muste needes submit my selfe vnto him But within a while after hée became worse then euer hee was euen so fared it with Pilate Nowe this is to admonishe vs that wee make not accompt of the feare of GOD as of a blaste of winde but let it bee strongly rooted in our hearts For how did Pilate feare God Forsooth it was such a feare as made him only to be more inexcusable And here wee may sée why God awakeneth the cōsciences of those that are a sléepe and would vtterly cast of the yoke which bringeth them to a more narrow consideration of themselues so that they shal be made spite of their téethes to acknowledge their miseries and féele their sinnes although they woulde walter themselues asléepe in them And therefore all the doubtes which all the contemners of God and the wicked haue are euen so many adiournaments or dayes ouer which God graunteth them to make them voide of all excuse of ignorance But anon after they let slippe the Reine and runne at randon without any stay as héere wée sée Pilate did At the beginning hée was greatly afearde but soone after hée returned to his olde byas againe For thus he saide to Iesus Knowest not thou that I haue power to loose and condemne thee Let vs héere in the first place note that if he had béene a théefe yet could not he once remoue his finger without God had giuen him power Howe then durst Pilate warrant himselfe such an outragious licence to condemne and pardon as pleased him And surely it were much better to set at libertie all Théeues to robbe and spoyle in the woods then to set men in so honorable a place who take pleasure and delight in their authoritie and neuer haue any care of conscience but bring the whole worlde vnto confusion Nowe wée sée héere as I haue said that Pilate his feare neuer tooke déepe roote in him but was onely a puft of winde Wherefore let vs learne to haue asure and constant feare of God that we may walk in his obedience and valiantly fight against whatsoeuer might put vs by and alwayes thus restraine our selues as that we prouoke not him to wrath who hath all power ouer vs. And this is it which wée are héere to consider of Let vs also besides consider that the glory which Pilate attributed to himselfe is notwithstanding turned to his great shame For his enimies coulde neuer speake worse of him then for this to wit that hee woulde be taken to be a man of no discretion to discerne betwixte good and bad and yet hée boasted himselfe of it Héere therefore wée sée that the higher the dispisers of God think to aduance them selues they must alwayes feele that they are the more shamefully to bée throwne downe and God so giueth them ouer into a reprobate sence as that they bragge of their iniquities that they might become detestable both in heauen and earth What is there then for vs to doe Forsooth let vs learne to glory in that which is good and haue an eye to doe the thing that is lawefull For they which glory in their mightinesse and in their authoritie without doubt doe prouoke the Lorde to anger because they haue many times gotten their riches and credit by vnlawfull meanes as by rioting crueltie and all kindes of extortion Wherfore when they glory héerein it is as it were to set them selues against the Lord. For he that hath gotten euery way by spoyle will say I am wealthie and sée he wil say I haue gotten whenas he hath sucked the blood of the poore out of them But howe Surely by deceipt and wicked practises in robbing the one and glutting the other Another man through abition and vnlawful meanes is aduaunced to some honor and héerevpon forsooth this man would bée greatly feared And this kinde of dealing is manyfestly to stande against God And therefore as I haue said let vs learne to glory in that which God alloweth and liketh of True it is that although there bée valure in vs yet is it not lawfull to vsurpe the commendation which God reserueth to himself and for the which wée ought to honor him because all that we haue commeth of his frée gifte Wherefore wée must not without doubt glory in our selues as if that which God giueth vs apperteined vnto vs But I say our glory shoulde be onely in this that it hath pleased God to adopt vs for his children and hath giuen vs his grace to walke in his feare and power also to abstaine from euill And héerin ought to be all our glory And besides if wée bée of no reputation in the worlde let vs beséeche him to graunt vs pacience and rather desire to liue in this estate then to bée exalted and yet to reioyce and bée glad but not as the worldlinges doe who make thēselues such sporte as that there is nothing that is able to holde them in And therefore the summe and effect wherein wée must glory is this to wyll and desire no more then God woulde haue vs to doe and set our selues against whatsoeuer hée misliketh of although the worlde and all such as commit tyranny and excéede in doeing wickedly reioyce in it Wherefore let vs gladly and willingly leaue all these glories desiring nothing els but to haue God to acknowledge and allow vs for his children And this is in effect the thing which wée haue héere to consider of Nowe for a full conclusion it is saide That when Pilate sawe he preuailed nothing and that the people made a greater stirre hee washed his handes and saide I am innocent of the blood of this man Wée haue already saide that our Lorde Iesus muste bée founde innocent euen by the Testimonie of the iudges owne mouth For where it is laide that Iesus Christe was condemned and suffered vnder Pontius Pilate it is not sufficient for vs that wée haue vnderstood the History But wée must eftsoones acknowledge that Iesus Christe was not onely innocent but was also the fountaine of all holinesse and perfection Why then was he condemned Iohn 1.29 1. Pet. 1.19 Galat. 3.13 it shoulde séeme that héere are two diuers and sundry thinges For it is saide that hée is the vnspotted Lambe of God And because hee was the Lambe of God it was méete that hee shoulde bée condemned as a Sacrifice This worde Lambe importeth that hée must bée offered vp And what is it that the law calleth Sacrifices Forsooth it is sinnes and curses And wée sée why it is said that our Lord Iesus was accursed for vs to wit he receiued vnto himselfe the curse which was due for our sinnes Thus wée sée in what qualitie and state hée was condemned because GOD had established that hée shoulde bee as it were the Lambe which shoulde be offered for a Sacrifice Howbeit it was méete hée shoulde bée knowne to be without spot and his puritie be openly séene to the ende wée might take holde of our sinnes vntyll the time
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
will get al the substance riches of the earth into their possession And thus we see that the messuage which was told them that they should find him in a Stable swadled in blankets was such a stumbling block vnto these poore men as was able to haue broken the very hearts of them and make thē to be of that mind neuer to come néere our Lord Iesus Christ but rather altogether to flie his company Now we sée that this was the signe which was geuen of the Redeemer that he was laid in a Māger as one not worthy the companie and felowship of men And yet woulde not all this withdraw their mindes from the visiting of him Their cōming then was for this cause to acknowledge him to be as it were the Lord cōfessing the God had cōpassion of them and would in the end accomplish and fulfill the promise which hée had made them from the beginning and so confirmed them selues thereof by this spectacle Seeing then these Shepheardes had so great fayth that it straue against all whatsoeuer might pull them backe from comming vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe wee shal be worthie double blame and without all excuse except wee learne and take foorth this lesson in their schoole and make not the byrth of our Lorde Iesus Christe although there appeared noworldly dignitie pompe or noblenesse therein a stumbling blocke to stay or withdrawe vs from the right way to come to submit our selues vnto him as vnto our siege king and vnto him vnto whom al power and dominion is giuen both in heauen and earth And surely this is an admonitiō very needful for vs for as I haue alreadie saide The doctrine of the Gospell is a very stumbling blocke to all proude and foolish men and to suche as thinke themselues wise we sée also that many fantasticall felowes spurne against whatsoeuer is contrary to their owne mindes On the other side there were many mockers skorners who were neuer touched with any féeling of their sinnes and because they are prophane people who neuer thinke to come to an account and know not any other better life then this whiche they sée héere belowe they thinke it therefore méere foolishnesse so to folow the sonne of God and to be acquainted with him And the more we sée this so much the more ought this aduertisement to strengthen vs to wit that the sonne of God loseth not a iote of his maiestie and glorie neither is any whit lessened because he hath abased himselfe for our saluation but we ought rather to woonder at it knowing his inestimable goodnesse loue towardes vs. We sée then howe we must put this doctrine in practise which is wée must not cease to come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ although we finde not at his handes at the first chop the thing which our flesh or naturall affection desireth And although at his birth he was swadled vp in cloutes and laide in a Manger yet let vs know be fully resolued that hee was notwithstanding a Mediatour to draw vs vnto his father to open the kingdome of heauen for vs whereout wee were vtterly reclosed And although euen at this day he reigneth not gloriously and his Churche despised yet remayneth there suche a playnenesse in his worde as the mightie euen of this worlde reiecte howebeeit let not vs for all that cease to holde our selues vnto him continually and submit our selues vnder his dominion in true obedience of Faith As for example when any man preacheth it is not the thing that greatly draweth vs according to our custome Wée heare a man speake and what is that It is of no great dignitie and credite and besides in effect there is nothing but the worde on the other side in that which is preached by the Gospell there are many thinges which séeme to vs to bée against all reason if wée shoulde iudge thereof after our owne mindes Let vs therefore vnderstande that wée shall neuer submit our selues vnto the thing which God sheweth and declareth vnto vs except we humble our selues in the first place And for a confirmation which hée hath added vs vnto his worde we haue the Sacraments And will one droppe of water suffice to assure vs of remission of our sinnes and that God hath adopted vs for his children and that although wée bée fraile shall we notwithstanding bée cloathed with his heauenly glorie which neuer shall decaye Is it possible for vs to take a pawne and pledge of so notable and great thinges in so small a deale of water May a péece of bread and a little Wine in the Supper of the Lorde suffice to assure vs that God alloweth vs for his children that wée liue in Iesus Christ and no seperation betwéene vs For this might seeme