had forsaken him For it were too too blockish and foolish a thing to say that our Lorde Iesus Christ was not sore tormented and vexed in heart but that hée simplie saide They thinke that I am forsaken Nowe this declareth that they which séeke after suche gloses are not onely ignorant but also verie blockheades and doltes and cease not besides to barke and blaspheme lyke Mastife Curres against the Maiestie of God And as many as thus say without doubt there is no more religion in them then in dogges and bruit beastes for they know not how dearely the sonne of God paide for their saluation And that which is worse they mocke them selues like villaines as they are Therfore we must absolutely conclude that when our Lord Iesus was brought to this extremitie and torment he cryed out with a loude voice yea like vnto those which are in most terrible panges My God my God why hast thou forsaken mée And in déed we haue before said that we had but a cold pull as we say by the storie of his death if we cōsidered not of the obedience which he yéelded vnto God his Father Thus we sée what the principall point is that we should looke vnto when as we would be assured of our saluation which is that if we haue committed many offences rebellions and iniquities against God that all shal be buried because our Lord Iesus hath by his obedience iustified vs made vs acceptable with God his Father Now wherin consisteth this obedience but that Christ Iesus although he suffred a cruel terrible death yet was contented to yéeld himself vnto it For if he had felt no hardnesse nor striuing in it his obedience had béen nothing But inasmuch as our Lorde Iesus abhorred death by nature yea and that it was a fearefull thing to appeare before the iudgement seate of God in the behalf of all wretched sinners for he stood foorth there to beare all our burthens and yet for all that was contented to humble himselfe to be thus condemned for vs Let vs acknowledge his perfect obedience and therein we haue verie good matter to glorie Hebr. 5.7 8. as the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews saith That the feare of our Lorde Iesus Christ was heard But howeuer it was it was méet that hée should suffer and abide so hard weighty a cause yea cleane against all worldly affection and desire And therefore it behooued that God his Father should so acquaint him with it to the ende as hée saith his obedience might be knowne Wée sée then that the Apostle namely specifieth that it must néedes bée that our Lorde Iesus shoulde bée wonderfully afeard for els wée shoulde neuer haue knowne what this sacrifice had béene worth Act. 2.24 by which wée are reconcyled And S. Peter also sheweth that our lord Iesus Christ suffred both in body and soule whē as he saith that he straue a gainst the sorrowes of death In very déed the scripture oftentimes telleth that we are redéemed by the blood of Iesus Christ because he offered vp his bodie for a Sacrifice wée also sée why it is said that his flesh is spiritual meate drinke Iohn 6.55 but it is so spoken by reason of our grosenesse And because wée are canally minded the holy Ghost sendeth vs backe vnto that that is visibly to be perceiued in the death of Iesus Christ that by it wee might haue an assured pawne of our saluation And yet this taketh not away the thing that is shewed vs out of other places neyther doeth it derogate from this poynt that the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ had serued to no purpose for the blotting out of the iniquities of the world without he had obeyed yea euen to the submitting of himselfe vnto so terrible a death neither obeyed hée as I haue before said like one that was without féeling vnderstāding For although he was to abide maruellous terrible feares and extremities yet for al that he preferred our saluation before al other respects whatsoeuer Thus wee sée what it is that wee are to obserue in this place to witte that the Sonne of GOD hath not onely suffered in body so cruel tormentrous a death as already hath byn séene but was also touched to the quicke whenas he was to abide suche horrible assaultes as if God had forsaken him For to say the truth as he tooke vpon him our causes as hath béene saide it must also néedes be that hee must féele the condemnation which was due for wretched sinners For by our sinnes we are as people estranged from God and therfore he must néedes leaue vs that we might vnderstand that he taketh vs for castawayes Here then we sée what the estate condition of sinners is And this is out of all doubte that GOD the Father neuer forsooke Iesus Christe yet notwithstanding it must néedes bée that hée shoulde suffer those paynes and that hée shoulde valiauntly resist them to the ende the benefite of the victory might at this day redounde to vs. Wée haue therefore to vnderstande that when our Lorde Iesus was driuen to this extremitie as if GOD his Father hadde cutte all hope of lyfe cleane from him it was as wée haue sayde because hée suffered the curse of our sinnes in his owne bodie whiche were the cause that separated vs from the Maiesty of God For wherein haue wée any felicity except we bée quickened by the grace of GOD and enlightened with his brightnesse For hée is the verie fountaine of all life and blessednesse our sinnes make a great separation betwéene him and vs. And therefore it was méete that Christ Iesus should féele this Nowe let vs come to that that may be saide Is it possible that Iesus Christ should be so fearefully troubled séeing hée was perfection it selfe For this séemeth to derogate from the Faith which he ought to haue had and whatsoeuer we ought to beléeue of him which is that he was without spot of sin Now this matter is soone answered For when Satan tempted him it must néedes fall out that hée should be so taken as to be set vpon the toppe of a pynacle and according to mans nature Mat. 4.5 be subiect to such an illusion and yet this no whit empaired his diuine power But we haue rather occasion to magnifie his mercy and goodnesse to vs warde forsomuch as he so abased himselfe to saue vs. It is eftsoones said that he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsakē me In the first place it is most certaine that Iesus Christ inasmuch as he was God could haue no such conceit No But vntill such time as it fell out that his Godhead must giue place to the death which hee must suffer And thus we sée that the power of our Lord Iesus Christ lay as it were hid for a time vntill hée had made an end of whatsoeuer was requisite for our redemption But nowe in
