Caesar in Iudea Where we must obserue the wonderful prouidence of God in that not onely the Iewes but the Gentiles also had a stroake in the arraignement of Christ that that might be true which the Apostle saith God shut vp all vnder sinne that he might haue mercie vpon all The fourth point is the matter of their accusation they accuse our Sauiour Christ of 3. things I. that he seduced the people II. that he forbad to pay tribute to Caesar. III. that he said he was a King Let vs well consider these accusations especially the two last because they are flat contrarie both to Christs preaching and to his practise For when the people would haue made him a King after hee had wrought the myracle of the fiue loaues and two fishes the text saith he departed from among them vnto a mountaine himselfe alone Secondly when tribute was demaunded of him for Caesar though he were the kings sonne and therefore was freed yet saith he to Peter least wee should offende theÌ„ go to the sea and cast in an angle and take the first fish that commeth vp and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt finde a piece of twentie pence that take and giue vnto them for thee and me And when he was called to be a iudge to deuide the inheritance betweene two brethren he refused to doe it saying Who made me a iudge betweene you Therefore in these two things they did most falsely accuse him Whereby wee learne that nothing is so false and vntrue but the slaunderer dare lay it to the charge of the innocent the tongues of the slaunderers are sharpe swords venemous arrows to wound their enemies their throats are open sepulchers the poyson of aspes is vnder their lipps If a man speake gracious words his tongue is touched with the fire of Gods spirit but as Saint Iames saith the tongue of the wicked is fire yea a worlde of wickednes and it is set on fire with the fire of hell therefore let this example be a caveat for vs all to teach vs to take heede of slandering for the deuill then speakes by vs and kindles our tongues with the fire of hell The fifth point is the manner of their accusation which is diligently to be marked for they doe not onely charge him with a wonderfull vntruth but they beseech Pilate to put him to death crying Crucifie him Crucifie him in so much that Pontius Pilate was afraid of them where wee may see how these shameles Iewes goe beyond their compasse and the bounds of all accusers whose dutie is to testifie onely what they know Now in the matter of this their accusation appeares their wonderfull inconstancie For a little before when Christ came to Ierusalem riding vpon an asse shewing some signes of his kingly authoritie they cut downe braunches from the trees and strawed them in the way crying Hosanna Blessed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord but nowe they sing an other song and in stead of Hosanna they cry Crucifie him Crucifie him And the like inconstancie is to be found in the people of these our times They vse to receiue any religion that is offered vnto them for in the daies of King Edward the sixth the people of England receiued the Gospell of Christ but shortly after in Queene Maries time the same people receiued the wretched and abhominable doctrine of the Church of Rome And not many yeares after when it pleased God to bring againe the light of his glorious Gospell by our gracious Prince the same people turned from poperie and imbraced the true religion againe And thus with the Iewes one while they cry Hosanna to Christ receiue his Gospell and shortly after they cry Crucifie him Crucifie him by imbracing idolatrous poperie Let vs therefore learne in the feare of God by the ficklenes of the Iewes that sing two contrarie songs in so short a space to acknowledge our inconstancie and weakenesse in the matter of religion whereby if God leaue vs but a little to our selues wee shall straight way forsake Christ his Gospell and all Thus much of the accusation Now followeth Christs examination before Pontius Pilate for when the Iewes had thus falsely accused him then Pontius Pilate tooke him and brought him into the common hall and asked him this question Art thou a King Nowe Christ beeing thus examined made as Paul also testifieth a good confession The summe thereof stands in foure heads The first is that he confesseth himselfe to be a King not such an one as they accused him to be yet a true King Whence we may learne diuers instructions First that euery Christian man in the midst of his misery afflictioÌ„ hath one that is most sufficieÌ„t euery way to defend him against all his enemies the world the flesh the deuill For this king can doe whatsoeuer he will therfore when the legion of deuils would enter into a herd of swine they could not without his leaue And when the Centurions daughter was dead he but spake the word and she arose And when Lazarus was dead and had liâ—n in the graue foure daies he but said Lazarus come forth he came forth bound hand and foote Yea euen hell and death giue place to his word nothing can resist his power And therefore he that is a true member of Christ needes not to feare any enemies be they neuer so great or so many And againe as Christ is able so is he readie and willing to saue and defend all that beleeue in him For he it is that gaue his life for his subiects which no king will doe and shedde his bloud for their redemption which hee would neuer haue done if he had not desired their saluation Secondly when as Christ is a mightie king which can doe whatsoeuer he wil let al such amoÌ„g vs that haue hitherto liued in ignoraÌ„ce by reason of ignoraÌ„ce liue in their sinnes at length begin to come vnto him do him homage with peniteÌ„t hearts fal down before him otherwise if they continue in their old rebellions let them know whosoeuer they be high or low that he hath a rod of iron in his hand to bruise them in pieces their soules shall smart for it as both Pilate Caiphas the rest of the Iewes were with a full cup rewarded for crucifying the Lord of life And if Christ cannot draw thee in this life from thy crooked waies be sure at the houre of death he wil breake thee in pieces like a potters vessel This must wee learne in regarde of the first point that hee saide plainly He was a King Now follows the second part of his confession namely that his kingdome was not of this worlde Where hee sets downe what kinde of king he is he is no earthly king his kingdome standes not in the power of men nor in earthly and outwarde gouernement but his kingdome
