and heartely desired to eat this Passah with you afore I suffer For I say vnto you that now from hence forth I will not eat of it till it bee fulfilled in the kingdome of God Now as they did eat Iesus tooke the bread gaue thankes and brake it gaue it to his Disciples and said Take eat this is my bodie which shalbe betraied and deliuered for you doe this in remembraunce of mee Likewise also when they had eaten hee tooke the cuppe rendered thankes and gaue vnto them saying Take and diuide among you and drinke ye all thereof This is my bloud of the new Testament which is shed for you and for many to the forgiuenesse of sinnes I say vnto you that from henceforth I shall not drinke of the fruite of the vine vntill the day that I shall drinke it new with you in the kingdome of my Father And they all dranke therof Now followeth the doctrine and meditation HEre should we children of beleefe diligently ponder and consider what Christ hath done for our sakes namely that hee when hee had fulfilled his ministration committed to him of the father and nowe would offer vp himselfe vpon the crosse for the sinnes of the world and with his owne death deliuer mankind froÌ„ the captiuity of Satan and from eternall death declared how he loued his owne vntill the end and with what desire he longed to eate the Easter lambe with his disciples before hee suffered Giuing them thereby to vnderstand that he was the true pascal lambe which being slaine for vs shuld take awaie the sinnes of the world that the figures of the olde Testament might bee reduced into the truth That like as the Iews to whom with a prescribed ordinaunce it was commaunded yeerely to eate the Easter lambe did the same for a memoriall of their deliuerance out of Aegypt So we beleeuers also might in the new Testament haue a remembrance and exercise of the gracious redemption whereas we by his death are deliuered from the power of darknes of the deuil of sinne brought to eternall life And to the intent now that the remembrance of such excellent benefits grace and merites of the passion of Christ might euer be fresh and new with his disciples and all beleeuers our Lorde Iesus Christ when he now would go vnto death and paie the ransome for the sinnes of all the world he then did eate the Easter lambe with his Disciples to finish the shadowe of the olde Testament and that he might bee remembred thereby he instituted the bread wine for a sacrament and memoriall of his hoâ—ie body and bloud Seeing then that wee are cleansed deliuered and redeemed with so deare worthie a treasure namely with the pretious bloud of Iesus Christ the vndefiled lambe wee ought neuer to forget such an high benefite but at all times with thankfulnes to remember that Christ our Paschall lambe was slayne and offered vp for vs vpon the crosse that we from hence forth should walke in purenesse singlenes and innocencie of life and that when wee in the Supper by true faith do eate his bodie and drinke his bloud we might through him be so strengthened and fedde to eternall life as to abide and liue in him for euer For he is the bread of life that came downe from heauen to nourish and strengthen our weake and hungrie soules yea to make vs dead to liue againe But then eate we his flesh and then drinke we his bloud when wee through true beleefe do ponder consider what hee hath doone and suffered for our sakes then are we partakers of his supper feast wheÌ„ we for his sake do liue as he did for his Fathers sake He gaue himselfe whole vnto vs so ought we to giue our selues whole vnto him and to our neighbour To him through beleefe to our neighbour through charitable loue Through faith we abide in him by working loue hee abideth in vs. The more wee loue the more enioy we of this meate the more wee beleeue the more we loue In this shall all men knowe that we are his Disciples if we loue one another God is loue and hee that abideth in loue abideth in God God in him What greater loue can there be than to giue his owne life for vs The death of Christ ought neuer to come out of our heartes that wee may doe and suffer all thinges for his sake that dyed for vs. The second part WHen supper was ended after that the deuil had put in the heart of Iudas Iscarioth Simons son to betray him Iesus knowing that the father had giuen all things into his hands that he was come froÌ„ God went to God he rose from Supper and laid aside his vpper garments took a towel girt himselfe After that poured he water into a Bason and began to wash his Disciples feet and to wipe them with the towell wherewith he was girt Then came hee to Simon Peter and Peter said vnto him Lord dost thou wash my feet Iesus answered and said vnto him what I doe thou knowest not now but thou shalt know heereafter Peter said vnto him thou shalt neuer wash my feet Iesus answered him If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me Simon Peter said vnto him Lord not my feet onely but also my hands and my head Iesus said vnto him Hee that is washed needeth not saue to wash his feete but is cleane euery whit and ye are cleane but not all for hee knew who should betray him therefore said he ye are not al clean So after he had washed their feete and receiued his clothes and was set downe he said vnto them againe wâ—t you what I haue done to you Ye call me maister and Lord and ye say well for so I am If I then your Lord and maister haue washed your feet ye also ought to wash one anothers feet for I haue giuen you an ensample that yee should doe as I haue done to you Verely verely I say vnto you The seruaunt is not greater than his maister neyther the messenger greater than he that sent him If yee vnderstand these thinges happie are ye if ye do them Doctrine and fruite HEere ought we diligently to consider the vnspeakeable and feruent loue of our Lord Iesus Christ who vntill the ende leaueth nothing vndone that may serue for our welfare Likewise also should we ponder and regard the meeke lowlines of him in that hee the king of heauen doth humble himselfe euen to wash his Disciples feete which thing is accounted base and vile amongst men yea euen vnto the man that betraied him is not he ashamed neyther refuseth to shew such lowlines and worke of loue By this we learne to declare all workes of charitable loue vnto our neighbor and not to bee ashamed how high soeuer we be meekly to do our neighbor seruice though he be poore base and small in
our Easter lambe who also was offered vp Vpon the fiftith day when the fruites began now to be ripe readie to be reaped the haruest also being great and the labourers few then sent God his spirit to prepare and furnish the Disciples that they from amongst the heathen might gather fruite togeather vnto 〈…〉 â—ore time when the children 〈…〉 out of Egypt the law was gi◠〈…〉 people vpon the fift day euen 〈…〉 â—nient that vpon the fift day the holie 〈…〉 be giuen to the Disciples which ho◠〈…〉 is both an interpreter and fulfiller of the â—we The place where the holie Ghost was giuen is Sion for there Christ commaunded his Disciples to waite and from that place should the law of GOD according to the saying of the Prophets proceede foorth into the whole world Therefore like as afore time the law was giuen vpon mount Sinay euen so was the spirit giuen vpon mount Sion Vppon Sinai did God at that time with some terrible thinges declare his might and power his plague also and vengeance which should fall vppon those that despised his lawe and therefore was there such fearefulnes through lightnings thunderings and other like terrible thinges Here there is heard a noyse mightie vehement but not horrible feareful in the which winde is signified that the doctrine of the spirit shuld speedily with power breake in through the world and bring fruit and that no man should be so mightie as to hinder the strength therof euen as the wind in his course can by no man be kept backe Whereas fierie tongues do appeare and are seen it signifieth the manifolde speeches and instruction which the spirit giueth to Christs Disciples the zeal also feruentnes that he worketh in their harts making them altogether fire and kindling them in such sort that euen their words are feruent and pierce afterwards into the hearts of others A◠〈…〉 feare and coldnes remoueth he out of the 〈…〉 they are not afraid manfully to steppe foorth 〈…〉 all the people although not long before 〈…〉 not abide but fledde from the Lord. Now they confesse him to bee the Sauiour of all the world whom they before had denyed Whereas the tongues were diuided it signifieth the diuersitie of the giftes of the spirite Christ promised them in Marke 16. that they should speake with other tungs or with a new speech or language which promise is now performed vnto them The tongues of Christian men ought to be garnished with gentlenesse and with the holie Ghost that no foule or wanton talke proceed out of their mouth The tongues that pronounce and confesse Christ the eternall truth his sincere spirit must not lie neither talke anie vnclean hurtfull nor venemous thing for vnto all such is the spirite enemie Therefore are they not fleshly but fierie and spirituall tongues out of the which the fire of the spirite hath consumed all moisture of worldly and carnal wantonnes and God with his owne loue hath kindled them How could the Apostles else haue been instructors of the whole world if the spirite had not taught them the diuersitie of tongues Oh the great wisedome and grace of God who at all times for our wealth hath set forth and offered vnto vs poore men his high spirituall heauenly things vnder corporall and visible tokens For how might we carnall men els vnderstand godly matters if they were not exhibited with visible and bodily thinges 〈…〉 God alwaies this custome that hee 〈…〉 â—nto vs his high gifts vnder those tokens 〈…〉 most knowen of vs and likest vnto those 〈…〉 which hee offereth vs and so with humaine 〈◊〉 hee couereth diuine and godly thinges Not that God is closed or shut in with things of men but that celestiall and heauenly things forsoorth vnto vs by such as bee earthly might be of vs the better vnderstood For els euery man of knowledge wotteth well that the holy Ghost is not a dooue neither a winde a tongue fire nor water For GOD is not a thing corporall neither a thing that can bee felt or comprehended with outward senses Notwithstanding things inuisible are the better knowen and perceiued of vs when they be set forth and represented by visible thinges namely by such as haue some similitude with the inuisible and spiritual things And so farre as naturall things may set foorth heauenlie matters doe perfectly describe before our eies the nature and propertie of them Therefore doth the spirite appeare in the fourme of firie tongues and with a sound that thereby the two principall senses of man might bee mooued namely his hearing and seeing for the sound toucheth the eares and the fire mooueth the sight Like as Christ also in the supper with bread and wine to mooue the outward senses of man thought to represent his body and bloud For by bread is signified vnto vs the true body of Christ which died for vs vppon the crosse and by wine the bloud that was shed for our sinnes which true flesh and bloud they that beleeue doe at the supper eate and drinke through faith By the which foode and sustenance their soules are vpholden to the gratious and eternal life Thus with exterior tokens it pleased the wisedom of God to guide the outward senses of his Disciples into the obedience of faith and vnder the same to signifie and declare the strength operation of the holie Ghost For like as the winde bloweth through the whole earth piercing moouing and altering all priuie and secrete places Euen so the spirit of God goeth through all things searching all secret corners and inward mindes of men Mightily also hee woorketh in mens hearts kindling and chaunging them He is the cleare pure and hote fire that consumeth all filthines of sinne inspiring mens harts and drawing them vpward to God Without this spirit may a man worke no fruitfull thing yea thinke no good thing For man is nothing but flesh neither considereth hee of himselfe ought that is spirituall or godly but onely carnall thinges Forasmuch now as the wisest most gratious God knoweth this so to bee whereas hee hath made man his creature to haue fruition of himselfe he wil not suffer him to corrupt in the flesh but giue him his owne holie spirite God the father through Christ his eternal word did shape man out of the mould of the earth created him after his owne similitude and liâ—â—nes Now is God a spirite therefore the image of God in man must needs be spirituall which image in the inward man is such a thing as partly dooth expresse and declare God that created him But when man being deceiued through the deuil fell into sinne and lost this image then the proportion of Gods pure spirite in whome his image was printed was defaced and the image of God lost his beautie So that the noble man who at the first was of God so faire and goodly fashioned and beautified in the similitude of