partakers therof And to say the truth if it were not so what shoulde the story of the resurrection availe vs but when it is said that the Son of God was so manifested would haue the benefit therof to be cōmunicated vnto al the world we may now the better tast of it So then let vs vnderstand that our Lord Iesus his meaning was that we should be certified of his resurrectiō bicause that whē we know in truth that our Lord Iesus is risen againe that therin consisteth all the hope of our saluation rightuousnesse Not that he hath not cleansed al our filthines by his death passiō but because it should not remaine continue stil weak And therfore it behoued that hée should poure abrod the vertu of his holy spirit that he might by his resurrection Rom. 1.4 be declared to bee the sonne of God as S. Paul in the Epistle to the Romaines and in diuers other places sufficiently declareth Thus now we sée that we must assure our selues that our Lord Iesus is rysen againe leaueth the way open vnto vs that wee might come vnto him looketh not that we should séeke him but hath prouided that we might be called by the preching of the gospel that his message should sound in the mouthes of those his heralts whom he had chosen Since then it is so let vs vnderstand that the rightuousnes whiche wee at that this daye haue for the attaining vnto the heauenly Kingdome wee enioy by the righteousnesse of our Lord Iesus Christ because he will not seperat him selfe from vs. And héere we sée why he calleth the Disciples his brethren Indéede this is an honorable name and was reserued for all those whom he accompted as his houshold Seruants and this kinde of speche no doubt he vsed Iohn 20.17 to shew the brotherhood that hee would should betwéene him and them And so also is it common to vs as Saint Iohn more plainly declareth Now to say truly Psal 22.23 we must haue recourse vnto that saying of the Psalm out of which this place is taken I will declare thy name vnto my Brethrē which place the Apostle in the exposition of the person of our Lord Iesus Christ did not only comprehend the 12. hebr 2.11 Apostles by the name of the Brethren of Iesus Christ but geueth also the same title generally to as many as follow the sonne of god and would haue vs to enioy the selfe same honor We sée also why our Lorde Iesus saide I goe vnto my God and to your God vnto my father and vnto your father now this was not ment by a few but it was spoken to the multitude of all the faithfull And although our Lord Iesus Christ bee our eternall God yet is hee contented notwithstanding euen in the person of a mediator to abase himself and come néere vs and to haue all thinges common with vs in respect of his humaine nature For although hee bee the naturall Sonne of God and we by adoption and grace yet this community remayneth that the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ is by his meane ours also in diuers respectes For it is not méete that wée should be exalted as hie as our head and soueraine and surely this could not but be a wonderfull confusion if the head of a mans bodye should not be aboue all the rest of the members for otherwise it would séeme a very monster and a confused lump and therefore it is also very good reason that our Lord Iesus Christ should kéepe his chiefe degrée because he is by nature the only sonne of God and yet this letteth not but that we may be ioyned with him in Brotherhood that we might fréely and with good assueraunce call vpon God and bee hearde because we haue familiar accesse vnto him We sée then what the meaning of this saying is when our Lorde Iesus calleth his Disciples Brethren to wit he dyd it to this end that we at this day should haue the like priuiledge with them by the meane of faith And yet this is nothing derogatorye from the power and maiestie of the Sonne of God when he thus conioyneth himself with such wretched creatures as we are and be as it were one of our company Wherfore we ought to bee so much the more in an admiration with the matter whenas we sée him vse such his goodnes towards vs as that by his resurrection hée hath purchased for vs the heauenly glory for the purchasing wherof he abased himself became of no reputation Since it is so that our Lord Iesus vouchsaueth to allow vs for his Brethrē to the end we might come vnto God let vs boldly séeke him and come vnto him whiles hée thus gently inuileth vs neither doth he maruellous cōsiderately vse his word only to draw vs but addeth withal a visible sacramēt also the we might be brought thereto according to our smal ability And to say the truth let it be that we be neuer so weak blockishe yet shall we not be able to excuse our slacknes if we come not vnto our lord Iesus Christ behold the table wherunto he hath called vs to what end forsooth it is not to the end to fil our bellies although that therin God declareth himself to haue a fatherly