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
wée knowe Iesus Christe to bée the myrror of all perfection and enter into the tryall and examining of our sinnes and bée displeased with them and condemned and we should haue béene had he not deliuered and fréed vs. Nowe when Pilate had taken the Bason and washed his hands that was ouer trifling a a Ceremony and a very foolish fashion as though he coulde haue discharged himself before God for it Howbeit when he attempted to appease the rage of the people that was not to make his excuse vnto God For he protested not before God that he was innocent but said only to the people looke well to your selues my maisters For as for my selfe I am innocent As if hée shoulde haue said it is you that inforce mée to doe this But all this as I haue said wil not excuse him Neither did he the duetie of a Iudge For he shoulde haue chosen rather to die an hundred times then to haue declined from the doing of his duetie whenas he sée such troubles in the worlde yea hée ought to haue had this magnanimitie with him to do the thing which he knew to be both good and iust But when he saw the people in this heat he was contented to be carried as pleased them Notwithstanding he must in spite of his bearde be a witnesse of the innocency of Iesus Christe euen for the iustifiyng of him by his owne mouth And yet he would néedes condemne him howbeit therein lyeth al our comfort for we know that when we are at this day brought to appeare before the iudgement seat of God it is not to the end wee shoulde bee condemned But because the blood of our Lorde Iesus Christ which was shed for vs is the true and right clensing and washing of our soules hée receiueth vs as pure and cleane And thus wée see whereunto wée must trust Yet for all this we héere what the Iewes say for they are so headlong caried by the strength of Satan as that they crie out His blood be vpon vs and vpon our children Now they were Gods inheritance and the very elect and chosen amongest all the nations of the earth and yet they gaue ouer this honor and all the promises of saluation and this holy aliance which God had established with their line And héere we sée how they were deproued of al the benefites which God had before distributed vnto them because they came of the seede of Abraham and it came so to passe that the blood of our Lorde Iesus must fall on their heads euen to the vtter destruction of them and their posteritie as before he had also declared For thus it is saide Mat. 23 3â— It must néedes be that your iniquitie must be great and that the blood of Martyres euen from the iust Abâ—â— vnto Zachare as the sonne of Baâ—acheas whom yée somtime slew do put you in remembrance and that you might sée that you haue béen alwaies murderers of the Prophets and by that meane haue waâ—â—ed against God and his worde Thus we sée that the blood of our Lorde Iesus which shoulde bee the saluation of the whole worlde but specially of the Iewes because the first begotten apperteineth to them hath cryed for vengeance against them Howbeit let vs nowe learne to plunge our selues in and beséeche the Lorde to light vpon vs after another maner both vpon vs and vpon our children particularly that is to say that we myght be washed cleansed of theÌ„ wheÌ„as we sée our selues by reasoÌ„ of our sins to be abominable in the sight of god vntil such time as we be washed and let vs suffer the blood which hath béene shed for our redemption to light vpon vs and bée deawed with it by the power of the holy Spirite as Saint Peter saieth in his Canonicall Epistle and haue great regarde howe wée refuse the grace which God offereth vnto vs 1. Pet. 1.2 which the Iewes lost through their vnthankfulnes and prouoked him more and more to wrath And therefore let vs at this day dispose our selues and bée ready to receiue the cleansing of our Lorde Iesus Christe which wée cannot lay holde on but by faith and beséeche the Lorde that wee may not receiue this washing in vaine but that wée may from day to day haue all our spots wyped away Let vs also desire our God that it woulde please him to increase in vs this puritie which our Lorde Iesus Christe purchased for vs vntil such time as wée are come vnto his kingdome where we shal be discharged of all the corruptions of our sinnes Let vs nowe fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him that wée may haue such a liuely féeling of them as that it may make vs runne with a greater desire to the remedie which is set before vs to wit to the death which his onely Sonne suffered And that wee may come with suche repentance as may obteine mercy at his handes and that not onely for a day but that it may also continue with vs both in life and death And in the meane while that wée myght bée so renued by his holy spirite as that wée might perseuer in seruing and glorifiyng of him as he is worthie and wholy cléene vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe that since hée died and is rysen againe wee might liue and die in him seeke nothing els but to make our selues conformable and fitte vnto his worde And so Let vs all say O Almightie God and heauenly father c. The sixt Sermon of the Passion Matthew .xxvii. 27 THen the souldiers of the gouernour tooke Iesus into the common hall and gathered about him the whole band 28 And they stripped him and put vpon him a Scarlet Robe 29 And platted a crowne of thornes put it vpon his head and a reede in his right hand and bowed their knees before him and mocked him saying God saue thee King of the Iewes 30 And spetted vpon him and tooke a reede and smote him on the head 31 Thus when they had mocked him they tooke the Robe from him and put his own raiment on him and lead him away to crucifie him 32 And as they came out they founde a man of Cyrene named Simon him they compelled to beare his crosse 33 And when they came to the place called Golgotha that is to say the place of dead mens sculles 34 They gaue vineger to drinke mingled with Gall and when he had tasted thereof he would not drinke 35 And when they had crucified him they parted his garments and did cast lots that it might bee fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet They deuided my garments among them and vpon my vesture they cast lottes 36 And they sate and watched him there 37 They set vp also ouer his head the cause written THIS IS IESVS THE KING OF THE IEWES 38 And there were two theeues crucified with him one on the right hand another on the left 39 And
sacrifice was offered they did eat and were mery euen so likewise must we now come and receiue our spirituall meat and foode which is héere offered vnto vs in this sacrifice for our redemption In veridéed wee must not eate Iesus Christ fleshly for he is not betwéene our téethes as the Papistes doo dreame But wee take Breade for a sure vndoubted pawne that we féede on the body of Iesus Christ spiritually and we receiue a litle wine to shew that we are spiritually sustained by his precious blood Howbeit let vs with all note the saying of Saint Paul that because vnder the figures of the lawe it was not lawfull to eate leauened bread and that wee are now no more vnder such shadowes wee must cast away the leauen of maliciousnesse and wickednesse and of all our corruptions and take to vs the bread which hath no bitternesse but the bread of purenesse and truth And therefore when we come vnto this holy Table wherein the sonne of God sheweth vs that he is our meat and giueth him selfe vnto vs for a full and whole repast and would haue vs be now partakers of the sacrifice which he once offered for our saluation we ought to looke well vnto it that wee come not hether spotted and filed with sinne and iniquity but vtterly to forsake them all and be altogether cleansed of them to the ende our Lorde Iesus might allow vs to bee the members of his body and by that meanes also be partakers of his life And thus we sée how we must profyt our selues at this day by this holy supper which is made ready for vs which is this that it may lead vs vnto the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ and also vnto his resurrection that therby we may trust to haue life saluation because that by his victorious resurrectiō we are made righteous and the gates of heauen in such sort set open vnto vs as that we may bouldly approche vnto our God and offer our selues before him since wee knowe that hee wyll alwayes take vs as his children Let vs now fall downe before the maiestie of our good God acknowledge our offences beséechinge him to haue mercy vpon vs that we may finde fauour at his handes although we deserue it not And that he will not pardon onely the sinnes whiche wee haue already committed but also ridde vs