not therefore say that the death and passion of Christ was not effectual nor yet profited vs so much as was expedient because the death wherevnto wée are nowe subiect is but a warning vnto vs of the curse of God For if wée were clearely exempt from death we should then neuer know the grace which was purchased for vs by our Lorde Iesus Christ And we also knowe what néede we haue to bée humbled and that God maketh vs alwayes to féele his wrath For although we were altogether exempt thereof yet ought we to think still of it to the ende we might grone by reason of our sinnes and therefore magnifie his mercy so much the more Wherefore the death to speake properly which all men now dye as it were is not deadly to those which haue faith in Iesus Christ because they passe out of this life to liue vnto God And therefore when we dye wée are to comfort our selues and reioyce because we know that God will be mercifull vnto vs and conuert the euill into good make death which before brought with it a mortall wound to serue for a plaister And howe is that Forsooth because we shall vnderstande that God will not become a seuere Iudge vnto vs poure out his vengeance vpon vs when as we bring Iesus Christ with vs to shewe that hée hath made satisfaction for vs. And therfore death hath not taken such fearefull holde on vs as to confound vs and bring vs to dispaire Ioh. 6.39 10.28 But doe come fréely to put our selues into the handes of God For as it said that Iesus Christ commended his soule vnto God his Father Let vs vnderstand that it was to make him Gardaine of our soules and therefore may wée commende them most assuredly into his handes because hée hath said that whatsoeuer is giuen to him to kéepe shall neuer perish Thus then we sée to what ende this anguish of our Lorde Iesus Christ serueth and that ouer and besides he aboad death and the rest of the tormentes yet had hée also this terrour of the féeling of God to be his Iudge as if hée shoulde haue suffred the paynes of hell Nowe it is so farre off that this is any whit derogatorie from his Maiestie as that it is to make vs a great deale the better vnderstand howe greatly hée estéemed of our saluation and how deare and precious we and our soules were vnto him And therefore although hée was made of no reputation as before hath béen séene and had neither fourme nor fashion why men shoulde be desirous of him yet was this his light estimation of him to exalte him so much the more And in déede although God shewed his highnesse and infinite Maiestie in the creation of the worlde yet haue we a farre more large cause to glorifie God in the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ because Iesus Christ abased and humbled him selfe for vs and for our saluation and although hée was not robbed of his diuine Maiestie yet laye it hyd for a time and was neuer perceiued by any man And this is in summe that which the Prophet here handleth as concerning the payne and greefe of our Lord Iesus Now we sée herein that hée forgot him selfe as it were and neuer cared for him selfe and the reason is because hée was altogether giuen to saue vs And so answered for vs both in bodie and soule and was our onely pledge And in this we sée that the verie curres who would at this day abolish this doctrine haue neyther faith nor religion in them but bark at it like Mastifes they know not why nor wherfore And although our Popish hypocrites who vnderstand this but by halfes are yet notwithstanding howsoeuer the world goeth driuen to confesse that Iesus Christ felt most terrible panges In déed they were neuer able fully to define of al that was in it But yet how euer it commeth to passe they iumble partly at it Notwithstanding there are here a company of villaynes more Monkish thē they which liue in their Celles in those stews out of which they come who haue brought their stench infectiō into the Church of God And therefore this is most certaine that these Dogges which at this day carry the name of Ministers and do also occupie that place and yet make a Swynes stye of the Church of God being like Dogges without all religion and goe about nothing els but to deface and put out of mens mindes all the grace of God and whatsoeuer els our Lord Iesus Christ hath done for vs. Now when we sée that Satan hath thus pushed them forward as to become like shamelesse whores we ought so much the rather to consider of this Article of our faith which is That Iesus Christ was not onely condemned of Pylate being an earthly Iudge to the end we might be pardoned before God his Father and not only crucified that wée might be deliuered from the curse that hée did not onely suffer death that we might be freed from it But also that we at this day might haue peace of conscience and be glad in that we féele the fatherly loue of our God and so may be bolde to call vpon him with open mouth being assured that he will receiue vs that we shal be acceptable vnto him And it was méet that Iesus Christ should be plunged in these horrors which he felt it was also méete that he who was the immaculate Lambe of God should be made like vnto a wretched malefactor and that hée who was the mirror paterne of all holinesse perfection should answere for vs and become our Borrow euen to that verie pinch as if hée shoulde haue béen condemned vnto the bottomlesse pit of hel Moreouer he vanquished ouercame all these sorowes as we haue before said but yet he wrestled stoutly against them first Thus we sée what the meaning of Isaiah is when he saith that Iesus Christ must sée trauels griefes in his soule howbeit we sée that he was notwithstanding well contented and fully satisfied therwith alwayes prouided that we might be redeemed by that meane And therfore wée may at this day be so much the more bold knowing that if we haue a true obedience of fayth whereby to receiue the inestimable benefite which our Lorde Iesus Christ hath obtained for vs wée may féele that hée suffred not all these torments for vs in vaine Wherfore our vnthankfulnesse shall be so much the more inexcusable when as we come not vnto him with such an earnest zeale to enioy this inestimable benefite whereinto he is entred and whereof hée hath in our behalfe taken possession hauing tolde vs that hée hath reconciled vs vnto God his Father who is readie to receiue vs as his children Thus we sée in summe what we haue to consider of in this place Now the Prophet goeth on farther and saith That by his knowledge my righteous seruant shall iustifie many As for this word
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
second That wée should abhorre our sinnes as we ought and to bée truely ashamed to humble our selues before the Maiestie of our GOD. The thirde that wée might in such sorte estéeme of our saluation as that it might make vs forsake the worlde and whatsoeuer thinge else belongeth vnto this transitorie lyfe and to bée in loue with this enheritaunce which was so déerely purchased for vs. And héere we sée whereon we must cast our eies and bestow all our senses when it is told vs that the Sonne of GOD hath redéemed vs from euerlasting death and purchased for vs euerlasting lyfe Wée must therefore in the first place learne to render vnto God the prayse due vnto him Now to say truely he might if hée had pleased haue deliuered vs from the bottomelesse depthes of death after an other sorte But his good will was largely to bestow and powre vpon vs the treasures of his infinite goodnesse when as hée spared not his onely sonne And our Lord Iesus would héerein giue vs an excellent pawne of his wonderful care towardes vs when as he offred himselfe willingly to death For we shal neuer bée touched to the quick nor enflamed to praise our God without we on the other side doe examine our estate and be as it were throwne downe into the bottomlesse pit of hell knowing what a thing it is to haue prouoke his wrath and to becom our mortall enimie hauing him as a terrible and fearefull Iudge so that it were a great deale better that heauen and earth and all the creatures had conspyred against vs then that wée shoulde once come néere his Maiestie so long as he is against vs. Wherfore it is very méete that sinners should be wounded with the féeling and conceiuing of their sinnes that they might know themselues to bée most miserable and feare their estate to the end they might thereby knowe how greatly they are beholden and bounde vnto God in that he hath compassion vpon them and séeing them in a desperate case hath very good will to helpe them without regard of any their worthinesse but onlie for their myseries sake And so also is it as we haue already saide because we are too too much intangled here below and when as God calleth vs vnto him our mindes and affections so kéepe vs backe as that we had néed to make much of the heauenly life as it is woorthy and knowe with how déere a price it was purchased for vs. And héere wée sée why it is told vs that our Lorde Iesus Christ did not only meane to suffer death and offered himselfe a Sacrifice to appease the the wrath of God his Father but also to the ende that hée might truely and indéede be our pledge he refused not to abide the anguishes and griefes which were prepared for all such as in conscience are touched and féele themselues guiltie of euerlasting death and condemnation before God Let vs then heare rightly note that the Sonne of God was not contented to offer vp his fleshe and blood and yéeld himselfe vnto death but would withall appeare before the iudgement seate of GOD in the name and person of all sinners ready there to be condemned and that because he beare our burden And therefore we must not be ashamed séeing the sonne of God hath submitted him selfe to such an infirmitie Neither was it without cause that Saint Paule exhorteth vs not to be ashamed of the preaching of the Crosse albeit it be to some foolishnesse and an offence to many For the more that our Lord Iesus Christ was humbled we sée thereby that the offences for the which wée were in arrerages and behinde with God could not be abolished without great extremitie And in déed we know that he was made weake that wée might be made strong by his power and besides hée would abide all our sufferinges sinne excepted to the ende hée might be readie at this day to helpe vs. For if hée had not felte in his owne person the feares doubtes and torments which we endure he would not be so enclined to be mercifull vnto vs as hée is Wée say that he who knoweth not what hunger and thirst meaneth will neuer be stirred vp to haue compassion vpon those that féele it because they haue alwayes taken their ease and liued in pleasure Now it is true that although God in his owne nature suffereth not any of our passions yet ceaseth hée not for all that to be curteous vnto vs but that is because hée is the fountayne of all goodnesse and mercy Neuerthelesse to the end we might be assured that our Lord Iesus Christ knoweth our weaknes to help it that we might come the boldlier vnto him haue a more familiar accesse The apostle saith Hebr. 2.10 that he would for the same cause be tēpted euen as we are So then we haue to obserue in this text which we haue read that whē our Lord Iesus was come into this village of Gethsamene namely into the Mount Oliuet it was to offer him self willingly to death And herein his will was to be discharged of the office charge that was committed vnto him For why cloathed he him self with our flesh nature without it were to repaire all our rebellions through his obedience to the end to purchase vs full perfect righteousnes before God his Father And therefore offered he him self to death because we might not be reconciled by any other meane neither yet appease the wrath of God prouoked by sin but by this onely obedience Thus we sée why the Sonne of God came fréely vnto the place where he knew that Iudas should finde him And let vs knowe that it so fell out because our father Adam through his transgression had throwne vs all downe headlōg into the bottomlesse depth that the sonne of God who had power ouer all creatures might be subiect and take vpon him the state of a seruant as he is likewise called the seruant of God of all his Sée also why S. Paul Isaiah 42.1 in shewing vs how we must stay our selues when we call vpon God with full assurance be heard as his children saith that we are reputed righteous through the obedience of our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 5.19 For this is as it were a cloake to couer all our sinnes offences so that the thing that might hinder vs for the obteining of grace might not come into a reckoning before God But we on the contrary part sée that the price of our redemption cost very deare when as our Lord Iesus Christ was so tormented that hee aboad the very terror feare of death insomuch that hée sweat droppes of blood was as it were lyke one besides himselfe desiring if it were possible that hée might escape that distresse And therfore since we sée it to be thus it is good for vs to come to the acknowledging of our sinnes For it is no time for vs to rocke our selues here
vpon these worldly matters This then is the summe which wée are héere to obserue And to say the trueth it is not without cause that our Lorde Iesus spake so confidently that hée was borne and came into the worlde to say the trueth and that whosoeuer woulde haue any good taste shoulde stay him selfe vpon his worde By this wée sée that this is a doctrine of great weight â— to vnderstande that the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ is not héere on earth For if this had béen a light saying hee would haue passed it ouer lightly But when he said that he came into the worlde to tell the trueth this was as if he would haue vs giue good eare meditate in our heartes and apply our mindes to this doctrine this was to make vs forsake the world and all the creatures thereof that wée might come to this heauenly King and séeke after the spirituall benefites which are communicated to vs in him to the ende we might enioy them in such measure as he knoweth â—o be most profitable for our saluation And let vs of all that which we sée to bée the verie summarie of the Gospell note well this saying That Iesus Christ came into the world to speake the trueth to the end we might herevpon conclude that whensoeuer we shall giue diligent eare vnto his worde that it shall not be in vaine because this is a certaine resolute conclusioÌ„ that whatsoeuer he had giuen them the choyse either of Iesus or Barabbas who as S. Iohn saith was a théefe Iohn 18.40 and the other Euangelistes say that he was a notorious naughtie man both a murtherer and a sower of sedition and trouble in the Towne Now this was a detestable pestelence of al others and yet the people cryed out Let vs haue Barabbas and let him be pardoned and Iesus Christ crucified By this custome of letting loose a prisoner at Easter we sée with what foolish deuotions men are carried For they thought the feast to be so muche the more honourable in the loosing of a prisoner and that they did God great seruice and yet all was verie abhominable For it is saide That he that iustifieth the wicked Prou. 17.15 he that condemneth the iust euen they both are abhomination vnto the Lord And therfore it is méete that they which sit in the place of iustice should be of vpright mindes For when he armeth them with his sword he saieth not do as you thinke good your selues For his meaning is that they should haue a fatherly care ouer the people and to be verie warie how they lift vp them selues cruelly to wrong others by abusing of their credit and authoritie but would haue them rather be gentle and pitifull Yet must they punish wickednesse for God so commaundeth them But what do we men Forsooth we think we honour the feast of Easter when as we offende God and manifestly transgresse his worde By this wée are admonished not to folowe our owne fantasies when the matter concerâ—eth the seruice of God but altogether doe his will Let vs not therefore fayne a deuotion which séemeth good in our owne eyes but be contented to do the thing which God hath ordeined allowed And here we sée what ariseth vpon this kinde of custome to wit that we make lawes accordingly at this day so that whatsoeuer is receiued for a common order séemeth to be lawfull And yet howsoeuer it séemeth to vs God vtterly condemneth it Nowe wee sée what abuse hath come heerein which is this that this corruptioÌ„ hath made Barabbas to be preferred before the sonne of God A man here would at the first sight thinke it very straunge that our Lord Iesus should be thus lightly estéemed of and a théefe and murderer greatlier priuiledged then he that he shoulde finde such fauour grace amongst men Iesus Christ to be so shamefully slanderously handled For was it not enough that the sonne of God was crucified aboad a most slaÌ„derous kind of death without he must also be greatly tormented The death of the crosse was but as a punishment for théeues it was not onely as at this day the gallowes should be but it was as if he should haue abidden the whéele Was it not then enough that after Iesus Christ had béen buffeted spetted on brought euen downe to the pitte of hell but that he must in comparison be shewed to be accursed of al the world For if we should iudge of it according to natural reasoÌ„ looke vpon the outward shew surely we should be coÌ„founded but we must lift vp the eies of faith a great deale higher come vnto that which before we haue said to wit that all this was gouerned by the counsel of God And therfore let vs not stand vpon that which the people Pylate did but let vs behold the vnchangeable decrée of God which is that for the better humbling of vs his wil was to haue his Sonne so shamefully to be cast down yea to be cast vnder the féete of al the malefactors of the world béeing crucified betwéene two théeues as hereafter shal be seene We sée theÌ„ what it is for vs to obserue wheÌ„ it is here said that Barabbas must be let lose and Iesus Christ bée made the most abhominable man of the world Yet for all this Pilate went about to haue deliuered our Lord Iesus but it was by a deuilish meane to wit by buffeting of him which they then called punishing would haue let him gone wheÌ„ he had so punished him as one that had committed a fault For by this he pretended to appease the stirre of the people Now if our Lord Iesus had bin thus deliuered what had become of the Gospell and of the saluation of the world For this correction which Pylate brought him to was a signe and token of dishonestie for euer as if the Gospell had béen a wicked doctrine considering that the Iudge of the countrie condemned it and the person of our Lord Iesus Christ was clearely refused And yet had we all bin lost because there was none other meane to recoÌ„cile vs vnto God but by the death of his onely sonne And thus we sée that the death of our Lord Iesus was the very open way vnto life So then we sée that the Deuill did the best hée could not to haue our Lord Iesus to dye and yet who clapped the Priestes their like vpon the backes to pursue Iesus Christ vnto death but the Deuil himselfe This is very true for hée bewitched them as we sée that God sendeth the spirit of trouble madnesse vpon all the vngodly so that they are one against an other euen as the waues of the Sea beate one an other euen so was the Deuill carried when as on the one side he went about to abolish the memory of our Lorde Iesus Christ besides on the other side meant to hinder the redemption of mankinde But God so
