that by many tokens appearing vnto them fortie daies speaking of the kingdome of God 4 And gathering them together commaunded them that they shoulde not departe from Hierusalem but wayte for the promise of the Father whereof saieth he you haue heard of me BEcause wée are too buyld our faith vppon God and his truth S. Luke héere telleth vs that Iesus Christ sent not his Apostles to teach what they themselues thought good But put his word into their mouthes and gaue them sure and certaine instruction to the end they might carrie such a faithfull message as that wee might take no occasion to doubt thereof And therefore when as we at this day heare the Gospel preached we ought to be fully resolued that it is the charge which God committed vnto his Apostles and receiue it as the thing which commeth from himself as indéede it doeth Moreouer to the end we should beare greater reuerence vnto the Gospel it is not said only that Iesus Christ deliuered it but that it was also done by the holy Ghost For as Iesus Christ is the very natural Sonne of God euen so likewise is he man and hath taken vpon him our fleshe and nature Nowe vnder this shadowe as no doubt of it the worlde is wicked a man might vnder a colour take occasion to contemne this doctrine or els not make so greate an account of it Here then we sée that Saint Luke saith that the charge which was geuen vnto the Apostles to teach procéeded not from Iesus Christ alone but from the holie Spirite also Wherefore wée at this present sée that the preaching of the Gospell is heauenly and not earthly and ratified by God himselfe Notwithstanding wée muste also obserue that the summe and effect of the Gospel is comprehended in these fewe woordes to wit That Iesus Christe both taught and made it So that if we will beare the name of Christians we must be taught that doctrine which Iesus Christ brought vs and besides be also eftsoones confirmed therein For he hath not onely spoken but hath likewise accomplished whatsoeuer was necessary for our saluation Moreouer because his death and resurrection was of al the rest the most principall poynt wée haue therefore spoken of it in order as it followeth S. Luke then saith that Iesus Christ after he had suffred shewed himselfe aliue vnto his Disciples and that by many manifest proofes which was not without good cause For when wée heare the promises of God spoken on our faith wil still hang in suspence vntil such time as we are assured of his grace and fauour which can neuer be without the gage which he hath geuen vs to wit that Iesus Christ suffered for our redemption beare the punishment due for our sinnes Thus héere wée sée that Saint Luke speaketh not in vaine of the proofes which were giuen to assure vs that Iesus Christ is risen againe 1. Cor. 15.14 For harken what Saint Paul saieth that if Christ be not risen our faith is in vaine and our Preaching also in vaine wée haue no more hope then very Beastes By this we sée that the ende of our hope is that Iesus Christ is rysen from the dead And this is the victory indéed which he hath gotten yea euen to shew that he is Lorde ouer lyfe and death Rom. 4.15 Saint Paul also saith that Iesus Christ dyed for our sinnes and if hée had remayned dead still what hope might wée haue had by him but beholde hée rose agayne that is the triumph which he had ouer death to the end we might beléeue in him Saint Peter likewise to shew that wée ought to beléeue in Iesus Christ 1. Peter 3.21 bringeth for proofe héereof none other thing but his resurrection Let vs therefore obserue that when Saint Luke sayeth that Iesus christ shewed himselfe aliue he speaketh of a thing that was requisit for the assurance of our saluation Wherefore if wée woulde haue the principall poynt of Christianitie wée must come to this resurrection by which hee purchased for vs lyfe and saluation and shewed himselfe to bée the very Sonne of God Moreouer let vs also learne that since Saint Luke saieth that Iesus Christ hath made vs such proofes of his resurrection let vs not call that thing into question which God himselfe hath so well approued And therefore if we are not at this day fully persuaded that Iesus Christ is risen agayne let vs thanke our owne vnthankfulnesse Saint Luke also vseth a kinde of spéech which a fourdeth an argument that bringeth with it a present proofe And in deed we sée what payne the Euangelistes haue taken in this matter For when they come to speake of the resurrection they lay foorth all the circumstaunces and besides they recyte all the testimonies of his wordes for hée hath saide and declared that it was no vaine imagination or vision whereby some trouble might afterward arise And therefore wée ought to vnderstande and knowe that since they haue taken so great paynes héerein that wée must not stande in doubt of it but it is fit wée should receiue their wordes as sure and certaine séeing they bring so good a proofe with them And therefore for this matter whereof Saint Luke speaketh that Iesus Christ
