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
that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath purchased vs life by his resurrection so that wee must goe strait to him wtout séeking any other meanes to direct vs then such as hée hath assigned vs. We haue also alreadie saide that hée hath ordeined two Sacramentes for our better confirmation If the manner of the Iewes buriall had béen necessarie for vs no doubt Iesus Christ would haue had it continue in his Church But hée would not that we should stay our selues vpoÌ„ this earthly and childish Elements And therfore it is enough for vs to vse the plaine order of burying leaue the swéet ointments which figure vnto vs the resurrection and was manifested in our Lord Iesus Christ Wherefore we should but separate our selues from him if we would be thus basely and simply instructed For marke what Saint Paul saieth Colos 3.2 That if our affection be on things aboue we must séeke it in fayth and in spirit and be conioyned vnto our Lord Iesus Christ Colos 12.8.9 18. that we should bend our selues to him and not be nusseled in any thing which might withdraw hinder or kéepe vs backe from being vnited to him as vnto our head since his body is said to be the Temple of God And thus much wée are to consider of for buryall Howbeit this is also to be remembred that hée was laide in a newe Tombe which was not made but by the singular prouidence of God For he might verie wel haue béen buried in a Tombe which had serued for that purpose long before For Ioseph of Arimathea had many auncestors and in such wealthy mens houses there was a commoÌ„ Tombe made for the nonce Notwithstanding God had otherwise prouided for the matter and would haue our Lorde Iesus Christ to be laide in a newe Tombe wherin neuer man had béen laide Neither was it without cause that hée was called the first fruites of the resurrection and the first borne of the dead who had béen made partakers of life before our Lord Iesus Christ For we read that Lazarus rose again Wée sée also that Enock Elie were taken vp and neuer felt any naturall death but were gathered together into an incorruptible life Howbéeit al this hangeth vpon the resurrection of our Lord Iesus And therfore we must take him to be as the first fruites In the law the fruites of the yéere were consecrated to GOD by the only bringing of an eare of Corne and a bunche of Grapes to lay vpon the Auâ—ter Now when this was offered to God it was a generall consecrating of al the fruits of the yéere When the first born also were coÌ„secrated to God it was a declaratioÌ„ of the holines of the tribe of Israel that God accompted it for his inheritaunce which he had reserued to himselfe and contented himselfe with this people as if a man would be contented with his Patrimonie EueÌ„ so let vs vnderstand that when we come to our Lord Iesus Christ we are al coÌ„secrated and offered in his person to the end we might at this day receiue life through death that it should no more be deadly as before it was And thus we sée what we are to obserue as concerning the new Tombe that is that the buriall of our Lord Iesus Christ must bring vs vnto his resurrection Neuerthelesse let vs looke wel to our selues for al whatsoeuer that must serue our faith hath béene accomplished in the person of the Sonne of GOD And although wée haue a sure testimonie that it is sufficient for vs yet by reason of our grosenesse weakenesse wée are very farre from comming vnto Lorde Iesus Christ And therefore let euery of vs which acknowledge our offences séeke remedy for them be of good courage For we sée how Ioseph Nicodemus did Now here are two things to be considered of for our example The first is that they had no cléere insight in the fruite of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ Wherefore their vnderstanding was grosse and their faith very weake The other is that notwithstanding this extremitie yet fought they against all temptations and came to looke for our Lorde Iesus Christ who was dead to put him into the Tumbe protesting that they hoped to come to the blessed resurrection which was promised them And although we feele our selues weake yet let it not discourage vs. It is true indéed that we are weake and God may reiect vs when as hée shal roughly entreate vs. But yet when we shall féele these wantes let vs vnderstand that he will accept our desire although it be imperfect Moreouer since at this day our Lorde Iesus is risen in glory and although we must here suffer many miseries and calamities and that a man would thinke he were daily crucified in his members as in déed the vngodly as much as in theÌ„ lieth doe yet let not vs quayle for al this because we knowe that we cannot be put beside that which is promised vs in the doctrine of the Gospel and although wee must runne through a number of afflictions yet let vs alwayes haue an eye vnto our heade For Ioseph and Nicodemus neuer had the aduantage that wée at this day haue which is they neuer beheald the power of the spirite of God which is shewed in the resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ and yet was not their faith for all this wholly morgaged And since our Lorde Iesus calleth vs now vnto him and telleth vs allowde that hée is ascended into heauen to the ende he might gather vs altogether let vs constantly perseuere both to séeke him and follow him and that it is no hurt for vs to die with him since we shal be partakers of his glory And Saint Paule exhorteth vs to be like vnto Iesus Christ not onely as touching his death but also as concerning his buriall For there are some that coulde bée contented to die with our Lord Iesus Christ for a minute of an houre but it wold grieue them to doe it any longer And for this cause I haue sayde that wée must not die for a while but wée must also paciently abide at last to be buried I call this dying whenas God séeth vs so suffer for his names sake for although wée bée not at the first condemned and brought to the stake yet when wée are afflicted this is a kinde of death which wée must paciently abyde But because wée are not by and by humbled it is méete wée shoulde bée longer time scourged and bée contented and paciently beare it For as the Diuel neuer ceaseth to deuise whatsoeuer may withdrawe vs and make vs growe woorse and woorse Euen so must wée al our life long fight against him And although this be a very hard and grieuous condition yet let vs tary til the time bee come that God calleth vs vnto him and not bée wéery in confessing our fayth and therein followe Nicodemus but not in his temerousnes For when he first came
the Church fellowes with the Apostles and the verie shoppe of the holie Ghost from whence wee must fetch the full exposition of the scriptures and the verie assured resolution of all the pointes of religion yet tell they vs nothing els but vaine and doltish tales either busie them selues about curious questions and ful of Sophistrie besides a thousand other subtleties seruing to no edification in the whole world The other sort of them in stead of the word of God preach nothing els but constitutions and ordinaunces of their owne making for the establishing of the tyrannie of their holie Father the Pope the verie Antechrist and enemy to the truth and the third sort vomit and cast vp arrogant and proude speeches in the Pulpyt against the children of God against all such as Iesus Christ hath reuealed him selfe vnto in these latter dayes calling them Lutherans and seditious persons falsly deuising a thousand leasings against them and in steade of feeding their miserable starued sheepe with the true foode of the worde of God they are faine to moysten their soules with those pestilent kindes of poisons whereas they should be fed with spiritual and heauenly nurriture Wherefore dearely beloued brethren in our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ whensoeuer that God sendeth vnto vs any good and faithfull teacher who sincerely and purely deliuereth vnto his Auditorie the worde of the Lorde wee ought to make a meruellous great account of him for we shal finde verie few such men as will faithfully acquite them selues of their charge and function and we ought amongst other things greatly to reuerence all those whom God hath endowed with speciall graces and the gift of enterpreting Euen as at this day the faithful Pastor and good seruant of God Iohn Caluin hath made that precious talēt which God bestowed vpō him verie profitable whose Sermons yelde vnto vs a good testimony therof which also in the iudgement of indifferēt men were not slightly made nor hastily hudled vp but duely truely premeditated and rightly deliuered vnto the capacitie of his flocke hauing alwayes in open shew the liuely impression of the benefit of the Lord Iesus in their hearts Neither are these like vnto common places caught in a net either yet bosome Sermons which may serue for any text of scripture as a stoole for al feete But are true sincere plaine and meete expositions seruing for the text which he had to treate of neither are they stuffed with friuolous exhortations either yet filled with ambitious inuectiues For as it is verie needful that the superstitions of Poperie shoulde by the worde of God bee daily enueighed against to the ende they might be cleane rinsed and scowred out of our heartes as a strong sauour wherewith we haue beene seasoned euen from our infancie yet if the place which hee handled did not orderly speake against such abuses hee woulde not passe the boundes of his Texte and crye out vpon them as the Papists alwaies and to no purpose like Mastife Curres barke and baye against the Gospell renued in this latter age of the worlde But his manner was to holde a plaine and direct course tending to edification without omitting any thing which might serue and make for the honour of God and instruction of his Auditorie I woulde if it pleased God there were a great many moe his lyke For then I knowe that the Church of Christ should be greatly eased and furthered But it is out of al doubt that our vnthankfulnesse is the cause why God sendeth not moe faithfull Pastours at this present then are for if there bee any that will duetifully discharge their office and deliuer the word of God freely as Saint Paule commaundeth reproouing sinne and setting them selues against iniquitie for the maintenaunce of his honour by whom they are sent they are foorthwith furiously dealt with rayled on and slaundered As questionlesse the partie before saide who for his vprightnesse and great fidelitie by him vsed in the executing of his charge hath gotten such a mightie number of enemies as that they which neuer see nor heard him neither yet euer read two wordes of his woorkes haue wished his death Howbeit God be thanked for it his good conscience and the testimonie which hee had before God his Angelles and the faithful which daily heard him did so assure him that men did him wrong for wishing of him so great hurt as that they encouraged him constantly to pursue the Lordes workes He sawe howe hardly his maister was dealt with and after him the Apostles and therefore it greeued him not to follow their steppes because he knew that God was of power able to defende and keepe his pledge and that they which suffred for his sake should be taken to be worthie of the kingdome of heauen Nowe because all men could not bee of that Church whereby they might be partakers of the heauenly foode which this good shepheard many yeares ceased not to administer and that it was very expedient that they which were newly come to the charge which hee had might see his manner of teaching and so followe it and likewise that they which thought hee did nothing els but speake euill and crye out against the Pope and all his rable of shauelinges thundring against their traditions without any other handling of the Scripture or els that hee went about none other thing but to bring the people vnto a carnal libertie and thereby cast of the obedience and subiection which they ought to Kinges and Princes to the end therefore that they might read his Sermons and thereby see that hee hath great iniurie done vnto him in hauing this blame laide vpon him and cease the yl opinion which they haue conceiued of him many godly honest men determined to prynt a certein of them but especially Lawrence of Normandie whose zeale and godly conuersation is sufficiently wel knowne hath for many yeares bestowed all his studie trauel to prynt bookes for the edifiyng of the Church In verie deede I must needes say thus much as I haue in the preface of the Sermons of the tenne Commaundementes let you before vnderstande that the Authour was not willing nor yet consenting heretoo not that hee woulde hinder the benefite and fruite that hereby might redounde to the Church but wished that his Sermons might passe no further then vnto his owne flocke as well for that they were specially made for his sheepe vnto whose capacitie he framed him selfe the best he could and therefore thought that an other order and disposition were more requisite therin for the publishing them abrode in the view of al the world but as for the ouer looking of them to the ende to polish them ouer and besides that his leasure would not serue him hee would neuer busie himselfe about the matter For if he himselfe had meant to haue put them foorth he intended to haue made new homilies of them and better penned and not to haue published any thing
