perceiue how And thus much for this Nowe séeing it was the will of God that his sonne should be put to death let not vs be ashamed of that which hee suffered nor yet think that the wicked did beare the sway that the sonne of God could not haue found meanes to haue defēded himselfe For all came frō the wil vnchangeable decrée of God which he had determined therin And therfore we sée why our Lord Iesus saith in S. Luke Luke 22.53 This is now your very houre the power of darknes As if he shuld haue said what make no great boast of that you haue done For the diuel is your maister ringleader By which he sheweth that they did nothing but by the leaue of God And although the diuel vrged thē thereto yet neither they nor hee coulde haue brought any thing to passe if God had not licēsed them Thus we sée in sūme that our eyes all our senses must be fastened vpon the wil of God and vpō his euerlasting councel when we heare the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ spoken of For he declared that this was the will of God because it is writtē For if Iesus Christ had not had some testimony of the thing which God his father had ordeined he might as yet haue stood in doubt but he knew what his office was And God would not haue sent him downe here below but that hée gaue him forthwith an expresse charge withal It is very true that inasmuch as our Lord Iesus is God eternal that he néeded not to be taught of the scripture but inasmuch as he is our redéemer is clothed with our nature that he might be of right brotherhood it was méet he shuld be taught the holy scripture we sée also that he at no time refused any such instruction So thē because God shewed him wherunto he had called him we sée wherupō he established himselfe we also sée why he behaued himselfe like a prisoner would not start away because he knew that he must fulfil the charge cōmitted vnto him which was to offer himselfe a sacrifice for the redēptiō of vs al And therefore we are to learne that forsomuch as the will of God is secrete incōprehēsible in himselfe we must haue recourse vnto the holy scripture True it is that God determineth of things in his secrete councel which wee thinke to come by chaunce as wee say which is not shewed vnto vs neither haue wee alwaies a speciall reuelatiō that we are able to say that God hath determined either this thing or that And therfore must we suspēd our iudgemēts for we sée why it is that we pray him to heale vs of our sicknes or why we would haue him to deliuer vs from any other affliction whereinto we are fallen And why doe wée so Because wee knowe not what he wil doe In very déed we must not appoint him a law but that this conditiō must alwaies be adioyned that his wil be done But all our prayers ought to tende to this pointe to craue at his handes whatsoeuer he knoweth to be necessary profitable for vs and to leaue vnto himselfe whatsoeuer is laid vp in his secret councel to the end hee might doe that which to his maiesty shall séeme best But whē wee haue a testimony out of the holy scripture that God willeth any thing we must not as I haue already said stand against it Now we are here a great deale better confirmed as touching the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ that hee was not thus cruelly afflicted so shamefully slanderously handled onely as the vngodly wicked men lusted but because God had so decréed it And how appeareth this by the holy scripture For were not the sacrifices in the law ordeined two thousād yeres before Iesus Christ was borne And had not God enspired taught the auncient Fathers how to sacrifice before the law was eyther giuen or written Or could the blood of bruite beastes obtaine remission for sinnes and make men acceptable vnto God No But it was to shew that God should be reconciled by a Redéemer whom he had established and sithens that time he hath set downe an expresse mention and declaration by the scriptures Isaiah 53. 2. We also sée howe the Prophets haue spoken thereof and namely he alledgeth them For when Isaiah saieth That the Redéemer should be disfigured and disdayned deformed and vnbeautifull like a Leaper scourged and beaten by the hande of God that he should be an horrible thing to beholde to be short that his life should be taken from him in what power was this prophecied of was it because God could not withstande Satan and all the rable of the wicked No But it was because he had pronounced by the mouth of Isaiah the thing which he had before appointed Dan. 9. 24. And in Daniell it is a great deale more expresly set downe Séeing then it is so that God hath declared that his onely Sonne must be sacrificed for our redemption and saluation we are nowe much more confirmed in that which I haue alreadie spoken which is we must alwayes sée that it is the hand of God which gouerneth when as we see the Sonne of God to be so subiected to the slaunders and reproches of mortall men Wee see also why Saint Peter namely saieth in the Actes Act. 4 27. That Iudas all the Iewes yea and all the souldiers and Pylate also had done none other thing but that which the hande and Councell of God had determined as hereafter shall more at large be handled And here we sée wherevnto wée must looke when we would not be troubled in our foolish imaginations which is that God hath sent downe here belowe his onely begotten Sonne that he might accept his obedience through his death and passion for the taking away of all our sinnes and iniquities And this is the second point which I haue handled to wit the fruit benefit which commeth to vs by the suffering of our Lorde Iesus For if we knew not why it was we should lose the tast of that which is here recited vnto vs. But whē it is said that he was bound manacled for our deliuerance and that we sée what the state condition of our nature is to wit that Satan holdeth vs vnder the tyranny of sinne and death that wée are very bondslaues so that in stead that we were created after the image of God there must néeds be found in vs nothing but corruptiō and accursednesse must be led into this cursed captiuitie like miserable wretched beastes Now when we know all this and that we on the other side sée that the Sonne of God refused not to be slaunderously bound to the end that al the spiritual bonds of sin death which kéepe vs boūd vnder the bōdage of Satā might be brokē in sunder thē haue we wherefore to glorify God
because wée were stubborne that none of vs thought once to humble our selues before God but were altogether blinded in our offēces Howbeit we sée that this is the naturall meaning of the Prophet that for the obtaining of peace at the handes of God it must néedes be that we were to be reconciled by an other meane I haue alredie said that God being the iudge of the world could not choose but of verie right hate and detest vs for as shall be soone after declared what haue we brought out from the wombe of the sea and what treasure haue wée gathered together all our life long Surely wée doe nothing els but prouoke the wrath of God as if wée had made a league with Satan continually to encrease more and more his fury Sée nowe in what sorte wée haue deserued to bée hated and reiected at the handes of God Beholde how his wrath is kindled against vs and it is impossible but that hée must néedes be our enemy because wée fight against him and with might and mayne make suche warres as that we vyolate and breake all order of iustice And therefore I say must God in this respect ryse vp in iudgement agaynst vs because wée knowe it to bée his verie office to maintaine and defende equitie and right Wherfore since it is so that he seeth vs to be ful of iniquitie and corruption and altogether rebellious it is meete hée shoulde stretch foorth his arme and shewe that because we are his enemyes hée will render vs the lyke And therefore wée had néede to haue peace and our consciences will alwayes witnesse agaynst vs and although wée goe about carelesly to sleape in our flatteryes yet will GOD so pricke and spurre vs and make vs féele in despight of our téeth that wee are altogether malicious and vnthankfull Wherefore it is impossible that GOD shoulde bée mercifull vnto vs and wée to bée assured to finde fauoure with him vntill such tyme as wée féele his correction Not that GOD is desirous of reuenge as men are For a man when he is in an heate woulde haue the fault that is committed to bee amended and some redresse and punishment to be made and had that hee might be reuenged Howbeit there are no suche passions in God But how euer the case standeth God will haue his iustice and iudgement to be knowne and feared to the ende wée might the rather bée afearde of our sinnes and learne to abhorre and detest them For if GOD woulde haue forgiuen vs except Iesus Christ had made intercession and pawned him selfe for vs wée woulde haue made no account of the matter and euerie of vs woulde haue smoothed him selfe and woulde haue taken also a greater occasion of lycense to sinne But when we sée that God hath not spared so rigorously and extreamely to handle his onely Sonne as that hée did not onely cause him to suffer the most gréeuous torments in body that might bée but also so extremely afflicted his soule as that hée made him to crye out and say My God My God why haste thou forsaken mée Mat. 27.46 When wée sée all these thinges I say it is impossible except our heartes bée harder then flynt stones but that wée must bée gréeued and conceiue suche a feare as that it must vtterly confounde vs and neyther will nor choose but detest our sinnes and iniquities since they so prouoke the heauy wrath of God against vs. Thus wée sée why it was requisite that our whole correction of peace shoulde bée layde vpon Iesus Christ to the ende wée might finde fauour before God his Father that is to say that we might be at such a league with him as that we might at this day be bold and frée to call vpon God as our Father although of very right hée is our enemy and hateth vs as wée are in our owne nature Wée sée then at this present what the Prophet his meanyng is when hée sayeth that our Lorde Iesus Christ was afflicted by the hande of God disfigured and forsaken of all men and that no man once vouchsafed to looke vpon him by reason of his merueylous deformitie Howbeit hée sayeth that it was because God had kindled his wrath against vs and was armed and bent to cōfounde and throwe vs downe headlong into the pit of hell vntill such time as that attonement was made And which way came it to passe Forsooth God of his méere mercy and goodnesse fréely forgiueth vs our sinnes howbeit the price of our redemption was in the person of his onely Sonne Now we haue héere to note that by reason of the condemnation of our Lord Iesus Christ we are pardoned and al our sinnes buried shal neuer again rise vp against vs before the maiesty of God whē we speak of the forgiuenes of our sins it is not spokē as though God had so discharged vs as if we had throughly cōtented payde him but we are acquited by his méere liberality And although we are guilty before him yet forgetteth he al receiueth vs to mercie Mat. 7.19 because as the prophet saith he casteth our sins into the bottome of the sea but by the way we haue also here to note that this was no frée forgiuenes vnto the persō of our lord Iesus Christ for it cost him the setting on as we say Now if we cōsider what a grieuous cruel slanderous death this was which he abode besides what anguishes his soule endured whē he was called before the iudgemēt seat of God his father to abide our condēnation if we cōsider wel of all this geare I say we shal find that our Lord Iesus Christ hath made a woonderful paymēt for the discharging of our sins Loe here howe we at this day are fréed of thē And héerof we are throughly to cōsider for the diuel hath cōtinually gone about to darkē this doctrine because it is the chiefest article of our faith In the beginning of the world God would haue sacrifices offred vnto him for the forgiuenesse of sinnes And why was that Forsooth it was to this ende and purpose that men should not trust vnto him but by the meane of a sacrifice and the shedding of blood And therefore they all protested in their sacrifices that they were not able to come néere vnto god except they had béen redéemed by the purging of their sinnes iniquities which was to be done by our Lord Iesus Christ And yet by the way neither Iew nor Gentile but trusted to their own merits thought themselues able to make satisfaction vnto God by thē Here then we sée that the diuel euē at the time wtdrew miserable sinners frō our lord Iesus Christ frō the payment which he had made by his death passiō And yet now sée in what case the papists are For they wil cōfesse that wee haue full remission of our sinnes by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ yea but that is as they
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
haue to consider of for this pointe Nowe it is saide for a finall conclusion That the will of God shall prosper in his handes The wordes which the Prophet heere vseth signifieth a worldly will and frée fauour For it were not enough that our Lord Iesus Christ should execute the will of God But that it shoulde be a will procéeding of loue as a testimony of his fatherly affection For Moses executed the will of God when hée published the lawe and yet notwithstanding euerie man was afeard at the thunders lightnings for there was nothing els but threatnings of death And why so Forsooth because the law brought nothing els with it but wrath and vengeance For it was méet that the world should féele in it an horrible condemnation Hebr. 12.18 be wonderfully afeard Howbeit there appeared an other maner of wil of God in Iesus Christ that is this his meaning was to receiue vs vnto himself to haue mercy vpō vs to abolish our sins to discharge vs of the condemnation wherein we were Thus we sée the propertie of the spéech which the Prophet here vseth when he saith That the wil of God should prosper Now it is by by after said in his hands which signifieth that Iesus Christ should be a distributer and bestower of the grace of God for our saluation True it is that God might by some other death haue deliuered vs from death howbeit it was not his meaning neyther yet was it so good And therefore hée appointed our Lord Iesus Christ to the ende wée might by him be redéemed and reconcyled and to bée short that by him wée might obtayne whatsoeuer was requisite for our saluation Let vs nowe make a collection of the summe and effect of this saying It is saide That the good will and free fauour of GOD should prosper in the hands of Iesus Christ Wherefore speaketh the Prophet after this maner Forsooth because we are enclyned vnto mistrust and haue a number of lettes to make vs fainte the holie Ghost preuenteth the matter and declareth vnto vs that howsoeuer the worlde goeth the grace of God shall worke it effect and be accomplished And therefore although the Deuill craftely goeth about to deuise to make the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ to bée of no force and effect vnto vs and bring foorth no fruit in vs and although wée for our partes are so wicked and peruerse as that wée will so fall from it as that wée will make it altogether vnprofitable vnto vs yet will God by his infinite goodnesse ouercome it all To bée shorte the Prophete his meaning héere in this place is that the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christe hath not béene onely sufficient for the saluation of the worlde but also that God will make it so forcible as that wée shall sée the fruite thereof and féele and proue it by experience And heerevpon wée are to gather that God will alwayes haue a Church in the worlde and that the Deuill may very wel deuise all the mischiefe hée can possible and bende all his force to ouerthrowe the house of God and yet be as be may Christ Iesus shall haue the victorie and the grace whereof hée is a distributer and bestower shall bée beneficiall and perfourmed amongst men And for this cause it is saide by the Psalmist Psal 2.1 Why haue the Kinges and Rulers of the earth lifted vp themselues and made couenantes with the people Yet must God in the ende execute his Counsell and iudgement In verie déede they will goe about to imagine muche but yet hée which dwelleth aboue in the heauens will mocke them all to scorne in his wrath Let vs therefore well consider that the meaning of the holie Ghost is to declare that the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ wil alwayes worke his effect to the end the Church of God might stande firme and sure so that it shall neuer be ouerthrowne by all the assaultes tempestes and whirlewyndes whatsoeuer that the enemies with Satan their head can any way possible raise vp against it And this saying to prosper is set downe to shew that God will make the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ florish to the end it might more and more fructifie and when it shall séeme that it shoulde bée vtterly defaced that God will vpholde it and ouercome whatsoeuer may bée any let for the bringing of it to a perfect ende Moreouer euery of vs ought to apply this vnto himselfe and not doubt that although our winges flagge and we the bondslaues of sin yet that God will deliuer vs from out of that slauerie wherin we are make perfect that which hée hath begun in vs and amend also whatsoeuer is wanting in vs. And how Forsooth wee must first come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ because it is he which putteth to his hande and to him the charge thereof is committed and this office hée receiued from God his Father And therefore let vs be contented that since hee is appointed to be the Minister of our saluation there shall be no defect or want which hée will not accomplish by his meane and that because hée hath so determined it 2. Cor. 5.19 Now let vs by the way apply to this which is héere set downe the place of Saint Paul before by vs alledged to the end we might be partakers of the fruit of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ that is let vs giue eare vnto the message that is dayly brought vs. For it were not enough that Iesus Christ had suffred in his owne person and appointed to be a sacrifice for vs but wée must also be certified thereof by the Gospell that wée haue this testimony by it and not doubt but that wée are iustified by him because we knowe that hée hath made satisfaction for our offences And therevpon let vs looke that God will in such sort continue his woorke in this Redéemer as that hée will make it encrease more and more vntill hée hath brought it to a full end and perfection Let vs now fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offēces beséeching him so to make vs féele them as that wée may be more more displeased with them also learne vs so to looke into the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ as that it may be a good instruction for vs to be gréeued and grone for our sinnes not doubt since that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath discharged vs of that whereof we were guiltie but that wée might nowe come before the Maiestie of God his Father and be receiued as his children although in déede we are vnworthie to be reckoned amongst the number of his creatures And that wée may in this strength fight against all our vices and wicked lustes and so bée made partakers of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes as also we might be strengthened to