that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath purchased vs life by his resurrection so that wee must goe strait to him wtout séeking any other meanes to direct vs then such as hée hath assigned vs. We haue also alreadie saide that hée hath ordeined two Sacramentes for our better confirmation If the manner of the Iewes buriall had béen necessarie for vs no doubt Iesus Christ would haue had it continue in his Church But hée would not that we should stay our selues vpoÌ„ this earthly and childish Elements And therfore it is enough for vs to vse the plaine order of burying leaue the swéet ointments which figure vnto vs the resurrection and was manifested in our Lord Iesus Christ Wherefore we should but separate our selues from him if we would be thus basely and simply instructed For marke what Saint Paul saieth Colos 3.2 That if our affection be on things aboue we must séeke it in fayth and in spirit and be conioyned vnto our Lord Iesus Christ Colos 12.8.9 18. that we should bend our selues to him and not be nusseled in any thing which might withdraw hinder or kéepe vs backe from being vnited to him as vnto our head since his body is said to be the Temple of God And thus much wée are to consider of for buryall Howbeit this is also to be remembred that hée was laide in a newe Tombe which was not made but by the singular prouidence of God For he might verie wel haue béen buried in a Tombe which had serued for that purpose long before For Ioseph of Arimathea had many auncestors and in such wealthy mens houses there was a commoÌ„ Tombe made for the nonce Notwithstanding God had otherwise prouided for the matter and would haue our Lorde Iesus Christ to be laide in a newe Tombe wherin neuer man had béen laide Neither was it without cause that hée was called the first fruites of the resurrection and the first borne of the dead who had béen made partakers of life before our Lord Iesus Christ For we read that Lazarus rose again Wée sée also that Enock Elie were taken vp and neuer felt any naturall death but were gathered together into an incorruptible life Howbéeit al this hangeth vpon the resurrection of our Lord Iesus And therfore we must take him to be as the first fruites In the law the fruites of the yéere were consecrated to GOD by the only bringing of an eare of Corne and a bunche of Grapes to lay vpon the Auâ—ter Now when this was offered to God it was a generall consecrating of al the fruits of the yéere When the first born also were coÌ„secrated to God it was a declaratioÌ„ of the holines of the tribe of Israel that God accompted it for his inheritaunce which he had reserued to himselfe and contented himselfe with this people as if a man would be contented with his Patrimonie EueÌ„ so let vs vnderstand that when we come to our Lord Iesus Christ we are al coÌ„secrated and offered in his person to the end we might at this day receiue life through death that it should no more be deadly as before it was And thus we sée what we are to obserue as concerning the new Tombe that is that the buriall of our Lord Iesus Christ must bring vs vnto his resurrection Neuerthelesse let vs looke wel to our selues for al whatsoeuer that must serue our faith hath béene accomplished in the person of the Sonne of GOD And although wée haue a sure testimonie that it is sufficient for vs yet by reason of our grosenesse weakenesse wée are very farre from comming vnto Lorde Iesus Christ And therefore let euery of vs which acknowledge our offences séeke remedy for them be of good courage For we sée how Ioseph Nicodemus did Now here are two things to be considered of for our example The first is that they had no cléere insight in the fruite of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ Wherefore their vnderstanding was grosse and their faith very weake The other is that notwithstanding this extremitie yet fought they against all temptations and came to looke for our Lorde Iesus Christ who was dead to put him into the Tumbe protesting that they hoped to come to the blessed resurrection which was promised them And although we feele our selues weake yet let it not discourage vs. It is true indéed that we are weake and God may reiect vs when as hée shal roughly entreate vs. But yet when we shall féele these wantes let vs vnderstand that he will accept our desire although it be imperfect Moreouer since at this day our Lorde Iesus is risen in glory and although we must here suffer many miseries and calamities and that a man would thinke he were daily crucified in his members as in déed the vngodly as much as in theÌ„ lieth doe yet let not vs quayle for al this because we knowe that we cannot be put beside that which is promised vs in the doctrine of the Gospel and although wee must runne through a number of afflictions yet let vs alwayes haue an eye vnto our heade For Ioseph and Nicodemus neuer had the aduantage that wée at this day haue which is they neuer beheald the power of the spirite of God which is shewed in the resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ and yet was not their faith for all this wholly morgaged And since our Lorde Iesus calleth vs now vnto him and telleth vs allowde that hée is ascended into heauen to the ende he might gather vs altogether let vs constantly perseuere both to séeke him and follow him and that it is no hurt for vs to die with him since we shal be partakers of his glory And Saint Paule exhorteth vs to be like vnto Iesus Christ not onely as touching his death but also as concerning his buriall For there are some that coulde bée contented to die with our Lord Iesus Christ for a minute of an houre but it wold grieue them to doe it any longer And for this cause I haue sayde that wée must not die for a while but wée must also paciently abide at last to be buried I call this dying whenas God séeth vs so suffer for his names sake for although wée bée not at the first condemned and brought to the stake yet when wée are afflicted this is a kinde of death which wée must paciently abyde But because wée are not by and by humbled it is méete wée shoulde bée longer time scourged and bée contented and paciently beare it For as the Diuel neuer ceaseth to deuise whatsoeuer may withdrawe vs and make vs growe woorse and woorse Euen so must wée al our life long fight against him And although this be a very hard and grieuous condition yet let vs tary til the time bee come that God calleth vs vnto him and not bée wéery in confessing our fayth and therein followe Nicodemus but not in his temerousnes For when he first came
for out of it was the lawe and the worde of God taught neuerthelesse our Lord Iesus Christ would not shew him selfe vnto his Disciples in that Citie séeinge the wickednesse of it to be as yet so fresh in memory and on the other side his meaning was to conforme him selfe vnto their grosnesse for they were as it were so amazed as that lookes would not haue contēted thē with out he had taken them aside and in such sort haue so shewed hymselfe as that they might haue bene fully satisfyed Howbeit we sée that the women which are héere named forgot not to reuerence our Lord Iesus Christ as their maister although they were greatly troubled with his death whervpō may consequently be iudged that the word of God was déeply rooted in their harts for although their faith was weake yet sought they for our Lorde Iesus at the Sepulchre And as for ignoraunce it could no waies excuse them bicause they should haue lifted vp their minds into heauen looking from thens the resurrection that was promised them séeing it was appointed out vnto them by name to be the third day Now their mindes were so occupied as that they could not comprehend the principall matter to wit the our Lord Iesus should ouercome death that he might therby obtaine life and saluation for vs. I call it the principall poynt because that without it as Paul sayeth the Gospell should haue bene in vaine our fayth in vaine 1. Cor. 15.14 Euen so although these poore women had a good minde vnto the Sonne of GOD and knew that the Gospel whiche was preached vnto them was the very truth yet were they so troubled and in such a maze as that they were not able to reache vnto the depth of his resurrection and therfore came vnto the Sepulchre with their swéete oyntments Now this was a falt worthy condemnation and yet God accepted of their ministery for he excused that their amazednesse vntil he had brought them back to the consideration of the matter Héereby we sée that when our Lorde alloweth of any thing we do it is so farre of that we shoulde make an accompte that we haue deserued any thinge as that contrarywise hée of his frée mercy and goodnesse alloweth the thing which inveridéede was not worthy to be offered vnto him For God may alwayes haue good occasion to condemne our workes if hee woulde straightly examine them because they shall neuer be founde vnspotted Howbeit God spareth vs is contented to receiue the thing which we offer vnto him be it neuer so weake and fauty so that we deliuer it vp in an assured and pure faith and acknowledge that he accepteth vs for Iesus Christ his sake And this is it which wée haue in this place to obserue But in the meane while let vs also vnderstand that it was méete there shuld in the buriall of our Lord Iesus Christ be another maner and a better sauour and of greater force then all the swéete oyntmentes which are héere spoken of We haue already saide that the Iewes customably vsed to anoynt the bodies for the confirmation of their hope in the resurrection and of the heauenly lyfe which was a signification that the bodies did not so corrupt but that they shoulde be preserued vnto the last day till God had restored them But the body of our Lord Iesus Christ was clearly exempt from this corruption Now it was not the swéete baulmes which could doo it Psal 16.10 but because it was said that God would not suffer his holy one to see corruption we sée that our Lorde Iesus was by miracle preserued frō all corruptiō And because he was exempt from corruptiō we are at this present certen assured of the glory of the resurrectiō which we haue already seene in his owne person wherefore wée sée the swéet sauour of the buriall resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ hath so farre stretched out it selfe as that wee are thereby quickned What then remaineth there to be done forsooth let not vs séeke any longer for the Sepulchre as these women did whose ignoraunce and weaknes hath stoode vs in some stead but let vs looke vp into heauen since he calleth vs thither vnto him and hath shewed vs the way thereto and hath beside declared vnto vs that he hath taken possessiō of his heauenly kingdom to the end he might make a roome place ready for vs Iohn 14.2 whē as we shal there seeke after him Howbeit we must also note the saying of S. Mat. for the angel saith he appeared who so feared the Souldiers as that they be came like dead men The women also were in the like flight but the Angel forthwith comforted them saying feare you not for I know yée séeke Iesus which was crucified he is risen as he saide Wée sée héere how God so accepteth of the affection zeale of these womē as that he correcteth notwithstanding the thing which he mislyketh I meane hee correcteth by the mouth of the Angell whom hee appoynted there in his turne We haue already sayde that it procéedeth of the singuler mercy and goodnesse of God whenas hee receiueth our imperfect ministery which he might very wel abhor Howbeit he receueth of vs the thing which is of no value euen as a father taketh of his children many things in good part which otherwise were very bables and trifles Thus we sée how liberally God dealeth with vs and yet he woulde not haue vs please and flatter our selues in our sinnes Let vs therefore beholde how the Angell correcteth these womens imperfection although their drift was to a good ende yet are they condemned of a perticuler vice whiche was in them And loe why S. Luke saith that they were most sharplye rebuked when it is saide Luk. 24.5 wherfore séeke you the liuing among the dead but we are héere to obserue that the faithlesse wicked souldiers who had no feare either of God or of religion were terrefied became like mad men indéede the women were also afeard but they were foorthwith comforted And thus we sée how terrible the maiesty of God is to all those vnto whom he sheweth himselfe and he doth it because we should féele our fraylnes whenas God manifesteth himselfe vnto vs and where before we were presumptuosly puffed vp and so imbouldned as that we thought our selues too be no mortall men whenas God shewed vs any signe of his presence therfore it was méete that of necessitie we should be confoūded and be brought to acknowledge our estate to be but dust asshes al our vertues to be but as slitting vanishing smoke And this falleth out both to good bad Moreouer when God terrifieth the faithles he leueth them as reprobats because they are no way worthy to tast of his goodnes Wee also sée why they flye his presence why they set them selues against him gnash their téethe become so furious as that they are without all
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
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