but if God leaue vs to our selues we shal not onely betray him but by our sinnes euen crucifie him a thousand waies Furthermore let vs bethinke our selues of this whether there be not alreadie condemned in hel who in their liues were not more grieuous offendours then we Esay calleth the people of his time a people of Sodom Gomorrha giuing the Iewes then liuing to vnderstād that they were as bad as the Sodomites as the people of Gomorrha on whome the Lord had shewed his iudgements long before If this be true then let vs with feare and trembling be thākful to his maiestie that he hath preserued vs hitherto frō deserued dānation The vses which respects our liues and conuersations are manifold First seeing God hath elected some to saluation and hath also laid downe the meanes in his holy worde whereby we may come to the knowledge of our particular election we must therefore as Saint Paul counselleth vs giue all diligence to make our election sure In the world men are carefull and painefull ynough to make assurance of lands and goods to themselues and their posteritie what a shame is it then for vs that we should be slacke in making sure to our selues the election of God which is more worth then all the world beside and if we shall continue to be slacke herein the leases of our lands and houses and all other temporall assurances shall be billes of accusation against vs at the day of iudgement to condemne vs. Secondly by this doctrine we are taught to liue godly and righteously in this present world because all those whome God hath chosen to saluation he hath also appointed to liue in newnes of life as Saint Paul saith God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him And againe We are created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them And God hath chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the spirite and faith of the truth The Elect are vessells of honour and therefore all those that will be of the number of the Elect must carrie themselues as vessells of honour For so long as they lie in their sinnes they be like vessells of dishonour imploying themselues to the most base seruice that can be euen to the seruice of the deuill The sunne was ordained to shine in the day and the moone in the night and that order they keepe yea euery creature in his kind obserueth the course appointed vnto it by creation as the grasse to grow and trees to bring forth fruit now the elect were ordained to this ende to lead a godly life and therefore if we would either perswade our selues or the world that we are indeede chosen to saluation we must be plentifull in all good works make conscience of euery euill way and to doe otherwise is as much as to chaunge the order of nature and as if the sunne should cease to shine by day and the moone by night Thirdly when God shall send vpon any of vs in this world crosses and afflictions either in bodie or in minde or any way else as this life is the vaile of miserie and teares and iudgement must begin at Gods house we must learne to beare them with all submission and contentation of mind For whome God knew before them he hath predestinate to be made like vnto his sonne But wherein is this likenes Paul saith in the fellowship of his afflictions and in a conformitie to his death And the consideration of this that afflictions were ordained for vs in the eternal predestination of God must comfort our hearts and restraine our impatience so oft as we shall goe vnder the burden of them Hence againe we learne that they which perswade themselues that they are in the fauour of God because they liue at ease in wealth and prosperitie are farre deceiued For Saint Paul saith God suffereth with long patience the vessells of wrath prepared to destruction to make knowne his power and to shew forth his wrath on them Which beeing so then no man by outward blessings ought to plead that he hath the loue of God Sheepe that goe in fat pastures come sooner to the slaughterhouse then those which are kept vpon the bare 〈◊〉 and they which are pampered with the wealth of this worlde sooner forsake God and therefore are sooner forsaken of God then others Salomon saith No man knoweth loue or hatred that is by outward things for all things come alike to all the same condition is to the iust and to the vniust to the wicked and good to the pure and polluted Lastly it may be an offence vnto vs when we consider that the doctrine of the Gospel is either not knowne or else despised and persecuted of the whole world but we must stay our selues with this consideration that nothing comes to passe by chance that God knowes who are his and that there must be some in the world on whome God hath in his eternall counsell purposed to manifest his power and iustice Againe Ministers of the Gospell may be discouraged when after long preaching they see little or no fruit of their labours the people whome they teach remaining as blinde impenitent and vnreformed as euer they were But they must also consider that it is the purpose of God to chose some to saluation and to refuse others and that of the first some are called sooner some later and that the second being left to themselues neuer come to repentance To this Paul had regard when he saide If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that perish And againe We are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christ in them that are saued and in them that perish Hitherto I haue deliuered the truth of this weightie point of religion which also is the doctrine of the Church of England now it followeth that wee should consider the falshoode Sundrie Divines haue deuised and in their writings published a new frame or platforme of the doctrine of Predestination the effect and substance whereof is this The nature of God say they is infinite loue goodnes and mercie it selfe and therefore he propoundes vnto himselfe an ende answearable thereunto and that is the communication of his loue and goodnes vnto all his creatures Now for the accomplishing of this supreame absolute ende he did foure things First he decreed to create man righteous in his own image secondly he foresaw the fall of man after his creatiō yet so as he neither willed nor decreed it thirdly he decreed the vniuersall Redemption of all euery man effectually by Christ so be it they wil beleeue in him fourthly he decreed to call all euery man effectually so as if they will they may be saued This being done he in his eternall counsell foreseeing who would beleeue in Christ did thereupon Elect them