before vs as at this day the miserable worlde is seduced and beguiled with But let vs vnderstande that all the perfection of our saluation resteth in our Lord Iesus Christ then let vs by no meane decline from him but in such sorte possesse him as we may be wholy contented with him and that he also may altogether take pleasure in vs and to be short that we may féele that his death and passion hath béen auailable profitable vnto vs. That it would please him to graunt vnto vs onely this grace fauour But vnto all people and natiōs of the world c. The seuenth Sermon of the Prophesie of Christe Isaiah liii 12 THerefore will I giue him a portion with the great and hee shall double the spoyle with the strong because he hath powred out his soule to death and he was counted with the transgressors bare the sins of many and prayed for the trespassers THE Prophete declareth héere in summe that our Lorde Iesus Christe hath not onely ouercome death by death But that he hath also a iust title and interest to take away the substance of his enimies and to make a spoyle of them euen as a conquerour that hath wonne the fielde In déede I must néeds say this that our Lord Iesus Christ inriched not himself with the goods of this world But that which he did was to this end as I haue said to ouercome death Wee knowe that it was méet that Satan who is said to be the Prince of this worlde should bee displaced of his kingdome For if it had not béen so our estate had béene most miserable And besides it was méete that sinne should beare no more sway Ephe. 4.8 Psal 68.19 Thus wee sée how our Lord Iesus Christ made a spoyle of his enimies to wit because we might be no more vnder the tyrānie of Satan the bōdage of sin but be set at libertie And to say the trueth S. Paule alleadging the saying of the Psalmist sheweth after what sort this place was fulfilled when it is saide That God ascended on high and lead captiuitie captiue and kept his enimies bound and fettered so that they were not able to resist him receiuing also homage and tribute of men Indéede Dauid in that place speaketh by way of similitude For when it is said that God ascended on high it was because he made a shew for a time as though he had béen a sléepe so that whē things were after such a cōfused maner it might make the faithfull grone when as they see no helpe and cause the wicked to run headlong into all licentiousnesse Wherefore when there arise such troubles in the worlde and that we thinke ourselues neuer a whit the better for the calling vpon God hée is for the time as it were one that were lost and that had hid himselfe And contrariwise by this reason whenas God hath defended the cause of his Church in destroying the enimies therof Dauid saith that he arose vp Howbeit S. Paule saith That this was accomplished in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ because his maiestie was darkened and was had in no estimation of men for a season And therefore it was méete saith hée that he shoulde come downe on the earth and bee contemned of men that he might in the ende bée so exalted as that he might not onely be simply and plainly honoured of men but that he might also make a distribution of the spoiles and tributes For where the Psalmist saith That he tooke the tributes which belonged vnto him as vnto one who had brought his aduersaries in subiection S. Paule saith that hée liberally bestowed his gifts amongst men A man would think at the first sight these were things cleane cōtrary one to another and yet they right well agrée because our Lord Iesus Christe was not inriched particularly for himselfe for he had no néed of any thing but it was to this end as the Psalmist saith to bestow the spoyles on vs so that not onely they which should fight should haue parte of the bootie but women also who neuer set one foote out of doores Psal 68.13 For to say the trueth we féele how God by the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ hath filled vs with his benefites not for that there was any vertue or industry in vs For we are of as litle force as women with their distaffs when as we come to the fight Wherefore when it is saide in this place that GOD will giue to Iesus Christ the booties of the enimies which he had conquered as strong mightie as they were it was not only for himself but it was to the end that we might vnderstand that the Diuell hath no title nor interest in vs whēas we are partakers of the death passiō of the sonne of god which we obtain by the mean of the gospel And therfore let vs without hipocrisy submit our selues vnto our Lord Iesus take him for our king not doubt but that in the first place hee will surely set vs frée and besides that wée shall receiue from his handes all such benefites as we haue néede of and are necessary Let vs now then consider that if Satan were not spoyled how miserable we should bée For he possesseth and peaceably inioyeth vs For as our Sauiour Christe Iesus saith Iuke 11.21 we are euen as his own proper possession and demaines Wherefore wee had néede that the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christe shoulde bring foorth fruite in vs and that our enimies being conquered shoulde be eftsoones chased away that Iesus Christe shoulde so treade on their neckes as that they shoulde neuer bée able to rise againe although they went about to deuise to do all the mischiefe they could against vs. And héere he namely speaketh of strong and great men to the ende wée shoulde not bée abashed at the force munition all the furniture of our enimies For this were enough to feare vs to sée on the one side our owne weaknesse and to know on the other side that the Diuell is like a roaring Lion 1. Peter 5.8 and sinne to haue dominion ouer vs this I say were euen enough to feare vs except we were assured of this that neither power strengthes nor any thing els whatsoeuer can let our Lorde Iesus Christe from spoyling of all his enimies from chasing and bereauing of them of all they haue so that which before was hurtfull vnto vs shall now be turned to our good and benefite And this is not onely meant of Satan the captaine of all the wicked but also of all our Aduersaries For looke how many faithlesse people there are euen so many furyous enimies haue we against vs and to make fewe words wée sée all the worlde almost on our toppes And therefore what shoulde become of vs if Iesus Christe coulde not ouercome all the strong and mightie ones of the earth So then we sée héere in
Diuers Sermons of Master Iohn Caluin concerning the Diuinitie Humanitie and Natiuitie of our Lorde Iesus Christe As also touching his Passion Death Resurrection Ascention togeather with the comming downe of the holy Ghoste vpon his Apostles and the first Sermon of S. Peter The order of which you shall finde in the Page ensuing ¶ At London printed for George Byshop 1581. The order and number of the Sermons conteined in this Booke The first Sermon of the Diuinitie of Christe taken out of the first Chapter of Saint Iohns Gospel One Sermon of the Natiuitie of Christ taken out of the second Chapter of Saint Luke Nine Sermons of his Passion death buriall and resurrection taken out of the xxvj of Saint Matthew Seuen Sermons of the mysterie of his death and passion taken out of the Lij and Liij Chapters of Isaiah Fower Sermons of his Ascention and of the commandement which hee gaue vnto his Apostles taken out of the first of the Actes Fowre Sermons of the descending of the holy Ghost at Whitsuntide and of Peter his first Sermō taken out of the second of the Acts. One Sermon of the latter comming of our Lord Iesus Christ taken out of the first Chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians To the right honorable Edward de Veere Earle of Oxonford Vicunt Bulbacke Lord of Escales and Badlesmere and Lorde great Chamberlaine of England The Lorde God graunt increase a liuely and true faith and continuance in the zeale of the blessed religion of our alone Sauiour Iesus Christe for euer IT is impossible right honorable for a man to turne himselfe any kinde of way heere in this world either in calling to minde generally the heauens and earth either yet particulerly the glorious garnishing light brightnes mouings of the one and the great plentie of all sortes of beasts foules and fruits of the other together with the infinite diuersitie of flowres wherewith God by his heauenly wisedome and goodnesse euery yeere afreshe meruellously clotheth and repareth them as it were with rich and beautifull attyres and colours But that hee as often I say as hee beholdeth these so wonderful works of his maiestie muste euen so often needes confesse that there is set before his eyes a most large matter argument for him to glorifie thee altogether good only omnipotēt God who hath not created all things for the vse of man only but also euen for his delight and pleasure For hee is so good and glorious a Father to all his children as that his very meaning is so wee take them modestly and thankfully to haue vs freely vse his benefits for our necessitie yea and receiue them with pleasure and delight without scruple of conscience For els to what purpose should we haue created such a number of sortes of fruites differing in substance strength and nurriture of so sundry shapes in greatnes thicknes colour in smel tast sauor except it had bin both to strēghtē delight vs For doth wine onely strengthen our bodies doth it not likewise as Dauid reckoneth it amōgst the benefites of the Almighty glad the heart of man And therefore what is hee that can bee so blockish as not to thinke as much generally of all the rest of the benefites of God which he dayly bestoweth vpon vs for the sustening of our bodies Yet notwithstanding this were not enough for vs hereupon to acknowledge as our dutie is the fatherly care which hee hath ouer our present life in administring to vs whatsoeuer is needfull for the same except wee eftsoones learned also heereby that hee alone who principally is the father of our soules for it is hee that hath created and regenerated them giueth the foode of euerlasting life vnto them by the bread of his holy word to the end we might be drawn as it were by degrees by our bodily food to attaine vnto spirituall life and thereby eternally liue in blisse which neuer shal haue end And in deed the eternall God brought the children of Israel heereunto by that Manna wherwith he fed them in the wildernesse Whereupon it will come to passe that if we doe as many of thē did who made none other reckoning but of stuffinge their paunches and thereby looked into none other matter that wee also shal die euen as they did For as it is impossible for vs to liue heere in this world without the vse of bread and other food which God the Creator hath ordeined as means wherby he adioyning thereto his heauenly power would susteine vs in this corporal life Euen so likewise is it as impossible for vs to be partakers of euerlasting life except we be fed with this food of the soule wherewith being appointed by God to the same end the holy Ghoste serueth as it were for an instrument to cause vs possesse through a liuely and true faith Christe Iesus who is alone giuen to vs for life and without whom we continually abide in death Wherefore seeing the soule is more excellent then the body the heauenly bread more precious then corruptible bread and euerlasting life farre more worth then the transitory life for a day it is most certaine that heauenly benefits are without al comparison a great deale more excellent then corporal and to be preferred before them Now if wee woulde at the least consider as in deede wee ought what a benefite were it to haue the true feare and knowledge of God in steede of being altogether ignorant thereof and contemning the same to trust surely in him alone in stead of trusting too too muche vnto our selues vnfeinedlye to loue our neighbors in steade of enuying and hating of them before wee are regenerate and to haue a pure and sounde heart belonging to euerlasting life in steade of all iniquitie wherein wee bathe and feede our selues as fish in the water To bee short if wee thinke it no small matter that all supernaturall giftes altogether abolished in man through sinne be restored to vs through Christ Iesus alone and that reason vnderstanding iudgement will and other such naturall giftes which man had of his Creator howbeit corrupted by the same fall be likewise through the same Sauiour renued in vs and to speake in one word if the image of God which was defaced by man his disobedience bee repaired in vs by our Redeemer who alone hath recōciled vs to God his Father cleansing vs from our sinnes making vs his brethren and enheritors of the kingdome of heauen freed from the tyranny of sinne and of the Deuill empouerishing himselfe to make vs Princes and companions with Angels and by his death recouering vs life If these inestimable benefites I say be not lightly considered of vs we should esteeme of them as it is good reason aboue all other things yea we should leaue forsake all other things to seeke and enioy them and neuer bee wearied with any paine neither yet faint hearted seeing it is the bread of the word of God
sodēly spoken by him Neuerthelesse we seeing the great benefite which might come by the putting abrode of these Sermons were not afeard somewhat to displease and disobey him heerein to the end we might make you partakers of those excellent riches which wee possesse in this litle Angle and corner of the world so abhorred and detested howbeit precious in the sight of the Lord. In deede we were so much the bolder by reason of the liberal dealing of our honorable Lords and magistrates who desiring the aduancement of the Church of God haue priuiledged vs to print them Now when we see that we were to make choyse of such a great nūber of collections as were of them we thought it best to set a few of them abrod to the end that as we see them thankefully receiued so also we might goe forward in putting foorth of moe This then is the order which wee haue taken In the first place we haue set downe a congregation vpon the beginning of the Gospell of S. Iohn where is largely handeled the diuinitie of our Lord Iesus Christ Now by this word Congregation I meane a certaine assemble which is made one day in the weeke at the Church where euery Minister in order handleth some text of the scripture more like the maner of a reading then of a preaching that being done if any of the rest vnto whome the spirite of God hath reuealed any thing tending to the better vnderstanding and laying open of that which hath beene spoken hee hath free libertie to speake After that foloweth the Sermon touching the natiuitie of Iesus Christ Next to it wee haue placed the Sermons of his death and passion of his resurrection and ascention of the comming downe of the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles Of the first Sermon that Peter made after he had receiued the holy Ghost Last of al we haue set downe a Sermon treating of the last comming of Iesus Christe After we had thus doone and thinking to haue finished this booke it pleased God to graunt vs to come to the hearing of the most excellent sermons that are possibly to be hard or spoken vpon the end of the fiftie two Chapter of the Prophet Isaiah vpon al the fiftie three wherin the mistery of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christe is set foorth and so liuely pictured out that a man would thinke that the holy Ghost meant to set before our eyes Iesus Christ condemned in our name and nayled to the crosse for our sinnes to the end that he suffering the punishmente for them which was due to vs and bearing the wrath and iudgement of God for our sakes hath deliuered vs from eternal death which Sermons doe so agree with the Sermons going before which wee haue heere set downe that wee coulde not choose to ioyne them vnto them because we woulde not bereaue you of so great a benefite Moreouer wee haue had respect to choose out those Sermons aswell as we coulde which were vpon such dayes as the Lordes Supper was administred in this Churche aswell for that that there is a farre greater and more effectuall vehemencie in them as also for that the point of this Sacrament is therein more cleerely shewed for the which at this day is the greatest contention and striefe in the worlde And therefore we haue determined hereafter too deliuer vnto you the Sermons which this godly learned man hath made vpon the tenth and the eleuenth Chapter of the Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians wherein is manifestly set foorth the true institution of the Supper the corruption and abuse which sithence haue come vnto it liuely refuted Wherefore if wee perceiue that these presents like you wee will vse all the meanes possible that God shal graunt vs to make you partakers of the heauenly riches which he vouchsafeth vpon his seruants heere in this Church In the meane while wee beseech you dearely beloued to follow that blessed coursse and not feare the threats and cruelties of tyrants who thinke at this day to do god high seruice in persecuting Iesus Christ in his members and set before you this incorruptible crowne and euerlasting prepared for you if you constantly perseuere vnto the ende in your holy calling knowing that the sufferings which you abide in this present life are not worthie the glory of the life to come wherevnto wee may attaine through Iesus Christ our Lord. Geneua 1563. A Sermon made by M. Iohn Caluin vpon the beginning of the Gospell according to S. Iohn in which the diuinitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ is excellently prooued 1 In the beginning was that worde and that word was with God and that word was God 2 This same was in the beginning with God 3 All thinges were made by it and without it was nothing made of that which was made 4 In it was life and that life was the light of men 5 And that light shineth in the darknesse and the darknesse comprehended it not THis worde Gospel The word Gospell what it meaneth signifieth the declaration that God hath shewed vs of his loue in our Lorde Iesus Christ when hee sent him into the worlde which thing we ought wel to marke because it is verie much to know the vse of the holie Scripture euen in respect of the wordes it vseth It is true that wée ought not to stand simply or onely vpon the words and yet for all that we are not able to comprehend howe excellent Gods doctrine is vnlesse wée knowe the procéeding that it vseth and also what is the style and spéech therof And indéed we are so much the more to marke and weigh this worde because it is a verie common receiued sentence to distinguish the holie Scripture into the law and the Gospell and those that speake thereof in that sort meane Diuision of the Scripture that all the promises which are conteined in the olde Testament ought to bée referred to this word Gospel If any man speake let him speake as the words of God 1. Pet. 4.11 True it is that their meaning is good but for all that the holie Scripture vseth not such manner of spéech and we ought to be sober in that respect and to yéelde such a reuerence to Gods spirite as to kéepe such a manner of speaking as hée him selfe vseth to teach vs withall Behold thus much then concerning the word Gospell which is a publishing that God hath made vnto vs at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ his sonne declaring him selfe a father to all the worlde as also Saint Paule speaketh thereof in his Epistle to the Ephesians Ephe. 2.19 when hee saieth that Iesus Christ came to preach the Gospel vnto them that were nigh and to those that were farre of from God nigh to wit the Iewes who were alreadie entred into the Couenant with God and farre to wit of the Pagans and Heathen who are as it were farre remooued from his Church Now when wée
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