the ministers of the word to desire that God throgh his holy name power will defend strength comfort and preserue them in all aduersitie but principally that hee will giue them grace to bee one coupled together in the band of peace loue and vniformitie that they may be of one spirite and of one mind that in one spirite they may further and plant the honour of God that like as Christ neither spake nor did anie thing but that which was acceptable and wel pleasing vnto the father they also in their sayinges and dooinges may haue respect vnto Gods glorie and that they being rooted and fortified in loue bee not vanquished nor ouercome of the pleasures or threateninges of this world Secondly that in all their labour and trauaile in al aduersitie and persecutions hee will put into theyr hartes his owne comfort and spirituall ioy For the worlde hath manifolde mirthes pastimes and pleasures much bragging and wilfulnesse vseth it in the riches and fleshly voluptuousnes thereof But the true Ministers of Christ seeing hee hath seuered them from the worlde must and ought to refraine and absent themselues from all worldly ioy and voluptuousnes yea it is they that ought to diswade the worlde from such wantonnesse and vanitie by meanes of whose faithfull admonition there falleth much hatred and trouble vpon them Neither were it to the furtheraunce of Gods honour and our commoditie to haue them vtterlye taken away out of this worlde Therefore dooth Christ desire and so must wee with him that from euill namely from the Deuill the Prince of this worlde who stirreth the world against them they may of the father in the world be defended and kept Thirdly that he will sanctifie and cleanse them afore other men that they may be holy and pure vessels in the house and temple that is in the Church of God for they are means instruments by whoÌ„ God ministereth his grace and truth vnto men therfore is it also conuenient that they be pure and holy This commeth throgh the truth that God putteth in their mouth and heart by the holy Ghost which inwardly purifieth them But then are they holy when they teach truth and liue godly Into the worlde hath Christ sent theÌ„ as the father sent him into the world The father sent Christ into the world that he should destroy the kingdome of the deuill and of the world that he should declare vnto the world the grace and mercie of God towardes mankinde that he shoulde bring men from sinne and from false idolatrish faith to the true liuing God and to a vertuous conuersation that he with the light of truth should shine vpon those which sate in darknes that he should bring the knowledge of God into the world exhort men to the amendement of life Euen this hath Christ giuen in commission to his Apostles and to all ministers of the worde to doo This is their office this is their ministration vnto this haue they greate neede of the grace power and assistance of God therefore ought we most earnestly to praie for them for if they fail or fal it hurteth the whole Church yea out of the same there groweth slaunder vnto the name of God in the sight of the vnbeleeuers and an occasion of falling to such as are weake of faith Therefore Christ also offered himselfe to the father for them and sanctified them that they might bee pure and holy not in outward apparance but from the heart and in the truth that through their vniformity loue through the word of truth which they preach through the holynes of their doctrine and liuing all men and the whole world might know and vnderstand that God hath sent them yea that God sent his son Christ into the world vnto whome they with mouth and life beare record and who also euery where shineth out of them with wordes and deeds Not onely for them hath Christ praied but also for vs as many as hearken and beleeue the worde of truth preached by them Wherein first wee may perceiue and see the loue faithfulnes and great care of Christ for vs how earnestly the trustie shepheard of our soules committeth his poore sheepe into his fathers protection how faithfully our mediatour and aduocate praieth for vs whereby also he setteth forth a doctrine vnto vs how and what we shal pray of the heauenly father First that he will make vs one by his holy spirite in the truth in the vnitie of faith and in loue vnseparable that we all may be of one mind one body and one spirit in Christ Iesu our head and to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace that we all being illuminated by his spirit may in word and deed yea in our whole life seeke and further the glorie of our heauenly father that we all may bee one among our selues with God whereby all the worlde may spie see and perceiue that we are Gods children and Christs disciples Secondly that of his fatherly goodnes he will defend saue preserue vs his own poore sheep which be in the midst among wolues manifold dangers And seeing we being yet in the world do not liue after the world that it will please him to keepe vs from the euill namely froÌ„ the prince of of this world that thogh the same our enemie doth tempt plague vs he neuer yet haue power to preuaile against vs. Thirdly that inasmuch as we being in sin conceiued and borne haue hetherto liued in sinne seeing that albeit we are cleansed alreadie by his word and faith yet the vncleannes of the flesh and of the world doth daily defile vs it wil please him throgh his truth to purge and sanctifie our bodies our soules and our whole life that wee may become an holy temple of his grace pure cleane holy vessels consecrated sanctified to Gods own vse He hath once purified hallowed vs through the bloud of his son and vnto the father hath Christ sanctified and offered vp himselfe an holy acceptable sacrifice for our sins but the deuill the world and our flesh is euer busie to lead vs away againe from God from true holines Therefore must wee daily pray vnto him that through his holy spirit through his holy truth he wil continually purge clense sanctifie vs that we be not disseÌ„bling hypocrites but godly and vnfained euen from our harts that we be not stained in the filthines of this world but to refraine from all vncleannes thorogh the assistaÌ„ce of his grace that we may also offer vp our bodies an holy acceptable sacrifice to â—od the Lord as he offered vp himselfe vppon the crosse for our sakes FAther I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me where I am that they may see my glory which thou hast giuen me for thou louedst me before the making of the world O righteous father
sawe that theyr Schoolemaister was taken away from them into heauen they perceiued and considered the thing that they knewe not before although Christ had told it them Iohn 6. Namely that by the Ascension they should receyue vnderstanding Therefore they worshipped Iesus Christ and according vnto his commaundement they returned to Hierusalem where they kepte themselues vntill the time that the spirite came neyther were they idle but continued in the holie fellowshippe and godlie exercises with praier and deuotion preparing and making themselues readie vnto the comming of the spirite By occasion heereof all nicenesse curiositie and contentious questions all pride vaine-glorie and fonde affections and desires sette aparte wee ought with vpright mindes and with the eyes of faith to be alway taken vp into heauen and there to haue our dwelling where Christ our head sitteth at the right hand of God king and Lord of all thinges our faithfull aduocate and mediatour Then shall true godlynesse increase then shall vertue blessedlie grow and bring forth fruit in vs if wee with steadfast faith doe consider that our Lord Iesus Christ dyed for our sakes rose againe from death and is exalted at the right hand of God raigning mightily aboue all things in heauen and finishing our saluation if wee in spirite and in the truth worship and honour him as the eternal God confessing with a true faith that all power is giuen vnto him of God the father that he careth for vs and that for our healths sake hee ruleth and shall raigne vntill all things be brought vnder his feet In the meane time he dayly in his church purifieth al his members by his spirit cleansing them still more and more from all their sinnes And when hee shall haue rooted out all sinne in his elect ouercomming death the last enemie so that God shall be all in all then shall Christ also giue vp his kingdome vnto God the father namely the mediation for our sinnes the purging of the same defence against the deuill and deliueraunce from death For then shall there be no more sinne in the elect so that he shal not need to be mediator for them to purge from sinne to defend against the deuil or to deliuer from death Oh mercifull father graunt vs perfectly to know thy blessed and glorious kingdome of Christ thy sonne drawe vp our hearts in such sort that we with all obedience maye yeelde our selues into this kingdome seeing and regarding onely those thinges that are aboue and wholy applying our selues vnto this ende that the same heauenly kingdome may be farre spread abroad and knowne vnto all men To the intent that as for all worldly things wherin many foolish people set all their saluation but in vaine men may vtterly refuse them and hartily with bodie and soule and with their whole life may giue ouer themselues perfectly vnto the onely Lord Iesus Christ the true God For thy good pleasure it was O God that in him all perfectnes should dwell and that by him al things towards thee should be reconciled and pacified through his bloud whether they be in heauen or in earth Graunt vs O God vnitie and brotherly loue in thy holie Church kindle our harts to feruent and deuout prayer make vs diligently to watch circumspectly to waite for the comming of thy beloued sonne that we neither be drunken in excesse and bodilie lust nor intangled with the snares of this world but that we hauing alwayes the eyes of our heart open and praying with vpright mindes may chearefully meet our redeemer ioy with him for euer To him be eternall praise and honor Amen THE SENDING OF THE HOLY GHOST WHen the fiftie daies were come to an end they were all with one accord together in one place and sodainely there came a sound from heauen as it had beene the comming of a mightie winde and it filled all the house where they sate And there appeared vnto them clouen tongs like as they had bin of fire and it sate vpon each one of them and they were all filled with the holy Ghost and beganne to speake with other tongues euen as the same spirit gaue them vtterance Doctrine and fruite HEere the Euanglist Luke describeth how that after Christ entered into his glorie the Gospell euen the heauenly doctrine and grace was opened vnto the world downe from heauen by a glorious and great miracle For though the lawe which is the will of God and also the Gospell that is his grace hath from the beginning beene alwayes in the worlde namelie in the heartes of Gods elect children yet was each one of them at seuerall times gloriously vttered vnto the worlde by manifest and apparant myracle And like as the holie Ghost was in the heartes of the faythfull beleeuers for after the Resurrection hee gaue the spirite vnto the Disciples euen so heere hee giueth them the spirite with an open myracle and with a more perfect woorking and power For the spirite which Christ gaue them after his Resurrection when he breathed vpon them was euen this day with more perfection that is to say his operation and strength declared it selfe more euidently and more perfectly and shewed his presence by the visible miracle Thus is it heere described how the promise of Christ and of the Prophets made as concerning the holie Ghost were fulfilled and how the same holie Ghost who is the teacher of the trueth the earnest pennie of saluation the wedding ring of grace and ioye of the minde was giuen Nowe when it is saide that the holie Ghost is giuen vnto men the same may bee vnderstood of the giftes and operations of the holie Ghost for though GOD may bee comprehended of mans minde yet can he not bee included or shut therein Neuerthelesse his giftes according to his will and pleasure are poured and measured into our heartes vnto euerie one so much as maye ferue◠〈…〉 â—fite Who so is desirous to knowe 〈…〉 Ghost is promised vnto faithfull bele◠〈…〉 reade Ezech. 36.39 Ioel. 2. Math. 3. Now 〈…〉 God the Father hath promised by his Mini◠〈…〉 same also doth Christ his sonne promise whereâ— wee may see that the sonne hath like power with the father and that there is but one onely spirite of them both as wee may reade Luk. 12. Iohn 7.14.15.16.20 But before wee come to the sending of the spirite wee will first substantially and well peruse the storie and looke what maye bee gathered thereof For heere is nothing written or sette downe in vaine The Euangelist doth heere make mention of the fift day vpon the which this great wonder was don In the which there lyeth hidde a notable mysterie The Iewes from the day that they offered the Easter Lambe told fiftie dayes and vpon the fiftith day was the feast of weekes In the which feast they kept holyday offering vnto GOD a willing sacrifice of the first fruites when they cutte them downe Wee beginne to number from the resurrection of Christ