care ouer vs and our Lorde Iesus also sheweth that he himselfe is indéede the life of the world Wherefore when wée daily eate and drinke it witnesseth thus much vnto vs that our Lord Iesus declareth his goodnes vnto vs But in this table there is a special cōsideration to be had for it sheweth vs that we are the brethrē of our Lord Iesus Christ to wit Iohn 17.21 that because as S. Iohn saith he hath vnited vs vnto himself he hath also vnited vs vnto God his father so by little little telleth vs that he is our meat our drinke we are takē to be of his own substaunce that wee might haue al our spirituall life in him And this is more then if hée called vs his brethren an hundered times Let vs therfore vnderstand and know the vnitie that wee haue with our Lord Iesus Christ to wit that he will haue his life to be common with vs and his lyfe to be our life yea that he wil effectually dwell in vs and not by imagination and after an earthly maner but after a spiritual how euer it is he so worketh in vs by his holy spirit as that we are knit faster suerer vnto him then the mēbers to the body And as the roote of a trée thrusteth out his substaunce and strength into all the braunches euen so receiue we our substaunce life from our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 5.7 And this also is the cause why Saint Paul saieth that our paschall Lamb was crucified and offered vp and that we should now kéepe holyday and bée partakers of the sacrifice And as in the old law when any
are there many other like things To be short there are many secret diseases euen so fareth it with our soules because they are ful of vices before the lord God they had also néed of a phisitiō And who shal he be we shall not finde him either in heauen or in earth except it be he whō the heauenly father hath giuen vs to wit our Lord Iesus Christ And therfore if we can reach to the vnderstāding how our Lord Iesus Christ hath brought health to our soules let vs come to figure out the which is here shewed vs whē he made the blinde to sée for this is out of al doubt that our soules are both blinde beastly Besides Iesus Christ made the dumbe to speak Nowe we giue our tongues to nothing els but to wickednes vntill such time as Iesus Christ hath giuen it the right vse And we are more then deafe because the word of God can haue no entrance into vs therfore it is our Lorde Iesus Christ that must giue vs also our hearing To be short whē we shal ioyne the words of S. Mathew with the meaning of the Prophet Isaiah to wit that we for our partes are full of corruption villainy that there is no health in vs our soules full of all deadly sinnes But that our Lord Iesus Christ hath ryd vs of them all that in comming to him wée shall finde health when I say wée shall thus ioyne one with an other then shall we vnderstand that except we haue recourse vnto this Redéemer we must néedes alwaies lye stone stil in our sinnes and miseries rot altogether in thē And thervpon he goeth on farther and saith That we haue all declined gone astray Here the Prophet meaneth better more liuely to tell as yesterday we handled it that wée cannot in good earnest feele our necessitie to be healed by our Lorde Iesus Christ vntill such time as euery of vs hath truely examined his owne estate knoweth what is within him For what is the reason why we are so cold slack whē we are told of comming vnto our Lord Iesus Christ Truely it is because wée haue no capacitie but are like verie blockheads For we shall sée howe these common drunkardes are knoden together in their intemperancy will neuer giue ouer vntil such time as they gnashe their téeth are able to doe no more If a man speake to them of phisicke Phisitions hée shall be but scorned for his labour they will wagge the head yea despise all helpes Nowe there is not a worse kinde of drunkennesse then this blockishnes wherin all miserable sinners are ouerwhelmed vntill suche time as they féele what it is to haue God their enemy So then euery man will giue him selfe ouer to all kinde of lewdnesse by that meane the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ shall be cōtemned no account made of it And therefore it is not without cause that the Prophet for the awaking of vs for the bestowing of the most desired benefite that may be which is brought vnto vs by our Lord Iesus Christ sheweth that we haue all erred gon out of the way Now ouer and besides that I haue saide that as there are prophane contemners of the iudgement of God euen so also are there foolish presumptuous and arrogant men Wherfore there are two sortes of people which cannot doe them selues any good by this infinit grace and fauour which the Sonne of God hath purchased for vs because the one sort of them thinke them selues to be righteous and haue workes and merites able to answere the iustice of God As we sée these Popish hypocrites who doe not onely thinke themselues to be discharged before God but doe also sell some parte of their merites as if they had a superfluitie of them and that man or woman is well at ease and happie that may be partaker of their perfection and holinesse because they are in an Angellike estate Now these men thinke that they haue no néede of the death and passion of Iesus Christ but they will partly cōfesse that they haue néede and yet we sée it cleane otherwise because they kéepe faires and merkets of their merites and haue of them to sell and resell to the ende they would haue others to settle them selues and trust vpon such profanation Moreouer forsomuch as there is in Popery both men and women hypocrites they are euen so many hornes or powers set vp against God For this pride is alwayes in them to say what good Syr I beséech you if I deserue