a sléepe through flattery when wee sée the Sonne of God plunged in this extremitie as though he were in the bottomlesse depthes Nowe if this onely came to passe vnto a iust man then ought we to be touched insomuch as it fell out that a poore innocent suffered for our raunsome which thing came to passe to the Sonne of God But beholde howe the fountayne of life hath submitted him selfe vnto death and hee which vpholdeth all the worlde by his power is now become weake and hée who hath deliuered the creatures from all feare hath susteined so wonderfull horror Wherfore when this is told vs it can not be but that euerie of vs must néedes be most blockish if we enter not euerie man-into him selfe and being touched with his faultes and iniquities is not ashamed before God and so sigh and grone and namely by this meane to be brought vnto God with true repentaunce Nowe it is impossible for vs rightly to conuert vnto God without wée condemne our selues and conceiue both the very terror and griefe of the curse which is prepared for vs vntill such time as wée bée brought againe into fauour with God But because we may the better conceiue of the whole matter it is said that our Lord Iesus tooke onely thrée of his Disciples left the rest of the company a good way of neither had he them through with him but prayde vnto God his father secretly Wherfore when we sée this we are to note that our Lord Iesus had no companion when he offered him selfe an oblation for vs But finished whatsoeuer was requisit for our saluatiō And namely it is yet better declared vnto vs whē as the Disciples slept could not be keptwake although they had bin so oftētimes before warned that the houre drew neare wherin our Lord Iesus must suffer for the redemption of mankinde had exhorted them by the space of thrée houres declaring vnto them continually without ceasing that his death approched Yet notwithstāding all this they slept stil Wherein is shewed vnto vs as in a liuely picture that it was méet that the sonne of God should take vpō him all our burdēs neither was it fit that he should looke for any other And it was to none other end but that we should take vp our selues for straying as we sée the miserable Infidels doe who can not be contented to stay them selues vpon our Lord Iesus Christ but imagine that they must haue Patrons Aduocats as if there were many Redéemers For we sée namely the blasphemies which reigne in that cursed papacy that the merits of Saints must serue to helpe the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ that by the same we might be freed discharged towardes God For although say they there was a generall forgiuenesse for the fault of originall sinne and of actual sinnes yet must they be mingled together and the blood of Iesus Christ is not sufficient except the Martyres had ouer and besides merited and therfore we must also haue recourse thether to the end God might be mercifull vnto vs. Nowe when the Deuil hath after this maner ouerune the whole world so much the more ought we to beware that we holde vs fast vnto our Lord Iesus Christ knowe that it is in him alone that we must finde all perfection of saluation And sée why it is namely saide in the Prophet Isaiah That God wondred Isaiah 63.5 when hee sée that there was none on the other side to vphold It is verie true that God right well knew that he alone must make our saluation perfect But it was to the ende that wée might be ashamed and not bée deceiued with hypocrisie as if wée brought nothing with vs for the helping of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes for the cause of God to receiue vs into his loue and fauour so that we might not runne hither thither to finde out Mediators And therefore for the cutting off of all this geare it is saide that God holpe him selfe with his owne arme and ended all by his iustice without any companion Nowe this is declared vnto vs euen as it were before our eyes when it is said that thrée of the chiefe of all the Disciples slept like miserable beastes in whom was nothing els but beastly blockishnesse which thing was as it were a Monster against nature to sée them sléepe in such extremity And to the end we might withdraw our confidence from all Creatures and shut it wholly vp in our Lorde Iesus Christ sée why it is sayde That hée wente forwarde to the combate Moreouer in that he went to God his father hée sheweth vs the remedy for the easing of all our griefes for the mytigating of our sorowes and euen for the raysing of our selues vp agayne when as wée shall bée as it were cleane throwen downe For if wée bée grieued and vexed wée knowe that God is not in vayne named the Father of Consolation 2. Cor. 2.3 Againe if wée bée separated from him where must wée finde power and strength but in him But by the way wée sée that hée woulde in no wise let his businesse be vndone Let vs then héere beholde the Sonne of GOD who when wée are in sorow and anguishe guideth vs by his exāple vnto the true refuge But let vs also note what forme of prayer hée vseth O my Father if it bee possible Let this cup passe from mee or this drinke For this is spoken by way of similitude when hée speaketh of a Cruse Glasse or a Cuppe Because the Scripture calleth afflictions bytter drinkes to the ende wée might knowe that nothing commeth by chaunce But that God as an Housholder distributeth to euery man as pleaseth him For like as a Father will geue vnto euery of his children his portion or a Maister to his seruantes Euen so doeth God shewe that hee scourgeth and afflicteth them with his owne hand And likewise when we haue any benefits it cōmeth of his frée goodnes and geueth vs as much of thē as hee thinketh to be good for vs. And after this cōmon maner it is that our Lord Iesus saith that death is to him so bitter drink would gladly haue it to passe frō him yea If it were possible In very déed about this might many questions be moued For it should séeme at the first sight that Iesus Christ had forgoten our saluatiō or rather in flying frō the light ment to leaue vs in destructiō by reasō of the feare that he had cōceiued Now this wil neuer agrée with that which we haue said especially the loue which he hath shewed vs should be greatly darkened But we néed not to enter into such subtill disputations Bicause we know that a passiō oftētimes so taketh away the mind of a man as that he thinketh not either of one thing or of an other But béeing vexed with the present griefe he there casteth himselfe without hauing any other regard for
death that there was no more hope of saluation for vs but now the sting therof is broken yea the poyson therof is so cleÌ„sed wiped away that we being humbled by death it serueth vs at this day for a medicine and is no more deadly because Iesus Christe hath swallowed vpp all the curse which was in it Nowe let vs sée what it is that wée haue too kéepe in mynde whiche is that sonne of God in crying out O my Father if it be possible let this drinke be taken from me did not regard onlie the suffringes in his bodie neither the shame of men nor yet the leauing of the worlde for he could easily abide all these things But hée respected his comming before God and before his iudgement seate to make an account for all our sinnes and to behold al the curses of God which were prepared For when as there was but one only sinner what was this to the wrath of GOD And when it is said that God is against vs wil display his power to confound vs Alas what shall become of vs Now it hath so fallen out that Iesus Christ did not onely striue against suche a feare but against all the cruelties that might bee heaped vp together And therefore when wée sée GOD call to a reckoning all those who haue deserued euerlasting condemnation and are guiltie of sinne and that hée himselfe is there to pronounce suche sentence as they haue deserued who will not conceyue all the deathes doubtes and terrors which may bée in euery one And then what a destruction will there bée in this Nowe it hath fallen out that our Lorde Iesus Christe himselfe alone without anie helpe hath borne such a burden Let vs therfore iustly weight the sorow of the Sonne of God therevpon let vs returne to the thing which wee haue already touched which is yâ— on the one side we might knowe how déere our saluation how precious our soules were vnto him when as hée woulde bring himselfe into so great extremitie for our sakes and in acknowledging that that wee haue deserued Let vs sée what our estate had béene if hée had not holpen vs. And in the meane while let vs reioyce when as wée sée death to haue no more power ouer vs that may hurt vs. In verie déede wée shoulde naturally alwayes feare Death and flie it But it is to this ende that wee should thinke vpon that inestimable benefite whiche the Sonne of God hath purchased by his death alwaies consider that it commeth through death it selfe which death importeth the wrath of God which wrath is as it were the gulfe of hell Moreouer that when we are to fight against this feare we might know that our Lord Iesus Christ hath so prouided for al these feares as that wee might euen in the middest of death it selfe come with bolde countenance before our God True it is that wée shoulde before all thinges humble our selues and must as we haue beforesaide bée touched with the iudgement of God and with the terror thereof if wée intend to hate our sinnes and bée displeased with them howbeit in the meane while when God calleth vs vnto him wée must then come with chéerefull countenance And see also what boldnesse is graunted to all the faithfull 2. Tim. 4.8 for Saint Paule saith That our Lorde Iesus Christe hath prepared a crowne for all those which looke for his comming Wherefore if we hope not for life in comming before the heauenly Iudge without doubt hée will refuse vs and not know vs neither will hee allowe of vs although wée professe our selues to bée Christians And surely we cannot waite for our Lorde Iesus Christ without we bée resolued and perswaded that he hath so fought against the feares of death that wée are thereby made free and that hée obteined victory for vs. And although wée are to fight to the ende wée might féele our infirmities and thereby haue recourse vnto God which might continually draw vs to a true confession of our sinnes so that God himselfe might bée declared to him alone to bee iust yet notwithstanding let vs assure our selues that Iesus Christe hath so fought as that he hath got the victorie not onely for himself but for vs also And neuer doubt but that by this meanes we may now ouercome all cares feares and terrors and call vpon God séeing wée are assured that he continually stretcheth foorth his armes to imbrace vs. And héere we sée what we must obserue which is we must know that this is no speculatiue doctrine when it is saide That our Lorde Iesus Christ hath abiden the horrible feares of death because he felt that he was before our iudge as our pledge to the end that in the power of that combate we might get aduantage ouer our infirmities constantly abide in calling vpon the name of God doubting but that hée will heare vs and bée continually ready of his goodnesse to receiue vs vnto himselfe so that by that meanes we shall passe both through life and death fier and water and so might all féele that our Lorde Iesus hath not fought in vâ—ine for the obteining of such a victory for all such as come vnto him in faith Héere then wée see in summe what it is that wée must remember But yet by the way wee sée that wée must fight against our affections and without wée so doe it is impossible for vs to remoue our finger but that wee shall eftsoones prouoke the wrath of GOD. For beholde our Lorde Iesus Christe who was both pure and sounde as wée haue already declared But if any man aske what his will was it was in very déed the weake will of a man but yet no sinfull will as the will of those who were corrupted in Adam for there was not one spot of sinne in him Loe héere a man voide of all sinne But howeuer it was yet must he in the ende striue and indeuour to forsake himselfe and cast all this vnder his féete that hee might yeeld his obedience vnto his father And nowe let vs see what shall become of vs what are our affections and thoughtes Rom. 8.7 Euen so many enimies saith Saint Paule as fight against God Wée see heere that God saith that we are altogether wayward that whatsoeuer the mind of man deuiseth is nothing els but leasing and vanitie yea we shew our selues euen from our childhood to be seasoned with the whole infection of sinne For the very yong children who come into the worlde and whose wickednesse appeareth not are notwithstanding young serpents full of the poyson of malice and disdaine And héere wée sée what our nature is euen from the beginning what then will wee be I beséeche you when wée come to ryper yéres Surely as I haue already saide we are so very wicked as that we cannot thinke one only thought which shal not be very many rebellions against God insomuch that we shall neuer be
are to consider of that which hath bene before spoken to wit that the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ is not effectuall to all men because it is a speciall grace whiche God bestoweth vpon his chosen whenas hee toucheth them by his holy spirit and although they fal yet lifteth he them vp agayne yea though they stray lyke wandring shéepe yet gathereth he them together agayne and giueth them his hand to bring them to the fould For wee sée how Iudas was cleane rased out from amongst the number of Gods Children and therfore it was méete his condemnation should bee séene and layde wide open before the face of the whole worlde And so let vs learne as we haue already said altogether to acknowledge the inestimable goodnesse of our God For as he hath declared his loue vnto mankynde when hee spared not his onely begotten sonne but put him to death for sinners Euen so declareth he vnto vs the especall loue he beareth vs whenas he toucheth vs with the acknowledging of our sinnes by his holy spirit and causeth vs to grone that wee might bee brought vnto him by true repentaunce Wherefore the entraunce whiche wee haue to come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe commeth not from our selues but because that God gouerneth vs pleaseth to shew his choice Now these circumstaunces are greatly to be noted wee sée that Iudas who was one of our Lorde Iesus Christ his Disciples wrought myracles in his name and yet what became of him let vs learne carefully to feare and walke and submit our selues wholye vnto our God beséeche him not to suffer vs so shamefully to fall as dyd this miserable man And agayne let vs also beséech him that if we shal fal at any time into the like to lift vs vp by his power that we may returne vnto him not with such repentaunce as Iudas dyd but with a true and right confession For the wicked as it is said by the prophets Ieremiah and Ezechiel will laugh God to skorne as much as is possible because they take pleasure glory in their sinns and in the end become lyke shameles whores But yet God at the last maketh them to féele their sinnes and so terrifieth them as that they chafe and cry out alas neuerthelesse they doe not thus of any hope they haue neither doe they present them selues before God But are rather pushed forward with a fury and flye from him as farre they can and woulde bee glad to pluck him out of his thorne by the eares For there is no speaking to thē because they are angry and rebelliously whet their téeth against him Howbeit we must be brought to another kinde of repentaunce whiche is we must not become like wilde and sauage beastes séeing we cannot escape the hande and heauy iudgement of God but let vs confesse our sinne and abhorre it and stil draw néere vnto God with out enforcement and worship him willingly confesse the we are worthy of destruction but yet let vs be assured that although we are guilty of an hundred thousand deathes that hee will alwayes haue compassion on vs for we sée how Peter repented But the repentaunce of Iudas ought to shewe vs that it is not enough that we féele our sinnes bt we must be fully brought home vnto God And this is a very notable thing to consider because we sée that a great number and almost all men doo flatter themselues for they thinke that if they haue in worde acknowledged their offences be they neuer so haynous that they are cleane discharged of them as if their mouthes were fully cleansed Agayne if a man be earnest with them they think they are offered great wronge What saye they haue I not confessed my falts and haue I not repented me And this is al the reckoning that they make of it as if God were a yong child who would be appeased with a smiling dissembling coūtenance ful of leasing hipocrysy Howbeit this is our cōmon māner for we would appease god we know not how euē as it is said with such a repentance as Iudas repēted Wherfore let vs feare and tremble when God giueth vs warning causeth vs to féele our sins not stay altogether vpon it for that is no true repentance but this is the true triall by which we must know whether we be true penitent sinners or not which is whenas we of our owne accord séeke to be at peace with God forsake not his iudgmēt yea seing he receiueth vs to mercy Which he wil do whenas we shal condem our selues for whsoeuer shal be his own iudge condēne himself before God before Angels men the man I say shall bée iustified pardoned because hee desyreth none other thing but to haue God mercyfull vnto him This then is the summe and effect of that which we are héere to obserue Now Iudas must néedes make this confession because the priests might be so much the more without excuse The Euangelist likewise maketh this recital that we might the better behold how Satan had blinded al these reprobates and that euery of vs might looke narowly into himselfe And when God setteth before vs such exampels of his yre vengeance and to be short that we like men betwitched and voyd of sence reason become so beastly as to throw our selues headlonge into an hellishe furie This is to make euerye of vs to stoupe and to cause vs know that wee may oftentimes fall into the same were if not that our God preserueth vs by his grace and goodnesse But by the way let vs beware that we fight not agaynst our own consciences as the priestes did for as many as so harden themselues against God shal in the end fall into such a reprobate sence as that they shall be cleane without all reason for after they haue once so excéeded against GOD they will also bee past all shame before men For it is good reason that the whole worlde should sée their beastlinesse and that there shamlesnes should be so knowne as that euery man might abhorre their villanie Héere then wee sée why the Euangelist maketh this recitall that when Iudas came to restore the siluer the priestes were no whit moued therewith Indéede they sayde it was not lawfull to put it into the treasury because it was the price of blood And héere also we may sée that hypocrits will alwaies be sure to haue some fine shifttes or other to shadow and couer their iniquities but it is all to mock God For they neuer come perfectly and soundly vnto him For what is this to say ho surely we wyll neuer put this siluer amongst the holye offerings because it is the price of blood Now I pray you tel mée from whence came this siluer truly we know this that the priests liued vpon the offerings of the temple as at this day they whiche in popery are called prelats and churchmen glottonously consume the