of all the faultes and miseries of our flesh vntill such time as hee hath clothed vs with the perfection of his holynesse wherevnto hee dalye exhorteth vs. And so let vs all say O almighty God and heauenly Father c. ¶ The first Sermon of the Prophesie of Iesus Christ as concerning his death and passion taken out of the Prophete Isaiah Isaiah Lij 13 BEholde my seruaunt shall prosper he shal be exalted and extolled and be very high 14 As many were astonied at thee His visage was so deformed of men and his forme of the Sonnes of men so shall he sprinkle many nations the kinges shall shut their mouthes at him for that which had not beene tolde them shal they see and that which they had not heard shall they vnderstand Chap. Liij 1 VVHo will beleeue our reporte and to whom is the grace of the Lord reueiled THe Prophet hauing generally spokē of al the people of the Iewes commeth now to the head vpon whō hangeth al that hath bin before said For their redemption was only grounded in vpon our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Cor. 1.20 because in him are al the promises of God accomplished Now it is long time past sithence the redéemer was promised But when it was thoughte that the ligne of Dauid was vtterly extinguished the hope of the faithfull might altogether haue bin abolished For it was said that God would establish a king for euer 2. Kin. 24.15 2. Chro. 36.10 would set him on Dauids seate notwithstanding that he should haue the sunne and the moone of heauē yet should this kingdom be mainteined cōserued that although al the world should perish yet should this be so stable sure as that it should very wel be séen that this was a kingdom wholly consecrated vnto God And yet for al that it decreased yea soone after by little little fell in decay vntil such time as the last king saue one 2. Kin. 15.7 Ierem. 39.6 32.9 was carried away captiue al the kingly ligne translated as it were cleane cut of And the last king who was created at the charge of an Infidel an enemie vnto al religion in the ende playing the rebell against him it so fell out as that the king was takē his eyes put out he was indited his children were slaine he himselfe was most shamefully condemned the temple with al his houses were burnt What was to be thought héervpon Forsooth it must néeds bée that the Iewes assured themselues by the Prophet that God would in the end take compassion on them and bring them out of captiuitie For it was méete he shoulde tel them that that which was spoken to Abraham in the old time was not spokē in vayne That in his séede all the nations of the earth shoulde bee blessed and that there should be a king of the ligne of Dauid established whose Empire should be euerlasting and without end And therefore we sée why Isaiah restraineth heere his spéeche vnto the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ to this end purpose I say that the redēption returne of the people which before hée had spokē of might be holden to be most certayne and sure Nowe we haue séene here aboue Isaiah 42.1 that our Lord Iesus was called The seruaunt of God forsomuch as he most obediently submitted himself for our saluation yea beyng hée who was Lord of glory the head of the Angels and before whom euery knée must bowe Wherfore since this name of seruaunt is geuen vnto him let vs vnderstande that it is because he tooke vpō him our nature and that hée would not only abase himselfe therein but also be made of no reputation For it coulde not bée chosen but that our transgressions and iniquities must be repayred through his obedience And according to that which hée saide to Iohn Baptist Mat. 3 1◠hée must néedes fulfil the measure of al righteousnesse Thus wée sée that although our Lord Iesus Christ was ful of al maiesty God euerlasting yet because he took vpon him our nature and became like vnto vs hée thought not skorne too bée of the lowest degree of men whiche cannot bee gainesayd For although his diuine nature was no whit chaunged Yet if we consider well of the matter it was méete he should abase himselfe Galat. 4.4 as he was a Mediator betwixt God and vs for it is said that he was made subiect to the law although indéed he was no whit indebted to the same for it was he that must rule all and vnto whō al
sodēly spoken by him Neuerthelesse we seeing the great benefite which might come by the putting abrode of these Sermons were not afeard somewhat to displease and disobey him heerein to the end we might make you partakers of those excellent riches which wee possesse in this litle Angle and corner of the world so abhorred and detested howbeit precious in the sight of the Lord. In deede we were so much the bolder by reason of the liberal dealing of our honorable Lords and magistrates who desiring the aduancement of the Church of God haue priuiledged vs to print them Now when we see that we were to make choyse of such a great nūber of collections as were of them we thought it best to set a few of them abrod to the end that as we see them thankefully receiued so also we might goe forward in putting foorth of moe This then is the order which wee haue taken In the first place we haue set downe a congregation vpon the beginning of the Gospell of S. Iohn where is largely handeled the diuinitie of our Lord Iesus Christ Now by this word Congregation I meane a certaine assemble which is made one day in the weeke at the Church where euery Minister in order handleth some text of the scripture more like the maner of a reading then of a preaching that being done if any of the rest vnto whome the spirite of God hath reuealed any thing tending to the better vnderstanding and laying open of that which hath beene spoken hee hath free libertie to speake After that foloweth the Sermon touching the natiuitie of Iesus Christ Next to it wee haue placed the Sermons of his death and passion of his resurrection and ascention of the comming downe of the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles Of the first Sermon that Peter made after he had receiued the holy Ghost Last of al we haue set downe a Sermon treating of the last comming of Iesus Christe After we had thus doone and thinking to haue finished this booke it pleased God to graunt vs to come to the hearing of the most excellent sermons that are possibly to be hard or spoken vpon the end of the fiftie two Chapter of the Prophet Isaiah vpon al the fiftie three wherin the mistery of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christe is set foorth and so liuely pictured out that a man would thinke that the holy Ghost meant to set before our eyes Iesus Christ condemned in our name and nayled to the crosse for our sinnes to the end that he suffering the punishmente for them which was due to vs and bearing the wrath and iudgement of God for our sakes hath deliuered vs from eternal death which Sermons doe so agree with the Sermons going before which wee haue heere set downe that wee coulde not choose to ioyne them vnto them because we woulde not bereaue you of so great a benefite Moreouer wee haue had respect to choose out those Sermons aswell as we coulde which were vpon such dayes as the Lordes Supper was administred in this Churche aswell for that that there is a farre greater and more effectuall vehemencie in them as also for that the point of this Sacrament is therein more cleerely shewed for the which at this day is the greatest contention and striefe in the worlde And therefore we haue determined hereafter too deliuer vnto you the Sermons which this godly learned man hath made vpon the tenth and the eleuenth Chapter of the Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians wherein is manifestly set foorth the true institution of the Supper the corruption and abuse which sithence haue come vnto it liuely refuted Wherefore if wee perceiue that these presents like you wee will vse all the meanes possible that God shal graunt vs to make you partakers of the heauenly riches which he vouchsafeth vpon his seruants heere in this Church In the meane while wee beseech you dearely beloued to follow that blessed coursse and not feare the threats and cruelties of tyrants who thinke at this day to do god high seruice in persecuting Iesus Christ in his members and set before you this incorruptible crowne and euerlasting prepared for you if you constantly perseuere vnto the ende in your holy calling knowing that the sufferings which you abide in this present life are not worthie the glory of the life to come wherevnto wee may attaine through Iesus Christ our Lord. Geneua 1563. A Sermon made by M. Iohn Caluin vpon the beginning of the Gospell according to S. Iohn in which the diuinitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ is excellently prooued 1 In the beginning was that worde and that word was with God and that word was God 2 This same was in the beginning with God 3 All thinges were made by it and without it was nothing made of that which was made 4 In it was life and that life was the light of men 5 And that light shineth in the darknesse and the darknesse comprehended it not THis worde Gospel The word Gospell what it meaneth signifieth the declaration that God hath shewed vs of his loue in our Lorde Iesus Christ when hee sent him into the worlde which thing we ought wel to marke because it is verie much to know the vse of the holie Scripture euen in respect of the wordes it vseth It is true that wée ought not to stand simply or onely vpon the words and yet for all that we are not able to comprehend howe excellent Gods doctrine is vnlesse wée knowe the procéeding that it vseth and also what is the style and spéech therof And indéed we are so much the more to marke and weigh this worde because it is a verie common receiued sentence to distinguish the holie Scripture into the law and the Gospell and those that speake thereof in that sort meane Diuision of the Scripture that all the promises which are conteined in the olde Testament ought to bée referred to this word Gospel If any man speake let him speake as the words of God 1. Pet. 4.11 True it is that their meaning is good but for all that the holie Scripture vseth not such manner of spéech and we ought to be sober in that respect and to yéelde such a reuerence to Gods spirite as to kéepe such a manner of speaking as hée him selfe vseth to teach vs withall Behold thus much then concerning the word Gospell which is a publishing that God hath made vnto vs at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ his sonne declaring him selfe a father to all the worlde as also Saint Paule speaketh thereof in his Epistle to the Ephesians Ephe. 2.19 when hee saieth that Iesus Christ came to preach the Gospel vnto them that were nigh and to those that were farre of from God nigh to wit the Iewes who were alreadie entred into the Couenant with God and farre to wit of the Pagans and Heathen who are as it were farre remooued from his Church Now when wée
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
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
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
is to say God left not to accomplish that which he had ordayned by his councell when he raised vp his onely sonne and had aduanced him agreat deale more then hee was before abased Phil. 2.10 For euery knée must bow to hym Now when it is sayde that the Priestes went about to séeke false witnesses against him they dyd it not simply to forge or feinge a falt against hym but that they might haue some coulor and cloke to vexe and greeue our Lord Iesus And this is verye true that hee spake these wordes destroye you this Temple and within thrée dayes I wyll build it vp agayne And héere wee sée the wordes of our Lord Iesus Christ as they procéeded out of his mouth Ioh. 2.19 Now the witnesses which were brought in rehearce the very selfe same words wherfore a man would say that these were good and faithful witnesses yet the holy ghost calleth them false witnesses because they turned this saying wickedly For our Lord Iesus spake of his body which was the true temple of his diuine maiestie For the materiall Temple which was builte in Ierusalem was but a figure shadow therof as we know But the whole fulnesse of the Godhead had his being in our Lorde Iesus as S. Paul witnesseth yea corporally and substantially And therefore héere is to be noted Col. 2.9 that we must not simply looke into the words of a testimonye but to the meaning of the speaker Now this is a verye good and profytable instruction for vs because wée are so greatly giuen to wickednesse and leasing that if wee haue any coulor it is inough and doo thinke that God hath pardoned vs when wee haue by any such false meanes charged any man And therfore we must not stay simply vpō words neither yet vpon the maner fashion of thē but looke to the worthines of the cause For they which may at al times defend say that they haue deposed nothing but that which was said or done are yet takē before god for fals witnesses as here we sée wherupō it is said that Cayphas said vnto Iesus christ What is the matter answerest thou nothing seest thou not that these men witnes against thee And yet Iesus Christ al this while held his peace put vp al these reuiling and slaunderous words Now it may bee thought a strange thing the Iesus Christ who had very iust occasion to disproue such a false testimony did not once gaine say it howbeit as I haue before said and as héereafter shall more at large appeare Iesus christ was not thē to defend his doctrine as before he had done And therfore we are wisely to distinguish of al the circumstaūces for after Iesus christ had fasted in the wildernes god his father sent him to puplish the doctrin of the gospel Now wée sée that all that time he alwaies mightily defended the doctrine whereof he was a minister and wée see also how hée set himfelfe against whatsoeuer might bée said to the contrary And thus wée sée how hée discharged his duetie because he was appointed and sent to bée a Minister of the worde But héere is one special regard to bée had and that is this that hee must bée the redéemer of the worlde and be condemned not because hée preached the Gospell but that hée shoulde bée throwne downe into the bottomlesse depth suffer for our cause by reasō he beare as it were in his owne person all the curses and transgressions of those who deserued euerlasting death Wherefore because Iesus Christ tooke vpon him this office to beare the burden of all such as haue deadly offended the Maiestie of God that was the reason why hée helde his peace And so let vs note that when it was méete for Iesus Christ to defend the doctrine of the Gospel and that it so stood with his office calling he faithfully discharged the same But when in holding his peace he plaied the part of a redéemer as though hee was contented willingly to be condēned it was not for his owne cause that he held his peace but as I haue alredy said for our sakes True it is that he spake as we shal ofttimes sée but it was not in his owne defence which did but so much the more kindle the rage and fury of the vngodly against himselfe And thus wée see that it was not his meaning to escape death but was contented willingly to be ouerthrowne to the end he might declare that he had quite forgotten himselfe to discharge vs before God his father Now hée neither respected himselfe his owne life nor yet his honor For he cared not to abide all the shame and slaunder of the world so that our sinnes might bée taken away and we pardoned of our cōdemnation And héereupon it is said That the high Priest charged him by the liuing God to tell him whether he were Christ the blessed sonne of God hée answered That it was so But that they should sée his Maiestie when it woulde bée too late for them because such their dealing shoulde bée their destruction and ouerthrowe Nowe our Lorde Iesus Christe spake not this héere to make the high Priest and his company to yéelde gently but rather to pricke him faster on and as he was before full of malice crueltie this was to make the fier to burst out into a greater flambe Howbeit wée haue saide that Iesus Christe respected not himselfe but rather discharged that office wherof he had taken the charge which was to be the redéemer of the world Moreouer we sée heere in the first place that the contemners of God and such as Satan hath altogether possessed wyll vse some coulored kind of religion For a man would think that the hye Priest dyd his dutie in charging Iesus Christ by the name of the liuing God But sée into what a mischiefe we are plunged when Satan hath once blindfoulded our eyes for he then throweth vs headlong into such shamlesnesse as that we haue no more reuerence vnto God then we are ashamed before men Now this answere of our Lord Iesus giueth vs to note that he meant to declare to Cayphas and the rest that although he were for a time as a man would say abased yet would not that lessen his maiestie but that he should be alwaies taken to be the only son of God But yet there is one thing farther to be considered of which is for our better confirmation that although he was thus abased for our saluation he lost no part of his heauenly maiestie but was contented that men should oppresse him to the end we might be fully certified that we should be founde honourable before God because that all the shames which we haue deserued should be abolished And therefore because our Lord Iesus helde his peace and defended not his good cause let our mouthes now be opened to call vpon God as if we were iust for he is our aduocat which speaketh for