not to what purpose were it for mée to haue so many good deuotions to cause so many Masses to be soonge to haue chaunted so muche to haue runne so many times from one Aulter to an other to haue praied to such a Saint to haue made such such a feast To bée short they haue alwayes this cursed hellish opinion with them that God is bound greatly beholdē vnto them Thus we sée howe Satan so deceiueth them with such illusions as that they cannot possibly féele to what end the death passion of our lord Iesus Christ serueth them The other sort trust not to their merittes for drunkardes whoremongers and wanton people will not say wée are like vnto litle Angels we haue liued well we haue béen earnest in our deuotions But wil sport them selues as I haue alredie said and think to escape the hand of God by mocking and scorning And for this cause the Prophet calleth vs all here saith Consider yée poore soules in what case you stād vntil such time as God hath shewed you his compassion in our Lord Iesus Christ his Sonne For you haue al erred are al like lost shéepe Mark his meaning for he saith We all because he putteth in himself Yea verely for we haue alredie séene that the Iewes were included within this general curse of men because they thought that they should haue bin exempt out of it For they were euer thus foolish arrogāt as to think that because God had adopted chosen thē that they were a great deale more worthy then the rest Now the Prophet foldeth them vp here in euerlasting death vntil such time as they séeke for the remedie of their deliuerance in Iesus Christ We are then all included within this cōdemnation he putteth in this word All to the end there should be no exceptiō of any as if he should haue said And therefore let no mā brag of himselfe no not an inch to be iust before God to ouer slipt the remedy wherof I euē now spake for he that is the perfectest in the iudgemēt of men shal be foūd guiltie before the maiestie of god We sée héere then the meaning of the Prophet howbeit he is not for al that thus contented but saith That euery man is declined from his way But why repeateth he the saying of al to
the persō of our Lord Iesus Christ in that he is clothed with our nature is become our brother this is a matter of great importāce for if we should be iustified by the diuine essēce or nature of our lord Iesus Christ we must néeds be far of frō his righteousnes and wee were neuer able to come néere it But when we are tolde that the righteousnesse which he bestoweth on vs was fulfilled in his humane nature marke then howe much more familiarly wee may come vnto him Cōsider also why Satā would so fain cōfound this doctrine and there are likewise some fantastical spirits which fondly dreame that our Lord Iesus Christ as he is God iustifieth the faithful But wee must as I haue already saide séeke for our righteousnes very farre of that were ynough to make vs faint-hearted to make vs also vanish away before wee came at him But cōtrariwise as he is a mortal mā he calleth vs vnto himselfe and made himself a Mediator because we might séeke for our righteousnes therein And this is a point worthy the obseruation besides let vs alwayes come vnto this knowledge And because the faithlesse shut the gate vpon themselues and so spoyle thēselues of the benefit which they should receiue by our Lord Iesus Christ let vs therfore be diligēt to receiue the testimonie which is geuē vnto vs by the Gospel We bring you saith S Paule the Ambassade in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ beséeching you to reconcile yourselues vnto God S. Paule setteth downe a double reconciliation 2. Cor. 5.10 the one is the sacrifice which our Lord Iesus Christ made for vs in his owne person the other is that which wée dailie obtayne through fayth when as GOD telleth vs that although wée haue mooued him to anger yet is hée continually readye to forget our faults and tread them vnder his féete so that we make accompt of the benefit which he offreth vs. And therefore let vs learne too esteeme of the Gospell a greate deale more then heeretofore wee haue done and vnderstande that it is to this ende too make vs Partakers of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christe For wee are ingraffed into his bodie made his members and al whatsoeuer is his is also ours and that through the aptnesse of the Gospell and for this cause it is that Saint Paul saith Rom. 1.16 that the Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to all that beléeue shewing héereby that if we refuse to be saued by the Gospell it is as much as if we reiected the saluation which God woulde obtaine for vs in the person of his Sonne and wherunto hée dayly bideth and exhorteth vs. And this is the summe and effect of that which we haue héere to obserue And therefore we ought so much the more make estimation of the Gospell whenas we sée that it was in popery so darkned yea and in such sorte altogether defaced as that the poore soules were vtterly famished For although it was somewhat slightly preached yet left they alwaies the poore people doubtfull and supersticious without hauing any assueraunce of the mercy of God Yea and the Papistes saye that wee must not presume to assure our selues of the loue of God but onely liue vpon coniectures and gesses Howbeit this is to make the fruite of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ of none effect And therefore let vs learne so to benefite our selues by the Gospell as that we may bee certified that God loueth vs and taketh vs for his owne deare children Wherfore let vs as I haue already sayde so much the more praise and magnifye this grace whenas wée sée the greatest part of the world to be so farre from it Now