dealt with him whom God had appoynted to bee the euerlastinge Shepheard of this people And this is most certaine that because the people could not abide that God shoulde bee their Gouernour yet our Lorde Iesus hath alwaies played the office of a mediator although he neuer shewed him selfe in our humane nature And this is it which we ought héere still to remember to the ende that we for our partes might learne séeinge that God hath bene so fauourable vnto vs to gather vs together as it were vnder his protection and to take vs to be of his fould and deliuereth vnto vs our Lord Iesus Christ for our shepherd let not vs in such sort wound him as to gréeue his spirit through our rebellious and vnthankful dealing and not pay him as we saye with nifles and trifles but let vs take him for our God and Kinge since he hath pleased so to vouchsafe it and consecrate our selues vnto him all the dayes of our lyfe and not pay hym with counterfet coyne but yéelde vnto him both our bodies and soules For it is good reason that wee should yéelde vnto him all gouernment ouer vs and we to be only his séeing he séeketh onely our saluation Now to conclude it is sayd that when our Lorde Iesus was brought before Pylate hee made no answer and that Pylate asked him saying why speakest thou not doest not thou see that these men witnesse against thee and that he held his peace insomuch that the Iudge wondered at hym Now wee are héere in the first place to call to minde that when our Lorde Iesus Christ appeared before an earthly Iudge it was to this ende that we might be deliuered from the condemnation which we haue deserued to féele Isai 45.23 before the heauenly Iudge For we know that we cannot goe from that which is spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah that euery knée must bowe before the maiestie of God And therefore since God is the Iudge of the whole world how is it possible that wee can stande before his face for there is none of vs all but must needes be enforced to say that we are worthy to be condemned an hundred thousand times And although we haue lyued but one yeare yet haue we committed an hundred thousand faults which deserue euerlasting condemnation and is so engraued in our hartes as that we cannot denie it Wherefore since God is clearer sighted then we how can it bee that he should not condemne vs séeing euery of vs must néedes in sundrye wise condemne hym selfe howbeit we sée our Lord Iesus Christ to bée driuen to this extremitie as that he was accused before an earthly Iudge and so prophane a man as that there was nothing in hym but couetuousnesse and ambition And therefore since the sonne of God was brought thus lowe it was to this ende that wee might vnderstand and know that wee might bouldlye present our selues before the maiesti of God for the receiuing of vs so that we should neuer néede to feare couragiously to come before his tribunal seat because we are sure that he wyll haue mercy vpon vs. Moreouer we know that Iesus Christ hath power authoritie dominion to be Iudge ouer the whole world and that when Pylate had thus condeÌ„ned him it was to this end that we might bouldly come vnto him because we know that he shall come to be our Iudge And againe that we might vnderstand because he held his peace that his meaning was to abide to be condemned for vs and not answere for his iustification since hee knewe hee must bee condemned for our sakes For although he was without falâ— yet bare hee all our sins vpon him And therfore it is no wonder though he helde his peace and were ouercome for otherwise hee could not haue performed the office of a Mediator without he had bene condemned and confessed that he was worthy to dye for our cause And this is the meaning why our Lorde Iesus Christ held his peace that wee might with open mouth call vpon God and beséech him of pardon for all our sins and transgressions Let vs now fall downe before the maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him to touch vs vnfeynedly and to the quick that wee might grone and wéepe before him for the same And although they be great and gréeuous yet that hee would not suffer vs to be desperately shut out but to bee alwayes subiect runne vnto him And forsomuche as of our selues we are blockish and shall be neuer able to attayne thereto let vs beséeche hym to looke vpon vs with his eye of mercye as hee hath ordayned our Lorde Iesus Christ to haue care ouer vs as a Shepharde hath ouer his Shéepe that he woulde also so gather vs vnto himselfe as that we folow not the war of destruction from the which he hath pulled vs but walke in that good way wherinto hee hath brought vs. Let vs also beséeche him so to continue vs in it as that we prouoke not his heauy wrath against vs and therby forsake vs for being any longer our Shepherd But to defend vs with his favour and grace and offer vp such sacryfices vnto him as that wee might know that he hath not lost his labour in gouerninge of vs but that we might answere his holy calling And for somuch as it hath pleased him to draw vs vnto him and châ—se vs for his people and enheritance although we are no waye able to satisfie the hundreth part of our duty yet that it would please him to vpholde vs through his goodnesse and that we might alwayes make an estimation of the benefit of the death and passion whiche our Lorde Iesus Christ hath suffered vntill such time as we are rydde of all our sinnes and bee clothed with the perfection whereunto he hath at this day called vs. That hée woulde not onely bestow this grace vpon vs but vp on all people and nations of the worlde c. The fyfth Sermon of the passion Matthew xxvii 11 And Iesus stood before the Gouernour and the Gouernour asked him saying arte thou the King of the Iewes Iesus sayde vnto him thou saiest it 12 And when he was accused of the chiefe priest and Elders hee answeared nothing 13 Then sayd Pylate vnto him hearest thou not how many thinges they lay agaynst thee 14 But he answeared hym not one worde insomuch that the Gouernour marueled greatly 15 Now at the feast the Gouernour was wonted to delyuer vnto the people a prisoner whom they woulde 16 And they had then a notable prysoner called Barabbas 17 When they were gathered together Pylate sayde vnto them whether will yee that I let lose vnto you Barabbas or Iesus which is called Christ 18 For hee knewe well that for enuy they had delyuered him 19 Also when hee was set downe vpon the iudgement seate his wife sent to hym sayinge haue thou nothinge to do with that iust man for I haue suffered many
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
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
humblinge them selues and to bee repentaunt are so much the more infected and poysoned prouokinge eftsoones the wrath of God and driuing him into an hoat burning flame to consume them therin and all this we sée And therefore let vs looke vpon these two théeues as the mirrors of all the worlde for from hte hyest to the lowest wee are all gultye before the Lorde Yea and yf we all suffered this together what is hee that might bragge of his innocencye or who is hee that coulde purchase his pardon Wherefore séeinge wee are ouer head and eares in condemnation wee iustly suffer for our sinnes and yet we wyll not all alyke graunt it because there are some as we haue said which waxe rather worse and there rebellion agaynst God is openlye séene For they gnashe their téeth spewe out their rage and crueltie and will neuer agrée to this condemnation or els they take the bit in their mouthes and shewe them selues so stubborne as that they wyll not stick to saye that God shall winne nothing by it nor yet haue the masterie of them Now let vs conclude that when miserable sinners acknowledge their sinnes and be humbled and confesse the debt giuinge glory to God declaring also that he handleth thē iustlye and rightlye and that it is good reason they should be so chastised when I say wretched sinners be drawne to this reason let vs vnderstand that God hath put to his hande and touched them with his holy spirit that we may sée his wonderful infynit goodnes whēas he pulleth those out of destruction and hell whose case before was as it were desperat In sūme we sée in the person of this miserable théefe so excellent an example of faith as neuer was séene And therfore we should be so much the rather rauished with such a miracle as thē God wrought for in what state stoode he Beholde he was nie his death hée suffered horrible tormentes he looked to haue his bones to be crushed and broken and to be dismembered whiche was so sharppe and terrible a torment as that it was euen enough to haue made him haue lost both sence and memorye hee sawe also our Lorde Iesus who most flaunderouslye was to be hanged there as well as him selfe and yet sée what wordes he vsed for he doth not onely acknowledge his sinnes for the humblinge him selfe before God he doth not onely vse the office of a teacher to bring home his companyon and to set him in the right way but maketh suche a confession as is more worth then all the rest if we consider well the circumstances I beseeche thee saieth hée remember mee whenas thou commest into thy kingdome How was it possible that he could conceiue that Iesus Christ had a kingdome for hee was hanged on trée and cursed of God and men For this sayinge of the lawe was spoken by the mouth of God cursed is hee that hangeth on tree Deut. 21.23 Galat. 3.13 Neither dyd this come to passe by chaunce as we commonly say that God put his onely sonne to it And therefore when he sée Iesus Christ to be there accursed both before God and men yea as one throwne downe into a desperat case as farre as mans reason could reach vnto hee had not such a stayed brayne to say that Iesus Christ was a Kinge without hee had spoken it in faith and in spirit For he saw such thinges as might haue made him decline from the son of God to haue made him thus conclude that it was but an abuse mockery to trust in him and yet he called him king whē he sée him ready to dye I beseeche thee sayeth hee saue mee and graunt mée lyfe For it thou wilt remember mée that is all the blessednesse that I desyre Now when wee shall well consider of these circumstances without all doubte the faith of this théefe was so excellent and great as that neuer any man that euer lyued had the lyke And therefore let not vs be a shamed to be his disciples for to say the trueth the death of our Lord Iesus Christ wyll neuer stande vs in any stead except we condemne our selues that we might be saued through him neither will God euer pardon vs without wee confesse our selues to be most wicked filthy Since then it is so that we are guiltie before God and that our owne cōsciences doo iudge and condemne vs let vs not be a shamed to folow this théefe his steps séeing he may be a good Scholemaster vnto vs. And because our Lord Iesus is ascended now into heauen and hath taken possession of the glory which God his father hath giuen him Phil. 2.10 to the end euery knée might bow vnto him let vs not doubt to put our selues wholy into his custody cōclude say loe wherin lieth our felicity to wit the Iesus Christ is mindful of vs gouerneth vs because he was ordayned to be our shepheard he wil be watchful ouer our saluation that we might be safe sure vnder his hand and protection Moreouer let vs learne paciently to beare the miseries of this present life so that it maketh not vs decline from comming vnto our Lord Iesus Christ For we sée here that the théefe was heard and yet was hee faine to abide and harde and terrible death Let vs therefore so estéeme of the spirituall grace which is giuen vs by our Lord Iesus Christ and which is dayly offred vnto vs by the preaching of the Gospell as that it may make vs ouercome all the anguishes griefes domages troubles and temptations which any way may come vnto vs so that all our afflictions might be mitigated because we know that they shal all turne to our benefit and welfare through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ And this is it which we are here to obserue And besides let vs here to ioyne the the answere of our Lord Iesus Christ when he promised that hée should be that day with him in Paradise For although our Lord Iesus was not as yet risen from death nor had not accomplished all that was requisit for our redemption and saluation yet had hée alreadie powred abroad the power fruit of his death and passion True it is that the fulfilling of all rested in the resurrection But since it is conioyned with his death and passion and that we know he suffred in the weaknesse of his flesh euen so is he risen again by the vertue of his spirit and as he suffred for our sinnes that wée might be made frée before God so likewise rose he againe for our iustification Nowe when we knowe all this I say let vs with so much the more bold courage come frankly vnto him not doubt but that whē he pleaseth to remember vs and hide vs vnder the shadow of his winges that we may be able to stande against Satan death and al miseries glory in our weaknesse And although we be in the sight of the world
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
Iesus was taken from the crosse to wit that hée was thrust into the side to sée whether he had yéelded vp the Ghoste or not For they hastened not his death so fast as they dyd the two Théeues But when they thought him to bee dead they thrust a Speare into him and then they knewe that he was dead which pleased well the souldiers Now it is true that if we shoulde not be able to bring in the lawe for a testimonie we should haue somewhat a cold pull of it But S. Iohn giueth vs a full proofe that our Lorde Iesus Christe was the true Paschall Lambe since he was by the wonderfull prouidence and counsell of God preserued that there was not abone of him broken Exod. 12.46 Num. 9.12 For it said in Exodus that the Paschal lambe should bée eaten but there should not one bone of him bée broken And why were not the bones of Iesus Christe crushed since it was the common maner at those dayes Surely their will was not to spare him and hée was hanged betwéene two Théeues because they thought him to be the most vyle and detestable person Wée sée then héere that this was the worke of God in kéeping backe the handes of the Souldiers and his will also was that his Sonne should make a spéedie dispatch to the ende hée woulde preserue him and that it might bée an euident signe vnto vs in this place that in him the trueth of this auncient figure shoulde be fulfilled Héere then are wée to obserue that the bones of the Sonne of God were preserued from breaking because we might take him for our Paschall Lambe who shoulde preserue vs from the wrath of God whenas wée are marked with his blood And therefore must wée come to this point that since he is our Paschall Lamb wée must eftsoones bee dewed and sprinckled with his blood for without that the shedding of it will doe vs no good But when we shall accept him with this Sacrifice and séeke remission of our sinnes also thereby because we know that vntyll hée hath washed and cleansed vs wée are very filthie then are wee be dewed with his blood through the spinckling of the holy ghost vpon our soules and so are made cleane and God accepteth and taketh vs for his people and we are assured that although his wrath and vengeance bée ouer all the worlde yet looketh hée on vs with his eye of mercy and alloweth vs for his children Wée sée then in this place what wée are to consider when it is saide That the bones of our Lorde Iesus were not broken to the end we might vnderstand that the thing which was declared by figure in the law was verified in his body And besides it is also saide That water and blood issued out of his side and hee that sawe it beare witnesse thereof When wée sée that water blood issued so out wée must remember that it was hee as Saint Iohn sayeth in his Canonicall Epistle 1. Iohn 5.6 who by his sacrifice wrought our purgation and peace for the blotting out of all our sinnes In very déede Blood when one is dead wil waxe thicke by nature and from it will very thinne water come because the colour and thickest of the blood wil goe from it But howeuer it is Saint Iohn saieth that GOD woulde shewe for what cause the death of his sonne profiteth vs to wit Heb. 9 2◠in the first place hée is at peace with vs by reason of the shedding of blood for as it is saide There can bée no remission of sinnes without the effusion of blood For beholde why Sacrifices were vsed from the beginning of the worlde And God hath saide that hée would be mercifull to all miserable sinners which put their truste in him But yet he woulde haue sacrifices to bee offered as if hée should haue said that men should be fréely forgiuen their sinnes because they can bring nothing of their own with them to obteine it But must haue a mediator to recompence it Wée sée then that the blood which ranne downe from the side of our Lorde Iesus witnesseth vnto vs that the Sacrifice which hée offered was a satisfaction for all our iniquities so that we are discharged of them before God True it is we must cōtinually féele our selues to be gilty that we might bée humbled and brought to true repentance and bée cléerely voide of all presumption But howeuer it is wée are assured that God acquitteth and pardoneth vs in the name of his sonne when we come to acknowledge our sinnes and iniquities And why so Because the sacrifice of his death is sufficient to blot out the memory of al our transgressions It is the water then that cleanseth Wherefore to the end we might be washed from all our spots let vs vnderstande that the meaning of our Lord Iesus Christe was that water shoulde issue out of his side to declare that hée is in very déede our puritie and that wée must séeke for none other remedy to washe vs from all our filthinesse And thus wée sée howe water and blood came from him by which meane wee are throughly saued in him and therefore must make no wandlesses to séeke our ayde els where But when wée shall consider more néerely of the matter wée shall sée a very notable similitude betwéene the blood and the water which issued out of the side of our Lorde Iesus Christe and the Sacraments of the Church in which the thing that was perfourmed in his death is allowed and sealed vnto vs. For after hée had suffered whatsoeuer was requisite for our saluation and fully satisfied GOD his Father by sanctifiyng and purchasing vs full righteousnesse hée would that all the whole matter should bée witnessed vnto vs in the two sacraments of his owne institution I speake of two because there are no moe instituted in his worde But Baptisme and the Supper For all the reste is but a vaine imagination deuised by the rashe boldenesse of men Thus wee see that our Lorde Iesus Christe powreth out the vertue of his death and passion aswel vpon Baptisme as on the holy Supper For Baptisme is a witnesse vnto vs that hée hath so washed and cleansed vs from all our filthinesse as that God receiueth vs vnto his fauour as if wée came cleane and neate before him Now wée must vnderstand that the water in Baptisme worketh not this effect For howe can a corruptible Element washe and cleanse our soules But the matter is because water issued out of the side of our Lorde Iesus Christ And therefore when wée woulde that Baptisme should doe vs good let vs goe vnto him who was crucified for vs and when we would féele the fruit therof let vs runne vnto our Lord Iesus Christ who would haue vs séeke for euerie parte and parcell of our saluation in him without wandring and whéeling hither and thither And besides wée haue in the holie Supper a testimony that Iesus Christ is our