Sacraments are no Sacraments I say this their practise is condemned by our Sauiour Christs conversing among the Iewes For if Christ should haue followed their opinion hee ought to haue fled from amongst the Iewes and not so much as once to haue come into the tēple or taught in their Synagogues but contrariwise he ioyned himselfe with them and therefore wee can not in good conscience disjoyne our selues from the Church of England The second thing to be obserued in Christs answeare is that he referres Caiphas to the iudgement of his hearers beeing resolued of the truth of his owne doctrine though sundrie of them were his vtter enemies Behold then a good example for all the ministers of Gods word to follow teaching them to deliuer Gods word so purely and syncerely that if they be called into question about the same they may be bolde to appeale to the consciences of their hearers although they be wicked men Now after this answer one of the seruants of Caiphas smites Christ with a rodde in whome the saying is verified Like master like seruant that is if the master be wicked seruants commonly will be wicked also if the master be an enemie to Christ his seruant will be Christs enemie also And this is the cause why there are so many lewd prentises and seruants because there are so many lewd masters Many masters complaine of seruants now adaies but there is more cause why they should complaine of themselues for vsually seruants will not become obedient to their masters till their masters first become obedient vnto Christ therefore let masters learne to obey God and then their seruants will obey them also Further Christ beeing smitten makes this answeare If I haue euill spoken beare witnesse of the euill but if I haue well spoken why smitest thou me making complaint of an iniurie done vnto him Now hereupon scoffing Iulian the apostata saith Christ keepes not his owne laws but goeth against his owne precept when as he saide If one strike thee on the one cheeke turn to him the other also But we must know that in these words Christs meaning is that a mā must rather suffer a double wrong then seeke a priuate reuenge And before Christ spake in his owne defence which a man may lawfully doe and not seeke any reuenge for it is one thing to defend his owne cause and an other to seeke reuenge Now follows the secōd point in their proceeding which is the producing of false witnesses against him as S. Matthew saith The whole Councell sought false witnesse against him and though many came yet found they none for they could not agree together because they alleadged false things against him which they could not prooue And thus the mēbers of Christ haue often such enemies as make no bones shamefully to auouch that against them which they cā not be able to iustifie The ten persecutions which were in the first 300. yeares after Christ arose oftentimes of shamelesse reports that men gaue out which said that Christians liued of mans flesh therfore slew their owne children 2. that they liued on rawe-flesh 3. that they committed incest one with another in their assemblies 4. that they worshipped the head of an asse 5. that they worshipped the sūne moone 6. that they were traytours sought to vndermine the Romane Empyre lastly wheresoeuer was thunder or earthquakes seditiōs or tumults or any disquietnes or trouble Christians were accused as the authors thereof Such enemies haue they had in all ages and in these our daies the same is practised will be to the worlds end Now when the first witnesses could not agree among themselues then two other false witnesses came forth which auouched that Christ said I will destroy this temple made with hands within three daies will build another made without hāds Indeed Christ said some such wordes for saith he Destroy this temple and within three daies I will build it vp againe But he spake this of the temple of his bodie whereas they maliciously did interpret him to haue spoken of the temple in Ierusalem And againe they chaunge the words for Christ said Destroy this temple c. but these witnesses say he said I will destroy this temple made with hands c. And thus they chaunge both words and meaning and therefore the holy Ghost calleth them false witnesses By this we must be aduertised to take heede how we report mens words for if we chaunge the meaning though in part we retaine the words we may soone become slaunderers and false witnesses and as this duetie must be performed towards all men so especially towards the ministers of the Gospell the neglect of this dutie procureth many slaunderers to thē in this our Church whereof indeed the reporters are the cause and not the ministers themselues Now at this false accusation Christ was silent so as Caiphas asked him why he answeared nothing Herein wee are to consider many things I. why Christ was silent The causes be two first he was to shew himselfe a patterne of true humilitie and patience therefore euen then would he be silent when he was most falsely accused of his aduersaries Secondly he is silent that standing before the iudge to be condemned the sentence might proceede against him and he might suffer the death appointed which was due vnto vs and so become our redeemer And in Christs example we must note that it is a speciall dutie to knowe when to speake and when to be silent The ordering of the tongue is a rare gift and few attaine vnto it Some will peradventure aske what rule we haue to direct vs herein Answer The generall rule for the ordering of the tongue is the law of God We are commaunded to seeke the glorie of God in the first table and in the second the good of our neighbour when thy speach therefore will serue either for Gods glorie or the good of thy neighbour then thou must speake if it serue for neither then be silent Againe if thy silence be either for Gods glorie or the good of thy neighbour then be silent if it will not then speake And because it is hard for a man to know when his speach or silence will serue for these two ends therefore we must pray vnto God that he would teach and direct vs herein as Dauid doth Set a watch saith he O Lord before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lippes and againe open thou my lippes O Lord and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Thus much for the false witnesses produced Now followeth the third point which is the adjuring of Christ for Caiphas the high Priest charged him to tell him whether he were the Christ the Sonne of God or no. To adiure a man is to charge and commaund him in the name of God to declare a truth not onely because God is witnesse thereof but also because he is iudge to reuenge