rather to bée a matter of nothing to sée suche Ceremonies wherein is no great glorie and pompe So then wée somewhat better sée this thing whiche is béere spoken by the Ministers belongeth to vs and that wée haue to make our profite thereof at this day to wit let not vs cease to drawe néere vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe and assure our selues that hée it is in whome wée must finde all goodnesse and all ioye and glorie although it séemeth that hée is yet as it were in the Stable in the Maunger and in his swadling cloathes to wit that there are many thinges which are able to make vs become dissolute or wanton or at the least bleare our eyes that wee shall not bée able to perceiue the heauenly glorie which GOD his Father hath giuen him I say in the same humane nature whiche hée tooke vppon vs. For in as muche as hée is GOD hée hath all thing of him selfe as it is said in the seuenteenth Chapter of Saint Iohn but in that hée is man whatsoeuer hée bringeth vs hée hath receiued of frée gift Iohn 17. that wée might drawe out of his fulnesse Iohn 1.16 and finde in him whatsoeuer is to be desired and so rest content our selues in him alone Moreouer let vs heere note that the holy Ghost meaneth to assure vs that we following the Ministers who are héere appointed for maisters and guides ought not to feare falling away for séeing the Shepheardes had none other signe but the Stable and a Manger wée may say Beholde a sorte of simple idiotes who are foolishly and without any reason made to beléeue that this was the Redéemer of the worlde and yet this woulde bée too too easie a matter for vs to doe And therefore wée might stande in doubt but on the other side the shepheardes were confirmed verie certainly that hée was the Sonne of God euen hée that laye so in the Manger to wit when the Angell appeared vnto them and after they had heard this songe which Saint Luke setteth downe where all the kingdome of heauen beare witnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ that hée had all power ouer the creatures both of heauen and earth Let vs therefore
humblinge them selues and to bee repentaunt are so much the more infected and poysoned prouokinge eftsoones the wrath of God and driuing him into an hoat burning flame to consume them therin and all this we sée And therefore let vs looke vpon these two théeues as the mirrors of all the worlde for from hte hyest to the lowest wee are all gultye before the Lorde Yea and yf we all suffered this together what is hee that might bragge of his innocencye or who is hee that coulde purchase his pardon Wherefore séeinge wee are ouer head and eares in condemnation wee iustly suffer for our sinnes and yet we wyll not all alyke graunt it because there are some as we haue said which waxe rather worse and there rebellion agaynst God is openlye séene For they gnashe their téeth spewe out their rage and crueltie and will neuer agrée to this condemnation or els they take the bit in their mouthes and shewe them selues so stubborne as that they wyll not stick to saye that God shall winne nothing by it nor yet haue the masterie of them Now let vs conclude that when miserable sinners acknowledge their sinnes and be humbled and confesse the debt giuinge glory to God declaring also that he handleth thē iustlye and rightlye and that it is good reason they should be so chastised when I say wretched sinners be drawne to this reason let vs vnderstand that God hath put to his hande and touched them with his holy spirit that we may sée his wonderful infynit goodnes whēas he pulleth those out of destruction and hell whose case before was as it were desperat In sūme we sée in the person of this miserable théefe so excellent an example of faith as neuer was séene And therfore we should be so much the rather rauished with such a miracle as thē God wrought for in what state stoode he Beholde he was nie his death hée suffered horrible tormentes he looked to haue his bones to be crushed and broken and to be dismembered whiche was so sharppe and terrible a torment as that it was euen enough to haue made him haue lost both sence and memorye hee sawe also our Lorde Iesus who most flaunderouslye was to be hanged there as well as him selfe and yet sée what wordes he vsed for he doth not onely acknowledge his sinnes for the humblinge him selfe before God he doth not onely vse the office of a teacher to bring home his companyon and to set him in the right way but maketh suche a confession as is more worth then all the rest if we consider well the circumstances I beseeche thee saieth hée remember mee whenas thou commest into thy kingdome How was it possible that he could conceiue that Iesus Christ had a kingdome for hee was hanged on trée and cursed of God and men For this sayinge of the lawe was spoken by the mouth of God cursed is hee that hangeth on tree Deut. 21.23 Galat. 3.13 Neither dyd this come to passe by chaunce as we commonly say that God put his onely sonne to it And therefore when he sée Iesus Christ to be there accursed both before God and men yea as one throwne downe into a desperat case as farre as mans reason could reach vnto hee had not such a stayed brayne to say that Iesus Christ was a Kinge without hee had spoken it in faith and in spirit For he saw such thinges as might haue made him decline from the son of God to haue made him thus conclude that it was but an abuse mockery to trust in him and yet he called him king whē he sée him ready to dye I beseeche thee sayeth hee saue mee and graunt mée lyfe For it thou wilt remember mée that is all the blessednesse that I desyre Now when wee shall well consider of these circumstances without all doubte the faith of this théefe was so excellent and great as that neuer any man that euer lyued had the lyke And therefore let not vs be a shamed to be his disciples for to say the trueth the death of our Lord Iesus Christ wyll neuer stande vs in any stead except we condemne our selues that we might be saued through him neither will God euer pardon vs without wee confesse our selues to be most wicked filthy Since then it is so that we are guiltie before God and that our owne cōsciences doo iudge and condemne vs let vs not be a shamed to folow this théefe his steps séeing he may be a good Scholemaster vnto vs. And because our Lord Iesus is ascended now into heauen and hath taken possession of the glory which God his father hath giuen him Phil. 2.10 to the end euery knée might bow vnto him let vs not doubt to put our selues wholy into his custody cōclude say loe wherin lieth our felicity to wit the Iesus Christ is mindful of vs gouerneth vs because he was ordayned to be our shepheard he wil be watchful ouer our saluation that we might be safe sure vnder his hand and protection Moreouer let vs learne paciently to beare the miseries of this present life so that it maketh not vs decline from comming vnto our Lord Iesus Christ For we sée here that the théefe was heard and yet was hee faine to abide and harde and terrible death Let vs therefore so estéeme of the spirituall grace which is giuen vs by our Lord Iesus Christ and which is dayly offred vnto vs by the preaching of the Gospell as that it may make vs ouercome all the anguishes griefes domages troubles and temptations which any way may come vnto vs so that all our afflictions might be mitigated because we know that they shal all turne to our benefit and welfare through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ And this is it which we are here to obserue And besides let vs here to ioyne the the answere of our Lord Iesus Christ when he promised that hée should be that day with him in Paradise For although our Lord Iesus was not as yet risen from death nor had not accomplished all that was requisit for our redemption and saluation yet had hée alreadie powred abroad the power fruit of his death and passion True it is that the fulfilling of all rested in the resurrection But since it is conioyned with his death and passion and that we know he suffred in the weaknesse of his flesh euen so is he risen again by the vertue of his spirit and as he suffred for our sinnes that wée might be made frée before God so likewise rose he againe for our iustification Nowe when we knowe all this I say let vs with so much the more bold courage come frankly vnto him not doubt but that whē he pleaseth to remember vs and hide vs vnder the shadow of his winges that we may be able to stande against Satan death and al miseries glory in our weaknesse And although we be in the sight of the world
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
is not onely spoken of the person of our Lord Iesus Christ but also of the whole course of his Gospell and of the whole order which he taketh for the maintenance gouernment of the faithfull And therefore if we would be assured of our saluation in Iesus Christ we must in the first place not be ashamed that he was so disfigured after the maner of men being sent into the world was taken to be as one most accursed and soone after his Gospel was in such sort slaundered as we sée it to be euen at this day For if we be ashamed to receiue our Lorde Iesus Christ crucified without doubt we are excluded from all hope of saluatioÌ„ For how are we saued by him How belongeth the heauenly enheritance to vs without he had béen made accursed for vs not only accursed before meÌ„ but also by the mouth of God his father Thus we sée that Iesus Christ the fountaine of all blessing hath neuertheles borne our sinnes and was made like vnto the old sacrifices which were called sin offrings 1. Cor. 5. â—â— because the wrath of God was shewed in theÌ„ men were freed pardoned by them And howe could Iesus Christ be called our life if he had not swallowed vp death by his death Either how could we be exalted by him but because hée went down into the bottom of hell to wit he susteined the horrors that were vpon vs and wherwith by reason of our sinne we were held vnder For it must néedes be that God must be our Iudge for euer this is the most fearfull thing that may be to haue God our enemy And it behoued that Iesus Christ should enter into it as our pledge as one that should make satisfaction for vs and sustayne our coÌ„demnation that we therby might be pardoned And therefore let vs thinke it no strange thing to sée him thus disfigured if this in our reason be foolishnesse let vs vnderstand as S. Paul saith that the foolishnesse of God surpasseth all the wisdom of the world Hée calleth that the foolishnesse of God in that our Lorde Iesus Christ was so abased surely if we wold here set down our iudgement we would say without doubt that it were an absurde thing For to what purpose could it be any way possible that hée who was to be worshipped both in heauen and in earth shoulde be so shamefully dealt withall Thus we sée howe that we in our arrogancie presumption will as rashly and boldly as may be continually condemne whatsoeuer God doth for our redemptioÌ„ howbeit God in his secret counsell sheweth that he hath more wit theÌ„ we any way are able to coÌ„ceiue of And therfore let vs in the first place hold this for a sure ground that séeing our Lord Iesus Christ was not only coÌ„temptible abased but also made of no reputatioÌ„ for our sakes not to forget as S. Paul saith to giue him the honour beloÌ„ging vnto him for his glory was no whit empaired therby althogh al men knew it not yet did his gratious goodnes shine so much the more clearly And besides we ought to treÌ„ble wheÌ„as we sée that the soÌ„ne of God refused not to be as it wer disfigured being the very image of God his father Hebr. 1.3 For all this he did because hée would repaire this image in vs. And this is certaine we are so spotted as that when we shal appeare before the maiestie of God it cannot be chosen but that he must reiect vs vntill such time as our Lorde Iesus Christ hath set his brand vpon vs whereby we might become acceptable vnto God and finde fauour at his hands So when we heare that hée was vgly yll fauoured let vs looke well to our selues vnderstand that hée must take vnto himself all our spots blots to the end we might be clensed of them bringing now with vs before the iudgement seate of God nothing but righteousnes holines which we could neuer haue had except God had communicated the same vnto vs in Iesus Christ And herevpon he saith That the mouthes of Kings shal be stopped when as he shal haue beene thus exalted and that they shoulde sée suche a chaunge as neuer was thought of Here then we are told that we must not rashly iudge when as we sée our lord Iesus Christ to be thus abased naught set by but we must consider to what end the Lord hath so brought him which is that such an excellent name was giuen him aboue all other creatures as that euery knée should bow before him as it is said in the second to the Philippians Phili. 