vnto our Lord Iesus Christ hée kept himselfe very couert and close and was afearde to shewe himselfe a true Disciple for wée knowe that the confession of our faith is required in vs Iohn 2. 2◠1◠But when hée came to bury him he declared and confessed that he was of the number of the faithfull company Wherefore since he did so let vs at this day follow his constancy And although the worlde hateth and detesteth our Lorde Iesus Christ and the doctrine of his Gospell yet let vs stick vnto it Let vs also vnderstande that the greatest benefite and contentation that wee can continuallye haue is this whenas God accepteth and liketh of our seruice and besides although wée must suffer abide troubles here in this worlde yet let vs knowe this that because he hath gloryously rysē againe that he dyd it not to the ende to make a separation betwéene him and vs but that hee would when he sée his good time gather vs vnto him selfe Moreouer let vs not maruell although our Lorde Iesus rose againe the third day for it is very good reason that hee should haue some more priuiledge then the common order of the church And héerein is the saying of the Psalmist fulfilled Thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to sée corruption Psal 16. 10. And therefore it was méete that the body of our Lord Iesus should remaine vncorrupt vntill the third day but it was for that time so appoynted and established by the counsell of GOD his Father Howbeit wee haue no time assigned but the last day And therefore let vs abyde troubles and miseries so long as it pleaseth GOD and let vs vnderstand that he wyll in the ende when hee séeeth conuenient time restore vs after wee haue bene cast quite and cleane downe For therevnto Saint Paul exhorteth vs 1. Cor. 15.10 when as hée saieth that Christ Iesus is the first fruites whiche is to pull backe that feruent zeale wherewith wee are often times too too much carryed awaye for by our wylles wee woulde flye without winges and wee are gréeued with God for houldinge vs so longe heere in this worlde because hée wyll not bringe vs to heauen euen at the fyrst 2. Kin. 2. 11. and carry vs vp in a fiery Charit as Eilas was to be short we would faine triumph before we haue fought a blow Now that we might withstand this desire and these foolish lusts Saint Paul telleth vs that Iesus Christ is the first fruites wée must be contented that by his death we haue a sure pawne of the resurrectiō Neuertheles bicause he sitteth at the right hād of god his Father hauing all rule and dominion both in heauen and earth and although his maiestie hath not as yet appeared and that our life is hid in him let vs become like wretched dead people and although we séeme to be liuing héere in this world yet let vs bée as men quite forlorne and abide all this vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus For euen then shall our life be made manifest by him when as he shall thinke it good And thus we sée what it is that wée must obserue about the buriall of our lord Iesus Christ vntil such time as we attaine to the rest which will be a declaration that he hath not onely made satisfaction for all our sinnes but also hath by his victorie obteined all perfect righteousnesse for vs by whiche meane we are become acceptable at this day vnto the maiestie of God both to haue frée accesse vnto him and also to call vpon his holie name And in this confidence and beliefe Let vs fall downe before his diuine maiestie beséeching him to receiue vs all to his mercy and that we may not cease to haue recourse vnto his frée goodnes how miserable wretched soeuer we bée And although we dayly prouoke his heauy wrath and indignation against vs and iustly deserue that hée should forsake vs Let vs patiently wayte vntill hée sheweth the fruit and power of the death passion which his onely Sonne hath suffred by which we are reconciled and not doubt but that hée will be alwayes our Father so long as hée wil graunt vs this fauour as that we may be able to shew our selues his true children Let vs also beséech him that hée will cause vs to declare this by the effect in such sort as that we desire nothing els but to be wholy his and as hée hath very dearely bought vs so wee may also of right fully and wholly agrée to serue him And forsomuch as our weaknesse is such as that we are not able to discharge the hundreth part of our duetie without hée worke it in vs by his holy spirite because the infirmities of our flesh doe alwayes beare such a resisting and striuing sway as that we doe nothing els but euen créepe where we should in déede march as becommeth vs Let vs beséech him to ryd vs of all together that we might be vnited to him by that holy bond which bée hath ordeined to wit our Lorde Iesus Christ his onely Sonne That hée will not onely graunt vs this grace c. ¶ The ninthe Sermon is of his resurrection at which time was celebrated the holie SVPPER Matthew xxviii 1 IN the latter ende of the Sabboth day whiche dawneth the first day of the weeke came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the Sepulchre 2 And beholde there was a great earthquake for the Angell of the Lorde descended from Heauen and came and rowlled back the Stone from the Dore and sate vpon it 3 His countenaunce was like lightninge and his rayment white as Snow 4 And for feare of him the keepers dyd shake and became as dead men 5 The Angell aunswered and sayde vnto the women feare yee not for I knowe yee seeke Iesus whiche was crucifyed 6 He is not heere hee is risen as he saide come see the place where that the Lord was laide 7 And goe quickly and tel his disciples that hee is risen from the dead And beholde he goeth before you into Galile there shall you see him loe I haue tolde you 8 And they departed quickly from the Sepulchre with feare and great ioye and dyd runne to bring his Disciples worde 9 And as they went to tell his Disciples beholde Iesus met them saying al hayle And they came and helde him by the feete and worshipped him 10 Then sayd Iesus vnto them bee not afraide goe tell my Brethren that they go into Galile and there shal they see mee A Man would at the first sight thinke it straunge that our Lorde Iesus Christ woulde shew him selfe after his resurrection rather to women then vnto his Disciples Howbeit wee are hereby to consider that his meaning was to trye the basenesse and lowlinesse of our faith Because we must not build vpon mans wisdome but obedientlye receiue what soeuer we know to come from him Againe no doubt of it his meaning was