were notwithstanding infected with verie gréeuous sinnes And therefore let men presume as much as they lust and think howe they will to liue vertuously yet when they haue done all they can and set downe many lawes and rules for their gouernment they shall neuer be able to be iustified before God by that meane And why so Forsooth because sinne hath taken suche déepe roote in vs as that it cannot bee pulde out of vs by mans helpe To bee shorte wee shall neuer bee iustified by goyng to Schoole with men although they teache neuer so muche what vertue is And that which is more Beholde God publisheth the lawe wherein is true and perfect righteousnesse for marke what Moyses sayeth Beholde sayeth hee I pronounce at this day both good and euill I shewe vnto thee the way both of life and death But by the way can wee bee iustified by it Can it so order vs as that God will take our life to bee good and holie 2. Cor. 3.7 Rom. 4.15 No surely it is all cleane contrarie For the lawe engendreth death redoubleth our condemnation and kindleth the wrath of God against vs. Thus wee see what tytles the holie Scripture giueth vnto it And therefore since the lawe of it selfe cannot iustifie vs how then is it possible for men by their doctrine statutes and ordinaunces make vs to be truely righteous Nowe if it be asked howe and wherefore the lawe is not able to iustifie the reason is alredie set downe It is true in deed that God declareth vnto vs in his lawe howe wee ought and may attayne vnto lyfe if so bee wee were suche as that there were no let in vs. Wherefore although the lawe of God speaketh vnto vs yet it refourmeth not our heartes For when God telleth vs and sayeth Beholde what it is that I require at your handes But if in the meane while all our desires affections thoughts bee altogether against that which hee commaundeth wée are not onely condemned But the lawe also as I haue alredie saide maketh vs so muche the more guiltie before the Maiestie of God For before the lawe was giuen wée sinned through ignoraunce but nowe wee so wittingly and willingly stande against him as that it séemeth we woulde euen despight him For we know that the seruant which knoweth his Maisters will and doeth it not shall be beaten with many strypes Thus we see why it â—e said that the lawe engendreth nothing els but wrath to wit that when wée haue béen instructed in it it kindleth God his wrath so muche the more against vs and bringeth with it death but howe Because forsooth we sée in it that we are condemned and vtterly cast away What is it so that it announceth not life no and yet by the way we cannot attaine theretoo And therefore we must be iustified after an other maner which is by the Gospell For God saieth not vnto vs in the Gospell Beholde yée shall doe this or that But hée saieth Beléeue that my onely Sonne is your Redeemer embraâ—e his death and passion as a remedie for all your diseases wash your selues in his blood and he shall purge you and ye shall bee made cleane therewith staye your selues vpon the sacrifice whiche hee hath offred vp vnto mee and then see in what sort you shal bee iustified Wherefore forsomuch as the Gospell bringeth vs back vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ and commaundeth vs to seeke for all our righteousnesse in him because he hath made full satisfaction for vs through the free mercy of God see howe we shall be iustified by his knowledge Rom. 10. And this is it which Saint Paule handleth in his Epistle to the Romanes For there hee maketh a comparison betweene the righteousnesse of the lawe and the righteousnesse of Fayth For he sayth that there is this righteousnesse in the lawe when as it sayeth Whosoeuer shall doe all these thinges shal liue by them For this is most true that if wee be able to fulfill all the commaundementes of God so that our life be in such sort ruled as that it is without spot or wrinckle God hath promised to receyue vs as righteous that wee shall be verie sure of our rewarde and not misse of it Marke then the certayntie that is in the lawe but tel mée who it is that doeth al that the law commandeth Surely we goe altogether backward and a man would thinks as I haue beforesaid that wée would go about euen to set our selues against God Thus we sée that the gate of the righteousnesse of the law is quite shut vp against vs and that there remayneth nothing els for vs but the very curse of God But in the Gospel it is saide behold the woorde is in thine heart and in thy mouth But how forsooth after thiâ— sort S. Paule speaketh of it and saith Rom. 10. â— That if wée will haue the word in our heartes and mouthes wée must come vnto Iesus Christe because it is hée which wryteth and imprinteth the doctrine of saluation by his holy spirite with which doctrine wée haue had our eares beaten vnprofitably and in vayne And therefore since our Lorde Iesus Christ putteth his word in our heartes let â—â— beséech him to graunt vs this grace as that we may haue a pure and frée affection to the end we might séeke in him whatsoeuer is wanting in vs. Thus wée sée howe wée shall bée iustified by his knowledge for it is out of al doubte that wée are no way able to bring any satisfaction of our owne with vs which may please God and to make this accompt as to say wée haue deserued O Lord that thou shouldest receiue vs but we should rather say we confesse O Lorde that wee are miserable sinners bound ouer so thy iudgement and it is impossible for vs to make satisfaction therto so that wée must néeds acknowledge that there is no sufficieÌ„cie in any but in Iesus Christ alone to make satisfaction for the same Wherfore we should most humbly coÌ„fesse this say that we are forlorne damned creatures vntil such time as our Lorde Iesus reacheth out his hand to pâ—â— vs out of the pit of hell Now here we confessed all this to be so And besides wee knowe that our Lorde Iesus also supplyeth all our wantes For if wée â—ée foule and filthie his blood washeth vs wherewith wee 〈◊〉 â—â—eane If wee bee fallen in debte not onelye vnto GOD â—ut also vnto Satan as too our enemie Ephe. 5.1 the payment was made â— the death and passion of the Sonne of GOD And if wée bée defyled and not to bée abidden the Sacrifice which our Lorde Iesus Christe offered is suche a sweete smelling sauour as that all our wickednesse is defaced Thus then we sée how we are iustified by the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ And according to this doctrine wée sée in the first place that we must not séeke far for our righteousnes because we shal find it in
the vpholding of himselfe Wherefore when our minds are thus rauished we cannot say that the rest is cleane blotted out of our heartes and that wee haue no affection As for example A man that considereth of some affliction of the Churche namely of a particular affliction hée will pray vnto GOD as if the rest of the worlde were nothing to him Nowe is it therefore for vs to say that this is an vnkinde man and hath no care of his brethren who haue as great néde also to be prayed for No But it is because that this affection hath taken suche a mightie possession in him as that the reste of his affection is as it were separated for a time Wée reade that Moses prayed to bee blotted out of the Booke of life Nowe if wée woulde cull the greater from the lesse Exod. 32.32 wée woulde say that Moses blasphemed against GOD because hée spake as if GOD had béene chaungeable For they whom GOD hath ordayned to euerlasting life can neuer perishe And therefore it séemeth that Moses striueth héere with GOD and that hée will doe as wée doe who chaunge our councell and determinations And besides howe honoured hée GOD when as hée knewe himselfe to bée of the number of the chosen and knew that God had marked him euen from his childehood to commit so notable a charge vnto him as to bée the Leader of his people and yet desired to bée razed and cut of from GOD And whither then was this gone nowe a man might make many argumentes But the solution is easie For Moses hauing so feruent a zeale for the saluation of the people and séeyng besides the horrible threat which God had pronounced by his owne mouth forgotte himselfe for a minute of time and desired nothing els but the helpe of the people Let vs then sée howe our Lorde Iesus Christe behaued himselfe For if it was méete that hée shoulde suffer an hundreth deathes yea a Myllion without doubte hée was prepared for that purpose before Howebeit suche was his will not for himselfe but for vs to abide the anguishes whiche plunged him into it as wée sée And thus much for this poynt Nowe for the seconde If it bée asked howe our Lorde Iesus Christ who is saide to bée altogether righteous the Lambe without spotte and the verie rule and glasse of all righteousnesse holinesse and perfection could will contrarie to God his will This is the answere that God is the whole perfection of righteousnesse and iudgement For although the Angels are conformable to the will of God and wholy obedient vnto him yet is their will separate For because they are creatures they may haue affections which apperteine not to God But as for vs who are compassed about with this lump of sinne we are so blockish as that we are verie farre from the will of God for our desires excéede yea and are oftentimes verie manifestly Rebellious But if we cōsider of man as he was in his purenesse to wit without this corruption of sinne yet without doubt his affections shall come nothing nigh vnto Gods and yet not bée corrupt As if Adam were not thus peruerted as hée is but had continued in the same estate wherein hée was created yet had hee abidden heate and cold and might haue suffered cares and feares and such other like And such a one we sée was our Lorde Iesus Christ For we know that his affectiōs were without spot or blot and they all were squared vnto the obedience of God but yet because hée had taken our nature vpon him hée was subiect to feare and to this terror wherof we euen now spake and vnto cares and such like We cannot sée this in vs no more then in pudly water a man can iudge of anything And thus we sée how these earthly affections cause vs to flote from one side to an other and so tosse vs as that God had néede to vpholde vs But the affections which we that are descended of Adam haue are like vnto clay excéedingly tempered with infection so that we cannot sée what this passion of our Lord Iesus Christ was if we measure it as we are men For when we do any thing to a good end our affection of it self is iust and allowed of God yet shall we continually fayle therein For is not this a good and holie thing for a father to loue his chilren And yet for all that this is sinne in vs because there is not that order and moderation that is required in the same for amongest all the vertues which wée may haue GOD maketh vs to sée that there are vices in them to the ende our pryde might the better bée abated and wée might alwayes haue occasion to caste downe our heades and bée ashamed séeing our verie goodnesse is corrupted through sinne which dwelleth in vs and wherewith wée are filled and full fraught Moreouer as for our Lorde Iesus Christ as I haue alreadie said it is not for vs to meruel forasmuch as he was mā although his will differed from the will of God his Father But yet wée must not hereby iudge that there was any sinne and transgression in him And as wée haue before saide wée héerein especially sée the inestimable loue hée beare vs whenas hée so greatly feared death that yet of his owne good will hée submitted him selfe thereto And besides when as hée neither withstood it nor yet gainesaide the supping vp of this drinke wherein hée felt no bitternesse what a thing was this for vs to bée in this manner redéemed Howbeit this might séeme to bée a merry iest neuerthelesse when it so fell out that our Lorde Iesus Christ had endured suche anguishes it was a signe that hée so loued vs as that hée forgot him selfe and suffered the whole tempest to light vpon his owne head that wée might bée deliuered from the wrath of God Now there remaineth for vs to note when the Sonne of God was after this manner tormented that it was not because hée was to depart out of this lyfe For if there had béene none other thing but the separation of the soule from the bodie together with the tormentes which hée was to suffer in his bodie this had béen no such affliction But let vs consider of the qualitie of his death and let vs chiefly come to the originall thereof For death did not onely dissolue the man but made him also to féele the curse of God For ouer and besides that that God taketh vs out of his world and that wée leaue this present lyfe Death is vnto vs an entraunce as it were into the gulfe of hell And therefore when wee heare death spoken of wée must néedes bee separated from GOD and cut off from all hope of saluation without wee had this remedie to wyt that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath suffered for vs to the ende that the wounde which came by reason of it might bee no more deadly For without him we were so wounded by
is to say God left not to accomplish that which he had ordayned by his councell when he raised vp his onely sonne and had aduanced him agreat deale more then hee was before abased Phil. 2.10 For euery knée must bow to hym Now when it is sayde that the Priestes went about to séeke false witnesses against him they dyd it not simply to forge or feinge a falt against hym but that they might haue some coulor and cloke to vexe and greeue our Lord Iesus And this is verye true that hee spake these wordes destroye you this Temple and within thrée dayes I wyll build it vp agayne And héere wee sée the wordes of our Lord Iesus Christ as they procéeded out of his mouth Ioh. 2.19 Now the witnesses which were brought in rehearce the very selfe same words wherfore a man would say that these were good and faithful witnesses yet the holy ghost calleth them false witnesses because they turned this saying wickedly For our Lord Iesus spake of his body which was the true temple of his diuine maiestie For the materiall Temple which was builte in Ierusalem was but a figure shadow therof as we know But the whole fulnesse of the Godhead had his being in our Lorde Iesus as S. Paul witnesseth yea corporally and substantially And therefore héere is to be noted Col. 2.9 that we must not simply looke into the words of a testimonye but to the meaning of the speaker Now this is a verye good and profytable instruction for vs because wée are so greatly giuen to wickednesse and leasing that if wee haue any coulor it is inough and doo thinke that God hath pardoned vs when wee haue by any such false meanes charged any man And therfore we must not stay simply vpō words neither yet vpon the maner fashion of thē but looke to the worthines of the cause For they which may at al times defend say that they haue deposed nothing but that which was said or done are yet takē before god for fals witnesses as here we sée wherupō it is said that Cayphas said vnto Iesus christ What is the matter answerest thou nothing seest thou not that these men witnes against thee And yet Iesus Christ al this while held his peace put vp al these reuiling and slaunderous words Now it may bee thought a strange thing the Iesus Christ who had very iust occasion to disproue such a false testimony did not once gaine say it howbeit as I haue before said and as héereafter shall more at large appeare Iesus christ was not thē to defend his doctrine as before he had done And therfore we are wisely to distinguish of al the circumstaūces for after Iesus christ had fasted in the wildernes god his father sent him to puplish the doctrin of the gospel Now wée sée that all that time he alwaies mightily defended the doctrine whereof he was a minister and wée see also how hée set himfelfe against whatsoeuer might bée said to the contrary And thus wée sée how hée discharged his duetie because he was appointed and sent to bée a Minister of the worde But héere is one special regard to bée had and that is this that hee must bée the redéemer of the worlde and be condemned not because hée preached the Gospell but that hée shoulde bée throwne downe into the bottomlesse depth suffer for our cause by reasō he beare as it were in his owne person all the curses and transgressions of those who deserued euerlasting death Wherefore because Iesus Christ tooke vpon him this office to beare the burden of all such as haue deadly offended the Maiestie of God that was the reason why hée helde his peace And so let vs note that when it was méete for Iesus Christ to defend the doctrine of the Gospel and that it so stood with his office calling he faithfully discharged the same But when in holding his peace he plaied the part of a redéemer as though hee was contented willingly to be condēned it was not for his owne cause that he held his peace but as I haue alredy said for our sakes True it is that he spake as we shal ofttimes sée but it was not in his owne defence which did but so much the more kindle the rage and fury of the vngodly against himselfe And thus wée see that it was not his meaning to escape death but was contented willingly to be ouerthrowne to the end he might declare that he had quite forgotten himselfe to discharge vs before God his father Now hée neither respected himselfe his owne life nor yet his honor For he cared not to abide all the shame and slaunder of the world so that our sinnes might bée taken away and we pardoned of our cōdemnation And héereupon it is said That the high Priest charged him by the liuing God to tell him whether he were Christ the blessed sonne of God hée answered That it was so But that they should sée his Maiestie when it woulde bée too late for them because such their dealing shoulde bée their destruction and ouerthrowe Nowe our Lorde Iesus Christe spake not this héere to make the high Priest and his company to yéelde gently but rather to pricke him faster on and as he was before full of malice crueltie this was to make the fier to burst out into a greater flambe Howbeit wée haue saide that Iesus Christe respected not himselfe but rather discharged that office wherof he had taken the charge which was to be the redéemer of the world Moreouer we sée heere in the first place that the contemners of God and such as Satan hath altogether possessed wyll vse some coulored kind of religion For a man would think that the hye Priest dyd his dutie in charging Iesus Christ by the name of the liuing God But sée into what a mischiefe we are plunged when Satan hath once blindfoulded our eyes for he then throweth vs headlong into such shamlesnesse as that we haue no more reuerence vnto God then we are ashamed before men Now this answere of our Lord Iesus giueth vs to note that he meant to declare to Cayphas and the rest that although he were for a time as a man would say abased yet would not that lessen his maiestie but that he should be alwaies taken to be the only son of God But yet there is one thing farther to be considered of which is for our better confirmation that although he was thus abased for our saluation he lost no part of his heauenly maiestie but was contented that men should oppresse him to the end we might be fully certified that we should be founde honourable before God because that all the shames which we haue deserued should be abolished And therefore because our Lord Iesus helde his peace and defended not his good cause let our mouthes now be opened to call vpon God as if we were iust for he is our aduocat which speaketh for