if he speake not the truth Thus Paul adiured the Thessalonians charging them in the Lord that his epistle should be read vnto all the brethren the Saints And the like doth Caiphas to Christ. And here is a thing to be wondered at Caiphas the high Priest adjureth him in the name of God who is very God euen the Sonne of God which shewes what a small account he makes of the name of God for he did it onely to get aduantage on Christs words and so doe many nowe adaies who for a little profit or gaine make a matter of nothing to abuse the name of God a thousand waies Now Christ beeing thus adjured though silent before yet now in reuerence to Gods maiestie answeared said first Thou hast said it and in Saint Marke I am he In this answeare appeares the wonderfull prouidence of God For though Caiphas take hence the occasion of condemning Christ yet hath he withall drawne from him a most excellent confession that he is the Sonne of God and our alone Sauiour And by this meanes he proceeds to shut heauen against himselfe and to open the same for vs. Thus we haue ended the first inditement of Christ before Caiphas Nowe followeth the second which was before Pontius Pilate in the common hall at Ierusalem The historie of it is set downe at large in all the Evangelists In this second inditement of Christ that we may referre euery matter to his place we are to obserue foure things I. the accusation of Christ before Pilate II. his examination III. Pilats pollicie to saue Christ. IV. Pilats absolving of him and then the condemnation of Christ in both courts Ecclesiasticall and civill of these in order In Christs accusation wee must consider many points The first is who were his accusers namely the high Priest the Scribes and Pharisies and Elders of the people and the common people all these conspired together to accuse him The cause that mooued the Pharisies and Elders of the people hereunto is noted by Saint Matthew who saith of envy they deliuered him Envie is nothing but a sadnes in a mans heart at the prosperitie of his better And it raigned in the Scribes and Pharisies and the occasion was this Christ had taught most heauenly doctrine and confirmed the same by most wonderfull miracles and did greatly exceede them all and was in more account among the people and for this cause the Scribes and Pharisies and high Priests repined grudged at him Nowe their example serues to admonish vs to take heed of this sinne as beeing the mother of many mischiefes And we must rather follow the example of Moses who when Iosua desired him to forbid Eldad and Medad to prophecie answeared Enviest thou for my sake yea I would to God that all the Lords people were prophets And we must be of the same minde with Iohn Baptist who hearing by his disciples that the people left him and followed Christ said his ioy was fulfilled for Christ must increase and he must decrease And so we must be glad and content when we see the prosperitie of our neighbours any way Nowe the cause why the common people ioyne with them was because the chiefe priests and the Scribes elders had perswaded them to a bad conceit of Christ. Hence it appeares that it is most requisite for any people be they neuer so good to haue good magistrates godly rulers to gouerne them by wise and godly counsell The necessitie hereof was well knowne to Iethro Moses father in lawe though hee were a heathen man for he biddeth Moses to prouide among all the people men of courage fearing God men dealing truly hating couetousnes and appoint them to be rulers ouer the people Teaching vs that if couetous malitious and vngodly men not fearing God goe before the people they shall in all likelihood be caried into the like sinnes by their example The next point concernes the place where they accuse him which was at the doore of the common hall for hauing brought him before the councell at Ierusalem and there condemned him of blasphemie afterward they bring him vnto the common hall where Pilate sate iudge Yet did they not enter in but staied without at the doore least they should be defiled and be made vnfitte to eate the passeover In which practise of theirs we are to marke an exāple of most notable both superstition most grosse hypocrisie For they make no bones to accuse arraigne a mā most iust innocent and yet are very strickt and curious in an outward ceremonie And in like manner they made no conscience to giue thirtie pieces of siluer to betray Christ but to cast the same into the treasurie they make it a great and hainous offence And for this cause Christ pronounceth a woe vnto the Scribes and Pharisies calling them hypocrites for saith he you tithe mynt anyse and commin and leaue the weightie matters of the lawe as iudgement and mercie And the very same thing wee see practised of the Church of Rome at this day and of sundrie Papists that liue amongst vs they will not eate flesh in Lent or vpon any of the Popes fasting daies for any thing and yet the same men make no conscience of seeking the bloud of the Lords annointed and their dread soueraigne And in this wee see the most palpable and most grosse hypocrisie of those that be of that Church But shall we thinke that our own Church is free from such men no assuredly for take a viewe of the profession that is vsed among the people of England and it will appeare that they place their whole religion for the most part in the obseruation of certain ceremonies The manner of most men is to come to the place of assemblies where God is worshipped and there mumble vp the Lords prayer the commaundements and the beliefe in stead of prayers which beeing done God is well serued thinke they whereas in the meane season they neglect to learne and practise such things as are taught them for their saluation by the ministers of Gods word At the feast of Easter euery man will be full of deuotion and charitie and come to receiue the Sacraments as though hee were the holiest man in the world but when the time is past all generally turne to their old biace againe and all the yeare after liue as they list making no conscience of lying slaundering fraude and deceit in their affaires among men But we must knowe that there is no soundnes of religion but grosse hypocrisie in all such men they worshippe God with their lippes but there is no power of godlines in their hearts The 3. point is cōcerning the partie to whom they make this accusation against him namely not to a Iew but to a Gentile for hauing condemned him in their Ecclesiasticall court before Caiphas the high Priest they bring him to Pontius Pilate the deputie of Tiberius