withall he beginneth to prepare vs to that which hee will speake afterward that is to say to what ende this word which is Iesus Christ was sent vs of God his father that is The mysterie of our redemption very great and needfull to the end he might be manifested in the flesh for our saluation He ment then to declare howe greate the mystery of our redemption was and what neede wée had of it in saying that wee haue not comprehended the brightnesse that was in vs as if hee shoulde say It could nothing at all haue profited vs to haue the light that shineth in vs vnlesse we had withall béene redéemed and that this worde had executed and performed the loue of God towarde vs in repairing his image The light of our owne miserie is a good meane to make vs feele the mysterie of our redemption which was defaced in vs through our sinne and wholie disfigured in the first man Marke I say howe Saint Iohn mindeth to prepare vs to know the effect of our redemption and besides hée ment also to shewe vnto vs how that the word of God declareth it selfe in his creatures in as much as all things are preserued by his strength and power And withall hée exhorteth vs to knowe and confesse the graces that God hath bestowed vpon vs more excellent in déede than vpon other creatures to the ende wée might magnifie and prayse him The endes of our light and knowledge moreouer to knowe that séeing hée hath from the beginning imprinted his owne liuely image in vs and hath made vs féele his power it is good reason wée should learne to holde our selues fast to this worde and to confesse both generally and particularly the good thinges that God hath done for mankinde to the ende that the light which hée hath plentifully communicated vnto vs of his grace and goodnesse onely may not be quenched or put out through our malice but that Iesus Christ may in such sort dwell in the middest of vs that being guided and gouerned by the holie Ghost wée may haue such accesse to the father that hée may at the length bring vs into his heauenly glorie Thus I haue handled these thinges as shortly as was possible for mée What men should looke at in expounding the scripture respecting alwayes to touch the marke wherat the Euangelist in this place aimeth notwithstanding if there bee any thing that hath béene omitted because a man can not remember all let euerie one speake thereof that which God shall haue giuen him in that behalfe and if there be any doubt propound the matters to the ende that putting them out they may be made cleare and manifest and that the Church of God may therby bée more and more edified when thinges shall not remaine in doubt but shall be vnderstood according to their true meaning after that wée shall haue disputed and reasoned vpon them as is séemely and according to God and godlinesse A Sermon of the birth of our Lorde Iesus Christ Luke Cap. 2. 1 ANd it came to passe in those dayes that there was a commaundement from Augustus Caesar that all the world should be taxed 2 This first taxing was made when Cyrenius was Gouernor of Syria 3 Therefore all went to bee taxed euerie man to his owne Citie 4 And Ioseph also went vp from Galilee out of a Citie called Nazareth into Iudea vnto the Citie of Dauid which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and linage of Dauid 5 To be taxed with Mary that was giuen him to wife which was with childe 6 And so it fell out that while they were there the dayes were accomplished that shee should be deliuered 7 And she brought foorth her first begotten Sonne wrapped him in swadling cloathes and laide him in a manger because there was no roume for them in the Inne 8 And there were in the same countrey shepheardes abiding in the fielde and keeping watch by night because of their flocke 9 And loe the Angell of the Lorde came vpon them and the glorie of the Lord shoane about them and they were sore afraide 10 Then the Angell saide vnto them be not afraide for behold I bring you tydinges of great ioy that shall be to all people 11 That is that vnto you is borne this day in the Citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. 12 And hee shall be a signe to you yee shall finde the childe swadled and laide in a Maunger 13 And straightway there was with the Angel a multitude of heauenly souldiers praysing God and saying 14 Glorie be to God in the high heauens peace in earth and towardes men good will WE knowe beloued in the Lorde that all our felicitie ioy peace is this euē to be conioyned knit together with the sonne of God for as he is our head so are we likewise his body and do also receiue from him our life health and all whatsoeuer blessednesse else And beside we see in very déede howe miserable our estate should be if wée can not to him to be preserued vnder his protection But by the way we are neuer able to attaine and reach so high séeing we are scarcely able to crawle vpō the ground without he were alredie come néere vnto vs by reason of his birth who hath taken vpon him our flesh and is therby become our brother Neither could we at this present flye vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ sitting at the right hand of God his father 1. Tim. 2. 