according to their beleefe and ferueâ—â— loue receiue the more excellent â—ruites whereby they may expell the temptations that they like not For the deuill keepeth no holy daie he sleepeth not runneth about as a roaring lion he ceaseth not and therefore these men continually get them to their weapons with the consideration of the passion of Christ Abraham the good friend of God must stil driue awaie the rauenous birds from the sacrifice till the Sunne goe downe and till a man cheerefully saie In peace will I laie me downe and take my rest c. This probation must be well taken heed vnto for many men not iustly considering themselues neither right discerning this meate from others receiue the foode of life vnto death Not that this holy bread was instituted and ordained of Christ to hurt any man but because the euil man doth wickedly receiue that which is wholsome abuseth it thorough vnbeleefe Therefore iustly doeth Paul exhort that there be first had a diligent examination of a mans selfe that then he eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. Thus let euerie man take good heed to his owne state and vocation that this banket may set him forward not vnto his hurt but to eternall life Who so taketh not heed vnto this difference to him selfe as alas carnall people do which are not spiritually instructed The same faileth oft in many things and vndertaketh to flie high yea higher than his knowledge power may attaine Hereof then it also proceedeth as we see before our eyes that so fewe folkes come to steadfast amendement namely euen hereof that when men are not exercised in discerning of Gods matters from others a mad headie motion of sensualtie prouoketh them inordinatly to sitte highest at the table wheras yet they are not worthie of the lowest place and so will they forthwith possesse the seate roiall afore they haue found the asses or kept the sheepe as of Dauid Saul in figure it is read But thus ought it not to bee for though the grace of the holy Ghost vse not long fetches about yet commeth no man sodainly to the happiest step I speake after the common course as it beseemeth vs to talke and do in the Church of God namely after the ordinance which he hath appointed vs. Behold Saint Paul being so perfect in the law that the world could not accuse him being also chast earnest feruent and well exercised in all vertues whom God that had separated him from his mothers wombe would cal to his seruice Though he was taken vp into the third heauen and saw secrets that no man can expresse yet doth not he trust so much thereto as by reason of that great grace to magnifie himselfe and to take vpon him the office of preaching before he being taught at Gamaliels feet and baptised and instructed of Ananias had perceiued in himselfe and proued that same which he afterwards out of the perfectnes of the spirit might distribute abrode vnto al Christendome This is peraduenture laughed to scorne of the vnexpert proud worldlynesse but who so hath eares circumcised with the feare of God will thinke more vpon the matter He that will sit now at the table of the high king let him diligently consider what hee receiueth in his soule through faith namely the body end bloud of Iesus Christ which feedeth and nourisheth him to eternall life and draweth him to God altereth him and maketh him steadfast which the outward bread taken with the moueh doth point and leade vnto yea let vs ponder how great loue and what an example Christ ther setteth before him that he also must prepare the like that is that he to his power must follow the loue life and passion of Christ to the intent that hee being wounded with Christs loue fastned with him vpon the crosse may abide in him vnto the end For in the passion of Christ is the instrustion of the way which we ought and must follow vnto eternall life There also is information where and how the same waie and the euerlasting truth is shewed found Thus the penitent sindeth the waie the reformer the vndoubted vnwandring truth the perfect the verie life eternall which is Christ Iesus and there is eternall peace God graunt that all they which reade this little booke and consider this matter may so burne in loue and feruent deuotion that they continue and liue in Christ and he in them for euer Amen THE PASSION OF CHRIST Out of the holy Euangelists THE feast of sweete bread which is also called Easter drue nigh namely after two daies Then sayd Iesus to his disciples Know ye that after two daies shall be Easter and the sonne of man shal be betraied and crucified At the same time were the chiefe priests and councell gathered together in the pallace of the high Priest whose name was Caiphas and there they counselled how they might craftily apprehend take and kill him Howbeit they feared the people Therfore sayd they together Not on the holie daie least there bee an vproare among the people But Satan was entered into Iudas called Iscarioth one of the twelue who went out to the high Priests rulers intending to deliuer him vnto them therefore how he would deliuer Iesus vnto them he told them and sayd What will you giue me and I will deliuer him vnto you When they heard that they were gladde and agreed with him promising him thirtie pence Then promised hee them sought from thence forth oportunity how he might deliuer Iesus vnto them handsomely and without any vprour But afore the feast which is called Passah Iesus knowing that his houre was come and that hee should depart out of this world vnto the Father while he loued his owne that were in the world he loued them vnto the end On the first day of sweet bread when they offer passah the Disciples came to Iesu and said where wilt thou that we go and prepare Passah for thee Then sent he two of his disciples namely Peter and Iohn saying Goe and prepare for vs that we may eat Passah They said where then said he Goe into the citie to one beholde when yee enter in one shall meet you bearing a pitcher with water follow him into the house that he entreth into and say vnto the housholder The maister saith vnto thee my time is now heere that I will eat Passah with thee Where is now the place where the multitude shall be kept Where is the Parlour that I shall eat Passah in with my Disciples then shall hee shewe you a great Parlour that is paued there make ye ready So the Disciples went and found as the Lord had tolde them and they made readie the Passah At euen came Iesus with the twelue and when it was time he sate him down at the table and the twelue with him Now when he sat at the table with his disciples and they did eate hee saide I haue greatly longed
atturney your aduocate mediatour so that ye haue lacked nothing neither hath any man hurt you Seeing now I haue hitherto neuer failed you I wil also from henceforth not forsake you but pray vnto my Father who shall sende vnto you the holy Ghost The same shall perfectly bring to your remembrance and be your teacher in al that I haue shewed you hee shall exhort and admonish you aide succour and comfort you so that yee shall not be without consolation He shall be your tutour and defender neither shall he be with you onely for a time as I haue beene but euen in your heartes shall he dwell with you and neuer depart from you Of this helper comforter teacher and tutor shall yee also haue neede for great trouble and persecution shall the world moue against you To ouercom the same is your flesh too feeble therefore will I send you downe from heauen a power whereby in all aduersitie ye may be able to stand fast and to haue the victorie O the vnspeakeable loue of our Lord Iesu Christ who taketh such diligent care for vs and endueth vs with so excellent a gift namely his owne holy spirite With what modestie and sobernesse with how pure and honest behauiour ought wee to walke seeing that God hath into our hartes giuen his holy spirite who vtterly abhorreth and loatheth all vice and all filthines of sinne Great diligence ought we therfore to applie in keeping cleane and vndefiled our bodies and soules which God through his holy spirite hath purified and consecrated to bee his owne dwelling place and temple least we expell the chast spirite of God For in no froward soule abideth hee neither dwelleth hee in that bodie which maketh it selfe slaue and thrall vnto sin The eares of our minde ought we to open and to harken whereof this spirite admonisheth vs and what doctrine hee in our Sauiours words doth teach vs and his motion ought we to followe Afraid ought we not to be he that is in vs is stronger than all our enemies This spirite hath Christ by his prayer and merites obtained of his Father for hee prayed with weeping and teares and was heard for his worthines sake He is called also the spirite of trueth because hee proceedeth of the truth teacheth the trueth and maketh vs true we are else of our owne nature altogether lyers inconstant vntrue and dissembling hypocrites and whatsoeuer the world speaketh doth it is nothing but vanitie and lyes Blessed therefore are they vnto whom God giueth the high gift of his trueth The world that is to say fleshly men and children of the world receiue not this spirite for they despise the word of Christ and laugh it to scorne Therefore God sheweth not himselfe vnto them for they loue him not which thing they declare in that they refuse his word But who so receiueth his word sheweth thereby that he loueth Christ and God him wil God loue againe and open himselfe euer more and more vnto him This is a high reward which God giueth vnto his louers that hee commeth vnto them maketh his dwelling and abideth alwaie with them working all good things in them and by them Therfore ought wee earnestly to heare his worde to loue him and to keepe his commandements And so euen the same his owne spirit which hee gaue vs at the beginning shall hee still graunt vnto vs more perfectly from time to time Thus shall that spirite poure out loue in our harts and indue them with more perfeâ—tion The loue of the world which is not of God the Father shall this spirit roote out and daily consume but the loue of God it shall continually plant and increase The more loue there is the more groweth the knowledge of God yea the more Gods knowledge increaseth the more feruent perfect is loue Grant vs ô gratious Father thy holy spirit to take possession of our heart that it may onely trust in thee loue thee aboue all things keepe thy commandements cleaue still vnto thee for euermore Amen THese things haue I spoken vnto you beeing yet present with you But that comfort which is the holie Ghost whom my father will send in my name he shal teach you all thinges and bring all thinges to your remembrance whatsoeuer I haue taught you Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you Let not your hart be troubled neither feare