dealt with him whom God had appoynted to bee the euerlastinge Shepheard of this people And this is most certaine that because the people could not abide that God shoulde bee their Gouernour yet our Lorde Iesus hath alwaies played the office of a mediator although he neuer shewed him selfe in our humane nature And this is it which we ought héere still to remember to the ende that we for our partes might learne séeinge that God hath bene so fauourable vnto vs to gather vs together as it were vnder his protection and to take vs to be of his fould and deliuereth vnto vs our Lord Iesus Christ for our shepherd let not vs in such sort wound him as to gréeue his spirit through our rebellious and vnthankful dealing and not pay him as we saye with nifles and trifles but let vs take him for our God and Kinge since he hath pleased so to vouchsafe it and consecrate our selues vnto him all the dayes of our lyfe and not pay hym with counterfet coyne but yéelde vnto him both our bodies and soules For it is good reason that wee should yéelde vnto him all gouernment ouer vs and we to be only his séeing he séeketh onely our saluation Now to conclude it is sayd that when our Lorde Iesus was brought before Pylate hee made no answer and that Pylate asked him saying why speakest thou not doest not thou see that these men witnesse against thee and that he held his peace insomuch that the Iudge wondered at hym Now wee are héere in the first place to call to minde that when our Lorde Iesus Christ appeared before an earthly Iudge it was to this ende that we might be deliuered from the condemnation which we haue deserued to féele Isai 45.23 before the heauenly Iudge For we know that we cannot goe from that which is spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah that euery knée must bowe before the maiestie of God And therefore since God is the Iudge of the whole world how is it possible that wee can stande before his face for there is none of vs all but must needes be enforced to say that we are worthy to be condemned an hundred thousand times And although we haue lyued but one yeare yet haue we committed an hundred thousand faults which deserue euerlasting condemnation and is so engraued in our hartes as that we cannot denie it Wherefore since God is clearer sighted then we how can it bee that he should not condemne vs séeing euery of vs must néedes in sundrye wise condemne hym selfe howbeit we sée our Lord Iesus Christ to bée driuen to this extremitie as that he was accused before an earthly Iudge and so prophane a man as that there was nothing in hym but couetuousnesse and ambition And therefore since the sonne of God was brought thus lowe it was to this ende that wee might vnderstand and know that wee might bouldlye present our selues before the maiesti of God for the receiuing of vs so that we should neuer néede to feare couragiously to come before his tribunal seat because we are sure that he wyll haue mercy vpon vs. Moreouer we know that Iesus Christ hath power authoritie dominion to be Iudge ouer the whole world and that when Pylate had thus condeÌ„ned him it was to this end that we might bouldly come vnto him because we know that he shall come to be our Iudge And againe that we might vnderstand because he held his peace that his meaning was to abide to be condemned for vs and not answere for his iustification since hee knewe hee must bee condemned for our sakes For although he was without falâ— yet bare hee all our sins vpon him And therfore it is no wonder though he helde his peace and were ouercome for otherwise hee could not haue performed the office of a Mediator without he had bene condemned and confessed that he was worthy to dye for our cause And this is the meaning why our Lorde Iesus Christ held his peace that wee might with open mouth call vpon God and beséech him of pardon for all our sins and transgressions Let vs now fall downe before the maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him to touch vs vnfeynedly and to the quick that wee might grone and wéepe before him for the same And although they be great and gréeuous yet that hee would not suffer vs to be desperately shut out but to bee alwayes subiect runne vnto him And forsomuche as of our selues we are blockish and shall be neuer able to attayne thereto let vs beséeche hym to looke vpon vs with his eye of mercye as hee hath ordayned our Lorde Iesus Christ to haue care ouer vs as a Shepharde hath ouer his Shéepe that he woulde also so gather vs vnto himselfe as that we folow not the war of destruction from the which he hath pulled vs but walke in that good way wherinto hee hath brought vs. Let vs also beséeche him so to continue vs in it as that we prouoke not his heauy wrath against vs and therby forsake vs for being any longer our Shepherd But to defend vs with his favour and grace and offer vp such sacryfices vnto him as that wee might know that he hath not lost his labour in gouerninge of vs but that we might answere his holy calling And for somuch as it hath pleased him to draw vs vnto him and châ—se vs for his people and enheritance although we are no waye able to satisfie the hundreth part of our duty yet that it would please him to vpholde vs through his goodnesse and that we might alwayes make an estimation of the benefit of the death and passion whiche our Lorde Iesus Christ hath suffered vntill such time as we are rydde of all our sinnes and bee clothed with the perfection whereunto he hath at this day called vs. That hée woulde not onely bestow this grace vpon vs but vp on all people and nations of the worlde c. The fyfth Sermon of the passion Matthew xxvii 11 And Iesus stood before the Gouernour and the Gouernour asked him saying arte thou the King of the Iewes Iesus sayde vnto him thou saiest it 12 And when he was accused of the chiefe priest and Elders hee answeared nothing 13 Then sayd Pylate vnto him hearest thou not how many thinges they lay agaynst thee 14 But he answeared hym not one worde insomuch that the Gouernour marueled greatly 15 Now at the feast the Gouernour was wonted to delyuer vnto the people a prisoner whom they woulde 16 And they had then a notable prysoner called Barabbas 17 When they were gathered together Pylate sayde vnto them whether will yee that I let lose vnto you Barabbas or Iesus which is called Christ 18 For hee knewe well that for enuy they had delyuered him 19 Also when hee was set downe vpon the iudgement seate his wife sent to hym sayinge haue thou nothinge to do with that iust man for I haue suffered many
vnto them before Mat. 2.5 they coulde say that hee muste bee borne in Bethlehem and they were aduertised and informed also that the redéemer whiche was promised them muste suffer such a death And this was no darke thing The place of Isaiah also was manifest if so be there had béene a recitall made of that which our Lorde Iesus indured They might therefore knowe that it was impossible to haue those thinges better set downe in order then the Prophet had doone although hee spake of it many yéeres before And besides there are many sayinges both in Zachery in Daniell that God would gather his people together and thereby restore his Churche againe which is that the redéemer should suffer all the shame and curse of the worlde Why then are they so bent against the sonne of God when hee discharged his office as hath sufficiently béen declared by the Prophetes Surely wee may see that Satan carried them away whenas they had forgotten all that they knewe before And therefore let vs be wel aduised so to walke in the feare of God as that when we haue had a taste of his worde we reuerently receiue him obey our Lorde Iesus Christe who is there offered vnto vs. For in him it is that wée must finde all perfect blessednesse if so bee we come humbly vnto him For if we thinke to rest with God it is reason our foole hardinesse should be paid the same wages that these wretched men of whom héere we reade were who were so violently carried with fury and rage Now we are to make our profite by these blasphemies in turning them cleane contrary For we see that because our Lorde Iesus Christe woulde be our king and head it cost him therefore his life And the enimies of the truth said â—f he be the king of Israel let him saue himselfe But this must he abide in his owne person for the purchasing of our saluation Whie then would not our Lorde Iesus Christe spare himselfe Wherefore suffered he so bitter and slaunderous a death but because it could not be that we should bée deliuered but only by such a raunsome And therefore we ought to bend our selues against all the supporters of Satan against all such villanies as vomite out such blasphemies as the Euangelist speaketh of and be most assured that we haue in déed a king who hath more estéemed of our saluation then of his owne life and abidden whatsoeuer was méet for our redeÌ„ption hauing none other respect but to redéeme that which was lost For our case were desperate if the sonne of God had left vs in our estate conditioÌ„ But when he so huÌ„bled himselfe vnto death by which we are deliuered and abode al this so paciently this is the cause why God now stretcheth foorth his hande power to succour vs in our necessitie And therfore it was méete the God should forsake our Lord Iesus Christ that wée might at this day vnderstand that hée is watchfull ouer our saluation and will be redy to helpe our wantes when we call on him for it Let vs also learne to arme our selues against such temptations whenas the Diuell shall goe about to assaile vs and woulde make vs beléeue that God hath forsaken vs and turned his backe vpon vs thereby to make vs thinke it a vaine thing to put our trust in him Wherefore let vs euen then vnderstand that Iesus Christe is the true defendor of all the faithfull and hath shewed vs the way what to do and therfore it is good reason that we should follow him in the same trace For he hath abidden to haue such blaspemies to bée powred out against him and yet hath so constantly withstood as that he hath obteined heereby victory for vs. And therefore let vs valiantly resist whenas the Diuel shall come to attempt vs to turne our faith vpside downe and shut the gate against vs that wée should not haue accesse to God as though hée had cléerely forgotten vs. But let vs follow our Lord Iesus Christ waite the good time when god stretcheth foorth his arme to shew that he hath coÌ„passion vpon vs and is our father although hée suffereth vs for a while to be so beaten downe And thus we sée what the iestes scofs are which were blyrted out against our Lord Iesus Yet had they moe of them for thus they said He trusted in God let him deliuer him now if he loue him This saying was alreadie prefigured in the person of Dauid Psal 22.9 For these very wordes are recited when as he complained that his enimies had taken occasion to speake euill against him and treade him vnder foote reproching him for the trust and confidence that he had in God Now it is certaine that this is the deadliest wouÌ„d that Satan can giue vs For as the life of man consisteth in the soule euen so the life of the soule consisteth in faith in the refuge which we haue vnto God being stayed vpon his promises If we be spoyled héereof wée are cleane vndone vtterly spoiled And thus we sée why Satan went about to turne the faith which Iesus had in God his father vpside down It is true that Iesus Christe fought with another manner of power theÌ„ we are able for no incredulitie could touch him But howeuer it was yet he felt how gréeuous those temptations were For as the Diuell had before deuised such thinges hée now redoubled them in his supporters For hée had said vnto him If thou bee the sonne of God make these stones to become bread that thou maiest eate because thou art hunger staruen Ma. 4.13 And séest thou not that thou must be tryed whether thou hast any power or no. Now in this Iesus Christe felt no more then when they héere reproched him for putting his trust in God And although we haue not the like power so to resist without falling yet ought we to be strengthened by him because wée knowe that hée vanquished and ouercame all these temptations for vs and for our commoditie And this is also another thing which they said That hee had saued others and could not saue himselfe Héere wée sée again that they were giuen ouer into a reprobate sense For in that hée saued others was not this a sure and an infallible token of his heauenly power Iesus Christe raysed the dead which they knewe well enough hée gaue the blinde their sight hée healed the sicke of the palsie restored the lame and cast out the Diuels themselues And thus wée sée that Iesus Christe powred foorth the great treasures of his goodnesse and power in all his myracles and yet they reproched him with them for all that Wée therefore héere sée that these miserable bewitched people without constraint of any man are their owne Iudges to take away all excuse from themselues so that when they shall appeare before the iudgement seat of our Lorde Iesus Christe they shal neuer bée able to alleadge
