handled the matter as that the verie mouth of the Iudge shoulde beare witnesse of the innocency of his sonne yet for all that hée hath promised he will perfourme And therfore when Dauid would strengthen him selfe against all temptatiōs Psal 12. he saith that the word of God was like vnto siluer which had béen seuen times purified in the fyre Euen so as oftentimes as we doubt of the promises of our lord Iesus Christ and shal be troubled and gréeued as that is the subtletie of Satan to make vs loath our selues to be out of heart Let vs returne vnto this testimony that howeuer it is our Lorde Iesus Christ hath appeared vnto the world that he might be a faithful witnesse for vs and let vs at this day be assured that hée in effect sheweth vs that he hath not giuen vs all these promises in vaine because he will without all doubt performe them And thus much we haue in summe to consider of Moreouer whē Pylate saide What is the truth Let vs note that whē he moued this question he spake it not for any desire to learne but after a despightful scornfull manner which is at this day a vice that reigneth in many For when wée speak of the truth of God we mean the doctrine of the Gospel And S. Paul also so calleth it Ephe. 1.13 to the end we might make a differēce therof frō all other knowledge In very déed if any thing be told vs which hath bin done that is a truth But whē God calleth vs vnto him and would draw vs from this worlde that we might come to the heauēly life this truth ought to be set in the highest degrée and should make no reckoning of the rest in respect of it Let vs nowe consider how the world reuerenceth the word of the Gospel The wysest worldlinges for so they are accompted are so presumptuously blind as when that is spoken of vnto them will thus say what I beséech you Haue wée liued thus many yéeres in the worlde and doe you thinke we knowe not the Gospel nor any thing els But they wil al be ashamed whenas they shal be tolde that the truth of the Gospel hath béen buried and that they ought to looke more narrowly vnto it Now héerevpon we heare wel enough howe they scoffe and iest And euen so fared it with Pylate For because the Emperour had sent him to be his Lieutenant in the Countrey of Iudea hée thought hée had greate wrong done him when a man spake of a truth which he knew not of What sayeth hée thinkest thou that wée are all fooles and doe nothing else but lie Are wée not able to discerne betwéene good and yll And is it méete for thée to reprooue mée and say I knowe not the trueth who am héere set in office and doe represent the person of the Emperour Thus wée sée the meaning of Pylate which is hée proudely swelled like a Toade and woulde not bée so taken as to bée once thought that hée was not able to discerne betwéene good and bad And indéede we sée that hée tarried not to heare what our Lord Iesus woulde say but caste out these despitefull woordes and wente his way Since then it is so let vs consider with our selues that although there bée at this day many Pylates which refuse to learne in the schoole of GOD and to become teacheable as if they were wise enough yet let not vs geue ouer submitting of our selues vnto his obedience but accept of that which our Lorde sheweth and setteth before vs because wée knowe that the truth wil not grow vp in our mindes by reason they are ful of vanitie and leasinges and we plunged ouer heade and eares in darkenesse vntil such time as God draweth vs out of it And therfore let vs vnderstād that the truth farre passeth our minds and powers and that GOD muste bée our Maister to bring vs vnto it wée also very young and féeble to receiue that which hée sheweth vs and let vs holde this trueth for so precious a Iewell as that when wée haue compassed both heauen and earth thinke wée haue learned all that it is all but smoke and wil sléete away vntil such time as we buyld vpon this most certaine vnchangeable woorde And this is the effect of that which héere wee are to consider of Now it is by by said That as Pilate was set downe in the iudgement seate his wife sent vnto him and prayed him not to cōdēne Iesus Christ because she had byn troubled with many things in her dreames of him No doubt of it it was the wil of God diuers wayes to testify of his innocencie yea euen by Pylates owne mouth as already hath bin said as herafter shal be seene more at large not but that God had concluded what should become of his onely Sonne And so forsomuch as his will was that hée shoulde be the Sacrifice to take away the sinnes of the worlde it must néeds be that the Scripture should be fulfilled But it must also néeds fal out that our Lord Iesus must be proued a iust an innocēt man that we might the better vnderstand that he was condēned for our sakes of which condēnation we were guilty that whēsoeuer we heare of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ wée shoulde continually remember our sinnes and iniquities Hereupon it is said That Pilate desired to let loose our Lorde Iesus For although he had the chiefest authority without controlmēt yet because he was in a strange countrey and amongst a mutinous companie yea had a garrison in the towne the sedition troubled him And here we sée what the cause was why he would subtilly friendly procéed in the matter Forsooth it was by reason that hée would haue appeased the people Then it is said that hée offred them their auncient custome which was That euery Easter hee shoulde let loose vnto thē whatsoeuer prisoner they would For his meaning was that hée should die that he might be the sacrifice which should be offered for our saluatiō redēption God hath but one only plain wil meaning but it is wonderful to vs his procéedings are so strange that we must be faine to cast down our eyes and yet confesse that our Lord Iesus hath suffered but not as mē would but because that we should haue such a pawne of the infinite loue of God that our Lorde Iesus Christ might declare it wherby he might shew how precious déer that saluatiō of our soules are to him therfore let vs wel cōsider of al these thinges Moreouer in the end Iohn saith That although Iesus Christ was scourged yet that the people strayned themselues to cry out the lowder to haue him put to death Thē Pilat rehearsed againe that he heard that Iesus was the sonne of God which were the wordes that touched him and was more a fearde of that then he
withall he beginneth to prepare vs to that which hee will speake afterward that is to say to what ende this word which is Iesus Christ was sent vs of God his father that is The mysterie of our redemption very great and needfull to the end he might be manifested in the flesh for our saluation He ment then to declare howe greate the mystery of our redemption was and what neede wée had of it in saying that wee haue not comprehended the brightnesse that was in vs as if hee shoulde say It could nothing at all haue profited vs to haue the light that shineth in vs vnlesse we had withall béene redéemed and that this worde had executed and performed the loue of God towarde vs in repairing his image The light of our owne miserie is a good meane to make vs feele the mysterie of our redemption which was defaced in vs through our sinne and wholie disfigured in the first man Marke I say howe Saint Iohn mindeth to prepare vs to know the effect of our redemption and besides hée ment also to shewe vnto vs how that the word of God declareth it selfe in his creatures in as much as all things are preserued by his strength and power And withall hée exhorteth vs to knowe and confesse the graces that God hath bestowed vpon vs more excellent in déede than vpon other creatures to the ende wée might magnifie and prayse him The endes of our light and knowledge moreouer to knowe that séeing hée hath from the beginning imprinted his owne liuely image in vs and hath made vs féele his power it is good reason wée should learne to holde our selues fast to this worde and to confesse both generally and particularly the good thinges that God hath done for mankinde to the ende that the light which hée hath plentifully communicated vnto vs of his grace and goodnesse onely may not be quenched or put out through our malice but that Iesus Christ may in such sort dwell in the middest of vs that being guided and gouerned by the holie Ghost wée may haue such accesse to the father that hée may at the length bring vs into his heauenly glorie Thus I haue handled these thinges as shortly as was possible for mée What men should looke at in expounding the scripture respecting alwayes to touch the marke wherat the Euangelist in this place aimeth notwithstanding if there bee any thing that hath béene omitted because a man can not remember all let euerie one speake thereof that which God shall haue giuen him in that behalfe and if there be any doubt propound the matters to the ende that putting them out they may be made cleare and manifest and that the Church of God may therby bée more and more edified when thinges shall not remaine in doubt but shall be vnderstood according to their true meaning after that wée shall haue disputed and reasoned vpon them as is séemely and according to God and godlinesse A Sermon of the birth of our Lorde Iesus Christ Luke Cap. 2. 1 ANd it came to passe in those dayes that there was a commaundement from Augustus Caesar that all the world should be taxed 2 This first taxing was made when Cyrenius was Gouernor of Syria 3 Therefore all went to bee taxed euerie man to his owne Citie 4 And Ioseph also went vp from Galilee out of a Citie called Nazareth into Iudea vnto the Citie of Dauid which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and linage of Dauid 5 To be taxed with Mary that was giuen him to wife which was with childe 6 And so it fell out that while they were there the dayes were accomplished that shee should be deliuered 7 And she brought foorth her first begotten Sonne wrapped him in swadling cloathes and laide him in a manger because there was no roume for them in the Inne 8 And there were in the same countrey shepheardes abiding in the fielde and keeping watch by night because of their flocke 9 And loe the Angell of the Lorde came vpon them and the glorie of the Lord shoane about them and they were sore afraide 10 Then the Angell saide vnto them be not afraide for behold I bring you tydinges of great ioy that shall be to all people 11 That is that vnto you is borne this day in the Citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. 12 And hee shall be a signe to you yee shall finde the childe swadled and laide in a Maunger 13 And straightway there was with the Angel a multitude of heauenly souldiers praysing God and saying 14 Glorie be to God in the high heauens peace in earth and towardes men good will WE knowe beloued in the Lorde that all our felicitie ioy peace is this euē to be conioyned knit together with the sonne of God for as he is our head so are we likewise his body and do also receiue from him our life health and all whatsoeuer blessednesse else And beside we see in very déede howe miserable our estate should be if wée can not to him to be preserued vnder his protection But by the way we are neuer able to attaine and reach so high séeing we are scarcely able to crawle vpō the ground without he were alredie come néere vnto vs by reason of his birth who hath taken vpon him our flesh and is therby become our brother Neither could we at this present flye vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ sitting at the right hand of God his father 1. Tim. 2. 5. Isaiah 7.14 Math. 1.23 in the glory of the heauens without he had abased himself to become a mortal man his estate condition to become also like vnto ours And here we may likewise sée why the name of man was giuen vnto him whē as hée is called the Mediatour betwéene God and man and so by the selfe fame reason is called Immanuel which is as much to say as God with vs. And therefore as often as wée séeke to be relieued and eased of our miseries by our Lord Iesus Christ and to make him our sure and vndoubted defence wee must first of all begin at his birth Nowe wee are not onely here taught that he was made man like vnto vs but was also so despised and made of so smal account as that he was scarcely taken to be named among the number of men For he was as it were banished denied all harboure and company and was lodged in a Stable and laide in Manger Since thē it is thus let vs here acknowledge that Gods of his goodnesse hath bountifullie spreade abroade his infinite treasures when as hee woulde in this sorte abase his deare Sonne for our sakes And let vs also acknowledge that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath so suffred for vs as that so often as wée séeke him we néede neuer to goe verie farre about to finde him nor yet to vnite our selues truly vnto him For for that cause was he
