had the greatest benefite by it in somuch as that he could not haue bin saued without it He is not this true Christe who offred him selfe a sufficient price for al the sinnes of his seruantes for hee leaueth euery one to answere for his owne sinne telling him that he him selfe and no other is to answere for it And therefore looke what the sinnes of H. N. his Christ cost him the same price must they pay for theirs if they will beleeue him All the helpe that they haue from him is that hee hath paide his money before them so that nowe they shall not neede to trouble them selues either about the price to spende any long time in learning what is required neither yet about the manner to vnderstand where and howe it is to be paide If any doe meruell howe H. N. can make away this so plaine an historie let them vnderstande that it is well knowen to those who be any thing acquainted with him that to sinke any historie H. N. will require no more then one single shot of an Allegorie The Lorde graunt that they which thus abolishe the true Christ his office to set vp so cursed a creature in his place may be looked to in time before they shall drawe others into the same condemnation Christ Iesus gaue him self for vs to purge vs that we might be a peculiar people vnto him selfe zealous of good works Here are all the carnal gospellers condemned who liue in hope that vnder the coūtenance of their profession all libertie of life will well enough bee borne out that make Christe his death to be nothing els but a bawde vnder their lewde life Here may we see that the Lorde hath not laide downe his life to purchase no other thing at our handes beside a profession of the trueth but that hee bought with his bloud a zealous addicting of our selues to christian conuersation It is a wonder to see howe the wicked will boast of the benefite of Christ his bloud howe mightie it is to merite howe sufficient to saue from sinne But for all that will they not giue ouer anye libertie of life that before they haue enioyed whereas it was giuē to purchase a newe conuersation aswell as a new professiō For he gaue him selfe for vs that we might giue ourselues vnto him a peculiar people zelous of good works Let vs marke it then my brethren that hee gaue himself for vs to haue the honour of a christian life frō vs He left his life for vs that our life might be let out to honour him He made not so slēder a purchase with so great a price as that if he had a good sigh or a good worde at our last breath that would suffize him his life was giuen for the purchase of a zealous giuing of our liues to the works that please him And therfore doeth the Apostle tel vs that we are not our own mē to frame our life after our owne liking but are to serue the Lorde both with our body and with our spirite because they are the Lordes bought of him with a price If we humble not our selues to a zealous following of good works we withhold the Lords due for he hath paide a great price to purchase a good life at our handes Hee hath with no small price but dearely bought of vs the honor of a life led in zealous obedience vnto his word For we are not barely to giue some good words either els to shew some good countenance towards religion christian conuersation but to haue our conuersation declare that we are affected with the same and become studious of such an estate of life Such men declare themselues to be that peculiar people for whome the Lorde laide out his life As for those who walke so inidifferently betweene true religion and false that a man can not discerne whether they are more enclined vnto As also those that walke so euen betwene a ciuill life and a christianlike behauiour that the difference is not easilie discussed they do declare themselues as yet not to bee affected in desire toward those duties which the Lord hath laid vpon his Nowe where this purchase of his hath taken place they are become a peculiar people zealous of good workes If colde christians haue so litle comfort from the death of Christ what shall become of them that are sworne enimies either to true religion or els to good life christian behauiour It is saide here by the Apostle That we must be purged to become a peculiar people vnto our God zealous of good workes which office of purging the holy Ghost performeth not by miracle but by meanes wherin we haue great cause to be thankfull vnto God that whereas our foode was exceeding grosse vnder the gouernment of the Pope as hauing onely for diet the inuentions of man Nowe that pure and fine foode of the worde of God is not only made lawfull vnto vs but also liberally laid out for vs But herein againe we are both to confesse and acknowledge our want that seeing we are not voyd of sinne while we remaine in this fleshe and therefore haue neede to be often purged clensed our purgations for all this so great a change so good a constitūtion of the minde vnder the Gospel be now at this day nothing diuerse frō those that were vsed in that great grossenes which we had vnder the Pope The Canon lawe I confesse might purge somewhat in those times of ignorance when because the foode was so grosse the minde could not but be full of great and grieuous humors but nowe the constitution of our minds being