as much as hée was man Let vs note that this complaint féeling and feare whereof we nowe speake hath no manner of way derogated from the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ For in that hée was man hée trusted altogether in God as we haue alreadie heard and as was yesterday sufficiently handled This then was the verie true patterne of a right perfect and sounde fayth Now it is here said that he was so sore tormented as that it séemed that God his Father had forsaken him and yet had hée alwayes a perfect fayth without béeing ouerthrowne or shaken any kinde of way Why then saieth hée Wherefore hast thou forsaken mee This procéedeth from a naturall mans conceit Thus we sée that our Lord Iesus Christ as touching weake flesh is as a man forsaken of God yet he giueth not ouer his trust that hée had in him Now in déed we sée two pointes in these words which at the first sight séeme cleane cōtrarie one to the other yet they agrée very wel together For whē he saith My God my God with such a redoubling he sheweth therin the constancy of his faith He saith not wher is God what hath he forsakē me But hée cōtinually sticketh fast vnto him And therfore it cannot bée but that he was perswaded fully resolued that hée should haue fauourable accesse alwaies vnto God his father Héereby I say wée sée a certaine and vndoubted testimonie of the faith of our Lorde Iesus Christe whenas in the middest of all his extremities and torments he ceassed not to call vpon God his father without hypocrisie because he was assured that he woulde be merciful vnto him so long as he called on him And thus wée sée I say a sufficient declaration of the faith of our Lorde Iesus Christe and yet for all that hée redoubleth it because it was an harde and dangerous combate as if he meant to set himselfe against all the temptations wherewith Satan coulde any way assaile him and sought to strengthen his faith to the ende hée might continually perseuere in calling vpon God Nowe hée eftsoones saith Why hast thou forsaken mee and this hée spake according to mans reach For it coulde not be chosen but that hée must grow to that point as wée haue said and yet not be ouercome thereof according to that saying of Saint Peter Acts. 2.24 that it was impossible for him to bée kept vnder with the sorrowes of death that is to say that death had taken holde of him as of a miserable wretched and oppressed man But yet it was impossible for him as saieth Saint Peter to bée holden downe And so he wanne the victorie euen in the middest of the fight and this is so much the greater glory vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe Dauid had partly a féeling héereof for this is most sure that in the middest of all his greatest afflictiōs hée perseuered in calling vpon God and trusted in him But because hée was a weake and fraile man his faith was oftentimes shaken as he confesseth himselfe Howbeit there was a speciall matter to bée considered of in our Lorde Iesus whereof wée spake on Sunday last and that was this that al his sufferinges were rightly squared and ordered by reason of his integritie and purenesse in whom was no corruption of nature But it oftentimes commeth to passe that our sorrowes yea our feares and cares proceede from a iust cause and yet they shall alwaies be intermedled with sinne because all our passions are corrupt But there was no vnquietnesse nor yet disorder in our Lord Iesus Whereupon it followeth that his torments were not such but that he had alwaies a sure and an vndoubted trust in God and so firmly and constantly called vpon him because hee right well knew that he would saue him euen in the greatest extremitie And thervpō it is said That some of those which were about him mocked him This man say they calleth vpon Elias let vs sée and if Elias wil come help him It is to bee thought that the Souldiers who knew not the law might haue saide so wel enough and yet it had bene but a foolish kinde of speach for they knewe not what the meaning of Elie was And it is not like that the Priestes who were acquanited with the lawe woulde speake this blasphemye What were they deceiued in the saying of our Lorde Iesus no for the Prophet Elias was not named after that sort The name therefore was not abused because there coulde be no doubt in it séeing the word of Elias is otherwise pronounced the word Elie that is to saye my God was as common as was possible and to the cause could not rayse any doubt And therfore they dyd this of a malicious impudencye vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ when hee saide Elie. And if this séeme straunge to vs I beséeche the Lorde there be not the lyke examples among vs at this day For we shall sée the Papistes euen at this day slaunderouslye backbite and depraue whatsoeuer we teach to wit whatsoeuer is taken out of the pure worde of God and doo wittinglye and in good earnest blaspheme to make our doctrine hatefull with poore and simple soules and such indéede as neuer heard vs once preach Yea they falselye depraue whatsoeuer wee say and turne it which way they please as may easely be séene to coulour their leasings with and to entertayne the myserable blynde and ignoraunt soules with their fond and fantasticall lyes We sée héere how the enemies of God whom Satan possessed had of a malicious purpose taken exceptions to the words of our Lorde Iesus Christ euen so at this day as I began to say fareth it with the papists And this is not onely séene in poperie but there are also amongst vs certaine beggers which will not stick to saye that we goe about to make them beléeue that Iesus Christ was in a desperate case and past all hope whenas we say that he suffered the torments of death and that he was cast downe as it were into the bottom of hell for so much as he presented himselfe there in our behalfe and beare the burthen of our sinnes howbeit al this is no whit derogatorye from his constant and vnchaungable faith And héere these dogges professors of the Gospell neuer cease blaspheming wherein they shewe themselues to bée farre worse then those which are in this place spoken of Since then wée sée that the Diuell hath at this day whetted the tongues of his Supporters and that euery of them with a beastly shamelessenesse vometeth out his poyson against the puritie of doctrine let not vs thinke it strange séeing our Lorde Iesus was thus slaundered but paciently beare these blasphemies and beséech the Lorde as it is saide by the Psalmist To cut out their villanous tongues Psalm 12.4 which are so full of vyllanie and cursing tending to none other ende but to the blaspheming of his name and darkening of his trueth Nowe
the end he might declare this his loue vnto vs but woulde be so abased for a time as that he might lift vs aloft so that we through faith shoulde not doubt to attaine thereto tarrying and wayting vntill we be al come thither together That hée will not onely graunt vs this grace but also all nations c. The eight Sermon of the Passion Matthew .xxvii. 55 AND there were many women beholding him a far of which folowed Iesus from Galilee ministring vnto him 56 Among which was Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of Iames and Ioses and the mother of Zebedes children 57 When euening was come there came a riche man from the Citie of Arimathea named Ioseph who also had been Iesus Disciple 58 He went to Pilate and begged the body of Iesus then Pilate commaunded the body to be deliuered 59 And when Ioseph had taken the body he wrapped it in a cleane linnen cloth 60 And laide it in his newe Tombe which hee had heawen out of the rocke and when hee had rolled a greate stone to the dore of the Sepulchre hee departed WE haue héeretofore séene and hearde howe our Lorde Iesus hath shewed and set foorth the fruite and power of his death in this poore theefe who séemed to be as a lost and damned soule Now if all they that before had béen instructed by the Gospell had fallen away from it whenas they sée the sonne of GOD put to death a man woulde thinke that the preaching thereof had béen both vaine vnprofitable And besides we know that the Apostles were chosen to this state of life to be as the chiefe rulers in the Church wherefore it is not like that this election of theirs to this office and estate was a vaine and friuolous thing And therefore it is héere set downe vnto vs that although the Apostles left this estat wherin they shewed a beastly cowardlynes for Saint Peter himselfe denied our Lord Iesus whereby he was as one cut of from all hope of our saluation and worthy to bee taken as a rotten member yet would not God suffer that the Gospel which they had before receiued should be quenched and vtterly abolished In very déede S. Mat. lyketh rather of the faithful constancy of the Women then of the men and it is to this ende that we might learne to magnify the goodnesse of God so much the more who by his power strengthneth our weaknes To this entent purpose are also the wordes of Saint Paule saying that God hath chosē the weak ones of this world to confound the mighty strong to the ende they should not glorifye themselues 1. Cor. 1.27 Since then it was héere this spoken of men and of their great courage and whiche followed our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto his death this might be taken to be as a naturall cause But whenas women being guided by the spirite of God were founde to bee more valyant then those men who were chosen for the publishing of the Gospel throughout the world let vs by this vnderstand that it was the work of God and therfore the prayse to be giuen to him Now it is namly saide that these women followed our Lorde Iesus to serue or minister vnto him Which thing a great deale more declareth their affection in profyting by the Gospell For this was no trifling power that was in them whenas they would leaue their owne houses to wander vp and downe hether and thither both to their great pain and shame also And we know in what state and condition our Lorde Iesus stood whiles he liued héere in this worlde For thus he saith the Foxes had holes and the Birdes of the ayre nestes but that he Mat. 8. 20. had no place wherin to hide his head Contrarywise we sée that these women had wherwith to liue quietly and pleasantly They then which wandred after this sort and could hardly get any lodging féeling hunger thirst were also mightely skorned and laughed at besides their being chased and troubled euery where and yet ouercame all this geare and bare it pacientlye wee must néedes iudge that God strengthned them Now they also declared euen at his death the hope which they had had in our Lord Iesus christ For although their harts were dead as it were as héerafter shal be declared more at full and that they thought him to be cleane dispatcht yet they might perceiue not long after that they were deceiued For he had told them that he should restore the kingdome of God he had also spoken vnto them of perfect blessednes of the saluation which he must make an ende of And what of all these things forsooth héereby we sée that although these séely womens harts were sore troubled bicause they knew not what wold become of our Lord Iesus yet dyd he strengthen thē by his mightie power in ende brought it to so passe as that they might both vnderstand and iudge that hee had made them no vaine promise For they looked for the promise of his resurrection which in the iudgment of the world was not to be hoped of Notwithstāding we sée how he exercised their faith to the ende we should not trouble our selues beyond measure although to the outwarde shew it might appeare that God had forsaken vs all the promisses of the Gospell to be as thinges abolished but that wee should neuerthelesse Stand fast sure in thē For if we do not these women will bewitnesses against vs to our great condemnatiō if we faile in these conflicts Woulde wee haue a grosser tryall then that whiche they abode And yet by Faith they obtayned victorye And therefore let vs arme our selues when we are tolde of the attemps wherwith Satan goeth about to assaile vs and let vs I say be well appoynted before the blow come and shew our selues to be so setled in the power of our Lord Iesus Christ that although wee cannot at the first perceiue how the thing which is tolde vs may come to passe yet let vs rest in him doo him this honor to beléeue that hee will at last shew him selfe faithfull And it is very néedefull that we shoulde be thus tryed euen to the vttermost For otherwise we would bée to to fine and nice and laye our faith to morgage or els faine vs héere an earthly paradice so our sences woulde neuer be able to raise vs as hie as heauen that we might forsake this world Which thing we may very perfectlye sée in the mother of Iohn Iames. For we vnderstand that she was before that so ambitiously carried as that she would haue had our Lord Iesus sit in his Kingly throane with all the pompe and brauery that might be her sonnes to sit by him as his two Lieftennaunts For thus she said vnto him Math. 20.21 I beseech thée Sir cōmaund that one of my sons may sit on thy right hand and the other on thy left Héere we sée a