will get al the substance riches of the earth into their possession And thus we see that the messuage which was told them that they should find him in a Stable swadled in blankets was such a stumbling block vnto these poore men as was able to haue broken the very hearts of them and make thē to be of that mind neuer to come néere our Lord Iesus Christ but rather altogether to flie his company Now we sée that this was the signe which was geuen of the Redeemer that he was laid in a Māger as one not worthy the companie and felowship of men And yet woulde not all this withdraw their mindes from the visiting of him Their cōming then was for this cause to acknowledge him to be as it were the Lord cōfessing the God had cōpassion of them and would in the end accomplish and fulfill the promise which hée had made them from the beginning and so confirmed them selues thereof by this spectacle Seeing then these Shepheardes had so great fayth that it straue against all whatsoeuer might pull them backe from comming vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe wee shal be worthie double blame and without all excuse except wee learne and take foorth this lesson in their schoole and make not the byrth of our Lorde Iesus Christe although there appeared noworldly dignitie pompe or noblenesse therein a stumbling blocke to stay or withdrawe vs from the right way to come to submit our selues vnto him as vnto our siege king and vnto him vnto whom al power and dominion is giuen both in heauen and earth And surely this is an admonitiō very needful for vs for as I haue alreadie saide The doctrine of the Gospell is a very stumbling blocke to all proude and foolish men and to suche as thinke themselues wise we sée also that many fantasticall felowes spurne against whatsoeuer is contrary to their owne mindes On the other side there were many mockers skorners who were neuer touched with any féeling of their sinnes and because they are prophane people who neuer thinke to come to an account and know not any other better life then this whiche they sée héere belowe they thinke it therefore méere foolishnesse so to folow the sonne of God and to be acquainted with him And the more we sée this so much the more ought this aduertisement to strengthen vs to wit that the sonne of God loseth not a iote of his maiestie and glorie neither is any whit lessened because he hath abased himselfe for our saluation but we ought rather to woonder at it knowing his inestimable goodnesse loue towardes vs. We sée then howe we must put this doctrine in practise which is wée must not cease to come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ although we finde not at his handes at the first chop the thing which our flesh or naturall affection desireth And although at his birth he was swadled vp in cloutes and laide in a Manger yet let vs know be fully resolued that hee was notwithstanding a Mediatour to draw vs vnto his father to open the kingdome of heauen for vs whereout wee were vtterly reclosed And although euen at this day he reigneth not gloriously and his Churche despised yet remayneth there suche a playnenesse in his worde as the mightie euen of this worlde reiecte howebeeit let not vs for all that cease to holde our selues vnto him continually and submit our selues vnder his dominion in true obedience of Faith As for example when any man preacheth it is not the thing that greatly draweth vs according to our custome Wée heare a man speake and what is that It is of no great dignitie and credite and besides in effect there is nothing but the worde on the other side in that which is preached by the Gospell there are many thinges which séeme to vs to bée against all reason if wée shoulde iudge thereof after our owne mindes Let vs therefore vnderstande that wée shall neuer submit our selues vnto the thing which God sheweth and declareth vnto vs except we humble our selues in the first place And for a confirmation which hée hath added vs vnto his worde we haue the Sacraments And will one droppe of water suffice to assure vs of remission of our sinnes and that God hath adopted vs for his children and that although wée bée fraile shall we notwithstanding bée cloathed with his heauenly glorie which neuer shall decaye Is it possible for vs to take a pawne and pledge of so notable and great thinges in so small a deale of water May a péece of bread and a little Wine in the Supper of the Lorde suffice to assure vs that God alloweth vs for his children that wée liue in Iesus Christ and no seperation betwéene vs For this might seeme rather to bée a matter of nothing to sée suche Ceremonies wherein is no great glorie and pompe So then wée somewhat better sée this thing whiche is béere spoken by the Ministers belongeth to vs and that wée haue to make our profite thereof at this day to wit let not vs cease to drawe néere vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe and assure our selues that hée it is in whome wée must finde all goodnesse and all ioye and glorie although it séemeth that hée is yet as it were in the Stable in the Maunger and in his swadling cloathes to wit that there are many thinges which are able to make vs become dissolute or wanton or at the least bleare our eyes that wee shall not bée able to perceiue the heauenly glorie which GOD his Father hath giuen him I say in the same humane nature whiche hée tooke vppon vs. For in as muche as hée is GOD hée hath all thing of him selfe as it is said in the seuenteenth Chapter of Saint Iohn but in that hée is man whatsoeuer hée bringeth vs hée hath receiued of frée gift Iohn 17. that wée might drawe out of his fulnesse Iohn 1.16 and finde in him whatsoeuer is to be desired and so rest content our selues in him alone Moreouer let vs heere note that the holy Ghost meaneth to assure vs that we following the Ministers who are héere appointed for maisters and guides ought not to feare falling away for séeing the Shepheardes had none other signe but the Stable and a Manger wée may say Beholde a sorte of simple idiotes who are foolishly and without any reason made to beléeue that this was the Redéemer of the worlde and yet this woulde bée too too easie a matter for vs to doe And therefore wée might stande in doubt but on the other side the shepheardes were confirmed verie certainly that hée was the Sonne of God euen hée that laye so in the Manger to wit when the Angell appeared vnto them and after they had heard this songe which Saint Luke setteth downe where all the kingdome of heauen beare witnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ that hée had all power ouer the creatures both of heauen and earth Let vs therefore
vs but because that God had compassion of our miseries as it is also saide in Iohn That God so loued the worlde Iohn 3.16 as that hée spared not to deliuer his onely begotten Sonne to death for vs. And therefore let vs after this manner come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe to wit that the message which is héere published vnto vs by the Angels might bée a burning Lanterne to shew vs the way faith to bée our guide so that wée might vnderstande that hée is nowe God in vs because he is God with vs. For as I haue alreadie saide hée is declared to bée our God with vs when as hée meant to dwell in our humane nature as in his temple But hée is nowe God in vs. That is to say wée féele him conioyned to vs in farre greater power then when hée shewed and declared himselfe a mortal man Yea for he is nowe both God and man in vs. For first hée quickneth vs by the power of his holy spirite and hée is besides man in vs because hée maketh vs pertakers of the Sacrifice which hée offered vp for our saluation and declareth vnto vs that it was not without cause that hee saide that his fleshe was meate indéede and his blood drinke in déede And therefore wée sée why the holy Table is made ready for vs to wit to the end that wée knowing our Lord Iesus to bée descended héere belowe Iohn 6.35 and vtterly abased yet that hée is not for all that separated from vs although hée bée ascended into the heauens in glory and maiestie But rather vpon this condition that wée might bée partakers of his body and blood And why so For wée knowe that his righteousnesse and obedience was the satisfaction for our sinnes and hath appeased the wrath of God through the Sacrifice whiche hée offered of his body and blood in the same humane nature which hée tooke vpon vs. Since thē it is so let not vs doubt when Iesus Christ biddeth vs to this Table although wee can perceiue nothing els but bread wine but that hee verily dwelleth in vs and wee so surely knit vnto him that there is nothing which is his but hée will communicate the same to vs. Let vs therefore I say acknowledge this to the end we might know to make our profit of this Sacrament which he himselfe hath established and let vs vnderstande that so often as wée receiue the same that hée might verie well haue deliuered vs by some other meane from the bottomelesse pitte of Condemnation wherein wée were if it had pleased him but that his meaning was to graunte vs more assurance of the loue hée beare vs when as we haue Iesus Christ for a pawne because we might séeke after our saluation in him and acknowledge that wée are no manner of way whatsoeuer able to reioyce vntill suche time as hée bée geuen vs as it were amongest vs and bée so néere vs as that by his meanes wée might bée brought to the kingdome of heauen whereof wée were depriued by reason of our sinnes And thus wée sée that Iesus Christ must bée the ready way for our saluation if euer wée intend to come vnto God desire to haue a true spirituall ioy and a spirituall contentation and quietnesse and if wee also desire to bee armed against all the temptations wherewith Satan is able to attempt vs. But and if wée will be partakers of this holie table let vs consider wel with our selues in the first place acknowledge our miseries and be displeased and vtterly ashamed of them Moreouer let vs acknowledge and confesse that God meant to asswage all our sorowes griefes when as hée so liberally shewed himselfe in his onelye begotten Sonne and would haue vs fully and wholy ioye in him And although we be subiect to many miseries in this world and are besieged with enimies like vnto rauening woolues so that the deuill ceaseth not to make a pray of vs and the Infidelles barke at vs like mastyfe curres although I say wée be on euery side troubled and threatned and although we must abyde many griefes Philip. 4.7 yet let vs hold this for a most sure ground that wée shall haue alwayes peace in our God and let vs beséech him that he will make vs féele it by his holy spirite because it is a thing that surpasseth all mans reason as we haue already touched of S. Paule and learne to bée so contented with our Lord Iesus Christ and with the spirituall benefites wherof we are pertakers as that we may patiently abide all the afflictions and miseries of this worlde And besides let vs beséeche him that wée take it not in euill parte to bée contemned and on euery side troubled to bée short to bee put too all reproche and shame so that Iesus Christe bée with vs and blesseth all our myseries and afflictions and that wée bryng foorth suche fruite thereby as that it may bee knowne that in the middest of all our miseries wée desire nothing els but the glofiyng of our GOD. And where the worldlinges triumphe to their shame and confusion because all their ioy is too striue against GOD Let our true ioy bée too serue him in all feare and humilitie and yeelde our selues wholy to his obedience And héere wée sée the way by which wée must make our profite vpon this doctrine Let vs nowe fall downe before the Maiestie of our good GOD and acknowledge our faultes beséechyng hym too make vs more and more to féele them that héereby we may learne to submit our selues vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe knowyng that if wee bée separated from him all our whole life and whatsoeuer benefites els wee receiue from GOD shall turne to our most gréeuous condemnation And that wée maye féele his death and passion to bée communicated vnto vs and bee taken for the members of his body to the ende the afflictions whiche wée shall abide héere in this worlde may be so many helpes and furtherances vnto saluation So that wée may all saye O moste Mightie GOD and Heauenlie Father c. The first Sermon of the passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ Math Cap. xxvi 36 Then went Iesus with them into a place called Gethsemane and saide vnto his Disciples Sit ye here while I goe and pray yonder 37 And he tooke Peter and the two Sonnes of Zebedeus and beganne to waxe sorrowful and grieuously troubled 38 Then sayde Iesus vnto them my Soule is very heauy euen vnto the death tarie yee here and watch with me 39 So he went a little farther and fel on his face and praied saying O my Father if it be possible Let this cup passe from me Neuerthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt WHen any thing is spoken which concerneth our saluation The scripture setteth before vs thrée endes The one is That wée might know the inestimable loue which GOD beareth vs to the end wée might glorifie him therfore as he is worthy The