it remaineth that the Prophet addeth and saieth that he layde downe his soule for many Whereby he signifieth that wee are not iustified by a certaine vaine imaginatiue faith in onely beléeuing that there is a God and by a confused knowledge and generall conceit to vnderstande that Iesus Christ hath suffered death and passion but because wée are made partakers by fayth of the sacrifice that was offered for vs to the ende God might bée fauourable vnto vs and not impute our sinnes and iniquities any more vnto vs. Surely the Papists are so blockish and brutishe as that when they would shew that we are not iustified by Faith only they reason after this maner we are say they iustified by the mercy of God and therefore not by faith onely Moreouer they say we are iustified by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ and therefore no more by faith onelye it is much like as if a man woulde say we are made warme by heate and therefore not by the Sunne wée are lightned by the light and therefore not by the Sunne Now let vs héere note that when we speake of faith it is to this end to bring vs back to the Gospell for as I haue already saide héere are two kindes of righteousnesse For we are saide to be iustified by the law whenas wee haue fulfilled all whatsoeuer God hath commaunded vs therein Now it is impossible to come to the perfection thereof and therefore wée sée that wée are bare of this righteousnesse and vtterly cut of from it There is also another kinde of righteousnesse and that is the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ for after wee haue bene throughlye examined and tried we are sure to be founde guilty of malice and wickednesse so that wée must needes bée afearde bicause wee feele God to be so armed in wrath against vs as that he doth nothing els but thunder out vengeance vpon vs to throw vs down into the pitte of hell And therefore when we are driuen to this so great an extremitie beholde how Christ graunteth vs a remedy to mitigate and assawge all our sorrowes which is this he certefieth vs that hée him selfe alone will be altogether sufficient to bring vs the sauing helth which he hath purchased for vs. Thus we sée that wée are iustified by faith wherefore wée may perceiue that the Prophet speaketh after the selfe same manner that Saint Paul spake after his time that is hee maketh vs in the first place to come vnto the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ beholding him crucified for our sakes and besides that wee are assured by the Gospell that whatsoeuer Iesus Christe dyd and suffered belongeth and is to be applyed to vs at this day because the Father would not haue this his death to be vnprofitable but that it should bée a Sacrifice full of power and effect to fruictifie dayly in vs. And this is the summe of that which wée haue to remember out of this place But by the way let vs héere note that this knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christ is no vaine thing as many when the knowledge of the Gospell is tolde them of vnderstande it for they think it sufficient
we to prouoke him against vs vnto whom all maiestie power glory and dominion is giuen to cast down euen into the pit of hell as many as resist him Now if wée throughly cōsidered of this without doubt we would kéepe so good a hand of our selues as that all the fleshly lustes and temptations of the world should neuer bée able to preuaile against vs. Saint Paule also meant to make a comparison betwixt the first comming of our Lorde Iesus Christe and the second Why then doe the wicked and vngodly contemners of the Gospell so boldly lift vp themselues as that they become dissolute and starke staring mad Surely it is because they heare that while Iesus Christe was héere on earth hée tooke vpon him the state of a seruant Phil. 2.7 yea and abased himselfe and Saint Paule saith euen vnto this most shamefull and slaunderous death And because the enimies of God vnderstand such an infirmitie to bée in Iesus Christ they take vpon them to speak thus wickedly and furiously of him as we sée it is euen so howbeit they sée not that as hée suffered as hée was man that hée likewise rose againe through the power of his spirite For hée then in such sort shewed foorth his glory as that both great and small ought to tremble thereat 2. Cor. 13.4 But if these faithlesse people are not able to vnderstand the power that appeared in the resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christe let them giue eare to that which is héere spoken to wit that hée will come in glory For in his first comming hée appeared contemptible because hée woulde shewe him selfe obedient in our behalfes for that hée was to make satisfaction for our sinnes But at his seconde comming hée will come to bée our iudge Hée was iudged and condemned that wée might bée deliuered from the iudgement seate of God and bée pardoned of all our sinnes Then will hée not questionlesse come in such humble sort but will come with his angels in glory And this is the meaning which Saint Paule woulde haue vs note to the ende the wicked and faithlesse might not take occasion to contemn this his last comming vnder colour the Iesus Christe once appeared as hée was man like vnto vs and was made like vnto a worme of the earth as it is saide in the Psalme and as Isaiah sayeth hée was disfigured from toppe to toe all to wounded and that for our redemption For since hee accomplished that which the iustice of God required there remayned nothing but that hee shoulde shewe himselfe in this glory which was appointed for him For wée knowe as Saint Paule sayeth That hée hath giuen him a name aboue all names Phil. 2.9 that al the Creatures in Heauen Earth and Hell should