Iesus was taken from the crosse to wit that hée was thrust into the side to sée whether he had yéelded vp the Ghoste or not For they hastened not his death so fast as they dyd the two Théeues But when they thought him to bee dead they thrust a Speare into him and then they knewe that he was dead which pleased well the souldiers Now it is true that if we shoulde not be able to bring in the lawe for a testimonie we should haue somewhat a cold pull of it But S. Iohn giueth vs a full proofe that our Lorde Iesus Christe was the true Paschall Lambe since he was by the wonderfull prouidence and counsell of God preserued that there was not abone of him broken Exod. 12.46 Num. 9.12 For it said in Exodus that the Paschal lambe should bée eaten but there should not one bone of him bée broken And why were not the bones of Iesus Christe crushed since it was the common maner at those dayes Surely their will was not to spare him and hée was hanged betwéene two Théeues because they thought him to be the most vyle and detestable person Wée sée then héere that this was the worke of God in kéeping backe the handes of the Souldiers and his will also was that his Sonne should make a spéedie dispatch to the ende hée woulde preserue him and that it might bée an euident signe vnto vs in this place that in him the trueth of this auncient figure shoulde be fulfilled Héere then are wée to obserue that the bones of the Sonne of God were preserued from breaking because we might take him for our Paschall Lambe who shoulde preserue vs from the wrath of God whenas wée are marked with his blood And therefore must wée come to this point that since he is our Paschall Lamb wée must eftsoones bee dewed and sprinckled with his blood for without that the shedding of it will doe vs no good But when we shall accept him with this Sacrifice and séeke remission of our sinnes also thereby because we know that vntyll hée hath washed and cleansed vs wée are very filthie then are wee be dewed with his blood through the spinckling of the holy ghost vpon our soules and so are made cleane and God accepteth and taketh vs for his people and we are assured that although his wrath and vengeance bée ouer all the worlde yet looketh hée on vs with his eye of mercy and alloweth vs for his children Wée sée then in this place what wée are to consider when it is saide That the bones of our Lorde Iesus were not broken to the end we might vnderstand that the thing which was declared by figure in the law was verified in his body And besides it is also saide That water and blood issued out of his side and hee that sawe it beare witnesse thereof When wée sée that water blood issued so out wée must remember that it was hee as Saint Iohn sayeth in his Canonicall Epistle 1. Iohn 5.6 who by his sacrifice wrought our purgation and peace for the blotting out of all our sinnes In very déede Blood when one is dead wil waxe thicke by nature and from it will very thinne water come because the colour and thickest of the blood wil goe from it But howeuer it is Saint Iohn saieth that GOD woulde shewe for what cause the death of his sonne profiteth vs to wit Heb. 9 2◠in the first place hée is at peace with vs by reason of the shedding of blood for as it is saide There can bée no remission of sinnes without the effusion of blood For beholde why Sacrifices were vsed from the beginning of the worlde And God hath saide that hée would be mercifull to all miserable sinners which put their truste in him But yet he woulde haue sacrifices to bee offered as if hée should haue said that men should be fréely forgiuen their sinnes because they can bring nothing of their own with them to obteine it But must haue a mediator to recompence it Wée sée then that the blood which ranne downe from the side of our Lorde Iesus witnesseth vnto vs that the Sacrifice which hée offered was a satisfaction for all our iniquities so that we are discharged of them before God True it is we must cōtinually féele our selues to be gilty that we might bée humbled and brought to true repentance and bée cléerely voide of all presumption But howeuer it is wée are assured that God acquitteth and pardoneth vs in the name of his sonne when we come to acknowledge our sinnes and iniquities And why so Because the sacrifice of his death is sufficient to blot out the memory of al our transgressions It is the water then that cleanseth Wherefore to the end we might be washed from all our spots let vs vnderstande that the meaning of our Lord Iesus Christe was that water shoulde issue out of his side to declare that hée is in very déede our puritie and that wée must séeke for none other remedy to washe vs from all our filthinesse And thus wée sée howe water and blood came from him by which meane wee are throughly saued in him and therefore must make no wandlesses to séeke our ayde els where But when wée shall consider more néerely of the matter wée shall sée a very notable similitude betwéene the blood and the water which issued out of the side of our Lorde Iesus Christe and the Sacraments of the Church in which the thing that was perfourmed in his death is allowed and sealed vnto vs. For after hée had suffered whatsoeuer was requisite for our saluation and fully satisfied GOD his Father by sanctifiyng and purchasing vs full righteousnesse hée would that all the whole matter should bée witnessed vnto vs in the two sacraments of his owne institution I speake of two because there are no moe instituted in his worde But Baptisme and the Supper For all the reste is but a vaine imagination deuised by the rashe boldenesse of men Thus wee see that our Lorde Iesus Christe powreth out the vertue of his death and passion aswel vpon Baptisme as on the holy Supper For Baptisme is a witnesse vnto vs that hée hath so washed and cleansed vs from all our filthinesse as that God receiueth vs vnto his fauour as if wée came cleane and neate before him Now wée must vnderstand that the water in Baptisme worketh not this effect For howe can a corruptible Element washe and cleanse our soules But the matter is because water issued out of the side of our Lorde Iesus Christ And therefore when wée woulde that Baptisme should doe vs good let vs goe vnto him who was crucified for vs and when we would féele the fruit therof let vs runne vnto our Lord Iesus Christ who would haue vs séeke for euerie parte and parcell of our saluation in him without wandring and whéeling hither and thither And besides wée haue in the holie Supper a testimony that Iesus Christ is our
and being borne in a Stable lead all the dayes of his life like a miserable poore handicraftes man and at last wée sée that all men set themselues against him and so raged as that they detested and hated him and to make fewe wordes and well crucified him Now this was a death which God cursed and hée was not only disfigured with buffetting spitting on crowned with thorne but also was accursed being hanged betwéene two théeues as if hée had béene the most horrible villaine that euer was knowne or hearde of And this was a terrible kinde of death because it was accursed by the law We sée how fouly hee was disfigured which was the very meane why he became a stumbling blocke vnto the worlde And therefore the Prophet namely saith that they would not beléeue the Gospell because the world could not conceiue it to bée a reasonable thing neither yet â—llow that the only Sonne of God the very glory of the Lorde shoulde bée put to such shame and rebuke This eternall counsell of God which was from the beginning coulde neuer sinke into their braine And thus wée sée the meaning of the Prophet Now it is hereupoÌ„ said notwithstanding That he shal be exalted Although at the first there is no shewe of it yet God will increase him and they shall sée saith he euen before their faces that although he was miserable and bare a poore twigge yet that this was no let vnto his aduancement nor to his glorious floorishing because that God woulde put his haÌ„d bring it to passe And besides he bringeth vs backe to our sinnes that hee might take away our conceiued offence by reason of the ouerthwartnes of our vnderstanding Wherfore to the end we should not refuse to come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ by séeing him thus disfigured the Prophet sheweth vs the cause why For to say truely if we come once to the acknowledging of our sinnes and foorthwith conceiue of the wrath of god for the same then shall we come to our Lord Iesus Christ desire him to helpe vs be so much the more earnest to receiue his death and passion for wée must vnderstand that it is the most necessary remedy that may be for the euil that is in vs Thus in sume we sée here the procéeding of the Prophet Now when he maketh comparison betwéen our Lord Iesus Christ and a smal twigge or braunch a roote in a dry and barren ground it is to shew that the beginnings should be base of no valure so that all the worlde should scoffe laugh at them In the eleuenth Chapter he compareth him vnto a sory twigge or braunch saying that he should come of the stocke of Isai Dauid his father And therefore because the kingly house was then base and of no honour hee said it shoulde be as sometimes it had béen that Isai was a countrie man his children Neat heardes Shepheardes This house in those dayes was nothing and of no reputation and besides was like vnto the body of a trée lying on the grouÌ„d which men troode vpon and of no estimation Iesus Christe then was like vnto a silly twigge or branche But it is saide soone after that hée should so wonderfully growe as that hée shoulde ouershadowe the whole worlde Héere the Prophet also sheweth that it muste néedes bée that our Lorde Iesus shoulde bee thus contemptible at the first For if this had not béen namely declared they might very well haue béen offended whenas they see our Lord Iesus Christ to be thus contemptible as touching the worlde For it was saide that one should coÌ„tinually sit vpon the seat of Dauid that this kingdome should florish although he held the Sun Moone And now behold that this princely house was as it were razed vtterly defaced who would thinke that the promise should be accoÌ„plished in the persoÌ„ of our Lord Iesus For there was no likelihood that he should haue béen restored to the princely estate but wheÌ„ it is said that this house should as it were come to naught he of no more estimation nor haue no more rule preheminence that it should be ashame as a man would say to sée such a destruction and confusion when the Prophetes I say haue told this much then haue wee a very good entrée to wit Iesus Christ Neither must wee bee abashed as at a strange vnknowne thing although our Lord Iesus Christ shewed himself in so base a state and condition For to say the trueth it is not in this place alone that the holy Ghoste hath thus saide Wée sée also what the Prophet Amos saith That God will raise this seate Amos. 9.11 Acts. 15.16 which before was ouerthrowne And this place is also set downe in the Acts of the Apostles to declare that our Lorde Iesus Christe shall beginne to raigne when it shal please God to repare the things that were confounded And namely it was said that this kingdome with the kingly crowne shoulde be trode vnder foote as it were and haue no head vntill such time as the Redéemer were come into the worlde And therefore all these thinges should confirme and strengthen vs to the end these base beginnings of our Lorde Iesus Christe might not séeme straÌ„ge vnto vs. Moreouer by this saying of a desert or barreÌ„ land the Prophet meaneth that it should séeme that our Lorde Iesus should no more increase or grow vp then a trée in the desert where is neither moystnesse nor any goodnesse Behold then he is like vnto a disfigured or yll fauoured trée which wanteth nourishmente and the substance and moysture of the earth Nowe it is saide that Iesus Christe shal be so from the beginning expressing thereby that there shoulde be no meanes héere on earth to make him florish but that he should be increased froÌ„ heauen that by the secrete power of God his Father and not be ayded by the worlde because it is altogether barren fruitlesse And this was not only said of his byrth but is also to be referred to the whole course of the Gospell In déede this was a signe that Iesus Christ was but a poore twig whenas he could not get a place to be lodged amongst men but was like one that was banished excluded froÌ„ all coÌ„pany so poorely brought vp as euer was man And this was to prepare the hearts of the faithful to vnderstaÌ„d that Iesus Christ should be reiected conteÌ„ned as touching the world but the principal matter for theÌ„ to vnderstaÌ„d was wheÌ„ he should come to preach the Gospel and execute the charge coÌ„mitted vnto him by God his father For then they began to say Is not this the CarpeÌ„ters sonne doe not we know his bringing vp And in what schoole he hath learned to be so great a Doctor Mat. 15.55 And his kindred séeing him to be so extréemely hated would haue made him beléeue that hee had béen mad
would thinke al were marred cleane lost Thē must wee haue recourse to this saying of the Prophet that although hee was abased in his death yet the God exalted him aboue al the rest of his creatures And thus must we lift vp our faith vnto the heauens But hée as be may let vs learne not to take any offence at the crucifiyng of the sonne of God neither yet at the shames slanders which he suffered in his owne person nor at the disdaining of his members at this day and at all the reproches which are done vnto them in the whole world let not al these dooings I say withdraw vs frō continually remaining firme constāt in the faith of the Gospel Now because this cōbate or cōflict is hardly to be performed marke why the prophet bringeth vs back to the reasō why our Lord Iesus suffred for to say truly it is impossible for vs to trust vnto the sōne of god vntil such time as we are surely certainly persuaded of the fruit benefit which cōmeth vnto vs by his death passiō And why so forsooth because at the first sight as I haue already said a mā would cōdemne it to be a foolish thing that a mortal man should be the Author of life that he should die no simple death but such a slanderous death as God cursed euen to be hanged as a théefe vpon the Gallow trée Now whē we shoulde sée all this geare no doubt of it wée should be brought into such a maruellous hatred of the matter as that we should neuer be able to come vnto Iesus Christ but héere is the rightest remedie that we haue that we vnderstād why he died how his death hath profited vs what benefit we haue receiued by it then wée shall auoyde all offences As for exāple if griefe sorrow oppresse my hearte and doe beholde the onelie Sonne of God to bée as it were troade vnder foote and abhorred of all men I must néeds enter into a cōsideration with my selfe For if I looke but only into Iesus Christ I shal passe it ouer make no reckoning of it but if in the first place I looke vnto my selfe afterwarde come vnto him then shal I finde a good sauour and taste in his suffering And how so Forsooth if I consider with my selfe that I am a miserable sinner and haue so prouoked the wrath of God against me as that he is become mine enemy and my Iudge if then I thinke of my sinnes and therevpon doe conceyue what an horrible and terrible thing the wrath of God is and that hée is my iudge to cast mée into the bottomlesse pitte of hell then will I begin to say Goe to now what meane hast thou to make an attonement betwéen God and thée Art thou able any way to satisfie him only for the least offence that thou hast committed against him Alas no thou arte no way able Can I with trauelling by Sea and lande all the worlde ouer be able to make recompence Can the Angels of heauen helpe mée No surely