altered by reason that the foode is so cleane diuerse from that it hath bene howe cā it purge to any purpose Let vs therfore euery one pray that seeing by reason of this good diet of the Gospell the state and constitution of our minde is chaunged in steede of the Canon lawe which passeth ouer many daungerous humors and purgeth them neuer a whit by reason of the great grossenesse that is in it wee may haue rules and Canons out of the worde of God which will pearce further purge other humors whereof we haue great store and those such as do greatly blemishe the Gospel and causeth so great slaunder vnto our profession as hindreth many from cōming therevnto How often doth the whole body of this Realme assemble togither in that high court of Parliament to redresse those euils that are amōg vs either in body goods or name making new statutes and repeling olde according as by that wisedome and experience whiche God hath giuen them they see and perceyue any daunger either present or shortly like to fal vpon them But as for the church which Sathan maliceth infinitly more and therefore maketh many sorer assaultes against the same how slenderly in all such assemblies is her estate thought vpon And what statutes are there made to preuent the practises of Sathan Or what olde
soule out of aduersitie Solomon thy sonne shal raigne after me The benefites are not lightly regarded that are receiued in aduersitte For the present sense and feeling of the miserie doeth greatly enhance the price thereof And therfore Dauid tooke away all occasion of doubting when he pawneth for assurance of his word so great a matter as was his thankfulnes for his deliuerance out of aduersitie For it could not be that he should forget to redeme so great a gage And in this highest degree of gifts commeth this benefite commended vnto vs for it is the grace of God that bringeth saluation And bringing of saluation prooueth our estate to haue been damnable before It is not only miserie thē that we were plunged in before this benefit came but a miserie of miseries for we were holden vnder the thraldome of death damnation Such a benefite deserueth thankfull remēbrance it speedeth where any perswasion will preuaile such a gift a man would thinke should find fauor prosper whither soeuer it turneth Hauing succeded so great and grieuous a miserie how can it but haue the cast of most boūtiful sweete mercie We may learne by this that hath bin said what the cause is why the holy ghost saith not simply The Gospel teacheth and exhorteth vs but sayth the grace of God which bringeth saluation teacheth and exhorteth vs for it is the Gospel that he meaneth and yet he calleth it The grace of God that bringeth saluatiō to make vs more mindeful of the matter This maner of perswading by giftes and benefites vsed of the holy Ghost may learne vs a profitable lesson howe to withstande temptations vnto sinne whatsoeuer to witte by keeping fresh in memorie the seuerall benefites of God towardes vs making them as bulwarkes against our sinfull assaultes so that when they allure vs we may thus answere them The God who hath redeemed my soule from al aduersitie doeth forbid it me The grace of God to whom I owe my saluation doeth denie it vnto me The goodnes of that God of whō I haue receiued life health honour wealth deliuerance out of these and these troubles preseruatiō from the murtherer euil tōgue and slaunderer doeth desire me that for all the good will that euer he hath borne me I would not consent vnto it If any Prince should by speciall pardon deliuer a subiect frō death that by law and Iustice had deserued it and after aduaunce him to some place of honour in the Lande hard and vnthankful were his heart if those sutes especially of the prince which brought with them the remembrance of this mercie for their better enterteinment shoulde nothing be regarded and in verie deede the benefites receiued from our God should be notes of remēbrance vnto vs for his seueral sutes against sinne and shoulde be alwayes at the albowe iogging of vs to remember him when sinne would pull vs from him And with these or such like speeches to sounde in our eares That Lord that tooke thee off the Ladder when the sentence of euerlasting death had passed against thee biddeth thee nowe remember him that God who hath picked thee out of so great a multitude that continue in their infidelitie hardnesse of heart and obstinacie and blessed thee with speciall knowledge comfort and confidence in him nowe willeth thee not to forget him It shall bee profitable for vs to beholde this in practise which nowe in doctrine can not but delight vs. Ioseph warring with the wicked attempts of his Mistres who would haue intised him to cōmit wickednes with her beareth off al her wicked assaults with this armor For the very remembrāce of his Maisters good wil benefits towards him brideleth him so that he dare not assent vnto her shamefull demaund euē in respect of the iniurie that he should doe vnto a maister so good and well deseruing at his hands Beholde saieth Ioseph vnto her my maister knoweth not what he hath in the house with me but hath committed all that he hath into my hande there is no man in this house greater then I neither hath he kept any thing