second That wée should abhorre our sinnes as we ought and to bée truely ashamed to humble our selues before the Maiestie of our GOD. The thirde that wée might in such sorte estéeme of our saluation as that it might make vs forsake the worlde and whatsoeuer thinge else belongeth vnto this transitorie lyfe and to bée in loue with this enheritaunce which was so déerely purchased for vs. And héere we sée whereon we must cast our eies and bestow all our senses when it is told vs that the Sonne of GOD hath redéemed vs from euerlasting death and purchased for vs euerlasting lyfe Wée must therefore in the first place learne to render vnto God the prayse due vnto him Now to say truely he might if hée had pleased haue deliuered vs from the bottomelesse depthes of death after an other sorte But his good will was largely to bestow and powre vpon vs the treasures of his infinite goodnesse when as hée spared not his onely sonne And our Lord Iesus would héerein giue vs an excellent pawne of his wonderful care towardes vs when as he offred himselfe willingly to death For we shal neuer bée touched to the quick nor enflamed to praise our God without we on the other side doe examine our estate and be as it were throwne downe into the bottomlesse pit of hell knowing what a thing it is to haue prouoke his wrath and to becom our mortall enimie hauing him as a terrible and fearefull Iudge so that it were a great deale better that heauen and earth and all the creatures had conspyred against vs then that wée shoulde once come néere his Maiestie so long as he is against vs. Wherfore it is very méete that sinners should be wounded with the féeling and conceiuing of their sinnes that they might know themselues to bée most miserable and feare their estate to the end they might thereby knowe how greatly they are beholden and bounde vnto God in that he hath compassion vpon them and séeing them in a desperate case hath very good will to helpe them without regard of any their worthinesse but onlie for their myseries sake And so also is it as we haue already saide because we are too too much intangled here below and when as God calleth vs vnto him our mindes and affections so kéepe vs backe as that we had néed to make much of the heauenly life as it is woorthy and knowe with how déere a price it was purchased for vs. And héere wée sée why it is told vs that our Lorde Iesus Christ did not only meane to suffer death and offered himselfe a Sacrifice to appease the the wrath of God his Father but also to the ende that hée might truely and indéede be our pledge he refused not to abide the anguishes and griefes which were prepared for all such as in conscience are touched and féele themselues guiltie of euerlasting death and condemnation before God Let vs then heare rightly note that the Sonne of God was not contented to offer vp his fleshe and blood and yéeld himselfe vnto death but would withall appeare before the iudgement seate of GOD in the name and person of all sinners ready there to be condemned and that because he beare our burden And therefore we must not be ashamed séeing the sonne of God hath submitted him selfe to such an infirmitie Neither was it without cause that Saint Paule exhorteth vs not to be ashamed of the preaching of the Crosse albeit it be to some foolishnesse and an offence to many For the more that our Lord Iesus Christ was humbled we sée thereby that the offences for the which wée were in arrerages and behinde with God could not be abolished without great extremitie And in déed we know that he was made weake that wée might be made strong by his power and besides hée would abide all our sufferinges sinne excepted to the ende hée might be readie at this day to helpe vs. For if hée had not felte in his owne person the feares doubtes and torments which we endure he would not be so enclined to be mercifull vnto vs as hée is Wée say that he who knoweth not what hunger and thirst meaneth will neuer be stirred vp to haue compassion vpon those that féele it because they haue alwayes taken their ease and liued in pleasure Now it is true that although God in his owne nature suffereth not any of our passions yet ceaseth hée not for all that to be curteous vnto vs but that is because hée is the fountayne of all goodnesse and mercy Neuerthelesse to the end we might be assured that our Lord Iesus Christ knoweth our weaknes to help it that we might come the boldlier vnto him haue a more familiar accesse The apostle saith Hebr. 2.10 that he would for the same cause be tēpted euen as we are So then we haue to obserue in this text which we haue read that whē our Lord Iesus was come into this village of Gethsamene namely into the Mount Oliuet it was to offer him self willingly to death And herein his will was to be discharged of the office charge that was committed vnto him For why cloathed he him self with our flesh nature without it were to repaire all our rebellions through his obedience to the end to purchase vs full perfect righteousnes before God his Father And therefore offered he him self to death because we might not be reconciled by any other meane neither yet appease the wrath of God prouoked by sin but by this onely obedience Thus we sée why the Sonne of God came fréely vnto the place where he knew that Iudas should finde him And let vs knowe that it so fell out because our father Adam through his transgression had throwne vs all downe headlōg into the bottomlesse depth that the sonne of God who had power ouer all creatures might be subiect and take vpon him the state of a seruant as he is likewise called the seruant of God of all his Sée also why S. Paul Isaiah 42.1 in shewing vs how we must stay our selues when we call vpon God with full assurance be heard as his children saith that we are reputed righteous through the obedience of our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 5.19 For this is as it were a cloake to couer all our sinnes offences so that the thing that might hinder vs for the obteining of grace might not come into a reckoning before God But we on the contrary part sée that the price of our redemption cost very deare when as our Lord Iesus Christ was so tormented that hee aboad the very terror feare of death insomuch that hée sweat droppes of blood was as it were lyke one besides himselfe desiring if it were possible that hée might escape that distresse And therfore since we sée it to be thus it is good for vs to come to the acknowledging of our sinnes For it is no time for vs to rocke our selues here
vpon these worldly matters This then is the summe which wée are héere to obserue And to say the trueth it is not without cause that our Lorde Iesus spake so confidently that hée was borne and came into the worlde to say the trueth and that whosoeuer woulde haue any good taste shoulde stay him selfe vpon his worde By this wée sée that this is a doctrine of great weight â— to vnderstande that the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ is not héere on earth For if this had béen a light saying hee would haue passed it ouer lightly But when he said that he came into the worlde to tell the trueth this was as if he would haue vs giue good eare meditate in our heartes and apply our mindes to this doctrine this was to make vs forsake the world and all the creatures thereof that wée might come to this heauenly King and séeke after the spirituall benefites which are communicated to vs in him to the ende we might enioy them in such measure as he knoweth â—o be most profitable for our saluation And let vs of all that which we sée to bée the verie summarie of the Gospell note well this saying That Iesus Christ came into the world to speake the trueth to the end we might herevpon conclude that whensoeuer we shall giue diligent eare vnto his worde that it shall not be in vaine because this is a certaine resolute conclusioÌ„ that whatsoeuer he had giuen them the choyse either of Iesus or Barabbas who as S. Iohn saith was a théefe Iohn 18.40 and the other Euangelistes say that he was a notorious naughtie man both a murtherer and a sower of sedition and trouble in the Towne Now this was a detestable pestelence of al others and yet the people cryed out Let vs haue Barabbas and let him be pardoned and Iesus Christ crucified By this custome of letting loose a prisoner at Easter we sée with what foolish deuotions men are carried For they thought the feast to be so muche the more honourable in the loosing of a prisoner and that they did God great seruice and yet all was verie abhominable For it is saide That he that iustifieth the wicked Prou. 17.15 he that condemneth the iust euen they both are abhomination vnto the Lord And therfore it is méete that they which sit in the place of iustice should be of vpright mindes For when he armeth them with his sword he saieth not do as you thinke good your selues For his meaning is that they should haue a fatherly care ouer the people and to be verie warie how they lift vp them selues cruelly to wrong others by abusing of their credit and authoritie but would haue them rather be gentle and pitifull Yet must they punish wickednesse for God so commaundeth them But what do we men Forsooth we think we honour the feast of Easter when as we offende God and manifestly transgresse his worde By this wée are admonished not to folowe our owne fantasies when the matter concerâ—eth the seruice of God but altogether doe his will Let vs not therefore fayne a deuotion which séemeth good in our owne eyes but be contented to do the thing which God hath ordeined allowed And here we sée what ariseth vpon this kinde of custome to wit that we make lawes accordingly at this day so that whatsoeuer is receiued for a common order séemeth to be lawfull And yet howsoeuer it séemeth to vs God vtterly condemneth it Nowe wee sée what abuse hath come heerein which is this that this corruptioÌ„ hath made Barabbas to be preferred before the sonne of God A man here would at the first sight thinke it very straunge that our Lord Iesus should be thus lightly estéemed of and a théefe and murderer greatlier priuiledged then he that he shoulde finde such fauour grace amongst men Iesus Christ to be so shamefully slanderously handled For was it not enough that the sonne of God was crucified aboad a most slaÌ„derous kind of death without he must also be greatly tormented The death of the crosse was but as a punishment for théeues it was not onely as at this day the gallowes should be but it was as if he should haue abidden the whéele Was it not then enough that after Iesus Christ had béen buffeted spetted on brought euen downe to the pitte of hell but that he must in comparison be shewed to be accursed of al the world For if we should iudge of it according to natural reasoÌ„ looke vpon the outward shew surely we should be coÌ„founded but we must lift vp the eies of faith a great deale higher come vnto that which before we haue said to wit that all this was gouerned by the counsel of God And therfore let vs not stand vpon that which the people Pylate did but let vs behold the vnchangeable decrée of God which is that for the better humbling of vs his wil was to haue his Sonne so shamefully to be cast down yea to be cast vnder the féete of al the malefactors of the world béeing crucified betwéene two théeues as hereafter shal be seene We sée theÌ„ what it is for vs to obserue wheÌ„ it is here said that Barabbas must be let lose and Iesus Christ bée made the most abhominable man of the world Yet for all this Pilate went about to haue deliuered our Lord Iesus but it was by a deuilish meane to wit by buffeting of him which they then called punishing would haue let him gone wheÌ„ he had so punished him as one that had committed a fault For by this he pretended to appease the stirre of the people Now if our Lord Iesus had bin thus deliuered what had become of the Gospell and of the saluation of the world For this correction which Pylate brought him to was a signe and token of dishonestie for euer as if the Gospell had béen a wicked doctrine considering that the Iudge of the countrie condemned it and the person of our Lord Iesus Christ was clearely refused And yet had we all bin lost because there was none other meane to recoÌ„cile vs vnto God but by the death of his onely sonne And thus we sée that the death of our Lord Iesus was the very open way vnto life So then we sée that the Deuill did the best hée could not to haue our Lord Iesus to dye and yet who clapped the Priestes their like vpon the backes to pursue Iesus Christ vnto death but the Deuil himselfe This is very true for hée bewitched them as we sée that God sendeth the spirit of trouble madnesse vpon all the vngodly so that they are one against an other euen as the waues of the Sea beate one an other euen so was the Deuill carried when as on the one side he went about to abolish the memory of our Lorde Iesus Christ besides on the other side meant to hinder the redemption of mankinde But God so
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
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
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
came into the worlde and that hée accomplished whatsoeuer was requisite and necessarie for our saluation insomuch that the Gospell is nowe as a rayne to giue vs heauenly strength by reason we are altogether fruitlesse and because wée are hunger steruen and voide of the grace of God we must bee strengthened by the doctrine of the Gospell that wée might féele what the death of our Redéemer is woorth and what it auayleth vs and that his life is the perfection of our ioy Now it is most certain that the Prophet would neuer haue spokē here of the Iewes had they not bin brought vp acquainted with the law but would haue included the strange nations who before had béen brought vp in all superstition and idolatry For all the world cut off the God of Israel had him in contempt and the Gentiles made a scorne at the true religion Now it is said that they should heare and hauing heard Rom. 10.17 should also vnderstand By these wordes the Prophet sheweth from whence fayth commeth to wit by hearing of the worde of God But by the way hée also meaneth that it is not enough to haue our eares beaten with the hearing of the Gospell without wée vnderstande it Nowe this is not giuen to all men and therfore this saying must be restrayned vnto Gods chosen people and to suche as are renued by the holie Ghost as also it is more liuely declared when as he saith Who will beleeue our preaching and to whom shall the arme of the Lord be reuealed Héere the Prophet pauseth in the middest of his wordes and cryeth out as one that were merueylously astonied And this place is greatly woorth the noting Wée haue heard that hée exhorteth the faythfull to magnanimitie and constancy as if hée had sayde My good friendes be not abashed although your Redéemer bee of no estimation nor credite in the worlde but is rather spetted vpon despighted and also accursed and banned yet let not vs for all this loath him because God hath so ordeined it But in the end you shall sée that when hée arose againe out of the bottomlesse depth of death hée was so highly exalted as that he had al power giuen him both in heauen and in earth And therefore sticke not to worship this Redéemer who hath so abased himselfe for your benefite Now in very déede he compareth him to rayne and sayth that God shall bedeaw or sprinckle those which neuer vnderstood the trueth but were as a man woulde say like vnto bruite beastes They sayth hée shall be taught and be made partakers of the benefite