is not onely spoken of the person of our Lord Iesus Christ but also of the whole course of his Gospell and of the whole order which he taketh for the maintenance gouernment of the faithfull And therefore if we would be assured of our saluation in Iesus Christ we must in the first place not be ashamed that he was so disfigured after the maner of men being sent into the world was taken to be as one most accursed and soone after his Gospel was in such sort slaundered as we sée it to be euen at this day For if we be ashamed to receiue our Lorde Iesus Christ crucified without doubt we are excluded from all hope of saluatioÌ„ For how are we saued by him How belongeth the heauenly enheritance to vs without he had béen made accursed for vs not only accursed before meÌ„ but also by the mouth of God his father Thus we sée that Iesus Christ the fountaine of all blessing hath neuertheles borne our sinnes and was made like vnto the old sacrifices which were called sin offrings 1. Cor. 5. â—â— because the wrath of God was shewed in theÌ„ men were freed pardoned by them And howe could Iesus Christ be called our life if he had not swallowed vp death by his death Either how could we be exalted by him but because hée went down into the bottom of hell to wit he susteined the horrors that were vpon vs and wherwith by reason of our sinne we were held vnder For it must néedes be that God must be our Iudge for euer this is the most fearfull thing that may be to haue God our enemy And it behoued that Iesus Christ should enter into it as our pledge as one that should make satisfaction for vs and sustayne our coÌ„demnation that we therby might be pardoned And therefore let vs thinke it no strange thing to sée him thus disfigured if this in our reason be foolishnesse let vs vnderstand as S. Paul saith that the foolishnesse of God surpasseth all the wisdom of the world Hée calleth that the foolishnesse of God in that our Lorde Iesus Christ was so abased surely if we wold here set down our iudgement we would say without doubt that it were an absurde thing For to what purpose could it be any way possible that hée who was to be worshipped both in heauen and in earth shoulde be so shamefully dealt withall Thus we sée howe that we in our arrogancie presumption will as rashly and boldly as may be continually condemne whatsoeuer God doth for our redemptioÌ„ howbeit God in his secret counsell sheweth that he hath more wit theÌ„ we any way are able to coÌ„ceiue of And therfore let vs in the first place hold this for a sure ground that séeing our Lord Iesus Christ was not only coÌ„temptible abased but also made of no reputatioÌ„ for our sakes not to forget as S. Paul saith to giue him the honour beloÌ„ging vnto him for his glory was no whit empaired therby althogh al men knew it not yet did his gratious goodnes shine so much the more clearly And besides we ought to treÌ„ble wheÌ„as we sée that the soÌ„ne of God refused not to be as it wer disfigured being the very image of God his father Hebr. 1.3 For all this he did because hée would repaire this image in vs. And this is certaine we are so spotted as that when we shal appeare before the maiestie of God it cannot be chosen but that he must reiect vs vntill such time as our Lorde Iesus Christ hath set his brand vpon vs whereby we might become acceptable vnto God and finde fauour at his hands So when we heare that hée was vgly yll fauoured let vs looke well to our selues vnderstand that hée must take vnto himself all our spots blots to the end we might be clensed of them bringing now with vs before the iudgement seate of God nothing but righteousnes holines which we could neuer haue had except God had communicated the same vnto vs in Iesus Christ And herevpon he saith That the mouthes of Kings shal be stopped when as he shal haue beene thus exalted and that they shoulde sée suche a chaunge as neuer was thought of Here then we are told that we must not rashly iudge when as we sée our lord Iesus Christ to be thus abased naught set by but we must consider to what end the Lord hath so brought him which is that such an excellent name was giuen him aboue all other creatures as that euery knée should bow before him as it is said in the second to the Philippians Phili. 2.9 For wheÌ„ S. Paul hath exhorted vs to modestie shewed that we should not estéeme of our selues he setteth before vs our Lord Iesus Christ as a glasse pattern Who saith hée being the true God thought it no robbery to be equal with God made him selfe of no reputation taking vpon him the forme of a seruant yea became obedient euen vnto that most slaunderous and cursed death the death of the crosse and that before God and men and all this hée did to the ende hée woulde take vpon him whatsoeuer was dewe to vs. Wherefore saieth hée God the Father hath exalted him and giuen him such a name as that euerie knée should bowe of things in earth and thinges vnder the earth that euerie tongue shoulde confesse that the Lord is Iesus Christ to the glory of God the Father and that if we would sée what the maiestie of God is glorifie him as hée is worthie we must néedes come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ And this is in effect the meaning of the Prophet That we must not for the basenes of Iesus Christ for a time but beléeue in him and set our whole heart on him and also consider to what end he was thus handled and that whensoeuer we speake of his death we must foorthwith remember his resurrection ioyne them both together For these are two inseperable thinges That Iesus Christ would suffer in the weaknes of our flesh and ryse againe in the power of his spirit and that in this last point 1. Tim. 3.16 2. Cor. 13. 4. Rom. 1.4 as S. Paul saith he shewed himself to be the true sonne of God And we sée also besides the pretence of the Prophet in this place We haue before saide that this was not onely séene in the person of Iesus Christ but also in his Gospel For how was Iesus Christ known and what obedience did the world yéeld him wheÌ„ the Gospell was preached We sée that they vnto whoÌ„ the greatest authoritie was giuen did not only scorne condemne men but also beat them and scourged them and in the ende put them to most shamefull death And therfore since it is so Let vs ouercome all such offences and being armed as the Prophet héere speaketh of Let vs consider to what ende it was that our Lord
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
would thinke al were marred cleane lost Thē must wee haue recourse to this saying of the Prophet that although hee was abased in his death yet the God exalted him aboue al the rest of his creatures And thus must we lift vp our faith vnto the heauens But hée as be may let vs learne not to take any offence at the crucifiyng of the sonne of God neither yet at the shames slanders which he suffered in his owne person nor at the disdaining of his members at this day and at all the reproches which are done vnto them in the whole world let not al these dooings I say withdraw vs frō continually remaining firme constāt in the faith of the Gospel Now because this cōbate or cōflict is hardly to be performed marke why the prophet bringeth vs back to the reasō why our Lord Iesus suffred for to say truly it is impossible for vs to trust vnto the sōne of god vntil such time as we are surely certainly persuaded of the fruit benefit which cōmeth vnto vs by his death passiō And why so forsooth because at the first sight as I haue already said a mā would cōdemne it to be a foolish thing that a mortal man should be the Author of life that he should die no simple death but such a slanderous death as God cursed euen to be hanged as a théefe vpon the Gallow trée Now whē we shoulde sée all this geare no doubt of it wée should be brought into such a maruellous hatred of the matter as that we should neuer be able to come vnto Iesus Christ but héere is the rightest remedie that we haue that we vnderstād why he died how his death hath profited vs what benefit we haue receiued by it then wée shall auoyde all offences As for exāple if griefe sorrow oppresse my hearte and doe beholde the onelie Sonne of God to bée as it were troade vnder foote and abhorred of all men I must néeds enter into a cōsideration with my selfe For if I looke but only into Iesus Christ I shal passe it ouer make no reckoning of it but if in the first place I looke vnto my selfe afterwarde come vnto him then shal I finde a good sauour and taste in his suffering And how so Forsooth if I consider with my selfe that I am a miserable sinner and haue so prouoked the wrath of God against me as that he is become mine enemy and my Iudge if then I thinke of my sinnes and therevpon doe conceyue what an horrible and terrible thing the wrath of God is and that hée is my iudge to cast mée into the bottomlesse pitte of hell then will I begin to say Goe to now what meane hast thou to make an attonement betwéen God and thée Art thou able any way to satisfie him only for the least offence that thou hast committed against him Alas no thou arte no way able Can I with trauelling by Sea and lande all the worlde ouer be able to make recompence Can the Angels of heauen helpe mée No surely Why then it is Iesus Christ alone that must appeare for mée in my name he must bée my pledge and warrant Thus we sée that the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ shal bee no more any foolishnesse vnto vs but wee shall thinke that because wée were thus accursed and had no remedie to find fauour at the handes of GOD since we had so prouoked him to bée our enimie it could not bée chosen but that wee must néeds bée eftsoones subiect to Satā vnto his tiranny vntil such time as Iesus Christ had deliuered quited vs of thē Thus we sée how we should begin to magnifye the infinit goodnesse of this our God which is an abhorring our sinnes and by being a shamed of them as much as is possible We also sée how this imaginatiue offence and fond deuice of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ shall bee blotted out to wit when we shal enter into the consideratiō of our selues and truly trie our sinnes and acknowledge that we are so detestable vnto God as that he him selfe must néedes come in the person of his sonne to make satisfaction for them to repayre our iniquities to the ende we might be reconciled vnto him And this is héere the order of the Prophet On the one side he sayeth that Iesus Christ shall haue nether forme nor fashion and that nothing shall be founde in him worthy to bée desired And that which is more to sée him a farre of would make a mans hart yarne Howbeit when he had said all this he addeth Now it was for our sins that he was afflicted As if he had saide Ah miserable blind soules you make no reckoning of the sonne of God yea and euery of you through your vnthankfulnesse shutteth the gate so hard vpon him-as that you are no way able to come néere him to obtaine the saluation which he bringeth you And what should be the cause truly for that you haue not knowne your sins that you might be humbled and because you are drowsy and blockish and féede your selues with your vaine flatteries but looke into your miseries corruptions and then wyll you be ashamed of your state conditiō acknowledge that you haue none other meane but Iesus Christ alone to be your mediator who taketh vpon his owne person the thing which made you the enimies of God who becommeth your pleadge maketh him selfe as a poore sinner to lay vpon his own shoulders the burthē of your sins Now when you shal think vpō all these things thē wil you find some good sauor to submit your selues vnto the sonne of God not cleaue any more to your vain fantasies nether yet be offended that Iesus Christ was thus bacely accompted of whenas you shall vnderstande in what condemnation you haue deserued and the recompence and satisfaction due for the same Moreouer the Prophet namly saith we haue seene him disdained him therby to declare that our Lord Iesus should not only be contēned reiected of the smalest nūber of people but euen of the gretest nūber of his peculier people for whē the prophet setteth hī in the ranke of those which had refused our Lord Iesus he had a regard vnto the people of the Iewes whereof he came and he ment also ouer and besides this to shewe that this was the common opinion as a man would say that Iesus Christ was reiected in all places And therefore we are so much the more surely armed not to tie our selues to mens fantasies when as we shall not onely sée in this behalf hundreths of infidels but also great troupes and mightie armies yea Myllions that a man shall hardly finde thrée or foure amongst an hundreth which will quietly submit them selues vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ and albeit we sée it to be thus yet let vs for all that cleaue fast vnto him Thus we
goeth on with the matter we are to ayme coÌ„tinually at this marke that where the faythlesse are abashed wheÌ„ as they sée how God the father hath after this sort afflicted tormented his sonne Iesus Christ do take occasioÌ„ of offence to estrange themselues far from him we ought so much the rather to be stirred vp to séeke after him to be farther in loue with him since he spared not himself to take vpon him our whole burthen that we might be eased therof And therfore when as wée sée that our Lord Iesus Christ hath made such an â—xchange for vs and taken vpon him to paye all our debtes to the ende to discharge vs and woulde bée condemned in our behalfes and in our person that wée thereby might be pardoned sée what a merueilous occasion hée hath offred vs to drawe néere vnto him yea to be altogether earnestly in loue with him because in him resteth all our quietnesse Nowe it is saide That he was afflicted by the hande of God but it was for our transgressioÌ„s For if we looke into the iudgement of God the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ shal be to vs as an vnprofitable thing neither shal we receiue any fruite or benefit thereby For the principal point is that we might be at an attonement with God who is our enemy vntil such time as our offences are buried because that he who is the fountain of righteousnes cannot abide to loue iniquitie And therefore so long as he imputeth vnto vs our sins seeth what we are he must néeds be our iudge But when as Iesus Christ coÌ„meth betwéene vs him speaketh for vs we are then acceptable in the sight of God because he hath made satisfaction for all our iniquities For the coÌ„demnation which our Lord Iesus Christ suffred cannot be vaine Now hée in very déed had committed no fault neither was he guiltie in any thing And therefore he was coÌ„demned that we might be pardoned 1. Pet. 1.19 for the which cause he is called the immaculate Lambe which sheweth that hée beare our burthen And for this cause also is it said that his blood is our washing For we are abhominable filthy foule vntil such time as the blood of our lord Iesus Christ cleanseth vs. Wherfore it is not for naught that the Prophet bringeth vs back to the consideration of Gods iudgement saying That Iesus Christ was afflicted that hée might beare our coÌ„demnation To be short so often as we think for what cause it is that the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ hath done vs good let euery of vs put himself ouer vnto the iudgement seat of God and there we shall finde that we are worthie of death Now what is the rigour of Gods iudgemeÌ„t how horrible is his vengeance Surely it is euen to swallow vs vp to cast vs all down headlong into the bottomles pit of hell Howbeit because God spared not our Lord Iesus Christ but laide the rigour of his iudgement on him that hée became our pledge we may nowe be assured that God will no longer pursue vs nor call vs to any further reckoning neither yet punish vs according to our deserts and offences And why so Forsooth because Iesus Christ hath clearely discharged vs of them all Now this is true that God was neuer otherwise affected towardes his onely Sonne then as hée had pronounced when as hée saide Mat. 3.17 17.5 Ephe. 1.6 This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him God then had long before saide that Iesus Christ contented him verie well and that in him was his whole delight And in déede as S. Paule to the Ephesians saith it were impossible for vs to be acceptable before the lord God in the name of his onely sonne without in the first place hée were the best beloued and in the highest degrée Notwithstanding this was no let to our discharge because God had laide his rigour vpon our Lorde Iesus Christ For although hée loued him yet would hée afflict him for our offences For hée had no regarde to the righteousnes sinceritie and perfection that was in him But rather tooke him as one that beare the person of all sinners vpon him Thus we sée howe Iesus Christ was charged with all our sins iniquities not that hée was any way guiltie of theÌ„ but would haue theÌ„ all to be imputed vnto him and take the reckoning vpon him and the payment Wée sée then howe the wordes of the Prophet are to be vnderstood when hée saieth that Iesus Christ was not crucified onely by the handes of men but that hée also stood foorth before the iudgement seate of God answered for vs and submitted him selfe to beare the burthen which wée were worthie to haue borne Marke also why hée sayeth 1. Pet. 2. 24. That hee beare all our sinnes and transgressions for so are also the wordes of Saint Peter who naming the Crosse meant to signifie Deu. 21.23 that that kinde of death which the sonne of God suffred was a visible and open testimony that our iniquities were layde vpon him because it was saide in the lawe cursed be hée that hangeth on trée Iesus Christ was hanged thereon to the ende wée might vnderstande and knowe Gala. 3.13 that hée was as one accursed in our behalfe according to the saying of Saint Paule to the Galathians For hée there telleth vs that therin wée are to consider of the wonderfull goodnesse of God and of the infinite loue of our Lord Iesus Christ to vs warde when as hée was not onely contented to dye for vs but suffred also a most cursed death to the ende wée might be blessed of God And although our sinnes and iniquities haue terrefied vs for it could not be chosen but that wée must be afeard of the iudgement of God when as we heare the thinges that are héere set downe to wit that wée are abhominable by reason of our thus offending our good God and that our conscience so telleth vs yet let vs be assured that hée will forgiue vs our sinnes receiue vs as his best beloued children yea euen as iust righteous people because our curse was abolished by this Gallow trée wheron our Lorde Iesus Christ was hanged Loe héere the meaning of the Prophetes spéech for the more liuely setting foorth of the matter Nowe hée eftsoones setteth downe That hee was afflicted because the correction or chastisement of our peace was laide vpon him hée set downe no straunge thing but declared him selfe more familiarly that hée might shewe howe the thing was to bée vnderstood and taken which was that our Lorde Iesus Christ was beaten and smitten by the hande of God to the ende wée might bée discharged And therfore hée beare the correctioÌ„ of peace which was due to vs. In déede some men vnderstand it that it was méete that our Lorde Iesus Christ should be thus punished for our sakes
been iustified neither yet shoulde any attonement haue béen made betwéene God vs to wit if Iesus had not repared our transgressions through his obedience And therfore if the death of the sonne of God had been constrained and that he had not submitted himselfe willingly it had not béen a Sacrifice to haue blotted out our sinnes Rom. 4.9 for S. Paul also bringeth vs backe to this consideration whenas hee saith that our transgressions were taken away by the obedience of one man What was the cause that made God become our enimie and yet is but for that wée neuer leaue offending of him Hée created vs that he might peaceably and quietlye enioy vs but when wée refuse to beare his yoke he is of very right to detest vs and not to allow vs for his creatures We sée then why it is said that our Lord Iesus was not only chastised for our sins transgressiōs but also that he did not once open his mouth nor yet gaue any foule language but bicause he knew that he was appointed for that purpose that it was the eternall decrée of god his father he shewed himselfe obedient euen vnto the death And therfore when we would haue a more féeling of the power of the death passiō of the sonne of god let euery man consider with him selfe how many sundry wayes he hath withstood the will iustice of God Surely if we doo so we shall finde that wee doo nothing els but make war against him and as if we would willingly wittingly dispite him Wherfore we néede neuer be abashed to haue the want of such a remedy to wit that for the burying of the remēbraunce of all our iniquities the sonne of GOD must obey in our behalfe It is true indéede that our Lord Iesus spake before Pylate his Iudge but he dyd it not to escape death Luk. 23.3 but rather offered himself vnto it neither would he accept of any occasion to be pardoned because it was very méete that he should be condemned in our name Wherfor it is not for naught that the Prophet saith that hee was like a dumbe man and compareth him vnto a sheepe or vnto A Lambe hauing regarde vnto the figure of the auncient sacrifices for when we héere the death and passion of our Lord Iesus spoken of we must take it to be a sacrifice wherwith God the father was appealed because that sinnes as we haue héertofore declared could not be taken away to please God but by that meane And to say the truth whenas in the time of the law men would craue pardon for their sinnes there must of necessitie be sacrifices done For they were neuer able to make any recompence and therefore God tolde them that it was sufficient that they builded vpon the promise made vnto them in the redéemer Wherefore to the end the Iewes might vnderstād that Iesus Christ should fulfil whatsoeuer was then figured in the law this name of a lambe was namly giuē vnto him and vnder one kinde the Prophet hath comprehended all as if he should haue saide that Iesus Christ in his death and passion should first take away all our iniquities because he should submit himselfe vnto the will of God his father and besides that in the second place he should be sacrificed as a Lamb to the end that by the shedding of his blood all our spots shoulde be washed and made cleane Wherefore when we shall be rebuked for a great number of falts which we commit and can neither will nor chuse but féele the wrath of God let vs haue recourse vnto that which is héere set before vs. to wit that it was not for nought that our Lorde Iesus woulde not answer againe although his afflictions were very extreame and although God powred vpon him his whole rigour yet dyd hée quietly suffer all to the ende wee by that his obedience might bée reconciled And by the way wee are also exhorted to fashion our selues after his example not that we are able throughly perfectly to humble our selues before GOD but yet wee must striue to doo it This then I say that when it shall please his maiesty to make vs féele his most heauy hand so that wée thinke that we are verye hardly dealt withall yet let vs holde our peace and confesse that God is iust full of equitie and not be hearde once to grudge but rather gloryfie God by holding our peace like miserable sinners that are conuinced of their transgressions and haue not a worde to say to the contrary Pet. 1.3.18 Loe then how Saint Peter applieth this place That is that when wée are afflicted by the hand of God yea and persecuted by men let vs paciently beare the iniuries done vnto vs because we know that it is the mind of God to proue try vs or rather to punish vs for our sins let vs beware we make no vaine excuses as many men doo who alledge their infirmitie and ouer great weaknesse so that they cannot be quiet so long as GOD presseth them greuosly Howbeit wee must frame our selues like vnto the sonne of God for he is our glasse and patterne not that as I haue saide there is in vs the like power but yet although wee cannot come néere him let vs notwithstāding striue to come as néere him as we may Psal 38.14 39.10 Moreouer we sée that Dauid being a frayle man as we are did yet put in practise this doctrine as he saith in one place O Lord because I knew that it was thy heauy hand that was vpō me therefore I helde my peace And in another place he saieth since thou O Lorde hast slaked the raynes of mine enimies I haue pacientlye suffered the wronges and outrages that they haue done vnto mée héere then we sée what wee haue to learne out of these wordes to wit that as the Sonne of God was mute because hee would glorifie God and would not replye in all his afflictions euen so lykewise let vs suffer God to chastice vs when he thinketh good or els to trie our obedience in letting lose the raines to the vngodlye to persecut vs. Now it is impossible for vs to reache to it vntill such time as we be fully resolued of this doctrine that our Lorde by holding his peace both before God his father and also before men hath repaired all our sinnes and iniquities Moreouer when we are tolde that by the holding of his peace he purchased vs righteousnesse we sée that this silence bred vs eftsoones this benefit that hee did it to defende our cause and is now become our mediator vnto God hauing his mouth alwayes wide open to witte being euer ready to make intercession for the helping of all the offences whiche wee haue committed For in as much as he abode extreme persecution neuer gaue any words he attained to this office that if we be convinced in conscience before God and are to be condemned for