2.9 For wheÌ„ S. Paul hath exhorted vs to modestie shewed that we should not estéeme of our selues he setteth before vs our Lord Iesus Christ as a glasse pattern Who saith hée being the true God thought it no robbery to be equal with God made him selfe of no reputation taking vpon him the forme of a seruant yea became obedient euen vnto that most slaunderous and cursed death the death of the crosse and that before God and men and all this hée did to the ende hée woulde take vpon him whatsoeuer was dewe to vs. Wherefore saieth hée God the Father hath exalted him and giuen him such a name as that euerie knée should bowe of things in earth and thinges vnder the earth that euerie tongue shoulde confesse that the Lord is Iesus Christ to the glory of God the Father and that if we would sée what the maiestie of God is glorifie him as hée is worthie we must néedes come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ And this is in effect the meaning of the Prophet That we must not for the basenes of Iesus Christ for a time but beléeue in him and set our whole heart on him and also consider to what end he was thus handled and that whensoeuer we speake of his death we must foorthwith remember his resurrection ioyne them both together For these are two inseperable thinges That Iesus Christ would suffer in the weaknes of our flesh and ryse againe in the power of his spirit and that in this last point 1. Tim. 3.16 2. Cor. 13. 4. Rom. 1.4 as S. Paul saith he shewed himself to be the true sonne of God And we sée also besides the pretence of the Prophet in this place We haue before saide that this was not onely séene in the person of Iesus Christ but also in his Gospel For how was Iesus Christ known and what obedience did the world yéeld him wheÌ„ the Gospell was preached We sée that they vnto whoÌ„ the greatest authoritie was giuen did not only scorne condemne men but also beat them and scourged them and in the ende put them to most shamefull death And therfore since it is so Let vs ouercome all such offences and being armed as the Prophet héere speaketh of Let vs consider to what ende it was that our Lord
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
we to prouoke him against vs vnto whom all maiestie power glory and dominion is giuen to cast down euen into the pit of hell as many as resist him Now if wée throughly cōsidered of this without doubt we would kéepe so good a hand of our selues as that all the fleshly lustes and temptations of the world should neuer bée able to preuaile against vs. Saint Paule also meant to make a comparison betwixt the first comming of our Lorde Iesus Christe and the second Why then doe the wicked and vngodly contemners of the Gospell so boldly lift vp themselues as that they become dissolute and starke staring mad Surely it is because they heare that while Iesus Christe was héere on earth hée tooke vpon him the state of a seruant Phil. 2.7 yea and abased himselfe and Saint Paule saith euen vnto this most shamefull and slaunderous death And because the enimies of God vnderstand such an infirmitie to bée in Iesus Christ they take vpon them to speak thus wickedly and furiously of him as we sée it is euen so howbeit they sée not that as hée suffered as hée was man that hée likewise rose againe through the power of his spirite For hée then in such sort shewed foorth his glory as that both great and small ought to tremble thereat 2. Cor. 13.4 But if these faithlesse people are not able to vnderstand the power that appeared in the resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christe let them giue eare to that which is héere spoken to wit that hée will come in glory For in his first comming hée appeared contemptible because hée woulde shewe him selfe obedient in our behalfes for that hée was to make satisfaction for our sinnes But at his seconde comming hée will come to bée our iudge Hée was iudged and condemned that wée might bée deliuered from the iudgement seate of God and bée pardoned of all our sinnes Then will hée not questionlesse come in such humble sort but will come with his angels in glory And this is the meaning which Saint Paule woulde haue vs note to the ende the wicked and faithlesse might not take occasion to contemn this his last comming vnder colour the Iesus Christe once appeared as hée was man like vnto vs and was made like vnto a worme of the earth as it is saide in the Psalme and as Isaiah sayeth hée was disfigured from toppe to toe all to wounded and that for our redemption For since hee accomplished that which the iustice of God required there remayned nothing but that hee shoulde shewe himselfe in this glory which was appointed for him For wée knowe as Saint Paule sayeth That hée hath giuen him a name aboue all names Phil. 2.9 that al the Creatures in Heauen Earth and Hell should bowe vnto him that euery thing shoulde tremble at his excellent Maiestie which also the despisers of his Gospell shoulde well know to their paine though late first Thus wee see what the Apostle Saint Paul his pretense is when hee sayeth That his comming shall bee fearefull Let vs also eftsoones mark that which followeth That he shall come to appeare meruellous and to be glorified in his Saintes Now it is not for nothing that Saint Paule setteth downe this saying for what are wee that wée shoulde be able to abide the presence of the Sonne of God whenas hee shall come in flambing fier And therefore when hee shall come with an incomprehensible power Alas must not we néedes melt before him as Snowe before the Sunne and come to nothing Loe howe we shoulde bee caste downe whenas wée doe but onely heare the heauenly glory of Iesus Christe spoken of But Saint Paule sheweth vs that if wée bee of the faithfull sorte that we must not be afraide at the appearing of our Lorde Iesus Christe neither yet waxe sorowfull and melancholike at the brightnesse of his Maiestie And why so Because sayeth hée hee will bee glorified and made wonderfull in his Saintes As if he shoulde haue saide that the mention which he before made of the flambing fier and of the horror and feare was not to discourage the faithfull ones as though they desired not the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ and as though they helde not vp their heads as often as they hearde it spoken of because hée shall come to redéeme them And this is a doctrine which is very common in the holy Scriptures to wit that our Lord ioyneth these two thinges together That hee will come to be reuenged of his enimies and to deliuer his people that hee will come to saue al those that haue serued and honored him and to cast downe and confounde all those who haue hardened them selues againste him and his worde Let vs nowe then kéepe in minde that this terrible description which héere before hath béene set downe is not to make vs sorowfull and melancholike But rather to make vs ioyfull and glad whenas wée sée what loue and fauour God beareth vs. Beholde our Lorde Iesus Christe will come and that terribly And wherfore will hée do so Forsooth euen to throwe downe headlong all his enimies and to take vengeance of al the shames and afflictions which we haue abidden How so I beséech you Are wee worthie that the Sonne of God should powre out his Maiestie shewe himselfe so terribly against all his creatures for our causes No without doubt But yet will hée doe so forsomuch as he loueth vs This then is it which I haue alreadie said that we might be comforted when as we heare it saide That the Sonne of God will come so horribly and fearefully For herein he effectually sheweth the infinite loue hee beareth vs in that hee spareth not his power and Maiestie to take vengeance of all the wrongs which haue béene done to vs. Neuerthelesse we shall neuer be able to féele the sauour of it without this thing be obserued which Saint Paule namely setteth downe in this place to wit that our Lorde Iesus Christ will not come to be onely reuenged of his enemies and of all such as haue been enimies vnto his Gospel but also To bee glorified and made wonderfull in his saints and in those which haue beleeued Nowe whenas Sainte Paul did set downe this it is asmuch as if he had saide that hee would come to make vs partakers of his glory That whatsoeuer is in him worthie reuerence and honor all that I say shall be communicated vnto vs. To be short S. Paule saieth That our Lorde Iesus Christ shall not come him selfe alone and kéepe his glorie to him selfe but to the end it might be poured out vpon all the members of his bodie And for this cause we sée it is saide in the Collossians That our life lyeth nowe hid Col. 3. 3. but that it shall appeare at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ And therefore hée shall not come perticulerly for him selfe and for his owne glorie alone but rather that we might be partakers therof and not