5. Isaiah 7.14 Math. 1.23 in the glory of the heauens without he had abased himself to become a mortal man his estate condition to become also like vnto ours And here we may likewise sée why the name of man was giuen vnto him whē as hée is called the Mediatour betwéene God and man and so by the selfe fame reason is called Immanuel which is as much to say as God with vs. And therefore as often as wée séeke to be relieued and eased of our miseries by our Lord Iesus Christ and to make him our sure and vndoubted defence wee must first of all begin at his birth Nowe wee are not onely here taught that he was made man like vnto vs but was also so despised and made of so smal account as that he was scarcely taken to be named among the number of men For he was as it were banished denied all harboure and company and was lodged in a Stable and laide in Manger Since thē it is thus let vs here acknowledge that Gods of his goodnesse hath bountifullie spreade abroade his infinite treasures when as hee woulde in this sorte abase his deare Sonne for our sakes And let vs also acknowledge that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath so suffred for vs as that so often as wée séeke him we néede neuer to goe verie farre about to finde him nor yet to vnite our selues truly vnto him For for that cause was he
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
the first place which is wée muste séeke all our ioy in Iesus Christe For to say the trueth when as wee are full of delightes and voluptuousnesse it is without question wée will bathe our selues in all pleasures and yet yf wée bée not too too drowsie yea altogether blockishe our consciences will neuer bée quiet but bée tormented without ende and measure For this worme whereof the Scripture speaketh will gnawe vs our sinnes will checke vs and wee shall féele that God of very right is vtterly against vs and our professed enimie And therefore cursed are all the ioyes of the worlde because they shall bée turned into gnashing of téeth vntill suche time as wée are an attonement with God Cursed then are all ioyes all honours and all thinges els that are to bée desired vntill wée féele Gods mercy vppon vs and when wée are thus reconciled vnto him wée may not onely reioyce with an earthly ioy but with that ioye whiche is namely promised in the holy Ghoste to the ende wée might looke for the same in him Nowe peace and ioy are thinges whiche cannot bee separated For howe can it bée that we should haue any thing wherein to ioy when as wée sée our selues compassed about with so many miseries And besides when wée sée our selues cursed in Adam The children of wrath and God being our iudge armed to execute vengeance to the throwing of vs downe into the bottomlesse depth what ioy is it possible for vs to conceiue who stande in suche a desperate estate And surely when wée thinke héereon It cannot bée that wée shoulde bée onely tormented with vnquiet mindes but also bée oppressed with the horrour of Hell fier which surpasseth all the griefes of this worlde except surely the Diuell hath bewitched vs as many wée sée which ceasse not héerein to make themselues mery although they bée at open defiance euen with God himselfe But if wee had but one droppe of féeling within vs without doubt wée shoulde alwaies liue in torment vntyll such time as wée finde God to shewe himselfe mercifull vnto vs. And therefore this peace must goe before that wée are fully assured that God alloweth vs for his children and that because hee imputeth not our sinnes vnto vs. Nowe are wée in this sorte at peace with God And if wée bée so then surely wée haue wherefore to reioyce yea euen with God according to that which I haue alreadie touched For the very Infidelles haue a certaine kinde of peace that is to say They are so sensles as that they make no reckoning of the iudgement of God yea they are euen angrie with him but it is not with God For they neuer are at peace and rest without it bée when they forget both God themselues become altogether brutish howbeit S. Paul exhorteth vs to be at peace with God Rom. 5.2 that is to say to looke vnto him search how wée may be at peace that is wee drawing néere vnto him are certaine sure of his loue But how shal this bée doone forsooth euen by the forgiuenesse of our sinnes through the loue which hée beareth vs in our Lord Iesus Christe Let vs héere now note that the peace which the Angels of heauen preached at this time brought this ioy whereof the first Angel made mention saying Beholde I bring you tydinges of great ioy that is The saluation which you haue in Iesus Christ For hée is called our peace and this title declareth vnto vs that wée should bée altogether separated from God without he receiued vs by the meanes of his onely sonne Moreouer héereon wée haue also wherfore to glory when God alloweth vs for his children and giueth vs leaue to claime him with open mouth as our father to come fréely vnto him and in him to haue our refuge Let vs héerevpon gather by the way that God hath so appointed his Gospell to bée preached by the mouth of men as yet notwithstanding the Angelles haue gone before them and leade them the way True it is that at this day the Churche must bée taught by the meane of mortall creatures But howe euer it is this is no straunge thing that wee bring but doe onely recite the preaching of the Angelles of heauen and that of no smale number neither but of an infinite multitude and of an huge armie Moreouer wée cannot