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
wée might be exempt from it and that now in the middest of al our weaknes we should haue neuertheles life euerlasting which must be obtained by fayth vntil such time as it be throughly manifested vnto vs at his comming in the last day And this is the effect of that which wée are to learne out of this place Now the Prophet goeth on further and saieth That hee was cut of from out of the lande of the liuing receued the wounds which were due to his people This is a confirmation of that which wée lately handeled to wyt that the age of our Lorde Iesus Christ should not serue for himself alone but also for the whole body of his Church wherevnto hee is vnited and bounde as it were with an inseperable bonde For the Prophet sheweth that without it it might be saide that the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ should be vnprofitable Now this were a blasphemie not to be borne to think that the son of God came downe into the world to abide so cruel a death and to haue the iudgement of God fall so on his head as that he beare the punishment for our sinnes and was taken to bee the greatest malefactor in the world yet al this not to profit his faithful seruants ani thing at all yt might well inough be saide that this were as a man would say a very iest Wherfore the prophet bringeth vs back to this cōsideration that we should well vnderstand for what end purpose our Lord Iesus was thus scourged beaten And this came not by fortune as hath ben before declared Nether must wée looke only vnto that which men did and to those which vniustly slew him but wée must lift vp the eies of our faith vnto the counsell of God by which he had ordained that Iesus Christ should be sacrificed to the ende hée might purchase remission of our sinnes for vs. Wherefore since it is so we are alwaies to conclude that Iesus Christ suffered not for himselfe but receyued the woundes which were due to vs we are héere in this first place exhorted to enter into the knowledge and examination of our sins whenas the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ is set before vs. It is very true the God therein powreth out the infinit treasures of his goodnes for indéede when S. Paul hath saide that we ar iustified by our lord Iesus that in staying our selues vpon his death passion we may boldly present our selues before god be glad that hée wil alwaies except of vs. After Saint Paul I say hath handled this doctrin that although we be miserable sinners yet wil not God cast vs off but vpholde vs because hée receiueth vs in the name of his only son he goeth on farther sayeth I beséech you Brethren euen in the bowels of the goodnes and mercie of God Wherin he sheweth that in the suffering of Iesus Christ we haue a testimony of the infinit loue of god as if he wold lay open his hart and shew vs his bowels to testefye vnto vs how deare and precious wée and our soules are vnto him Howbeit this is not sett downe to the ende wée shoulde sléepe and take pleasure in our sins For the more that God sheweth himself lyberal in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ so much the more ought wee to féele what a gréeuous thing it is for vs to become his enemies and fight against his iustice and cause him to set himselfe against vs for the grace which God sheweth vs in our Lord Iesus Christ ought to draw vs continually to repentaunce Now the papistes at this day go about falsely to accuse vs of the doctrine which we preach which is this that we must be saued by the frée mercy of God haue our whole recourse vnto Iesus Christ bicause we knowe that therein wee haue all our perfection of rightuousnes Now forsooth Sir say they you haue made a great speake for then euery man may liue as he lust and they néede neuer care any more for the offending of God Indéed these dogs may bark thus because they neuer knew what it is to tast of the forgiuenesse of sinnes For these hipocrites make a skorne at God and at all religion and haue neuer learned what it is to transgres the law of God And wee also sée how iollily they thinke themselues discharged if they haue once song a Masse bleated and masked and they think that God is as well pleased with this as a young Child is pleased with a pudding Thus we sée how these skorners of God can blaspheme the gospell but when we haue come once to the acknowledgment of our sins and know to what ende the inestimable grace of God is preached vnto vs without doubt wée shoulde bee touched with repentance and be mortally wounded with the horror of anguishe and payne when wée sée God to bee our enimie because wée haue prouoked him to wrath And this is héere the meaning of the prophet that Iesus Christ hath sustained the wonds which were due to vs. Wherin he sheweth that we can neuer liuely féele what good the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ hath done vs except we be inwardly throughly touched with the offending of our God wherby wee haue made him to become as our Iudge enemy vntill such time as we be reconciled vnto him by his méere goodnesse and mercy Now this is sufficiently declared to vs in the holy Scripture but héerein resteth the whole matter that wée applye our witte and studie thereto Math. 11.28 Neuerthelesse be as be may we sée that our Lorde Iesus Christ calleth none but such as doo labor and are heauy laden By this he excludeth all such as sléepe in their iniquities and flatter them selues in them or els which giue them selues to al lycenciousnesse without any feare of God And therefore they which are thus giuen ouer to all wickednesse cannot possibly come néere vnto our Lord Iesus Christ for who shall giue vs an entraunce vnto him but the voyce whiche calleth vs Euen so fareth it with them who are so proude and presumptiouslye blinde as that they make them selues beléeue that they are righteous through their owne deserts and surely he shutteth the gate against all such kind of people so that they can haue no hope that our Lord Iesus christ bringeth them any comfort or solace And why so forsooth because he thus saith come vnto mée who are they All the world Indéed this is true that he calleth all the worlde howbeit hee maketh a distinction of it for thus he saithe all yée that labor and are heauy loden For after he had called all such as had néede of his helpe hée sheweth that none can be partakers thereof but such as doo labor and are heauy loden And therfore when we shall féele our burden and so groane vnder it as that we are able to beare no more sée what a way
it meant was thus conuerted vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ let vs take good héede howe we play the sluggards but rather follow the Counsell of the Psalmist who saith To day if yée heare his voyce harden not your heartes Psal 95.8 And therefore let vs take such a tast of the doctrine which is here preached vnto vs as that wee may bee brought vnto our Lord Iesus Christ and so accept of him as that we may cleaue vnto him with a sure and constant faith that we may profite thereby and be strengthened euen to the end so that after we are truely humbled we may come and offer our selues vnto our God and beséeche him of pardon and forgiuenes and although we are vnwoorthy yet let vs not leaue lifting vp of our heades vnto heauen and fully assure our selues that God will accept of vs in the name of this great and mighty Redemer And although he was for a little while cast downe yet let vs come backe to this poynt that he was notwithstanding exalted aboue the heauens that as S. Iohn saith he might draw vs vnto himself Iohn 22.32 for thus it is said when I shal be exalted out of this world I will draw al things vnto my selfe Let vs now fal downe before the maiesty of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him to make vs otherwise féele them then héeretofore we haue done and that it would please him to open our eies and 〈◊〉 touche our hartes as that wee may submit our selues wholy vnto him and holde the meane whiche is set downe vnto vs in his worde that is to hate our selues and detest al our sinnes so that wée may be able to receiue the grace which he hath once shewed vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ and which hée would haue vs now inioy by the meane of the Gospell And so let vs all most humbly say O almighty GOD and heauenlye Father thou hast promised to héere all our requestes c. ¶ The fift Sermon of the Prophesie of Iesus Christ Isaiah L. iij 9 And he made his graue with the wicked and with the riche in his death though he had done no wickednesse neither was any deceit in his mouth 10 Yet would the Lord breake him and make him subiect to infirmities when he shall make his Soule an offering for sinne he shall see his Seede and prolong his dayes and the wyll of the LORDE shall prosper in his handes THe Prophet continueth héere the doctrine before specified to witte that there was such inimity betwéene God and vs as that the wrath of God could by no meanes be appeased but by Iesus Christ his answering of the same euen to the vttermost For by how much the more the suffering of the son of god was by somuch the more mai we gather how greeuous our sinnes are and how wonderfully God abhorreth them considering as wee haue héeretofore saide and as héereafter shall be more at large spoken that there is no superfluous nor vnprofitable thing in the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ And therefore for somuch as he was terribly tormented hee hath on the one side witnessed vnto vs his infinite goodnesse and loue and we on the other side are to looke what it is that our iniquities haue deserued before the maiestie of our good God Now it is heere sayde that ouer and besides that which hath beene alreadie recited that our Lord Iesus Christ was put to be skorned and shamed of the vngodly that they might euen glory and triumph ouer him for there is no doubt but that the Prophet by this word Graue ment to expresse that Iesus Christ was subiect to all rebuke and shame and that God woulde forsake him as it were for a season to the end the worlde might make no reckoning of him accordingly as it is set downe vnto vs in the Gospell For they did not onely crucifie Iesus Christ but they also put out their tongues at him rayling and scoffing and as much as in them lay went about to make him desperate Which thing was very well foretolde by the Psalmist to witte that the most wicked and vngodly should put out their tongues at him For this was the speech they had he hath saued others say they and therefore let him now saue him selfe if he can Why calleth not hee vpon his God Psal 22.8 Mat. 27.42 we shall see whether hee so greatly loueth him or no. We see then how the wicked wounded our Lord Iesus Christ and how furiously men outraged against him and it was to this end and purpose that we might finde so much fauour at the handes of God as to haue our sinnes couered and although Satan hath wherefore to accuse vs yet shall all the shame whervnto he is any way able to put vs be clearely buried Wherefore since our Lorde Iesus Christ would néeds beare all our blame and shame it was to this ende that all our filthinesse might be couered before the Lord our God so that they should neuer be able to come in minde any more And when the prophet speaketh héere of the Riche it is as much as if he had saide the most outragious kind of people For we know that when men are riche and in authoritie they goe about to make them selues to bée feared alwayes abusing their power and credit And this also we sée that very few or none of these men kepe any temperatnesse and measure either yet become gentle and mild when they may hurt But as for the poore soules although indéede they are fearce and cruel enough yet are they kept backe from dooing any harme euen by maine force thereby the mischief which they would gladly doe is not seene Howbeit as for the rich and mightie ones they are without all order and thinke whatsoeuer they doe is lawfull To be short the Prophet his meaning is that our Lord Iesus Christ was thrust into the hands of men to the end he might be so vilainously handled as that he was not woorthie to be accounted amongest the contemptible petie companions but to be taken as a worme of the earth and to haue all the mocks and skornes that might be to be laid vpon him Thus we sée the summ and effect of this first part Now he by and by after sayth That he had for all this done no wickednes whereby he ment to shew that that the son of God as touching himselfe being innocent would take vpon him all our burdens wherewith we were ouercharged for there was no mortall creature that was able to beare and suffer that which our Lord Iesus Christ dyd And so by that meane the prophet againe declareth vnto vs that it was not for his owne deserts neither yet was he guiltie of any thing whenas they thus cruelly and tirrannously vsed him but abod all this geare for our sakes And to say the truth if we looke well into the life of our Lord Iesus Iohn
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
Satan And therfore wée are so much the rather to make an obseruation of this doctrine That as God hath not set downe in the Law and saide You shall not serue mée this way and that as pleaseth you But placed and ordeined the sacrifices Ceremonies conteined in the Law thereon stay them selues without deuising any newe and strange kind of Seruice meane to obteine fauour grace Euen so likewise must we at this day be contented with the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christe because we know that that is the only meane by which God will be mercifull fauourable vnto vs by which also he wil receiue adopt vs vnto himselfe Thus we namely sée what it is that the Prophet meaneth to offer héere vnto vs. Now it is moreouer said That he will prolong his dayes that he shall see his seed to be permanent that the wil or plesure of the Lorde shall prosper in his handes Héere he bringeth vs yet once againe back vnto the consideration of the glory excellencie of our Lord Iesus Christ to the end wee might be so muche the more assured that we may come vnto him for if hée had remoued in death as a vanquished person it had béen impossible for vs to haue béen euer iustified quickened by his grace For how could death a lone haue brought righteousnes life with it as of it selfe but because of the sacrifice of his death he rose again therin resteth our ful whole cōfidēce Thus we sée that we haue obteined victory ouer sin to the end we might be takē to be righteous death is abolished in vs that wée might haue life In déede this in the first place hath relation vnto the person of the Sonne of God For as wée haue alredy said hée dyed according to the infirmitie of his fleshe 2. Cor. 13. 4. howbeit the heauenly power of his holy Spirite was shewed in his resurrection and heereof hée gaue this testimony for these were his wordes destroy yée this Temple and within thrée dayes I will rayse it vp againe Iohn 2.19 Loe héere howe the Sonne of God as touching his person did sée a great age For hee rose not againe to shew himselfe vnto the worlde for a whyle and then dye againe But after hée had shewed himselfe vnto his Disciples and made them witnesses of his resurrection hée ascended into heauen and so exempted himself from all humane frailtie This then it is whereon wee must builde our faith in him when as wee sée him to haue in such sort ouercome death and the Diuell and triumphed ouer him as that after that hée was offered vp for a Sacrifice hée was receiued and exalted vnto this power and dignitie whereof mention hath alredy béen made But wée must also note by the way that all this belongeth to the whole body of the Church for it is not the purpose of Iesus Christe to separate himselfe from it Heb. 2.11 And in déede it is further said that hee shall see his seed True it is wée are called the brethren of Iesus Christe For wée coulde not bée called the children of god but by the same name And therfore hée who is the onely beloued must receiue and ioyne vs so vnto himselfe as that we might haue that by adoption which is onely his by nature howbeit this is no let vnto vs from being as children ingendred of his séede For what is the true séede of the Churche Verily euen the worde of the Gospell as Saint Peter telleth vs. 1. Pet. 1. 23. 25. And in déede it is the very selfe same which we haue already séene veryfied vnto vs out of the Prophet Isaiah That the worde of the Lorde endureth for euer because by it wee are made incorruptible Isaiah 40.8 whenas wee receiue profite thereby according to that measure that it is giuen vnto vs by the holy ghost this then is the séede by which wee are regenerate into euerlasting life Howbeit wee must fyrst come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe And how commeth it to passe that the Gospell hath this office and Property to beget vs to bée the children of GOD Forsooth the reason is this because the blood of our Lorde Iesus Christe was a true séede to quicken vs. And therefore it is not for naught sayde héere That hee shall see a seede of long continuance or an euerlasting seede So then wee are againe to conclude that the benefit which our Lorde obteined by his resurrection was not particuler for him selfe alone But that wée might haue parte thereof and be called vnto his company because we are members of his bodie Nowe wée are héere by the way admonished not to séeke for one droppe of life in our selues but to take it wholly from our lord Iesus Christ Why howe will God then acknowledge vs to be his children Howe shall wée haue any place in his Church Howe shall wée be taken to be of his flocke Forsooth wée must come to this point Because wée are partakers with our lord Iesus Christ Thus wée sée howe God accepteth of vs this is our begetting and first birth And nowe let our fréewill men goe and brag of their frée will by which they suppose them selues to be readie to receiue the grace of God For what abilitie is hée able to haue to doe eyther good or yll that is not yet begotten in the wombe of his mother Wherefore let vs vnderstande thus much that since our chiefe and first creation is this that we are begotten in Iesus Christ that wée are able to doe nothing neither yet that any thing procéedeth from our power and strength but that all whatsoeuer wée haue commeth from that frée goodnesse of his whereof we are made partakers And this is the summe and effect of all that which wée haue to consider of But by the way to the ende wée might also haue a great deale the better taste of his death passion it is saide Because hee gaue his soule an offring for sinne to wit for satisfaction or for sacrifice that hee should see his seede For wée right well shewe that wée would blot out all hope of saluation if wée glorified not the goodnesse of God in the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ And to say truely they that proudly disdaine to cleaue vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ because hée was crucified rightly declare that they haue not knowne the ende thereof For without it what should become of vs Surely wée shoulde haue no Church in the worlde there should be no saluation and to be short there should bée no hope of any goodnesse For without doubt wée should bée all remedilesse confounded lost and condemned without Iesus Christ had offred vp his soule bought vs againe by that onely meane 1. Cor. 6. 30. And for this cause the Scripture also oftentimes sheweth vs that wee were redéemed with no small price And thus much we