him before the Cock crow thou shalt denye mee thrise So he went out and wept bitterly Chapter xxvij 1 When the morning was come all the chiefe Priestes and Elders of the people tooke counsell againste Iesus to put him to death 2 And led hym away bound and deliuered him vnto Pontius Pylate the Gouernour 3 Then when Iudas whiche betrayed hym sawe that hee was condemned he repented himselfe and brought againe the thyrtie peeces of Siluer to the chiefe Priestes and Elders 4 Saying I haue sinned betrayinge the innocent blood But they sayde what is that to vs looke thou to it 5 And when he had cast downe the Siluer peeces in the temple he departed and hanged him selfe 6 And the chiefe priests tooke the Siluer peeces and saide it is not lawfull for vs to put them into the treasurie because it is the price of blood 7 And they tooke counsell and bought with them a potters fielde for the buriall of Straungers 8 Wherefore that fielde is called the field of blood vntill this day 9 Then was fulfilled that whiche was spoken by Ieremiah the Prophet saying and they tooke their siluer peeces the price of him that was valued whom they of the children of Israel valued 10 And they gaue them for the potters fielde as the Lorde appoynted mee 11 And Iesus stood before the Gouernour and the Gouernour asked him sayinge Art thou the Kinge of the Iewes Iesus saide vnto him thou saist it c. 2. Cor. 2.16 AS Saint Paul telleth vs that the preaching of the Gospell is a sauour of life vnto those whom God hath called to be saued and a sauour of death vnto the reprobate which perish euen so haue wee héere also two notable examples set before vs and worthy the remembraunce to shewe that the death and passion of the sonne of God was saluation vnto the one and a condemnation to the other For in the fall of Peter wee sée what the worke was which must draw him from out the bottomlesse death wherinto he fell headlong For as much as in hym lay he banished himselfe the heauenly kingdome estraunged him selfe from all hope of saluation and cut hym selfe cleane of from the Churche as a rotten member And yet the death of our Lorde Iesus Christ was it that must doo hym good although he deserued it not And as for Iudas it is saide that when hee sée our Lorde Iesus Christ to be condēned he desperatly hung himself Now he should as we haue said haue taken a good hart with hym to haue put his trust in God by reason of the condemnation of our Lorde Iesus Christ bicause we are pardoned by the power and vertue thereof Howbeit it was méete that these two specktacles should héere bee set before vs to the ende we might the better know that if we are not called by an especiall grace and fauour to bee pertakers of the fruite of the death and passion of the sonne of God it will avayle vs nothing And therfore it is not enough that our Lord Iesus Christ suffered without the benefit which he obtayned for vs bée bestowed vpon vs we to haue the full possession therof And euen then are we most assured of it whēas we are drawne vnto him by Faith But to the end we might the more perfectly vnderstand the matter let vs follow the text of the Storye as it is set downe It is sayde that our Lorde Iesus Christ was shamefully entreated in the house of Cayphas that they spit in his face buffeted him and slaunderously skorned him by callinge him a Prophet Now all this was to let vs vnderstand that what soeuer he suffered in in his owne person was to deliuer and frée vs before God and his Angels For there néedeth no spitting in our face to cause vs appeare before God spotted and blemished because we are not onely deformed and ougly by reason of our sinnes but also full of abhominable infections Moreouer we héere sée how that the Sonne of God the derye liuely Image of his Father Heb. 1.13 in whom his glorye and maiestie shineth hath suffered all these shames that wee might now appeare before God in his name to obtayne fauour and grace and thereby acknowledge vs as his Children being cleane voyde of all spots blemishes And this is it which we are to consider of in this fyrst place Now let vs come to the fall of Peter It is sayde That when a Mayd saw him she tolde him that he was one of Iesus Disciples but he denied it And that an other Mayde tolde him the like tale and he agayne denied it Afterwarde diuers pressed him with it and vrged it more vpon him and then hée began to sweare and curse him selfe as if he should haue saide I pray God I bee damned and come to naught and the earth open and swallow mée vp If I know him Héere then we sée how horribly and gréeuouslye Peter fell thrise which ought greatly to feare vs in reading of the Story Now we know how zealous hee was Iohn 24. Moreouer our Lorde Iesus Christ commended him and was called Péeter to signifie vnto vs the constancy of his faith he was brought vp in a very good Schoole and he had heard this doctrine taught whosoeuer denieth mée before men Math. 10.33 I wyll also denie him before my father which is in heauen And yet we sée how he fell And héere euery of vs hath good occasion to tremble and be afearde because Peters weaknesse was no greater then ours if we be not holpen from aboue wherfore in the first place we sée how fraile we are so soone as God taketh his hande from vs. For mention is not héere made of a skorner nor of a prophane man neither yet of one who had not tasted of the gospel nor that feared God or yet reuerenced our Lord Iesus Christ But it was all cleane contrarye because there were excellent giftes in Peter Math. 16.17 For the sonne of God fayde vnto him Fleshe and blood hath not reuealed these things vnto thée but my father which is in heauen We sée then that the holy ghost was in Peter And yet what a combat had he about the denyinge of our Lord Iesus yea with a silly Mayd But if a man had so spoken vnto him or if some honorable personage had made him afeard he might haue had some coulor for himselfe but we sée that a poore Mayd was enough to cause him forsake the hope of lyfe and saluation Let vs therefore looke vpon the person of Péeter and we shal sée that God had néede to strengthē vs euery mynute of an howre because we are not els able to abide it and although we haue laboured to come néere vnto his maiestie and that wee haue done many vertuous déedes yet shall we in the turning of an hande be altogether chaunged without God continueth in vs an inuincible constancie therfore let vs learne to put Paules admonition in
thinges this day in a dreame by reason of him 20 But the chiefe Priestes and the Elders had perswaded the people that they should aske Barabbas destroy Iesus 21 Then the Gouernour answeared and sayde vnto them whether of the twayne wyll yee that I let lose vnto you and they sayd Barabbas 22 Pylate saide vnto them what shall I doe then with Iesus which is called Christ They all saide vnto him let him be crucified 23 Then saide the Gouernour But what euill hath he done Then they cryed out the more saying Let him be crucified 24 When Pylate sawe that hee preuailed nothing but that more tumult was made he tooke water washed his handes before the multitude saying I am innocent of the blood of this iust man looke you vnto it 25 Then answered all the people and said his blood be vpon vs and on our children 26 Then let he Barabbas loose vnto them and scourged Iesus and deliuered him to be crucified WEe haue héere before alreadie séene that our Lord Iesus so willingly offered himselfe to be made a sheriffee for the repairing and blotâ—ing out of our iniquities through his obedience as that hée was verie wel contented to be coÌ„demned And here we sée why it is saide that he answered to none of the accusations that were brought against him Hée was able â—ust â—iâ—ally to haue done it but he held his peace as it is also laide of him by the Prophet Isaiah Which thing was not done Isaiah 53. 