bowe vnto him that euery thing shoulde tremble at his excellent Maiestie which also the despisers of his Gospell shoulde well know to their paine though late first Thus wee see what the Apostle Saint Paul his pretense is when hee sayeth That his comming shall bee fearefull Let vs also eftsoones mark that which followeth That he shall come to appeare meruellous and to be glorified in his Saintes Now it is not for nothing that Saint Paule setteth downe this saying for what are wee that wée shoulde be able to abide the presence of the Sonne of God whenas hee shall come in flambing fier And therefore when hee shall come with an incomprehensible power Alas must not we néedes melt before him as Snowe before the Sunne and come to nothing Loe howe we shoulde bee caste downe whenas wée doe but onely heare the heauenly glory of Iesus Christe spoken of But Saint Paule sheweth vs that if wée bee of the faithfull sorte that we must not be afraide at the appearing of our Lorde Iesus Christe neither yet waxe sorowfull and melancholike at the brightnesse of his Maiestie And why so Because sayeth hée hee will bee glorified and made wonderfull in his Saintes As if he shoulde haue saide that the mention which he before made of the flambing fier and of the horror and feare was not to discourage the faithfull ones as though they desired not the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ and as though they helde not vp their heads as often as they hearde it spoken of because hée shall come to redéeme them And this is a doctrine which is very common in the holy Scriptures to wit that our Lord ioyneth these two thinges together That hee will come to be reuenged of his enimies and to deliuer his people that hee will come to saue al those that haue serued and honored him and to cast downe and confounde all those who haue hardened them selues againste him and his worde Let vs nowe then kéepe in minde that this terrible description which héere before hath béene set downe is not to make vs sorowfull and melancholike But rather to make vs ioyfull and glad whenas wée sée what loue and fauour God beareth vs. Beholde our Lorde Iesus Christe will come and that terribly And wherfore will hée do so Forsooth euen to throwe downe headlong all his enimies and to take vengeance of al the shames and afflictions which we haue abidden How so I beséech you Are wee worthie that the Sonne of God should powre out his Maiestie shewe himselfe so terribly against all his creatures for our causes No without doubt But yet will hée doe so forsomuch as he loueth vs This then is it which I haue alreadie said that we might be comforted when as we heare it saide That the Sonne of God will come so horribly and fearefully For herein he effectually sheweth the infinite loue hee beareth vs in that hee spareth not his power and Maiestie to take vengeance of all the wrongs which haue béene done to vs. Neuerthelesse we shall neuer be able to féele the sauour of it without this thing be obserued which Saint Paule namely setteth downe in this place to wit that our Lorde Iesus Christ will not come to be onely reuenged of his enemies and of all such as haue been enimies vnto his Gospel but also To bee glorified and made wonderfull in his saints and in those which haue beleeued Nowe whenas Sainte Paul did set downe this it is asmuch as if he had saide that hee would come to make vs partakers of his glory That whatsoeuer is in him worthie reuerence and honor all that I say shall be communicated vnto vs. To be short S. Paule saieth That our Lorde Iesus Christ shall not come him selfe alone and kéepe his glorie to him selfe but to the end it might be poured out vpon all the members of his bodie And for this cause we sée it is saide in the Collossians That our life lyeth nowe hid Col. 3. 3. but that it shall appeare at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ And therefore hée shall not come perticulerly for him selfe and for his owne glorie alone but rather that we might be partakers therof and not
and terrefie the whole worlde and all mankinde that we might worship God with one accorde and bée obedient vnto him But by the way we must be wakened because we are too too blockish and we must also lay aside all arrogācie that wée might be brought to obey his Maiestie séeing wée right well know that we are most miserable and no better then dust and ashes yea our soules also are verie corrupt vntil it pleaseth the Lord to renue them Moreouer when the holie Ghost came downe in such a likenesse to wit in clouen and firie tongues that was the more liuely to expresse vnto vs howe God would worke by the preaching of the Gospell If a man speake his voice vanisheth away in the ayre Rom. 1.16 and dyeth Nowe it is saide that the Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to all beléeuers What can a sounde which flyeth in the ayre and vanisheth bring vs to the kingdome of heauen There is no man liuing that is able of him selfe to make the least flye that is it is saide That the image of God is repaired in vs ◠Pet. 1.23 and that wee receiue this incorruptible séede whereby we might attaine to this heauenly glorie be companions with the Angels be transfigured euen into the glory and immortalitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ and be partakers as S. Peter saieth 2. Pet. 1.4 of the diuine nature And may all this be done by the voice of a man No sure But it is here namely saide that the holie Ghost is linked with an inseparable bonde vnto the word preached For why tooke hée vpon him this shape of tongues Surely there is alwayes some likelihood betwéene the visible signes and th◠trueth which is figured in them And therefore we are to consider wherefore the