from me but onely thee because thou art his wife How then can I do this great wickednesse The benefites of his maister towardes him seeme so great a matter in his eyes that he would learne of that impudent and shamelesse woman if impudencie it selfe could happely find out any colour of reason or excuse for so great and grieuous an offence How then sayth Ioseph after he had recited the great kindnes of his master can I possibly doe so great wickednesse not thinking otherwise but that shamelessenes it selfe would blush at such vnkindnesse and vnthankfulnesse as that was with shame inough begin to giue ouer as one who had nothing more nowe to aunswere in so foule a matter There is no man so base but in respect of some benefite receiued from God hee speaketh that sometimes in his heart which Ioseph vttered in woorde to witte there is no man greater then I but there are fewe that inferre therevpon as Ioseph did how then can I doe such wickednesse against him that hath made me the greatest It were a godly aduauntage had of Pride to make this gaine of our mounting and aspiring thoughts which would perswade vs that we be the greatest and thus to replie vpon them If I bee such a one howe then can I lie sleeping in securitie ignoraunce of God and his worde malice and vnmercifulnesse being sworne enemies to his kingdome that hath thus aduaunced me You see by this that hath beene sayd what is the vse of God his benefites euen to be the bane of vngodlinesse to smite thorowe this old man of ours this corrupt nature directing the Speare of Gods grace euē to the heart roote of Sinne when it stirreth within vs So that sinne shall no sooner put out the head but we calling to mind some one or other speciall benefite of God shall bee readie with that same weapon of his grace to runne vpon it and wound it at the heart Therefore we see what necessitie lieth vpon vs except we wil exceede in all vnthankfulnesse to yeeld our selues obedient scholers vnto this Teacher euen the grace of God which bringeth saluation Hauing spoken thus much of the scholemaister order requireth to tell you what the lesson is which this good Schoolemaister would so gladly learne vs and that is this To denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly iustly and godly in this present worlde Let vs see what this great grace requireth of vs euen deniall of vngodlinesse and worldly lustes Thus doth the spirit of God begin with vs for we are so wretched and wicked matter that we must be weeded ere any thing may safely be sowen or planted in vs This monstrous cōtagion Leprosie are we admonished of in the order of teaching vsed by the holy ghost generally throughout the scripture In the Moral law almost all precepts were negatiue Thou shalt
The trueth is we are perswaded of the excellencie of them and therefore in all suche places alledged for the waiting of his comming there is the benefit set foorth with it and the greatnesse of it which pointeth at our darkenesse and vnbeliefe herein and telleth vs that the glory of this world standeth as a cloude betwene it and our sight To concludle set vs inlarge our hope by meditation praier enter into some consideration of the length breadth and depth of that glory so shal we see such a portion in it as will comfort vs euen in our greatest afflictions countiing it a great honour that we are vouchsafed his seruice as the Apostles haue doone Now we are to consider of that which is the third thing in this our diuision to wit what was geuen to make vs good schollers in this his doctrine and to become a people zelously geuen vnto good workes The gift is so great as himselfe for he gaue himself for vs He laide not downe his life at the plesure of his aduersaries being otherwise vnwilling but franckly and freely of his owne accord did yeeld it vp for vs This is that which wee esteeme aboue the benefite often times the minde of the geuer Great gifts are darkened when they come from an vnwilling mind leese their commendation but a willyng mind aduaūceth the least gift that can be No man taketh my life frō me saith our Sauiour Christ but I laid it downe of my selfe His wyllingnes also appeareth in this that he went forth to meete them asking of them whom they sought confessing him to bee a man As his aduersaries did not compel hym by violence to leaue his lyfe no more did good deseruing on our part procure him therunto And therfore S. Iohn doth herein note a speciall thing that he began with vs and prouoked vs vnto loue and not wee hym This loue was voluntarie and not forced It had likewise the preheminence of beginning and prouoking and was neither borne nor begotten of any former benefite of ours to himward In this gift that was geuen we are to remember not onely that moment of his passion wherein hee passed immediatly from life to death but also the whole course of his life while he had his aboade with vs heere vppon earth For hee serued vs with his life as well as with his death performing in it all that obedience which the Lord requireth of man And this obedience vnto the law could not be vrged of duety vpon hym who was Lorde of the Law in his owne name and for himselfe but onely in respect of vs whose cause and person he was content to sustaine Touchyng