7. onely to shew his patience but also that we might be able at this day fréely to glorie that we are iust and innocent before God although our owne consciences accuse and condemne vs because we knowe hee hath receiued vs to â—â—â—â—y and that also in sinnes are taken away by reason of the perfection thee was found to be in our Lord Iesus Christ And thus we see how that the Sonne of God hath purchased vs libertie that we might be able boldly to glorie that we are the children of God and taken before him to be righteous to wit when he would make no reply for the setting foorth of his purenes of life Now in verie déede a man would at the first sight thinke it verie straunge that he held his peace yet saide that he was King of the Iewes For these things séeme to be cleane contrary Howbeit Ioh. 6.15 S. Iohn goeth on further and saith that hée declared that his kingdome was not of this world and besides said that he was the Sonne of God For he protested that he was come into the world to defend the trueth And all this agreeth verie well together For it must néedes be that our Lord Iesus should shewe him selfe to bée the King of the Iewes and the Sonne of God also without yee would haue denied the Prophecies howbeit hée did not this to acquit himself but choose rather to hold his peace and vse few words because he would be condemned We haue then here to note that when we heare the silence of Iesus Christ spokeÌ„ of it was because he would make no excuse and therfore held his peace and yet was he coÌ„tented to speak as much as was néedful We sée also why S. Paul saith that he made a good confession before Pontius Pylate 1. Tim. 6.13 For if our Lord Iesus would haue stood to his defence the Iudge was alreadie persuaded of his innocency And so by his speaking he might haue had the day And this was it that made Pylate so to wonder and yet our Lorde Iesus was contented â—o vnâ—nesse as much as God had enioyned him to do not 〈◊〉 that he should teach for that was no place for the purpose buâ— to confirme and ratefie the doctrine which before he had deâ—â—eâ—â—â— Nowe we are on the one side to note by the way that the offence which chiefliest troubled the Iewes was that he had made a garâ—oâ—â— hindred the payment of tribute to the Emperour of Rome which was a thing to moue the Gouernor being a Pagan whom the Emperour had sent thither to wrath In deed this is very certaine that our Lord Iesus shewed himself to be a king Iohn 6.15 but yet no earthly Prince for we sée that wheÌ„ the Iewes would haue crowned him he withdrew himselfe and hid him in a mountaine and thereby he cut the throate of this slaunder because he should haue made the Gospel to haue béen euil spoken of if he had peruerted the politike order and gouernment of the world For be that came to call vs all to the kingdome of heauen and to make vs partakers therof meant not to abolish earthly kingdoms séeing they are vpholden by him and his power And therfore it was not méet that the Gospell should carry with it any such blame as that Iesus Christ was come to vsurpe any worldly power or authoritie And héere we sée why he namely saieth vnto Pylate that his kingdome was not of this world And to say the trueth what were it and if the kingdom of Iesus Christ were earthly For what should we get by putting our trust in him 1. Cor. 15.19 when as we sée our estate to be so miserable in the worlde Truely the very Infidels are in better case then we considering the afflictions which we must abide In déede it is true that God sendeth his scourges ouer the face of the whole earth and they which desire as much as is possible to be freed from them shal neither will nor choose but be subiect to a number of miseries and afflictions And yet for al this we shal alwayes be more roughly handled For God must first begin to chastise his owne house and Church And therfore if our Lord Iesus had béen an earthly King it shoulde séeme that we were méere straungers vnto him Moreouer let it bée that wée had all the pleasures in the world and that by the meane of the Sonne of God wée were héere as in a Paradise yet shoulde our life bée but a shadowe and our felicitie verie short and transitorie And therefore we ought verie well to knowe and be fully persuaded that the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christ is heauenly that wée might bende our selues to the euerlasting life wherevnto wée are called Thus we sée that the kingdome of Iesus Christ is euerlasting because it consisteth not of any thing in this corrupt worlde Let vs therefore patiently beare all our aduersities considering it neither diminisheth nor lesseneth the grace which our Lorde Iesus Christ hath obteined for vs for they are eueÌ„ so many helps to our saluation as Paule witnesseth Rom. 8.28 And when the worlde shall despise and mocke vs we suffer many slanders abide hunger and thirst drawe our legges after vs and be harried on euerie side yet must we haue this consideration that God accepteth of vs. And this is as if hée chocked vs by the thinne and saide Looke vp a soft and set not your mindes
handled the matter as that the verie mouth of the Iudge shoulde beare witnesse of the innocency of his sonne yet for all that hée hath promised he will perfourme And therfore when Dauid would strengthen him selfe against all temptatiōs Psal 12. he saith that the word of God was like vnto siluer which had béen seuen times purified in the fyre Euen so as oftentimes as we doubt of the promises of our lord Iesus Christ and shal be troubled and gréeued as that is the subtletie of Satan to make vs loath our selues to be out of heart Let vs returne vnto this testimony that howeuer it is our Lorde Iesus Christ hath appeared vnto the world that he might be a faithful witnesse for vs and let vs at this day be assured that hée in effect sheweth vs that he hath not giuen vs all these promises in vaine because he will without all doubt performe them And thus much we haue in summe to consider of Moreouer whē Pylate saide What is the truth Let vs note that whē he moued this question he spake it not for any desire to learne but after a despightful scornfull manner which is at this day a vice that reigneth in many For when wée speak of the truth of God we mean the doctrine of the Gospel And S. Paul also so calleth it Ephe. 1.13 to the end we might make a differēce therof frō all other knowledge In very déed if any thing be told vs which hath bin done that is a truth But whē God calleth vs vnto him and would draw vs from this worlde that we might come to the heauēly life this truth ought to be set in the highest degrée and should make no reckoning of the rest in respect of it Let vs nowe consider how the world reuerenceth the word of the Gospel The wysest worldlinges for so they are accompted are so presumptuously blind as when that is spoken of vnto them will thus say what I beséech you Haue wée liued thus many yéeres in the worlde and doe you thinke we knowe not the Gospel nor any thing els But they wil al be ashamed whenas they shal be tolde that the truth of the Gospel hath béen buried and that they ought to looke more narrowly vnto it Now héerevpon we heare wel enough howe they scoffe and iest And euen so fared it with Pylate For because the Emperour had sent him to be his Lieutenant in the Countrey of Iudea hée thought hée had greate wrong done him when a man spake of a truth which he knew not of What sayeth hée thinkest thou that wée are all fooles and doe nothing else but lie Are wée not able to discerne betwéene good and yll And is it méete for thée to reprooue mée and say I knowe not the trueth who am héere set in office and doe represent the person of the Emperour Thus wée sée the meaning of Pylate which is hée proudely swelled like a Toade and woulde not bée so taken as to bée once thought that hée was not able to discerne betwéene good and bad And indéede we sée that hée tarried not to heare what our Lord Iesus woulde say but caste out these despitefull woordes and wente his way Since then it is so let vs consider with our selues that although there bée at this day many Pylates which refuse to learne in the schoole of GOD and to become teacheable as if they were wise enough yet let not vs geue ouer submitting of our selues vnto his obedience but accept of that which our Lorde sheweth and setteth before vs because wée knowe that the truth wil not grow vp in our mindes by reason they are ful of vanitie and leasinges and we plunged ouer heade and eares in darkenesse vntil such time as God draweth vs out of it And therfore let vs vnderstād that the truth farre passeth our minds and powers and that GOD muste bée our Maister to bring vs vnto it wée also very young and féeble to receiue that which hée sheweth vs and let vs holde this trueth for so precious a Iewell as that when wée haue compassed both heauen and earth thinke wée haue learned all that it is all but smoke and wil sléete away vntil such time as we buyld vpon this most certaine vnchangeable woorde And this is the effect of that which héere wee are to consider of Now it is by by said That as Pilate was set downe in the iudgement seate his wife sent vnto him and prayed him not to cōdēne Iesus Christ because she had byn troubled with many things in her dreames of him No doubt of it it was the wil of God diuers wayes to testify of his innocencie yea euen by Pylates owne mouth as already hath bin said as herafter shal be