Ye haue heard that I said vnto you I go and come vnto you If ye loued me ye would verely reioice because I said I go vnto the father for the father is greater than I. And now haue I shewed you before it come that when it is come to passe ye might beleeue Hereafter will I not talke many words with you for the ruler of this worlde commeth and hath naught in me But that the world may knowe that I loue the father as the father gaue me commaundement euen so doâ— I. Arise let vs go hence Doctrine and fruite THe Lord Iesus continueth his Oration in comforting his Disciples and in telling them what the office of the holy Ghost should be Whereby we learne that all reading and hearing yea and al doctrine bringeth vtterly no fruite if the holy Ghost do not giue vs vnderstanding and teach vs the word of God For the Disciples were ignorant and forgetfull Many thinges that Christ had tolde them they vnderstood not many thinges had they forgotten in many thinges they doubted Such like happen also vnto vs therefore ought wee at all times to pray vnto God that he will send vs his holy spirite to admonish and prouoke vs to comfort and strengthen vs to instruct and teach vs all thinges that are necessarie for vs to saluation Hee is the right heauenly schoolemaister when hee commeth into vs hee expelleth all ignorance away But forasmuch as there remaineth much trouble and aduersitie vnto all faithfull beleeuers while they liue in this time Christ doth therefore promise them his peace against the turmoyling vnquietnes and trouble of this world In the world are many hurley burlyes and aduersities In Christ we find true peace and quietnesse And Christ vnto those that are his giueth such a peace as surmounteth all vnderstanding in the which peace they beeing coupled and knitte are able valiauntly to ouercome all enemies and aduersitie For in as much as they knowe and be vndoubtedly assured through faith that their sins are forgiuen and taken awaie by Christ that the father of heauen is fauorable and gracious vnto them that they be his owne children and inheritours they doe little passe what thing outwardly happeneth vnto them All aduersitie and trouble that outwardlie is layde vpon them is through the inward ioy and peace which they haue in God cleane swallowed vp and so forgotten They settle and staie their harts vppon saluation and eternall peace The peace of the world seeketh quietnesse rest of the bodie throweth awaie the crosse
most perfection to vnderstand his doctrine truth and loue for heere in this time is our knowledge vnperfect yet shuld we consider that the father loueth vs and faithfully ought we to crie and praie vnto him for his spirite that shal teach vs all truth so much as is necessarie and profitable for vs which knowledge from daie to daie shall increase till we shal see him face to face and haue the perfect knowledge of him Our nature is weake and feeble the nature diuine is high and incomprehensible we are full of darknes God is the cleere farre passing light but when our darke mist is taken away then in cleere brightnesse shall the godly light open vnto vs. Some first fruits and beginnings of Gods knowledge haue we receiued alreadie God hath cast and planted a litle seed of knowledge in our harts which through his grace and moisture shall daily grow increase and prosper Of such knowledge as we haue of God we may not presume neither of our weak faith nor yet ascribe too much vnto our own strength He that standeth let him looke that he fall not We think many times that we are verie strong in faith but aduersitie sheweth how feeble we bee and how soone we shrinke Therefore in all trouble and distresse of this world we ought to comfort our selues and trust onely in the grace and strength of Christ In him shal we finde peace and quietnesse in him shall we ouercome all our enemies for his ouercomming is our victorie his power is our strength The world is not able to hurt and plague vs more than of our gracious father is permitted vnto them for our wealth While we liue here we are in miserie affliction distresse but seeing the head hath ouercome the members ought not to doubt of the victorie Let vs with stedfast beleefe looke vnto Christ the fountaine of life our foregoer and finisher of our faith let vs stoutly step forth after him let vs go the waie that he is gone and hath troden made before Afflictions shall serue vs vnto high honor as they serued Christ the Lord vnto glorie In Christ we finde the peace rest of our consciences and soules in him we knowe and find the goodnes loue of God the father out of him receiue we power strength comfort eternall life only let vs loke that we turne not the eies of our heart faith away from him Our welfare consisteth in the stedfast beleefe and loue of Iesus Christ the sonne of God Though we many times stumble fall and be proued by sundry temptations and afflictions yet is the same good and profitable for vs that we may the better learn to know our own weaknes and againe the strength and grace of God If it were not profitable for vs Christ had not suffered his Disciples to fall so greeuously But in all distresse he putteth his hand vnder vs and in aduersitie he leaueth vs not alone as hee also left not his owne Sonne alone Though all men flie away from vs yet haue we God with vs. THese wordes spake Iesus and lift vp his eyes to heauen and said Father the houre is come glorifie thy Sonne that thy Sonne also may glorifie thee as thou hast giuen him power ouer all flesh that he should giue eternall life to as manie as thou hast giuen him This is life eternall that they know thee the onely very true God whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ I haue glorified thee on the earth I haue finished the worke which thou gauest me to doo And now glorifie me thou Father with thine owne selfe with the glorie which I had with thee ere the worlde was I haue declared thy name vnto the men which thou gauest me out of the world Thine they were and thou gauest them mee and they haue kept thy sayings Now they knowe that all thinges whatsoeuer thou hast giuen me are of thee for I haue giuen vnto them the words which thou gauest me and they haue receiued them and know surely that I came out from thee do beleeue that thou didst send me Doctrine and fruite CHrist the true onely chiefe Priest who now would offer vp himselfe to the father vpon the crosse for our sins after that hee had loued his owne vnto the end comforting and strengthening them turneth nowe himselfe in an earnest and feruent praier vnto his heauenly father for an ensample and doctrine to his Disciples and all faithfull beleeuers that they in all temptations and afflictions should with an earnest and feruent praier haue recourse vnto the Father of heauen That he taught afore in wordes the same declareth hee nowe in the deede shewing not onely what but also how and after what sort wee ought to pray not onely for our selues but also for those that are giuen and committed vnto vs of God and whom we haue comforted and exhorted Our eyes and handes ought we to lift vp vnto heauen from whence our helpe commeth which doing is a token of a deuout humble lowly mind Yea the eyes not onely of the body but also of the hart and beleefe But vnto this ende principally ought all our prayers to be directed that the heauenly father may bee glorified The deuil the prince of this world throgh his adherents causeth the name and trueth of Christ his doctrine and knowledge to be rooted out despised Seeing then that wee are Gods children wee should in nothing bee so earnest as in sauing the honour of our father in furthering his glory Which thing commeth to passe when we notifie to men vpon earth his grace faithfulnes loue great mercy which he by his only begotten deare son hath declared shewed vnto mankind when we lead men vnto God from earthly vices false Gods seruice when we direct al things to his glorie Thus is Christ also honored and glorified by vs when wee through the Gospell doe publish vnto all men his power and goodnes his honor and glorie when we know that he is our sauiour our righteousnes and sanctifiing when we know that the father hath giuen all things into his power that to those whom the father hath granted to him hee may giue euerlasting life Which life euerlasting consisteth in this that wee knowe the liuing God his sonne Iesus Christ whom he sent into this world For God the father cānot be known without Christ Iesus his sonne neither is there any mo Gods but only one on whom wee hope trust The way to God is Christ whom God therfore sent downe that by him the mercie and grace of the Father might be opened and appeare vnto vs. Wherefore if we wil haue eternal life that is the knowledge of God we must beleeue in Christ and knowe him and by him as the way and mediator we must know God the father Who so refuseth Christ cannot haue the Father What should it helpe thee
said hee bowed his head and gaue vp the ghost Doctrine and fruit THE life of all liuing dieth after the fleshe thorow the painefull torment of death doth Iesus depart But by his death hee openeth vnto vs the way of life and taketh from vs euarlasting death This is a precious dear and victorious death which hath slaine our death and conquered vs life againe Let this death euermore continue in our hearts and let our death bee considered in the consideration of his death This shall bring vs comfortable trust and hope when our death striueth in vs so that we shall neither be afraid nor despaire if wee steadfastly beleeue that Christ died for vs and that hee through his death hath opened vnto vs euerlasting life Let vs with deuout heartes consider the death of him that hath redeemed vs and restored vs againe The gracious innocent Lorde Iesus dieth miserable and naked so poore so destitute as no man els And yet vnto God is none so deare although of men hee he most vilely intreated This is euen the reward of the worlde to despise the children of God and to recompence euil for good If the like happen vnto vs we must not thinke it straunge for the seruant is not aboue the Lord. The Lorde hangeth on the crosse hard pearced not onely with nailes but also with ardent loue towards vs sore beaten and hurt in euerie place without succour without helpe without comfort euen as a dead man who is forgotten and out of minde Ponder well O thou good seruant of Christ who and how great hee is that crying with a loud voyce giueth vp the ghost Verilie euen the sonne of GOD as Centurio likewise dooth testifie O deare brethren let vs consider how great our sinnes are for the which the innocent sonne of God dieth Iustly ought all the world to be dead vnto vs in Christ and wee vnto the world And what is our life but a blessed death Hee that learneth not to die in his life is afraide when the houre of death commeth Euery day goe wee one daies iourney vnto death therefore ought wee so to watch so to speake and so to worke as if we would die euen now out of hand Before death wee must learne to die least hee sodainlie take holde vppon vs and make vs afraide Death vnto those that faithfully beleeue is through the death of Christ become the gate to life for their comfort and strong hope is in the woordes of Iesus when he saith he that beleeueth on me though hee were dead yet shall hee liue Item who so heareth my word and beleeueth on him that sent me hath euerlasting life In this promise ought we to liue and die casting away all impediments and such thinges as hinder vs from his loue beeing with heart and minde seperated from the world and vndefiled from the filthines thereof Out of the passion of Christ we must picke out vnto our selues comfortable helpe and medicine so that obediently in al patience we offer vp our selues vnto our heauenly father committing our soules into his handes In life and in death let the death of Christ be our comfort and let vs set it against al fearfull temptations and between the wrath of God and our sinnes O Lord Iesu Christ who in the feeble nature of man hast suffred death for vs vnworthie sinners graunt vs grace feruently in our hearts to beare the pain and loue of thy most bitter death and through the subduing and ouer-comming of al vice and wickednesse to vse and exercise our selues daily in following thy footsteppes and dying with thee And when the end of our life draweth nie that wee then may depart