wée knowe Iesus Christe to bée the myrror of all perfection and enter into the tryall and examining of our sinnes and bée displeased with them and condemned and we should haue béene had he not deliuered and fréed vs. Nowe when Pilate had taken the Bason and washed his hands that was ouer trifling a a Ceremony and a very foolish fashion as though he coulde haue discharged himself before God for it Howbeit when he attempted to appease the rage of the people that was not to make his excuse vnto God For he protested not before God that he was innocent but said only to the people looke well to your selues my maisters For as for my selfe I am innocent As if hée shoulde haue said it is you that inforce mée to doe this But all this as I haue said wil not excuse him Neither did he the duetie of a Iudge For he shoulde haue chosen rather to die an hundred times then to haue declined from the doing of his duetie whenas he sée such troubles in the worlde yea hée ought to haue had this magnanimitie with him to do the thing which he knew to be both good and iust But when he saw the people in this heat he was contented to be carried as pleased them Notwithstanding he must in spite of his bearde be a witnesse of the innocency of Iesus Christe euen for the iustifiyng of him by his owne mouth And yet he would néedes condemne him howbeit therein lyeth al our comfort for we know that when we are at this day brought to appeare before the iudgement seat of God it is not to the end wee shoulde bee condemned But because the blood of our Lorde Iesus Christ which was shed for vs is the true and right clensing and washing of our soules hée receiueth vs as pure and cleane And thus wée see whereunto wée must trust Yet for all this we héere what the Iewes say for they are so headlong caried by the strength of Satan as that they crie out His blood be vpon vs and vpon our children Now they were Gods inheritance and the very elect and chosen amongest all the nations of the earth and yet they gaue ouer this honor and all the promises of saluation and this holy aliance which God had established with their line And héere we sée how they were deproued of al the benefites which God had before distributed vnto them because they came of the seede of Abraham and it came so to passe that the blood of our Lorde Iesus must fall on their heads euen to the vtter destruction of them and their posteritie as before he had also declared For thus it is saide Mat. 23 3â— It must néedes be that your iniquitie must be great and that the blood of Martyres euen from the iust Abâ—â— vnto Zachare as the sonne of Baâ—acheas whom yée somtime slew do put you in remembrance and that you might sée that you haue béen alwaies murderers of the Prophets and by that meane haue waâ—â—ed against God and his worde Thus we sée that the blood of our Lorde Iesus which shoulde bee the saluation of the whole worlde but specially of the Iewes because the first begotten apperteineth to them hath cryed for vengeance against them Howbeit let vs nowe learne to plunge our selues in and beséeche the Lorde to light vpon vs after another maner both vpon vs and vpon our children particularly that is to say that we myght be washed cleansed of theÌ„ wheÌ„as we sée our selues by reasoÌ„ of our sins to be abominable in the sight of god vntil such time as we be washed and let vs suffer the blood which hath béene shed for our redemption to light vpon vs and bée deawed with it by the power of the holy Spirite as Saint Peter saieth in his Canonicall Epistle and haue great regarde howe wée refuse the grace which God offereth vnto vs 1. Pet. 1.2 which the Iewes lost through their vnthankfulnes and prouoked him more and more to wrath And therefore let vs at this day dispose our selues and bée ready to receiue the cleansing of our Lorde Iesus Christe which wée cannot lay holde on but by faith and beséeche the Lorde that wee may not receiue this washing in vaine but that wée may from day to day haue all our spots wyped away Let vs also desire our God that it woulde please him to increase in vs this puritie which our Lorde Iesus Christe purchased for vs vntil such time as wée are come vnto his kingdome where we shal be discharged of all the corruptions of our sinnes Let vs nowe fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him that wée may haue such a liuely féeling of them as that it may make vs runne with a greater desire to the remedie which is set before vs to wit to the death which his onely Sonne suffered And that wee may come with suche repentance as may obteine mercy at his handes and that not onely for a day but that it may also continue with vs both in life and death And in the meane while that wée myght bée so renued by his holy spirite as that wée might perseuer in seruing and glorifiyng of him as he is worthie and wholy cléene vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe that since hée died and is rysen againe wee might liue and die in him seeke nothing els but to make our selues conformable and fitte vnto his worde And so Let vs all say O Almightie God and heauenly father c. The sixt Sermon of the Passion Matthew .xxvii. 27 THen the souldiers of the gouernour tooke Iesus into the common hall and gathered about him the whole band 28 And they stripped him and put vpon him a Scarlet Robe 29 And platted a crowne of thornes put it vpon his head and a reede in his right hand and bowed their knees before him and mocked him saying God saue thee King of the Iewes 30 And spetted vpon him and tooke a reede and smote him on the head 31 Thus when they had mocked him they tooke the Robe from him and put his own raiment on him and lead him away to crucifie him 32 And as they came out they founde a man of Cyrene named Simon him they compelled to beare his crosse 33 And when they came to the place called Golgotha that is to say the place of dead mens sculles 34 They gaue vineger to drinke mingled with Gall and when he had tasted thereof he would not drinke 35 And when they had crucified him they parted his garments and did cast lots that it might bee fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet They deuided my garments among them and vpon my vesture they cast lottes 36 And they sate and watched him there 37 They set vp also ouer his head the cause written THIS IS IESVS THE KING OF THE IEWES 38 And there were two theeues crucified with him one on the right hand another on the left 39 And
which was from the Sunne rising vnto the second part of the day they called the first houre The second part which was from that time vnto mydnight they called the third houre The third houre beganne after midnight lasted thrée or foure houres after And the fourth last part continued from the Sunne setting vntill night And sée why one of the Euāgelists saith that Iesus Christ was crucified about the third houre where it is here said that it was about the sixt houre Mar. 15.25 Now our Euangelist saith that there was darknesse from the sixt hour vnto the ninth For our lord Iesus was crucified betwixt the third sixt houre and was condemned by Pylate about the third houre And S. Marke his meaning is that it was in the ende of the third houre not at the beginning of it when as hée describeth the time that our Lord Iesus was led vnto Golgotha Now hée was vpon the Crosse vntill the ninth houre euen then when as it drew all to an ende And so it is most like to be true that our Lorde Iesus hung not on the Crosse aboue thrée houres During which time it is said that there was darknesse ouer the face of all the whole land of Iudea For it was not a generall Eclipse ouer the whole worlde For if it had bin so in déede it would haue blemished the myracle which God ment to shew for then the Eclipse would haue bin said to come by the order of nature And on the other side few mē wold haue said that it had béene in other countries and they also which make mention therof might iustly be suspected But behold it was the onely countrey of Iudea that was couered with darknesse And what time forsooth euen about thrée houres after noone when as the Sunne was nothing néere the setting But it behooued that it should then be so darke contrary to all common order because it might bring a terror and feare vpon all the land Now some think that this was done in token that God abhorred the déede as if hée meant to cyte the Iewes to the ende they might haue some féeling of this their horrible cryme which they had committed and as if hée would signifie vnto them by this visible signe that all the creatures in the world ought to be ashamed of so detestable an act as the putting of our lord Iesus Christ in such sort to death But wée haue to note that in respecte of the Iewes the death of our Lorde Iesus Christe ought to bée taken as it were for a most terrible offence and surely God greatly detested their villainous iniquitie because it surpassed all the rest And to say the trueth if murther and such like things are to be hated what shall we say to the most wicked handeling of the Sonne of God As to sée men to be so bewitched euen to make no account of him who was the very fountain of life and so to lift vp themselues as to abuse the memorie of him by whom we were created and by whose power we liue and haue our being And yet the death of our Lorde Iesus Christ is become a swéete smelling sacrifice for wée must haue continuall recourse to this Ephe. 5.2 that it was the reconciliation of the worlde as heretofore we haue saide Moreouer darknesse was ouerspread that the Sonne might bee a witnesse of the diuine and heauenly Maiestie of our Lord Iesus And therefore although he were for a short time abased and contemtible yea and as S. Paule saith made of no estimation amōgst men yet did the Sonne shewe his reuerence to him and in token thereof hid himselfe Phil. 2. 7. Since then it is so Let vs vnderstande that God because hée woulde make the wicked to bee so muche the more inexcusable meant that Iesus Christ should shew him selfe in his death to bée the soueraigne King ouer all creatures that the tryumph wherof Saint Paule speaketh Colos 2.15 beganne alreadie where it is saide that Iesus Christ tryumphed vpon the Crosse It is true that hée applied it vnto that that hée had cancelled the Obligation which was against vs and whereof hée discharged vs before God by which meane Satan was ouercome yet notwithstanding this was declared by the Eclipse of the Sunne Neuerthelesse this conuinced the Iewes of ignoraunce yea of a malitious and phrantike ignorance euen as if a man had séene before his eyes that Satan had possessed them and were become lyke monsters against nature And héere wée are in summe to vnderstande what to consider of when it is saide that darknesse was spread ouer the face of the earth In verie déede we are made cleare and bright at this day by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ For how cometh it to passe that the Gospell sheweth vs the way to saluation And howe are we enlightened to come vnto God were it not that the Sonne of God with the fruite and power of his death were offred vs in it And therefore Iesus Christ is in verie déed the Sonne of righteousnesse because he hath purchased vs lyfe by his death howbeit the Iewes are depriued of this benefite And in that the Sunne became darke they were conuinced as men altogether reprobate so that no teaching coulde serue their turnes to bée profitable for their saluation since by their wickednesse they went about to quenche and abolishe whatsoeuer might put them in any hope For that hope was onely in the Mediator whom they through their wickednesse and vnthankfulnesse tooke in hande to make of no estimation Wherefore it was good reason that they should be vtterly voyde of all soundnesse of saluation to the ende the wrath of God might shewe it selfe in a visible manner vpon them It followeth that our Lorde Iesus cryed out saying My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Psal 22.1 Saint Matthew and Saint Marke recyte the wordes of our Lorde Iesus in the Syrian tongue which is taken out of the Psalme 22. Nowe the Euangelistes doe not so fully and wholly recite the wordes as they are set downe in the text of the Psalme namely in this word Eli which is to say My God we sée that Saint Marke saieth Eloe But that was by reason of the corruption of the tongue as heretofore wée haue noted For the Iewes when they returned from Babylon had neuer so pure and sounde a tongue as they had before Howbeit this complaint and crye is taken out of the twentieth and two Psalme the first verse And therefore GOD would namely haue this to bée recyted in two languages thereby to declare that it was a matter of great weight which we ought verie diligently to marke And to say the trueth except we would imagine as many fantasticall people doe that Iesus Christ spake after the iudgement of men and not after his owne féeling and affection it would make vs all to wonder that Iesus Christ complayned that God his Father
héereupon the Euangelist telleth That there was a vessel ful of vineger yea as before hath béene saide mingled with Gall and that one tooke a Réed or as Saint Iohn saith a long Isop braunch and tyed a spunge at the ende therof to put it to the mouth of our Lord Iesus Now Saint Iohn speaketh of this matter more distinctly For hée saith That Iesus Christe knowing that all thinges were ended saide that hée was dry and thereupon saide againe It is finished Wée sée then what is héere for vs to note when this drinke was giuen to the sonne of God to wit that hée desired not to drinke because hée was drye for hée refused it as wée haue heretofore séene And why did hée so Because forsooth this drink was giuen him to shorten his life Nowe our Lorde Iesus meaning was altogether paciently and quietly to waite vpon the leasure of God his Father Thus we sée what the cause was why he would not hasten his death but helde himselfe quiet and obedient vntyll such time as all was finished although hee had not as yet yéelded vp the Ghost nor was risen againe for the meaning was that he had shewed his full obedience hytherto so that there was no let why he might not nowe render vp his soule vnto God his Father Héere wée then see howe this place is to bée vnderstood which is this that our Lorde Iesus declared that there wanted nothing to the finishing of our redemption sauing his departure out of the worlde which hee was very ready to doe and to yéelde his soule vnto God Wherefore when hee sawe that he had discharged the office of the Mediatour and had doone whatsoeuer was requisite for the appeasing of the wrath of GOD for our sakes and satisfied for our sinnes he determined to call for this drinke And héere is a most notable and excellent saying All is finished For this is certaine that our Lord Iesus spake not of any trifling or ordinary thing but hée meant that in his death we haue all whatsoeuer that is to bée had for our cōming vnto God and the obteining of his grace Not that his resurrection is héereby taken away but it is as much as if he had said that he had faithfully done his dutie and came not like an halfe Sauiour but perfourmed the charge committed vnto him euen to the vttermost leauing nothing of his fathers wil vnfulfilled And since it is so we are taught to put our trust fully and wholy in our Lorde Iesus Christe because wee knowe that euery part and percell of our saluation is finished in that which hée hath done and suffered for vs. And héere wée sée also why his death is called an euerlasting Sacrifice by which the faithfull and chosen children of God are sanctified Will wée then be throughly assured that God is our father Would wée haue frée libertie to call vpon him Woulde wée haue peaceable and quiet consciences Woulde wée bée fully assured that wée are reputed for righteous that wée might be acceptable vnto God Let vs then abide in Christe Iesus and wander neither to nor fro and knowe that in him lieth all perfection They therfore which séeke after other helpes would be supplied this way that as if there might bée something wanting in the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ doe cléerely forsake the power whereof wée now speak To bée short they trample the blood of our Lorde Iesus Christ vnder foote because they dishonor him And therefore what other thing is there in all Popery but an vtter deniall of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christe For inasmuche as they thinke to doe good workes which they call merites by which they thinke to purchase the fauour of God surely they deny the saying of our Lorde Iesus Christe All is finished And this prooueth it to bée so for when they thinke to bée saued before God and would bee pardoned of their sinnes whether runne they but vnto their foolish deuotions For euery man will frame vnto himselfe some masking mawmetrie at his pleasure so that all the religions of Popery is so many blasphemies to make this saying of our Lord Iesus Christe of none effect All is finished What shall wée then doe Let vs vnderstande that there is not a droppe of vertue nor merite in vs without wée come vnto this fountaine wherein is all fulnesse And thus we sée that our faith must be setled in our Lord Iesus Christe Moreouer let vs chiefely vnderstand that when hée offered himselfe for a Sacrifice that it was for the pardoning of vs for euer and as the Scripture saith to sanctifie vs perpetually And therefore let vs looke for none other sacrifice but him In very déed this abhominable diuelishe Masse is called in Popery a dayly sacrifice they say Psal 110.4 Heb. 7. 