the words of Luke who saith that darkenesse was vpon the whole earth hath thought that the ecclipse was vniuersall ouer the whole word but I rather thinke that Saint Lukes meaning is that it was ouer the whole region or countrey of Iurie For if such a wonder had happened ouer the whole world all historiographers Greeke and Latine and Astronomers diligent obseruers of all ecclipses would haue made speciall mention thereof And though some writers say that it was ouer the whole earth and that it was set downe in record both by the Romanes Grecians yet all their writings prooue no more but this that it was ouer Iurie and Galelie and the countries bordering neere vnto The vses of this miracle are manifold I. This darkening of the sunne giues a checke to the Iewes for their crucifying of Christ they were not ashamed to apprehend accuse and condemne him yet this glorious creature the sunne pulleth in his beames beeing as it were ashamed to behold that which they were not ashamed to doe II. It serues to signifie the great iudgement of God to come vpon the Iewes For as when Christ suffered darkenes was ouer all the land of Iurie and all the worlde besides had the light of the sunne so shortly after blindnes of minde was ouer the whole nation of the Iewes and all the world besides saw the sonne of righteousnes shining vnto them in the preaching of the Gospell III. It serues to aduertise vs that such as carrie themselues towards Christ as the Iewes did haue nothing else in them but darknesse and that they sit in darkenesse and shadow of death and therefore not able any whit better to see the way that leadeth vnto life then he which is cast into a darke dungeon can who if they thus remaine shall at length be cast into vtter darkenesse This beeing the estate of all them that be foorth of Christ we must labour to be freed from this darknes that the day-starre may rise in our hearts and shine vpon vs and put life into vs. IIII. This miraculous and wonderfull darkening of the sunne doth conuince the Iewes that Christ whome they crucified was the Lord of glorie and the Sauiour of the world and it is very likely that this was the principall end of this miracle For whereas neither his doctrine nor his former miracles could mooue them to acknowledge him for the Messias yet this one worke of God doth as it were strike the naile to the head and stoppe all their mouthes V. Besides this whereas at that very instant when Christ was about to make a satisfaction to the iustice of his father for our sinnes the sunne was thus darkned it teacheth vs first to thinke of the passion of Christ not as of a light matter but as of one of the greatest wonders of the worlde at the sight whereof the very frame of nature was chaunged secondly to thinke of our owne sinnes as the vilest things in the world and that they deserue the intollerable wrath of God considering that at the time when they were to be abolished the course of nature euen in the very heauens is turned vpside downe The fourth signe is the rending of the vaile of the Temple from the toppe to the bottome The temple was deuided into two parts the one more inward into which no man might come but the high priest and that once a yeare and it was called the holy of holies the other was that where the people came and offered sacrifices vnto the Lord. Nowe that which parted the temple into these two parts was called the vaile and at the time of Christs passion it was reâ—t from the toppe to the very bottome This hath diuers vses I. The holy of holies signified the third heauen where God sheweth himselfe in glorie and maiestie vnto his Saints now the rending of the vaile figureth vnto vs that by the death of Christ heauen which was otherwise shut by our sinnes is nowe set open and a way made to enter thereto II. It signifieth that by the death of Christ we haue all without impediment free accesse to come vnto God the father by earnest praier in the name of Christ which is a most vnspeakeable benefit III. It signifieth that by Christs death an ende is put to all ceremonies to ceremoniall worship and the sacrifices of the old testament and that therefore in the newe testament there remaineth one onely reall and outward sacrifice that is Christ crucified on the crosse and the whole seruice and worship of God for outwarde ceremonies most simple and plaine IIII. The Temple was the chiefe and one of the most principall prerogatiues that the Iewes had it was their glorie that they had such a place wherein they might worship and doe seruice to the true God and for the Temples sake God often spared them and therefore Daniel praieth O Lord heare the prayer of thy seruant and his supplication and cause thy face to shine vpon thy Sanctuarie that lieth wast for the Lords sake Yet for all this when they beganne to crucifie the Lord of life their prerogatiues helps theÌ„ not nay they are depriued thereof and God euen with his owne hand rends the vaile of the temple in sunder signifying vnto them that if they forsake him he will also forsake them And so may we say of the Church of England No doubt for the Gospels sake we haue outward peace and safetie and many other blessings and are in account with other nations yet if we make no conscience to obey the word of God and if we haue no loue of Christ and his members God will at length remooue his candlesticke from vs and vtterly depriue vs of this ornament of the Gospell and make our land as odious vnto all the world as the land of the Iewes is at this day Let vs therefore vvith all care and diligence shew forth our loue both to Christ himselfe to his members and adorne the Gospell which we professe by bringing foorth fruites worthie of it The fifth signe is the earthquake whereby hard rockes were clouen asunder And it serues very fitly to signifie further vnto vs that the sinne of the Iewes in putting Christ to death was so heauie a burden that the earth could not beare it but trembled thereat though the Iewes themselues made no bones of it And it is a thing to be wondered at that the earth doe not often in these daies tremble and quake at the monstrous blasphemies and fearefull othes by the wounds and blood and heart of Christ whereby his members are rent asunder and he traiterously crucified againe Secondly the earthquake shewes vnto vs the exceeding and wonderfull hardnes of the hearts of the Iewes and ours also they crucified Christ and were not touched with any remorse and we can talke and heare of his death yea we can say he was crucified for our sinnes and yet are we nothing affected therewith