Why then it is Iesus Christ alone that must appeare for mée in my name he must bée my pledge and warrant Thus we sée that the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ shal bee no more any foolishnesse vnto vs but wee shall thinke that because wée were thus accursed and had no remedie to find fauour at the handes of GOD since we had so prouoked him to bée our enimie it could not bée chosen but that wee must néeds bée eftsoones subiect to Satā vnto his tiranny vntil such time as Iesus Christ had deliuered quited vs of thē Thus we sée how we should begin to magnifye the infinit goodnesse of this our God which is an abhorring our sinnes and by being a shamed of them as much as is possible We also sée how this imaginatiue offence and fond deuice of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ shall bee blotted out to wit when we shal enter into the consideratiō of our selues and truly trie our sinnes and acknowledge that we are so detestable vnto God as that he him selfe must néedes come in the person of his sonne to make satisfaction for them to repayre our iniquities to the ende we might be reconciled vnto him And this is héere the order of the Prophet On the one side he sayeth that Iesus Christ shall haue nether forme nor fashion and that nothing shall be founde in him worthy to bée desired And that which is more to sée him a farre of would make a mans hart yarne Howbeit when he had said all this he addeth Now it was for our sins that he was afflicted As if he had saide Ah miserable blind soules you make no reckoning of the sonne of God yea and euery of you through your vnthankfulnesse shutteth the gate so hard vpon him-as that you are no way able to come néere him to obtaine the saluation which he bringeth you And what should be the cause truly for that you haue not knowne your sins that you might be humbled and because you are drowsy and blockish and féede your selues with your vaine flatteries but looke into your miseries corruptions and then wyll you be ashamed of your state conditiō acknowledge that you haue none other meane but Iesus Christ alone to be your mediator who taketh vpon his owne person the thing which made you the enimies of God who becommeth your pleadge maketh him selfe as a poore sinner to lay vpon his own shoulders the burthē of your sins Now when you shal think vpō all these things thē wil you find some good sauor to submit your selues vnto the sonne of God not cleaue any more to your vain fantasies nether yet be offended that Iesus Christ was thus bacely accompted of whenas you shall vnderstande in what condemnation you haue deserued and the recompence and satisfaction due for the same Moreouer the Prophet namly saith we haue seene him disdained him therby to declare that our Lord Iesus should not only be contēned reiected of the smalest nūber of people but euen of the gretest nūber of his peculier people for whē the prophet setteth hī in the ranke of those which had refused our Lord Iesus he had a regard vnto the people of the Iewes whereof he came and he ment also ouer and besides this to shewe that this was the common opinion as a man would say that Iesus Christ was reiected in all places And therefore we are so much the more surely armed not to tie our selues to mens fantasies when as we shall not onely sée in this behalf hundreths of infidels but also great troupes and mightie armies yea Myllions that a man shall hardly finde thrée or foure amongst an hundreth which will quietly submit them selues vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ and albeit we sée it to be thus yet let vs for all that cleaue fast vnto him Thus we
sée in summe what we haue to cōsider of in this place For if we should at this day come to voyces and a fewe weake people should beholde it what would they say There is but a small handfull of men which beléeue the Gospell howbeit if they were the greater number I could bée well contented to goe that way but for mée to thrust my selfe into so small a company and forsake the greater multitude what a folly were that Now the Prophet to the end hée might cut the throat of these obiections sayeth that there woulde not be aboue foure or tenne at the most but that all men for the more parte woulde refuse to obey our Lorde Iesus Christ And no doubt of it his meaning was to finde fault perticulerly with the Iewes For wée haue alredie alledged out of the eight Chapiter that hée should be a stumbling blocke to these two houses to wit to the trybe of Abraham Wée sée then that a man would haue thought that the people whom God had specially chosen to him selfe must néedes haue knowne their Redéemer For to whom was Iesus Christ promised Forsooth euen to the Iewes For it is saide that he was the Minister of the Circumcision to the ende hée might accomplishe the promises made vnto the Fathers Rom. 11.8 Psal 118.22 And therefore the Iewes must néedes bée acquainted with Iesus Christ before he appeared vnto the worlde and with ease receiue him Nowe it is sayde that the principall and chiefe builders refused him to wyt the Princes and heades of the people And euen so fareth it at this day For not onely Turkes and Infidelles refuse Iesus Christ but also verie many false Christians in name yea and wée shall haue numbers that professe the Gospell who many tymes become prophane and villainous scorners of God and woulde gladly that all the doctrine of saluation were clearely abolished for the shewe that they make of it is onely for the shame of men But howeuer it is we are sure of this that Iesus Christ shall be refused and contemned and if it had not béen so foretold of our fayth might very wel haue bin shaken But this saying of Isaiah is a verie good staffe for vs to leane vnto euen as vnto a sure rock when as we sée all the worlde thus stumble at him as to sée some to set them selues furiously against him his doctrine some to scorne him and put out their tongues to speake euill of all religion But yet let vs notwithstanding constantly perseuere in our Fayth Surely it is greatly to be wished for that we might sée Iesus Christ a far off and submit our selues vnto him because hée is the true Glasse and patterne of al holines Howbeit the more we sée the world refuse him the greater ought our fayth to be For howe is it possible for vs to discerne that Iesus Christ is the Redéemer of the worlde Forsooth let vs consider what all the Prophets haue saide of him For to say truely this is the onely Glasse wherein we must beholde the onely Sonne of God For behold the true testimonies which God hath sent down from heauen to set a sure marke of him that should be the Redéemer to wit that all the worlde should forsake him and euery man lift him selfe vp against him And therefore since it is so let vs receiue him with this condition and not doubt that although it séemeth to vs that we should be vtterly ouerthrowne and troad vnder foote through the boldnesse and pride of the vngodly yet that God will magnifie our Lorde Iesus Christ and so strengthen our fayth by his holie spirit as that it shall haue victorie vnto the end and that as our Lorde Iesus hath ouercome the Deuill as in the end both hée and all his Supporters must be made his footestoole euen so likewise will hée cause vs to tryumph with him to march vpon all those which persecute and lift them selues vp so furiously against vs and against all those which contemne and despight him Nowe let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him to cause vs so to féele them as that we may grone and sigh for them so that we being after truely humbled may come to our Lorde Iesus Christ knowing that in him must be all our helpe and comfort And forsomuch as it pleased God his Father to punish him for our sinnes Let vs set all our affection vpon him and be so willingly gréeued for our prouoking of our God vnto anger as that we may haue both our selues and our sinnes in detestation and hatred vntill such time as we be throughly cleansed of them And that it would please him in the mean time so to assist vs as that we neuer dout but that hée will be alwayes mercifull vnto vs because that Iesus Christ hath not once onely suffred to abolish our sinnes but also daily offreth vs forgiuenesse of the same when as we séeke that at his handes which is wanting in vs. So let vs beséech him that hée will not onely graunt vs this grace but vnto all people and nations of the world c. The third Sermon of the Prophesie of Christe Isaiah liii 4 SVrely hee hath borne our infirmities and carryed our sorrowes yet we did iudge him as plagued and smitten of God and humbled 5 But hee was wounded for our transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed 6 All wee lyke sheepe haue gone astray wee haue turned euerie one to his owne way and the Lorde hath layde vpon him the iniquitie of vs all WHen wee beholde all the woorkes of GOD héere in this worlde wee are taught to prayse him according to his excellency and highnesse But when we looke vpon the person of our Lord Iesus Christ wée are then to magnifie him in his lowlinesse and humilitie Héere then are two manner of wayes set downe vnto vs howe to praise God The one is Because hée sheweth vs his infinite goodnesse righteousnes and power in the creation and framing of all things and in the ordering and disposing of the same therefore we ought also to honour and exalt him not that we are able to make him honourable But the scripture vseth this kinde of spéech to the ende we might lift vp our mindes vnto heauen aboue all worldly things whē as we would glorifie our God according vnto his worthines The other is that because our Lorde Iesus Christ in whom dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead was not onely abased for our saluatiō but also wold be made of no reputation no not refusing to suffer the sharpe anguishes of death as if he had entred into hell for this cause therfore I say is God more to be glorified then for all the mightie gloriousnesse that is to be séene in all the worlde besides And of this we spake somewhat yesterday But because the Prophet
thinke onely before baptisme For thus they reason little children say they receiue the grace of God and are pardoned of Originall sinne in baptisme by the power of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ But say they whē we are once baptized then sin Iesus Christ alone is not sufficiēt to make vs acceptable vnto the Lord and to blot out the remembrance of our sins but we our selues also must make recompence And this is the cause of the deuising of their workes of superogation as to wander vp down lyke Rogs a Pilgrimage to haue many trentals of Masses such lyke diuelish inuentions So that if a man aske the Papists why the roge vp and downe a pilgrimage as they doo to sée their mowing apes and marmesets why they fast such and such a daye why they build Churches and why they cause masses to bee songe forsooth wyll they say euen to redéeme our selues before the Lord our God for it is very méete that when we haue vnderstood of our sins that we should make satisfactiō for thē to the end God might acquite discharge vs of the same Sée here how they make the death passion of our lord Iesus Christ of none effect so the papists are not able to go on one foot forward to do their deuotiōs but that they blaspheme God opēly deny the death passiō of our Lord Iesus Christ cast thēselues down into hel mouth thus we sée whether their diuelish deuotions which they cal good lead thē And therfore we are to obserue the words of the Prophet whē he saith that the correction of our peace was laid vpō our Lord Iesus Christ because that by his meane God is appeased set at one with vs for hée beareth all the sinnes iniquities of the world vpon him So thē let vs here note that when we sée what maner ones we are we shuld alwaies stād in feare because God is our enemie our iudge And besides wée must in the secōd place cōclude that there is no other meane either in heauen or yet in the earth to make vs at one with God but by the price which our lord Iesus hath paid satisfied euē by his death passiō Haue we this let vs then with bold chéere countenance come before our God yet not so but that we must alwaies humble our selues be ashamed of our sinnes Howbeit that wil be no let vnto vs but that we may frankly cal vpon our God as vpō our father neither coulde wee glorify our selues wtout he reputed vs to be iust al our debts payd because we are pardoned by the power of the condemnation which Iesus Christ suffred Thus we sée how this place must be practised of vs Marke also why hee saieth That wee are healed by his woundes In very déede we shal neuer bée able to sée throughly into our sinnes because hipocrisie blindfoldeth our eyes pride hath alwaies mighty rule ouer vs therfore wee greately deceiue our selues and make our selues beléeue that God is highly beholden vnto vs or els wée are so blockish as that wée neuer thinke to come to a reckoning Now it falleth out here that the Prophet sheweth that wée are but dead if it were not for the woundes of our Lord Iesus Christ and therfore that we must néedes séeke to be healed by him When then wée would féele the benefite which commeth vnto vs by the death and passion of the Sonne of God Let vs note that looke howe many sinnes as are rooted in our nature although they appeare not are euen so many deadly woundes and diseases I beséech you if there shall be an Apostume about the stomake of a man or in his bowels should it be euer a whit the woorse for the man if it were séene that it might be launced If a man then thinketh him selfe to be whole and sound because he will not sée his disease surely he must néedes be voide of all wit and reason And therefore our diseases must bée so much the more deadly when as they are secret and not knowne And ouer besides the sinnes which we beare about with vs