with opē mouth to triumph in the death passiō of our Lord Iesus Christ Luke 22.51 in his taking wherof mētion here is made Thus we sée what we haue to remēber in this place héervpō the euāgelist saith that our Lord Iesus healed the seruaunt whom Peter hurte not because he was woorthy to be healed but for the saluing of the offence that was geuen For this had béen a defaming of the doctrine of the Gospel and of the redemption of our Lorde Iesus Christ I call that the redemption of our Lorde Iesus Christ which hee purchased for vs if this hurt had not béen healed so that it might haue béene sayde that hée had withstood the Gouernour of the Countrey and all the Priests and that he kept in that place as it were a standing for théeues robbers And this was to haue darkened all the glory of the sonne of God and to haue made the Gospel for euer to haue béene slandered We sée also that this zeale of Peters was diuelishe For the Diuell went about to make Iesus Christe and all his doctrine to be infamous And héere we sée to what end all our painted deuotiō tendeth whē we wil serue God as pleaseth our selues euery mā take leaue to doe whatsoeuer he thinketh best in his owne eyes Wherfore Iesus Christ ment to take away this offence to the end hée would not haue his doctrine to bée slaundered Howbéeit wée may héere sée the abhominable vnthankfulnesse of such as are not mooued by suche a myracle For behold the Souldiers who came to manacle our Lorde Iesus Christ sée what a number of wayes the power of the Spirite of GOD wrought in him For but a little before he had with a woord of his mouth made them turne backe and by and by hée healeth a man who hadd his eare cutte of and yet all this did them no good Wée see then that when the Deuil hath once bewitched vs and bleared our eyes that neyther the graces of GOD nor yet all his power can touch vs but that we will followe and goe on in our furie and rage and haue as it were euen a swines snowte to roote in euerie thing and let God say and doe what he please yet will we continually remayne obstinate which is an horrible thing And therefore we are to beséeche the Lorde to graunt vs wisedome that wée may profite by his graces and be brought to loue him and that we may be also touched when he lifteth vp his hand to shew vs that he is our iudge so that we be not afeard to return vnto him in true repentance And this is in effect the thing that we are to learne hereby But howe euer it was our Lorde Iesus Christ stopped the mouthes of the vngodly when as hee had healed Cayphas seruant Herevpon it is saide that Iesus was led to Cayphas house and was there examined to the ende Iohn 18.13 Nowe for the making shorte of the matter wée wil not speake of that which Saint Iohn writeth of Annas who was Cayphas father in lawe and it may bée that Iesus Christ was led thither for honours sake or els because the way so serued hoping that all were there assembled Well Iesus was ledde to Cayphas house and there examined And it is namely sayde That the high Priestes sought false witnesse against him but they founde none And in the ende That there came twoo false witnesses and sayd That he saide he woulde buylde vp the temple agayne in thrée dayes héere wée say that our Lorde Iesus was charged not that the high priests were moued with any zeale as many times they which persecute innocentes thinke they doe God high seruice for in very déede wée see how Saint Paule was driuen with such a fury 1. Tim. 1.13 as that hée was like vnto a théefe for so he calleth himselfe who wasted and spoyled euery where and yet thought himself to be a very zealous man But it fared not so with Cayphas and his company For what was it that they sought but onely vniustly to ouerthrowe Iesus Christ And thus wée see that it was very ambytion that draue them manifestly to stande agaynst God which is a most horrible thing For Cayphas and all his company were the children of Leui euen an holy Tribe which GOD himselfe had chosen and not menne for God had so appoynted yt by his Lawe In very déede there was a villanous and horrible corruption amongest them because the priesthood was bought at those dayes and whereas it should haue béene an office for tearme of life as God had ordayned it euerye one circumuented his fellow and whosoeuer brought the greatest summe of mony carried away this dignitie Now this was a villanous and detestable corruption that they woulde make them selues lyke vnto théeues and vnlawfull dealers in so holy and honorable an estate neuer the lesse the Priest alwayes continued in the tribe of Leui which God had consecrated to doe him seruice And yet we sée that they became all the enemies of God Satan had made them all drunke yea they were all starke madd against the redéemer of the world who was the ende of the law Let vs therefore héereuppon note that they whiche are in dignitie and in high degrée will not at all times so faithfully doo their duties but that they had néede beware of themselues euen as of those which might become the enemies of God And héerein wee may sée the ouer grosse folly of the Papistes when they rest vpon this title and dignitie of priesthood For put the case that God had commaunded there should be a Pope which neuer was commaunded and that his seat should be at Rome which is yet a lesse matter howbeit if all this were true yet wée sée that in the person of Cayphas and his like as many as haue bene aduaunced to honor may abuse their power and authoritie And therfore let not vs be so foolish as to occupie our heades about maskes neither yet let God lose his authoritie when soeuer any honorable title is geuen vs as we sée the Papists doo when as they forsake all the holy scripture reuerence their idoles Let vs learne then not to lessen the glory of God vnder the coulor of any worldly dignity but let him haue all his soueraigne dominion Psal 118.22 And thus much for this point And as for any offence which we may conceiue in our owne fantasies let vs marke that which is saide in the Psalme as also our Lord Iesus Christ hath before alleaged That hée is the corner stone which the builders forsooke Mat. 21.42 And who were they that were the builders of the house and Church of God forsooth the Priests for it is they that should indéede discharge them selues of that office yet they forsooke the head corner stone which god had laid And although this stone was refused yet was it laide in the chiefe place of the building that
vs now then because our Lord Iesus held his peace he dyd it to this ende that he might now fréely make intercession for vs vnto God his father and although we are but miserable wormes yet haue we accesse to God to call famyliarly vpō him which open mouth to chalenge him for our father And this is it which he ment to shew vs saying Heereafter shall you see the son of man sitting at the right hand of the power of God We must therfore let slip all regard which might bring with it any offence when as we sée our Lorde Iesus to be thus abased And let vs also sée what the ende of it was His meaning then was to bee condemned without resistaunce before the iudgment seat of God that we might frankly go thither without feare Let vs therefore in summe learne that as often as we heare the passion of the history recited vnto vs so to sigh and grone since the sonne of God must néedes so wonderfully suffer for vs as that in the meane while we tremble at his maiestie vntill such time as he appeareth vnto vs and be so fully resolued that when soeuer he shal come it shal make vs effectually to féele the frute which he hath purchased vnto vs by his death and passion And besids let vs feare to be of the number of such as he thus threatneth saying Heereafter shall you see For it is méete that the wicked and reprobate should féele how terrible the iudgement seat of God is and how great his power is to throw them headlong into hell when as he setteth him selfe against them And when Saint Paul also wil speake of the condemnatiō which the wicked cursed of God shal abide he saith that they shal tremble feare at the countenaunce of his infinite maiestie Since thē it is so let vs learne to humble our selues before our Lord Iesus 2. Thes 1.9 let vs not looke to beholde with the eye the maiestie which he wyll shew at his last comming but let vs looke vpon him at this day as our King and as he is head of the Angelles and of all creatures and receiue him as our souereigne Prince giuing vnto him that honour which to him belongeth knowing that since he is made our wisdome redemption rightuousnesse and holinesse in God his father that to him wee must giue all praise 1. Cor. 30. and be filled with the fulnesse which we must draw out of him And therfore let vs be well aduised to doo this honour vnto our Lord Iesus Christ although we sée not at this day his iudgment seat set vp but let vs beholde it with the eyes of faith and beséeche God to inlightē vs with his holy spirite that we may be strengthened to call vpon him in the last hour so that it may carye vs beyonde all our wittes and vnderstandings that we might so glorifie our Lorde Iesus Christ at this day as he deserueth And this is the effect which we are to kéepe in minde But as concerning that which is sayde that Cayphas and the Priestes condemned him to death let vs learne not to feare the obstinate bouldnesse of the vngodlye and enemies of the trueth Now this is a very necessary doctrine for vs at this day for wee sée the mightie men of this world with open mouth speake euill of the Gospell yea we sée some euen amidst vs which professe the Gospel and would be taken for people reformed and from whom as it should séeme there commeth nothing els out of their mouths but the Gospell who notwithstanding lyke Deuilles incarnate or rather lyke wylde and cruell beastes whom Satan possesseth do condemne the doctrine of the Gospell And we néede not go verie far to sée al these things Wherfore that we might be strengthned against such offences and learne alwaies to glorifie our God Let Cayphas and such lyke vomit out their blasphemies as much as they lust and say that Iesus Christ is worthy of death must hold his peace at such a poynt because it is naught And let them also infect the ayre with their villanous and damnable blasphemies neuer so much yet let vs hold vs to this saying of our Lord Iesus Christ that although we at this day so falsely condemne his trueth and stand in doubt of it and that it be also falsified euill spoken of and turned cleane contrary to the meaning thereof yet is he strong and mightie inough to defende it and let vs paciently looke for his apparaunce for our redemption And in the meane while let vs al learne to humble our selues giue hym all the glory since it was his wyll so to abase him selfe and to make him selfe of no reputation in the world for our saluation Let vs now fall downe before the maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him to cause vs more more so to féele them as that wee may bee brought with true confession to séeke for the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ as behoueth vs to doo come vnto hym lyke famished hungry soules make accompt that the benefits which he hath purchased for vs are not to be valued to the end to make vs féele our selues to bee so much the more bound vnto him that we might thereby be stirred vp to giue our selues wholy to worship him and be displeased with our sins iniquities vntil such time as we be euen ashamed of them and that God hath mercy compassion vpon vs and not suffer vs when we are once come vnto hym neuer to forsake hym but to be more and more confirmed towardes him and not to care for what soeuer offences the Deuil shal lay before vs and that we might in such sort perseuer vnto the ende in the confession of his Gospell as that our Lorde Iesus Christ might acknowledge and allow vs at the latter day for his Schollers Now that it would not onely please hym to bestow vpon vs this grace c. The fourth Sermon of the passion Matthew Cap. xxvi 67 Then spatte they in his face and buffeted him and other smot him with their roddes 68 Saying prophesie vnto vs O Christ who is he that smote thee 69 Peter sate without in the hall and a Mayde came vnto hym sayinge thou also waste with Iesus of Galyle 70 But hee denied before them all sayinge I woat not what thou sayest 71 And when he went out into the Porche another Mayde saw hym and sayde vnto them that were there this man was also with Iesus of Nazareth 72 And againe he denied with an othe sayinge I knowe not the man 73 So after a while came vnto him they that stood by and sayd vnto Peter Surely thou art also one of them for euen thy speach bewraieth thee 74 Then began he to curse himselfe and to sweare sayinge I knowe not the man and immediatlye the Cocke crew 75 Then Peter remembred the wordes of Iesus whiche had sayde vnto