inabling them to doe so The like is to be seene in all ages since the passion of Christ in the Church of God in which men zealous for the gospell in peace haue beene timerous in persecution whereas weake ones haue stood out against their enimies euen unto death it self The reason is because God will hūble those his seruants which are often times indued with great measure of graces cōtrariwise exalt strengthē the weake feeble the same no doubt will be found true among us if it should please god to send any new triall into the Church of Englād This serues to teach us to think charitably of those which are as yet but weake amōg us with all in our profession to cary a low saile to think basely of our selues and in the whole course of our liues creep alow by the ground running on in feare trēbling because the Lord oftētimes humbles those that be strong giue courage strength to weake ones boldly to confesse his name Secondly vvhereas these tvvo disciples haue such care of the buriall of Christ we learne that it is our dutie to be carefull also for the honest solemne buriall of our brethren The Lorde him selfe hath cōmanded it Thou art dust to dust thou shalt returne Also the bodies of men are the good creatures of God yea the bodies of Gods children are the temples of the Holy ghost and therefore there is good cause why they should be honestly laide in the earth And it vvas a curse and iudgement of God upon Iehoiakim that he must not be buried but like a dead asse be dravvn cast out of the gates of Ierusalem And so the Lorde threatens a curse upon the Moabites because they did not burie the king of Edom but burnt his bones into lime And therefore it is a necessarie dutie one neighbour and friend to looke to the honest buriall of another Hence it followes that the practise of Spaine and Italy and all popish countries which is to keepe the parts of mens bodies such like relikes of saints unburied that they may be seene of mē worshipped hath no warrant dust they are and to dust they ought to be returned Furthermore the properties and vertues of both these men are seuerally to be considered And first to beginne with Ioseph hee was a senatour a man of great account authoritie and reputation among the Iewes It may seeme a strange thing that a man of such account would abase him selfe so much as to take downe the body of Christ from the crosse It might haue bene an hinderance to him and a disgrace to his estate and calling as we see in these daies it would be thought a base thing for a knight to come to the place of execution and take dovvne a thiefe from the hand of the hangman to burie him but this noble Senatour Ioseph for the loue he bare to Christ made no account of his state and calling neither did hee scorne to take upon him so base an office considering it was for the honor of Christ where we learne that if vve truly loue Christ and our hearts be set to beleeue in him we will neuer refuse to perform the basest seruice that may be for his honour nothing shall hinder vs. It is further saide that he was a good man and a iust and also a rich man And the first appeareth in this that hee would neither consent to the counsell nor fact of the Iewes in crucifying Christ. It is rare to finde the like man in these dayes From his example vve learne these lessons I. that a rich man remaining a rich man may be a seruant of God and also be saued for riches are the good blessings of God and in them selues doe no vvhit hinder a man in comming to Christ. But some will say Christ himselfe saith It is easier for a cable to go through the eye of a needle as a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen Ans. It is to be understood of a rich man so long as he swelleth vvith a confidence in his vvealth but we know that if a cable be untwisted and drawen into small threeds it may be drawen through the eye of a needle so he that is rich let him denie himselfe abase himselfe and lay aside all confidence in himselfe in his riches and honour and be as it were made small as a tvvine threede and vvith this good Senatour Ioseph become the disciple of Christ hee may enter into the kingdom of heauē But Christ saith in the parable that riches are thorns which choke the grace of God Ansvver It is true they are thornes in that subiect or in that man that putteth his trust in them not in their owne nature but by reason of the corruption of mans heart who maketh of them his God S. Iohn saith further that Ioseph was a disciple of Christ but yet a close disciple for feare of the Ievves And this sheweth that Christ is most readie to receiue them that come unto him though they come laden with manifold wants I say not this that any hereby should take boldnes to liue in their sinnes but my meaning is that though men be weake in the faith yet are they not to be dismayed but to come to Christ who refuseth none that come to him Draw nere to God saith S. Iames and hee will draw nere to you Christ doeth not forsake any till they forsake him first Lastly the H. ghost saith of him that hee waited for the kingdome of God that is hee did beleeue in the Messias to come therfore did waite daily till the time was come when the Messias by his death passion should abolish the kingdome of sinne satan establish his own kingdom throughout the whole world The same is said of Simeon that he was a good man feared God waited for the consolation of Israell This was the most principall vertue of all that Ioseph had and the very roote of all his goodnes righteousnes that he waited for the kingdome of God For it is the propertie of faith whereby wee haue confidence in the Messias to change our nature to purifie the heart to make it bring forth works of righteousnesse There be many among us that can talke of Christes kingdome of redemption by him yet make no cōscience of sinne haue litle care to liue according to the gospell which they professe and all is because they doe not soundly beleeue in the Messias and they waite not for the kingdome of heauen therefore there is no chaunge in them but we must labour to haue this affiance in the Messias with Ioseph and to wait for his second appearance that thereby wee may be made new creatures hauing the kingdome of Sathan battered and beaten downe in us and the kingdome of God erected in our heartes Touching Nichodemus S. Iohn saith that