but néedes bée inflamed to magnifie our God whenas wée are throughly certified of his goodnesse Sée nowe why these two things are ioyned together that the Angels exhort all the worlde to glorifie GOD it is because hée gaue suche a peace vppon the earth wee inioy therefore the benefite which God hath largely bestowed vpon vs by the meane of our Lorde Iesus Christe his onely sonne And hée hath taken the possession of this peace to the ende our prayses might bée heard to the heauens pearse the cloudes and that all the world might resound this songe The Lorde bée blessed and magnified for euer Héerevpon wée are to gather that our mouthes must alwaies bée stopped and that wée can neuer praise God vntill suche time as hée hath caused vs to féele his great goodnesse For to say truely how is it possible for miserable sinners to blesse and magnifie the name of God so long as they haue that trouble of conscience that they knowe not whether God loueth or hateth them But contrariwise their mouthes by reason of their griefes must néedes be fast closed vp so that they are not once able to open their lippes And therefore muste GOD let vs so vnderstande in very good earnest the loue hee beareth vs as that wee may bée fully assured that hee is alwaies our Father and then shall wee haue wherefore to blesse his name But as wée cannot possibly in trueth praise God vntill such time as hee hath declared vnto vs his bountie euen so let vs also learne not to haue a dead and idle faith but when wée sée that he hath bountifully bestowed vpon vs the great treasures of his mercie let our mouth then doe his office in stirryng vp it selfe to blesse his name and let our whole life also answere the same For this is the very right signe Euery of vs must conscecrate himself to the true seruice worship of God because we knowing that hée hath so dearely bought vs ought by good reason to bestow all our thoughts déedes in the blessing magnifying of his most holy glorious name And that when we acknowledge ourselues to bée in very déede his wée might vnderstande that it procéedeth of his frée mercy and goodnesse that it hath so pleased him to accept vs vnto himselfe And therefore this saying is not set downe without cause That peace is graunted to men not for any desert or for that wée haue purchased the same but because it pleased God For the spéeche which Saint Luke vseth importeth this much that wée must séek after none other reason why our Lord Iesus Christe appeared to
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
and others also shal find inough at his hands for the moe of vs that come vnto him the richer shall we finde him to help our néede And therefore we haue héere to note that it is not for naught that the prophet saieth that he bare the sinnes of many to wit to the ende we should not malice and enuy our neighburs as if wée could not be holpen bicause some of them haue to much of him This then is the summe and effect of that which we are to learne out of this place Moreouer it is said That it was because hee was accounted amongest transgressors We are héere to obserue in the firste place that hée must néedes be hanged betwéene two théeues that hée might suffer all the condemnation that wée deserued and to the ende that wée might haue a more sure and certaine pawne that God his Father hath pardoned and forgiuen vs all our sinnes and iniquities Marke also why Saint Mark aleadgeth this saying of the Prophet Mark 15 2◠that there were two Théeues hanged with our Lorde Iesus Christe to shewe that hée was taken to bée a most detestable and cursed man and to the end it might bee openlye séene that hée was placed in the rank with all shame rebuke because we should at this dai be exempt from the wrath of god from the punishment of the euill déeds which we had deserued and where before we were cast down euen vnto the pit of hell wee might now bee coupled together with the Angels of heauen who altogether worshippe God and haue fulfilled all righteousnesse All this benefit then haue wee by this in that it hath pleased our Lorde Iesus Christ to take vpon him this place and to become a malefactor to the end he would bée thought the most shamefull amongst men Thus wee see how the shame of our Lorde Iesus Christ hath exalted vs on hie to the ende sinne should not be laide to our Charge and we to be free from all condemnation For wherein consisted our saluation if our sinnes were not couered and taken away surely we were neuer able to come to this by any other meane without the sonne of God as S. Paul saith were our redemption that is to say 1. Cor. 1.30 he was the price and paiment of that which wee owed to the end that we might now be quitted and discharged therof And therfore it was not for naught that the Prophet ioyned these two thinges together and dayly sheweth vs as héeretofore hath béene saide that wée haue wherefore to gloryfie our Lorde Iesus Christ in that he was put to all the shame that might bée séeing the fruite and commoditie that wée reape thereby For if our Lorde Iesus Christ should haue done that onely for a shew and token of humilytie it had béene too too bare a matter but hée did it to this end and purpose that we might finde that in him which we want and that it might also be the remedy for the same thing which might gréeue and oppresse vs. Wherefore when we are so reconciled vnto God as that wée obtaine righteousnesse thereby and full forgiuenesse of our sinnes Beholde wée néede not then be a feard to come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ albeit his crucifying in the view of the worlde séemeth at the first blush to bée very shamefull and yet wée sée that hée so triumphed ouer Satan sinne as that he hath