but miserable wretched caâ—tifes yet let vs not for all that cease to reioyce in God by reason of the tast which he giueth vs by faith of the heauenly glory enheritance which hée hath so dearely purchased for vs from the which we cannot be put if we hope for it Let vs now fall downe before the maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offeÌ„ces beséeching him to make vs more more to féele the gréeuousnes of them to be so touched with theÌ„ as that our repentance might continually be mightiller coÌ„firmed that we might grone for them and so walk in the feare of our God as that he might be glorified by vs to the end we might shew wherfore hée hath redéemed vs and learne to consecrate our selues in all puritie to him and to this great Sauiour who hath sanctified him selfe that we might also be pertakers of his holinesse And that it would please him to poure the graces of his holie spirite vpon vs that by the same meanes wée might be cleansed of all the infirmities and corruptions of our flesh That hée would not onely graunt vs this grace but vnto all people c. The seuenth Sermon of the passion Matthew xxvii 45 ANd from the sixt houre there was darknesse ouer all the lande vnto the nineth houre 46 And about the ninth houre Iesus cryed out with a loude voice saying Eli Eli Lamasabachthani That is to say My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee 47 Then some of them which stood there when they heard that saide This man calleth for Elias 48 And by and by one of them ranne and tooke a spoonge and when hee had filled it full of vineger and put it on a reede hee gaue him to drinke 49 The rest saide Let bee Let vs see whether Elias will come to saue him 50 When Iesus had cryed againe with a loude voice hee yeelded vp the Ghost 51 And behold the vayle of the Temple was rent in two peeces from the toppe to the bottome and the earth did quake and the stones rent 52 And graues were opened and many bodies of Saintes which slept arose 53 And after they were come out of the graues after his resurrection came into the holie Citie and appeared vnto many 54 When the Centurion and they that were with him who watched Iesus sawe the Earth quake and the thinges that were done they feared greatly saying Truely this was the Sonne of God WE saw and heard yesterday that al the scorners and blasphemers of the Maiestie of God were no wayes able to hinder and let that the death passion of our lord Iesus should not bring foorth and manifest the power force thereof euen amiddest the most horrible coÌ„temners and vnthankful people of the world For marke and beholde that notwithstanding the hornorablest of the Iewes chiefliest scorned the sonne of God yet had hée compassion of the poore and miserable théefe and graunted him euerlasting life And therefore no man ought to darken and lessen the glorie of the Sonne of God Nowe if any man alledge say that the state of the miserable théefe is not to be compared with the chiefe Gouernours of the Church being the Priestly trybe whom God had chosen for the teaching of the lawe it is out of all doubt that when we speake of the saluation which God of his fré mercy purchased for vs we must not looke for any worthinesse that is to be founde in vs But rather agrée to that saying of Saint Paule 1. Tim. 1.13 That this is a true doctrine that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners And therefore when wée consider of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ it is méete that all men should yéeld and confesse them selues to be most miserable and shameful to the end God might poure vpon them by that meanes the treasures of his mercy without any other regard to helpe vs saue that he seeth vs most miserably to be plunged ouer head and eares And because that this théefe was a most abiect man and that God had so sodeinly called him yet séeing the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ which hée suffred for all mankinde was auaileable vnto him the same should a great deale the rather confirme vs. Wherefore it is out of all question that God here thrusteth out his hand as it were to all those who thinke them selues worthie thereof and deserue it or at the least to such as the common people thought the most excellent But when hée pulleth damned soules out of the pyt of hell and when hée sheweth himselfe merciful vnto those who were vtterly voide of all hope of life herein shyneth his wonderful goodnes And this is it which giueth vs an entrance into saluation for although hypocrites confesse that they are greatly beholden vnto God for his grace and fauour yet shut they the gate vpon them selues by reason of their arrogancy for their pride is such as that they cannot submit them selues vnto our Lord Iesus Christ And therfore let vs in the first place be fully resolued that Iesus Christ calleth vnto him miserable sinners which are ashamed of themselues stretcheth out his armes to receiue them For if this be not in vs we shal neuer haue the heart to come vnto him But when we shal be throughly persuaded that hée purchased saluation for those who would acknowledge and submit theÌ„selues to be most miserable and wretched sinners and be vtterly ashamed coÌ„fesse their giltines as in déed they ought before the iudgement seate of God let vs be well assured that we shal soone attain to be partakers of the righteousnes which is héere offred vs which is the obteining of fauour and grace at the handes of God Now héere vpon followeth That from the sixt houre vnto the nineth there was darknesse ouer all the lande Hée speaketh thus cleane contrary to our common maner of spéech for wee woulde say from six houres to nine houres But the Euangelist hath followed the ordinary maner of spéech that was then vsed For wheÌ„ he speaketh of the third houre hée meaneth not at thrée of the clocke but the fore part of the day And here in summe are two things to be considered of The one is that they counted the houres otherwise then we doe at this day for they reckoned the day to beginne from the Sunne rising vnto the going downe which was twelue houres where we take the day to be foure and twentie houres accounting from midnight vntill midnight folowing And therfore the clocks were to be set in such sort as that the houres in Sommer shoulde not be longer then they were in Winter and as the dayes were longer or shorter euen so were the houres longer or shorter The other point is this They deuided the day into foure partes quartered it froÌ„ thrée houres to thrée houres calling euery quarter by the beginning of the first houre Insomuch that the time
had forsaken him For it were too too blockish and foolish a thing to say that our Lorde Iesus Christ was not sore tormented and vexed in heart but that hée simplie saide They thinke that I am forsaken Nowe this declareth that they which séeke after suche gloses are not onely ignorant but also verie blockheades and doltes and cease not besides to barke and blaspheme lyke Mastife Curres against the Maiestie of God And as many as thus say without doubt there is no more religion in them then in dogges and bruit beastes for they know not how dearely the sonne of God paide for their saluation And that which is worse they mocke them selues like villaines as they are Therfore we must absolutely conclude that when our Lord Iesus was brought to this extremitie and torment he cryed out with a loude voice yea like vnto those which are in most terrible panges My God my God why hast thou forsaken mée And in déed we haue before said that we had but a cold pull as we say by the storie of his death if we cōsidered not of the obedience which he yéelded vnto God his Father Thus we sée what the principall point is that we should looke vnto when as we would be assured of our saluation which is that if we haue committed many offences rebellions and iniquities against God that all shal be buried because our Lord Iesus hath by his obedience iustified vs made vs acceptable with God his Father Now wherin consisteth this obedience but that Christ Iesus although he suffred a cruel terrible death yet was contented to yéeld himself vnto it For if he had felt no hardnesse nor striuing in it his obedience had béen nothing But inasmuch as our Lorde Iesus abhorred death by nature yea and that it was a fearefull thing to appeare before the iudgement seate of God in the behalf of all wretched sinners for he stood foorth there to beare all our burthens and yet for all that was contented to humble himselfe to be thus condemned for vs Let vs acknowledge his perfect obedience and therein we haue verie good matter to glorie Hebr. 5.7 8. as the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews saith That the feare of our Lorde Iesus Christ was heard But howeuer it was it was méet that hée should suffer and abide so hard weighty a cause yea cleane against all worldly affection and desire And therefore it behooued that God his Father should so acquaint him with it to the ende as hée saith his obedience might be knowne Wée sée then that the Apostle namely specifieth that it must néedes bée that our Lorde Iesus shoulde bée wonderfully afeard for els wée shoulde neuer haue knowne what this sacrifice had béene worth Act. 2.24 by which wée are reconcyled And S. Peter also sheweth that our lord Iesus Christ suffred both in body and soule whē as he saith that he straue a gainst the sorrowes of death In very déed the scripture oftentimes telleth that we are redéemed by the blood of Iesus Christ because he offered vp his bodie for a Sacrifice wée also sée why it is said that his flesh is spiritual meate drinke Iohn 6.55 but it is so spoken by reason of our grosenesse And because wée are canally minded the holy Ghost sendeth vs backe vnto that that is visibly to be perceiued in the death of Iesus Christ that by it wee might haue an assured pawne of our saluation And yet this taketh not away the thing that is shewed vs out of other places neyther doeth it derogate from this poynt that the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ had serued to no purpose for the blotting out of the iniquities of the world without he had obeyed yea euen to the submitting of himselfe vnto so terrible a death neither obeyed hée as I haue before said like one that was