his life what a rare argument token of good wil was this to begin withal that he would be abased so farre for vs as to lay downe the maiestie and glory wherin he was nothing inferiour to his father and to take vpon him the estate and condition of a poore and miserable seruaunt to leaue the highest estate in heauen to goe vnder the basest condition here vpon earth to chaunge the highest dignitie with the basest condition the greatest glory with the greatest infamie the place that hath superioritie ouer all with that which is to serue all What is the glory of all kingdomes in the world if they were ioyned together to the glory of heauen and yet how impossible were it to intreate him who is king of the leaste Islande in the worlde to chaunge his estate with a seruant to leaue the glory of his kingdome and to imbrace the estate of the meanest subiect seruant in the land What subiect how friendly soeuer in former times he had been to the prince could after long sute preuaile thus muche with him and behold the king of heauen and Lorde of life doe◠force this friendshippe vpon his enmies It requireth our earnest meditation of the matter to consider the greatnesse of the goodwill that lyeth vnder it for it hath neuer before or since beene hearde of that the sonne his lyfe shoulde bee thee price too purchase vnto the seruaunt his freedome that the sonne shoulde be solde to serue to the end the seruant nay enemie might be made free Wonder at this worke thou earth and be amased at it yee heauens for from the beginning if all your registers were searched the like shal not be heard of at any time to haue happened The gift had bene exceeding great if we should haue had no more at his handes then is the seruice of his life lead in all maner of obedience for our sake heere vppon earth but after this obedience vnto the wil of his father in al duetie accomplished he himself must passe through death and so become a slaine sacrifice for the sinnes of his seruants Wherin let vs a litle behold the weight of such a work so shal we make the better account of hym who hath wrought it for vs Let vs behold his behauior when the time approched of his appearing before the iudgement seate of the righteous God for sinners Which although it be but the entraunce into his passion suffering wyl notwithstanding let vs haue some sight tast wherby to discerne how heard a worke he had in hand When he was to enter the answering of sinne he went as appeareth in the Gospel after Saint Mathew into a place called Gethsemane saying to his disciples Sit ye heere while I goe and pray yonder While hee was on the way he begā to waxe heauy sorowful and greenously troubled Insomuche that hee complayning of his griefe vnto Peter and the two sonnes of Zebedeus whom he toke with him saith vnto them I feele my hart heauy vnto death tarry ye here watch with me The paine pressed him so sore that he craueth the comfort of theyr presence in that combat Ye may well consider that it is no small matter which driueth the soone of God to intreate his Disciples to watch with him But are they able to afforde him any helpe In trueth they can geue no help vnto the matter hee hath in hand It is no great thing that is required and yet for all that it cannot bee obteined It is no great matter to looke on though the matters which be in doeing were neuer so daungerous and yet the Scripture doeth tel vs that the chiefe of the Apostles coulde not holde vp theyr heads and helpe their maister at his desire while hee yet was but in the beginning of his conflict with so much as a comfortable countenance no not after he had cōplained of their great vnkindnes expostulating the matter with them had vsed these wordes towardes them What could ye not watch with me one houre A wonderful matter that Peter the prince of the Apostles shoulde bewray so great weakenesse that beyng sundrie tymes requested by his maister could not performe towarde our saluation so litle a matter as is the looking on So farre was he
from afoording either countenaunce or speache of incouragement in this cause The Lord had a special purpose in it and we are therfore to drawe speciall instruction frō this that there did neuer greater wāt appeare neither moe infirmities breake out of the Apostles then when the worke of our saluatiō was in hand For had they geuen but the least helpe vnto that worke how should men haue beene kept from matching them with Christe in the matter of mediation For many be so mad that notwithstanding the best of them coulde not helpe with a comfortable countenance when our saluation was to be procured yet wil they haue the meanest of them at least felowes with Christe at halfe of the Mediatorship for they wyl not be perswaded but that they must pray vnto them and so haue them fellowes with Christ in the office of intercession Howe hath the holy Ghoste met with man his infirmitie herein and remoued all stūbling blockes that we might haue free passage to the alone Mediator betwene God man the man Iesus Christe Who can deny but that the only wise God did foresee what great folly superstition many would fal into with the Apostles and Saints of God and therefore would haue the work of our saluation so cleare voyde of any helpe from the