21. that Iesus Christ was once for al offered for a Sacrifice for the obteining of the forgiuenes of our sins yet neuertheles that hée must bé dayly offered vp which is manifest blasphemie because they falsly take vpon them the office which was appointed to our Lorde Iesus Christe whenas hée was ordeined to bée the onely euerlasting Priest yea and God bound it with an othe that his Priesthood shoulde last for euer And therefore when mortal men will thrust in themselues to come before God offer vp Iesus Christe doe they not robbe him of the honor which hée reserued vnto himselfe alone and which may not bée giuen to any other creature Since then it is so wée sée that these miserable blinde soules thinking to make peace with God prouoke his wrath and vengeance denying the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christe And therefore ought wée so much the more magnifie the grace of God for that hée hath drawne vs out of such a bottomelesse depth that when we thought to haue come néere him wée set our selues openly against him For wee rob him of the benefite of his death and passion when wée seeke after any other Sacrifice then that which he offered in his owne person Nowe it is saide That he cryed againe with a loude voice and yeelded vp the Ghoste and this was it Into thy hands I commit my soule or my spirite And héerein wee see that our Lord Iesus so fought against the sorrowes of death as that he became afterwarde a Conquerer and tryumphed because he had ouercome the hardest matter of al. And this is the thing which belongeth to vs to wit we must apply it vnto our owne vse For wee are assured that the sonne of God did not onely fight for vs but also that the victory which hee obteined for vs apperteineth vnto vs and that we shoulde not at this day be afeard of death because wée knowe that the curse of God which was so terrible is abolished and that death in stéede that it might haue deadly wounded vs serueth vs now for a medicine to yéelde vs life Nowe as hée had
before saide after the example of Dauid My God my God why hast thou forsaken mée Euen so likewise taketh hée at this present the prayer which Dauid made in the one and thirtie Psalme Into thy handes I commend my spirite In very déede Dauid saide these wordes when he was in the middest of all his dangers Psal 31.6 as if hée shoulde haue saide O Lorde I beséeche thée receiue mée into thy protection for my soule is as it were in my hands is there euen at randon for I sée how I am thrust out to all hazardes and my life hangeth as by a thréed and therefore thou must protect mée Wée sée héere then that Dauid by this prayer made God his protector and yet gaue hée not ouer but still called on him whenas he was at the point of death alwayes assuring himselfe that God woulde saue his chosen not only in defending thē héere in this worlde but also when hée calleth them vnto himselfe For the chiefest regarde that God hath on vs is this that when hée hath taken vs out of this worlde hee hideth vs vnder his winges that we might inioy his presence 2. Cor. 5.8 according to the saying of Saint Paule to the Corinthes For when our Lorde Iesus made this prayer hée sheweth that he died quietly whenas he ouercame all the combates which hee susteined for vs and triumpheth in our behalfes both for our profite and for our saluation And a none after he declareth by the same meanes that God is his Sauiour kéepeth his soule as a sufficient pledge For this much his request imported when he said My God thou shalt preserue my soule euen when I am dead When our Lorde Iesus speaketh after this sort it is as muche as if hée assured vs all that wee cannot doe amisse in submitting our selues vnto our GOD séeing that hée for the defending of vs vouchsafeth to take the charge of vs and that we shall neuer perish vnder his hand Now we haue eftsoones to consider that when Iesus Christ saide Into thy handes O Lorde I commend my spirite that hee obteined this priuiledge which Saint Stéeuen gaue him in the seuenth of the Acts Acts. 7.59 which is hée was made the preseruer of all our soules For what was it that S. Stéeuen saide when hee went to his death Forsooth these were his wordes Into thy hands O Lorde I commende my spirite And héere wée sée that Saint Stéeuen shewed the benefite of the request which Iesus Christe made to wit that wée may nowe come vnto him and that wee ought to doe so declaring that since God his Father had made him a Shephearde for vs that wee shoulde not doubt but to bée at peace come life come death knowing that all shall bee for our profite and turne to our benefite and as Saint Paule saieth that when hee had Iesus Christe hee had riches enough Phil. 1.21 and cared neither for life nor death for all shoulde be gayne vnto him Wherfore let vs nowe learne that when death shall assaile vs that Iesus Christe hath broken the sting which might haue stoong vs deadly to the heart and that death shall no longer hurte vs and that when our Lorde Iesus yéelded vp his Spirite vnto God his Father it was not onely to haue it conserued in his owne person but that hee myght haue this Priuiledge that ours might bee preserued eftsoones by the power of this request whenas wee shall come vnto him as vnto one vnder whose protection we cannot peryshe as hee himselfe declareth And this is that triumph wherof wee haue spoken which alreadie profiteth vs. For our Lorde Iesus sheweth howe precious his death is when as hee went so fréely vnto his Father as that wee might bee brought vnto him and to shewe vs the way But the principall point is this that wee might vnderstande what benefite wée receiue thereby because he hath cancelled the Obligation that was against vs that hée hath so purchased full satisfaction for our sinnes as that wee may bee bolde to come before God his Father so that death it selfe is no way able to harme nor hurt vs. And although wee see many thinges in vs which might make vs afearde through the féeling of our miseries let vs not for all that cease to glory in him who so abased himselfe for vs to the ende hée myght rayse vs vp with himselfe And although there is nothing in vs but shame and rebuke yet séeing that Iesus Christe hung vpon the Crosse God woulde haue him by the mouth of Pilate to bee called a King And so although the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christe is nothing estéemed of héere in this worlde yet let vs account it to bée the foundation of all our glory and let vs also vnderstande that although wée be put to shame vnder his conduct yet that wee haue whereof to reioyce because our estate shall be alwayes blessed forsomuch as that whatsoeuer miseries afflictions and rebukes wée shall abide are more honorable and precious before God then all the Scepters pompes and the most honourable thinges wherein wée take any pleasure and delight Thus wée sée how wee must come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe and so stick vnto him as that we might vnderstand of what valure the riches are which he bringeth vs but especially when hée guideth vs by his Gospell let vs forsake all the commodities and pleasures of this world and also abhorre them whenas they shal withdrawe vs frō the right way To be short let our Lord Iesus haue the honor which he deserueth let not vs for our parts be like vnto Réedes carried with euery wind but being established in him let vs call vpon God we shall haue victory ouer life death ouer which he hath alreadie triumphed And besides let vs whiles we are yet in this worlde yéeld him this honour to wit euen to acknowledge that he is our defender which he will do whenas we truly come vnto him neither wil he I say doe it after an ordinary maner but euen myraculously For although death shoulde cast vs downe headlong yet is it his office to drawe vs out of it and guide vs vnto the heauenly inheritance which he so dearely hath purchased for vs. Let vs nowe fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God acknowledge our offences beséeching him that hee will make vs féele them otherwise then we haue done And that we might bee so touched with the lothing of them as that we might returne vnto our God with heartie repentance And not for a day onely but to cōtinue it with sighing and groning And although we shall beheld within this prison of bondage yet let vs alwayes lift vp our harts vnto the heauens and come familiarly vnto our God since he is so enclined to mercy and calleth vs of his owne accord without tarrying till wée séeke him And when wée see that our Lorde Iesus doeth not onely come néere vs to
the end he might declare this his loue vnto vs but woulde be so abased for a time as that he might lift vs aloft so that we through faith shoulde not doubt to attaine thereto tarrying and wayting vntill we be al come thither together That hée will not onely graunt vs this grace but also all nations c. The eight Sermon of the Passion Matthew .xxvii. 55 AND there were many women beholding him a far of which folowed Iesus from Galilee ministring vnto him 56 Among which was Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of Iames and Ioses and the mother of Zebedes children 57 When euening was come there came a riche man from the Citie of Arimathea named Ioseph who also had been Iesus Disciple 58 He went to Pilate and begged the body of Iesus then Pilate commaunded the body to be deliuered 59 And when Ioseph had taken the body he wrapped it in a cleane linnen cloth 60 And laide it in his newe Tombe which hee had heawen out of the rocke and when hee had rolled a greate stone to the dore of the Sepulchre hee departed WE haue héeretofore séene and hearde howe our Lorde Iesus hath shewed and set foorth the fruite and power of his death in this poore theefe who séemed to be as a lost and damned soule Now if all they that before had béen instructed by the Gospell had fallen away from it whenas they sée the sonne of GOD put to death a man woulde thinke that the preaching thereof had béen both vaine vnprofitable And besides we know that the Apostles were chosen to this state of life to be as the chiefe rulers in the Church wherefore it is not like that this election of theirs to this office and estate was a vaine and friuolous thing And therefore it is héere set downe vnto vs that although the Apostles left this estat wherin they shewed a beastly cowardlynes for Saint Peter himselfe denied our Lord Iesus whereby he was as one cut of from all hope of our saluation and worthy to bee taken as a rotten member yet would not God suffer that the Gospel which they had before receiued should be quenched and vtterly abolished In very déede S. Mat. lyketh rather of the faithful constancy of the Women then of the men and it is to this ende that we might learne to magnify the goodnesse of God so much the more who by his power strengthneth our weaknes To this entent purpose are also the wordes of Saint Paule saying that God hath chosē the weak ones of this world to confound the mighty strong to the ende they should not glorifye themselues 1. Cor. 1.27 Since then it was héere this spoken of men and of their great courage and whiche followed our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto his death this might be taken to be as a naturall cause But whenas women being guided by the spirite of God were founde to bee more valyant then those men who were chosen for the publishing of the Gospel throughout the world let vs by this vnderstand that it was the work of God and therfore the prayse to be giuen to him Now it is namly saide that these women followed our Lorde Iesus to serue or minister vnto him Which thing a great deale more declareth their affection in profyting by the Gospell For this was no trifling power that was in them whenas they would leaue their owne houses to wander vp and downe hether and thither both to their great pain and shame also And we know in what state and condition our Lorde Iesus stood whiles he liued héere in this worlde For thus he saith the Foxes had holes and the Birdes of the ayre nestes but that he Mat. 8. 20. had no place wherin to hide his head Contrarywise we sée that these women had wherwith to liue quietly and pleasantly They then which wandred after this sort and could hardly get any lodging féeling hunger thirst were also mightely skorned and laughed at besides their being chased and troubled euery where and yet ouercame all this geare and bare it pacientlye wee must néedes iudge that God strengthned them Now they also declared euen at his death the hope which they had had in our Lord Iesus christ For although their harts were dead as it were as héerafter shal be declared more at full and that they thought him to be cleane dispatcht yet they might perceiue not long after that they were deceiued For he had told them that he should restore the kingdome of God he had also spoken vnto them of perfect blessednes of the saluation which he must make an ende of And what of all these things forsooth héereby we sée that although these séely womens harts were sore troubled bicause they knew not what wold become of our Lord Iesus yet dyd he strengthen thē by his mightie power in ende brought it to so passe as that they might both vnderstand and iudge that hee had made them no vaine promise For they looked for the promise of his resurrection which in the iudgment of the world was not to be hoped of Notwithstāding we sée how he exercised their faith to the ende we should not trouble our selues beyond measure although to the outwarde shew it might appeare that God had forsaken vs all the promisses of the Gospell to be as thinges abolished but that wee should neuerthelesse Stand fast sure in thē For if we do not these women will bewitnesses against vs to our great condemnatiō if we faile in these conflicts Woulde wee haue a grosser tryall then that whiche they abode And yet by Faith they obtayned victorye And therefore let vs arme our selues when we are tolde of the attemps wherwith Satan goeth about to assaile vs and let vs I say be well appoynted before the blow come and shew our selues to be so setled in the power of our Lord Iesus Christ that although wee cannot at the first perceiue how the thing which is tolde vs may come to passe yet let vs rest in him doo him this honor to beléeue that hee will at last shew him selfe faithfull And it is very néedefull that we shoulde be thus tryed euen to the vttermost For otherwise we would bée to to fine and nice and laye our faith to morgage or els faine vs héere an earthly paradice so our sences woulde neuer be able to raise vs as hie as heauen that we might forsake this world Which thing we may very perfectlye sée in the mother of Iohn Iames. For we vnderstand that she was before that so ambitiously carried as that she would haue had our Lord Iesus sit in his Kingly throane with all the pompe and brauery that might be her sonnes to sit by him as his two Lieftennaunts For thus she said vnto him Math. 20.21 I beseech thée Sir cōmaund that one of my sons may sit on thy right hand and the other on thy left Héere we sée a