which was purchased and the Church of God shal be so spred ouer the face of the whole earth as that they which haue blaspemed this sincere doctrine shall haue their mouthes stopped except they will moste reuerently and soberly confesse that there is none but the GOD of Israell that is to bée honoured and that his onely Sonne the very liuely Image of his glory and Maiestie ought to bee receiued and worshipped Yea kings themselues although they be neuer so proudly bente shal be enforced to abase themselues and most willingly obey Thus wee sée howe honourable the wordes of the Prophet are Nowe hée foreséeth that when the Gospell shall bee preached throughout the face of the whole earth that some will make a iest at it some will bee madde at it some wyll neuer finde any taste in it some will be blockishe other some will hypocritically lye vnto GOD and make a shewe that they loue and obey the Gospell and yet all shall bee but plaine dissembling Wherefore the Prophet séeing the worlde to bee thus wicked and foreséeing that God shoulde not bee hearde nor yet his worde so reuerently receiued as it ought wondered and cryed out saying Who shal beleeue our doctrine As if hee shoulde haue saide Alas I preache héere saluation vnto the worlde but it is all loste labour without this remedie bée had to wit that GOD will sende his onely sonne to fight against the Diuell and death that hée myght thereby purchase vs righteousnesse and life For this doctrine is it that must bedeawe all the worlde ouer otherwise wee are very fruitlesse There is in vs nothing but drynes and wretchednesse and yet God tarrieth not vntill such time as wee desire him to bedeawe vs but commeth first to vs and franckly offereth himselfe presenting vnto vs his onely sonne with his doctrine and heerein he sheweth himselfe so louing as that hée ought to bee receiued without gaynesaying yea shoulde not euery man be so zelously inflamed as not to make any reckoning of all the rest whatsoeuer for the imbrasing of this Redéemer which hath appeared Nowe this déede is so farre of as that a man shall hardly find the tenth part of the hearers which shall bee earnestly touched And in déede wee are taught by experience that some make a test at it as commonly all these contemners of God doe in whome there is as much faith religion as in a Mastiffe Curre accounting all whatsoeuer is preached vnto thē of euerlasting life but as an old wiues tale Other some there are who are not cōtented with this cōtempt of the word without they go farder for they are stark staryng madde at it Moreouer there are some which blaspheme it with open mouth and othersome desire but to hold themselues vnto that which they haue conceiued in their fantastical crowing braine Besides there are some so blockish as that they are neither named nor touched more then stones and othersome there are who though they haue a fayre cloke of godlinesse yet are they lyars and periured persons and nothing in them but deceit and hypocrisie This we well enough sée and although the Prophet had said nothing yet we wil open our eyes we shal sée it to bée so And is not this a fearefull thing and a monster against nature yes no doubt of it Now héere might maruellous offences be taken to serue as it were for a barre to kéepe vs from comming to the Gospell if wee should looke into the dealings of the world so that wee might say what if the word of God be our most excellent blessednesse and felicitie how falleth it out that it is thus reiected And besides what is the cause that God suffereth himselfe thus to bee scorned and resisted and that he maketh them not to heare him to giue him the credite which apperteineth vnto him So what tēptations héere are to cause vs not to beléeue the Gospel Surely héere is a great speake as though our misbeliefe did derogate frō the truth of God and lessened his honour And therfore it is not without cause that the Prophet Isaiah hath interlaced this saying For if hée had simply saide as héere before we haue séene that is that all the worlde should be bedeawed by our Lord Iesus Christ and that the gospell should be spred al ouer kinges princes should subiect thēselues vnto him we
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
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
we to prouoke him against vs vnto whom all maiestie power glory and dominion is giuen to cast down euen into the pit of hell as many as resist him Now if wée throughly cōsidered of this without doubt we would kéepe so good a hand of our selues as that all the fleshly lustes and temptations of the world should neuer bée able to preuaile against vs. Saint Paule also meant to make a comparison betwixt the first comming of our Lorde Iesus Christe and the second Why then doe the wicked and vngodly contemners of the Gospell so boldly lift vp themselues as that they become dissolute and starke staring mad Surely it is because they heare that while Iesus Christe was héere on earth hée tooke vpon him the state of a seruant Phil. 2.7 yea and abased himselfe and Saint Paule saith euen vnto this most shamefull and slaunderous death And because the enimies of God vnderstand such an infirmitie to bée in Iesus Christ they take vpon them to speak thus wickedly and furiously of him as we sée it is euen so howbeit they sée not that as hée suffered as hée was man that hée likewise rose againe through the power of his spirite For hée then in such sort shewed foorth his glory as that both great and small ought to tremble thereat 2. Cor. 13.4 But if these faithlesse people are not able to vnderstand the power that appeared in the resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christe let them giue eare to that which is héere spoken to wit that hée will come in glory For in his first comming hée appeared contemptible because hée woulde shewe him selfe obedient in our behalfes for that hée was to make satisfaction for our sinnes But at his seconde comming hée will come to bée our iudge Hée was iudged and condemned that wée might bée deliuered from the iudgement seate of God and bée pardoned of all our sinnes Then will hée not questionlesse come in such humble sort but will come with his angels in glory And this is the meaning which Saint Paule woulde haue vs note to the ende the wicked and faithlesse might not take occasion to contemn this his last comming vnder colour the Iesus Christe once appeared as hée was man like vnto vs and was made like vnto a worme of the earth as it is saide in the Psalme and as Isaiah sayeth hée was disfigured from toppe to toe all to wounded and that for our redemption For since hee accomplished that which the iustice of God required there remayned nothing but that hee shoulde shewe himselfe in this glory which was appointed for him For wée knowe as Saint Paule sayeth That hée hath giuen him a name aboue all names Phil. 2.9 that al the Creatures in Heauen Earth and Hell should bowe vnto him that euery thing shoulde tremble at his excellent Maiestie which also the despisers of his Gospell shoulde well know to their paine though late first Thus wee see what the Apostle Saint Paul his pretense is when hee sayeth That his comming shall bee fearefull Let vs also eftsoones mark that which followeth That he shall come to appeare meruellous and to be glorified in his Saintes Now it is not for nothing that Saint Paule setteth downe this saying for what are wee that wée shoulde be able to abide the presence of the Sonne of God whenas hee shall come in flambing fier And therefore when hee shall come with an incomprehensible power Alas must not we néedes melt before him as Snowe before the Sunne and come to nothing Loe howe we shoulde bee caste downe whenas wée doe but onely heare the heauenly glory of Iesus Christe spoken of But Saint Paule sheweth vs that if wée bee of the faithfull sorte that we must not be afraide at the appearing of our Lorde Iesus Christe neither yet waxe sorowfull and melancholike at the brightnesse of his Maiestie And why so Because sayeth hée hee will bee glorified and made wonderfull in his Saintes As if he shoulde haue saide that the mention which he before made of the flambing fier and of the horror and feare was not to discourage the faithfull ones as though they desired not the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ and as though they helde not vp their heads as often as they hearde it spoken of because hée shall come to redéeme them And this is a doctrine which is very common in the holy Scriptures to wit that our Lord ioyneth these two thinges together That hee will come to be reuenged of his enimies and to deliuer his people that hee will come to saue al those that haue serued and honored him and to cast downe and confounde all those who haue hardened them selues againste him and his worde Let vs nowe then kéepe in minde that this terrible description which héere before hath béene set downe is not to make vs sorowfull and melancholike But rather to make vs ioyfull and glad whenas wée sée what loue and fauour God beareth vs. Beholde our Lorde Iesus Christe will come and that terribly And wherfore will hée do so Forsooth euen to throwe downe headlong all his enimies and to take vengeance of al the shames and afflictions which we haue abidden How so I beséech you Are wee worthie that the Sonne of God should powre out his Maiestie shewe himselfe so terribly against all his creatures for our causes No without doubt But yet will hée doe so forsomuch as he loueth vs This then is it which I haue alreadie said that we might be comforted when as we heare it saide That the Sonne of God will come so horribly and fearefully For herein he effectually sheweth the infinite loue hee beareth vs in that hee spareth not his power and Maiestie to take vengeance of all the wrongs which haue béene done to vs. Neuerthelesse we shall neuer be able to féele the sauour of it without this thing be obserued which Saint Paule namely setteth downe in this place to wit that our Lorde Iesus Christ will not come to be onely reuenged of his enemies and of all such as haue been enimies vnto his Gospel but also To bee glorified and made wonderfull in his saints and in those which haue beleeued Nowe whenas Sainte Paul did set downe this it is asmuch as if he had saide that hee would come to make vs partakers of his glory That whatsoeuer is in him worthie reuerence and honor all that I say shall be communicated vnto vs. To be short S. Paule saieth That our Lorde Iesus Christ shall not come him selfe alone and kéepe his glorie to him selfe but to the end it might be poured out vpon all the members of his bodie And for this cause we sée it is saide in the Collossians That our life lyeth nowe hid Col. 3. 3. but that it shall appeare at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ And therefore hée shall not come perticulerly for him selfe and for his owne glorie alone but rather that we might be partakers therof and not
shall haue looked euerie where we shall finde that this worde Gospel is not taken in any other signification And beholde also wherefore men haue giuen this name or title to the foure histories that are written touching our Lorde Iesus Christ how he came into the world and was conuersant therein howe he died rose againe and went vp into heauen men I say haue giuen the name or title of the Gospell to this And why so because the substance of the Gospell is comprehended in the person of God his sonne as I haue alreadie saide The auncient fathers had in déed the promises of saluation The difference betwene the fathers vnder the law and as vnder the Gospel they were also very well assured that God would be their father but yet they had not in such plaine sort as we haue the gage and pledge of Gods loue towards them of their owne adoption For when Iesus Christ came into the world then God signed and sealed his fatherly loue vnto vs and we had the full testimonie of life and in déed haue also the substance thereof in Iesus Christ as I haue alreadie saide ◠Cor. 1.20 And this is the cause why S. Paule saieth That all Gods promises are in him yea and Amen to wit because then God ratified and confirmed all that which he had spoken before and had promised to men So then it is not without cause that these foure histories wherin is declared vnto vs how the sonne of God was sent that he tooke mans flesh also that he liued here vppon earth amongst men haue béen so named Men then haue comprehended all this vnder the worde Gospell 2. Tim. 2.8 because therein it is declared and set out vnto vs howe God hath made perfect and accomplished all that which was requisite for mens saluation and that we haue had the fulfilling of al in the person of his sonne Indéed S. Paul speaketh of his Gospell but after what sort It is not as though he had writtē an history of the Gospel but because his doctrine was conformable agréeable to all that which is conteined therein So according to that which I haue alreadie saide when the Gospel was preached vnto vs S. Paules Epistles not called the gospell in what sense it is a plaine manifesting of Iesus Christ to the ende that we should know that in him all things are perfected and that we haue the trueth of that which had béen promised in all times before And yet for all this S. Paules Epistles are not called the Gospell And why so because that therein wee haue not a continuall historie which declareth vnto vs after what sort God sent his sonne howe it pleased him that in putting vpon him our nature hée might haue a true brotherhood with vs how he died rose againe and ascended into heauen This I say is not largely laid out with a continual order course of spéech in S. Paule very certaine is it that the doctrine which is conteined in his Epistles is conformable and agréeable with the doctrine of the Gospel But for all that that word Gospell is specially attributed to these foure histories for the