the rootes of which are hid in vs there are sinnes in vs which we commit daily which sufficiently declareth that our nature is froward and cursed and that wée are altogether peruerted Wherfore since wée are wholly infected with spirituall leprosie and that our iniquitie is rotten in vs what shall wée doe in this case what remedie is to bée had Shall wée séeke for helpe at the Angels in heauen Alas they can doe no good and therefore we must go vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ because hée would bee disfigured euen from the crowne of the head vnto the soale of the foote would be al to wounded scourged and buffeted with one blow vpon an other crowned with thorns tyed fast nayled to the Crosse and at last persed through the side with a speare And here we see how wée are healed here is the right medicine for our disease wherwith we must be contented whervnto also we must apply our whole affection knowing that we are neuer able to be at quiet with our selues but that we must stil be extreamly tormented vexed were it not that Iesus Christ comforted vs and appeased the wrath of God for vs. Now when wée are sure of this it giueth vs occasion to sing praises vnto his holy name where before wée could doe nothing else but grone and be vtterly confounded And this is in summe the thing which we are to learne out of the words of the Prophet Now S. Matthew alledgeth this place Mat. 8.17 when he maketh mention of all the diseases which our Lord Iesus Christ healed how he made the blinde to sée the lame to goe the deafe to heare set a foote suche as were half dead sick of the palsie cast deuils out of mens bodies This saith hée declareth that it was not for naught that the Prophet Isaiah said that hée beare our infirmities and susteined our griefes Without doubt the Prophet speaketh not héere of bodely diseases Wherefore it séemeth that the Euangelist hath applyed this testimony but yll But hée in declaring that our Lorde Iesus Christ healed outward diseases meaneth to bring vs to an higher consideration because he would haue vs to beholde as it were in a figure the reason of his comming into the world And therfore whē we heare that our Lord Iesus Christ healed the sicke of the palsy but especially raysed the dead that hée also healed al maner of diseases let vs vnderstand euē in the view of the eye according to our grose weak capacities that he hath told vs that he is our spirituall Phisitiō let vs also learn as I haue alredy saide that all the vices wherevnto we are enclined are so many corruptions in our soules And as there are many euil humors in the body euē so likewise
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
18 3◠we shall finde that neuer any man had iust occasion to attempt any thing against him In very déede the priests tolde Pylate that they would neuer haue brought him before his worship without he had bene a malefactor Mat. 11.5 Iohn 6.11 Now it is so farre of that Iesus Christ dyd any shrewd turnes if the matter be throwly examined as that he dyd none other hurte but make the blinde to sée the lame to goe heale the sick and diseased raise the dead fil the hungry néedy to be short all the riches of the goodnes mercy of God that were to bée séene were powred out vpon him What was the reasō then that mē thus persecuted him surely it must néeds be that this procéeded from some other cause Héere therefore wée sée why the prophet bringeth vs back to the remēbrance of our sins iniquities whēas he speaketh of the purenes of our lord Iesus Nether must we think that the prophet ment héere simply to iustifie the sonne of God For this were a very bare kinde of speach to say loe I beséeche you hée was guilty in nothing but so behaued himself as that al the world was to loue honor him Al this is true indéed howbeit this were ouer cold a kind of doctrin to be taught that our lord Iesus had néede to be excused exempt from all blame And therefore the prophet had a farder consideratiō with him ioineth these 2 points together which are héere set downe to wit the god had put his only son to al horrible rebuke shame yet was innocent guiltles Now if men should lift vp thēselues against him it not done by the prouidēce counsel of god it might be said that they were furiously bēt yet knew not any cause why neuertheles it is said that it was done by the hande of God For although the priestes and all the Iewes in general the Souldiers were stirred vp by the Deuill to vomit out these blasphemies which we read of in the Gospell against our Lord Iesus yet Isaiah saith that they had neuer bin able to haue done it with out the appointment of the Lorde and therefore we must not fixe our eyes onely vpon men to say that this or that they haue done but it is as if God had set him selfe downe in his iudgment seat to haue fully determined to sende his onely sonne into the handes of such wicked and cruell tirauntes as that no shame and villanye that was possibly to be deuised should not light vpon him And therfore when it is not onely said that men but the God his father also spared him not Iohn 3 16. who gaue him to death for our redemption whereof Saint Iohn also speaketh that God so loued the world as that hée woulde shewe it in the person of his Sonne because he gaue him ouer to so bitter a death for vs if we so lift vp our eyes as to acknowledge that nothing came vnto the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ but by the determination of God we must conclude that since Iesus Christ was innocēt as indéede he was that therin manifestly appeared our sinnes and iniquities so that all the shames and reproches which lighted vpon him shoulde haue bene vpon vs. And therfore let vs vnderstande that it is méete that all the Creatures in the worlde shoulde arme them selues to crye for vengeaunce vpon vs yea and although they haue neither mouthe nor tongue yet might they be there so to discouer all our shames and vices as that both heauen and earthe might bee ashamed of vs. Wée sée now what we are to consider of in this first place For either God must at pleasure haue thus afflicted his onely sonne or els haue shewed vs what we deserued for the greeuosnes of our sins to wit that wee are blame worthie of al handes In very deede wee cannot a way with the least punishment that may be and besides we are so effeminate and impacient as that if our credit bée touched we will eftsoones wonderfully storme and all this is because we know not what we are neither iudge wée whether wée bée rightfully or wrongfully blamed Wherfore let vs well consider that although the rebuke and shame which we deserue are abolished in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ yet is it méete that God should moue and stirre vs to repentance although we would not by our willes enter into the tryall and examination of our shame yet rayseth hée vp men to awake vs and the more that wée woulde goe about to hyde our faultes by vaine excuses the more layeth hée our shame open before vs to the ende it might bée knowne Saint Paule amongst the fruites of repentance setteth downe this 1. Cor. 14.25 2. Cor. 7.11 That when we think of our wicked life past wée shoulde close our eyes grone before the Lord God and be ashamed of our selues But what is he that doth it so perfectly as it ought to bée done Nay we rather séeke after an hipocritical maner to forget our sinnes and iniquities and GOD meaneth to remember vs and to call vs to an account whenas he séeth vs so sleightly and cunningly hide them But by the way let vs consider that wee may now present our selues before God and his Angels and be assured that our sinnes shall not bée layde vnto our charge neither yet our vncleannesse bée discouered and that because our Lorde Iesus hath borne such blame neither was this by chaunce as wée commonly say neither yet did men falsely take this matter vpon them against him without the good will and pleasure of God But because God had thus established the matter by his heauenly iudgement Nowe forsomuche as our Lorde Iesus was iust and righteous it was also very méete that hée should beare our burden vpon him being in this sort afflicted And therefore let vs in the first place vnderstand that we deserue to haue all rebuke and shame to bee laide vpon vs and yet for all this that wée are pardoned of the same because he hath discharged vs thereof and hath made satisfaction for it in his owne person Thus wée sée why and to what purpose the innocencie and puritie of the Sonne of God is héere spoken of For it is not set downe to the ende to excuse him but for this cause that we might féele what wee are and whether we must néedes be brought except we were redéemed and bought from it Moreouer the Prophet meaning to expresse such a full perfection as coulde not be amended sayth That there was no deceite founde in his mouth Nowe Saint Iames saith Iames. 3.2 That he must needes be a very perfect man out of whose mouth escapeth not an ill word because the tongue is the weakest thing that maybe And although we be too too much inclined to al kind of wickednes yet that man that can refrain his handes and féet and in
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
is no doubt but that we shall all be linked together in this prayer in all the prayses thankes giuing vnto the Lord and that Iesus Christ doth as a man would say powre out and become as it were the chiefe chaunter to bring vs into our prayers so that by his meane the sound of our voices do in such sort ioyne together as that they make very swéet pleasaÌ„t harmony For when we the Angels of heauen shal pray together to God will not this be a most excellent priuiledge But when the sonne of God wil vouchsafe to be so familiar with vs as to say come your wayes I will be your spokes man would not this meruellously rauish vs Moreouer his was figured in the Lawe whenas the high Priest did not onely offer vnto God the Sacrifices but ioined also with them prayers supplications And therfore vnder the auncient shadowes no Priest could make intercessioÌ„ vnto god and be made acceptable without the sheading of blood howbeit hée ioyned also with blood prayers that the sinnes of the people might be forgiuen and that God might receiue such to mercy as were worthie to be reiected Thus we sée that our Lord Iesus Christ hath taken away the figures of the lawe and hath fulfilled and ended them in his owne person That is hée hath offred vp blood for the washing away of our sinnes not the blood of Calues Hebr. 9.14 and shéepe as the maner was in the lawe but euen his owne precious blood which was consecrated by the holie Ghost to the ende wée might be wholly sanctified by him And yet hée ioyned prayers with the effusion of blood And therefore we sée why at this day he is called our Mediatour and maketh intercession for vs. And when Saint Paule speaketh of prayers hée saieth 1. Tim. 2.5 That there is one God and Mediatour euen the man Iesus Christ Hée might verie well haue sayde There is one God and one Iesus Christ who is the eternall word of God and of the selfe same essence glorie and maiestie Nowe hée vseth not this kinde of spéech But hée saieth there is one God and one Mediatour betwéene God and men euen the man Iesus Christ As if hée should haue sayde Hebr. 4.15 Hebr. 7.27 9.7 Behold the Sonne of God who after hee had taken vpon him our nature and was made man lyke vnto vs sinne except maketh now intercession for vs. Nowe the Priestes in the olde time néeded to pray for them selues and so they did and for the sinnes of all the people in which number they were also comprehended But our Lord Iesus as touching him selfe néeded not so to doe neither is there any cause why he should for his parte craue pardon for any sinnes that hée had committed but maketh intercession for vs. Rom. 8.31 And therefore when Saint Paule would enbolden vs to come vnto God hée namely saith If God be on our side who shall be against vs For although we haue many enemies yet let vs not be afeard and vnto whom must we yéeld an account of the bestowing of our whole life Who also is our Iudge Forsooth euen the man Iesus Christ and he him selfe also is our Aduocate to make intercession and an agréement betwéene God and vs. It is euen he that must obtayne grace for vs. Wherfore we may with good courage come before the maiestie of God yea boldly present our selues before his iudgement seat since we haue Iesus Christ to stand there betwéene him and vs. Thus then we sée what is the effect of that which we haue to consider of when as this saying of intercession is here spoken of To be short as often as the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ is talked of let vs ioyne theretoo eftsoones the prayer which he made once for all to the ende it might remaine for euer and woorke his effect For it is not nowe needfull for our Lorde Iesus Christ to kneele on his knees before God his Father to pray vnto him In deede it is saide that he will make alwayes intercession for vs. But howe Forsooth euen by the power of his death and passion and by the prayer that is made at this day For through the power thereof we are heard as if he him selfe at this day spake for vs and besides as I haue saide all our prayers are sanctified by him otherwise they should be but prophane And to say truely as often as the faithfull prepare themselues to pray vnto God They where the Papists sprinkle holy water as they call it about and charme coniure or rather mask mumme should féele that their praiers are besprinckled with the blood of Iesus Christ to the ende they might be pure and cleane and that God might receiue them as a swéete smelling sacrifice And herevpon let vs vnderstande that our Lorde Iesus Christ was not a sacrificing Priest for a day onely but kéepeth that office still euen vnto this day and for euer that we might alwayes féele the fruit therof Now if this had been rightly knowne men woulde not haue exceeded as hath come to passe in so many villainies superstitions For we sée howe the Papists at this day wander about lyke miserable stray beasts not knowing which way or path to take to pray vnto God For they haue an infinite number of Patrones and Aduocates and euerie man buildeth vpon his owne Patrone and Aduocate In déede they haue many common and ordinarie ones but yet after al their kyries as they say euerie man will say his deuotions to the Saint which he hath forged vnto him self Thus we see how Iesus Christ is robbed of his honour and glorie And this is out of all doubt that when they are not contented with Iesus Christe it must bee that the Deuill hath possessed them and put them in such a furie as it were to despight God who speaking of Iesus Christ in giuing him that office they haue giuen the right of it to this bodie that As the Papistes as this day call the virgine Marie their Mediatrix Nowe the Deuill goe with all their prayers For this is as much as if they forsooke God and our lord Iesus Christ And it cannot be chosen but that the virgine Mary her selfe cryeth out for vengeance against them Iohn 5.45 because they haue made a detestable Idoll of her and robbed Iesus Christ of the honour of this sacrifice ratefied by God with a solemne oth and haue done all they can to falsefie the whole scripture The Papistes think that the virgine Mary will help them but shée will rather as I haue alredie saide call for vengeance against them for the wrong which they haue done her For if they should spit on her do her all the villainies that were possible to be done without doubt they could not deuise to do her a greater shame then to call her a Mediatrix And why so Psal 110. â—