vnto our Lord Iesus Christ hée kept himselfe very couert and close and was afearde to shewe himselfe a true Disciple for wée knowe that the confession of our faith is required in vs Iohn 2. 2◠1◠But when hée came to bury him he declared and confessed that he was of the number of the faithfull company Wherefore since he did so let vs at this day follow his constancy And although the worlde hateth and detesteth our Lorde Iesus Christ and the doctrine of his Gospell yet let vs stick vnto it Let vs also vnderstande that the greatest benefite and contentation that wee can continuallye haue is this whenas God accepteth and liketh of our seruice and besides although wée must suffer abide troubles here in this worlde yet let vs knowe this that because he hath gloryously rysē againe that he dyd it not to the ende to make a separation betwéene him and vs but that hee would when he sée his good time gather vs vnto him selfe Moreouer let vs not maruell although our Lorde Iesus rose againe the third day for it is very good reason that hee should haue some more priuiledge then the common order of the church And héerein is the saying of the Psalmist fulfilled Thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to sée corruption Psal 16. 10. And therefore it was méete that the body of our Lord Iesus should remaine vncorrupt vntill the third day but it was for that time so appoynted and established by the counsell of GOD his Father Howbeit wee haue no time assigned but the last day And therefore let vs abyde troubles and miseries so long as it pleaseth GOD and let vs vnderstand that he wyll in the ende when hee séeeth conuenient time restore vs after wee haue bene cast quite and cleane downe For therevnto Saint Paul exhorteth vs 1. Cor. 15.10 when as hée saieth that Christ Iesus is the first fruites whiche is to pull backe that feruent zeale wherewith wee are often times too too much carryed awaye for by our wylles wee woulde flye without winges and wee are gréeued with God for houldinge vs so longe heere in this worlde because hée wyll not bringe vs to heauen euen at the fyrst 2. Kin. 2. 11. and carry vs vp in a fiery Charit as Eilas was to be short we would faine triumph before we haue fought a blow Now that we might withstand this desire and these foolish lusts Saint Paul telleth vs that Iesus Christ is the first fruites wée must be contented that by his death we haue a sure pawne of the resurrectiō Neuertheles bicause he sitteth at the right hād of god his Father hauing all rule and dominion both in heauen and earth and although his maiestie hath not as yet appeared and that our life is hid in him let vs become like wretched dead people and although we séeme to be liuing héere in this world yet let vs bée as men quite forlorne and abide all this vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus For euen then shall our life be made manifest by him when as he shall thinke it good And thus we sée what it is that wée must obserue about the buriall of our lord Iesus Christ vntil such time as we attaine to the rest which will be a declaration that he hath not onely made satisfaction for all our sinnes but also hath by his victorie obteined all perfect righteousnesse for vs by whiche meane we are become acceptable at this day vnto the maiestie of God both to haue frée accesse vnto him and also to call vpon his holie name And in this confidence and beliefe Let vs fall downe before his diuine maiestie beséeching him to receiue vs all to his mercy and that we may not cease to haue recourse vnto his frée goodnes how miserable wretched soeuer we bée And although we dayly prouoke his heauy wrath and indignation against vs and iustly deserue that hée should forsake vs Let vs patiently wayte vntill hée sheweth the fruit and power of the death passion which his onely Sonne hath suffred by which we are reconciled and not doubt but that hée will be alwayes our Father so long as hée wil graunt vs this fauour as that we may be able to shew our selues his true children Let vs also beséech him that hée will cause vs to declare this by the effect in such sort as that we desire nothing els but to be wholy his and as hée hath very dearely bought vs so wee may also of right fully and wholly agrée to serue him And forsomuch as our weaknesse is such as that we are not able to discharge the hundreth part of our duetie without hée worke it in vs by his holy spirite because the infirmities of our flesh doe alwayes beare such a resisting and striuing sway as that we doe nothing els but euen créepe where we should in déede march as becommeth vs Let vs beséech him to ryd vs of all together that we might be vnited to him by that holy bond which bée hath ordeined to wit our Lorde Iesus Christ his onely Sonne That hée will not onely graunt vs this grace c. ¶ The ninthe Sermon is of his resurrection at which time was celebrated the holie SVPPER Matthew xxviii 1 IN the latter ende of the Sabboth day whiche dawneth the first day of the weeke came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the Sepulchre 2 And beholde there was a great earthquake for the Angell of the Lorde descended from Heauen and came and rowlled back the Stone from the Dore and sate vpon it 3 His countenaunce was like lightninge and his rayment white as Snow 4 And for feare of him the keepers dyd shake and became as dead men 5 The Angell aunswered and sayde vnto the women feare yee not for I knowe yee seeke Iesus whiche was crucifyed 6 He is not heere hee is risen as he saide come see the place where that the Lord was laide 7 And goe quickly and tel his disciples that hee is risen from the dead And beholde he goeth before you into Galile there shall you see him loe I haue tolde you 8 And they departed quickly from the Sepulchre with feare and great ioye and dyd runne to bring his Disciples worde 9 And as they went to tell his Disciples beholde Iesus met them saying al hayle And they came and helde him by the feete and worshipped him 10 Then sayd Iesus vnto them bee not afraide goe tell my Brethren that they go into Galile and there shal they see mee A Man would at the first sight thinke it straunge that our Lorde Iesus Christ woulde shew him selfe after his resurrection rather to women then vnto his Disciples Howbeit wee are hereby to consider that his meaning was to trye the basenesse and lowlinesse of our faith Because we must not build vpon mans wisdome but obedientlye receiue what soeuer we know to come from him Againe no doubt of it his meaning was
sacrifice was offered they did eat and were mery euen so likewise must we now come and receiue our spirituall meat and foode which is héere offered vnto vs in this sacrifice for our redemption In veridéed wee must not eate Iesus Christ fleshly for he is not betwéene our téethes as the Papistes doo dreame But wee take Breade for a sure vndoubted pawne that we féede on the body of Iesus Christ spiritually and we receiue a litle wine to shew that we are spiritually sustained by his precious blood Howbeit let vs with all note the saying of Saint Paul that because vnder the figures of the lawe it was not lawfull to eate leauened bread and that wee are now no more vnder such shadowes wee must cast away the leauen of maliciousnesse and wickednesse and of all our corruptions and take to vs the bread which hath no bitternesse but the bread of purenesse and truth And therefore when we come vnto this holy Table wherein the sonne of God sheweth vs that he is our meat and giueth him selfe vnto vs for a full and whole repast and would haue vs be now partakers of the sacrifice which he once offered for our saluation we ought to looke well vnto it that wee come not hether spotted and filed with sinne and iniquity but vtterly to forsake them all and be altogether cleansed of them to the ende our Lorde Iesus might allow vs to bee the members of his body and by that meanes also be partakers of his life And thus we sée how we must profyt our selues at this day by this holy supper which is made ready for vs which is this that it may lead vs vnto the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ and also vnto his resurrection that therby we may trust to haue life saluation because that by his victorious resurrectiō we are made righteous and the gates of heauen in such sort set open vnto vs as that we may bouldly approche vnto our God and offer our selues before him since wee knowe that hee wyll alwayes take vs as his children Let vs now fall downe before the maiestie of our good God acknowledge our offences beséechinge him to haue mercy vpon vs that we may finde fauour at his handes although we deserue it not And that he will not pardon onely the sinnes whiche wee haue already committed but also ridde vs of all the faultes and miseries of our flesh vntill such time as hee hath clothed vs with the perfection of his holynesse wherevnto hee dalye exhorteth vs. And so let vs all say O almighty God and heauenly Father c. ¶ The first Sermon of the Prophesie of Iesus Christ as concerning his death and passion taken out of the Prophete Isaiah Isaiah Lij 13 BEholde my seruaunt shall prosper he shal be exalted and extolled and be very high 14 As many were astonied at thee His visage was so deformed of men and his forme of the Sonnes of men so shall he sprinkle many nations the kinges shall shut their mouthes at him for that which had not beene tolde them shal they see and that which they had not heard shall they vnderstand Chap. Liij 1 VVHo will beleeue our reporte and to whom is the grace of the Lord reueiled THe Prophet hauing generally spokē of al the people of the Iewes commeth now to the head vpon whō hangeth al that hath bin before said For their redemption was only grounded in vpon our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Cor. 1.20 because in him are al the promises of God accomplished Now it is long time past sithence the redéemer was promised But when it was thoughte that the ligne of Dauid was vtterly extinguished the hope of the faithfull might altogether haue bin abolished For it was said that God would establish a king for euer 2. Kin. 24.15 2. Chro. 36.10 would set him on Dauids seate notwithstanding that he should haue the sunne and the moone of heauē yet should this kingdom be mainteined cōserued that although al the world should perish yet should this be so stable sure as that it should very wel be séen that this was a kingdom wholly consecrated vnto God And yet for al that it decreased yea soone after by little little fell in decay vntil such time as the last king saue one 2. Kin. 15.7 Ierem. 39.6 32.9 was carried away captiue al the kingly ligne translated as it were cleane cut of And the last king who was created at the charge of an Infidel an enemie vnto al religion in the ende playing the rebell against him it so fell out as that the king was takē his eyes put out he was indited his children were slaine he himselfe was most shamefully condemned the temple with al his houses were burnt What was to be thought héervpon Forsooth it must néeds bée that the Iewes assured themselues by the Prophet that God would in the end take compassion on them and bring them out of captiuitie For it was méete he shoulde tel them that that which was spoken to Abraham in the old time was not spokē in vayne That in his séede all the nations of the earth shoulde bee blessed and that there should be a king of the ligne of Dauid established whose Empire should be euerlasting and without end And therefore we sée why Isaiah restraineth heere his spéeche vnto the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ to this end purpose I say that the redēption returne of the people which before hée had spokē of might be holden to be most certayne and sure Nowe we haue séene here aboue Isaiah 42.1 that our Lord Iesus was called The seruaunt of God forsomuch as he most obediently submitted himself for our saluation yea beyng hée who was Lord of glory the head of the Angels and before whom euery knée must bowe Wherfore since this name of seruaunt is geuen vnto him let vs vnderstande that it is because he tooke vpō him our nature and that hée would not only abase himselfe therein but also be made of no reputation For it coulde not bée chosen but that our transgressions and iniquities must be repayred through his obedience And according to that which hée saide to Iohn Baptist Mat. 3 1◠hée must néedes fulfil the measure of al righteousnesse Thus wée sée that although our Lord Iesus Christ was ful of al maiesty God euerlasting yet because he took vpon him our nature and became like vnto vs hée thought not skorne too bée of the lowest degree of men whiche cannot bee gainesayd For although his diuine nature was no whit chaunged Yet if we consider well of the matter it was méete he should abase himselfe Galat. 4.4 as he was a Mediator betwixt God and vs for it is said that he was made subiect to the law although indéed he was no whit indebted to the same for it was he that must rule all and vnto whō al
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
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
want of abilitie to say any thing for our excuse yet will hee defende vs and God will also adiudge vs for innocentes because our sinnes were thus repayred Thus we sée at what end we must begin and then shal we haue greater courage and be much better disposed to kéepe our tonges whenas we shall be any way afflicted by the hand of God And héerevpon the Prophet saith that he was lifted out of anguishe or out of prison for the word importeth thus much of iudgemet There are some which expound it as if Iesus Christ had bene put to death by some sodaine violēce but we are rather told that death ouercame him not but was raised vp againe by the power of God his father Now it is not enough for vs that we vnderstande that our Lorde Iesus hath suffered for our saluatiō and when we haue examined our life we shal feele that without this help we were al damned vtterly lost if there were nothing els spoken of but of the death and passion of the sonne of God we should alwaies stande in doubt for how can it be possible that we should hope for life at his hands séeing he himself was hedlong cast down into death surely we should neuer perceiue any diuine nor heauenly power without the which wee can no way conceiue to put our trust in him because wee should sée nothing but weakenesse which would feare vs. And as the Prophet hath héeretofore spoken of the frute which we receiue by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ euen so doth he now say that it is because he shall be lyfted vp by the power of god his father he was lifted vp saith he out of anguish and iudgemēt And although he was condemned yet did not God leaue puttinge to his helping hand but exalted him that hee might haue the chiefe dominion and rule ouer all creatures Rom. 1 4. This is it which S. Paul setteth foorth in the Epistle to the Romaines where he saith that he shewed himselfe to be the son of god by his rising againe For if we doo but only looke into the lyfe of Iesus Christ as he liued héere amongst men and also into his death we should neuer finde that in him which is requisit for our saluation In very déede the miracles which he dyd the doctrine which he preached and the rest of the signes which he shewed was sufficient to declare him to be the son of god without our faith were to to weake And yet should we remaine alwaies in shame and doubt to sée Iesus Christ offer himselfe as a common and contemptible man and besides it woulde make vs more ashamed and gréeued whenas we should sée him in the ende subiect to so cursed shamefull a death But when we passe from his death vnto his resurrection then we know that our Lord Iesus Christ got the victory for vs. And to the same purpose is that saying of S. Paul to the Corin. that although hée was crucified in weaknesse 2. Cor. 13.4 yet rose hée againe by the power of God his Father So then the order which the prophet héere kéepeth tendeth to the same ende that we shoulde not stand in doubt but that our Lord Iesus Christ had life in his hand and was Lord maister therof because it was séene in his owne person And therefore let vs vnderstande that the sonne of God was made of no reputation for our sakes bicause wee know eftsoones that he was not spoyled of his power and although he kept it close for a time yet haue we such a sure testimonie thereof in his resurrection as that we shall not néede to make any excuse but fully and wholy beléeue in him and bouldly set our selues against hel sin séeing Iesus Christ hath triumphed ouer them and the hande of God sustained him to be exempt of all anguishes and was exalted by himselfe to be God his Fathers lieutennaunt as I haue already said to haue the chiefest gouernment in the worlde This then is the effect of the which wee are to learne whenas it is saide that he was lifted from out of prison iudgement Now it must néedes fal out that our Lord Iesus should discend into the bottomlesse depthes before such time as he should be exalted into the glory of heauen for if he had appeared onely in maiestie how is it possible for vs at this day to bee assured that our sinnes are forgiuen vs. Surely wée might sée the sonne of God the fountaine of lyfe but wée should sée him as one deuided from vs and wée should haue nothing that is common to him nor yet once come néere him Moreouer wée should haue alwaies matter enough to dispaire on because we are guilty of an infinit number of sinnes And therfore if our Lorde Iesus Christ had gone downe into the bottomlesse depthes and had not bene afterwarde exalted into heauen what had wée ben the better truly no whit but alwayes remaine lyke miserable caytiues out of all measure disquieted and horrybly tormented by séeing the wrath of God continuallye vpon vs. But when it is saide in the first place that he was condemned and suffered most fearefull panges to the ende we might be freed from them and be at peace with God as yesterday was tolde you wée now know that he loueth and fauoureth vs receiueth vs to mercy and therefore when we vnderstande that Iesus Christe was therevpon exalted wée may also very well conclude that it was to draw vs vnto him to the ende we might be partakers of the glory which was giuen vnto him by God his father Moreouer we are also to note the wordes of the Prophet which followeth Who is he that is able to number his yeares For by these wordes he meaneth to shew that the effect and power of the resurrection of our Lord Iesus was for euer and that it is no temporal thing which many times melteth and vanisheth away And this is a very necessary point for some haue taken this age for the eternall generation of our Lord Iesus Christ because he was begotten by God his father from all eternitie Some other haue strayned the woordes of the Prophet this way and that but when we shall looke more narrowly into the matter there is no doubt but that he meant to shewe that the honour which was giuen to Iesus Christ was not for him selfe and his owne person and for a day onely but that he purchased vs euerlasting life for as Saint Paule sayeth That inasmuch as he dyed he dyed once for sinne Rom. 6.10 But in that he now liueth he liueth vnto God shal neuer die again By this he declareth that the sacrifice whiche our Lorde Iesus Christ offered is sufficient for vs because hee hath most perfectlye sanctified vs by that meane And therefore it was not néedefull that the Sonne of God should suffer any more then once Heb. 7.27 but because this