in thy mercie and grace and receiue the ioy of paradise Assist thou vs when we die and defend vs from the olde enemie whom thou through thy death hast ouer-come O Father wee commit our spirite into thy hand thou hast redeemed vs O God of truth Let these be our last wordes when we depart hence Amen AND behold the vaile of the temple rent into two peeces from aboue till beneath and there was an earthquake the stones claue asunder the graues opened they that had slept rose vp and went out of the graues and came after his resurrection into the holie Cittie and appeared vnto manie The captaine and they that were with him which kept Iesus when they saw the earthquake and that he gaue vp the ghost with such a crie and other thinges that there happened they were afraid verie sore and saide Verely this was Gods Sonne Centurio likewise praised God said Verely this was a righteous man And all the people that were there and saw it smote vppon their brestes and returned Doctrine and fruite THe Iewes alway required tokens of Christ and of such there hapned manie nowe in the death of the Lord for the very earth quaketh at their wickednes and blaspheming of God the hard stony rockes with their cracking and cleauing asunder expresse a lamentation on their makers behalfe the vaile in the temple renteth for a declaration that the olde couered thinges in the olde Testament are laid away and the hidde significations of Christ expressed and opened for he is the holy true oblation that taketh away the sinnes of the world he is the vndefiled lambe of God hee is the true high Priest that entreth within the vaile into the sanctuary for the way of holy thinges is opened through his bloud hee is the high Priest that once entred in and with one onely sacrifice doth perfectly cleanse and sanctifie The graues opened for an euidence of his resurrection Centurio knowledgeth that which the harde harted Iewes would not confesse O good faithfull beleeuers let vs not bee harder than the stones let our hearts rent asunder in repentance and sorrow for our sinnes that we may enioye the fruite of the Lords death ANd a farre of stood all his acquaintance among whom were many women that came vp from Galilee followed him and ministred vnto him among whome was Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Iames the lesse and Ioses the mother of Zebedes children with manie other that were come to Hierusalem The Iewes then because it was the Sabaoth euen that the bodies shoulde not remaine on the crosse vppon the Sabaoth day for that was the great Saboth day besought Pilate that their legges might be broken and that they might be taken downe Then came the souldiors and brake the legges of the first and of the other which was crucified with him But when they came to Iesus and saw that he was dead alreadie they brake not his legges but one of the souldiours with a speare thrust him into the side and forthwith came there out bloud and water And he that saw it bare record and his record is true And he knoweth that hee saith true that yee also might beleeue These thinges were done that the Scripture might bâ—e fulfilled Yee shall not breake
Peter couereth himselfe being naked we learne nurture and shamefastnesse to walke dwell with all honestie in the sight of men specially in the presence of our superiours and gouernors In the corporall workes and deedes of Christ there is nothing in vaine nothing without effect Besides the outward appearance of the worke there is described somewhat more excellent where unto a faithful beleeuer ought to direct the eies of his mind as when he maketh the blind to see it is an outwarde act and a declaration of his godly power an alteration there is outwardly in the eyes of the blinde in that his fight is restored vnto him againe neuerthelesse ouer and besides the outward worke there is giuen vs to vnderstand that Christ is the true lyght of the whole world which driueth awaie the blindnes of our hart and illuminateth the eyes of our mind according to the Scriptures Isay 42.49 Iohn 1.9.12 c. Christ taking bread and wine giueth the same to his disciples to eate and drinke This as no man can denie was an outward act and they commaunded outwardly to doo it albeit in the remembraunce of him Besides and aboue the outward eating drinking the faithfull beleeuer must lift vp his heart and looke with the eyes of faith vnto that which is spiritual namely how that Christ is the true liuing bread which feedeth our soules to eternall life how his bodie was broken for vs vpon the crosse how we thorough his death are made liuing and washed awaie from our sinnes by his bloud In this is set forth vnto vs the highest loue of all namely that Christ gaue himselfe vnto the death for vs whereby wee are admonished of his grace yea not onely in this described vnto vs but also the holy Ghost doeth mightily land fruitfully worke the same in the heartes of the true beleeuers which in faith at the supper receyue the true body and bloud of Christ whereby theyr heartes are kindled in loue towardes God and their neighbor so that they dwel in Christ he in them c. So heere likewise the outward fishing representeth a fishing spirituall Like as in fishing it lyeth not in the fishers power or wit to take many or few but 〈◊〉 the power and blessing of God And as the labor of the disciples is in vaine afore Christ commandeth them but when they haue his commandement and cast out the net vpon the same they drawe vp a multiâ—â—on of fishes euen so commeth it to passe at this present day that we bring forth no fruit so loÌ„g as the holie ghost worketh not with vs inwardly But when Christ biddeth cast out the net that is when hee giueth his spirite wee are able to draw vp many men and to winne them vnto Christ For all the night long had they taken nothing till Christ came vnto them Euen so can we doe nothing if Christ bee not with vs by his spirite On Whit-sonday when the spirite came vpon his Disciples they brought foorth much fruit and drue many men vnto Christ Heereby declareth Christ vnto them in this taking of fish how it should go in their office and how the time was now at hand that they should shortlie drawe many men out of the sea of this worlde vnto him and that they should prosper and haue good successe therein The world is this wilde raging sea the shore is the quietnes of eternall life that we haue in Christ vnto whome we make hast with Peter and the other Disciples neither doe wee bring men vnto our selues but vnto Christ and to the hauen of euerlasting life Faith is not idle but is alwaies occupied in the Lords businesse causing vs to contemne all perrils and to speede vs a pace vnto Christ with the cloathing of vertues especially with fayth the wedding garment that wee appearing not naked may make hast vnto the land of the liuyng where Christ is the conquerour of death For the faythfull beleeuers are not far from the land when their conuersation is in heauen Without Christ wee must begynne nothing without fayth may no man please God In the nyght of sinne our labour is vayne and vnprofitable yea whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne Vpon the right hand must the net be cast out That is in the office of preaching must respect bee had to the onely glorie of God and edefiyng of the church and not to our owne profit or preferment Christ hungreth after our health this is the meat which he desireth that we doe the will of his heauenly father that wee put our trust in him and loue one another that wee lead a iust and innocent life that wee keepe our selues from the filthinesse of the world bring much people vnto God Such meat is brought vnto Christ by the Apostles when they through their teaching doe catche men and bring them vnto God Therefore doth he aske them whether they haue any thing to eat They said nay for afore the receiuing of the spirite they could doe nothing but when he came they brought many profitable things to passe The haruest was so great that they must needs haue many workmen So when God helpeth the faithfull ministers of the worde that they in the ministerie of preaching haue prosperous successe so that they draw vp many men through the nette of the Gospell and finde much fruite Then the Disciples whome Christ loueth and which loue him againe doe know that it is the Lorde and that the same commeth not of their owne virtue but of the power of God And heereof then groweth there in them a great desire to come vnto Christ and to be with him The office therfore of Apostles of all ministers of the word is this that when they do what Christ commandeth them they turne them to Christ againe and ascribe the honour vnto him And if ought would let or hinder them to come vnto Christ they ought to refuse all the same and to hast vnto him with the losse of their life Iohn knoweth Christ afore Peter but Peter commeth to the Lord before him whereby we may note the diuersitie of ministrations and giftes in the Church Though Peter bee more feruent yet is hee not ashamed to learne of Iohn The fishers come with the fish vnto Christ the shepheards with the sheepe to one manner of saluation for they are not carefull onely for themselues how they may be saued but also for those whome they haue caught to bring the same with them vnto the shore of eternall rest It is our saluation when we become Christs meat yea when Christ is our foode and sustenance For they that in the sea of this world doe faithfully labour to drawe the fishe vnto the Hauen shall obtaine great fruit and enioy an eternall banquet at Christs table in his kingdome For Christ prepared them a dinner wherein hee set foorth vnto the ministers of the worde what they ought to doe namely to feed the people
life for his sheepe Such perrill doth Christ promise vnto Peter namely that hee must die and with what death Afore-time when hee was young he sought that which pertained to the flesh he might not away with the crosse but nowe after the receiuing of the holy ghost he is stout and dieth for Christs sake and for his sheepe Beholde such an end had Peter that of loue he dieth for him with whome to die he rashlie promised afore But necessarie it was that Christ should first die for Peters health and that Peter afterward should suffer death for his names sake The presumption and headines of man would haue set the cart before the horse but the euerlasting truth hath appointed this order Peter thought he would haue ieoperded his life for Christ haue redeemed the redeemer but Christ came to giue his life for his sheepe of whom Peter was one Now after that Christ died for those that bee his there is strength giuen in the hearts of such shepheards and sheepe as be faithful to suffer death for Christs sake Death is not now so to be feared of vs that we wold therefore goe backe from the truth for by death do not wee lose life yea Christ hath made death to bee the way vnto life And by his Resurrection he hath set forth vnto vs an example of another life which is immortall Peter was first afraide and feared death and would haue dissuaded Christ that he should not die but now that the precious treasure of Christes bloud is shed hee followeth his redeemer yea euen vnto the death of the crosse goeth hee after him therefore is hee nowe no more a satan but a Peter But from whence commeth such strength into a feeble man Euen from God who dwelleth in the hearts of the faithfull for else is the nature and flesh of man impotent and weake beeing afraid of death which feare naturall heate being abated is the greater in them that are olde And though we all wish to to be with Christ and be desirous of eternall life yet would we faine haue it without any griefe of death if it might be Thus came the conflict of death euen vpon Christ whereby hee declared himselfe verie man but the wil of God had the mastry aboue mans in the wrastling Peter also went not with his wil to death but with his will he both suffered it and ouercame it Christ likewise to comfort vs was heauie who neuertheles came vpon earth that he wold die neither was it necessitie that moued him to die but his owne good will and loue for hee had power to giue his soule and take it agayne Now though the feare of death be great in nature yet is it ouercome through the strength and greatnesse of the loue which wee beare vnto him who is our life euen Iesus Christ And albeit he was the life