make all our whole life agréeable vnto God and as hée hath shewed him selfe fauourable vnto vs we might also labour most obediently to please him That it would please him not to shew this fauour vnto vs onely but also vnto all people and nations on the earth c. The sixt Sermon of the Prophesie of our Lord Iesus Christ Isaiah Liii 11 HE shall see of the trauaile of his soule and shall bee satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many for hee shall beare their iniquities ALthough the Prophet for a confirmation of that which hée hath alredy said bringeth in this sentence to wit that the death of the Sonne of God shoulde not be vnprofitable but should yéeld a most excellent fruite for the saluation of the worlde yet doeth hée more liuely set it foorth then héeretofore hée hath done For in the first place hée sheweth vnto vs the loue whiche Iesus Christ beare vs saying That hee shall be satisfied by reason hée had purchased for vs by his death euerlasting life and besides hee sheweth in the second place that hée shall not suffer onely in his bodie but in his soule also Nowe we knowe that this saying to be Satisfied or to be Contented importeth or carieth with it a great desire For many thinges shall come to passe which shall touch vs no whit and we ouerslip them yea and although they be for our commoditie yet is not for vs to say that we altogether rest in them And a man may haue a great number of things and yet not be contented For it is possible that he hath not the principall or els that hée hath not the whole But the Prophet sheweth that the Sonne of God shal be throughly satisfied neuer respecting him selfe when as hée shall sée that hée hath gotten vnto him his Church and that poore sinners shal be deliuered from the curse wherein they were and so be reconciled vnto God for the obtayning of the heauenly enheritance To be short wée sée here that our Lorde Iesus neuer respected his owne person but was rauished with the loue of vs wherin hée sought his whole contentment and felicitie as if that had béene his onely desire loue and care Now we haue againe here to note that if so be we looke for the benefite which our Lorde Iesus Christ purchased for vs by Fayth which is dayly offred vnto vs by the Gospell wée shall neuer be voide of our hope For the Prophet sayeth That hee shall see by which hée expresseth that God doeth not onely meane to shewe his mercy vnto vs in the person of his Sonne when as hée deliuered him to death But will bring it also to passe by his holy spirite that this his death shall not be fruitlesse and that many shall see finde by experience that it was not in vayne nor for naught that hée suffred so great tormentes And therefore let vs embrase our Lorde Iesus Christ to the end we drawing neare vnto him by fayth might be made partakers of the fruite of his death passion and let vs be assured that whēsoeuer we shal at any time estrange our heartes from him that God will not adde this benefit with the rest that as his wil was that his Sonne should be our Redéemer euen so also should we truly enioy the benefit which he hath brought vs and vnderstande that it was not in vaine that hée suffred such cruell torments for vs. And this is the thing which we are to consider of out of this place As for the second point which is propounded it is here shewed that Iesus Christ should not onely be beaten scourged and afflicted by the hand of God his father that he might beare the chastisement which wée were woorthie of but that his soule also shoulde bée gréeued and vexed It is not héere said that hée shall sée the fruite of his strypes affliction and death as the Prophet had before saide But also the fruite of the trauayle and griefe of his soule For the woordes which hée vseth importeth as much And therefore hée meant to expresse that Iesus Christ was not onely crucified after hée had aboad the gréeuous tormēts in his bodie but that hée should goe a great deale farther to wyt that hée should be heauy and sory for vs and suffer the sorrowes of death and be euen subiect theretoo for our iustification And to say truly to what purpose had it bin if our Lord Iesus Christ had but openly suffred in the sight of the world For if he had suffred but in body hee should then haue bin a Redéemer of bodies onely But because the principall matter why wée should beléeue in him is that we might féele and be fully persuaded that death shal be no more deadly vnto vs and that wée are freed from the curse of God it was méet that our Lord Iesus shoulde féele these pointes in himselfe so comming before God might be as a wretched malefactor before his Iudge For we know that the sin of man brought not with it a temporall death onely but also a féeling of the enmitie of God and of his horrible iudgement against vs. And what is that Forsooth the most insupportable and terrible thing that possibly may be And therfore it was méet that our Lord Iesus shuld be driuen theretoo for our deliuerance and this is it whiche the Prophet at this present declareth vnto vs. And héere we sée a great deale the better howe God hath loued vs and what the infinite Treasures of his grace and goodnesse are which hée hath powred out vpon vs. Moreouer wee may also verie well vnderstande what care and zeale our Lorde Iesus Christ had ouer our saluation when as hée forced not to make his owne bodie answere the satisfaction of our sinnes but also to bring him selfe into such an horrible feare as one that should féele the iudgement of God who layde holde on him as vpon him who had deserued the curse which God had pronounced from his owne mouth to wyt that it was the verie thing to swallowe vs vp into hell and a gulfe vtterly to destroy vs. And therefore it was méete that Iesus Christ should féele all this Nowe to say the trueth when wée sée that hée had thereby sweat water and blood Luk. 22.3 and that the Angels came downe to comfort him this could not choose but be an wonderfull extream sorrow and griefe séeing the like example had neuer béen séene all the worlde ouer Thus we sée the meaning of these wordes Of the trauaile or griefe of the soule of our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe it is true as Saint Peter sayeth that the sorrowes of hell could not hold him vnder howbeit it was méet hée should striue with them Act. 2.24 and in the end hée had the victorie ouer them but it was not without great and painefull fight Moreouer wée are presently to gather out of this place that although wée must dye wée must
the persō of our Lord Iesus Christ in that he is clothed with our nature is become our brother this is a matter of great importāce for if we should be iustified by the diuine essēce or nature of our lord Iesus Christ we must néeds be far of frō his righteousnes and wee were neuer able to come néere it But when we are tolde that the righteousnesse which he bestoweth on vs was fulfilled in his humane nature marke then howe much more familiarly wee may come vnto him Cōsider also why Satā would so fain cōfound this doctrine and there are likewise some fantastical spirits which fondly dreame that our Lord Iesus Christ as he is God iustifieth the faithful But wee must as I haue already saide séeke for our righteousnes very farre of that were ynough to make vs faint-hearted to make vs also vanish away before wee came at him But cōtrariwise as he is a mortal mā he calleth vs vnto himselfe and made himself a Mediator because we might séeke for our righteousnes therein And this is a point worthy the obseruation besides let vs alwayes come vnto this knowledge And because the faithlesse shut the gate vpon themselues and so spoyle thēselues of the benefit which they should receiue by our Lord Iesus Christ let vs therfore be diligēt to receiue the testimonie which is geuē vnto vs by the Gospel We bring you saith S Paule the Ambassade in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ beséeching you to reconcile yourselues vnto God S. Paule setteth downe a double reconciliation 2. Cor. 5.10 the one is the sacrifice which our Lord Iesus Christ made for vs in his owne person the other is that which wée dailie obtayne through fayth when as GOD telleth vs that although wée haue mooued him to anger yet is hée continually readye to forget our faults and tread them vnder his féete so that we make accompt of the benefit which he offreth vs. And therefore let vs learne too esteeme of the Gospell a greate deale more then heeretofore wee haue done and vnderstande that it is to this ende too make vs Partakers of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christe For wee are ingraffed into his bodie made his members and al whatsoeuer is his is also ours and that through the aptnesse of the Gospell and for this cause it is that Saint Paul saith Rom. 1.16 that the Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to all that beléeue shewing héereby that if we refuse to be saued by the Gospell it is as much as if we reiected the saluation which God woulde obtaine for vs in the person of his Sonne and wherunto hée dayly bideth and exhorteth vs. And this is the summe and effect of that which we haue héere to obserue And therefore we ought so much the more make estimation of the Gospell whenas we sée that it was in popery so darkned yea and in such sorte altogether defaced as that the poore soules were vtterly famished For although it was somewhat slightly preached yet left they alwaies the poore people doubtfull and supersticious without hauing any assueraunce of the mercy of God Yea and the Papistes saye that wee must not presume to assure our selues of the loue of God but onely liue vpon coniectures and gesses Howbeit this is to make the fruite of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ of none effect And therefore let vs learne so to benefite our selues by the Gospell as that we may bee certified that God loueth vs and taketh vs for his owne deare children Wherfore let vs as I haue already sayde so much the more praise and magnifye this grace whenas wée sée the greatest part of the world to be so farre from it Now it remaineth that the Prophet addeth and saieth that he layde downe his soule for many Whereby he signifieth that wee are not iustified by a certaine vaine imaginatiue faith in onely beléeuing that there is a God and by a confused knowledge and generall conceit to vnderstande that Iesus Christ hath suffered death and passion but because wée are made partakers by fayth of the sacrifice that was offered for vs to the ende God might bée fauourable vnto vs and not impute our sinnes and iniquities any more vnto vs. Surely the Papists are so blockish and brutishe as that when they would shew that we are not iustified by Faith only they reason after this maner we are say they iustified by the mercy of God and therefore not by faith onely Moreouer they say we are iustified by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ and therefore no more by faith onelye it is much like as if a man woulde say we are made warme by heate and therefore not by the Sunne wée are lightned by the light and therefore not by the Sunne Now let vs héere note that when we speake of faith it is to this end to bring vs back to the Gospell for as I haue already saide héere are two kindes of righteousnesse For we are saide to be iustified by the law whenas wee haue fulfilled all whatsoeuer God hath commaunded vs therein Now it is impossible to come to the perfection thereof and therefore wée sée that wée are bare of this righteousnesse and vtterly cut of from it There is also another kinde of righteousnesse and that is the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ for after wee haue bene throughlye examined and tried we are sure to be founde guilty of malice and wickednesse so that wée must needes bée afearde bicause wee feele God to be so armed in wrath against vs as that he doth nothing els but thunder out vengeance vpon vs to throw vs down into the pitte of hell And therefore when we are driuen to this so great an extremitie beholde how Christ graunteth vs a remedy to mitigate and assawge all our sorrowes which is this he certefieth vs that hée him selfe alone will be altogether sufficient to bring vs the sauing helth which he hath purchased for vs. Thus we sée that wée are iustified by faith wherefore wée may perceiue that the Prophet speaketh after the selfe same manner that Saint Paul spake after his time that is hee maketh vs in the first place to come vnto the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ beholding him crucified for our sakes and besides that wee are assured by the Gospell that whatsoeuer Iesus Christe dyd and suffered belongeth and is to be applyed to vs at this day because the Father would not haue this his death to be vnprofitable but that it should bée a Sacrifice full of power and effect to fruictifie dayly in vs. And this is the summe of that which wée haue to remember out of this place But by the way let vs héere note that this knowledge of our Lorde Iesus Christ is no vaine thing as many when the knowledge of the Gospell is tolde them of vnderstande it for they think it sufficient
and others also shal find inough at his hands for the moe of vs that come vnto him the richer shall we finde him to help our néede And therefore we haue héere to note that it is not for naught that the prophet saieth that he bare the sinnes of many to wit to the ende we should not malice and enuy our neighburs as if wée could not be holpen bicause some of them haue to much of him This then is the summe and effect of that which we are to learne out of this place Moreouer it is said That it was because hee was accounted amongest transgressors We are héere to obserue in the firste place that hée must néedes be hanged betwéene two théeues that hée might suffer all the condemnation that wée deserued and to the ende that wée might haue a more sure and certaine pawne that God his Father hath pardoned and forgiuen vs all our sinnes and iniquities Marke also why Saint Mark aleadgeth this saying of the Prophet Mark 15 2◠that there were two Théeues hanged with our Lorde Iesus Christe to shewe that hée was taken to bée a most detestable and cursed man and to the end it might bee openlye séene that hée was placed in the rank with all shame rebuke because we should at this dai be exempt from the wrath of god from the punishment of the euill déeds which we had deserued and where before we were cast down euen vnto the pit of hell wee might now bee coupled together with the Angels of heauen who altogether worshippe God and haue fulfilled all righteousnesse All this benefit then haue wee by this in that it hath pleased our Lorde Iesus Christ to take vpon him this place and to become a malefactor to the end he would bée thought the most shamefull amongst men Thus wee see how the shame of our Lorde Iesus Christ hath exalted vs on hie to the ende sinne should not be laide to our Charge and we to be free from all condemnation For wherein consisted our saluation if our sinnes were not couered and taken away surely we were neuer able to come to this by any other meane without the sonne of God as S. Paul saith were our redemption that is to say 1. Cor. 1.30 he was the price and paiment of that which wee owed to the end that we might now be quitted and discharged therof And therfore it was not for naught that the Prophet ioyned these two thinges together and dayly sheweth vs as héeretofore hath béene saide that wée haue wherefore to gloryfie our Lorde Iesus Christ in that he was put to all the shame that might bée séeing the fruite and commoditie that wée reape thereby For if our Lorde Iesus Christ should haue done that onely for a shew and token of humilytie it had béene too too bare a matter but hée did it to this end and purpose that we might finde that in him which we want and that it might also be the remedy for the same thing which might gréeue and oppresse vs. Wherefore when we are so reconciled vnto God as that wée obtaine righteousnesse thereby and full forgiuenesse of our sinnes Beholde wée néede not then be a feard to come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ albeit his crucifying in the view of the worlde séemeth at the first blush to bée very shamefull and yet wée sée that hée so triumphed ouer Satan sinne as that he hath made vs righteous and canceled the obligation that was against vs so that wee may now come bouldly to God with good assuraunce that wée are righteous and with open mouth glorifie him for it wherfore before we were most horribly condemned And this is the effect of that which the Prophet meaneth againe to put vs in minde of After all these thinges he saithe that he praid for the trespassers This is namely put in to shew that Iesus Christ in his death and passiō plaid the part of a priest for if this had not ben done also we shuld neuer haue had al the was requisit for the assurāce of our saluatiō True it is that forsomuch as the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ is the sacrifice whereby our sinnes are wiped away and his blood our washing and cleasing his obedience the avolishing of all our rebellions the obteining of our righteousnes by this we haue wherin to reioyce Howbeit this is not all Because it is said That whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of God shall bee saued Neuerthelesse Ioel. 2. 3◠howe were it possible for vs to haue recourse vnto God What boldnes were it for vs to pray and cry out with open mouth and say O our father Were not this ouermuch presumption to come thus pure and cleane to God and vaunt our selues to bée his children if we had not the word to beare vs in it And againe where shoulde wee find such an Aduocat and Proctor that would doe so much for vs except we come to Iesus Christe Thus then we sée what the Prophet meant to adde for a conclusion of that which went before To wit that Iesus Christ praied for the trespassers Now this is very true that he praied of god his father when he was on the Crosse that he would pardon and forgiue his persecutors For these are his wordes Father saith he I beséeche thée pardon thē for they know not what they do Luke 23.34 Here we sée what a prayer our Lord Iesus made for the trespassers for his enimies who so cruelly handeled him by whose handes he was crucified But it was not the meaning of the Prophet to speake only of this especiall prayer but rather to declare the Sacrificing of our Lord Iesus Christ And by the way let vs here wel consider that it was not for naught that he spake here of the Trespassers It is said a litle before that he beare the sinnes of the people of God and suffered for the transgressions of many But now the Prophet attributeth another name to those for whom Christ praied calleth thē transgressors When he spake of the people of God it was to shewe that those whom a man would thinke to be most excellent righteous had néede of forgiuenesse of sinnes which they could neuer haue had had it not béen that Iesus Christe had shed his most precious heart blood for the washing cleansing of them And thus muche then for this point That if we would be of the Church be allowed to be of the congregation of God we must néedes vnderstand that it is because Iesus Christ is our redéemer and therefore let vs not feare to come in great companies to him rather then faile let euery one bring his neighbour with him because he is able to saue vs al. Moreouer it is here set downe that we are all transgressors to the end we might throughly consider of our sins For we know our selues to be so bold and rash as that we will oftētimes be