power was in him to blot out all our iniquities at once let vs bouldly runne vnto his death and passion and not doubt but that it wil alwayes haue this strength in it as to reconcile vs vnto God Now the life wherinto our Lorde Iesus Christ entred is heauenly for it was such a perfect condition as could not be amended And when S. Paul saieth that he liueth vnto God it is as muche as that he is now cleane exempt from all our miseries and from the condition that hée had before taken which was to become a mortall man Wherefore Iesus Christ hath discharged al this geare and is now rid of all humaine frailenesse to the end that we which are his members might hope for the like in our selues And so let vs in the first place note that the Prophet hath héere declared that our Lorde Iesus Christ rose not agayne to bée any more subiect to death but hath purchased euerlasting life In the 2 place we haue to learne that this was not done onely for himselfe but also for all his whole Church For when it said by the Psalmist that God was exalted and tooke the spoyle of his enemies this is to shewe that when our Lord Iesus christ was lifted vp after his death that it all turned to the common benefit welfare of his Churche Psal 68.19 The ouercomming then of Satan and of sinne was to this end that we might be deliuered of them and enioy the fruit of such a conquest and therein triumph This then is the very effect of that whiche we haue to learne out of this place Now the whole substance of the matter is this that wée might vnderstand how to apply it rightly vnto our owne vse And therfore when it is saide that the son of God was lifted vp from out of anguish condemnation let vs learn that when we are moued to become desperat to set Iesus Christe before our eies since we know that he hath passed the course that God his father stretched out his hand vnto him that he might not be oppressed all which was done for our sakes Wherfore we haue a very good way to come out of our angushes and paines so long as we haue Iesus Christ for our Captaine and follow his steps because that whatsoeuer was accomplished in him as being our heade belongeth to vs and the effect thereof will appeare in euery faithfull man And when his age is spoken off it is to this end that we might vnderstande that hee will bee of power able to defende his Church euen vnto the ende for he will not be deuided from his body In very déede our estate and condition differeth greatly from his vntill such time as wée be taken out of this world but in that he is the first borne of the dead he is also the first fruits of all those which shall rise againe Let vs then vnderstande 1. Cor. 15.20 Coll. 1.18 that because the Sonne of God is not onely in his owne essence or being and in his deuine maiestie immortall but also in his flesh and humaine nature that it is to this end that his church might be alwaies preserued in this world neuer â—ecay True it is we shal sée great troubles and indéede a man would think many times that the church of God should vtterly perish for if there arise neuer so small a tempest the surges will by and by be so mightie horrible as that a maÌ„ would say all were lost cleane dasht And this is so common a thing as may be For what outwarde shew of maintenaunce can there be to the church of God wheÌ„as it is assailed thus on al hands must it not néedes be thought that it cannot be but vtterlye ouerthrowne whenas it is thus wonderfully assaulted howbeit this is the truth of it we must be faine to resort to our head Wherfore since the age of our Lord Iesus is without end and that all the changes in the world cannot stay him from hauing a very good eye vnto his church although the temptations were farre greater and more violent then they are yet let not vs shrink at the matter And this is not to be applied only to the whole company of the faithful but also to euery one of vs. And therefore let vs vnderstand and be throughly perswaded that although our Lyfe be but a blast we ready euery minute to vanish away yet notwithstanding that we haue a lyfe which lasteth for euer because we are the members of our Lorde Iesus Christ Moreouer let vs eftsoones learne to walk through this world since this is not our life which we héere presently enioy but a pilgrimage which we must passe on quickly vntil such time as we haue come vnto our quiet enheritance Thus we sée that in hoping for euerlasting life wee must forsake all this which is but a shadow not suffer our sences to be eÌ„folded in that which we openly sée and may occasion vs to tarry stil héere in this world for surely as many as haue their mindes set héere on this lyfe without doubt doo thereby seperate themselues from the sonne of God and are vnworthy to haue any part or portion with him in his euerlasting kingdome And therfore let vs forsake this world if we wil ioyne our selues vnto the son of god Furthermore because this doctrine might take the better holde of vs the prophet cryeth out he saieth not that the age of our Lord Iesus Christ shall be onelye euerlasting but casteth it out as a man meruelously abashed saying Who shall be able to number his yeares Wherfore we are admonished to striue against all temptations although we be some times hindred this way and that be as it were cast downe wtout mouing yet let vs resist with much to doo enforce vs vntill such time as wée haue attained vnto this which is héere shewed vs to wit the mans reason is not able to vnderstande nor yet any mouth able to expresse the age of our Lord Iesus And for the bringing of this matter about we must be also very wel aduertised to surmouÌ„t all our thoughts wheÌ„as we fal in reasoning of putting our trust in our lord Iesus Christ folow him for the partaking of the heaueÌ„ly enheritaunce which he hath purchased for vs. Neither must we stick to our own opinion and fantasy whenas this doctrine shal be well treated of as if it were to bée debated by words But let vs know this that although our faith hangeth vpon hearing yet shall it neuer haue through assurance except it receiue such a testimony from God and from his holy spirite as surpasseth whatsoeuer the tong of man is able to expresse For this cause must wée not dwell in our owne vnderstandinges and iudge as we thinke best but let vs know that it is a wonderfull and an in comprehensible secret the the sonne of God became a mortall man and subiect to death that
is laide open vnto vs to come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ because he hath stretched out his armes to imbrace vs. For we shall sée héerafter that hée was sent vnto those whose hartes were abased and cast downe Wherfore wée must bée sacrificed after this maner that wée might bée made like vnto our Lord Iesus Christ In very déede the sacrifice which he offered is our full hope and assuraunce to wit we must not presume to adde any thing vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ because he hath purchased ful saluation by his sacrificing of him selfe vnto God his father but by the way it is méete that wée shoulde be threatned by the iudgements of God to the ende we might vnderstand how gréeuos a thing it is that wée béeing poore wormes of the earth should lift our selues vp against the maiestie of our creator and violate his iustice considering that we are placed héere in this world to serue and honor him And therfore let vs haue a liuely féeling of this that wee might come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ Now it should séeme héere at the first sight that the Prophet had set downe a straunge reason when hée saith bicause hee was cut of from the lande of the liuing For in asmuch as Iesus Christ was exalted and hath now the rule both in heauen and in earth it shuld séeme that this was no fit meane without he had first bene as one cut of For this glory wherein now he is he alwayes had Iohn 17.5 before the world was made according to the saying of S. Iohn And therfore Iesus Christ as touching his deuine essence or being obtained vnto himselfe no straunge thing Now to bee cast downe into the bottomlesse pitte of death as it were was not the way to come vnto heauenly glory and to be condemned by a mortall man is not like that he should be made iudge of the whole worlde Howbeit the meaning of God was such as that he would worke beyond mans reason neither must wée bring our counsell hether with vs and think that wée are able to amend this counsel which wée know to be the cause and springhead of our saluation but let vs most humbly gloryfy God because hee woulde haue his sonne to be thus cut off from the lande of the liuing Now the Prophet namely speaketh after this manner as though Iesus Christ had bene vtterly abolished and would not make mention onely of a common death but euen of such a death as should vtterly root him out as if the remembrance of him had bene cléerelye abolished and defaced For although of necessitie all men must dye thereby are cut of from the land of the lyuing yet hath this ben specially séene in our Lord Iesus Christ that his death was to haue shut him quite out from the company of men For as we haue already said it was a most shamefull death and curssed of God and besides it was almost euen the very gulfe of hell yet not that Iesus christ was swalowed vp of it howbeit he straue mightely against the angushes of death And therefore it is not for naught that the prophet setteth him downe héere as one that had ben abolished from amoÌ„gst meÌ„ Neuertheles how euer it is he obtained by this menes such maiestie in this nature of ours as that at this day he being our brother Eph. 2.8 yet ceaseth not also to become our iudge And marke what S. Paul saith of it that he rendred himself obedient vnto death yea euen to the most curssed death of the Crosse in saying that he rendred himselfe obedient he noteth vnto vs that which wee haue already declared out of the prophet to wit that that which our Lord Iesus Christ suffered was willingly done But because wee are guilty before god are his enemies it is saide that Iesus Christ submitted himself for as S. Paul saith he who had all power and authority tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant the state of those that were vnder the yoke Thus we sée how obedient he was all his lyfe long would be vnder the law And not only in this but although he felt the horrible panges of death which made him sweat water blood draue him to say O father if it be possible I beséech thée Mark 14.36 let this so sower a cup passe ouer mée neuertheles he restraineth himselfe saith yet not my will but thine be done Now herevpon S. Paul saith that God his father for this cause exalted him gaue him a name aboue all other names that euery knée at this day might bow vnto Wherfore let vs vnderstand that Iesus Christ himself hath euen in our nature an excellent maiestie to the end we might come to him in full assurance for vpon what condition is he made iudge ouer all the world forsooth it is because that he is not onely made our Brother but also for that he offred himself to be our pledge borrow and hath borne al our sins He was scourged beaten by the hand of god that we might be healed of the wounds which we deserued to haue and for this cause is he now exalted to the ende we might bouldlye draw néere vnto him Now this is very true that the wicked ones the deuils must in despite of their téethes féele that the son of God is far aboue them for he must tread all his enemies vnder his féet Psal 110 1â— Howbeit we for our parts ar to do him honor willingly to submit our selues quietly vnto him acknowledge the maiestie that was giuen vnto him in his humane nature to the ende we might haue wherewith to glory triumph against sin Now that this is ment by the person of our Lord Iesus Christ sufficiently appeareth by the words of S. Luke for when the Eunuke was come to worship at the temple of Ierusalem he read this place Luk. 8. â—2 it was expounded vnto him by Philip whom God had sent by the liuelye ministerie of an Angell to the end he might come to this poore blinde ignorant man which sought after God hauing as yet no knowledge of him Howbeit this place was in such sort expounded vnto him as that with once preaching he was conuerted vnto our lord Iesus Christ crauing and requâ—ering that he might be baptised in his name And this is a thing that should greatly touch vs for in the first place we are admonished that although we are not able at the first chop to haue the sound vnderstanding of the doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ and what fruit we gather out of that which is dayly preached vnto vs yet must we not dispaire for all that but search out of the Scripture that thing which we know not and then God hauinge pittie on vs will giue vs his hand and set vs in the right way And since this poore ignoraÌ„t maÌ„ who gaue himself to read in the bible knew not what
such sort lead the whole course of this life as that he is séene to liue vertuously in the feare of God yet is hée neuer able to refraine his tongue but that there wyll appeare some light inconsiderate lying or dissembling spéeche in him To bée short it is saide that there was no deceite to bée founde in our Lorde Iesus Christe to shewe that in all his wordes and deedes hée was a myrrour of all holinesse Nowe it is most certaine that all the miseries which we féele are the very fruites of our sinnes For had we aboade in the same puritie wherein God set our father Adam our punishments should cease and bée abolished in the worlde And therefore the fruit of our sinnes is the cause of our punishments So then wée are to conclude that forsomuch as there was not found the least blot that might bée in our Lorde Iesus Christe he therefore beare the punishment which we were worthie of and deserued And marke besides why the Prophet addeth that God woulde make him subiect to infirmities This worde Infirmitie hath a large scope in the Scriptures for it importeth all the thinges which make men contemptible as wée sée in many places thereof For pouertie sicknesse griefe of minde or contemptiblenesse and a man that hath no good grace either to speake or do well neyther yet good gesture or behauiour nor habiltie of wit and discretion are al called in the Scripture infirmities To bée shorte this is to bryng vs backe to the thing which the Prophet hath already touched to wit that our Lorde Iesus Christe was like a deformed Creature and suche a one as in whom was no shew of reputation and credit amongst men And yet not such a one neither but that there appeared in him sure and certaine markes and tokēs that he was to bée honored as the onely Sonne of God Iohn 1.14 But it was in such sorte darkened by his sufferings and his infirmitie such as that there was no power or vertue séene in him and it séemed that there was no grace nor fauour in hym why hée shoulde bée estéemed and had in honour Wée must also call to minde the thing that hath béene before recited to wit that he was beaten and scourged by the hand of God suffered the horrible anguishes of his iudgement in his body beare the fearefullest torments that might be and ouer and besides all this he was so vily thought of as that he was not estéemed to bée placed amongst the most wicked and slauishe company Thus wée sée howe the Sonne of God was punished Wherefore since the case thus standeth let vs vnderstande that forsomuche as God spared not him that wée for our partes shall not bée spared and