it selfe yet pleased it him to suffer death for vs. Seeing then that hee alone dyed for vs wee ought not to be ashamed neither should it grieue vs to die also for him specially considering that the publishing of so excellent grace is committed vnto vs. When the shepheard dyeth for the sheepe it is no great matter if the sheepe die for the shepheards sake Forasmuch now as the faithfull shepheard with his loue directeth and encourageth many of the sheepe to die for his names sake how much more meete is it that the shepheards bee the first which ieoparde theyr liues striuing for the truth and euen vnto bloud to resiste sinne when Christ hath put them in trust to feed his sheepe This is now the occasion why our Sauiour Christ telleth Peter of his death afore hande and strengtheneth and incourageth him therevnto for though the will bee constaunt in the saints yet is the flesh feeble and weake No man dieth without paine and griefe which thing is appointed vnto vs by the wisedome of God to the intent no man should kill himselfe For seeing the deuill doth now and then perswade som to murther themselues how should it go if the soule were not so loth to depart frō the body With these words therefore thought nor Christ to make Peter afraid or to discourage him but to furnish him and make him ripe For Peter had a good desire to suffer somewhat for Christs sake neuerthelesse beeing yet young hee could not follow but when he was olde he followed him therefore will Christ perfourme his desire As if Christ would say Peter thou hast hitheto bin weake fearful but I wil strengthen thee so that hence forth thou shalt deny mee no more but manfully die for mee Thou hast bene tender in that thou wast afraid at one womans voyce but now shalt thou stretch forth thy hand to the crosse to be bound For by the stretching out of the handes hee vnderstandeth and signifieth with what death hee should die namely vpon the crosse Which death afore time was most shamefull but after that Christ was hanged vpon the crosse it is now an honorable and glorious death with the which the faithfull doe glorifie God and therefore saith the Euangelist that the Lord would thereby signifie with what death Peter should glorifie God For in Gods quarrell and for Christs sake to die is the highest honour whereof no man ought to be ashamed This ought all soule shepheards to ponder and consider that they faithfully and constantly following Christ the Lord go not from that they haue taken in hand but proceed and bring their course to an honourable ende keeping fidelitie and trust with their Lord and being fully appointed in themselues to die for the sheepe of Christ Therfore should they consider afore hand what things they must suffer for the truth least they destroy that which they haue of long time builded and taught O gracious father strengthen thou vs in thy worke and in thy truth that in the thing which thou hast begun in vs we may steadfastly continue to the end Expell out of vs the feare of death stablish vs thorow thy holy spirite that wee manfully may despise ieoperd this life for the life eternall Grant O God to the shepheards of thy sheepe a feruent loue to the truth and thy glory strengthen them with thy spirit that they valiantly standing by the flocke may euen with their death confirme thy people in the truth PEter turned about and saw the disciple whom Iesus loued following which also leaned on his breast at Supper said Lord who is he that betraieth thee when Peter therefore saw him he said to Iesus Lord what shal he heere doe Iesus saith vnto him If I will haue him to tarrie till I come what is that to thee Follow thou me Then went this saying abroade among the brethren that that Disciple should not die Yet Iesus said not to him he shall not die but if I wil that he tarry til I come what is that to thee the same disciple is he which
euen so is it in the opinion of those that must beare the iudgement of God For as much now as the Apostle Peter according as the matter required did necessarily alledge testimony out of the Prophet concerning the holy Ghost who is giuen to the good children of God he thought also to specifie that which was written in the Prophet as touching the punishment of the wicked that despise the grace of God giuing a warning thereby vnto the Iewes to cease from theyr vnbeleefe and shamefull life declaring vnto them that if they proceed foorth in wickednes it should happen vnto them as it did before vnto theyr forefathers vnto whome Ioel opened the punishment of God Whereby wee must learne paciently to beare it and to take it in good part when our sinnes are rebuked our vices spoken against and we told that the punishment is at hande For this custome had the Apostles in their preaching and declaring of the Gospell that they not onely made mention of the grace of God offered vnto the world by Christ but therwithall likewise they threatned sore punishment to those that eyther despised such excellent grace or hauing knowledge of the truth did cleaue vnto vice which thing in the worde of Peter is yet more euident The Gospell also preacheth amendment of lyfe and not remission of sinnes onely through the bloud of Christ But nowe at this present time there bee many dainty Christians as certaine Princes and Senates in the countreys and citties whose opinion is that the grace of the Gospell is to bee preached yea and they permit Christ and his grace gently worthily to be spoken of but if the false Gods seruice as the honoring of Images and all that is crept in and erected vp in the Papistry agaynst Gods word be reprooued or if the preacher speake agaynst theyr tyranny vniust actes theyr malitious violence and wilfulnes whereby they oppresse poore widowes and fatherlesse children dooing right vnto no man or if the preacher touch them on the gald backs for their excessiue pompe and pride for their rioting whoredome adulterie gluttony drunkennes fighting and extortion if such vices I say wherein they still lead their liues be touched to the quicke then is all fauor gone then burne these preachers say they drowne them they be seditious fellowes they will set vs together by the eares and bring the common people in our necks But such men should consider that vnto this office of the preacher it belongeth to crye against vice least he bee called of God a blind watchman a dumbe dogge and least all the soules which perish through his silence be required at his handes their wilfulnes pride and vaine lyfe they should forsake and reforme themselues and so needed not the preacher to crye out agaynst them Now considering that the Prophets vsed as I said before to make mention of the kingdome of Iesu Christ and of the calling of the heathen to the grace and knowledge of God especially in their orations when they speak of captiuity and deliuerance from the same Ioel in his prophecie doth also keepe that order For seeing that the Iewes were euer still continually as stifnecked rebellious and vnbeleeuing people vnthankful to the grace of God the holy Ghost foresawe theyr reiection declaring it by the Prophets and that another people namely the heathen should bee receyued in their stead For in as much as they despised the grace of God which first was offered vnto them it was meet that the kingdome of God should bee taken from them and giuen to another nation Seeing they thought scorne to come to the marriage to the royall feast whereunto they were bidden it behooued others to be called vnto the same Therfore is Peter earnest vpon this sentence Whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued As if he would say O ye Iewes bragge not of circumcision of Abraham of the temple or of other ceremonies thinke not that ye onely are the people of God the time is now come that God wil bestow his grace vpon those whom ye esteeme to bee vncleane God is no accepter of persons but among all people who so calleth vpon him shall be saued Of this sentence dooth Peter now take occasion more manifestly to speak of the kingdom of Christ for much more pithily and with more euidence doth the Apostles describe the kingdome of Christ than do the Prophets Who so calleth vppon Gods name must knowe God Now can no man knowe God but by Christ Therefore in this little worde to call vpon the name of the Lorde is comprehended the whole summe of the Christian faith Like as oftentimes in the Prophets bee these to sweare by God is contained his whole religion But forasmuch as the Iewes knew not Christ by whome commeth the true knowledge of God therfore beginneth Peter and declareth with strong argumentes how the name of God is to be called vpon namely through true faith in Christ who is the true Messias the annointed king and sonne of God which was promised in the Prophets This doth Peter prooue by the ground of the resurrection of Christ from death by his ascension into heauen and by that he now sitteth at the right hand of God Lord king of al things First let vs heare the text YEe men of Israel heare these words Iesus of Nazareth a man approued of God among you with miracles wonders and signes which God did by him in the midst of you as ye your selues knowe him haue yee taken by the hands of vnrighteous persons after hee was deliuered by the determinate councell and foreknowledge of God haue crucified and slaine him whom God hath raysed vp loosed the sorrowes of death because it was vnpossible that he should be holden of it For Dauid speaketh of him aforehand I sawe God alwayes before mee for hee is on my right hand that I should not be mooued Therefore did my heart reioice and my toong was glad moreouer also my flesh shal reâ—t in hope because thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neither wilt thou suffer thine holie one to see corruption Thou hast shewed me the waies of life thou shalt make mee full of ioy with thy countenance Doctrine and fruite TO the intent now that no man should bee offended at the death and crosse of Christ Peter sheweth first that in the councel of God it was concluded foreseene and determined that the son of God the true Messias should and must die and how that the same sacrifice was ordained from the beginning of the world to bee slaine and offered vp vpon the crosse for our sins And that no man should make any stoppe by reason of his death Peter therefore declareth that he was no misse-doer which had deserued his death by any transgression but that hee was sent vnto vs by GOD the father to dye for vs whereby we might perceiue the loue of our Father in heauen And if they now would