made vs righteous and canceled the obligation that was against vs so that wee may now come bouldly to God with good assuraunce that wée are righteous and with open mouth glorifie him for it wherfore before we were most horribly condemned And this is the effect of that which the Prophet meaneth againe to put vs in minde of After all these thinges he saithe that he praid for the trespassers This is namely put in to shew that Iesus Christ in his death and passiō plaid the part of a priest for if this had not ben done also we shuld neuer haue had al the was requisit for the assurāce of our saluatiō True it is that forsomuch as the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ is the sacrifice whereby our sinnes are wiped away and his blood our washing and cleasing his obedience the avolishing of all our rebellions the obteining of our righteousnes by this we haue wherin to reioyce Howbeit this is not all Because it is said That whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of God shall bee saued Neuerthelesse Ioel. 2. 3◠howe were it possible for vs to haue recourse vnto God What boldnes were it for vs to pray and cry out with open mouth and say O our father Were not this ouermuch presumption to come thus pure and cleane to God and vaunt our selues to bée his children if we had not the word to beare vs in it And againe where shoulde wee find such an Aduocat and Proctor that would doe so much for vs except we come to Iesus Christe Thus then we sée what the Prophet meant to adde for a conclusion of that which went before To wit that Iesus Christ praied for the trespassers Now this is very true that he praied of god his father when he was on the Crosse that he would pardon and forgiue his persecutors For these are his wordes Father saith he I beséeche thée pardon thē for they know not what they do Luke 23.34 Here we sée what a prayer our Lord Iesus made for the trespassers for his enimies who so cruelly handeled him by whose handes he was crucified But it was not the meaning of the Prophet to speake only of this especiall prayer but rather to declare the Sacrificing of our Lord Iesus Christ And by the way let vs here wel consider that it was not for naught that he spake here of the Trespassers It is said a litle before that he beare the sinnes of the people of God and suffered for the transgressions of many But now the Prophet attributeth another name to those for whom Christ praied calleth thē transgressors When he spake of the people of God it was to shewe that those whom a man would thinke to be most excellent righteous had néede of forgiuenesse of sinnes which they could neuer haue had had it not béen that Iesus Christe had shed his most precious heart blood for the washing cleansing of them And thus muche then for this point That if we would be of the Church be allowed to be of the congregation of God we must néedes vnderstand that it is because Iesus Christ is our redéemer and therefore let vs not feare to come in great companies to him rather then faile let euery one bring his neighbour with him because he is able to saue vs al. Moreouer it is here set downe that we are all transgressors to the end we might throughly consider of our sins For we know our selues to be so bold and rash as that we will oftētimes be
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.
Paule saith that he dwelleth in vs by faith 1. Cor. ◠19 2. Cor. 6 1◠And therefore let vs not geue place vnto our foolishe dolteries but vnderstande it according to the meaning of S. Paule saying Knowe yée not that you are the Temple of the liuing GOD which dwelleth in you And so as God is inuisibly euery where and in all thinges euen so Iesus Christ communicateth himselfe with vs. And therefore when wée are vnited to him our soules are fedde with the very substance of his bodie although he be in heauen but it is through the operation of faith of the holie Ghost For Iesus Christ commeth not downe corporally Wherfore the papists are doltishly ignorant when they say that he commeth closely and hydeth himselfe vnder the bread and wine playing bo péepe Nowe since we know the meaning of these wordes let vs apply them to our vse we haue saide that the Angels promised the Apostles because they shoulde not thinke that they had lost his presence that like as they had séene him ascend into heauen euen so hee shoulde come downe agayne For what should his descending and the suffering of his death and passion do vs good if we hoped not to sée him againe But séeing it was promised vs that he should come againe to gather vs together vnite vs to himselfe what a notable comfort is this for vs. And therefore this was not spoken only in the behalfe of the Apostles but also for our behoofe and herein resteth our comfort that although we are separated from him a great long distance of yet wil he shew himselfe for our redemption And therefore wée may boldly lift vp our heades and ouercome whatsoeuer griefes may come vnto vs. By this we may very wel iudge whether we beléeue in Iesus Christ or not For when we heare it said that he wil come againe and then reioyce at it and féele his comming in our heartes it is a token that we haue a true beliefe in him But contrariwise if wée stande in doubte of that day and haue a mynde to put it of if it were possible this is a true token of our infidelitie Wée sée then that faith at this day is very rare to bee founde in all the worlde For to heare the day of his comming spoken of should bée a greate comforte to vs because it is the day of our redemption as Paule to the Romanes saith Rom. 8.23 Howbeit there are very few that beléeue it But if we bee sorie and grieued to heare it spoken that that day will come is this a token