reason which I haue alreadie alledged Nowe where we say that the substance of the Gospell is comprehended in the person of the Sonne of God this is not onely to say that Iesus Christ came into the world but that we should know also what his office is what charge God his father hath committed vnto him and what vertue power he hath which thing wée ought to mark wel for from thence we may gather the difference of the Gospel according to S. Iohn Wherin the 4. Euangelists agree Hebr. 4.15 and those which the other thrée wrote The foure Euangelists agrée verie well in this that they declared vnto vs how the sonne of god appeared in the world that he became true and verie man like vnto vs in all thing sin excepted Afterwards they declare vnto vs how he died rose again and ascended into heauen To be short all that was committed vnto him to draw vs to God his father by is declared and set foorth vnto vs therein But there are two thinges which are peculiar to S. Iohn One is Iohn hath two things peculiar too him selfe from the other Euangelists that he stayeth and standeth vpon the doctrine of Iesus Christ more then the other Euangelists doe The other that with a greater liuelinesse he declareth vnto vs Iesus Christes vertue and power True it is that the other Euangelists speake well of the doctrine of Iesus Christ but that is rather briefly and shortly as who haue collected some small Summaries and Abridgementes thereof Iohn 6.1.2 But S. Iohn maketh a long and large declaration therof as we sée in the sixth Chapter where mention is made of that myracle which he wrought in the wildernesse whē he refreshed fed so great a multitude For therevpon S. Iohn commeth to enter into spéech and to shewe howe Iesus Christ is the bread of eternall life We sée then this doctrine of Iesus Christ which was declared at large by S. Iohn and that with a more great dilating discoursing thereon then is set out by the other Euangelistes yea we sée that they quite and cleane omitted that doctrine So much also may be saide of the rest for after that he hath touched some myracles and histories Iohn 12. to 18. hee alwayes commeth backe to the doctrine and taketh occasion to enter into the matter to handle and speake of the power of our Lorde Iesus Christ as from the xii Chapter til you come to the historie of the Passiō he intreateth of nothing The Gospel according to S. Io. giueth light to the other Euangelistes but this doctrine So then now we sée what difference there is betwéene the Gospell according to S. Iohn the other thrée Euangelistes insomuch that to speake rightly the Gospell according to S. Iohn is as it were the key to giue vs some entraunce and opening to the other For if we reade S. Matthew S. Marke and S. Luke we shall not so well know wherefore Iesus Christ was sent into the worlde as when we shal haue read S. Iohn Hauing reade S. Iohn we shall knowe afterwardes to what ende it serueth vs that Iesus Christ hath wrought and also that he hath taken mans flesh and that he died and rose againe We shal know I say what is the ende and substaunce of all these thinges in reading this Gospell And this is the cause why hée standeth not so much vpon the historie as we shall sée by the order which he will kéepe hereafter It is true that these thinges rightly deserue to be more largely diducted and layde out but because there is great matter in the Text which we haue to expounde I doe but touche these thinges as briefly as I can Wherefore let vs content our selues with that which we haue summarily and
is to say God left not to accomplish that which he had ordayned by his councell when he raised vp his onely sonne and had aduanced him agreat deale more then hee was before abased Phil. 2.10 For euery knée must bow to hym Now when it is sayde that the Priestes went about to séeke false witnesses against him they dyd it not simply to forge or feinge a falt against hym but that they might haue some coulor and cloke to vexe and greeue our Lord Iesus And this is verye true that hee spake these wordes destroye you this Temple and within thrée dayes I wyll build it vp agayne And héere wee sée the wordes of our Lord Iesus Christ as they procéeded out of his mouth Ioh. 2.19 Now the witnesses which were brought in rehearce the very selfe same words wherfore a man would say that these were good and faithful witnesses yet the holy ghost calleth them false witnesses because they turned this saying wickedly For our Lord Iesus spake of his body which was the true temple of his diuine maiestie For the materiall Temple which was builte in Ierusalem was but a figure shadow therof as we know But the whole fulnesse of the Godhead had his being in our Lorde Iesus as S. Paul witnesseth yea corporally and substantially And therefore héere is to be noted Col. 2.9 that we must not simply looke into the words of a testimonye but to the meaning of the speaker Now this is a verye good and profytable instruction for vs because wée are so greatly giuen to wickednesse and leasing that if wee haue any coulor it is inough and doo thinke that God hath pardoned vs when wee haue by any such false meanes charged any man And therfore we must not stay simply vpō words neither yet vpon the maner fashion of thē but looke to the worthines of the cause For they which may at al times defend say that they haue deposed nothing but that which was said or done are yet takē before god for fals witnesses as here we sée wherupō it is said that Cayphas said vnto Iesus christ What is the matter answerest thou nothing seest thou not that these men witnes against thee And yet Iesus Christ al this while held his peace put vp al these reuiling and slaunderous words Now it may bee thought a strange thing the Iesus Christ who had very iust occasion to disproue such a false testimony did not once gaine say it howbeit as I haue before said and as héereafter shall more at large appeare Iesus christ was not thē to defend his doctrine as before he had done And therfore we are wisely to distinguish of al the circumstaūces for after Iesus christ had fasted in the wildernes god his father sent him to puplish the doctrin of the gospel Now wée sée that all that time he alwaies mightily defended the doctrine whereof he was a minister and wée see also how hée set himfelfe against whatsoeuer might bée said to the contrary And thus wée sée how hée discharged his duetie because he was appointed and sent to bée a Minister of the worde But héere is one special regard to bée had and that is this that hee must bée the redéemer of the worlde and be condemned not because hée preached the Gospell but that hée shoulde bée throwne downe into the bottomlesse depth suffer for our cause by reasō he beare as it were in his owne person all the curses and transgressions of those who deserued euerlasting death Wherefore because Iesus Christ tooke vpon him this office to beare the burden of all such as haue deadly offended the Maiestie of God that was the reason why hée helde his peace And so let vs note that when it was méete for Iesus Christ to defend the doctrine of the Gospel and that it so stood with his office calling he faithfully discharged the same But when in holding his peace he plaied the part of a redéemer as though hee was contented willingly to be condēned it was not for his owne cause that he held his peace but as I haue alredy said for our sakes True it is that he spake as we shal ofttimes sée but it was not in his owne defence which did but so much the more kindle the rage and fury of the vngodly against himselfe And thus wée see that it was not his meaning to escape death but was contented willingly to be ouerthrowne to the end he might declare that he had quite forgotten himselfe to discharge vs before God his father Now hée neither respected himselfe his owne life nor yet his honor For he cared not to abide all the shame and slaunder of the world so that our sinnes might bée taken away and we pardoned of our cōdemnation And héereupon it is said That the high Priest charged him by the liuing God to tell him whether he were Christ the blessed sonne of God hée answered That it was so But that they should sée his Maiestie when it woulde bée too late for them because such their dealing shoulde bée their destruction and ouerthrowe Nowe our Lorde Iesus Christe spake not this héere to make the high Priest and his company to yéelde gently but rather to pricke him faster on and as he was before full of malice crueltie this was to make the fier to burst out into a greater flambe Howbeit wée haue saide that Iesus Christe respected not himselfe but rather discharged that office wherof he had taken the charge which was to be the redéemer of the world Moreouer we sée heere in the first place that the contemners of God and such as Satan hath altogether possessed wyll vse some coulored kind of religion For a man would think that the hye Priest dyd his dutie in charging Iesus Christ by the name of the liuing God But sée into what a mischiefe we are plunged when Satan hath once blindfoulded our eyes for he then throweth vs headlong into such shamlesnesse as that we haue no more reuerence vnto God then we are ashamed before men Now this answere of our Lord Iesus giueth vs to note that he meant to declare to Cayphas and the rest that although he were for a time as a man would say abased yet would not that lessen his maiestie but that he should be alwaies taken to be the only son of God But yet there is one thing farther to be considered of which is for our better confirmation that although he was thus abased for our saluation he lost no part of his heauenly maiestie but was contented that men should oppresse him to the end we might be fully certified that we should be founde honourable before God because that all the shames which we haue deserued should be abolished And therefore because our Lord Iesus helde his peace and defended not his good cause let our mouthes now be opened to call vpon God as if we were iust for he is our aduocat which speaketh for
of God and humbled WE haue already begunne to treatise and say that although the Gospell shoulde bée published throughout the face of the whole earth yet that it should be very hardly receiued intreated by the greatest number which thing the Prophet hath also so declared to the end the children of God might not bée abashed whenas they sée the faithlesnesse of such as haue had their eares beaten with the doctrine of saluation and yet haue cared no whit at all for the same And is not this a strange kinde of dealing that when God as much as is possible calleth vs vnto himselfe and laboureth so gently and graciously to winne vs that we should peruersly drawe our heades out of the collor as wée say and euen for the very nonce refuse to receiue the benefite thus offered vnto vs A man woulde thinke that this were an impossible thing and yet wée dayly sée it by experience Loe here why it is that the Prophet cryeth out whenas God as it were by the sound of a truÌ„pet would publish his Gospel yet that there should be notwithstanding so fewe beléeuers hée addeth the reason that it was very méete that God should shew forth his power to graunt faith vnto those which naturally would be faithlesse What is the cause that wée sée so many people reiect loath coÌ„ceiue so great an hatred against the Gospell had rather be like vnto them which so set theÌ„selues against God then quiethly come néere him What is the cause I say Forsooth nothing els but that we imagine we haue faith tied to our gyrdels Howbeit the Prophet telleth vs another maner of thing for he saith that although god coÌ„mauÌ„ded that his word should be published to all both good bad yet worketh hée such a secrete effect in his chosen as if he made theÌ„ féele his arme power And therefore let this bée our obseruation that whensoeuer the Gospell is preached it wyll bée but as an vnprofitable sounde vntyll such time as our Lorde sheweth that it is hée him selfe which speaketh neither bestoweth hee this benefite vpon all men Thus wee see the power of GOD to bee hidde from the reprobate and therfore that this priuiledge belongeth but to a few whoÌ„ he hath chosen adopted to attaine to euerlasting life whenas hée telleth them that the Gospell is the doctrine of saluation and a most infallible trueth whereto they must sticke Thus we sée in summe the meaning of the Prophet in this place Nowe we must heereupoÌ„ be fensed armed against this obiect which the diuel setteth before our eyes wheÌ„as we sée such a mightie number of people withstand the Gospel euen of the greatest and highest in calling for theÌ„ we think it as a maÌ„ would say not to be the worde of God And why so verily because we depend too too much vpon meÌ„ thus we sée howe weake and vnstable our faith is And therefore let vs ouercome the worlde and let vs vnderstand that when God speaketh we must submit our selues vnto him and although none will accompanie vs héerein but bée all against vs yet let vs for al that be contented to receiue with a pure and cleane faith whatsoeuer God speaketh vnto vs. Moreouer to the end we might not be abashed to sée men so wickedly bent as to fight against their God yea euen their Creator Redéemer let vs therefore vnderstande that faith is not giuen to all men but is a singuler gift which God hath reserued as a precious Iewell for his elect and chosen and although we vnderstande that our duetie is to cleaue vnto him yet let vs notwithstanding know that euery of vs hath not faith of our owne proper motion but that God hath inlightened vs made vs sée by his holy spirite and in thus doing hath shewed his power that is to say hath giueÌ„ vs such a liuely féeling thereof in our heartes as that we may very wel know that the Gospell is not of men but froÌ„ him And this is the effect which we are to consider of out of this place To be short let vs boldly set our selues against the faithlesnes stubbornes of all such as are the enimies of God let vs march on whither soeuer he calleth vs receiue the benefit which he offereth vs to the end we may be found blameles of this vnthaÌ„kfulnes wherof the Prophet accuseth condeÌ„neth héere all such as would not obey the doctrine of the Gospell Nowe héereupon he sheweth that they vouchsafed not to beléeue Iesus Christ because they sée him as a forlorne and coÌ„temptible man Râ—m 9.32 1. Pet. 2.8 We know that our Lord Iesus Christ is called the stone of offence and stumbling blocke because the worde stumbled at him And yet God his father gaue him to vs for another vse which is that wée might bée grounded vpon his fauour and grace and as a stone vppon which wee myght all stande because there is none other sure stay but hée And therefore wée stand all in réeling maner and Hell mouth is wide open to swallowe vs vp Thus wée sée that our saluation hath no sure ground worke in this worlde and therefore must we stay our selues vpon our Lorde Iesus Christe Isaiah 8. 