without féeling vnderstāding For although he was to abide maruellous terrible feares and extremities yet for al that he preferred our saluation before al other respects whatsoeuer Thus wee sée what it is that wee are to obserue in this place to witte that the Sonne of GOD hath not onely suffered in body so cruel tormentrous a death as already hath byn séene but was also touched to the quicke whenas he was to abide suche horrible assaultes as if God had forsaken him For to say the truth as he tooke vpon him our causes as hath béene saide it must also néedes be that hee must féele the condemnation which was due for wretched sinners For by our sinnes we are as people estranged from God and therfore he must néedes leaue vs that we might vnderstand that he taketh vs for castawayes Here then we sée what the estate condition of sinners is And this is out of all doubte that GOD the Father neuer forsooke Iesus Christe yet notwithstanding it must néedes bée that hée shoulde suffer those paynes and that hée shoulde valiauntly resist them to the ende the benefite of the victory might at this day redounde to vs. Wée haue therefore to vnderstande that when our Lorde Iesus was driuen to this extremitie as if GOD his Father hadde cutte all hope of lyfe cleane from him it was as wée haue sayde because hée suffered the curse of our sinnes in his owne bodie whiche were the cause that separated vs from the Maiesty of God For wherein haue wée any felicity except we bée quickened by the grace of GOD and enlightened with his brightnesse For hée is the verie fountaine of all life and blessednesse our sinnes make a great separation betwéene him and vs. And therefore it was méete that Christ Iesus should féele this Nowe let vs come to that that may be saide Is it possible that Iesus Christ should be so fearefully troubled séeing hée was perfection it selfe For this séemeth to derogate from the Faith which he ought to haue had and whatsoeuer we ought to beléeue of him which is that he was without spot of sin Now this matter is soone answered For when Satan tempted him it must néedes fall out that hée should be so taken as to be set vpon the toppe of a pynacle and according to mans nature Mat. 4.5 be subiect to such an illusion and yet this no whit empaired his diuine power But we haue rather occasion to magnifie his mercy and goodnesse to vs warde forsomuch as he so abased himselfe to saue vs. It is eftsoones said that he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsakē me In the first place it is most certaine that Iesus Christ inasmuch as he was God could haue no such conceit No But vntill such time as it fell out that his Godhead must giue place to the death which hee must suffer And thus we sée that the power of our Lord Iesus Christ lay as it were hid for a time vntill hée had made an end of whatsoeuer was requisite for our redemption But nowe in
Iesus came to stop the mouthes that is to say to make men astonied that they shoulde not be able to reply as we sée the Ganderlike gagling and iangling Infidelles and faithlesse doe Now it is true that there is such dealing and they cannot come to honour our Lorde Iesus Christ because as they thinke they haue some reason to say to the contrary Howbeit we are héere told that if wée did consider wherfore it was that our Lorde Iesus came and what the ende and fruite of his death and passion which hée suffered for vs was that then our mouthes shoulde bée stopped For when the Scripture speaketh after this sort it bringeth vs to a consideration of the sure established and setled woorkes of God For so long as our mouthes are open as I haue alreadie saide wée will enter into the cause and so reason as that God shall bee shut cleane out of the doores and whatsoeuer hée hath done shall be naught set by But when it is saide that euerie mouth shall holde it peace and be silent before the Lorde this sheweth that all our reasons should bée daunted and emprisoned yea euen to bridle our tongues that we might quietly cōfesse that God is to be glorified in the person of his onely Sonne And if this be saide of Princes what shall the common people doe Wée are therefore throughly to consider of the order which the Prophet héere setteth downe For hée giueth vs this animaduersion or warning that our Lorde Iesus Christ must be as it were vgly and yll fauoured and be refused of the worlde Wherefore since the holy Ghost thus warneth vs Let vs not thinke it straunge nor yet bée carelesse to embrase him with a liuely faith although his Crosse which is a detestable Gallow trée in the sight of men might withdraw vs and altogether estraunge vs from him yet let not vs bée slacke in séeking after our whole glorie to wit in Iesus Christ crucified Moreouer let vs not stay our selues vpō his suffring wherby we might conceiue a great shame in him whervnto he willingly submitted himselfe for vs But let vs ioyne his resurrection and his death together and vnderstand that although he was crucified yet that hée sitteth as Lieftenant to God his Father exercising the most excellent gouernment hauing all power giuen him aswell in heauen as in earth And here we sée why it is said that he shall bée exalted In verie déed that he was lifted vp exalted vnto the gallowes was in the sight of men a shamefull thing howbeit he mocked and beguiled the Deuil set himself against all the world in saying that hée should be liuely exalted and when he was put to this shame that euery mans tongue walked vomited out their blasphemies villainies against him yet sitteth hée in his throne as we haue alredie declared out of the place of S. Paule Colos 2. 15. And in an other place hée namely saieth that the Crosse although it was before time a Gallowes full of shame was now as it were a Charyot of tryumph and that Iesus Christ hath not only ouercome the Deuill therein but also hath shewed that we might nowe glorifie our selues forsomuch as we are freed from all condemnation that sinne hath no more power ouer vs and that al the deuils in hel are altogether cut off from all kinde of pretense whatsoeuer against vs. We sée then in summe that we must ascend vp by fayth vnto the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ to the ende we might not be ashamed to séeke for our saluatiō in his Crosse our blessing in his curse our life in his death our glory in his shame and our ioy in his anguishes out of which came water and blood And this is the summe which we haue to consider of in this place Luk. 22.44 Nowe the Prophet namely saith That he will bedeaw or sprinkle In very déede this saying by a similitude signifieth also to speake fayre But when we shall consider better of the matter we shall finde that the naturall meaning of the Prophet in these wordes That Iesus Christ shall bedeaw all nations is this to wit that although hée be a dry and fruitlesse blocke yet shall all the worlde be bedeawed through his power and vertue To be short he sheweth that God wil work after an incomprehensible maner and that the Iewes should not looke for any worldly helpe but beleeue that God will surpasse all mens thoughtes and imaginations For when we are told of myracles our sences must needes fayle vs and when we are tolde of misteries that is to say secrets we must vnderstand that we are not sufficient Iudges nor Arbiters or dayes men to say it must néedes be so But let vs worship the thing that cannot sinke into our brayne nor which we cannot finde out the reason of And thus much we haue in summe to consider of Now this admonition apperteineth to vs for as I haue alredie saide we should abide to be bedewed with our Lord Iesus Christ and although he hath appeared to be as one that were fruitlesse and that there can be nothing found in him worthy reputation yet when hée shall offer himself vnto vs and come néere vs let vs not thrust him back through misbeliefe but rather giue him frée accesse through fayth And this is in summe the thing which we are to learne out of this doctrine of the Prophet Moreouer hée saieth that all the world shall be bedeawed with our Lord Iesus Christ to wit by the preaching of the Gospell For they saieth hée who neuer heard any speech of him shall heare of him and they which neuer vnderstood shall vnderstand of him Héere the Prophet amplifieth his purpose shewing that God the Father would send our Lorde Iesus Christ not onely to bée a Sauiour vnto the Iewes although hée was liuely promised vnto them but also vnto the whole world Now to proue the meaning of the Prophet to be thus Rom. 15.21 S. Paul himself saith as much in his Epistle to the Romans applying this saying vnto his being sent into straunge countries hauing trauelled here and there filling all nations with the Gospell in such places as God was neuer spoken of preaching not only vnto the Iewes but also vnto the Gentiles Thus we sée the drift of the Prophete and this place ought to bée as a keye to open vnto vs the kingdome God For if Iesus Christ had not béene promised but onely to the ligne of Abraham what had wée béene the better for him For although hée was a Sauiour and Redéemer yet is this nothing to vs we haue neither part nor portion herein But because it was tolde of so long time before hée was sent that hée should bedeaw all people Forsooth because that they which neuer before vnderstood might vnderstand and that they to whom it was neuer before told might heare Let vs vnderstande that our God had adopted vs when as Iesus Christ
aydeth vs. Rom. 5. 4. Thus we sée that although God deliuereth vs not foorthwith yet leaueth he not vs euer languishing For so long as we are able to say that we haue life God promiseth to assist vs against all assalts and to deliuer vs howbeit we must warre against all the temptatioÌ„s of our flesh so long as we are in this world That is very true But if we looke into the shortnes of our life shal we finde it to be of any long continuance No 2. Pet. 3.8 For a thousand yeares are as but one day with God If we coÌ„sider theÌ„ of this it wil be no charge vnto vs to abide it all our life long Let vs now sée wherefore hée said that it should be within a short time after And so let vs learne to make our profit vpon this place which is not onely to vnderstand that Iesus Christ spake it to his Apostles but that it was also spoken to vs. True it is that we receiue not the holy Ghost in a firie maner and yet this office was not giuen to Iesus Christ in vaine and we haue also the power thereof neither hath hée taken Baptisme a way with him But euen as hée hath left vs the signe so likewise is it eftsoones a manifest proofe that he will alwayes bée present with vs to make this Sacrament availeable vnto vs by his holie spirite And we must also acknowledge that we are altogether polluted to the ende we might goe to Iesus Christ and bée made cleane by him In déed this counsell would neuer come from our selues and therefore must God by the admonitions which he hath set downe for that purpose bring vs to Iesus Christ for the finding out of the trueth of Baptisme And let vs noâ— be 〈◊〉 foolish as to thinke that any creature is able to helpe vs But let vs goe directly on to Iesus Christ and acknowledge him to be wholy ours Surely when it is saide That