Apostles that the chiefe of them could not be kept from sleeping at the beginning neither from periurie forswearing after a litle farther proceeding in the same For so farre were they from helping our saluation forwarde that being requested to watche and solace their Maister with their sight in his agonie that they are daunted lie like dead men And when they are wakened and reproued for that they would not watch one houre by by they fall faste a sleepe againe so that no manner of comfort can be had from them And no maruell for the Almightie had determined that the cōbate should be single perfourmed of one alone and therefore it could not he that Peter and Christe should suffer togither In deede there were twoo the eues crucified with him but there was no doubt which thing the learned doe wel note that the sacrifice for sinne should haue any supply from their suffering The forme of prayer which our Sauiour Christ vsed vnto God the father when he entred into this agonie doth likewise tel vs what pain anguish he did susteine For sundry times he made this petition vnto god O my father if it be possible let this cuppe passe from me Let vs ceasse to maruell that the Apostle did beare no part in it for this his praier doth declare that Iesus Christ had his hands ful of it Let vs not maruell why the Apostles had no more lust nor affection to deale in it for Iesus Christ him self if he had followed the sence persuasion of his flesh had flatly refused it fainted at the first neuer haue gone thorowe with it O my father if it be possible lot this cuppasse Howe heauy a waight of our sinnes was vpon him not onely is bewrayed by his praier but also by the drops of bloud that fel from his face and by his often passage as a man greatly distressèd and in sore anguish frō his Apostles to the place where he prayed and from thence to them again Sometimes waking them seeking comfort from the sight of them and sometimes againe intreating his father for fauour Neither doth he this once away but sundry times doth he renewit make oftē attemptes to haue ease by it This was the beginning of this his cōflict much anguish was in it as you haue heard litle comfort comming from any yet the farther he proceedeth the more his paine increaseth and the lesse comfort he feeleth Before he had the sight of his Apostles albeit they could not be kept waking for his comfort nowe they all flee forsake him saue Peter who did abide by it a while but in the ende did forsweare him His father whom before he did attempt to intreat now standeth foorth taking the place of iustice and the seate of iudgement summoneth all his seruantes to appeare answeré for their sinnes Thē the sonne of man Iesus Christe commeth foorth to the barre appeareth in the person of al sinners there stādeth he to receiue sentence and afterwards execution accordingly which could be no slender punishment for it must be a sufficient satisfaction for the sinnes of all his seruantes It could be no litle blowe that he did beare for why it was such a one that the sinnes of all his seruantes did die of it Howe could it be a little stripe or stroke that was the death of so manse sinnes Nay vniuersally of all the sinnes in his seruantes When hee went vnder it this speache of his O God my God why hast thou forsaken mee did sufficiently testifie what waight and burden he had of it Before he was forsaken of men and his dearest Disciples had left him Now sinne hath set his father against him and hee feeleth him an vtter enimie vnto him For that hee wrestled not with an ordinarie and vsuall kinde of death his wordes to his father doo bewray He was to beare the punishment for sinne which must touch him els how shuld we be persuaded that the punishment was sufficient and meete for such a matter Beholde a true ballance wherein to waye sin a Glasse that will giue vs the true sight of sinne Looke vppon this glasse yee which think that at your last houre ye shalde wel enough able to driue away sin with a sigh Behold this spectacle ye that take sinne in yong men to be the grace of those yeeres so slender a matter in olde men that it can not abide the least breath or sight of one that hath gray heares You see when sinne is to be answered the Apostles left it and Christ him selfe did sundrie wayes declare that he had enough of it We may see sufficiētly by this that they neuer felt the sting of it who in their speeches remedies appointed to redresse it doe giue out so slenderly of it There is one thing whereof we are especially to be admonished that we neuer make our selues guiltie of so great vnduettfulnes against our God as to call his diuinitie into question because he was hūbled vnto this anguish paine in our person and bewrayed such sence and feeling thereof in our nature For how doe wee answere the Lord if we will let him haue no longer any honour from vs for that he was so greatly humbled for vs Hereby we may sufficiently see and discerne what a cursed and counterfait Christ that is which H. N. hath brought into the world For H. N. his Christ was not first God then after whē he was to suffer made man but first man after by his suffering was Godded with god He gaue no special argumēts of good will vnto vs by his passion suffering for himselfe