thinke well if it were so concluded in the councell of God then are not we guiltie of his death hee aunswereth vnto the same sayth Vnrighteous men broght him therto it is ye your selues that slew him crucified him As if he would say yea euen so behoued it to be that the righteousnes of God for the sinne of mankinde might be satisfied Christ must needs die to recompence and wash away with his bloud the sinne of all the world And yet yee Iewes which haue betrayed Christ and brought him to the crosse are not vniustly accused yee cannot through the fore ordinance of God discharge your selues that ye be without sin seeing ye haue slaine the sauiour of the worlde hee being guiltles By this now we learne that when we do wrong and euill wee may not excuse our selues with the free ordinaunce of God for it is not God but the deuill and our owne wickednes that prouoketh vs to sinne And heere we see that when the grace of GOD through the Gospell is offered vnto the worlde the sinne and vice also wherein the worlde is intangled must be spoken of and touched for no man can bee iustified and come to the helth of his soule through Christ which doth not first know confesse his sin wickednes How can he be made whole that will will not know his owne disease and sicknes Therefore doth Peter sette before their eyes their great sin which they had committed against the innocent sonne of God saying The innocent and righteous whom God had giuen vnto you haue ye slaine and crucified which is a great wickednes sinne Now go to on your behalfe it was euill done and greuously offended but on his behalfe it was so ordayned before Therefore at his death which in the sight of the world was so shamefull and vile yee ought not to bee offended that yee therefore would holde the lesse of him or not receiue and know him for a sauiour For if you looke vpon his former conuersation the same was innocent pure and holie therefore cannot yee doubt but hee was sent of God Besides this ye haue perceyued and seene God to be euerie where in his workes for the tokens and wonders which hee shewed and declared amongst you giue euident knowledge that God was in him wroght in him presently for no man had beene able to doe the tokens that he did vnlesse God had beene with him Which tokens also were spoken of before by the Prophets concerning Christ and by those tokens must ye know and confesse that he is euen the true Messias of whom the Prophets spake Wherefore considering that by his former doctrine godly power ye knowe that hee is the true Messias yee ought not to bee offended that hee as an euill dooer was crucified vpon the crosse for it was the speciall determination of God that Messias should be crucified according to the foresayings of the Prophets Consider yee also that the Prophets likewise spake of his resurrection from death by the which ye may well perceiue that he is the true Messias Thus earnest is Peter beating into them the resurrection from the dead and that out of the Scripture For Christs resurrection from death is a strong argument to proue his godhead as it is taught Rom. 1. Iohn 20. Yea he died saith Peter for our sinnes but nowe he is aliue and risen againe from death death hath no more power ouer him for he liueth for euer and his kingdome is euerlasting Yea vnpossible it was that the sonne of God should corrupt in the earth sepulchre namely he that is the firstling risen from the dead and that from his owne godly power Seeing that these wordes of Peter concerning the resurrection and life of Christ were little credited among the Iewes he alleadgeth the 15. psalm of Dauid who amongst them was in great reputation But now might the Iewes say or thinke Dauid speaketh these words of himselfe and not of Christ that weapon therefore dooth Peter take from them and proueth that the same words may in no wise be referred vnto Dauid but that Dauid as a Prophet hauing knowledge of things to come spake them of Christ in whom they be now fulfilled and thus hee saith YEe men and brethren let me freely speake vnto you of the Patriarch Dauid for he is both dead and buried and his sepulchre remaineth with vs vntill this day Therefore seeing he was a Prophet and knew that God had sworne vnto him with an oath that Christ as concerning the flesh should come of the fruites of his loynes and shoulde sitte on his seate he knowing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ that his soule should not bee left in hell neyther his flesh should see corruption This Iesus hath God raised vp whereof we all are witnesses Doctrine and fruit THe Prophet Dauid speaketh of one whose flesh should not corrupt now could not hee haue spoken this of himselfe for his flesh corrupted in the sepulchre which wee yet haue and his bones lie yet in the sepulchre by the which it may well bee perceiued that Dauid as a Prophet knowing of things to come spake of another which should bee borne out of his owne loynes and seede whom God with a solemne oath had promised to sitte vpon his seate and raigne after him not onely for a season but also that his gouernance kingdome and dominion should be perpetuall and endure for euer And this king is Christ the true Messias who as concerning the flesh was borne of the seede of Dauid and is his sonne If this sonne now of Dauid had after death remained still in death and not risen from death againe how could hee then raigne for euer It is euident therefore that Dauid out of the holy Ghost who had opened this vnto him prophecied it of the resurrection of Christ his sonne the eternall king For though hee as a verie man died indeede vppon the crosse and was then buried yet his soule or life remained not in death neither did his body resolue into corruption as other mens but on the third day he rose again from death to life This must we needs testifie for after his resurrection he appear dost vnto vs. We saw him we heard him we handled him we did eate and drinke with him Heere wee learne that the Saintes in the old Testament vnderstood knew by faith the resurrection and eternal kingdom of Christ seeing they prophecied of it so euidently Here is also proued that Christ died in very deed yet abode not still in death forasmuch as hee ouercame it Also that the power and vertue of his holie passion and death came not onely to the liuing vpon earth but vnto all those that died before him according as Saint Peter in his Epistle and the Article of our beleefe He descended into hel declareth Wherof in the Catechisme vpon the Creed there is made mention sufficient SIthens now that he by the
right hand of God is exalted and hath receiued of the Father the promise of the holie Ghost he hath shed foorth this gift which yee now see and heare For Dauid is not ascended into heauen but he saith The Lorde saide to my Lorde Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foot stoole Doctrine and fruite WE beleeue that Iesus Christ our king and Sauiour is not onely risen againe from death to life but also is ascended vp into heauen sitteth at the right hand of God and raigneth for euer For though hee heere a season was despised and refused as the stone of the builders yet hath the strong hand of God exalted him and mightily wrought in him Which thing may well bee perceiued by this as Saint Peter heere valiantly concludeth that hee sendeth downe from on high such an excellent gift of the holy Ghost vpon those that are his This is a sure euidence that he mightily raigneth at the right hand of God and hath all things in his hand seeing he hath power of the spirite of God whom he poureth into the hearts of his and that sometime in visible manner For the glorious triumpher ascending vp to heauen with great victorie did after the custome of great kings and let fall his giftes downe vppon vs and parted them among vs namely the gifts of the holy Ghost whom he as man receiued of the Father but after the godhead he had him alwaie for of the father and of the sonne there is one onely spirite Neither may this bee applied vnto Dauid for though hee as a iust friend of GOD bee saued and come to heauen yet did not hee immediatly after death ascend into heauen with bodie and soule that he might be reported to sit at the right hand of God for his wordes speake of another whome he calleth his Lord namely in the hundreth and ninth Psalme he saith God the Father sayd vnto my Lorde euen the Sonne Sit thou on my right hand So therefore let all the house of Ierusalem know for a suretie that God hath made this Iesus whom ye haue crucified Tord and Messias Doctrine and fruit WIth these wordes doth Peter conclude his Oration exhorting them not to doubt Iesus Christ to be the same annointed sauiour and king who of God the father was first promised then giuen for the deliuerance of the people of the Iewes and of all nations In this conclusion is comprehended the summe of the whole Christian faith namely that wee beleeue that Iesus who was borne of the virgine Marie and crucified of the Iewes is the true Christ that is to saie Messias euen the king that was ordained annointed of God to raigne foreuer ouer all faithful beleeuers Lorde of the whole world and sauiour of all such as put their trust in him This hath God the Father opened and set forth vnto vs by myracles by the resurrection by the ascension by the power of the holy Ghost that wee might beleeue it and not doubt thereof Therefore saith Iohn Who so beleeueth that Iesus is Christ the same is borne of God WHen they heard this they were prickt in their hearts and said vnto Peter and to the other Apostles Ye men and brethren what shall we doe Peter said vnto them Repent of your sinnes and be baptised euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinners and yee shall receiue the gifte of the holy Ghost For the promise was made vnto you to your children and to all that are a farre off euen as many as the Lord our God shall call And with many other words bare he witnesse and exhorted them saying Saue your selues from this vntoward generation Then they that gladly receiued his preaching were baptised And the same daie there were added vnto them about three thousand soules Doctrine and fruite THis is the fruit and end which followeth out of the preaching of the worde of God that they whose heartes God toucheth are so sorrie for theyr sinnes that it euen pearceth them for Gods word is euen a sharpe two edged sword and entreth through to the depth Blessed are all they which so reade and heare the word of God that they begin to be ashamed of their sinnes and wickednesse beeing repentant and sorrie therefore A blessed and wholsome sorrow is that which riseth and groweth out of the truth which is opened vnto the heart by the holy Ghost Which spirite in the heart giueth hope vpon the mercie of God and driueth awaie all despaire Then beginneth a man to aske What shall I doo Then enquireth he after the will of God and such a man that so asketh is easie to be helped soone is he healed that knowing his disease would faine be made whole Vnto such a man doth the faithfull Minister of Christ giue counsell out of the Scripture and sheweth him the fruit of Christ preached and knowen He doth not bid him bestow monie on solemnities and Diriges on Images Monisteries or coâ—les inâ—â—â—ying of pardons He doth not will to runne vnto Rome or to Lawret but requireth of him the best and most profitable thing of all namely amendement conuersion of life Our mindes our workes and maners must be altered if we will please God Who so saith with his heart that he beleeueth in Christ holding Christ for his sauiour and king must forsake his euil waie eschuing euill and doing good Iere. 7.11 Isa 1 Niniue stood still vpright when they tooke vppon them true conuersion and amendement As for Hierusalem though they offered many sacrifices fasted much it helped not because there was no true reformation and forsaking of sinne needs must they be destroied and miserablie perish To botch or patch the matter it will not helpe there is no remedie wee must become godly and vertuous of life it auaileth not to dissemble God looketh into the heart which he will haue pure and vnfained Forasmuch then as we through baptisme in the faith of Christ haue receiued Christ and are marked out for him hauing once forgiuenesse of sinnes through the grace and gift of Christ let vs be of a vertuous lfe walking innocently and in the feare of God Let vs die therefore to the innocencie which is restored vnto vs againe through Christ let vs daily remember to harken follow the admonishment of the spirit which teacheth vs all good things We are they vnto whom God hath promised his grace of the spirite yea and vnto our children also so farre as we abide in his couenants Let vs thankfully receiue such excellent grace deare brethren being ware that we stain not the temple of Iesus Christ and of his holy spirit with filthinesse of the worlde that wee neuer make our selues partakers in the iniquitie of wicked and faithlesse men but to leade here a pure and cleane conuersation with a good conscience before GOD our most louing father and alwaie lift vp our minds vnto
