hée setteth downe this promise That God woulde powre out his Spirite vpon all fleshe Wherein hée sheweth that when God will punishe the iniquitie of the world it is not to make his chosen people dispaire but to confirme them by the exercise of the troubles in this world which are rather laide vpon the chosen then vpon the reprobate Wée sée then how that our Lord is not so redy to powre out his vengeance but that he pardoneth al those which haue recourse vnto his goodnesse and mercy For hée is alwayes néere vnto theÌ„ Psal 145.18 which truly call vpon him Now this hath continually béen the common vaine of the Prophetes that when they woulde comfort poore sinners they would bring them to the knowledge of Iesus Christe And it was not without cause for take vs from Iesus Christ and then what shall wée finde in God Surely we shall finde suche an excellencie and highnesse in him as shall throwe downe all creatures into the bottomeles depth because that when we are come to the knowledge of our selues wée shall finde nothing in vs saue sinne and iniquitie to present our selues before the maiestie of so great and mightie a Iudge wée can by no meanes possible looke for any other thing then the iustice and rigour of his vengeance prepared for vs by reason of our iniquities And I beséeche you which of vs in déed shall bée able to exempt him self from out of the number of sinners that hée may bée bolde to say hée had not néede haue recourse vnto the knowledge of Iesus Christe And yet wée sée howe carelesse wée are in this behalfe In déede there is no man that will openly say that he woulde not know Iesus Christ howbeit there are but a fewe which will trauell to séeke for him as hée ought to bée sought for And therefore it is no maruell though the Prophetes stoode alwaies vpon this point to bring vs to the knowledge of Iesus Christe for that is the only meane by which wée must bée reconciled vnto God and wheron we must be grounded Wée sée then that when the holy Ghost came downe so abundantly that it was to none other end but that al such as were estraunged from the knowledge of Iesus Christe might bee called and we al be brought together to be the people of God so receiue him But for the better vnderstanding of this place we must lay open the saying of the Prophet It will come to passe saith hée in the latter dayes that I will powre my spirite vpon all flâ—she and your sonnes and daughters shall prophesie and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dreame dreames Heerein is to bee obserued that although the Prophet saith that the holy ghoste shall bée powred out vpon all fleshe yet that all men shall not receiue him because we sée that a great many are bereaued thereof Neuertheles God calleth vs all but we vnthankefully and wickedly withstand him And this is alwayes a true saying That none commeth to him but such as the holy Ghost draweth By this also wee are let to vnderstande that if wee come vnto Iesus Christe by faith and so humbly holde vs there we shal receiue the graces of the holy Ghoste so abundantly as that we may bee able to communicate them vnto our neighbours And thus we see that Iesus Christe calleth vs all in generall howbeit it is very farre of that all doe come vnto him because we refuse the benefit that is offered vs. And how so Forsooth by reason we make our selues not worthie thereof alwaies desiring rather to giue our selues vnto our vanities then vnto the feare of God Wherefore since it is so that many receiue not the graces which are offered them although they are all called heere might a question be asked why the Prophet then speaketh after this maner In very deede the Prophet his meaning is to vse this generall kinde of speech to shew that God wil bring some of all estates and ages to knowe him and also because he maketh now no difference betweene the Iewe and the Gentile For the power of the holy Ghoste worketh euery where We see that the people of the Iewes were euen the very first amongst all other nations who knew the true God and although the beléeuing Iewes were few in number yet was the holy Gâ—st offered vnto them all In like case were the Gentiles also instructed by the preaching of the Gospâ—l Thus we sée it to be no wonder in the saying of the Prophet that God hath powred out his spirite vpon all flesh Nowe the doctrine which at the beginning was set foorth by the preaching of the Gospell came first of all to the Iewes to the ende that the saying of Ezechiel might be fulfilled that from the fountaine of Hierusalem the riuers should ouerflowe euen vnto the vttermost partes of the earth Wherein the meaning of the Prophet is that the diuersitie