yet notwithstanding hée hath giuen vs occasion to humble our selues to the ende wée shoulde not waxe prowde and take in hand to iustifie our selues or els not cast our sinnes behind our backes but dayly thinke vpon them and bée ashamed whenas wée sée howe deare a recompence was made for them For is this such a triflyng matter If a miserable and wretched théefe shall haue committed many theftes and robberies and after that his wicked déedes were knowne the sonne of a King shoulde bée brought to be arrained and condemned for the same and so beare the punishment therof the théefe to be discharged and pardoned should he reioyce and make a scofe at him whenas he sée the sonne of a King to bée put to death and suffer the punishment that he deserued Euen so at this present fareth it with vs. For beholde howe Iesus Christe the onely sonne of God is imprisoned and wée deliuered hée condemned and wée pardoned he put to all shame and we receiued to honour at last hée descended into the bottomeles pit of Hell and the kingdome of heauen is set open for vs to enter into And therfore when we here al these things is it for vs to be drowsie headed liue securely and to delight and flatter our selues in our sinnes and iniquities Wherefore let vs well consider of the meaning of the holy Ghoste and alwayes weigh these wordes That it was the wyll of God to haue him thus afflicted as if hée shoulde haue saide Actes 2.23 4.28 That it is not for vs to thinke that our Lord Iesus was forsaken as that the wicked ones might torment him at their will and pleasure For as Saint Peter saith in the Actes of the Apostles They could doe nothing against him otherwise then had béen determined before by the secret counsell of God And therefore it is not for naught that the Prophete bringeth vs alwaies back to this that we must lift our minds vnto God acknowledge that he being iudge of the world would be satisfied for our sinnes offences euen in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ his only sonne to the end we might be discharged of thē and that it was not without cause that Iesus Christe was so rudely hādeled that we might looke vp the cherefullier and that we might vnderstād that God would not remēber our faults with made vs to be as it were detestable in his sight Wherefore when wée shall haue knowne all this we shall haue greatly profited not onely for a day but also all the dayes of our life For to say the trueth it is a doctrine wherewith wee must so acquaint our selues as that although we thinke we know it wel enough yet that we must not cease more more to cōforme our selues thereto And for that more liuely expressing héere of sée why the prophet goeth on further and saith That hee will make his soule an offering for sin to wit that Iesus Christ will forget his own life for the redéeming of our liues the price of our sinnes and iniquities Héere the Prophet againe setteth before vs the willing obedience of the Sonne of God For as hee hath saide that as it was the will of the father hee shoulde bee afflicted euen so likewise hée nowe saith that the Sonne yéelded himselfe willingly thereto thrusting himselfe forwarde to become a Sacrifice without force or constraint For the common maner of offering vp of Sacrifices vnto the Lorde God was alwayes done of a francke will and deuotion And therfore it must necessarily fall out that our Lorde Iesus Christe shoulde yéelde and offer vp himselfe to the death which he suffered For without that as yesterday was declared our rebellions had neuer béen repared before God But when he offered vp his soule to wit that he was prest and redy to suffer the condemnation that we deserued in this we may sée that we haue by his death full assurance of saluation And this he himselfe saith in the Gospell after Saint Iohn No mā Iohn 16.18 saith he shal take away my life but I wil fréely offer it vp my selfe In déede his life was taken from him when he was crucified and wée sée also how vngently furiously they dealt
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
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
deale with a Iewe to bring him to the knowledge of Iesus Christ Moreouer we must let him vnderstand that when the kingdome of the Messiah is spoken of in the scripture that it is a spirituall kingdome to the ende hée should not be deceiued to thinke him to be an earthly King as all the Iewes imagined And this is it which caused them to refuse Iesus Christ forsomuch as he reigned not ouer the people as they thought hée shoulde haue done Nowe for the first point wée haue nothing wherefore to stande against the Papistes but for the second For they graunt vnto vs that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God and the same that was promised in the law and that hée was put to death and rose agayne And héerein we easily agrée But they are to be taught to what end hee came For they doe not acknowledge him to be the same man in déede that hée is Wée knowe that we must beléeue that our saluation commeth by Iesus Christ alone by his death and passion And the Papistes cleane contrary attribute it vnto their workes and merittes and other their inuentions and thinke by that meane to be sanctified Wherefore they séeke in their workes the thing which can no way be founde but in Iesus Christ Thus we see that it is not néedefull for vs to teach the Papistes any thing as concerning the person of Iesus Christ but onely to shewe them what his power and vertue is wherefore hée came and what benefite we may reape thereby Nowe Saint Peter hath héere taken vpon him to set foorth these two pointes For the Iewes knewe not that Iesus Christ was the Messiah sent from God and therefore much lesse knew they his power and why he came And therefore hée telleth them that he shewed himselfe to be the Sonne of God amongst them in as much as he rose againe so that by his resurrection they might know him to be the verie same because hée was deliuered from death and ouercame it and therefore that life and saluation must be had in him and by him And this is it which Saint Peter meaneth to declare in this first place he will also shewe vs what fruit we haue by his resurrection which wée meane to declare hereafter as it commeth in order to be handled Nowe séeing we at this present vnderstand the purpose of Saint Peter and the order of his Sermon let vs follow it and learne to acknowledge that so soone as God bestoweth any benefite vpon vs that it is because we are the members of Iesus Christ and not for our workes nor yet for any other thing that we are any way able to offer vnto him And therefore let vs haue no more these royling imaginations in our heades as to be persuaded this way and that but let vs come to the acknowledging of our sinnes and be sory for them as we sée Saint Peter goeth about to bring the Iewes theretoo héere in this place when as hée speaketh of the death of Iesus Christ For in the first place hée accuseth them saying Yee haue slaine him Nowe we may verie well sée that hée meaneth not by this spéech to flatter them And indéede S. Peter did cast this in their dish as we say to the end he might pricke their hearts and wound them to the quicke as hereafter we shal sée that it so stuck grieued thē at the hearts as that they were therewith conuerted Thus and by this meane must men be wonne to come to be humbled and brought to the acknowledging of their offences For if we continually preach vnto them pleasant and delightfull things they will doe nothing els but toy and tryfle and be Gods fellowes and play with him euen as they would doe with a mortall man We sée how it fared with the woman of Samaria when she spake vnto Iesus Christ and that he told her of the water of lyfe whereof he said if she drunke Iohn 4. 11. that she shoulde neuer thirst she mocked him like a naughtie packe as she was But after he had once brought her to the acknowledging of her sinne and tolde her that she went to seeke her husbande and remembred her of her wicked life past she was more milde in her speech then she was at the first For when he simplye and plainely layde before her the graces of God she laughed him to skorne and sayd why where shall we haue a Bucket wherewith to draw the water séeing the well is so very deepe but when hée had saide vnto her Thou art an harlot thou hast had fiue husbandes and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband she then acknowledged her sinne and sayde that Iesus Christ was an holy Prophet And therefore vntill such time as we tremble at the horror of our sinnes we will neuer giue place vnto the woord of God And that was the cause that made Saint Peter accuse the Iewes of the slaying of Christ not that he tooke any pleasure in thus reproouing of them but to the ende they might vnderstande that their condemnation was at hande for their sinnes and on the other side that they had forgiuenes of them by Iesus Christ if they woulde acknowledge him and come vnto him Nowe héere in this place haue the ministers of God a rule set downe vnto them to witte that they must touch men to the quick and tell them of their sinnes that they might vnderstand that God is their Iudge and will not leaue their obstinate sinning vnpunished and by that meane be brought backe vnto him by repentance which they wil neuer doe except they be reprooued and roughly handled And therefore let vs suffer GOD too rule and condemne vs to the end he might pardon vs. We shal finde a greate number of men that would be very glad the Gospel should bee preached so that it might be for their gaine serue their carnall desires and be as it were a cloake for their villanies Now this must not bee the end of our preaching For our Lord Iesus Christ saide That when the holy Ghost should come that he should rebuke the world of sinne that hée shoulde sit as a Iudge in the place of iustice and iudge the world Iohn 16. 8. And therfore wée shal neuer bée able to deale faithfully with the Gospel without the worlde bée brought to this condemnation and that euery man may know what it is for euerie of vs to rebuke himselfe Wherfore let all such as flatter themselues groane and bée hartily sory and let al such as take their pleasures be afeard and tremble and let all those who perswade themselues to bée righteous looke more narrowly vnto themselues to the ende wée might all bee brought to this acknowledging of our sinnes by which wée shall grow to be penitent so cōsequently come into the fauour of God Thus wée sée why it is that S. Peter vseth such a bitter reprehension vnto the Iewes whenas hée saith That they
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
therefore to what ende should we vse counsell aduise Thus wee sée what reason these fantastical felowes woulde yéelde vnto their follies which are ouer greate arrogancies for God to leaue vnpunished For although god calleth vs not into his secret counsel to declare vnto vs his wil determinatiō yet let vs know that he gouerneth vs by his hand that the wicked can doe nothing against vs except the Lorde geueth them leaue And yet there remayneth a certayne order in nature the meaning therof is not but that we must vse aduise for God hath saide vnto vs that he woulde haue vs liue by the bread which he giueth vs to eate that our diseases should be healed by phisick Wherfore it were ouer great arrogancie for vs to refuse the meanes which God giueth vs to cure helpe our infirmities And he that thinketh to get honour by this meane shal bring himself to vtter destruction For when wée say that the prouidence of God prouideth for al things yet must wée not refuse the meane which he hath appoynted Saint Peter saith a little after this that it was impossible for the fleshe of the bodie of Iesus Christ to turne to corruption And why so because that God only had so ordained it and not that it could doe naturally so For when he was conceiued in the wombe of the Virgin Mary he tooke vpon him our nature and was made like vnto vs sinne excepted And by that reason his fleshe was subiect to corruption euen as ours is if God had not in that sort preuented it Heb. 4.15 If a mā had séen the bones of our lord Iesus Christ they might wel enough haue béen bruised broken yet we sée that it was impossible for thē to be so because that God had in such sort appoynted it that they were not naturally so here we sée what we haue to note cōcerning that which might be alledged out of this place not that wee are to deale in speculatiōs to inuent a thousand sophisticall or brabling questiōs wherin the papists are cunning but let vs in al hūblenes consideratly stay our selues vpon this that GOD doeth not onely foresée all thinges but desposeth them also at his will and pleasure And therefore let vs learne to commende our selues vnto him Iohn 12.31 whenas we abide the grieuous assaults of the diuel of the world whereof he is saide to be the Prince and when wée thinke that it cannot be chosen but that the wicked wil oppresse vs Iohn 12.31 let vs shroud our selues vnder the wings of our good God that he might giue vs wherewith to resist them and so being armed with his power wée may bee able to put by all the temptations that may come vnto vs. For although all the Diuels wicked ones would ryse vp against vs hee knoweth well enough how to bridle them and hold them fast bounde so that wee as wee haue before saide runne vnto him and rest vnder his protection Thus wée sée that we must looke vpon the prouidence of God by faith and not after our owne reason Now in that we haue saide that the wicked doe nothing but that which God ordeineth a number might reply and say what good sir and if it bée thus it might bée said that God shoulde bée the cause of the euill and the wicked were to bée excused For answere hereof we must in the first place vnderstand what the will of god is yea that he setteth downe vnto vs in his law We know that he hath forbidden stealing If then I goe steale What Doe I then his will Surely when the wicked goe about to doe any mischiefe they goe not to doe the wil of God for they know wel enough that God vtterly misliketh al wicked dealing And therefore when they doe any euill they withstand the will of God Wherefore it followeth that God would not haue them doe any euill but suffereth them to doe it for the cause they are in excuseable forsomuch as they doe contrary to his commaundement And therefore we must not say that God is the cause of euill for he committeth not the faultes which wée commit For wée sée that he giueth the Diuell leaue to punish such are worthie thereof The Diuell committeth euill and hath none other regard but to doe mischiefe and yet God maketh him to serue him to another cleane contrary end God suffereth a Théefe to robbe a true man of his goods Iohn 1.21 And why doeth he so Forsooth to prooue his pacience that it might be knowne We sée what Iob saith in all his troubles The Lorde hath giuen and the Lorde hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord. And yet théeues robbed and spoyled him What meaneth hée then hereby Doth Iob accuse God of theft No forsooth you must not so take it for hée knewe that théeues were wicked and that they came not thither but against the will of God and to the intent to doe mischiefe howbeit he had a further reach and considered that it was not done without the prouidence of God And therefore Iob attributed not the wicked déede vnto God but hée knew what men were in their kind Hée saw that the Chaldeans and Sabeans were the scourges of God They robbed and reaued they killed his seruants and draue away his Cattel to bée short they impouerished him and lefte him nothing and yet hée continually praysed God because hée right wel knew that it was not done without his ordinaunce And euen so must wée doe For if the wicked trouble vs wée must not looke vnto them but our faith must ascend a great deale higher to wit wée must vnderstād that the prouidence of God is aboue them al. After this sort then must wée iudge and not enter into vaine speculations Wée sée now at this present that the vngodly crucified Iesus Christ and yet was it not done without the ordinance of God Howbéeit God wrought it to another ende It was the will of the wicked to bring Iesus Christ to naught and it was the will of God that his blood and death should bée an euerlasting Sacrifice and our redemption to bée made and accomplished thereby And therefore when wée behold this wée haue occasion to glorifie GOD and hée that doth not so his owne conscience reprooueth him Nowe S. Peter saieth that Iesus Christ rose agayne wherby to shew as we haue already said that wée must alwaies ioyne his resurrection with his death For if wée looke into his death onely wée shall sée him altogether full of all shame and reproche and disfigured like a Leper But when wée come vnto his resurrection wée sée how mightily the hand of God exalted him giuing him al power both in heauen and earth Wherefore Mat. 28.18 so soone as wée haue saide that Iesus died let vs by and by vnderstande that hée rose againe He died according to the weaknesse of his flesh but in that
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