14 Wherefore sée why it is saide That he shoulde be placed as a precious stone vpon which the Temple of God shoulde bée built and such a sure stone as shoulde bee able to beare the whole building the Prophet also furder saith that he shoulde be a stumbling stone vnto the kingdome of Iuda and to the house of Israel And according héereunto it is nowe saide that he shal be as A small twigge and as a roote comming out of a dry and barren grounde And that when he should be séene no man shoulde once vouchsafe to looke on him but that euery man shoulde turne away his face from him and abhorre him Wée see nowe that there are but a fewe which will beléeue the Gospel for wée séeke continually to make a goodly outwarde shew and would gladly that all shoulde bée séene and come to light Nowe the dealing of the Lorde God was after another maner when he ment to redéeme vs For as Saint Paule saith because the worlde woulde not benefite it selfe by the wisedome of God whenas he in such sorte shewed himselfe the Creator as that the very beholding of the heauen the earth might haue sufficiently made it to haue come vnto him 1. Cor. 1.21 hee then made an alteration in the worlde and hath vsed as it were a certaine kinde of foolishenesse to teache vs For as I haue saide wée shoulde haue beene taught by the wonderfull wisedome of God which appeared both in the heauens and in the earth vnto the whole worlde but wee haue béen ouer blockishe théerein And therefore God hath vsed a kinde of foolishnesse when as he sent his onely sonne who submitted himselfe to all our infirmities whom the worlde refused
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
power was in him to blot out all our iniquities at once let vs bouldly runne vnto his death and passion and not doubt but that it wil alwayes haue this strength in it as to reconcile vs vnto God Now the life wherinto our Lorde Iesus Christ entred is heauenly for it was such a perfect condition as could not be amended And when S. Paul saieth that he liueth vnto God it is as muche as that he is now cleane exempt from all our miseries and from the condition that hée had before taken which was to become a mortall man Wherefore Iesus Christ hath discharged al this geare and is now rid of all humaine frailenesse to the end that we which are his members might hope for the like in our selues And so let vs in the first place note that the Prophet hath héere declared that our Lorde Iesus Christ rose not agayne to bée any more subiect to death but hath purchased euerlasting life In the 2 place we haue to learne that this was not done onely for himselfe but also for all his whole Church For when it said by the Psalmist that God was exalted and tooke the spoyle of his enemies this is to shewe that when our Lord Iesus christ was lifted vp after his death that it all turned to the common benefit welfare of his Churche Psal 68.19 The ouercomming then of Satan and of sinne was to this end that we might be deliuered of them and enioy the fruit of such a conquest and therein triumph This then is the very effect of that whiche we haue to learne out of this place Now the whole substance of the matter is this that wée might vnderstand how to apply it rightly vnto our owne vse And therfore when it is saide that the son of God was lifted vp from out of anguish condemnation let vs learn that when we are moued to become desperat to set Iesus Christe before our eies since we know that he hath passed the course that God his father stretched out his hand vnto him that he might not be oppressed all which was done for our sakes Wherfore we haue a very good way to come out of our angushes and paines so long as we haue Iesus Christ for our Captaine and follow his steps because that whatsoeuer was accomplished in him as being our heade belongeth to vs and the effect thereof will appeare in euery faithfull man And when his age is spoken off it is to this end that we might vnderstande that hee will bee of power able to defende his Church euen vnto the ende for he will not be deuided from his body In very déede our estate and condition differeth greatly from his vntill such time as wée be taken out of this world but in that he is the first borne of the dead he is also the first fruits of all those which shall rise againe Let vs then vnderstande 1. Cor. 15.20 Coll. 1.18 that because the Sonne of God is not onely in his owne essence or being and in his deuine maiestie immortall but also in his flesh and humaine nature that it is to this end that his church might be alwaies preserued in this world neuer â—ecay True it is we shal sée great troubles and indéede a man would think many times that the church of God should vtterly perish for if there arise neuer so small a tempest the surges will by and by be so mightie horrible as that a maÌ„ would say all were lost cleane dasht And this is so common a thing as may be For what outwarde shew of maintenaunce can there be to the church of God wheÌ„as it is assailed thus on al hands must it not néedes be thought that it cannot be but vtterlye ouerthrowne whenas it is thus wonderfully assaulted howbeit this is the truth of it we must be faine to resort to our head Wherfore since the age of our Lord Iesus is without end and that all the changes in the world cannot stay him from hauing a very good eye vnto his church although the temptations were farre greater and more violent then they are yet let not vs shrink at the matter And this is not to be applied only to the whole company of the faithful but also to euery one of vs. And therefore let vs vnderstand and be throughly perswaded that although our Lyfe be but a blast we ready euery minute to vanish away yet notwithstanding that we haue a lyfe which lasteth for euer because we are the members of our Lorde Iesus Christ Moreouer let vs eftsoones learne to walk through this world since this is not our life which we héere presently enioy but a pilgrimage which we must passe on quickly vntil such time as we haue come vnto our quiet enheritance Thus we sée that in hoping for euerlasting life wee must forsake all this which is but a shadow not suffer our sences to be eÌ„folded in that which we openly sée and may occasion vs to tarry stil héere in this world for surely as many as haue their mindes set héere on this lyfe without doubt doo thereby seperate themselues from the sonne of God and are vnworthy to haue any part or portion with him in his euerlasting kingdome And therfore let vs forsake this world if we wil ioyne our selues vnto the son of god Furthermore because this doctrine might take the better holde of vs the prophet cryeth out he saieth not that the age of our Lord Iesus Christ shall be onelye euerlasting but casteth it out as a man meruelously abashed saying Who shall be able to number his yeares Wherfore we are admonished to striue against all temptations although we be some times hindred this way and that be as it were cast downe wtout mouing yet let vs resist with much to doo enforce vs vntill such time as wée haue attained vnto this which is héere shewed vs to wit the mans reason is not able to vnderstande nor yet any mouth able to expresse the age of our Lord Iesus And for the bringing of this matter about we must be also very wel aduertised to surmouÌ„t all our thoughts wheÌ„as we fal in reasoning of putting our trust in our lord Iesus Christ folow him for the partaking of the heaueÌ„ly enheritaunce which he hath purchased for vs. Neither must we stick to our own opinion and fantasy whenas this doctrine shal be well treated of as if it were to bée debated by words But let vs know this that although our faith hangeth vpon hearing yet shall it neuer haue through assurance except it receiue such a testimony from God and from his holy spirite as surpasseth whatsoeuer the tong of man is able to expresse For this cause must wée not dwell in our owne vnderstandinges and iudge as we thinke best but let vs know that it is a wonderfull and an in comprehensible secret the the sonne of God became a mortall man and subiect to death that
is laide open vnto vs to come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ because he hath stretched out his armes to imbrace vs. For we shall sée héerafter that hée was sent vnto those whose hartes were abased and cast downe Wherfore wée must bée sacrificed after this maner that wée might bée made like vnto our Lord Iesus Christ In very déede the sacrifice which he offered is our full hope and assuraunce to wit we must not presume to adde any thing vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ because he hath purchased ful saluation by his sacrificing of him selfe vnto God his father but by the way it is méete that wée shoulde be threatned by the iudgements of God to the ende we might vnderstand how gréeuos a thing it is that wée béeing poore wormes of the earth should lift our selues vp against the maiestie of our creator and violate his iustice considering that we are placed héere in this world to serue and honor him And therfore let vs haue a liuely féeling of this that wee might come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ Now it should séeme héere at the first sight that the Prophet had set downe a straunge reason when hée saith bicause hee was cut of from the lande of the liuing For in asmuch as Iesus Christ was exalted and hath now the rule both in heauen and in earth it shuld séeme that this was no fit meane without he had first bene as one cut of For this glory wherein now he is he alwayes had Iohn 17.5 before the world was made according to the saying of S. Iohn And therfore Iesus Christ as touching his deuine essence or being obtained vnto himselfe no straunge thing Now to bee cast downe into the bottomlesse pitte of death as it were was not the way to come vnto heauenly glory and to be condemned by a mortall man is not like that he should be made iudge of the whole worlde Howbeit the meaning of God was such as that he would worke beyond mans reason neither must wée bring our counsell hether with vs and think that wée are able to amend this counsel which wée know to be the cause and springhead of our saluation but let vs most humbly gloryfy God because hee woulde haue his sonne to be thus cut off from the lande of the liuing Now the Prophet namely speaketh after this manner as though Iesus Christ had bene vtterly abolished and would not make mention onely of a common death but euen of such a death as should vtterly root him out as if the remembrance of him had bene cléerelye abolished and defaced For although of necessitie all men must dye thereby are cut of from the land of the lyuing yet hath this ben specially séene in our Lord Iesus Christ that his death was to haue shut him quite out from the company of men For as we haue already said it was a most shamefull death and curssed of God and besides it was almost euen the very gulfe of hell yet not that Iesus christ was swalowed vp of it howbeit he straue mightely against the angushes of death And therefore it is not for naught that the prophet setteth him downe héere as one that had ben abolished from amoÌ„gst meÌ„ Neuertheles how euer it is he obtained by this menes such maiestie in this nature of ours as that at this day he being our brother Eph. 2.8 yet ceaseth not also to become our iudge And marke what S. Paul saith of it that he rendred himself obedient vnto death yea euen to the most curssed death of the Crosse in saying that he rendred himselfe obedient he noteth vnto vs that which wee haue already declared out of the prophet to wit that that which our Lord Iesus Christ suffered was willingly done But because wee are guilty before god are his enemies it is saide that Iesus Christ submitted himself for as S. Paul saith he who had all power and authority tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant the state of those that were vnder the yoke Thus we sée how obedient he was all his lyfe long would be vnder the law And not only in this but although he felt the horrible panges of death which made him sweat water blood draue him to say O father if it be possible I beséech thée Mark 14.36 let this so sower a cup passe ouer mée neuertheles he restraineth himselfe saith yet not my will but thine be done Now herevpon S. Paul saith that God his father for this cause exalted him gaue him a name aboue all other names that euery knée at this day might bow vnto Wherfore let vs vnderstand that Iesus Christ himself hath euen in our nature an excellent maiestie to the end we might come to him in full assurance for vpon what condition is he made iudge ouer all the world forsooth it is because that he is not onely made our Brother but also for that he offred himself to be our pledge borrow and hath borne al our sins He was scourged beaten by the hand of god that we might be healed of the wounds which we deserued to haue and for this cause is he now exalted to the ende we might bouldlye draw néere vnto him Now this is very true that the wicked ones the deuils must in despite of their téethes féele that the son of God is far aboue them for he must tread all his enemies vnder his féet Psal 110 1â— Howbeit we for our parts ar to do him honor willingly to submit our selues quietly vnto him acknowledge the maiestie that was giuen vnto him in his humane nature to the ende we might haue wherewith to glory triumph against sin Now that this is ment by the person of our Lord Iesus Christ sufficiently appeareth by the words of S. Luke for when the Eunuke was come to worship at the temple of Ierusalem he read this place Luk. 8. â—2 it was expounded vnto him by Philip whom God had sent by the liuelye ministerie of an Angell to the end he might come to this poore blinde ignorant man which sought after God hauing as yet no knowledge of him Howbeit this place was in such sort expounded vnto him as that with once preaching he was conuerted vnto our lord Iesus Christ crauing and requâ—ering that he might be baptised in his name And this is a thing that should greatly touch vs for in the first place we are admonished that although we are not able at the first chop to haue the sound vnderstanding of the doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ and what fruit we gather out of that which is dayly preached vnto vs yet must we not dispaire for all that but search out of the Scripture that thing which we know not and then God hauinge pittie on vs will giue vs his hand and set vs in the right way And since this poore ignoraÌ„t maÌ„ who gaue himself to read in the bible knew not what