he baptizeth although we sée him to be far froÌ„ vs aduanced vnto this excelleÌ„t maiesty aboue al other creatures a man would thinke that this might bée an occâ—sion for vs to mistrust but because hée is our brother wée haue a ready way to come vnto him Let vs therefore beléeue that hée will stand to his promise and that whatsoeuer hée hath said is vndoubtedly true and besides that it will not bée long too Wherefore when wée haue abidden a day let vs also bée ready to tarrie a moneth and looke vnto that euerlasting kingdome and so without doubt wée shall not onely steppe for ward but also continue to goe on vntil such time as wée haue attained vnto the marke which is set before vs. And according to this doctrine let vs fall downe before the face of our good God and beséech him not to punishe vs for our sinful life past but so renue vs with his holy spirit as that we cease not marching on vntil such time as we be come vnto this glorie wherof he hath already giuen vs some taste and féeling And so let vs say O Almighty God and heauenly Father c. The third Sermon of the Ascention Actes first 6 VVHen they therefore were come together they asked of him saying Lorde wilte thou at this time restore the kingdome of Israel 7 And hee saide vnto them it is not for you to knowe the times and the seasons which the father hath put in his owne power 8 But yee shall receyue power after that the holy Ghost is come vpon you and yee shal bee witnesses vnto mee both in Hierusalem in all Iurie and in Samaria and euen vnto the worldes ende IF wée could enter into the consideration of our weakenesse whenas God forsaketh vs we should doe our selues greate good Nowe vnder this woorde weaknesse I meane all our vices and imperfections as very féeble thinges and easily to bée ouercome with euery temptation according to the corruption and peruersenesse of our grose wits and mindes Wherefore whenas wée shal haue déepely considered of these thinges wée must pray vnto God and beséech him to haue an eye to the remedying of all the miseries wherunto wée are subiect Thus we sée I say how wée shal greatly profite our selues by the consideration of these things We haue therfore to note the matter which Saint Luke setteth downe héere in this place because hée declareth how grosse mynded the Apostles were hauing béen taught by the space of thrée whole yéeres from the mouth of our Lorde Iesus Christ all whatsoeuer belonged to their saluation Héere then wée sée that they are like vnto young Schollers as if they had neuer vnderstood one woord of that which was taught them And what is the reason Forsooth wée should bée continually vnable to any goodnesse without GOD shoulde firste correct this ignoraunce which is a thing that ought greatly to humble vs. And therefore wée must vnderstand that our hearing of whatsoeuer is saide vnto vs will bée to no purpose and that because it is spoken as vnto a Blocke vntil such time as God taketh away the grosnesse of our corrupt nature for els wée shall neuer vnderstand what hée saith vnto vs by reason his woord is farre beyong our reach Neither néed wée any other proofe to coÌ„demne the ignorance of the Apostles theÌ„ their own words For the questioÌ„ which they asked Iesus Christ was foolish of no valure but only a superfluous curiosity whenas they saide vnto him wilt thou at this time restore the kingdoÌ„ of Israel now by saying at this time they declared that they would eueÌ„ at the first dash haue come to honor without any more paynes taking whereas they were called to take paines for the plaÌ„ting of the gospel throughout the world they wold in no wise away with that but be forth with filled with al maner of prosperity with was a double fault besides wheÌ„ they spake of the Kingdome they â—ayled also in that For they thought our Lorde Iesus Christ should haue béen an earthly King and reigne after the manner of worldly Princes and so they being neare about him should take no paine nor haue any harme but liue honourably with great offices and in high dignitie And they fayled also in naming of Israel because they restrained the grace of God to Israel which hée had promised to all the world Thus we sée that they spake neuer a word which was not false and erronious Moreouer Iesus Christ reproued them with the answere which hée made them and although hée saide not flatly you are deceiued yet the wordes which hée vsed declare no lesse but that hée spake them to their reproofe when as hée saide It is not for you to know the times and the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power hée reproued them of this fonde curiositie for where they shoulde haue enquired after some necessarie or profitable matter their mindes roued at curious thinges and of no valure Howbéeit we must
right hand of God his Father he might gouerne the worlde and so gouerneth it as that he alwayes assisteth his faithfull ones and hath a special care ouer them Now if Iesus Christ had continually abode with vs ouer and besides that we had béen more giuen to superstition hée had not had the power to haue had all thinges vnder his subiection In déede hée might haue had it But we speake not nowe of him but according to that order which hée hath set downe in his Gospell And to say the trueth it were a foolishe kinde of reasoning to say that otherwise hee had not béen able to haue done either this thing or that because his power is infinite But yet he saide after his resurrection that God had giuen him all power and authoritie and this is also our beliefe Math. 28.18 Mat. 28. 18 That hee sitteth at the right hande of God his Father Almightie What is the meaning héere of this that hée hath a seat and sitteth in it No no But this is it that hée is an assistant vnto God as his Lieuetenaunt For if wée woulde stande before the glorious Maiestie of God we shoulde bée crushed to powder but because wée might come vnto him wée haue for vs there Iesus Christ vnto whom hée hath giuen all thinges in subiection both in heauen and earth And although our Lord Iesus had from eternitie all power yet wée saide not that hée sitteth at the right hande of God vntill such time as we saide that he was ascended into heauen Wée sée then that he had this preheminence ouer all after that he was ascended And héere wee haue to note that the principalitie which Iesus Christe had is for vs because hée hath no néede of it himselfe séeing hée is euerlasting with the Father But what hée is at the right hande of God in our nature And it is to this end that wée might bée assured wée shall take no harme being vnder his protection In very déed hée is wel cōtented that our fleshe shoulde bée troubled and that wée shoulde bée wrapped in many miseries But what then Hee is alwayes ready to stretch foorth his hande to helpe vs and let vs be assured that although wée abide it for a time yet in the ende it shall turne to our benefite This then is it that we must vnderstand when we heare his ascension spoken of Euen so since he is ascended into heauen for vs let vs note that we ought not to feare any thing so long as we are in this world Surely wée are subiect to so many miseries as that it is lamentable to sée our estate for we are more then miserable and yet wee must not be abashed for all that nor yet regarde our owne persons but wée must haue a respect to our head who is alredy in Heauen and saye although I be weake yet beholde Iesus Christ is stronge inough to make mée stand vpright although I be féeble yet loe Iesus Christ is my force and although I bee full of miseries yet is Iesus Christ in immortall glorye and looke what hée hath shall one day be mine and I shall bee partaker of all his benefites Iohn 12.31 Eph. 6. 12 True it is that the Deuill is called the Prince of this worlde but what then yet Iesus Christ keepeth hym short because hée is King both of heauen and earth Beholde the Deuils that are aboue in the ayre who warre against vs but what of al that Iesus Christ reigneth aboue them all and directeth all our fight and therefore we ought not to doubt of victory I am héere subiect to such a number of changes as might euen take a way my courage but what then Beholde the sonne of God is my head in whom there is no chaunge and therefore I must trust to that Thus wee sée what a regarde wée must haue vnto his ascension and make it profitable vnto our selues Let vs now come to the saying of the Angels yee shall see him come downe from heauen euen as you haue seene him goe vp meaning that wée should not looke for him vntill he come to the day of iudgement Now this shoulde not onely plucke all superstition vp by the rootes out of vs but also draw vs to heauen vnto him Howbeit wee haue already saide Col. 3.2 that we must not séeke for him but by Faith And since it is so let vs harken to the saying of Saint Paule to the Collossians Séeing Christ Iesus your head dwelleth in Heauen in whom is all your lyfe it is méete that your affection should bée on thinges aboue although your bodies be héere Wherefore since wée know Iesus Christ to be aboue wée must learne to forsake the world and be vnited to him There is a great space betwixt him and vs therefore it were impossible for vs to be ioyned together except we should vse the meane which S. Paule telleth vs which is to mortefye these earthlye members as Fornication vncleannesse couetousnes gluttonie pride enuy and al such like would we be partakers of this Ascension Then must we not separate our selues frō him But how should we be ioyned vnto him Forsooth wee must mortifie these earthly members and all other thinges that holde vs héere belowe Some are geuen to vncleannesse some to reuenge some to gluttonie and other some to certaine other vices Now then as faith looketh vpward euen so must our affections follow to the end we might forsake the world and al other things whatsoeuer which may any way hinder vs from béeing vnited vnto our head Héere wée sée what is meant by this saying That he will come in such sort as he was seene to goe vp into Heauen to the end wée might learne héereby to ioyne vnto him with al the affections of our heart By this the Angels had no pretence nor colour to speake either of the apparrel of Iesus Christ eyther yet of anie other things as many fantastical braynes doe séeking after things neyther requisite nor yet profitable to saluation But the spéech of the Angels was to this purpose to shew that he would come in visible maner As if they should haue said vnto the Apostles it gréeueth you that your maister is taken from out of your company howbeit let not the gréeue you because you shall sée him come againe in such immortal glorie as yée now sée him Nowe the Papistes haue other pretie childish subtleties saying that their GOD is in their masse and and make such sport with him there euen as they lust Indéed say they it is very true that Iesus Christ wil come visibly and manifestly to iudgement But yet say they at this present he commeth closely and couertly Surely he commeth daylie vnto vs and it is not for nothing that the Scripture saith the GOD visiteth vs and it is also wel said of vs that the Gospel is a testimonie of his presence But let vs marke how it is that hée dwelleth with vs. Indéed S.