of tongues had neuer byn spread abroade if the holy Ghost had not byn sent vnto the Apostles to haue dispersed their doctrine throughout al the world And therefore let vs rightly coÌ„sider how God by his incoÌ„preheÌ„sible wisedom hath woonderfully wrought to haue the gospel to be published for although Iesus Christ had very sufficiently instructed the Apostles yet were they but grosse headed vntill such time as they had receiued the holye Ghost But after they had receiued him sée howe they became of simple soules such great and learned Clarkes as that they vnderstood the diuersitie of tongues the want of which as I haue alreadie said was an hinderance to the publishing of the Gospel And therefore it was not without cause that the Prophete Ioel saide that God had powred out his spirite vpon al flesh Moreouer wee are to obserue héere in this place this saying That the olde men and young men shoulde prophesie Whereby hee declareth that both olde and young shoulde bee partakers of the grace of the holie Ghost And therefore it is not now néedful for vs to séeke for any glose to vnderstand the meaning of the prophet in this spéech All fleshe because the very Texte sufficiently sheweth his meaning Nowe when hée saieth That the young men should prophesie Hée spake then according to the manner of the time in those dayes because GOD vsed these two kindes of meanes with his seruantes either in vision or els in dreame according to that which is set downe in the booke of Numbers Num. 12.6 that God would shew himself vnto his Prophets by visioÌ„s speake vnto them in dreames But it is said that he would speake with his seruant Moses mouth to mouth Howbeit it might bee alleadged that the doctrine of the law the doctrine of the Gospel is not like that although God manifested himselfe vnto the Prophetes in the olde Testament yet will hée not shewe himselfe vnto vs after that sort To answere this it is to bée considered that although the prophet
we must not doe as many of the Papists doe who neither care for God nor his worde but content them selues onely with this bare name of a Christian and so they may be called by that name they care for no more Nowe if they be asked and if they be Christians I pray you what answer will they make Surely they think they haue great wrong offred them to haue this question demaunded What I beséech you good Syr will they say are we not Christians haue we not béene baptized Yea ywis I graunt it But what faith haue you for all this Verely they will say that they beléeue as the Church beléeueth And so by this meane they haue aswadled fayth wherin their teachers haue instructed them in saying That it is sufficiēt for them to beléeue as the Church beléeueth Let them also be asked how God is to be serued and worshipped why they thinke that question is soone answered And thus doeth God iustly punish the iniquitie of men when we sée simple soules guided by such instructers of Satan to bring them tumbling headlonges together into the bottomlesse pyt of hell with them selues Thus we sée howe this Romish Idoll hath licoured Christendome with all kinde of lying and false doctrine And howe so Forsooth because men haue stopped vp the way against the word of God and are contented to be lycoured with leasing But by the way let vs come home to our selues and let vs neither condemne the Papistes nor yet any others but eftsoones apply this doctrine vnto our owne vse First of all we haue the Gospell the doctrine of all wisedome and yet how deafe and blockish are wée we are daily preached vnto But what instruction receiue we thereby for all that Surely surely it is wel enough perceiued and the fruit that commeth by it Without all doubt it is truely sayde That wée haue the Gospell But if we liue not in all obedience therevnto what testimony shall wée haue that wée are the seruants of God For according to that which wée handled on Sunday last we cannot be the seruants of God without wee be partakers of his holie spirite who is not without cause called the spirite of wisedome For by this we are shewed that we cannot haue so small a portion of the holy Ghost if we will continue it but that God wil more and more augment it in vs. In verie déede euerie man cannot haue the lyke measure thereof howbeit that is no let why we shoulde not encrease our small Talent For although a man hath the gift of tongues yet may he not haue one some grace which an other man hath And héerevpon is that saying of Saint Paule verefied Rom. 12.3 Ephes 4.7 That God will giue of his graces to euerie man according to such measure as wée are the members of Iesus Christ As we sée that the members of one bodie haue not