sodēly spoken by him Neuerthelesse we seeing the great benefite which might come by the putting abrode of these Sermons were not afeard somewhat to displease and disobey him heerein to the end we might make you partakers of those excellent riches which wee possesse in this litle Angle and corner of the world so abhorred and detested howbeit precious in the sight of the Lord. In deede we were so much the bolder by reason of the liberal dealing of our honorable Lords and magistrates who desiring the aduancement of the Church of God haue priuiledged vs to print them Now when we see that we were to make choyse of such a great nūber of collections as were of them we thought it best to set a few of them abrod to the end that as we see them thankefully receiued so also we might goe forward in putting foorth of moe This then is the order which wee haue taken In the first place we haue set downe a congregation vpon the beginning of the Gospell of S. Iohn where is largely handeled the diuinitie of our Lord Iesus Christ Now by this word Congregation I meane a certaine assemble which is made one day in the weeke at the Church where euery Minister in order handleth some text of the scripture more like the maner of a reading then of a preaching that being done if any of the rest vnto whome the spirite of God hath reuealed any thing tending to the better vnderstanding and laying open of that which hath beene spoken hee hath free libertie to speake After that foloweth the Sermon touching the natiuitie of Iesus Christ Next to it wee haue placed the Sermons of his death and passion of his resurrection and ascention of the comming downe of the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles Of the first Sermon that Peter made after he had receiued the holy Ghost Last of al we haue set downe a Sermon treating of the last comming of Iesus Christe After we had thus doone and thinking to haue finished this booke it pleased God to graunt vs to come to the hearing of the most excellent sermons that are possibly to be hard or spoken vpon the end of the fiftie two Chapter of the Prophet Isaiah vpon al the fiftie three wherin the mistery of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christe is set foorth and so liuely pictured out that a man would thinke that the holy Ghost meant to set before our eyes Iesus Christ condemned in our name and nayled to the crosse for our sinnes to the end that he suffering the punishmente for them which was due to vs and bearing the wrath and iudgement of God for our sakes hath deliuered vs from eternal death which Sermons doe so agree with the Sermons going before which wee haue heere set downe that wee coulde not choose to ioyne them vnto them because we woulde not bereaue you of so great a benefite Moreouer wee haue had respect to choose out those Sermons aswell as we coulde which were vpon such dayes as the Lordes Supper was administred in this Churche aswell for that that there is a farre greater and more effectuall vehemencie in them as also for that the point of this Sacrament is therein more cleerely shewed for the which at this day is the greatest contention and striefe in the worlde And therefore we haue determined hereafter too deliuer vnto you the Sermons which this godly learned man hath made vpon the tenth and the eleuenth Chapter of the Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians wherein is manifestly set foorth the true institution of the Supper the corruption and abuse which sithence haue come vnto it liuely refuted Wherefore if wee perceiue that these presents like you wee will vse all the meanes possible that God shal graunt vs to make you partakers of the heauenly riches which he vouchsafeth vpon his seruants heere in this Church In the meane while wee beseech you dearely beloued to follow that blessed coursse and not feare the threats and cruelties of tyrants who thinke at this day to do god high seruice in persecuting Iesus Christ in his members and set before you this incorruptible crowne and euerlasting prepared for you if you constantly perseuere vnto the ende in your holy calling knowing that the sufferings which you abide in this present life are not worthie the glory of the life to come wherevnto wee may attaine through Iesus Christ our Lord. Geneua 1563. A Sermon made by M. Iohn Caluin vpon the beginning of the Gospell according to S. Iohn in which the diuinitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ is excellently prooued 1 In the beginning was that worde and that word was with God and that word was God 2 This same was in the beginning with God 3 All thinges were made by it and without it was nothing made of that which was made 4 In it was life and that life was the light of men 5 And that light shineth in the darknesse and the darknesse comprehended it not THis worde Gospel The word Gospell what it meaneth signifieth the declaration