heauen because he had many times foretold them and also said vnto them Iohn 16. 7. It is expedient for you that I depart hence For if I goe not away the comforter wil not come vnto you but if I depart I wil send him vnto you And therfore it must néeds be that they had forgotten it séeing they stoode gazing vp into heauen to sée the issue thereof For as I haue already said he had told them that it was expedient that he shoulde depart from them and had also foretolde them that he must reigne and that they shoulde serue him héere in the meane time Hée had likewise foretold them that he must sit at the right hand of God his Father to make intercession for all the faithfull but they rightly shewed that they had cleane forgotten whatsoeuer hée had so oftentimes manifested vnto them Now this their ignorance should serue vs for a good aduertisement For this was not spoken only for their cause but for ours also And therefore let vs marke the saying of the Angels that we might vnderstand what coÌ„moditie redoundeth to vs by the ascending of Iesus Christ But as touching this saying That he shoulde come euen as they had seene him goe vp into heauen That declareth that we must not looâ—e for him héere belowe but when hee shall come to iudge the world And therefore if wée will séeke for him now wée must doe it by faith which surpasseth all mens vnderstanding This then is the first point of this place that is worthie the obseruation For since we naturally haue our mindes setled héere belowe it would goe very hardly with vs if wée superstitiously bent not our selues whenas wée shoulde heare the Ascension of our Lorde Iesus Christe spoken of And in déede wee sée that this is already come to passe For although hée be ascended into heauen and that it is written that hee shall come downe héere below euen as hée was seene to ascende yet are there greate numbers of suche as call them selues Christians who haue not ceased looking for him héere on earth So that it hath come thus to passe that they seeke for Iesus Christe in bread and wine close him vp in a Pipe carry him hither thither and play with him as they would play with a Puppet And from whence came these superstitions but because our nature is like a sâ—one heere on earth Nowe when I say that we are giuen to be altogether earthly minded it is because wee would eftsoones draw god and whatsoeuer knowledge we haue of him to vs and make him like vnto our selues Wée see then by experience that we would haue Iesus Christe continually in the flesh with vs But wee see on the other side that the Angels would put vs beside such speculations for they said yée men of Galilée why stand yee gazing vp into heauen In very déede if wée wil séeke for our Lorde Iesus we must lift vp our mindes vnto heauen but we must not séek for him after our owne mindes and vnderstandings and therefore faith must at this present beare rule ouer vs. For doe not we know that faith surmounteth all mens reason Neither haue wée suche a benefit by inheritance but it is a grace giuen vs of God to amend our nature Wée must then séeke for our Lorde Iesus but not with our eyes eares feete nor handes But it is faith that muste supply all our wantes Euen so whenas wee shall haue rightly vnderstoode this place we shal be sufficiently fenced agaynst all popish faÌ„tasies where they say by a peece of bread Behold héere is God thinke he may be closed vp like a Puppet Wee shall I say be sufficiently fenced against them whenas we vnderstand that it is said that we must not seek for him according to a natural mans reason but by faith Moreouer wee are admonished not to slacke the raines to superstition and thinke that we cannot haue God corporally with vs. And because we haue béen continually infected with this vice wee ought the more wisely to beware of this point Exod. 32. Wee see that the Iewes said vnto Aaron Make vs Gods to goe before vs. See howe wee woulde haue GOD to bee with vs that wee myght handle him and make sporte with him Let vs therefore consider of this place that wee might bee armed agaynst this vice For although Iesus Christe hath shewed himselfe vnto vs and is our brother yet can wee not comprehende him but by faith neither must we when he offereth himselfe vnto vs imagine of him according to our fantasie Moreouer since we knowe that hée is ascended into this heauenly glory Let vs marke why he is there Let vs in the first place remember vs of that which is said That he is not entred into the holy place made with mans handes Heb. 9.24 but that he is in heauen and therevpon maketh intercession for vs vnto God his Father so that whensoeuer we pray vnto God hée will not heare vs with out Iesus Christ were there in our name being there hée is our Intercessour and is the cause that our praiers come vnto him and that they are hearde euen as though we our selues were priueledged to speake our mindes and powre out our heartes before God And this is it which wée reade in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Exo. 28. That as the high Priest entred into the Sanctuary for all men Euen so since Iesus Christe is in heauen wée shoulde bée certaine and sure that hée maketh intercession for vs. For when the high Prieste entred into the Sanctuary hée had vpon his head the names of the children of Israell and before him hée had twelue stones which signified the twelue Tribes of Israell which declared that although hée went in alone yet hee did it for all the rest Since then Iesus Christe is entred into heauen and beareth vs there although wee bee as it were bruite beastes and carrieth vs also before him to declare that he hath vs in his heart we must not then pray vnto God doubtingly but be assured that our praiers shall alwaies be acceptable vnto him because Iesus Christe speaketh vnto him for vs. Now if this had béene before time throughly vnderstood there had not béen such stoare of Superstition in Popery For what is the cause that they haue so many Patrones Why runne they so faste vnto the Virgin Mary Forsooth because they neuer vnderstood wherefore it was that Iesus Christe ascended into heauen For if they had knowne that hée had ascended to bée our Intercessour they would neuer haue saide that they had béen vnworthie to haue offered vp their prayers vnto God and therfore had néede of Aduocates But they had knowne that since Iesus Christ is there in our name and in our behalfe wée might there haue accesse vnto him without either Patrones or Aduocates And this wee haue to vnderstande in the first place Moreouer hée ascended to the end that sitting at the
strange kinde of excuse And therefore when wée sée that God so liberally dealeth as that hée will neither exclude age nor sexe from receiuing of the holy ghoste are not wée very accursed to withdraw ourselues from him when as hée is desirous to come néere vs And to say the truth the prophesie that is héere spoken of is to be accomplished at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christe Wherfore since he at this day hath all power and dominion it must néedes bée manifested wée must also vnderstand that the thing which was foretolde is most true And therfore since the thing that was spoken of hath so manifestly appeared cursed are we if wée doe not our best to walke in the feare of the Lorde and receiue the graces whiche hee offereth vs. Wée haue alredye saide that hée taketh exceptions too none Howbeit wée are so wicked as that wée cannot take in good part the thing offered vnto vs. What is the cause thereof surely surely our infidelitie Wherefore neither young nor old can excuse themselues of this fault in not submitting themselues vnto the obedience of God séeing hée hath called all thereto Neither is it to be wondered at although they so little profit in this doctrine For if we marke it the elder sort will growe so obstinate and ouer growne in wickednesse as that no exhortation will doe them good And the younger sort are as dissolute as Diuels For if they bée exhorted they waxe so madde as that to any mans thinking they would tread vnder foote both God and his worde and as many as deliuer it Now Iesus Christe who is the wisedome mildenesse and méekenesse of the Father wyl haue nothing to doe with such foxes and Lions And if they be told that they must humble themselues vnder the mightie hand of God to the ende they might vnderstand that they haue a Father in heauen who will not care onely for their bodily nurriture but will also entertaine and gouerne them by his holy spirite they passe not an hawe of al this but take leaue to doe what wickednesse soeuer they lust Now because the time will not serue to procéede any further héerein we will reserue the handeling of the residue vntil Sunday next And sith we cannot be acceptable in the sight of the Lord our God but by the meane of our Lord Iesus Christ let vs fall downe before his maiestie in his name and beséech him so to instruct vs by his holy spirite as that wée may vnderstande that the Prophetes spake by him for our instruction and that we also might learne to benefite our selues so that it might turne to the glory and praise of his holy name and the edifying of our neighbours And so let vs most humbly say O Almighty God and heauenly father c. The third Sermon of the descending of the holie Ghost Actes second 18 ANd surely in those dayes I wil powre out of my spirit vpon my seruants vpon my handmaides and they shall prophesie 19 And I will shewe wonders in heauen aboue and tokens in the earth beneath blood and fire and the vapour of moke 20 The Sunne shal be turned into darknesse and the Moone into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord come 21 And it shall come to passe that whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lorde shall bee saued VPON Sunday last past we declared vnto you howe that at the comming of Iesus Christe God so powred out his great treasures in the worlde as that both men women young and olde were partakers of his grace Now the riches which the Lord God of his bountifull goodnesse so liberally bestowed were no earthly riches which could perish come to naught But euen the holy Ghoste himselfe from whom commeth all the riches and treasure of saluation And besides wée haue shewed that God hath not doone it only for a time but is also redy to continue the same which hée hath spoken yea and at this day he inricheth vs with his graces if the fault be not ours But wee bée so accursed as that wée are voyd of them by reason of our vnthankefulnesse For his liberalitie is as great at this day as euer it was in the time of the Apostles whenas hée sent downe vnto them the holie Ghost euen to make vs partakers of the self same grace which hée liberally bestowed vpon them howbeit wée are so incredulous and faythlesse as that we stoppe that way vpon him by which he would come vnto vs. For when hée calleth vs by his worde to make vs partakers of his holie spirite wée drawe arsewarde so that a man would thinke wée had conspired to set our selues against him And where both olde and young men and women are called to be partakers of this grace and ought to endeuour them selues by all meanes possible to receiue the holie Ghost and more and more to perseuere and continue in receiuing of the same we sée the elder sort to be more hard hearted and obstinate then the rest and the younger people to be giuen ouer to all kinde of lewdnesse so that if they be tolde of their dissolutenesse they wax so madde and furious as that it should séeme they would marre all And when men should be manlyke and sharpe witted to giue diligent héede vnto the word of God they are become as blockish as bruit beastes And where the women also shoulde be humble and walke soberly and honestly they are extreame dissolute and too too gallaunt and full of all superfluous vaine vanities And therefore if nowe we sée not men enioy the graces of the holie Ghost which God here speaketh of that hée will poure out vpon his seruantes and handmaydes it is not because hée hath chaunged any whit his determination and purpose but by reason we will not suffer him to do vs good For when he commeth neare vs we drawe backward Wherefore hée is not the let why we doe not all receiue his graces For the Prophet saieth as wée haue heretofore saide That God will poure out his holie spirite vpon all flesh Hée namely sayeth vpon all flesh which is vpon all people without exception True it is that Iesus Christ was sent vnto the Iewes not onely to pull them from out of the bondage of the Deuill but to make them partakers also of the giftes of the holie Ghost Howbeit wée are at this present gathered altogether into one Church and therfore there remaineth nothing but to shewe the effect of our Christianitie and of the graces which God hath bestowed on vs and thē let vs not doubt but that we shall receiue the giftes of the holie Ghost since it is saide that God hath not poured them out vpon one or two but generally vpon all men Wherefore it is not enough for vs to boast that we are Christians without we shew the effect thereof that it may be knowne that we vainly take not vpon vs this name of Christianitie For