is true in euerie member of the Church is also true in the whole but euery member of the militant Church is subiect to errour both in doctrine and manners because men in this life are but in parte enlightened and sanctified and therefore still remaine subiect to blindnesse of mind and ignorance and to the rebellion of their willes and affections whereby it comes to passe that they may easily faile either in iudgement or in practise Againe that which may befall one or two particular Churches may likewise befall all the particular Churches vpon earth all beeing in one and the same condition but this may befall one or two particular Churches to faile either in doctrine or manners The Church of Ephesus failed in leauing her first loue whereupon Christ threatneth to remooue from her the candlesticke And the Church of Galatia was remooued to an other Gospell from him that had called them in the grace of Christ now why may not the same things befall twentie yea an hundred Churches which befell these twaine Lastly experience sheweth this to be true in that generall councels haue erred The counceâ—l of Nicene beeing to reforme sundrie behauiours among the Bishops Eldeâ—s would with common coÌ„sent haue forbidden mariage unto them thinking it profitable to be so unlesse Paphnutius had better informed them out of the scriptures In the third councell at Carthage certaine bookes Apocrypha as the booke of Syrach Toby and the Macchabees are numbred in the Canon and yet were excluded by the councell of Laodicea And the saying of a divine is receiued that former councells are to be reformed and amended by the latter But Papistes maintaining that the Church can not erre alleadge the promise of Christ How be it when he is come which is the spirite of trueth hee vvill leade you into all truth Ansvver The promise is directed to the Apostles who with their Apostolicall authoririe had this priuiledge graunted them that in the teaching and penning of the Gospell they could not erre and therefore in the councell at Ierusalem they conclude thus It seemes good vnto vs and to the holy Ghost And if the promise be further extended to all the Church it must be understoode with a limitation that God will giue his spirit unto the members thereof to lead them into all truth so farre forth as shall be needfull for their saluation The second question is wherein standes the dignitie excellencie of the Church Ansvvere It standes in subiection and obedience vnto the will word of his spouse and heade Christ Iesus And hence it followeth that the Church is not to chalenge unto her selfe authority ouer the scriptures but onely a ministerie or ministeriall service whereby shee is appointed of God to preserue and keepe to publish preach them and to giue testimony of them And for this cause it is called the pillar and ground of trueth The Church of Rome not content with this saieth further that the authoritie of the Church in respect of us is aboue the authoritie of the scripture because say they we can not know scripture to be scripture but by the testimonie of the Church But indeed they speake an untruth For the testimony of men that are subiect to errour can not be greater and of more force with us then the testimonie of God who cannot erre Againe the Church hath her beginning from the worde for there can not be a Church without faith and there is no faith without the word and there is no word out of the Scriptures and therefore the Church in respect of vs depends on the Scripture and not the Scripture on the Church And as the lawier which hath no further power but to expound the law is vnder the law so the Church which hath authoritie onely to publish and expound the Scriptures can not authorize them vnto vs but must submit her selfe vnto them And whereas it is alleadged that faith comes by hearing and this hearing is in respect of the voice of the Church and that therefore faith comes by the voice of the Church the answeare is that the place must be vnderstood not of that generall faith whereby we are resolued that Scripture is Scripture but of iustifying faith whereby we attaine vnto saluation And faith comes by hearing the voice of the Church not as it is the churches voice but as it is a ministery or means to publish the word of God which is both the cause obiect of our beleeuing Now on the contrarie we must hold that as the carpenter knowes his rule to be straight not by any other rule applied vnto it but by it selfe for casting his eye vpon it he presently discernes whether it be straight or no so we know and are resolued that Scripture is Scripture euen by the Scripture it selfe though the Church say nothing so be it we haue the spirit of discerning when we read heare and consider of the Scripture And yet the testimonie of the Church is not to be despised for though it breed not a perswasion in vs of the certentie of the Scripture yet is it a very good inducement thereto The militant Church hath many parts For as the Ocean sea which is but one is deuided into parts according to the regions and countries against which it lieth as into the English Spanish Italian sea c. so the Church dispersed ouer the face of the whole earth is deuided into other particular Churches according as the countries are seuerall in which it is seated as into the Church of England and Ireland the Church of Fraunce the Church of Germanie c. Againe particular Churches are in a twofold estate sometime they lie hid in persecution wanting the publicke preaching of the word and the administration of the sacraments sometimes again they are visible carrying before the eyes of the world an open profession of the name of Christ as the moone is sometime eclipsed sometime shineth in the full In the first estate was the Church of Israel in the daies of Eliah when he wished to die because the people had forsaken the couenant of the Lord brokeÌ„ down his altars slaine his Prophets with the sword and he was left alone and they sought to take away his life also Behold a lamentable estate when so worthie a Prophet could not finde an other beside himselfe that feared God yet marke what the Lord saith vnto him I haue left seuen thousand in Israel euen all the knees that haue not bowed vnto Baal and euery mouth that hath not kissed him Againe it is said that Israel had bin a long season without the true God without priest to teach and without the lawe Neither must this trouble any that God should so farre forth forsake his Church for when ordinarie meanes of saluation faile he then gathereth his Elect by extraordinarie meanes as when the children of Israel wandered in the wildernesse wanting both circumcision and