that we hope Iesus Christ to bee our Redéemer Surely our redemption was purchased by his death but yet when wee shall be ridde of this bodie no doubte of it wee shall then bee ridde of the bondage of sinne Loe what an acceptable thing death should be vnto vs. Howbéeit because the vniuersall redemption shal not be vntil the latter day we ought to grone as all the Creatures grone looking for that day because they are subiect to corruption by reason of our sinnes and desire to bée deliuered thereof Wée sée then that heauen and earth and all the rest of the Creatures within them doe desire the appearing of our Lorde Iesus Christ and shall not wee be more ashamed if wée haue no greater desire of his comming then in sensible beastes For wée haue not onely the knowledge which God hath giuen vs as mortall men but hée hath also giuen vs an vnderstanding to wishe and desire his comming And therefore Luk. 21.28 this is a verie notable true signe of infidelitie when as wée haue no desire to sée that day and besides if wee rere not vp our heades so often as wée heare this saying pronounced we sufficiently declare that we haue no fayth in Christ Iesus Moreouer as the faythfull are comforted by this sentence euen so must the wicked féele an inward feare of this comming And although they make a iest at it yet doeth feare and trembling possesse their heartes which is this that our Lorde Iesus putteth them ouer vnto his iudgement And the reason why many men take Iesus Christ for their Iudge Iohn 19.37 is this because they haue no will to receiue him when as God his meaning is to giue them him to be their Redéemer In verie déede there are a number which at this day make but a laughing game thereat yet shall they neither will nor choose Apoc. 1.7 but feele his heauy hande whom they had persed For there are some suche men vnto whom if the iudgement of God be named that wil answere and say Well Syr well we shall be sure to sée him but not vntill hée come As certeine of my gentle scoffers scoffed here vpon Tuesday last past who not onely made light account and set them selues against God in the Tauernes but also made a muster héere of their impyetie and shamelesnesse and because they woulde shewe them selues to be lyke the most impudent whores of the Stewes they came and scoffed at God and his word euen in the Church in the presence of all his faythfull Well let them scoffe at him and spare not yet shall they féele him I say whom they had pearsed And let them be sure that he will come yea that he will come For he is not ascended vp into heauen to suffer the wicked ones to scoffe at him but that hee will surely be reuenged of them and kéepeth a register of all their scoffes and scornes And since they wil not willingly come to a reckoning they shall neither will nor choose but receiue iudgement with their fathers and brothers the Deuilles Nowe since this doctrine is deliuered vnto vs for our instructiō let vs in Gods name learne to humble our selues and worship Iesus Christ for since he is Prince and Gouernour of the Angels whom they obey let vs follow them for company And besides let vs be well assured that we may boldly pray vnto him since hée standdeth for vs before God his Father Moreouer let vs comfort our selues if at this day we suffer much and let vs looke for that day of the Lorde whereat our Lorde Iesus hath promised to be to vnite vs vnto him selfe And according to this holie doctrine Let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him that he will not suffer vs to walter our selues continually a sleape in them but awake vs and vnite vs vnto his Sonne And since hée hath called vs to the knowledge of him that it woulde please him to graunt vs the grace to profite our selues therein vntill such tyme as wée bée brought to that perfection wherevnto hée calleth vs. And so let vs all say O Almighty God heauenly father c. The first Sermon of the descending of the holie Ghost Actes second 1 ANd when the day of Pentecost or Whitsontide was come they were all with one accord in one place 2
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
fall from heauen and other wonderfull signes appeare In verie déede there are some which restraine this vnto the latter day howbeit the Prophet meaneth to speake of all the reigne and dominion of Iesus Christ vntill his comming at the last day to iudge the world And therefore we must apply all the signes whereof the Prophet here speaketh vnto our time For if we considered of the thinges which are come to passe euen since the Gospell hath béen preached in these dayes yet could not be possible but that the verie thinking of them would make the haires of our head stand vpright Surely if we had séene the thinges that were done at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ we should haue been verie blockish if wée had not been afeard For if we did but rightly consider of the thinges that are continually done euen at this day we should haue matter enough to wonder at And therefore it was not the meaning of the Prophet to signifie for a season the signes that should here appeare at the comming of Iesus Christ For although at his comming hée poured out his great treasures to disperse them abroad vpon all men yet for all that we shall sée merueylous iudgements by reason of the vnthākfulnesse of men who will not receiue the thing that is offred them And to the selfe same purpose serueth that saying of Iesus Christ when hée spake of the destruction of the Temple For marke Mat. 24.3 the Disciples asked him when all these thinges should come to passe and what signe there should be of his comming of the destruction of the worlde for they thought as fondly as the Iewes that the Temple should