all one office For the féete will doe that which the handes cannot doe the eyes are put to an other maner of vse then the eares are and so consequently are all the parts of the bodie Euen so our Lord will bestow his holie spirite vpon some after an other sort then hée will vpon other some and yet it is all one and the selfe same spirit and therfore if we would be knowne to be Christiās we must haue the knowledge of that which is spoken of and that it is God which guideth vs by his holie spirite to the ende we should not be like vnto those blinde ones which walke in infidelitie And thus much for this saying That God wil poure out of his holie spirite vpon all flesh Moreouer where it is saide That they shall prophesie herein the meaning of the Prophet is to signifie vnto vs That when God will instruct vs hée will doe it so perfectly as that the doctrine shall not onely profite our selues but that we shall also be able to teach others And in déede whosoeuer shall receiue greater graces from God then the rest is so much the more bounde to instruct the base and simple ones and giue him selfe to teach his neighbors Wherefore let vs vnderstande that after God hath instructed vs that it is our duetie to labour to bring others vnto the knowledge of him And hereupon it is that Isaiah speaketh saying Isaiah 2.2 Mich. 4.1 Let euerie man take his neighbour by the hand and lead him vp vnto the holy hill And this is one of the most principall pointes whereby God alloweth our Christianitie whē as we so loue our neighbours as to instruct them in the word of God Now this is done by the doctrine which we haue receiued of him at the handes of the Apostles which came out as we said last Sunday of the fountaine of Ierusalem whose riuers so ouerflowed the whole world as that euery man might not onely receiue it for his owne behoofe but also distribute it vnto our neighbours In déed all men are not Doctors to teach howbeit if we be Christians we haue sufficient wherewith to exhort our neighbours Let vs now come to the other part of the prophesie of the Prophet Ioell where it is saide That God will send terrible and wonderous signes blood and fyre and the vapoure of smoke The Sunne shall be turned into darknesse and the Moone into blood Wherein as wée haue briefly saide the Prophet meant to shewe that when God would visite his people at the comming of Iesus Christ although great felicitie and blessing was promised yet the meaning was not for all that but that we should sée horrible and merueylous thinges And therefore it was verie néedfull that we should be told of it to the ende we might vnderstande that the comming of Iesus Christ was not to place vs in this world as in a Paradise and to liue in it at our ease and pleasure But that Iesus Christ was sent to an other ende to wit that wee might be drawne from these earthly things and be lifted vp vnto heauenly matters And to say truely there were neuer so horrible and wonderfull thinges as were at the comming of Iesus Christ Nowe if it be asked why such thinges came to passe after that Iesus Christ was manifested it is because we were so cursed as that we would not receiue the graces which hée would haue bestowed vpon vs. And therefore when our Lorde offreth him selfe vnto vs and we refuse him must hée not then of necessitie so lift vp his hande as to thunder and storme that we might be afearde of that our so great vnthankfulnesse We sée therefore why it is saide that when God had poured out his holie spirit that we must néedes sée wonderfull troubles and whē we haue looked vnto heauen aboue and vpon the earth beneath we shall sée in them both such great trouble and feare as that a man woulde think heauen and earth should euen goe together so that the Sunne shoulde bée darkened the Moone be turned to blood the Starres
shall neuer perish as hée himself hath said Iohn 6.39 10.28 Wherfore let vs submit our selues vnto our lord Iesus Christ if we will féele the benefite accomplishment of the thing which S. Luke here speaketh of to our saluation to wit that God doth not onely speake to our eares his voice resounde in the ayre But his doctrine also pearseth our heartes that wée might be so enflamed perboyled renued as that we might cast away the corruptions of this world So that as we would be taken allowed for his people we might in trueth call vpon our God in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whō we are conioyned to this end that he might perfectly vnite vs vnto God his father And therfore behold why this holy Table is at this present made readie for vs. For as I haue before said we cannot possibly be partakers of any of the graces of the