seene more at large not but that God had concluded what should become of his onely Sonne And so forsomuch as his will was that hée shoulde be the Sacrifice to take away the sinnes of the worlde it must néeds be that the Scripture should be fulfilled But it must also néeds fal out that our Lord Iesus must be proued a iust an innocēt man that we might the better vnderstand that he was condēned for our sakes of which condēnation we were guilty that whēsoeuer we heare of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ wée shoulde continually remember our sinnes and iniquities Hereupon it is said That Pilate desired to let loose our Lorde Iesus For although he had the chiefest authority without controlmēt yet because he was in a strange countrey and amongst a mutinous companie yea had a garrison in the towne the sedition troubled him And here we sée what the cause was why he would subtilly friendly procéed in the matter Forsooth it was by reason that hée would haue appeased the people Then it is said that hée offred them their auncient custome which was That euery Easter hee shoulde let loose vnto thē whatsoeuer prisoner they would For his meaning was that hée should die that he might be the sacrifice which should be offered for our saluatiō redēption God hath but one only plain wil meaning but it is wonderful to vs his procéedings are so strange that we must be faine to cast down our eyes and yet confesse that our Lord Iesus hath suffered but not as mē would but because that we should haue such a pawne of the infinite loue of God that our Lorde Iesus Christ might declare it wherby he might shew how precious déer that saluatiō of our soules are to him therfore let vs wel cōsider of al these thinges Moreouer in the end Iohn saith That although Iesus Christ was scourged yet that the people strayned themselues to cry out the lowder to haue him put to death Thē Pilat rehearsed againe that he heard that Iesus was the sonne of God which were the wordes that touched him and was more a fearde of that then he
any thing to saue themselues for beholde their owne mouthes condemne them For if our Lorde Iesus saued other without doubt hée was able to saue hymselfe but that he preferred others before him selfe What other thing can héere bée seene saue onely a wonderfull goodnes in that he would bée throwne downe as men thought to drawe vs out of the bottomeles depthes that he woulde suffer all that wée deserued to the end he might acquite vs thereof to be short hée forsooke all temporall welfare that is to say hée cared not for his life hée spared not his owne person that wee might bee assured of our euerlasting saluation and haue such a pawne and payment for it So much the more therefore ought our faith to bée strengthened and when wée sée that al whatsoeuer the diuel hath deuised to trouble and hinder vs from going to our Lorde Iesus Christ ought to serue for our furtherance that we might be thereof assured and profite our selues thereby Now this is certaine that the Diuell bendeth all his force to hinder vs in this behalfe For hée knowing wherein our saluation lyeth hath set himselfe altogether against it that hée might spoyle vs thereof For hée knoweth that if hée can bring vs to bée offended at the person of our Lorde Iesus Christe that wée are all vndoone by it and wée haue too too much experience thereof Moreouer all the offences which the Diuell rayseth against vs and setteth before our eyes to withdrawe vs from the sonne of God should be things to confirme vs. For as alredy hath béene declared when it is saide that Iesus Christe saued others and not himselfe it is a speache which in our iudgement shoulde cause vs to conceiue a disdaine against the person of the sonne of God euen to refuse him and not to truste in him But let vs cleane contrary vnderstand that when the sonne of God had no regard to himselfe nor cared for his owne life it was because hée estéemed the saluation of soules to bée so deare and precious as that he would bestow all hée had thereon And therefore since it is so wée shoulde bée so fully minded as to call on him and be throughly certified that he suffered not on vaine for vs. Now for that they said Behold him which destroyeth the temple and buildeth it again it three dayes this was too too villanous a malice to faine that Iesus Christe saide that he woulde destroy the Temple Iohn 2.19 But he said destroy yée this Temple and in the ende of thrée dayes I will builde it againe Now hée had none other meaning but that his enimies should be the destructiō of the temple which he spake of And when they had crucified him might they not thē haue vnderstood that the thing was alreadie begun to be accomplished For they were not ignorant that Iesus Christe shewed himselfe to be the true Temple of God as touching his humane body ◠Tim. 3. 16. for séeing his Godhead was manifested in the fleshe and his diuine being was vnited vnto our nature since I say all the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth in him it is out of all doubt that his Body was more worthie to bée called a Temple then the Temple of Ierusalem yea more worthie then all the heauens Now they destroyed it as much as lay in them and hee built it againe in the ende of thrée dayes Neither had they forgotten it for they knewe Mat. 27.63 that they had soone after tolde as muche to Pylate But héerein we sée that when the Deuill hath taken possession of vs hee maketh vs so blockish as that there is no wit in vs to discerne betwéene good and euil and wée grow so ful of madnesse as that wée will clearely cast God out at the Cartes arse as wée say euen as though fully and of set purpose we meant to distrust him Now when we sée this let vs be admonished to walke so much the rather in the feare of God when we knowe howe hée hath wrought by his wonderfull power to declare that Iesus Christ spake not these wordes out of his owne mouth in vayne Destroy this Temple and in thrée dayes I will build it agayne For to the outwarde shewe and according to our reason we sée nothing els in his death but shame and confusion howbeit Iesus Christ amended all in his resurrection And therefore since it is so our faith ought to be so much the rather confirmed and wée to set our selues against Satan and against all that hée is able to imagine and deuise for the shaking of our faith and making of vs to doubt As concerning that which is saide That they gaue our Lorde Iesus Christ vineger mingeled with Gall and Myrrhe to drinke It is to be presumed that they did it according to the custome that was in those dayes to shorten the life of malefactors Howbéeit our Lorde Iesus when hée had tasted of it woulde not drinke it because hée knew that his houre was not yet come They had then a custome that before the malefactors were vpon the top of the Gallowes to giue them this drinke that it might trouble the blood and so they should yéeld vp the ghost the sooner For this kinde of death was verie cruell and therefore they had néed of these helpes And in déede wée shall hereafter sée that the théeues had their bones crushed and broken to the end they might féele no more payne But howeuer it was our Lord Iesus would not drinke this drinke because hée would shew that hée was readie obediently to receiue the state and condition which God his Father had committed vnto him In déede this was a verie sharpe kinde of death For as we haue before heard ouer and beside the terriblenesse of it there were in it spirituall torments whereof by Gods leaue we will speake to morrow All which were to cause our Lord Iesus to hasten his death as much as was possible but his will was to submit him selfe most obediently to abide what punishment soeuer vntill hée were deliuered without the helpe of man And this is it which here we haue to consider of But as for the parting of his garments and the casting of lots on them these thinges were done Psal 22.19 that the scipture might be fulfilled For Dauid being a figure of our Lorde Iesus Christ maketh the like complaintes True it is that this was spoken but by way of a similitude when it is saide that vineger and gall were mixt together in his drink Psal 69.22 and that there was a deuise made to spoile him and that hée should be more and more greeued in his afflictions euen as cruell and sauage people will adde more affliction vnto miserable soules whē they haue done the worst they can And this similitude Dauid vsed when it is said that hée was made a pray euen for the spoile For he spake it in respect of his wife his house and of all his goods