cōtinue euen vnto consummatiō of the world and that they in the mean while should reigne peaceably like earthly Princes Thus we sée what the question was that they asked notwithstanding that Iesus Christ had no spéech of the last day Now hée answered them thus you shall sée saieth hée merueylous terrible thinges For you make this reckoning that yée shal dwell héere on earth peaceably and rule at your pleasure howbeit yée shall finde it cleane contrarie because there will sodeinely come deceiuers and besides the Deuil will do all hée can to spread false doctrine in euerie place There shal be pestilence warres and famine so that a man would thinke that the world should be turned vpside downe And when you shall sée all these thinges yet is not the ende come For Ierusalem shall be destroyed Wherby hée sheweth that it is so farre of that the Iewes should haue any peaceable life here in this world as that it cannot be chosen but that they must féele the iudgementes of God come vpon them for their vnthankfulnesse which shal soone after be dispersed throughout the face of the whole world And consequently hée goeth on and saieth That after the troubles in those dayes The Sunne should be darkened and the Moone lose her light that the Starres should fall from heauen and all the powers of the heauens be moued Which wordes agrée iust with the saying of the Prophet as if hée should haue said That great troubles shall not onely be séene here below but also if a man did looke vp vnto heauen hée should sée a generall confusion And yet must we not for all that but come for t our selues For although we sée both in heauen and earth many troubles and breaches so that if we went all the world ouer we should sée nothing els but all accursed yet must we take pleasure and delight in the maker of all these thinges This then is the summe and effect of the meaning of the Prophet And this is at this present spoken euen vnto vs For although God visiteth vs and bestoweth his Gospell vpon vs yet doeth hée not it to this end that we should in such sort liue heere as it pleaseth our selues in all ease and delight and be voyde of warre famine and pestilence But wée are aduisedly to consider that when such thinges come to passe and that we sée so great and generall a confusion so that we cannot tell which way to turne vs wee must euen then I say prepare our heartes paciently to abide those afflictions and not thinke them straunge because they light vpon vs for our vnthankfulnesse For the meaning of our good God is to shew him selfe a gentle and louing Father and if we paciently suffer these thinges at his handes it will appeare that hée calleth not vs his good Sonnes for nothing But if we be so rude and vnmannerlie as that we will not take and acknowledge him for our Father is it not méete that hée should correct vs for such a contempt For let vs vnderstande that hée hath as great authoritie ouer vs as any father hath ouer his childe Howbeit he is a Father for euer and therefore when as hée afflicteth vs be it neuer so gréeuously yet must we not dispaire for all that But wée must vnderstande that hée doeth it because we are vnthankfull Wée see then in summe howe we are to consider of the iudgementes of God and that whatsoeuer the Prophets haue foretold is fulfilled euen before our faces And nowe let vs come vnto the comfort which the Prophet setteth downe herevpon which is That whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of God shall bee saued If hée had saide no more but that which went before wée might then in déede haue béene meruellously astonished because it were altogether to discomfort vs but hée setteth downe eftsoones a comfort withall That if we call vpon the name of God we shall bée saued euen amiddest the greatest troubles and dissentions that may bée yea for although hell were readie to swallow vs vp yet haue wée this assured refuge that if we trust in our God and call vpon him wée are out of doubt to be saued When any man is gréeued and troubled then this is the comming of Satan to make him distrust to the ende hée might not come vnto God and call vpon him Howbéeit héere is a great comforte which wée ought to laye holde on to the contrarie in that God appointeth vs no set time to call vpon him so that whensoeuer wée are cast downe as it were into the bottomlesse pyt of hell yet may we euen then call boldly vpon him For as the Propet sayeth That hée which shal call vpon the name of God shall be saued euen so contrariwise he that calleth not vpon him shal be damned yea although he were as in a Paradise For if the verie Angelles did not call on him God might reiect them which is impossible to be done Nowe we may hereby sée that it is impossible for vs to continue here in this world one minute of an houre without we did call vpon the name of God And therefore we ought to call this lesson oftentimes to mynde For the Prophet pronounceth iudgement against all those which call not vpon the name of God in saying That whosoeuer