penned by the Prophets and Apostles the answear is that they doe it with adding to the Canon and by corrupting the natiue sense of the Scriptures in the very foundation and therefore they are but as a lanthorne that shews light to others and none to it selfe Fourthly it is further said that they hold the Creede of the Apostles and make the same confession of faith that we doe I answeare that in shew of wordes they doe so indeede but by necessarie consequents in the rest of their doctrine they ouerturne one of the natures and all the offices of Christ and therewithall most of the articles of the Creede And herein they deale as a father that in outward shew tenders the bodie of his child and will not abide the least blemish vpon it and yet by secret conveiances inwardly annoies the heart the braine or the liuer and so in truth destroies the same Fifthly it is alledged that Antichrist must sit in the Temple of God that is the Church therefore say some that desire an vnion between vs and the Papists popish assemblies are true Churches but the argument is not good For it is one thing to be in the Church an other thing to be of it And Antichrist is said to sit in the Church not as a member thereof but as an vsurper or as the pyrate in the ship of the marchant heÌ„ce it cannot be prooued that assemblies of Papists are Churches but that in them and with them there is mingled an other hidden Church in the midst whereof Antichrist the Pope ruleth though himselfe hath no part therein Lastly whereas some being no Papists think their Churches to be like a bodie diseased and full of soares and wounds froÌ„ the head to the foot the throat also cut yet so as life is still remaining we may better thinke their foule errours considered their worship of God which is nothing els but a mixture of Iudaisme and Paganisme that it is a rotten and dead corps void of spirituall life And therefore we haue seuered our selues from the Church of Rome vpon iust cause neither are we schismaticks in so doing but they rather because the grouÌ„d the proper cause of the schisme is in theÌ„ As for the Assemblies of Anabaptists Libertines Antinomies Tritâ—eits Arrians Samosaâ—eniaÌ„s they are no churches of God but conspiracies of monstrous heretikes iudicially condemned in the primitiue Church and againe by the malice of Satan renewed and revived in this age The same we are to thinke and say of the Familie of loue As for the Churches of Germanie commonly called the Churches of the Lutheranes they are to be reputed of vs as the true Churches of God Though their Augustane Confession haue not satisfied the expectation of other Reformed Churches yet haue they all the same enemies in matter of religion and doe alike confesse the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and of the office of the Mediatour of faith and good works of the Word the Church and the Magistrate are all of one iudgement They differ indeede from vs in the question of the Sacrament but it is no sufficient cause to induce vs to hold theÌ„ as no Church for that there is a true or reall receiuing of the bodie and blood of Christ in the Lordes supper wee all agree and wee ioyntly confesse that Christ is there present so farre forth that hee doth truly feede vs with his very bodie and blood to eternall life and all the controuersie lies in the manner of receiuing we contenting our selues with that spirituall receiuing which is by the hande of faith they adding therto the corporall whereby they imagine themselues to receiue Christ with the hand and mouth of the bodie And though to maintaine this their opinion they be constrained to turne the ascension of Christ into a dispaâ—ition whereby his bodie being visible becomes invisible yet in the maine points we agree that Christ ascended into heauen that he entred into his kingdome in our name and for vs that we are gouerned and preserued by his power and might and that whatsoeuer good thing we haue or doe proceeds wholly from the grace of his spirit Indeede the opinion of the Vbiquitie of the bodie of Christ reviveth the condemned heresies of Eutiches and Nestorius and it ouerturneth by necessarie consequent most of the articles of faith but that was priuate to some men as Brentius and others and was not receiued of whole Churches and whereas the men were godly and learned and we are vncerten with what affection and how long they held this errour we rest our selues in condemning it leauing the persons to God Againe Popish Transubstantiation and Lutherian Consubstantiation are both against the truth of the manhoode of Christ yet with great difference Transubstantiation is flat against an article of faith for if Christs bodie be made of bread and his blood of wine which must needes be if there be a conuersion of the one into the other then was not he conceiued and borne of the Virgin Marie for it can not both be made of bakers breade and of the substance of the Virgin Againe it abolisheth the outwarde signe in the Lordes supper and the analogie betweene the signe and the thing signified but Consubstantiation doth not so neither doeth it ouerturne the substance of any article of Religion but onely a maine point in Philosophie which is that A body doth occupy only one place at once Furthermore the Churches of Heluetia Savoie the free cities of France the low Countries Scotland are to be reuereÌ„ced as the true churches of God as their ConfessioÌ„s make manifest And no lesse must we thinke of our owne Churches in England and Ireland For we hold beleeue and maintaine and preach the true faith that is the auncient doctrine of saluation by Christ taught and published by the Prophets and Apostles as the Booke of the articles of faith agreed vpon in open Parliament doe fully shewe withal now we are and haue bin ready to testifie this our faith by venturing our liues euen in the cause of religion against forraigne power and especially the Spainard and hereupon all the Churches in Europe giue vnto vs the hand of fellowship And whereas sundrie among vs that separate and indeed excommunicate themselues giue out that there is no Church in England no Ministers no Sacraments their peremptorie asseuerations wanting sufficient grounde are but as paper-shot They alleadge that our assemblies are full of grieuous blottes and enormities Ansvv. The defects and corruptions of Churches must be distinguished and they be either in doctrine or manners Againe corruptions in doctrine must be further distinguished some of them are errours indeed but beside the foundation some errors directly against the foundation and these ouerturne all religion wheras the former do not Now it can not be shewed that in our Churches is taught any one errour that raceth the foundation and consequently annihillateth the