and state of life Howbeit it must néedes be that this must be openly séene in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ And therefore vineger gall was giuen him that it might be knowne that Dauid was but a figure of him in déed that hée was the true Redéemer promised from the beginning For why was the kingdom aduaunced in the house of Dauid except it had béen promised that it should longer continue then the Sunne and Moone And therefore it was the euerlasting kingdome which was established in the person of the Redéemer For it was méete that these thinges which were shadowed and figured in the person of Dauid should be made perfect in Iesus Christ as here we sée Moreouer as for that which the Euāgelist speaketh of for the théeues that were with our Lord Iesus Christ who mocked him that is set downe as a thing by it selfe Luke 23.39 as appeareth by S. Luke who hath declared these thinges more at large Howbeit this is a common maner of spéech as if a man should say This is spoken as if it were to yong children for if there were but one yet it would bee taken in the plurall number It was méete also that there should be some women amongst And yet there was but one And therfore after this maner it is said that al men set thēselues against him mocked blasphemed him euen the théeues themselues For when a man is hanged betwéene two théeues it is to the end the more to aggrauate this shameful death In déed this was the place where they were wonted to execute malefactors And yet they were not contented that they had put him to this foyle But it must néedes be that he must be estéemed to be worse then the arrandest and strongest théeues of the world when as they were both hanged one each side one to the end it might bée said that hée was the maister théefe amongst them all And heerein as S. Marke saith the saying of the Prophet was verified Mar. 15. 28. that he was accounted amongst the wicked Now and if he had not béen thus accounted of in what case should we at this day stand before the Lord For we could not obteine grace without iustice It is méet that God should hate reiect vs vntill such time as we were made righteous and cleansed of all our sinnes and offences in his sight And that it might be so could God deny himselfe Could he be robbed of his holinesse righteousnesse puritie And therfore whēsoeuer we shal come before him all filthy and besmeared hée must néedes abhorre vs. How should we then be iustified before God except our Lorde Iesus Christ had béen accounted amongst malefactors Wherefore we are exempt out of this ranke God receiueth vs and taketh vs as me according vnto his hearts desire as if we were altogether cleane innocent because our Lord Iesus Christ suffred such shame and slander before men And this is it which in summe we are to consider of touching théeues But to make a full conclusion we must set down the words of S. Luke which is that one of the théeues rebuked his companiō when as he sée him so obstinate What saith he it wil be hie time for thée now or els neuer to stoupe humble thy self For behold the cōdemnation punishment which thou suffrest for thy misdéeds faults thou art a man plunged ouer head and eares in all curses although thou hast bin so beastly as to delight thy selfe all thy life long in thy wickednes yet shouldest thou now begin to sigh and grone For the most dissolute man that is although he wantonly passe his time all his life long and neuer thinketh to come to a reckoning scorneth iustice and setteth himself against it because he thinketh he shal escape vnpunished yet whē he is laid hold on words wil not serue his turn Behold saith he in what great torments thou art and thou seest that both God men do bring thée to an account thy cōscience also telleth thée that it is for thy sins that thou suffrest this wilt thou for all this set thy selfe against God Thus we sée that this saying verie well declareth that this théefe was taught by the spirit of God And although we shal out of all cry as we say sée this verie often yet may we iudge by this saying what a good schoolemaster the spirit of God is when as he so well instructeth those who haue erred and haue become like bruite beasts that they haue not onely acknowledged their offences and submitted them selues for the obteining of grace but also haue béen able eftsoones to talke lyke Doctours and like men which had long time béene acquainted with the holy Scriptures For can we make a better and sounder exhortation to a man that is growne so hard hearted and which neuer ceaseth to storme against God when as hée should yéeld and come to repentaunce then such a one as this wretched théefe hath here made But how euer it is this kind of admonitiō did him no good whom Satan in such sort had possessed but to make him without excuse And although it did him no good to whom it was made yet let it auayle vs at this day And albeit God spareth vs yet let vs learne to feare him But chiefly and aboue all if hée scourgeth vs and will haue vs féele that hée is angrie with vs Let vs then bée the rather touched to groane and constantly and patiently suffer our afflictions as wée sée the poore théefe to haue done and not proudly and outragiously lift vp our selues as the other did Moreouer we sée these two to be as it were the mirrours of all mankinde because we sée in what miseries we are wrapped For this life is euen an hell of all miseries euen the verie fruite of our sinnes because we were depriued of the blessing of God by the fall of Adam And yet this is true that God of his inestimable goodnesse hath surpassed this curse when as hée continually hath shewed him selfe sundrie wayes a Father making vs to féele the gentlenesse and loue which hee beareth vs and the care also which hée hath ouer vs. Howbeit we haue many signes and tokens of our sinnes by which we may perceiue that God curseth vs both in heauen and in earth because that death is common to vs all For when we haue languished in this world and haue béene subiect to many diseases to heate and colde and haue béen gréeued and tormented diuers manner of wayes to be short that we haue suffered infinite miseries what will be the end of all Surely euen this That we must turne into rottennesse and dust Now we sée some whom God so toucheth as that the afflictions which they endure serue them for their benefite and are good helpes vnto them according to that saying of S. Paule Rom. 8.28 And others we sée to waxe worse and in steade of
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
which was from the Sunne rising vnto the second part of the day they called the first houre The second part which was from that time vnto mydnight they called the third houre The third houre beganne after midnight lasted thrée or foure houres after And the fourth last part continued from the Sunne setting vntill night And sée why one of the Euāgelists saith that Iesus Christ was crucified about the third houre where it is here said that it was about the sixt houre Mar. 15.25 Now our Euangelist saith that there was darknesse from the sixt hour vnto the ninth For our lord Iesus was crucified betwixt the third sixt houre and was condemned by Pylate about the third houre And S. Marke his meaning is that it was in the ende of the third houre not at the beginning of it when as hée describeth the time that our Lord Iesus was led vnto Golgotha Now hée was vpon the Crosse vntill the ninth houre euen then when as it drew all to an ende And so it is most like to be true that our Lorde Iesus hung not on the Crosse aboue thrée houres During which time it is said that there was darknesse ouer the face of all the whole land of Iudea For it was not a generall Eclipse ouer the whole worlde For if it had bin so in déede it would haue blemished the myracle which God ment to shew for then the Eclipse would haue bin said to come by the order of nature And on the other side few mē wold haue said that it had béene in other countries and they also which make mention therof might iustly be suspected But behold it was the onely countrey of Iudea that was couered with darknesse And what time forsooth euen about thrée houres after noone when as the Sunne was nothing néere the setting But it behooued that it should then be so darke contrary to all common order because it might bring a terror and feare vpon all the land Now some think that this was done in token that God abhorred the déede as if hée meant to cyte the Iewes to the ende they might haue some féeling of this their horrible cryme which they had committed and as if hée would signifie vnto them by this visible signe that all the creatures in the world ought to be ashamed of so detestable an act as the putting of our lord Iesus Christ in such sort to death But wée haue to note that in respecte of the Iewes the death of our Lorde Iesus Christe ought to bée taken as it were for a most terrible offence and surely God greatly detested their villainous iniquitie because it surpassed all the rest And to say the trueth if murther and such like things are to be hated what shall we say to the most wicked handeling of the Sonne of God As to sée men to be so bewitched euen to make no account of him who was the very fountain of life and so to lift vp themselues as to abuse the memorie of him by whom we were created and by whose power we liue and haue our being And yet the death of our Lorde Iesus Christ is become a swéete smelling sacrifice for wée must haue continuall recourse to this Ephe. 5.2 that it was the reconciliation of the worlde as heretofore we haue saide Moreouer darknesse was ouerspread that the Sonne might bee a witnesse of the diuine and heauenly Maiestie of our Lord Iesus And therefore although he were for a short time abased and contemtible yea and as S. Paule saith made of no estimation amōgst men yet did the Sonne shewe his reuerence to him and in token thereof hid himselfe Phil. 2. 