that God hath shewed vs of his loue in our Lorde Iesus Christ when hee sent him into the worlde which thing we ought wel to marke because it is verie much to know the vse of the holie Scripture euen in respect of the wordes it vseth It is true that wée ought not to stand simply or onely vpon the words and yet for all that we are not able to comprehend howe excellent Gods doctrine is vnlesse wée knowe the procéeding that it vseth and also what is the style and spéech therof And indéed we are so much the more to marke and weigh this worde because it is a verie common receiued sentence to distinguish the holie Scripture into the law and the Gospell and those that speake thereof in that sort meane Diuision of the Scripture that all the promises which are conteined in the olde Testament ought to bée referred to this word Gospel If any man speake let him speake as the words of God 1. Pet. 4.11 True it is that their meaning is good but for all that the holie Scripture vseth not such manner of spéech and we ought to be sober in that respect and to yéelde such a reuerence to Gods spirite as to kéepe such a manner of speaking as hée him selfe vseth to teach vs withall Behold thus much then concerning the word Gospell which is a publishing that God hath made vnto vs at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ his sonne declaring him selfe a father to all the worlde as also Saint Paule speaketh thereof in his Epistle to the Ephesians Ephe. 2.19 when hee saieth that Iesus Christ came to preach the Gospel vnto them that were nigh and to those that were farre of from God nigh to wit the Iewes who were alreadie entred into the Couenant with God and farre to wit of the Pagans and Heathen who are as it were farre remooued from his Church Now when wée
which was from the Sunne rising vnto the second part of the day they called the first houre The second part which was from that time vnto mydnight they called the third houre The third houre beganne after midnight lasted thrée or foure houres after And the fourth last part continued from the Sunne setting vntill night And sée why one of the Euāgelists saith that Iesus Christ was crucified about the third houre where it is here said that it was about the sixt houre Mar. 15.25 Now our Euangelist saith that there was darknesse from the sixt hour vnto the ninth For our lord Iesus was crucified betwixt the third sixt houre and was condemned by Pylate about the third houre And S. Marke his meaning is that it was in the ende of the third houre not at the beginning of it when as hée describeth the time that our Lord Iesus was led vnto Golgotha Now hée was vpon the Crosse vntill the ninth houre euen then when as it drew all to an ende And so it is most like to be true that our Lorde Iesus hung not on the Crosse aboue thrée houres During which time it is said that there was darknesse ouer the face of all the whole land of Iudea For it was not a generall Eclipse ouer the whole worlde For if it had bin so in déede it would haue blemished the myracle which God ment to shew for then the Eclipse would haue bin said to come by the order of nature And on the other side few mē wold haue said that it had béene in other countries and they also which make mention therof might iustly be suspected But behold it was the onely countrey of Iudea that was couered with darknesse And what time forsooth euen about thrée houres after noone when as the Sunne was nothing néere the setting But it behooued that it should then be so darke contrary to all common order because it might bring a terror and feare vpon all the land Now some think that this was done in token that God abhorred the déede as if hée meant to cyte the Iewes to the ende they might haue some féeling of this their horrible cryme which they had committed and as if hée would signifie vnto them by this visible signe that all the creatures in the world ought to be ashamed of so detestable an act as the putting of our lord Iesus Christ in such sort to death But wée haue to note that in respecte of the Iewes the death of our Lorde Iesus Christe ought to bée taken as it were for a most terrible offence and surely God greatly detested their villainous iniquitie because it surpassed all the rest And to say the trueth if murther and such like things are to be hated what shall we say to the most wicked handeling of the Sonne of God As to sée men to be so bewitched euen to make no account of him who was the very fountain of life and so to lift vp themselues as to abuse the memorie of him by whom we were created and by whose power we liue and haue our being And yet the death of our Lorde Iesus Christ is become a swéete smelling sacrifice for wée must haue continuall recourse to this Ephe. 5.2 that it was the reconciliation of the worlde as heretofore we haue saide Moreouer darknesse was ouerspread that the Sonne might bee a witnesse of the diuine and heauenly Maiestie of our Lord Iesus And therefore although he were for a short time abased and contemtible yea and as S. Paule saith made of no estimation amōgst men yet did the Sonne shewe his reuerence to him and in token thereof hid himselfe Phil. 2. 