holy Ghost but by being the members of our Lord Iesus Christ Now how can we attain therto without he offer himself vnto vs biddeth vs vpon such a condition as truely ioyneth vs vnto him and he so dwelleth in vs as that whatsoeuer hée hath is oures whereby we might enioy the benefites which were graunted to him in our name Isaiah 11.2 It is said in the prophesie of Isaiah That the spirit of God rested on him howbeit it was not because he had any néed of the same nor yet for his own priuate vse But it was for the benefite of his whole body to wit the whole Church Let vs then know that since the Supper is at this time offred vnto vs that the meaning of our Lord Iesus is that we shoulde séeke all our felicitie in him And because we are very farre from him he of his great goodnesse commeth neare to vs. In very déed hée leaueth not his heauenly glory For we must not thinke that hée descendeth héere below as the Papists imagine to bestowe his body and blood vpon vs But although wée are farre from him yet ceaseth hée not to refresh vs with his body and blood neyther let vs leaue so farre foorth as shall be néedefull for vs to bée perfectly vnited to him Nowe marke why I say perfectly although in very déede hée maketh vs go on in some measure but yet how euer it is let not vs leaue to ioyne our selues to him And let vs vnderstand that hee will not deceiue vs of our hope séeing hee hath declared vnto vs that hée is our head and wée his members and that if wée suffer him to gouerne and guide vs wée shall finde him to bée a good and sure guide and the power of his holy Spirite to bée infinite to defend vs. In the first place then when wée come to this holy Table Let vs vnderstand that it is a secrete surpassing our capacities and therefore wee must héere giue place vnto faith And let vs know that the thing which wée cannot conceiue and vnderstand is notwithstanding accomplished by the secret and inuisible grace of the holy Ghost for sée how we are made partakers of the body blood of our Lord Iesus Christe Moreouer since hée dwelleth in vs and that wée are truly and in déed his body let vs not doubt but that whatsoeuer Isaiah speaketh of the graces of the holy Ghoste they belong and are proper vnto vs In very déede wee receiue not the holy Ghoste perfectly Ephe. 4.7 because there is a measure of the gift according to the saying of Saint Paule and wée must increase in it more more Besides it is not without cause that our Lorde Iesus hath so distributed it to vs by certaine and sure portions and degrées For it is néedefull that his power shoulde bee made perfect in our weakenesse to the end wée might hang alwayes vpon him 2. Cor. 12.9 and carefully call vpon his holy name that wée myght also bée humbled because wee know that there are many things in vs which may be amended Wée see then that wee should vnderstand that Iesus Christ dwelleth not in vaine in vs because hee will effectually witnesse vnto vs that his holy Spirite will powre foorth his power to strengthen vs in him that we might forsake this world and come vnto heauen It is said in that place of Isaiah That the Spirit of wisedome rested vpon him by which hée meaneth to shew that we are nothing but darknesse and miserable blinde foules and in steed of thinking our selues to be both able and skilfull wee shal alwaies peruert and falsifie the trueth of God vntill such time as hée inlightened vs and graunted vs an heauenly cléerenes which commeth not vnto vs either by birth or yet by inheritance And it is said besides that he hath the spirite of the feare of God and al because our desires are so many enimies against the will of God vntill such time as they be refourmed Rom 8.7 and altogether chaunged Besides it is said also that he hath the spirite of power to the ende we might vnderstand our weakenesse so that we coulde not choose but quaile if we were not strengthened from aboue wée shoulde then feele al these things whenas we should come to the receiuing of the testimonie which is héere set downe vnto vs and we should be persuaded that as mortall men distribute the bread and wine euen so will our Lord Iesus worke therein because it is done by his authoritie in his name is no deuised thing of mans braine but that Iesus Christe is the Authour thereof Thus we sée wherunto we must apply this history Moreouer let vs bée so vnited vnto this head as that wee may worship our God with one heart and one mouth and in the meane while let vs ioyne our selues together For it is not said that the apostles ioyned with all in one accord Because al the whole towne of Ierusalem was an enimie vnto them and yet although they were but few in number and a