before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him to make vs more and more féele them that it might bée so to our humbling as that wée might daily fight against them and be spoiled of all together and that we might séeke to be clad with his righteousnesse and enriched with the giftes of his holy spirite to the end we might appeare pure and innocent before him And forsomuch as we had néede to be daily reconciled vnto him by meane of the Mediator that it would please him to graunt vs the grace to pray vnto him with a sure hope and trust so that we staying our selues on him might by true faith and power embrase the promise which hée hath made vs Mat. 11. â—8 when as hée saieth Come vnto mée all yée that labour and are heauy laden and I wil ease and refresh you So that we may féele that the office of the Mediator which was giuen him is not in vain and of no effect But that by his meane wée might at this day bée heard and our petitions and supplications so dedicated and consecrated vnto him as that God would receiue and allowe them Let vs therefore beséech him that hée will not shewe this fauour to vs alone but also vnto all people and nations of the world c. The first Sermon of the ascention of our Lord Iesus Christ Actes first 1 THe former booke haue I made O Theophilus of all that Iesus began both to doe and teach 2 Vntill the day in which hee was taken vp after that hee through the holy Ghost had giuen commandements vnto the Apostles whom he had chosen 3 To whom also he shewed himselfe aliue after his passion and that by many tokens appearing vnto them fortie daies speaking of the kingdome of God 4 And gathering them together commaunded them that they shoulde not departe from Hierusalem but wayte for the promise of the Father whereof saieth he you haue heard of me BEcause wée are too buyld our faith vppon God and his truth S. Luke héere telleth vs that Iesus Christ sent not his Apostles to teach what they themselues thought good But put his word into their mouthes and gaue them sure and certaine instruction to the end they might carrie such a faithfull message as that wee might take no occasion to doubt thereof And therefore when as we at this day heare the Gospel preached we ought to be fully resolued that it is the charge which God committed vnto his Apostles and receiue it as the thing which commeth from himself as indéede it doeth Moreouer to the end we should beare greater reuerence vnto the Gospel it is not said only that Iesus Christ deliuered it but that it was also done by the holy Ghost For as Iesus Christ is the very natural Sonne of God euen so likewise is he man and hath taken vpon him our fleshe and nature Nowe vnder this shadowe as no doubt of it the worlde is wicked a man might vnder a colour take occasion to contemne this doctrine or els not make so greate an account of it Here then we sée that Saint Luke saith that the charge which was geuen vnto the Apostles to teach procéeded not from Iesus Christ alone but from the holie Spirite also Wherefore wée at this present sée that the preaching of the Gospell is heauenly and not earthly and ratified by God himselfe Notwithstanding wée muste also obserue that the summe and effect of the Gospel is comprehended in these fewe woordes to wit That Iesus Christe both taught and made it So that if we will beare the name of Christians we must be taught that doctrine which Iesus Christ brought vs and besides be also eftsoones confirmed therein For he hath not onely spoken but hath likewise accomplished whatsoeuer was necessary for our saluation Moreouer because his death and resurrection was of al the rest the most principall poynt wée haue therefore spoken of it in order as it followeth S. Luke then saith that Iesus Christ after he had suffred shewed himselfe aliue vnto his Disciples and that by many manifest proofes which was not without good cause For when wée heare the promises of God spoken on our faith wil still hang in suspence vntil such time as we are assured of his grace and fauour which can neuer be without the gage which he hath geuen vs to wit that Iesus Christ suffered for our redemption beare the punishment due for our sinnes Thus héere wée sée that Saint Luke speaketh not in vaine of the proofes which were giuen to assure vs that Iesus Christ is risen againe 1. Cor. 15.14 For harken what Saint Paul saieth that if Christ be not risen our faith is in vaine and our Preaching also in vaine wée haue no more hope then very Beastes By this we sée that the ende of our hope is that Iesus Christ is rysen from the dead And this is the victory indéed which he hath gotten yea euen to shew that he is Lorde ouer lyfe and death Rom. 4.15 Saint Paul also saith that Iesus Christ dyed for our sinnes and if hée had remayned dead still what hope might wée haue had by him but beholde hée rose agayne that is the triumph which he had ouer death to the end we might beléeue in him Saint Peter likewise to shew that wée ought to beléeue in Iesus Christ 1. Peter 3.21 bringeth for proofe héereof none other thing but his resurrection Let vs therefore obserue that when Saint Luke sayeth that Iesus christ shewed himselfe aliue he speaketh of a thing that was requisit for the assurance of our saluation Wherefore if wée woulde haue the principall poynt of Christianitie wée must come to this resurrection by which hee purchased for vs lyfe and saluation and shewed himselfe to bée the very Sonne of God Moreouer let vs also learne that since Saint Luke saieth that Iesus Christ hath made vs such proofes of his resurrection let vs not call that thing into question which God himselfe hath so well approued And therefore if we are not at this day fully persuaded that Iesus Christ is risen agayne let vs thanke our owne vnthankfulnesse Saint Luke also vseth a kinde of spéech which a fourdeth an argument that bringeth with it a present proofe And in deed we sée what payne the Euangelistes haue taken in this matter For when they come to speake of the resurrection they lay foorth all the circumstaunces and besides they recyte all the testimonies of his wordes for hée hath saide and declared that it was no vaine imagination or vision whereby some trouble might afterward arise And therefore wée ought to vnderstande and knowe that since they haue taken so great paynes héerein that wée must not stande in doubt of it but it is fit wée should receiue their wordes as sure and certaine séeing they bring so good a proofe with them And therefore for this matter whereof Saint Luke speaketh that Iesus Christ
Paule saith that he dwelleth in vs by faith 1. Cor. ◠19 2. Cor. 6 1◠And therefore let vs not geue place vnto our foolishe dolteries but vnderstande it according to the meaning of S. Paule saying Knowe yée not that you are the Temple of the liuing GOD which dwelleth in you And so as God is inuisibly euery where and in all thinges euen so Iesus Christ communicateth himselfe with vs. And therefore when wée are vnited to him our soules are fedde with the very substance of his bodie although he be in heauen but it is through the operation of faith of the holie Ghost For Iesus Christ commeth not downe corporally Wherfore the papists are doltishly ignorant when they say that he commeth closely and hydeth himselfe vnder the bread and wine playing bo péepe Nowe since we know the meaning of these wordes let vs apply them to our vse we haue saide that the Angels promised the Apostles because they shoulde not thinke that they had lost his presence that like as they had séene him ascend into heauen euen so hee shoulde come downe agayne For what should his descending and the suffering of his death and passion do vs good if we hoped not to sée him againe But séeing it was promised vs that he should come againe to gather vs together vnite vs to himselfe what a notable comfort is this for vs. And therefore this was not spoken only in the behalfe of the Apostles but also for our behoofe and herein resteth our comfort that although we are separated from him a great long distance of yet wil he shew himselfe for our redemption And therefore wée may boldly lift vp our heades and ouercome whatsoeuer griefes may come vnto vs. By this we may very wel iudge whether we beléeue in Iesus Christ or not For when we heare it said that he wil come againe and then reioyce at it and féele his comming in our heartes it is a token that we haue a true beliefe in him But contrariwise if wée stande in doubte of that day and haue a mynde to put it of if it were possible this is a true token of our infidelitie Wée sée then that faith at this day is very rare to bee founde in all the worlde For to heare the day of his comming spoken of should bée a greate comforte to vs because it is the day of our redemption as Paule to the Romanes saith Rom. 8.23 Howbeit there are very few that beléeue it But if we bee sorie and grieued to heare it spoken that that day will come is this a token that we hope Iesus Christ to bee our Redéemer Surely our redemption was purchased by his death but yet when wee shall be ridde of this bodie no doubte of it wee shall then bee ridde of the bondage of sinne Loe what an acceptable thing death should be vnto vs. Howbéeit because the vniuersall redemption shal not be vntil the latter day we ought to grone as all the Creatures grone looking for that day because they are subiect to corruption by reason of our sinnes and desire to bée deliuered thereof Wée sée then that heauen and earth and all the rest of the Creatures within them doe desire the appearing of our Lorde Iesus Christ and shall not wee be more ashamed if wée haue no greater desire of his comming then in sensible beastes For wée haue not onely the knowledge which God hath giuen vs as mortall men but hée hath also giuen vs an vnderstanding to wishe and desire his comming And therefore Luk. 21.28 this is a verie notable true signe of infidelitie when as wée haue no desire to sée that day and besides if wee rere not vp our heades so often as wée heare this saying pronounced we sufficiently declare that we haue no fayth in Christ Iesus Moreouer as the faythfull are comforted by this sentence euen so must the wicked féele an inward feare of this comming And although they make a iest at it yet doeth feare and trembling possesse their heartes which is this that our Lorde Iesus putteth them ouer vnto his iudgement And the reason why many men take Iesus Christ for their Iudge Iohn 19.37 is this because they haue no will to receiue him when as God his meaning is to giue them him to be their Redéemer In verie déede there are a number which at this day make but a laughing game thereat yet shall they neither will nor choose Apoc. 1.7 but feele his heauy hande whom they had persed For there are some suche men vnto whom if the iudgement of God be named that wil answere and say Well Syr well we shall be sure to sée him but not vntill hée come As certeine of my gentle scoffers scoffed here vpon Tuesday last past who not onely made light account and set them selues against God in the Tauernes but also made a muster héere of their impyetie and shamelesnesse and because they woulde shewe them selues to be lyke the most impudent whores of the Stewes they came and scoffed at God and his word euen in the Church in the presence of all his faythfull Well let them scoffe at him and spare not yet shall they féele him I say whom they had pearsed And let them be sure that he will come yea that he will come For he is not ascended vp into heauen to suffer the wicked ones to scoffe at him but that hee will surely be reuenged of them and kéepeth a register of all their scoffes and scornes And since they wil not willingly come to a reckoning they shall neither will nor choose but receiue iudgement with their fathers and brothers the Deuilles Nowe since this doctrine is deliuered vnto vs for our instructiō let vs in Gods name learne to humble our selues and worship Iesus Christ for since he is Prince and Gouernour of the Angels whom they obey let vs follow them for company And besides let vs be well assured that we may boldly pray vnto him since hée standdeth for vs before God his Father Moreouer let vs comfort our selues if at this day we suffer much and let vs looke for that day of the Lorde whereat our Lorde Iesus hath promised to be to vnite vs vnto him selfe And according to this holie doctrine Let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him that he will not suffer vs to walter our selues continually a sleape in them but awake vs and vnite vs vnto his Sonne And since hée hath called vs to the knowledge of him that it woulde please him to graunt vs the grace to profite our selues therein vntill such tyme as wée bée brought to that perfection wherevnto hée calleth vs. And so let vs all say O Almighty God heauenly father c. The first Sermon of the descending of the holie Ghost Actes second 1 ANd when the day of Pentecost or Whitsontide was come they were all with one accord in one place 2
hée rose againe he shewed himselfe to bée the very sonne of God Thus we sée the meaning of Saint Peter his woords when hée saieth Whom God raised vp being deliuered to death Now 2. Cor. 13.4 in that hée saieth The sorrowes of death hée meaneth not the sorrowes of the bodily death which Iesus Christ suffered but the horrible anguishes wherein hée was because he was to bée our pledge beare the punishment of all our sinnes Wherefore hée suffered not only in body but also in spirit and yet was hée not for al that ouercome But because we cannot at this present go on with the declaration of the sorrowes of his death as is very behouefull wée therefore will reserue it vntill the next time According to this doctrine let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him so to touch vs with the confessing of them as that although we haue héeretofore giuen the reine to our affections yet that it woulde please him to hold vs in that wée might bée obedient vnto his worde and so in pardoning of our offences past not rigorously iudge vs but accept those graces and thanksgiuing which wée yéelde vnto him for all the benefites which he hath bestowed vpon vs. And so let vs all say O Almightie God and heauenly Father c. A Sermon of the latter day Second to the Thessalonians Chapter first 6 IT is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation vnto them that trouble you 7 And to you which are troubled rest with vs in the Reuelation of our Lord Iesus from heauen with the angels of his power 8 In flaming fier rendring vengeance vnto them that knowe not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christe 9 Which shall bee punished with euerlasting damnation from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 10 When hee shall come to bee glorified in his Saintes and to be made maruellous in all them that beleeue because our testimony towardes you was beleeued in that day ONe of the principallest Articles of our faith is this that our Lorde Iesus Christe must appeare from heauen Now it cannot be that his comming shoulde bée vnprofitable and therfore it necessarily followeth that we must looke and wait for our redemptioÌ„ and saluation from thence Neither must wée stand any whit in doubt thereof because if wée shoulde so doe it were euen enough to make whatsoeuer our Lorde Iesus Christe hath doone and suffered of none effect For why came hée downe into the worlde why tooke hée our fleshe vpon him why suffered hée vpon the Crosse why rose hée againe and why ascended hée into heauen Forsooth hée did all this to this ende and purpose that hée woulde gather vs together into his kingdome whenas hée shall appeare And therfore this his comming is as it were to seale and ratifie all whatsoeuer hée hath doone and indured for our saluation Nowe this were euen sufficient to stay vs for the resisting of all the temptations in the world but because wée are so fraile and inconstant as that wée cannot beléeue the thing which God himselfe saith Saint Paule now vseth a strange kinde of Argument the better to confirme vs in this hope whereunto hée hath exhorted vs in the person of the Thessalonians which is That GOD will not be so lightly set by by the contemners of his Gospell who make no reckoning of his heauenly Maiestie neither will hée suffer his creatures to lift them selues vp against him to withstand him Thus wée sée by howe much more wée shoulde bée confirmed in the hope of our saluation séeing that God hath an interest therein is his owne cause And this is a point which wée are diligently to obserue For although as I haue alredy said God excéedingly assureth vs that he hath great care of our saluatioÌ„ yet our nature is so woÌ„derfull mistrustful as that we coÌ„tinually stand in doubt But when it is set down vnto vs the god wil defend his own right and not suffer vs to treade his maiestie vnder foote this is a doctrine which shoulde make vs full assured and resolute And besides GOD sheweth vs such fauour in ioyning his glorie with our saluation as that there is an inseparable bonde betwéene the one and the other For doe not wée sée an infallible assurance that our Lord Iesus will come to giue vs rest and quietnesse because it cannot otherwise bée but that God will mainteyn his maiestie against the pride and enmitie of men And therefore let vs diligently marke that Iesus Christ cannot mainteyne the glory of his father but that he must eftsoones declare himself to be our redéemer And these things as I haue said cannot bée sundered Wherefore wée héerein sée the infinite loue of our God towardes his faythfull ones whenas hée conioyneth himself in â—uch sort with them for as hée cannot possibly forget his owne glorie no more can hée also forget our saluation and as hée will shew his power to be reuenged of al such as resist him euen so will hée likewise punishe all those that haue vniustly afflicted his chosen people Thus wée sée what S. Paule his meaning is when as hée sayeth that Iesus Christ wil come to render vengeance to al those which haue not knowne God and obeyed his Gospel As if hée should haue said Behold your enimies which persecuted you Nowe you were in doubt whether God regarded your afflictions and whether hée had coÌ„passion of you or not for the remedying of them What Thinke you that GOD maketh no reckoning to mainteyne and defend his glory Nowe as the Aduersaries afflict you for cleauing vnto the Gospel euen so likewise will God in the defence of his own cause bée your Protector and defendor And by the way S. Paule also giueth vs here in this place many profitable aduertisementes For when hée speaketh of the vengeance which is prepared for our enimies hée saith That Iesus Christ will come with the Angels of his power and in flaming fire But to what ende Forsooth to confirme his saying to wit that the enimies of his truth saieth hée might sustaine their punishment both before God and his maiestie As if hée should haue said surely you can no more comprehend the torment which the faithlesse shall suffer then wée doe sée the glorie of God For when wée heare the glorie of God spoken of we know it to bée without end and measure and therefore wée ought to woonder at it Euen so fareth it with the horrible vengeaunce which is prepared for all the faithlesse Séeing God must shewe foorth his power vpon them For since his Maiestie as I haue said is inestimable therefore must their torment be also incomprehensible for our cause and thus much for this poynt Moreouer when S. Paule speaketh of Infidels and of the enimies of God hée saieth That they knew him not nor yet obeyed his Gospel Or that they were