holy Ghost appeared in the fourme of tongues forsooth it was to shew that hée woulde be in the mouthes of the Apostles and woulde giue them whatsoeuer was requisite for the executing of their office and commission and likewise so blesse their labour as that it should not be vnprofitable Nowe we knowe in the first place that the most able man that is to be found cannot vtter one word without the spirit of God gouerneth him And herein God sheweth what we are 1. Cor. 12.3 séeing wée are not able to open our mouthes to speake one word to his glory which shall turne to any purpose without it come from him It must therefore néedes fall out that the spirite of God gouerned the Apostles for els they had become dumbe We sée besides how groase headed they were For they might haue bin more quick and sharpe witted but that God meant to shew vnto vs as in a glasse by their groasenesse what we are vntill such time as he hath enlightned vs with his grace In déed when the Apostles kept company with our Lord Iesus whō they tooke to be their maister they verie soberly obeyed his doctrine But in the meane while what was their knowledge without doubt we sée that they were verie beastes insomuch that when we consider of them howe litle they profited in so good a Schoole their slacknesse should make vs ashamed Howbeit this their dealing hath greatly profited vs For behold they were chaunged in the minute of an houre whereby the grace of God hath shined a great deale the more because wée sée they spake so wonderfull mightely of the secretes of God whereat euerie man was abashed where before it was thought to be nothing Moreouer let vs consider of their power and constancy surely they all quayled and it should séeme that their fayth was dead and of no force For mark how Peter euen one of the chiefest of them villainously forsooke his Maister and yelded himself the bondslaue of Satan Wherefore it was God that must put too his hand because it was impossible for any man to helpe it And so let vs obserue that it was not without cause that the spirite of God appeared in the likenesse of tongues because it was a declaration that God by that meane had allowed and sealed vp the doctrine of the Gospell to the ende we might reuerently and humbly receiue it and not reason from whence it came séeing God hath stretched foorth his arme and declared him selfe to be the Authour thereof And besides it is not without cause that they were clouen and fierie tongues For we know how mankinde had deuided it selfe by the estraunging of it selfe from God And the platforme that was layde for the building vp of the Tower of Babylon Gen. 11 7. was the cause that men vnderstood not one an other nor yet spake one to the other so that they thought that God of verie anger had deuided them Howe falleth it out then that the Apostles hauing been alwayes enclosed as simple and vnlearned people in this corner of Iudea were able to publish the Gospell throughout the worlde if God had not accomplished that which before hee had promised to wit Isaiah 19.18 that all languages and nations should know him In déede it was said that all men should speake the Hebrew tongue that they might agrée together in one true fayth But it is more manifestly set foorth when as it is saide that all the faithfull of what nation soeuer they were should call vpon God with one accord and crye Abba Rom. 8.15 Father notwithstanding their sundry languages Thus we sée how the spirite of God would poure abroad the power of his tongues Ephes 2.14 to the end that all men might call vpon the name of God that we might all be made partakers together of this couenant of saluation which apperteined onely to the Iewes vntill the wall was broken downe And herein we sée the vnspeakeable goodnesse of God in conuerting of yll into good For if we séeke for the cause why there are so many languages in the worlde we must néedes confesse it to be the curse of God and yet herein appeareth his wonderfull fatherly goodnesse and mercy to haue the glad tydinges of euerlasting life to be caried through the world in all languages Thus we sée howe God hath conuerted euill into good And therefore we haue hereby the more to glorifie and blesse his holy name because wee knowe that the diuersitie of tongues haue not letted him to declare vnto all the worlde that hée meaneth to receiue all such as had before estraunged them selues from him and thrust them all as it were into his bosome vntill suche time as hée hath brought them together into the heauenly enheritance And thus much for this Howbeit this were not enough to haue the Gospell preached and to haue God to be knowne all the world ouer without this doctrine had foorthwith power liuely to touch mens heartes that they might be brought to obedience This then was the cause why the fyrie tongues appeared Yea verely For in the first place we had néede to be purged because we are altogether