contemptible people they ceased not to persist and ioyne themselues together vnder the Ensigne or banner of God in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Euen so thē séeing there are such a number of Curre Dogges barking against vs and that the Diuell raiseth vp so diuersly many troubles let vs ioyne our selues together so much the more constantly and let not the bond of our concord bée loosed Rom. 12.18 that wée may by that meane be able to set our selues against Satan all his supporters True it is that we ought generally to séeke for peace with all men without exception For we should loue those which hate and persecute vs and wish them good although they deserue it not and yet wee must be their enimies for otherwise we should separate our selues from Iesus Christe And therefore let vs set our selues against all the world and let vs besides vnderstand that we must forsake our selues to be ioined to our Lorde Iesus Christe and he doth
history which we are now in hād with the secōd reasō is much more to be cōsidered of For the matter which we haue already touched is general but this saing properly belōgeth vnto the death and passiō of our Lord Iesus Christ when hée saieth Thinkest thou that I cannot pray to my father and he will giue me more then twelue legions of Angels Now a legion in those dayes was woont to be four or fiue thousand men And therfore saith hée sée what an heauenly army I am able to haue and yet am I contented to put all this quietlye vp why then comest thou to take vpon thée héere more then God would haue thée to doo or can abide thou shouldest doo Now it is very lawfull for vs to call vpon God and to beséeche him to defend our lyfe and as he accompteth it to be precious euen so must we desyre him that it would please him also to kéepe and preserue it But our Lord Iesus telleth hym that hee woulde nor ought not now to doo it And wherefore then woulde Peter vse violence contrary to that order which God hath permitted and established by his worde If a meane which of it selfe is lawfull ought not to be practised what shall become of that whiche God hath forbidden and declared to be punishable We then héere sée as I haue already said that the sonne of God submitted him selfe to all rebuke and shame and desired rather to be bound and fast manacled as a malefactor and a condemned person then to be made a lyer by any myracle and would haue god to stretch forth his arme to warrant him And héereby wee may vnderstande how greatly he estéemed of our saluation Howbeit héere is one point which I haue already noted to wit that he sendeth vs back to the will purpose of God his father For wtout this also it shuld séeme strange that he would not craue the aid which he right wel knew he might haue it should séeme he tempted God whenas he would not pray for it For we are promised that the Angels shall be round about them which feare God yea shal beare them in their handes Psal 34.7 Psal 91.11 that they shal not hurt them selues against a stone no euill shal come to them in their waies now when God promiseth vs any thing he would that the same should put vs in minde to praye vnto him for it And therefore as often as we are in néede our recourse must be vnto him that he might place his Angels to guide vs euery one according to his roome and office And this order we sée the holy Patriarks Fathers practised For thus said Abraham the Angel of the Lorde who neuer fayled mée Gen. 24.7 shal be in thy way with thée make thy iourney prosperous This order thē vsed the holy fathers Wherefore then would our Lord Iesus Christ haue the Angels to help him Luk. 22.43 For bicause as S. Luke reciteth he was therevpon before comforted and the Angels serued him to the ende to mittigate the anguish wherein he was Why it should séeme then that he contemned the necessary ayde of God no not so but he respected that which afterwarde he saide How shoulde the scriptures be fulfilled c. As if he should haue saide that if we doubted of any thing we might and ought then to beséeche the Lorde to looke vpon vs with his eye of mercy and compassion so make vs by all meanes possible to féele his power and vertue But when we are resolued that of necessitie it must be so and know the will of God to be such then must we none otherwise beséech hym but to fortify vs with an inuincible and constant power neuer to gaine say it nor yet be carried away with our affections but wholye goe with chearefull courage and countenaunce whether soeuer it pleaseth him to call vs. As for example if our enimies persecute vs and we know not how God hath determined to deale with vs nor what wyll be our ende we are to beséeche