before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him to make vs more and more féele them that it might bée so to our humbling as that wée might daily fight against them and be spoiled of all together and that we might séeke to be clad with his righteousnesse and enriched with the giftes of his holy spirite to the end we might appeare pure and innocent before him And forsomuch as we had néede to be daily reconciled vnto him by meane of the Mediator that it would please him to graunt vs the grace to pray vnto him with a sure hope and trust so that we staying our selues on him might by true faith and power embrase the promise which hée hath made vs Mat. 11. â—8 when as hée saieth Come vnto mée all yée that labour and are heauy laden and I wil ease and refresh you So that we may féele that the office of the Mediator which was giuen him is not in vain and of no effect But that by his meane wée might at this day bée heard and our petitions and supplications so dedicated and consecrated vnto him as that God would receiue and allowe them Let vs therefore beséech him that hée will not shewe this fauour to vs alone but also vnto all people and nations of the world c. The first Sermon of the ascention of our Lord Iesus Christ Actes first 1 THe former booke haue I made O Theophilus of all that Iesus began both to doe and teach 2 Vntill the day in which hee was taken vp after that hee through the holy Ghost had giuen commandements vnto the Apostles whom he had chosen 3 To whom also he shewed himselfe aliue after his passion and that by many tokens appearing vnto them fortie daies speaking of the kingdome of God 4 And gathering them together commaunded them that they shoulde not departe from Hierusalem but wayte for the promise of the Father whereof saieth he you haue heard of me BEcause wée are too buyld our faith vppon God and his truth S. Luke héere telleth vs that Iesus Christ sent not his Apostles to teach what they themselues thought good But put his word into their mouthes and gaue them sure and certaine instruction to the end they might carrie such a faithfull message as that wee might take no occasion to doubt thereof And therefore when as we at this day heare the Gospel preached we ought to be fully resolued that it is the charge which God committed vnto his Apostles and receiue it as the thing which commeth from himself as indéede it doeth Moreouer to the end we should beare greater reuerence vnto the Gospel it is not said only that Iesus Christ deliuered it but that it was also done by the holy Ghost For as Iesus Christ is the very natural Sonne of God euen so likewise is he man and hath taken vpon him our fleshe and nature Nowe vnder this shadowe as no doubt of it the worlde is wicked a man might vnder a colour take occasion to contemne this doctrine or els not make so greate an account of it Here then we sée that Saint Luke saith that the charge which was geuen vnto the Apostles to teach procéeded not from Iesus Christ alone but from the holie Spirite also Wherefore wée at this present sée that the preaching of the Gospell is heauenly and not earthly and ratified by God himselfe Notwithstanding wée muste also obserue that the summe and effect of the Gospel is comprehended in these fewe woordes to wit That Iesus Christe both taught and made it So that if we will beare the name of Christians we must be taught that doctrine which Iesus Christ brought vs and besides be also eftsoones confirmed therein For he hath not onely spoken but hath likewise accomplished whatsoeuer was necessary for our saluation Moreouer because his death and resurrection was of al the rest the most principall poynt wée haue therefore spoken of it in order as it followeth S. Luke then saith that Iesus Christ after he had suffred shewed himselfe aliue vnto his Disciples and that by many manifest proofes which was not without good cause For when wée heare the promises of God spoken on our faith wil still hang in suspence vntil such time as we are assured of his grace and fauour which can neuer be without the gage which he hath geuen vs to wit that Iesus Christ suffered for our redemption beare the punishment due for our sinnes Thus héere wée sée that Saint Luke speaketh not in vaine of the proofes which were giuen to assure vs that Iesus Christ is risen againe 1. Cor. 15.14 For harken what Saint Paul saieth that if Christ be not risen our faith is in vaine and our Preaching also in vaine wée haue no more hope then very Beastes By this we sée that the ende of our hope is that Iesus Christ is rysen from the dead And this is the victory indéed which he hath gotten yea euen to shew that he is Lorde ouer lyfe and death Rom. 4.15 Saint Paul also saith that Iesus Christ dyed for our sinnes and if hée had remayned dead still what hope might wée haue had by him but beholde hée rose agayne that is the triumph which he had ouer death to the end we might beléeue in him Saint Peter likewise to shew that wée ought to beléeue in Iesus Christ 1. Peter 3.21 bringeth for proofe héereof none other thing but his resurrection Let vs therefore obserue that when Saint Luke sayeth that Iesus christ shewed himselfe aliue he speaketh of a thing that was requisit for the assurance of our saluation Wherefore if wée woulde haue the principall poynt of Christianitie wée must come to this resurrection by which hee purchased for vs lyfe and saluation and shewed himselfe to bée the very Sonne of God Moreouer let vs also learne that since Saint Luke saieth that Iesus Christ hath made vs such proofes of his resurrection let vs not call that thing into question which God himselfe hath so well approued And therefore if we are not at this day fully persuaded that Iesus Christ is risen agayne let vs thanke our owne vnthankfulnesse Saint Luke also vseth a kinde of spéech which a fourdeth an argument that bringeth with it a present proofe And in deed we sée what payne the Euangelistes haue taken in this matter For when they come to speake of the resurrection they lay foorth all the circumstaunces and besides they recyte all the testimonies of his wordes for hée hath saide and declared that it was no vaine imagination or vision whereby some trouble might afterward arise And therefore wée ought to vnderstande and knowe that since they haue taken so great paynes héerein that wée must not stande in doubt of it but it is fit wée should receiue their wordes as sure and certaine séeing they bring so good a proofe with them And therefore for this matter whereof Saint Luke speaketh that Iesus Christ
in doubte to bée drawne this way and that wee must altogether endeuour our selues to haue a regard to our consciences and then is Iesus Christe our Phisition who is able to remedy vs. And according to this doctrine let vs fal down before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him not to remember our life passed but to giue vs warning thereof to the end that wée being ashamed of our selues it would please him so to gouerne vs as that after this life wée might reigne also with him And so let vs say O Almightie God and heauenly father c. The fourth Sermon of the Ascention Acts first 9 AND when he had spoken these thinges while they beheld hee was taken vp an high and a cloude receiued him vp out of their sight 10 And while they looked vp stedfastly towarde heauen as he went behold two men stood by them in white apparrell 11 Which also said yee men of Galilee why stand ye gazing vp into heauen This same Iesus which is taken vp frō you into heauen shall so come euen as you haue seene him goe into heauen NOw we haue at this time to hādle the matter which S. Luke héere setteth down of the Apostles beholding of the Ascention of our Lord Iesus into heauen Now it is not enough for vs that we knowe the hystorie but wée are also to note that hée setteth downe this as a chiefe Article of our Faith and surely the Articles of our faith are not onely profitable but also necessary for our saluation Howbeit wée shall neuer profite our selues greatly by the Ascention of our Lorde without we know it to be true in déede And therefore Saint Luke saith that the Apostles sawe him ascend and saith besides that they abode stil gazing there vntill such time as they were told that they must tarry no longer but returne to Ierusalem to doe their office as was commanded them vntill the iudgement day Thus we sée what he saith of the Ascention of our Lorde to the end it might not be called againe into question Very true it is that is saide that they are blessed which haue beléeued and not séene Wherefore wée must beléeue this Ascention rather then if wée had séene it for since the Apostles see it Iohn 20.29 and tell vs of it it is not for vs any whit to doubt thereof Let vs nowe come to the wordes of S. Luke That a clowd receiued him vp out of their sight Now here might a questiō be asked why the heauens opened not that the Apostles might haue séen the glorious estate of our Lord Iesus But there was great reason why they should loose the sight of him by meane of a cloude because our Lord knoweth well enough our condition and therefore for the correcting of our high minds it is good we should be restrained Yea verily for if the Apostles had séene into heauen wée woulde haue taken occasion thereby to haue growne hautie as wée sée in déede we are thereto ouermuch giuen For we are too too mad headed and without modestie to desire to vnderstand euen those secretes of God which hée woulde not haue vs to knowe And therefore it was expedient that this clowde shoulde be betwéene them and him By this then wée are let to vnderstande that we must be humbled and not be so arrogant as to ascend vp into the heauens to search after the workes of the Lord. And this instruction are we to learne by this place Now it is saide that there appeared two Angels but Saint Luke calleth them men according to the common maner of the Scripture For because Angels are naturally spirituall wee cannot sée them except they shewe themselues in some visible shape Wée sée now the reason why our Lorde would from the beginning haue them appeare in mens shapes Howbeit he left alwaies som token with them that they might bée knowne to be Angels For if we vnderstand thē to be only as mortall men we would neuer do them that honor which vnto them apperteined which woulde derogate from the giuing credite vnto their message And therefore God alwaies set a marke on them that we might know them For beholde why it is héere saide Iohn 20.12 that they were clad in white apparrell and in the resurrection also of Iesus Christe they appeared in white garments Héerein then the mind of our Lord was to declare that wée should reuerently receiue them and vndoubtedly credite their message Thus I say we sée why S. Luke heere sayth that they were apparrelled in white garments Now we are héere to note all the circumstances of this matter for God would not haue any one of them to be lost nor yet ouerslipt such is his infinite wisedome ouer all the worlde If the Angels then haue such a Maiestie in their appearance vnto vs what shall we say of the glorious appearing of our good God For the brightnesse of God his glorious Maiestie is not only as the brightnesse of the Sunne but farre excelling the brightnesse of an hundred thousand Sunnes if they shoane héere all at once in the world So then whenas wée sée that the Angels should be so precious vnto vs as that wée should so wonderfully reuerence them we must consider what the Maiestie of God is to bée spoken of yea euen the very thinking of him shoulde cause vs meruellously to worship him and acknowledge our selues to be no body in respect of him who is maiestie it selfe And thus wée sée what is meāt by the speaking of the maiestie of Angels although they appeare but in mens shapes Now let vs come to their spéech Yee men of Galilee say they why stand yee gazing vp into heauen It is cōmonly thought that the Apostles were héere called Galileans by way of reproche for wée sée that the Galileans were of no greate estimation in the world And therfore this was the opiniō that went of thē as if the Angels should haue said O yée miserable blockheads know ye not that as hée is ascended vp into heauen that so hee shall also come againe Howbeit you perceiue not why this was thus spoken and in this sense And therefore let vs vnderstand that the angels called the Apostles galileans because they were taken to be such Iesus Christ was also so called and when the Disciples should haue béen accused to be of the company of Iesus Christ it was asked thē Matth. 2◠Are not you also of Galilée And sithēce the death of our Lord Iesus the wicked haue vsed this saying as may be perceiued by the wicked Apostate Iulian who at his death said Thou hast ouercome mée O Galilean being angry and dispited with Iesus Christ because he felt that hée had ouercome him And so were the Apostles called héere Galileans because they were taken for those countrie men Moreouer it is not without cause that the Angels héere reproue them For they knewe that Iesus Christe should ascend into