corrupt and defiled For let our mindes be searched our affections and desires examined and they will be founde altogether soule and stinking And therefore we must be as men new perboyled that God might purge vs after a straunge maner Agayne wée are on the other side as colde as may bée Wherefore wée had néede to bée enflambed with the loue of GOD and where wée are wholly geuē to the world let vs looke vp into heauē which must bée brought to passe by his word Thus we sée to what purpose this historie serueth vs at this day In the first place it is to the end we might receiue the doctrine of the Gospel as a certain and vndoubted truth because it beareth about with it the marke of God is sealed with his holy spirite and is also an excellent testimonie of our adoption Wée sée then how we are brought to obedience by reason that God hath allowed and confirmed his Gospel to the ende our faith shoulde not be changeable and wée become wauering for the altering of our mynde and opinion But that wée shoulde goe on continually in the right way vntil such time as we haue finished our course Here we sée howe by the power of the spirite of God our faith shal ouercome the worlde Colos 2.23 For as wée haue already said and as S. Paule also saith if we should buylde vpon the wisedome of men what should become of it But so long as we haue the spirite of God for our ground woorke let vs be sure neuer to bee shaken In the meane while wée haue to cōsider with our selues because God maketh vs at this day Partakers of the thing which we haue of late declared that is let vs call vpon him with one accord although I say we are deuided in tongues besides let vs become new mē through the doctrine which is preached vnto vs in such sort as that we might know that there is fire in it to change and cleanse our minds wits hearts frō al the corruptiōs of this world For although Gods chosen people are brought home agayne by the meane of the Gospel yet sée wée the enemies of the truth become more cruel and rebellious so that it is euen sufficient to set all the worlde together by the eares as by experience at this day may bée séene For during the time that the Gospel was not preached all the world liued carelesly and quietly and there were not many questions nor disputatiōs And how so Forsooth because the diuel then raigned without gainsaying But when our Lord Iesus appeared with the pure doctrine of the Gospel what skirmishing was there foorthwith Wée sée also at this day what contentions there are amongst those which beare the name of Christians So much the rather therefore are wée to beséech the Lorde to make vs féele wherefore the holie Ghost descended vpon his Apostles and to beséech him also to graunt vs that grace that we may obediently testifie that it was to gather vs together that where before we were seuered wee might nowe bee conioyned vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ as members of his bodie and let him bee our true head Moreouer for the attayning thereto we are also to beséech him so to strēgthen vs as that our hearts may be set on fire where now they are key colde and also to perboyle vs that the corruptions of our nature might be scoombed of and to be short that we might bée so renued as that wee might be quite and cleane separated from the worlde Wée shal oftentimes sée how the word of God becommeth a fire but it is after another sort euen to cōsume those which speake against it according to that saying of the prophet Ieremiah where he sheweth that it fared euen so with the children of Israel whom the worde of God consumed like straw and stubble for their wickednesse and rebellion And I beséech you let vs sée how many at this day can pleade not guiltie because they stubbornely lifte vp themselues against God like foming wild beasts or els some scorning and profane men who set themselues against God not geuing any authoritie or honour vnto his holy word In very déede these people shal neuer make the worde of GOD vnprofitable not yet without power but it will consume them like a whot consuming fire to cender and ashes Let vs therefore make this obseruation why it was the wil of God to haue the holie Ghost appeare in fyery tongues Surely it was to this end and purpose that the faithfull might vnderstande that they had great néede to be so touched to the quicke as that GOD might chaunge and renue them Thus wee see in summe what wee are to consider of for the better applying of this historie to our vse Howbeit ouer and besides al this let vs marke the twoo principall poyntes of fayth and then let vs returne to our selues and vnderstand what wée woulde doe if GOD wrought not therein First of all there is in faith knowledge and certayntie and next of all is assurednesse and constancie Now whē God speaketh we are euē deaf at his words bicause our mindes are altogether set vpon this world and indéed we wil account all the wisedome that is conteined in the Gospell to be verie foolishnesse vntill such time as God hath enlightened vs. 1. Cor. 2.14 In the first place therefore God must open our hearres for the vnderstanding of this trueth for sticking thereto otherwise we shall be both deafe blockish without apprehending of this word Thus much then for this point Nowe for the second point it shall stand vs in hand stoutly to withstand all the assaultes attempts wherewith Satan assaileth vs and to be well armed appointed for the same purpose And how is it possible for vs to be so vntill such time as God hath put to his helping hand and there is no way to help that but by the onely power of the holy Ghost And therefore although we be an hundreth times taught the Gospel yet forsomuch as wée are light fickle brained we should soone be pulled from it if God did not strengthen vs therin yea and at this day it is so full of perils threates as that the silly faithfull soules can no sooner open their mouthes to call vpon God but that they are foorthwith at the point to be put to death neither can they any sooner confesse their faith but that the fire is lightned vtterly to abolish the memorie of our Lord Iesus Christ Since then it is so mightily stood a-against as that they who should defend the Christian faith Satan hath enflamed thē if it were possible vtterly to ouerthrow al must not God therfore shew his power herein We are then at this day taught by experience admonished what néede we haue to put in practise the thing cōteined in this history thervpon pray vnto the Lord beseech him that as his wil pleasure was to testifie