And sodainly there came a sounde from heauen as it had been the comming of a mightie winde and it filled all the house where they were sitting 3 And there appeared vnto them clouen tongues like as they had been of fyre and it sate vpon each one of them 4 And they were all filled with the holie Ghost and began to speake with other tongues as the spirite gaue them vtteraunce WEe are all so naturally enclined vnto incredulitie as that it behoueth vs to haue the trueth of the Lord Authentically sealed in our hearts to the end we might receiue it stay our selues wholly thereon Ephe. 1.13 It is verie true that God sealeth it in the heartes of all his faythfull ones by the holy Ghost and marke also why it is called the seale of the Gospell yet they which are to deliuer this doctrine all the worlde ouer ought first of all to be sealed and besides God must so gouerne and guide them as that we might at this day be fully assured of the doctrine which they haue published vnto vs and not receiue it from them as from mortall men but as from God the true Authour thereof For we know that our fayth should haue a weake foundation if we should laye it vpon the authoritie of men And we shoulde then continually wauer and doubt if we lifted not vp our mindes farre beyonde the worlde and founded them in and vpon God since we know that this word of saluation which is daily preached vnto vs commeth from him Thus we séee why it is that this historie is set downe vnto vs in writing to wit because that as often as we read or heare the word of God we should remember that whatsoeuer is cōteined in the old and new Testament was not deuised by mans brayne but that God hath testified by a visible signe so farfoorth as was néedfull that men were but the instrumentes onely of his holie spirite For as concerning Moses and all the rest of the Prophetes they approued them selues to be sent of God Insomuch that if we should stande in doubt of their doctrine it were both vnthankfully and wickedly done of vs. Now it is here said That before the Apostles preached the Gospell throughout the world God sent downe his holy spirite vpon them to the ende we might know that they deliuered nothing as from them selues but faithfully distributed the thing which God had commaunded them We sée then to what purpose this present historie must serue our turnes For if we were not assured that the Apostles had as it were become newe men and that God had giuen them a sure and certaine token which declared that he allowed and authorized them what should become of our faith Surely it would be but a running opiniō For thus we might well enough say I think so or it should séeme so But it were impossible for vs to say that we were rightly and firmely grounded stayed theron For what is in man And therfore because this worlde is nothing but vanitie Hebr. 6.9 it is very méet we should according to the saying of the Apostle take Anker hold in heauen Here then we sée how we may ryde out all stormes tempests so that whatsoeuer either the world or the Deuil deuise yet are they not any way able to hurt vs But we shall alwayes haue a sure faith which shal neuer bend one way or other whē we shal take this for a grounded principle That it is God that guideth calleth vs to himself that the doctrine which is taught vs is his pure vndoubted trueth Loe then to what end we must referre the whole summe effect of that which we haue at this present read Forsooth euen to this ende purpose that whē God raised vp this mighty winde his meaning was to declare by a visible signe that he had chosen the twelue Apostles to carry the glad tydings of saluation hither thither In very déed there were at that time but eleuen of them But yet there remained alwayes a full and setled number because that Matthias was placed in Iudas stead Thus we sée that the number was filled vp which was before scattered howbeit this want was but for a litle while as appeareth by the words of Saint Luke in the first Chapiter going before Act. 1.26 Here nowe we sée the full number of the twelue Ambassadours of our Lorde Iesus Christ whom he had before chosen and marked Neuerthelesse it was méete hée should furnish them with graces sufficient and requisite for so high and wonderful a calling Wherefore it was behoueful they should be fashioned and framed from aboue and that God should miraculously worke in them far beyond mans reach and capacitie Now as for the sound of a mightie winde or tempest that shewed that the holy Ghost came not downe vpon the Apostles to make them onely partakers of his graces but also that the whole world should be shaken therwith For it was so spoken of by the Prophet Aggeah in these words After a while saith the Lord Agge 2. I will make heauen earth tremble Which was in déede fulfilled in the preaching of the Gospel We sée then that when the holy Ghost descended that it was not only for a handful of men but he came down to fill all the endes and borders of the worlde For otherwise we shoulde haue had but a colde pull of it as we say if we were not throughly persuaded that God all at one time sent his holy Ghost for vs also for the establishing of our fayth Moreouer God could haue sēt the holie Ghost after a mylder maner if he had listed But let vs note that this sodeine violent winde was to abate the pride of the flesh and againe to waken vs because we are ouer slow and drousie Surely there are two great faultes in vs which hinder our féeling of the power of the spirite of God for the submitting of our selues vnto the Gospell The one is That wee are proude and verie presumptuous Nowe all this must be pulde downe that both great and smal of vs might humbly learn so to worship God as to abase our selues altogether and be contented to liue by him and by his méere fauour grace And therfore it is méete that this pryde which is so déepely rooted in our nature should be violently reformed Because we are ouer much hardened therein On the other side euery mā féeleth such an heauy earthly burthē in himself as that our mindes are altogether occupied nusled in this world To be short we are become so blockish as it were as that we can féele no taste either of God or of the power of his holie spirit without we be wakened spite of our téethes We sée then why it is saide that there arose a tempest as if it had béen a violent or mightie winde Nowe we are to consider in the first place that the holie Ghost descended to shake