7. Since then it is so Let vs vnderstande that God because hée woulde make the wicked to bee so muche the more inexcusable meant that Iesus Christ should shew him selfe in his death to bée the soueraigne King ouer all creatures that the tryumph wherof Saint Paule speaketh Colos 2.15 beganne alreadie where it is saide that Iesus Christ tryumphed vpon the Crosse It is true that hée applied it vnto that that hée had cancelled the Obligation which was against vs and whereof hée discharged vs before God by which meane Satan was ouercome yet notwithstanding this was declared by the Eclipse of the Sunne Neuerthelesse this conuinced the Iewes of ignoraunce yea of a malitious and phrantike ignorance euen as if a man had séene before his eyes that Satan had possessed them and were become lyke monsters against nature And héere wée are in summe to vnderstande what to consider of when it is saide that darknesse was spread ouer the face of the earth In verie déede we are made cleare and bright at this day by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ For how cometh it to passe that the Gospell sheweth vs the way to saluation And howe are we enlightened to come vnto God were it not that the Sonne of God with the fruite and power of his death were offred vs in it And therefore Iesus Christ is in verie déed the Sonne of righteousnesse because he hath purchased vs lyfe by his death howbeit the Iewes are depriued of this benefite And in that the Sunne became darke they were conuinced as men altogether reprobate so that no teaching coulde serue their turnes to bée profitable for their saluation since by their wickednesse they went about to quenche and abolishe whatsoeuer might put them in any hope For that hope was onely in the Mediator whom they through their wickednesse and vnthankfulnesse tooke in hande to make of no estimation Wherefore it was good reason that they should be vtterly voyde of all soundnesse of saluation to the ende the wrath of God might shewe it selfe in a visible manner vpon them It followeth that our Lorde Iesus cryed out saying My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Psal 22.1 Saint Matthew and Saint Marke recyte the wordes of our Lorde Iesus in the Syrian tongue which is taken out of the Psalme 22. Nowe the Euangelistes doe not so fully and wholly recite the wordes as they are set downe in the text of the Psalme namely in this word Eli which is to say My God we sée that Saint Marke saieth Eloe But that was by reason of the corruption of the tongue as heretofore wée haue noted For the Iewes when they returned from Babylon had neuer so pure and sounde a tongue as they had before Howbeit this complaint and crye is taken out of the twentieth and two Psalme the first verse And therefore GOD would namely haue this to bée recyted in two languages thereby to declare that it was a matter of great weight which we ought verie diligently to marke And to say the trueth except we would imagine as many fantasticall people doe that Iesus Christ spake after the iudgement of men and not after his owne féeling and affection it would make vs all to wonder that Iesus Christ complayned that God his Father
should be founde in them But if they be narrowly sifted and the bottome of their heartes searched we shall finde nothing lesse in them then that they promised and would be the first that would forsake God And why so Forsooth because they haue not this consideration with them selues to thinke what they are For whensoeuer euerie man shall looke well vnto him selfe hée shall finde a sea of sinnes whereof hée can no way be ryd without by sighing and groning we runne vnto God and call vpon him in our necessitie Moreouer we are to vnderstand that the Sermon which S. Peter made in the Citie of Ierusalem is at this present made vnto vs to the end we might profite our selues thereby and let vs also note that hée brought not in the place of the Prophet Ioell for naught And therefore let vs be sure to trust vnto this promise That whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of God shall be saued And according to this holie doctrine Let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him so to blesse vs with his grace as that we may so confidently call vpon him as that our prayers may be acceptable in his sight so that wée being deliuered from all superstition and idolatrie might truely worship him to the ende wee might take him for our Father and Sauiour and he likewise at last acknowledge vs for his children And so let vs all say O Almightie God and heauenly Father c. The fourth sermon of the descending of the holy Ghoste Actes second 22 YEe men of Israel heare these wordes Iesus of Nazareth a man approued of God amongst you with