strange kinde of excuse And therefore when wée sée that God so liberally dealeth as that hée will neither exclude age nor sexe from receiuing of the holy ghoste are not wée very accursed to withdraw ourselues from him when as hée is desirous to come néere vs And to say the truth the prophesie that is héere spoken of is to be accomplished at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christe Wherfore since he at this day hath all power and dominion it must néedes bée manifested wée must also vnderstand that the thing which was foretolde is most true And therfore since the thing that was spoken of hath so manifestly appeared cursed are we if wée doe not our best to walke in the feare of the Lorde and receiue the graces whiche hee offereth vs. Wée haue alredye saide that hée taketh exceptions too none Howbeit wée are so wicked as that wée cannot take in good part the thing offered vnto vs. What is the cause thereof surely surely our infidelitie Wherefore neither young nor old can excuse themselues of this fault in not submitting themselues vnto the obedience of God séeing hée hath called all thereto Neither is it to be wondered at although they so little profit in this doctrine For if we marke it the elder sort will growe so obstinate and ouer growne in wickednesse as that no exhortation will doe them good And the younger sort are as dissolute as Diuels For if they bée exhorted they waxe so madde as that to any mans thinking they would tread vnder foote both God and his worde and as many as deliuer it Now Iesus Christe who is the wisedome mildenesse and méekenesse of the Father wyl haue nothing to doe with such foxes and Lions And if they be told that they must humble themselues vnder the mightie hand of God to the ende they might vnderstand that they haue a Father in heauen who will not care onely for their bodily nurriture but will also entertaine and gouerne them by his holy spirite they passe not an hawe of al this but take leaue to doe what wickednesse soeuer they lust Now because the time will not serue to procéede any further héerein we will reserue the handeling of the residue vntil Sunday next And sith we cannot be acceptable in the sight of the Lord our God but by the meane of our Lord Iesus Christ let vs fall downe before his maiestie in his name and beséech him so to instruct vs by his holy spirite as that wée may vnderstande that the Prophetes spake by him for our instruction and that we also might learne to benefite our selues so that it might turne to the glory and praise of his holy name and the edifying of our neighbours And so let vs most humbly say O Almighty God and heauenly father c. The third Sermon of the descending of the holie Ghost Actes second 18 ANd surely in those dayes I wil powre out of my spirit vpon my seruants vpon my handmaides and they shall prophesie 19 And I will shewe wonders in heauen aboue and tokens in the earth beneath blood and fire and the vapour of moke 20 The Sunne shal be turned into darknesse and the Moone into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord come 21 And it shall come to passe that whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lorde shall bee saued VPON Sunday last past we declared vnto you howe that at the comming of Iesus Christe God so powred out his great treasures in the worlde as that both men women young and olde were partakers of his grace Now the riches which the Lord God of his bountifull goodnesse so liberally bestowed were no earthly riches which could perish come to naught But euen the holy Ghoste himselfe from whom commeth all the riches and treasure of saluation And besides wée haue shewed that God hath not doone it only for a time but is also redy to continue the same which hée hath spoken yea and at this day he inricheth vs with his graces if the fault be not ours But wee bée so accursed as that wée are voyd of them by reason of our vnthankefulnesse For his liberalitie is as great at this day as euer it was in the time of the Apostles whenas hée sent downe vnto them the holie Ghost euen to make vs partakers of the self same grace which hée liberally bestowed vpon them howbeit wée are so incredulous and faythlesse as that we stoppe that way vpon him by which he would come vnto vs. For when hée calleth vs by his worde to make vs partakers of his holie spirite wée drawe arsewarde so that a man would thinke wée had conspired to set our selues against him And where both olde and young men and women are called to be partakers of this grace and ought to endeuour them selues by all meanes possible to receiue the holie Ghost and more and more to perseuere and continue in receiuing of the same we sée the elder sort to be more hard hearted and obstinate then the rest and the younger people to be giuen ouer to all kinde of lewdnesse so that if they be tolde of their dissolutenesse they wax so madde and furious as that it should séeme they would marre all And when men should be manlyke and sharpe witted to giue diligent héede vnto the word of God they are become as blockish as bruit beastes And where the women also shoulde be humble and walke soberly and honestly they are extreame dissolute and too too gallaunt and full of all superfluous vaine vanities And therefore if nowe we sée not men enioy the graces of the holie Ghost which God here speaketh of that hée will poure out vpon his seruantes and handmaydes it is not because hée hath chaunged any whit his determination and purpose but by reason we will not suffer him to do vs good For when he commeth neare vs we drawe backward Wherefore hée is not the let why we doe not all receiue his graces For the Prophet saieth as wée haue heretofore saide That God will poure out his holie spirite vpon all flesh Hée namely sayeth vpon all flesh which is vpon all people without exception True it is that Iesus Christ was sent vnto the Iewes not onely to pull them from out of the bondage of the Deuill but to make them partakers also of the giftes of the holie Ghost Howbeit wée are at this present gathered altogether into one Church and therfore there remaineth nothing but to shewe the effect of our Christianitie and of the graces which God hath bestowed on vs and thē let vs not doubt but that we shall receiue the giftes of the holie Ghost since it is saide that God hath not poured them out vpon one or two but generally vpon all men Wherefore it is not enough for vs to boast that we are Christians without we shew the effect thereof that it may be knowne that we vainly take not vpon vs this name of Christianitie For
in such sort neither but that he alwayes hath a great prerogatiue ouer his children for it is good reason he should be the head of his Church And to say the trueth the glory which hée communicateth with vs is not derogatorie from his neyther yet is it therby made any whit lesse howbeit we must be transformed as Saint Paule saieth to the Phillippians Phil. 3.21 and where wée are nowe so full of infirmities as is lamentable it cannot be chosen but that our life must be made like vnto the heauenly life of our Lord Iesus Christ And so when Saint Paule spake after that maner hée namely had regarde vnto the state of the faythfull as it is in this worlde For we are noted pointed at with the finger and our tongues pulde out wée sée howe the wicked and vngodly make a iest at the children of God and it is méete we shoulde bée made thus contemtible to the end we might learne to looke for no glorie here in this worlde Howbeit God will when it pleaseth him haue vs exalted aboue them all but his meaning in the mean while is that we should suffer such slaunders and reproches that we might looke vp into heauen and séeke for our triumph and victorie there For to what purpose were it for vs to be glorified and made much of here in this life and to haue God in the meane time to be dishonoured In verie déede the wicked with open mouth make a scorne of God and make no reckoning of them which wil not spit in his Maiesties face And would we then be honoured by them Surely if we should desire it must it not néedes be said that we are too too faint hearted Wherefore according to my first saying that forsomuch as the faithfull are at this present contemned and naught set by and that some laugh them to scorne and other some oppresse them so that their flesh is eaten to the bones and troaden cleane vnder foote therefore the Apostle calleth vs backe vnto the latter day saying That we shall at that tyme appeare wonderfull euen like vnto the Sonne of God him selfe for which cause let not vs feare but that the glorie which he wil giue vs shall so terrefie our enemies as that they shall be made our footstoole according to that saying of the scripture Howbéet Saint Paule here namely setteth downe who they are that must looke to be partakers of the glorie of the Sonne of God Psal 110. and hée declareth the fruites of all those that haue beléeued in these wordes Saintes For hée sheweth that they which are carried away with the pollutions corruptions of this worlde must not looke to haue any parte or portion in this enheritance nor yet be partakers of any thing which belongeth vnto the Sonne of God Neuerthelesse in this saying They which haue beleeued hée sheweth that fayth is the verie right springhead and beginning of all holinesse Thirdly hée sheweth that if our fayth be pure and right that it is impossible but that we must eftsoones be sanctified Thus wée sée thrée pointes which we are to obserue The first is That if we foyle and tumble our selues in our filthinesse and corruptions we are quite cut off from the Sonne of God and therefore let vs not looke to be any whit the better for his comming but call to minde the saying of the Prophet in these wordes Desire not the comming of the day of the Lorde Amos. 5. For it shall be a day of terrour and feare and not of health and ioy For by reason there were in those dayes a great number of hypocrites who cloaked them selues with the name of God the Prophet telleth them that it will cost them deare After the same verie maner shal we sée the most wicked at this day with opeÌ„ mouth and wyde throate say What I beséech you good Syr thinke you that we feare not God and that wée will not be as good Christians as the rest Thus no doubt of it will they say and yet in the meane while a man shall sée nothing in them but wantonnes and all vngodlines and as religious as Dogges and Swine And examine their lyues and we shall finde them altogether disloyall and faythlesse like Foxes full of treason periurie crueltie and bitternesse vnto their neighbours giuen to all kinde of harme and outrage and full of all corruption so that whosoeuer giueth them most they will be sure to be no losers They will kéepe open shop to take of all handes insomuch that they will not onely sell their fayth and credite but their honour and honestie also euen in open sight and will kéepe open fayre and market to vtter all wickednesse To be short they will shewe them selues extreame impudent contemptuous persons and yet forsooth they will not sticke to bragge that they are the frowardest men in all the Church of God and thinke that God will helpe them as if hée were greatly beholden vnto them And therefore as we sée it to be thus at this day euen so the Prophet speaking to those that were in his dayes saith What what kinde of bragges are these that you make of the Lordes comming Why thinke you to receiue any benefite by his comming No no But be assured that it will be a terrible and a most fearefull day to you And so according to my first saying we haue to note out of this place of Saint Paule that if wée would haue the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ auaileable to vs and doe vs good and to be the Redéemer of our saluation wée must learne to consecrate our selues to holinesse of life and to separate our selues from the corruptions of the worlde and the fleshe And thus much for the first point But to the attaining héereof let vs note that we must begin with fayth according to that which we haue lately said For to say truely fayth Actes 15. 6. is the spring head of all holinesse as it is saide in the Actes where Saint Peter sayeth That God cleanseth the heartes of men by fayth And this was spoken to this end and purpose to shewe that whatsoeuer glorious shewe we make that we shall alwayes be corrupt and stinking before the Maiestie of God vntill such time as God cleanseth vs by the meane of fayth As for the third point we are admonished that if we haue a liuely fayth it cannot be chosen but that we must eftsoones be sanctified to wit that we cannot but be refourmed to the seruice of God and be consecrated to honor him And howe is that Forsooth because that wee embrasing Iesus Christ by fayth hée will dwell in vs according to the saying of all the whole scripture and namely Saint Paule vseth these words to the Ephesians Iesus Christ saith hée dwelleth in your hearts by fayth Ephe. 3.17 I beséech you tell mée doe not these thinges hang yll fauoredly together That Iesus Christ dwelleth in vs and we in the meane while giue our selues to all villainy and filthinesse Do wée thinke that hée will dwell in a Swine stie And therefore we must consecrate our selues vnto him Moreouer hée cannot be with vs but by his holie spirite And is not this the spirite of holinesse righteousnesse and cleannesse Will not this be a straunge medley when as we will bragge to haue fayth in Iesus Christ and yet liue wantonly and wickedly and be stayned with all the corruptions of the worlde This is as a man would say I holde the Sunne and it shineth not and as if a man would turne vpside downe the whole order of nature For it is more like that the Sunne should be without light then that Iesus Christ should be without righteousnesse And therefore let vs make this obseruation that we take not this cloake of hypocrisie vpon vs and say that we haue fayth in the Gospell and that we beleeue in good sadnesse without our life and conuersation be answerable and shewe that we haue receiued Iesus Christ and that through the grace of his holie spirite hée consecrateth sanctifieth vs to the obedience of God his Father We sée then that we must not come with falâ—â— ensignes to vsurpe this name of faith being a most holie thing And therefore let vs take héede we prophane it not But if we beleeue in the Sonne of God let vs effectually shewe that we haue done so And then no doubt hée wil make vs féele his power and giue vs grace paciently to tarry his comming And although we must in this worlde suffer many iniuries for his names sake yet shall we in the end be clothed with his glorie and righteousnes as hée hath promised which hée wil make vs féele so wée receiue it without doubting And now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him that after hée hath made vs to feele them that hée wil deliuer vs from them and because hée cannot doe it but that there must néedes bée an yll remnaunt left behinde that it would please him to support vs vntill such time as hée hath quite and cleane ridde vs of all this corruptible fleshe of ours and brought vs to his heauenly kingdome which wée wayte for at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ And so let vs all say O almighty God and heauenly Father c. ¶ Jmprinted at London by Thomas Dawson for George Bishop 1581.