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
therefore to what ende should we vse counsell aduise Thus wee sée what reason these fantastical felowes woulde yéelde vnto their follies which are ouer greate arrogancies for God to leaue vnpunished For although god calleth vs not into his secret counsel to declare vnto vs his wil determinatiō yet let vs know that he gouerneth vs by his hand that the wicked can doe nothing against vs except the Lorde geueth them leaue And yet there remayneth a certayne order in nature the meaning therof is not but that we must vse aduise for God hath saide vnto vs that he woulde haue vs liue by the bread which he giueth vs to eate that our diseases should be healed by phisick Wherfore it were ouer great arrogancie for vs to refuse the meanes which God giueth vs to cure helpe our infirmities And he that thinketh to get honour by this meane shal bring himself to vtter destruction For when wée say that the prouidence of God prouideth for al things yet must wée not refuse the meane which he hath appoynted Saint Peter saith a little after this that it was impossible for the fleshe of the bodie of Iesus Christ to turne to corruption And why so because that God only had so ordained it and not that it could doe naturally so For when he was conceiued in the wombe of the Virgin Mary he tooke vpon him our nature and was made like vnto vs sinne excepted And by that reason his fleshe was subiect to corruption euen as ours is if God had not in that sort preuented it Heb. 4.15 If a mā had séen the bones of our lord Iesus Christ they might wel enough haue béen bruised broken yet we sée that it was impossible for thē to be so because that God had in such sort appoynted it that they were not naturally so here we sée what we haue to note cōcerning that which might be alledged out of this place not that wee are to deale in speculatiōs to inuent a thousand sophisticall or brabling questiōs wherin the papists are cunning but let vs in al hūblenes consideratly stay our selues vpon this that GOD doeth not onely foresée all thinges but desposeth them also at his will and pleasure And therefore let vs learne to commende our selues vnto him Iohn 12.31 whenas we abide the grieuous assaults of the diuel of the world whereof he is saide to be the Prince and when wée thinke that it cannot be chosen but that the wicked wil oppresse vs Iohn 12.31 let vs shroud our selues vnder the wings of our good God that he might giue vs wherewith to resist them and so being armed with his power wée may bee able to put by all the temptations that may come vnto vs. For although all the Diuels wicked ones would ryse vp against vs hee knoweth well enough how to bridle them and hold them fast bounde so that wee as wee haue before saide runne vnto him and rest vnder his protection Thus wée sée that we must looke vpon the prouidence of God by faith and not after our owne reason Now in that we haue saide that the wicked doe nothing but that which God ordeineth a number might reply and say what good sir and if it bée thus it might bée said that God shoulde bée the cause of the euill and the wicked were to bée excused For answere hereof we must in the first place vnderstand what the will of god is yea that he setteth downe vnto vs in his law We know that he hath forbidden stealing If then I goe steale What Doe I then his will Surely when the wicked goe about to doe any mischiefe they goe not to doe the wil of God for they know wel enough that God vtterly misliketh al wicked dealing And therefore when they doe any euill they withstand the will of God Wherefore it followeth that God would not haue them doe any euill but suffereth them to doe it for the cause they are in excuseable forsomuch as they doe contrary to his commaundement And therefore we must not say that God is the cause of euill for he committeth not the faultes which wée commit For wée sée that he giueth the Diuell leaue to punish such are worthie thereof The Diuell committeth euill and hath none other regard but to doe mischiefe and yet God maketh him to serue him to another cleane contrary end God suffereth a Théefe to robbe a true man of his goods Iohn 1.21 And why doeth he so Forsooth to prooue his pacience that it might be knowne We sée what Iob saith in all his troubles The Lorde hath giuen and the Lorde hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord. And yet théeues robbed and spoyled him What meaneth hée then hereby Doth Iob accuse God of theft No forsooth you must not so take it for hée knewe that théeues were wicked and that they came not thither but against the will of God and to the intent to doe mischiefe howbeit he had a further reach and considered that it was not done without the prouidence of God And therefore Iob attributed not the wicked déede vnto God but hée knew what men were in their kind Hée saw that the Chaldeans and Sabeans were the scourges of God They robbed and reaued they killed his seruants and draue away his Cattel to bée short they impouerished him and lefte him nothing and yet hée continually praysed God because hée right wel knew that it was not done without his ordinaunce And euen so must wée doe For if the wicked trouble vs wée must not looke vnto them but our faith must ascend a great deale higher to wit wée must vnderstād that the prouidence of God is aboue them al. After this sort then must wée iudge and not enter into vaine speculations Wée sée now at this present that the vngodly crucified Iesus Christ and yet was it not done without the ordinance of God Howbéeit God wrought it to another ende It was the will of the wicked to bring Iesus Christ to naught and it was the will of God that his blood and death should bée an euerlasting Sacrifice and our redemption to bée made and accomplished thereby And therefore when wée behold this wée haue occasion to glorifie GOD and hée that doth not so his owne conscience reprooueth him Nowe S. Peter saieth that Iesus Christ rose agayne wherby to shew as we haue already said that wée must alwaies ioyne his resurrection with his death For if wée looke into his death onely wée shall sée him altogether full of all shame and reproche and disfigured like a Leper But when wée come vnto his resurrection wée sée how mightily the hand of God exalted him giuing him al power both in heauen and earth Wherefore Mat. 28.18 so soone as wée haue saide that Iesus died let vs by and by vnderstande that hée rose againe He died according to the weaknesse of his flesh but in that
estéemed and honoured and yet will wee thrust him out at the Cartes arse as wée say who made vs for what purpose doe they this Is it not a thing cleane against nature but let vs by the way marke that the ignorance of Infidels and incredulous Papistes procéedeth not of méere simplicitie but of very malice pride and hypocrisie which causeth them to bée so cléerely voyd of wit and discretion And how so because without all doubt if we might once come to the knowledge of God we could neither will nor choose but huÌ„ble our selues before him For it is impossible for vs to bee able to thinke what God is except wée bée liuely touched with some feare which may make vs yéelde vnto him And therefore so long as wée are Rebels and his enimies it is a token that wee neuer knew him for this knowledge of God is too too liuely a thing to say there wée sée him and yet bée as obstinate and rebellious as Infidels And if any man say that they are ignoraunt I graunt but let them take this withall that they are also cursed hypocrites Is there either one or other of vs that hath any thing in him able to excuse him No surely for if wée had but the séede of nature in vs giuen by God the verie beholding of heauen and earth were ynough to make vs think that there were some one who created all these thinges God reuealeth vnto vs as it were in a glasse his maiestie and glorie and yet there is none of vs all that will yéeld vnto it Surely the moste vngodly and such as make a scorne of GOD whenas they bée in any paine or griefe will call vpon him and yet thinke no whit at all indéede of him and héerevnto doeth GOD driue them that they might bée without all excuse insomuch that they as I haue already sayd which are most incredulous are not yet so ignorant but that they play the very Hipocrites They would gladly couer and cloake it Howbéeit they close vp their eyes for the very nonce Wée are proude also malicious for if wée did beare that honour vnto God that wée ought we would haue another maner of care to séeke to know him and his will And therefore whenas wée are so lazie and colde it is a token that wée care not for him So that by that meane our desire is to walke altogether in the darke Why so what is then to bée done Forsooth when wée come néere vnto GOD and that hée rebuketh vs for our offences wée shoulde learne to bée offended with our sinnes and reforme our liues Howbéeit wée are contented to lulle our selues asléepe in our miseries and thus wée sée howe wée flye from his brightnes Wée are therefore héere to note that we are not punished without good cause although we bée ignorant for wée cannot iustly say that wée are simple but rather hypocriticall proud and malicious We sée then why S. Paule saith That they which had sinned without law to wit they which had no vnderstanding of the woorde of God should notwithstanding die without law saying further that God had ingraueÌ„ a law in euery mans heart for although we had neither Scripture nor preaching yet doth our consciences serue for a law to condemne vs and this shalbée sufficient at the latter day well wée may haue many starting holes to deceiue men withall and wée thinke it a good discharge but when wée come once before the heauenly Iudge wée shal come short of our reckoning for there wée shall sée all our excuses to be vaine Let vs then note out of the saying in this place That the Lord wil come to render vengeance vnto al those which haue not knowne GOD and obeyed the gospel to wit vnto al incredulous persons Now by this wee sée that faith is the only port or gate vnto saluatioÌ„ life because Iesus Christ wil come to confound al those which haue not beléeued Moreouer we must vnderstand that vntill such time as GOD enlighteneth vs wée are altogether ignorant and blind And why so Forsooth wée haue a faire catch to know whatsoeuer is in heauen in earth yet not knowe God then to what purpose serueth all our knowledge And surely wée shal neuer know him aright vntil such time as hée hath enlightened vs with his holie spirit Whervpon we sée that our ignorance shal not excuse vs to the end no man should flatter himselfe and become carelesse yet let vs also note one thing by the way that when wee are come to the knowledge of God wée ought of very right submit our selues vnto him to the end hee might kéepe vs in awe that all our thoughts and affections might be guided after his wil so that wée may haue such a faith vnto the Gospel as that we may say with Dauid Psal 19 1â— that this doctrine is sweeter then hony more precious then gold or siluer And thus much for this poynt Moreouer wee here sée how GOD meaneth to certefie vs of our saluation For if Iesus Christ must come to doe vengeaunce vpon all those which haue not beléeued the Gospel but resisted it wée must néedes conclude that the worlde shall bée iudged by the Gospel Nowe it is there sayde vnto vs that when wee haue receiued the promises of God with a true and liuely faith we must not stand in doubt of his fauour and loue to vs warde neither yet doubt that Iesus Christe will not stande to the thing which hee hath offered for vs and for our redemption And therefore all they which doe beléeue in the Gospell may without all doubt reioyce that Iesus Christe will come to be their Redéemer And this assurance as I haue alreadie said God maketh vs so that wée refuse not such a benefite As for the power and glory of Iesus Christe which Saint Paul héere speaketh of it is as hath béene before saide to this ende that his comming might bée the more terrible to all incredulous and rebellious persons And is this a small matter to say that Iesus Christe wyll come accompanied with his Angels in flaming fier and with an incomprehensible Maiestie thundering and lightening vpon all those that are his enimies By this wee sée that Saint Paule his meaning héere is to admonishe all faithlesse people if they are to bée holpen to beware how they continue still without amâ—ndment Notwithstanding because wee sée that such as Satan leadeth and whose heartes hee hardeneth doe nothing els but make a mocke at the threatninges of God let vs for our partes make our profite thereby and when wée heare that Iesus Christe wyll come in such a feareful maner as that hee will so feare and bridle vs that when Satan shall goe about to spurre and pricke vs forwarde to withdrawe vs from the obedience of the Gospell wée might bée able to thinke thus with our selues and say how fareth it with vs how headlong runne we into destruction What meane