myracles wonders and signes which God did by him in the midst of you as yee your selues also know 23 Him after you had taken by wicked handes beeing deliuered by the determinate counsell foreknowledge of God haue yee crucified and slaine 24 Whom God hath raysed vp hauing loosed the sorrowes of death because it was impossible that he should be holden of it AFter that Saint Peter had in his Sermon declared that the promise conteined in the Prophesie of the Prophete Ioel was accomplished by the descending of the holie Ghost vpon him and vpon his companiōs the Apostles for a testimony and as a pledge which the Lord God meant to communicate vnto his Church and vnto euery faithfull member therof and yet that there must néedes fall out great troubles and that the fayth of the Christians might be proued and tried After all these thinges I say hée bringeth the Iewes to Iesus Christ For fith the holy Ghost was giuen they could not choose but acknowledge the comming of Iesus Christ Because it was saide That the Prophesie of Ioel should not be accomplished vntill the latter dayes And therefore when as we sée the holie Ghost thus poured out it is a sure token that God hath sent Iesus Christ to the ende hée might make an ende of our saluation Now this is an excellent maner and a verie conueent order of teaching which we are here to note to wit That looke how many graces of his holy spirit God giueth vs are euen so many meanes to bring and guide vs to Iesus Christ whereby wée might learne all wisedome of him For he is the verie fountayne out of whom we must all drawe the same And to say truely First of all forsomuch as he was the worde of God from the beginning hée is also the life and light of men And because hee hath receyued most perfectly Iohn 1. 4. Iohn 1. 16. all the graces of the holie Ghost forsomuch as hée was made man we are to receiue from out of his fulnesse grace for grace Wherefore by him it is that wee must haue fauoure before God For if we would drawe neare vnto his Maiestie without this meane we were neuer able to haue accesse vnto him And therefore must we goe the direct way vnto Iesus Christ For since we know that he hath most perfectly receiued the graces of the holy Ghost wée must be all partakers of them by him and through him And so Saint Peter vseth here a verie good reason to admonish the Iewes that the Redéemer was come to wit that in as much as the holie Ghost was poured out that it was in the latter dayes And besides hée saieth Ye men of Israel heare these words Iesus of Nazareth a man approued of God amongst you with wonders myracles signes which God did by him in the midst of you as you your selues also know him I say being deliuered by the determined counsell and prouidence of God you haue by wicked handes crucified and slaine This is euen hée by whom God hath wholely giuen him selfe vnto you and yet haue yée put him to death And yet notwithstanding yée must néedes confesse that it is the verie selfe same man which was promised you in the lawe Hée came to be your Sauiour and Redéemer and this you can neither will nor choose but acknowledge because he remained not in death For God gaue him victorie ouer death and hée ouercame it Thus we sée in the first place what it is that Saint Peter telleth vnto the Iewes that he might bring them to the knowledge of Iesus Christ And it is to be noted that hée speaketh of nothing here but of the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ For first of all it can not be otherwise but that the Iewes must néedes vnderstand that Iesus Christ was the Sonne of God And this is it whereby Saint Peter meaneth to proue it in that which hée héere propoundeth Nowe there are two thinges which we are to vnderstand of Iesus Christ The first is That we must néedes beléeue that he is the Messias to wit the annointed of the Lord promised in the lawe and the verie same of whom the Prophets haue written and that it is he who suffred death for our redemption and yet was not ouercome of it but gloriously rose againe tryumphing ouer all his enemies And thus much for the first point Nowe for the seconde when as wée know that Iesus Christ dyed for vs we must néedes acknowledge what hée is and the benefit which we are to receiue by him Here are then two thinges throughly to be considered of vs For if wée haue to deale with a Iewe wée must begin to instruct him in the principles of Christianitie and tell him that Iesus Christ was borne of the Virgine Mary and that it was hée whom God had promised them and whom in verie déede his predecessours had put to death and that he appointed them the verie time when hée should come into the world And besides that he had giuen him a testimony that he was his Sonne by approuing it with the signes and myracles which he did in the middest of them and likewyse that after he was ascended into heauen he sent the holy Ghost according to the saying which long ere that was foretolde Thus must we