him that as our life is deare vnto him and hath taken it to kéepe that he would also shew our delyueraunce by the effect And when we are persuaded that God meaneth to call vs vnto him selfe we must leaue of all kinde of questining and fully resolue our selues to obey his maiesties vnchangeable decrée and ordenaunce And thus we sée the meaninge of our Lord Iesus Christ For he prayed all his lyfe long yea before he entred into the mighty combat which he abode he besought his heauenly Father that if it were possible that that cup might pas ouer him But hee by by concluded that since God his father had so ordeyned it say that he must discharge that charge which was cōmitted vnto him which was to offer vp an euerlastīg sacrifice to blot out y◠sins of the world when he sée him selfe to be called thereto that it was a resolute conclusiō set down the same I say was the very cause why he absteyned from praying to God for the contrary And therfore he would not that eyther Angels or yet men shoulde helpe him nor yet to haue God his father cause him to féele his power for his deliuerance from death but it sufficed him that hee had this spirite of constancie willingly to goe to doe his office Loe héere the full content and meaning hereof We nowe sée in the first place that the will of GOD must so stay and bridle vs as that when wee thinke thinges to be farre vnlike and against al reason to estéeme more of the ordinance of God then of any thing that our fond and vayne brayne can comprehend Wherefore we must throw our imaginatiōs cleane vnder the féet whē we perceiue that God hath otherwise prouided And this is one péece of the obediēce of our faith whē we thinke God to be so wise as that he hath power authority to doe whatsoeuer pleaseth him And although wee can make reasons to the contrary let vs wel vnderstand that they are but smoke vanity that God knoweth al things frō whō no secretes are hid yea and his wil to be the rule of al wisedome and righteousnesse And besides whatsoeuer our mind saith to the contrary it is by reason of our grosse vnderstanding for we know that the wisedome of God is infinite and scarcely haue wée thrée drammes of wit It is there fore no maruell though men grow wilde and sauage whē God ruleth thē not as they would thēselues And why so Forsooth bicause we are very ydiots And in very déede so long as our wit and reason beare any rule it is euen very beastly Wherefore because we cannot finde out the bottomlesse depth of Gods iudgementes let vs learne to honour that which is kept secrete from vs Let vs I say humbly reuerently honour it and say that whatsoeuer God doth is iust and right though we cannot
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
and terrefie the whole worlde and all mankinde that we might worship God with one accorde and bée obedient vnto him But by the way we must be wakened because we are too too blockish and we must also lay aside all arrogācie that wée might be brought to obey his Maiestie séeing wée right well know that we are most miserable and no better then dust and ashes yea our soules also are verie corrupt vntil it pleaseth the Lord to renue them Moreouer when the holie Ghost came downe in such a likenesse to wit in clouen and firie tongues that was the more liuely to expresse vnto vs howe God would worke by the preaching of the Gospell If a man speake his voice vanisheth away in the ayre Rom. 1.16 and dyeth Nowe it is saide that the Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to all beléeuers What can a sounde which flyeth in the ayre and vanisheth bring vs to the kingdome of heauen There is no man liuing that is able of him selfe to make the least flye that is it is saide That the image of God is repaired in vs ◠Pet. 1.23 and that wee receiue this incorruptible séede whereby we might attaine to this heauenly glorie be companions with the Angels be transfigured euen into the glory and immortalitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ and be partakers as S. Peter saieth 2. Pet. 1.4 of the diuine nature And may all this be done by the voice of a man No sure But it is here namely saide that the holie Ghost is linked with an inseparable bonde vnto the word preached For why tooke hée vpon him this shape of tongues Surely there is alwayes some likelihood betwéene the visible signes and th◠trueth which is figured in them And therefore we are to consider wherefore the holy Ghost appeared in the fourme of tongues forsooth it was to shew that hée woulde be in the mouthes of the Apostles and woulde giue them whatsoeuer was requisite for the executing of their office and commission and likewise so blesse their labour