deale with a Iewe to bring him to the knowledge of Iesus Christ Moreouer we must let him vnderstand that when the kingdome of the Messiah is spoken of in the scripture that it is a spirituall kingdome to the ende hée should not be deceiued to thinke him to be an earthly King as all the Iewes imagined And this is it which caused them to refuse Iesus Christ forsomuch as he reigned not ouer the people as they thought hée shoulde haue done Nowe for the first point wée haue nothing wherefore to stande against the Papistes but for the second For they graunt vnto vs that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God and the same that was promised in the law and that hée was put to death and rose agayne And héerein we easily agrée But they are to be taught to what end hee came For they doe not acknowledge him to be the same man in déede that hée is Wée knowe that we must beléeue that our saluation commeth by Iesus Christ alone by his death and passion And the Papistes cleane contrary attribute it vnto their workes and merittes and other their inuentions and thinke by that meane to be sanctified Wherefore they séeke in their workes the thing which can no way be founde but in Iesus Christ Thus we see that it is not néedefull for vs to teach the Papistes any thing as concerning the person of Iesus Christ but onely to shewe them what his power and vertue is wherefore hée came and what benefite we may reape thereby Nowe Saint Peter hath héere taken vpon him to set foorth these two pointes For the Iewes knewe not that Iesus Christ was the Messiah sent from God and therefore much lesse knew they his power and why he came And therefore hée telleth them that he shewed himselfe to be the Sonne of God amongst them in as much as he rose againe so that by his resurrection they might know him to be the verie same because hée was deliuered from death and ouercame it and therefore that life and saluation must be had in him and by him And this is it which Saint Peter meaneth to declare in this first place he will also shewe vs what fruit we haue by his resurrection which wée meane to declare hereafter as it commeth in order to be handled Nowe séeing we at this present vnderstand the purpose of Saint Peter and the order of his Sermon let vs follow it and learne to acknowledge that so soone as God bestoweth any benefite vpon vs that it is because we are the members of Iesus Christ and not for our workes nor yet for any other thing that we are any way able to offer vnto him And therefore let vs haue no more these royling imaginations in our heades as to be persuaded this way and that but let vs come to the acknowledging of our sinnes and be sory for them as we sée Saint Peter goeth about to bring the Iewes theretoo héere in this place when as hée speaketh of the death of Iesus Christ For in the first place hée accuseth them saying Yee haue slaine him Nowe we may verie well sée that hée meaneth not by this spéech to flatter them And indéede S. Peter did cast this in their dish as we say to the end he might pricke their hearts and wound them to the quicke as hereafter we shal sée that it so stuck grieued thē at the hearts as that they were therewith conuerted Thus and by this meane must men be wonne to come to be humbled and brought to the acknowledging of their offences For if we continually preach vnto them pleasant and delightfull things they will doe nothing els but toy and tryfle and be Gods fellowes and play with him euen as they would doe with a mortall man We sée how it fared with the woman of Samaria when she spake vnto Iesus Christ and that he told her of the water of lyfe whereof he said if she drunke Iohn 4. 11. that she shoulde neuer thirst she mocked him like a naughtie packe as she was But after he had once brought her to the acknowledging of her sinne and tolde her that she went to seeke her husbande and remembred her of her wicked life past she was more milde in her speech then she was at the first For when he simplye and plainely layde before her the graces of God she laughed him to skorne and sayd why where shall we haue a Bucket wherewith to draw the water séeing the well is so very deepe but when hée had saide vnto her Thou art an harlot thou hast had fiue husbandes and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband she then acknowledged her sinne and sayde that Iesus Christ was an holy Prophet And therefore vntill such time as we tremble at the horror of our sinnes we will neuer giue place vnto the woord of God And that was the cause that made Saint Peter accuse the Iewes of the slaying of Christ not that he tooke any pleasure in thus reproouing of them but to the ende they might vnderstande that their condemnation was at hande for their sinnes and on the other side that they had forgiuenes of them by Iesus Christ if they woulde acknowledge him and come vnto him Nowe héere in this place haue the ministers of God a rule set downe vnto them to witte that they must touch men to the quick and tell them of their sinnes that they might vnderstand that God is their Iudge and will not leaue their obstinate sinning vnpunished and by that meane be brought backe vnto him by repentance which they wil neuer doe except they be reprooued and roughly handled And therefore let vs suffer GOD too rule and condemne vs to the end he might pardon vs. We shal finde a greate number of men that would be very glad the Gospel should bee preached so that it might be for their gaine serue their carnall desires and be as it were a cloake for their villanies Now this must not bee the end of our preaching For our Lord Iesus Christ saide That when the holy Ghost should come that he should rebuke the world of sinne that hée shoulde sit as a Iudge in the place of iustice and iudge the world Iohn 16. 8. And therfore wée shal neuer bée able to deale faithfully with the Gospel without the worlde bée brought to this condemnation and that euery man may know what it is for euerie of vs to rebuke himselfe Wherfore let all such as flatter themselues groane and bée hartily sory and let al such as take their pleasures be afeard and tremble and let all those who perswade themselues to bée righteous looke more narrowly vnto themselues to the ende wée might all bee brought to this acknowledging of our sinnes by which wée shall grow to be penitent so cōsequently come into the fauour of God Thus wée sée why it is that S. Peter vseth such a bitter reprehension vnto the Iewes whenas hée saith That they
had crucified and slayne Iesus Christ And afterwarde saith being deliuered by the determined Counsell and foreknowledge of God As if hée should haue said Although hée was deliuered by wicked handes and that you haue put him to death yet was it not done without the wil of God Now it is not for naught that S. Peter added this saying by the determined Counsel foreknowledge of God For the Iewes might haue replied and sayd If it be so that the same Christ Iesus of whom thou so much speakest of be the Messias why hath hée suffred himselfe to be thus tormented and put to death And this is a thing that will hardly perswade them For wée sée euen at this day how they mocke scorne at it saying If Iesus Christ had béen the Sonne of GOD how is it possible that hée would abide the shamefull death of the crosse And thus doe the wicked vomite out this blasphemie by reason of the obiect of the crosse because they think to be a thing derogatorie from the Maiestie of the sonne of God And therefore S Peter preuēteth these fātasies which might be a let vnto the Iewes to beléeue his doctrine And telleth them that none of all this geare came by fortune as might haue béene iudged but euen by the will of God Now if wée rightly considered of the power of God wée shoulde be cleane voyde of al these fond imaginations For wee know that God is not without wit and reason and that whatsoeuer hée did hée did it méerely for the saluation of mankinde His resurrection also is diligently to bee obserued of vs for as the death of Iesus Christ might giue vs occasion of offence if wée considered of it onelie by it selfe euen so in his resurrection we sée the woonderful power glory of God which might make vs not to bée offended whatsoeuer troubles and fantasies arise And therfore S. Peter said not without cause that that which Iesus Christ suffred was doone by the foreknowledge of God For it must néedes come to passe that Iesus Christ must bée the offred vp sacrifice vnto God his Father to blot out the sinnes of the worlde Wherefore when wee sée the Counsell of God tend to such an end let vs vnderstand that whatsoeuer is done is done for our benefit neuer enquire why Iesus Christ suffred because we sée therin the infinite goodnes of God we sée as S. Paul saith the loue which appeareth vnto vs Tit. 3.4 in that he spared not his onely begottē sonne but deliuered him to death for our sakes On the other side we sée how obediēt Iesus Christ was to god his father let vs not therfore be so presumptuous as to enter into these foolish thoughts and say why doth God this or that For wée know that whatsoeuer hée hath ordeyned is grounded vpō the fatherly loue which he beareth vs. And so whē wée looke at this we thē sée why it is that Christ Iesus suffred This therfore is the reasō wherfore S. Peter saith the God had decréed this in his vnchāgeable counsel Moreouer he was cōtēted that this should be done by the hād of the wicked vngodly Wherin we sée that it is in the wicked to hurt the godly but that they cā doe nothing wtout the sufferance of God neither can we haue a more excellent spectacle héerin thē the very person of Iesus Christ For we cānot choose but know that whatsoeuer he suffred was long agoe foretold by the Prophets It is said that he was nayled on the Crosse because it was so foretold Thus we sée how these théeuish Romanists crucify him to wit the souldiers vnto whō the executiō was cōmitted because it was so prophesied They gaue him very sharpe bitter drinke to drinke Iohn 19.24.28 they parted his garmēts al this they did because it was so writtē To be short there was nothing done in this but that which God had before ordeined Thus we sée that the wicked can doe nothing without God giue them leaue For we sée that these vngodly ones could goe no farther then God had licensed them And therefore whatsoeuer is said of Iesus Christ is to be applied to our vse for he himselfe hath sayd that the little sparrowes shall not fall on the ground without his ordenance If so be then that the prouidence of God extendeth it selfe vnto these small foules Mat. 10.29 it must needes folowe that nothing commeth to passe without his appointment he sayeth after that that the hayres of our head are numbred wherein he sheweth the fatherly care which he hath ouer vs and besides because we are the members of Iesus Christ and touch him very neere he would haue vs vnderstand that he taketh vs for his children For although the world be as it were the house of God and he the Goodman of the houshold yet doeth hee singulerly reuerence and like his Church and hath a speciall care thereof And therefore wee see what wee are to thinke of the prouidence of god to wit that S. Peter would haue no fantastical things set down nor yet haue vs serch after subtilties with edifie not His meaning then is not to procéede after any such sort but sheweth that God hath so well prouided for our saluation as that we neede not séeke for any other meane but that onely which he hath appointed And besids he would haue vs vnderstād that we are so sure vnder the hand of God his protection as that nothing can be done against vs but that which he hath determined For if it were not so what should become of vs if we were guided by fortune as mad men think we are surely our estate were more accursed then the estate of brute beasts But whēas we vnderstād that god is the gouernour of al things this ought greatly to comfort vs we might theron very well stay our selues Wherfore we sée it to be a necessary vertue to know the prouidēce of god And therfore we are to cōsider that as Iesus Christ suffred nothing but by Gods permission euen so whatsoeuer shal betide vs cōmeth frō God this then is it with we are to obserue here in this place Yea we are throughly to cōsider of this word counsel Indéed there are some men which wil speake of the prouidence of God but it shal be but a foolish imaginatiō therof for they thinke that he himselfe taketh his ease in heauē aboue giueth fortune or nature leaue to rule here below Now we are contrariwise here told the God ordeyneth al things disposeth euery thing at his will pleasure True it is that the same is vnknown to vs neither can we comprehende it but we must be onely contented to vnderstād that hee is the Gouernour thereof neither must wee as I haue already said doe as some foolishe felowes doe who say And if God knoweth what shal come to passe it is not for vs to set downe any order and