that wee will not once regard or thinke anie such thing whereby wee might the sooner forsake the diuision and stiffenesse of our heart and in friendly vnitie and brotherly loue to doe good one vnto another Christ therefore the restorer of our decayed nature and the onely true and eternall light came into this worlde to illuminate and lighten our blinde eyes to crie with his voyce vnto vs that bee dumbe and to sette that agayne before our eyes which wee our selues haue made darke and dimme Hee cryeth vnto vs in his Gospell with a loude voyce so that no man canne saie hee hath not heard it Hee is the heauenly schoolemaster the eternall wisedome the fountayne of all knowledge the onely and true teacâ—â—â— the whole building of his Church the foundation and roofe the beginning and ende of all his commaundementes hath hee sette and comprehended in onely loue exhorting vs to loue vnitie and friendshippe and saying that men heereby shall knowe vs to bee his disciples if we loue â—hem vnto that which faith inwardly considereth and looketh vpon These tokens are instituted to signifie and represent vnto vs high and greate things to gather together and vnite the Church that beeing dispearsed euerie where ouer the face of the whole earth might gather together into one communion and fellowshippe in Christ and bee made partakers of his promises and inioye those comfortable blessings which hee hath promised from the beginning namely such as bee faithfull and true beleeuers and that the exteriour and outwarde sense might from all corporall thinges bee withdrawen to that which is spirituall for the eyes see the bread which representeth the bodie of Christ they see as the bread is broken so was the bodie of Christ broken vpon the crosse for our sinnes and that as the wine is poured in and out so was the precious bloud of Iesus Christ shedde to wash awaie all our sinnes The eares doe heare Christes wordes spoken by the Minister in the person of Christ Iesus by the which the promise is renewed by which meanes those that are his and of his Church are by a certaine feeling and comfort in their soules and consciences refreshed The tast vppon the tongue the smell in the nose and lykewise the handling and so each other member in his seuerall office euerie one of them hath his delight and operation in confessing acknowledging and dooing his seruice vnto saith But for what cause our sauiour Christ dyd specially vse bread and wine before anie other corporall things to signifie his death and shedding of his bloud it may well and easily bee perceiued by the nature of faith With bread is the bodie fedde and sustayned with wine are mennes heartes made merrie Forasmuch then as faith the life of our soules through the flesh of Christ spiritually eaten is nourished and sustained and seeing our minde is moistened and refreshed with true and perfect ioy thorough the bloud of Christ shedde for vs there was nothing more meere nothing more expedient nothing more necessarie for this Sacrament than bread and wine Moreouer through the bloud of Christ are all other oblations and sacrifices cleane layde aside and therefore Christ minding to finish the high sacrifice vppon the crosse testified and declared before hand that his bodie beeing offered vp and his bloud shed shoulde bee sufficient to wash awaie all mens sinnes and that from thence forth there shoulde not neede anie other sinne offering in the which there must bloud bee shedde Therefore woulde hee with euident and plaine wordes testifie and saie This is my bodie which is giuen for you doo this in remembrance of mee This is the cuppe of the new Testament in my bloud which shall bee shedde for many to the forgiuenesse of sinnes To the intenâ— thâ—n that this excellent and worthie propitiation and sacrifice should not out of theyr eyes and heartes he added visible signes not bare signes but seales of his couenant as was the Circumcision and Passah and common tokens of loue and friendshippe amongst men euen bread and wine which haue no bloud to declare that all bloud for sinne is onely in Iesus Christ Christs minde was also in one bodie to couple and knit together in one bodie the whole multitude of his Church To signifie this that there was nothing more apt and sit than wine and bread for like as out of many cornes is made one paste and one bread and like as out of many grapes one wine floweth together euen so by faith and loue become they all one bodie that eate of one bread and drinke of one cup. And euen from the beginning of the world it hath alwnyes beene the vse among men that with breade and wine they haue made and confirmed great friendshippe and league And euen so Christ with the distributing of the bread among his disciples would establish an euerlasting friendship with them The fourth thing now in the Church of Christ is prayer namely as Christ taught them to praie vnto the father of heauen that the kingdome of his Sonne might still growe and increase that his glory might arise and spread it selfe throughout all the worlde that his name might bee hallowed and his will fulfilled c. This is the necessariest thing of all and if we lacke this in vaine are all our good workes in vaine are all the honest actions of a ciuill lyfe in vaine are all godly exercises nothing prospereth wee goe about no oblation is sanctified all is impuritie that wee eyther doo or thinke the holy Apostle Paule willeth vs to praie continually God graunteth not the presence of his spirite to anie thing but vnto praier Without the presence of Gods spirite vnprofitable is the worde preached vnprofitable are the Sacraments ministred vnprofitable shall all thinges bee vnto vs so that praier is most requisite Let vs therefore praie vnto almightie God to increase in vs the spirite of Prayer that with our soule and spirite wee may praie continually for spirituall giftes that they may dayly increase in vs to his glorie Graunt this the great giuer of all good giftes for his mercie sake To whom bee all honour glorie power dominion and thankes for euer and euer Amen A Praier O Mercifull God preserue our heartes from pride from vaineglorie and from shamefull couetousnesse giue vs grace to abide in thy holy vocation and to be thankfull for thy grace that the fall of thine Apostle beeing alwayes before our eies we may walke in thy feare before thee For if we stand we must take heed that we fall not neither despise those that as yet doo not stand Make vs to continue thy grace for nothing haue wee sauing onely thaâ— which we haue receued of thee And if of weaknesse we fall put thy hand vnder vs O Lorde and suffer vs not to despaire in sinne but cause vs with repentance and sorow for our offence to resort vnto thee Oh keepe vs that we neither despaire nor betraie thy dearely beloued sonne whome
somwhat by experience wherby they haue learned humilitie and nurture The first thing that Christ in his examination requireth of those which must guide the people is a great feruent and notable loue to GOD. Without this loue shall soule shepheardes doo no good This loue to GOD shall bring with it loue towardes the sheepe committed vnto them For as much then as at this day the loue of Christ is so greatly quenched therefore are manie Curates and soule shepheardes so faint and colde to preach and teach Christ They burne not in the loue of God against vice they print not vertue and godlinesse feruently into the people for there is no loue of Gods name in them Seeing then that they haue no heauenly zeale vnto the glorie of GOD and to the amplyfiyng of his name it is no maruaile that their preaching is so cold and vnfruitfull Therfore saith our Sauiour Christ vnto Peter Agapas me Louest thou mee For Agapao among the Greeks signifieth feruently earnestly right hartily to loue yea to loue with a great good will And this word he vseth in the two first questions In the third question he saith Phileis me Louest thou me Phileo signifieth so to loue that one be louing to another shew him friendship therefore doth Peter take the Lorde himselfe to witnesse As for the high excellent loue hee dare not bragge of it but saith Philose which is as much to say as I haue hitherto doone all that becommeth a friend to do If any derogation or hinderance bee done to thy honour and name I am hartily sorie for it as a friend is iustly greeued if his friend be vilely intreated Thus the Lorde with the three questions layeth hard vnto Peter for a notable loue is it that hee requireth of those to whom he committeth his sheepe in his absence Peter had a good conscience knew no falshood or deceite by himselfe but bare a notable and feruent loue vnto Christ yet by reason of his former fall and this oft questioning he was partly out of quiet fearing least peraduenture there laye yet hid in him some secret thing that displeased the Lord or were against him or that happily he should not stand in such fauour with Christ Therefore said he Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest the harts of all men and wotest that I beare thee a good heart and friendly mind which wordes proceed of a meeke feruent hart Christ knoweth better how we loue him than we our selues Thus a shepheard oght to haue an ardent loue vnto Christ and yet not to stand high in his owne conceit or to bragge of himselfe although he loue and bee garnished with vertues more than other men Wherein may it bee perceiued that a soule shepheard loueth Christ and is his friend Verely in louing his sheepe which Christ hath cōmitted to him Therefore saith Christ alway vpon the same Feede my sheep But Christ vseth here two distinct words First he saith Vosce that is feed them pasture them fodder them Secondly he saith Poimene that is bee thou vnto them a heardman take thou care for them as it beseemeth a shepheard be thou a shepheard vnto my sheepe keepe them from the wolfe from al such hurt First he requireth of him a feruent loue then committeth hee his sheepe vnto him a treasur◠great deare redeemed bought with the pretious bloud of Christ As if he would say If thou loue me declare the same in care and loue toward my sheep whom I commit to thy charge The sheepe are Christes not the shepheards As forsuch shepheards as keepe them so that they make them hang vpon themselues those loue themselues not Christ They that seeke their owne glorie profit and lucre among them are not faithfull shepheards Against such doth crie the threefold voice of Christ Feed keepe my sheepe mine saith he not thine Feed them oppresse them not flay them not Feede them not thy selfe Seeke my glorie not thine own For some there bee which as Paule with weeping teares complaineth that seeke themselues not the glorie of Iesus Christ Of these spake Paule also afore 2. Timoth. 3. Men shall be louers of themselues couetous c. Where the wicked roote of selfe loue is in a Curate there followe all the vices which hee in the same place maketh mention of Who so nowe will bee a louer of Christ and a faythfull shepheard sciences that they may be fruitfull and comfortable to the whole Christian congregation If this might come to passe then should there be no lacke of wise counsellors and actiue men profitable to be in common authoritie and also amongst christian people there shuld be found men meet to be made ouer-seeers in the ministery of Gods word with which men the people should be wel worthily prouided for Good vertuous teachers bring foorth a vertuous and godlie people And doubtlesse the meaning of those that gaue such goodes to monasteries churches was at the first that they thoght therby to serue God and to doe good vnto the poore If such goods then as heeretofore haue beene euill bestowed bee now profitably and blessedly turned to the honour of God and commoditie of the whole Church then is the last will and meaning of the founders fulfilled They also that must pay such rentes tithes goods will be the readier so to doe if they see that the same is well and profitably bestowed Then shall not they vntruly but faithfully performe and pay all thinges when they consider that they doe seruice vnto God himselfe Graunt vs all O God to harken and be obedient vnto the voice of true shepheards and giue vs hearts to haue in great honour and worthily to esteeme of such faithfull shepheards as vppon earth are thy Ministers and stewards by whome and in whome thou speakest to vs and with vs that wee shewing vnto them all reuerence and honour which they be worthie of for thy sake may giue them honest liuinges and consider howe that Christ thy sonne our Lorde teacheth the same Math. 10. and Paule thy seruaunt 1. Cor. 9. Reason it is seeing they sow spiritual things vnto vs that they of vs reape thinges corporall O Lord remooue away the contempt of thy woorde and ministers for the same neuer escaped without great punishment and harme IESVS said vnto Peter verely verilie I say vnto thee When thou wast young thou girdest thy selfe and wentest whither thou wouldest but when thou art olde thou shalt stretch out thine hand and another shal gird thee and lead thee thither as thou wouldest not This hee said signifyng with what death he should glorifie God And when he had spoken this he said follow me Doctrine and fruite IT is not sufficient to haue begunne except the soul shepheard continue in his office and faithfulnesse For to take the cure and charge of the sheepe bringeth great danger losse trauaile and labour with it Many a time must a faithfull shepheard ieoperd his