as that it should not be vnprofitable Nowe we knowe in the first place that the most able man that is to be found cannot vtter one word without the spirit of God gouerneth him And herein God sheweth what we are 1. Cor. 12.3 séeing wée are not able to open our mouthes to speake one word to his glory which shall turne to any purpose without it come from him It must therefore néedes fall out that the spirite of God gouerned the Apostles for els they had become dumbe We sée besides how groase headed they were For they might haue bin more quick and sharpe witted but that God meant to shew vnto vs as in a glasse by their groasenesse what we are vntill such time as he hath enlightned vs with his grace In déed when the Apostles kept company with our Lord Iesus whō they tooke to be their maister they verie soberly obeyed his doctrine But in the meane while what was their knowledge without doubt we sée that they were verie beastes insomuch that when we consider of them howe litle they profited in so good a Schoole their slacknesse should make vs ashamed Howbeit this their dealing hath greatly profited vs For behold they were chaunged in the minute of an houre whereby the grace of God hath shined a great deale the more because wée sée they spake so wonderfull mightely of the secretes of God whereat euerie man was abashed where before it was thought to be nothing Moreouer let vs consider of their power and constancy surely they all quayled and it should séeme that their fayth was dead and of no force For mark how Peter euen one of the chiefest of them villainously forsooke his Maister and yelded himself the bondslaue of Satan Wherefore it was God that must put too his hand because it was impossible for any man to helpe it And so let vs obserue that it was not without cause that the spirite of God appeared in the likenesse of tongues because it was a declaration that God by that meane had allowed and sealed vp the doctrine of the Gospell to the ende we might reuerently and humbly receiue it and not reason from whence it came séeing God hath stretched foorth his arme and declared him selfe to be the Authour thereof And besides it is not without cause that they were clouen and fierie tongues For we know how mankinde had deuided it selfe by the estraunging of it selfe from God And the platforme that was layde for the building vp of the Tower of Babylon Gen. 11 7. was the cause that men vnderstood not one an other nor yet spake one to the other so that they thought that God of verie anger had deuided them Howe falleth it out then that the Apostles hauing been alwayes enclosed as simple and vnlearned people in this corner of Iudea were able to publish the Gospell throughout the worlde if God had not accomplished that which before hee had promised to wit Isaiah 19.18 that all languages and nations should know him In déede it was said that all men should speake the Hebrew tongue that they might agrée together in one true fayth But it is more manifestly set foorth when as it is saide that all the faithfull of what nation soeuer they were should call vpon God with one accord and crye Abba Rom. 8.15 Father notwithstanding their sundry languages Thus we sée how the spirite of God would poure abroad the power of his tongues Ephes 2.14 to the end that all men might call vpon the name of God that we might all be made partakers together of this couenant of saluation which apperteined onely to the Iewes vntill the wall was broken downe And herein we sée the vnspeakeable goodnesse of God in conuerting of yll into good For if we séeke for the cause why there are so many languages in the worlde we must néedes confesse it to be the curse of God and yet herein appeareth his wonderfull fatherly goodnesse and mercy to haue the glad tydinges of euerlasting life to be caried through the world in all languages Thus we sée howe God hath conuerted euill into good And therefore we haue hereby the more to glorifie and blesse his holy name because wee knowe that the diuersitie of tongues haue not letted him to declare vnto all the worlde that hée meaneth to receiue all such as had before estraunged them selues from him and thrust them all as it were into his bosome vntill suche time as hée hath brought them together into the heauenly enheritance And thus much for this Howbeit this were not enough to haue the Gospell preached and to haue God to be knowne all the world ouer without this doctrine had foorthwith power liuely to touch mens heartes that they might be brought to obedience This then was the cause why the fyrie tongues appeared Yea verely For in the first place we had néede to be purged because we are altogether