7. Since then it is so Let vs vnderstande that God because hée woulde make the wicked to bee so muche the more inexcusable meant that Iesus Christ should shew him selfe in his death to bée the soueraigne King ouer all creatures that the tryumph wherof Saint Paule speaketh Colos 2.15 beganne alreadie where it is saide that Iesus Christ tryumphed vpon the Crosse It is true that hée applied it vnto that that hée had cancelled the Obligation which was against vs and whereof hée discharged vs before God by which meane Satan was ouercome yet notwithstanding this was declared by the Eclipse of the Sunne Neuerthelesse this conuinced the Iewes of ignoraunce yea of a malitious and phrantike ignorance euen as if a man had séene before his eyes that Satan had possessed them and were become lyke monsters against nature And héere wée are in summe to vnderstande what to consider of when it is saide that darknesse was spread ouer the face of the earth In verie déede we are made cleare and bright at this day by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ For how cometh it to passe that the Gospell sheweth vs the way to saluation And howe are we enlightened to come vnto God were it not that the Sonne of God with the fruite and power of his death were offred vs in it And therefore Iesus Christ is in verie déed the Sonne of righteousnesse because he hath purchased vs lyfe by his death howbeit the Iewes are depriued of this benefite And in that the Sunne became darke they were conuinced as men altogether reprobate so that no teaching coulde serue their turnes to bée profitable for their saluation since by their wickednesse they went about to quenche and abolishe whatsoeuer might put them in any hope For that hope was onely in the Mediator whom they through their wickednesse and vnthankfulnesse tooke in hande to make of no estimation Wherefore it was good reason that they should be vtterly voyde of all soundnesse of saluation to the ende the wrath of God might shewe it selfe in a visible manner vpon them It followeth that our Lorde Iesus cryed out saying My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Psal 22.1 Saint Matthew and Saint Marke recyte the wordes of our Lorde Iesus in the Syrian tongue which is taken out of the Psalme 22. Nowe the Euangelistes doe not so fully and wholly recite the wordes as they are set downe in the text of the Psalme namely in this word Eli which is to say My God we sée that Saint Marke saieth Eloe But that was by reason of the corruption of the tongue as heretofore wée haue noted For the Iewes when they returned from Babylon had neuer so pure and sounde a tongue as they had before Howbeit this complaint and crye is taken out of the twentieth and two Psalme the first verse And therefore GOD would namely haue this to bée recyted in two languages thereby to declare that it was a matter of great weight which we ought verie diligently to marke And to say the trueth except we would imagine as many fantasticall people doe that Iesus Christ spake after the iudgement of men and not after his owne féeling and affection it would make vs all to wonder that Iesus Christ complayned that God his Father
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
as much as hée was man Let vs note that this complaint féeling and feare whereof we nowe speake hath no manner of way derogated from the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ For in that hée was man hée trusted altogether in God as we haue alreadie heard and as was yesterday sufficiently handled This then was the verie true patterne of a right perfect and sounde fayth Now it is here said that he was so sore tormented as that it séemed that God his Father had forsaken him and yet had hée alwayes a perfect fayth without béeing ouerthrowne or shaken any kinde of way Why then saieth hée Wherefore hast thou forsaken mee This procéedeth from a naturall mans conceit Thus we sée that our Lord Iesus Christ as touching weake flesh is as a man forsaken of God yet he giueth not ouer his trust that hée had in him Now in déed we sée two pointes in these words which at the first sight séeme cleane cōtrarie one to the other yet they agrée very wel together For whē he saith My God my God with such a redoubling he sheweth therin the constancy of his faith He saith not wher is God what hath he forsakē me But hée cōtinually sticketh fast vnto him And therfore it cannot bée but that he was perswaded fully resolued that hée should haue fauourable accesse alwaies vnto God his father Héereby I say wée sée a certaine and vndoubted testimonie of the faith of our Lorde Iesus Christe whenas in the middest of all his extremities and torments he ceassed not to call vpon God his father without hypocrisie because he was assured that he woulde be merciful vnto him so long as he called on him And thus wée sée I say a sufficient declaration of the faith of our Lorde Iesus Christe and yet for all that hée redoubleth it because it was an harde and dangerous combate as if he meant to set himselfe against all the temptations wherewith Satan coulde any way assaile him and sought to strengthen his faith to the ende hée might continually perseuere in calling vpon God Nowe hée eftsoones saith Why hast thou forsaken mee and this hée spake according to mans reach For it coulde not be chosen but that hée must grow to that point as wée haue said and yet not be ouercome thereof according to that saying of Saint Peter Acts. 2.24 that it was impossible for him to bée kept vnder with the sorrowes of death that is to say that death had taken holde of him as of a miserable wretched and oppressed man But yet it was impossible for him as saieth Saint Peter to bée holden downe And so he wanne the victorie euen in the middest of the fight and this is so much the greater glory vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe Dauid had partly a féeling héereof for this is most sure that in the middest of all his greatest afflictiōs hée perseuered in calling vpon God and trusted in him But because hée was a weake and fraile man his faith was oftentimes shaken as he confesseth himselfe Howbeit there was a speciall matter to bée considered of in our Lorde Iesus whereof wée spake on Sunday last and that was this that al his sufferinges were rightly squared and ordered by reason of his integritie and purenesse in whom was no corruption of nature But it oftentimes commeth to passe that our sorrowes yea our feares and cares proceede from a iust cause and yet they shall alwaies be intermedled with sinne because all our passions are corrupt But there was no vnquietnesse nor yet disorder in our Lord Iesus Whereupon it followeth that his torments were not such but that he had alwaies a sure and an vndoubted trust in God and so firmly and constantly called vpon him because hee right well knew that he would saue him euen in the greatest extremitie And thervpō it is said That some of those which were about him mocked him This man say they calleth vpon Elias let vs sée and if Elias wil come help him It is to bee thought that the Souldiers who knew not the law might haue saide so wel enough and yet it had bene but a foolish kinde of speach for they knewe not what the meaning of Elie was And it is not like that the Priestes who were acquanited with the lawe woulde speake this blasphemye What were they deceiued in the saying of our Lorde Iesus no for the Prophet Elias was not named after that sort The name therefore was not abused because there coulde be no doubt in it séeing the word of Elias is otherwise pronounced the word Elie that is to saye my God was as common as was possible and to the cause could not rayse any doubt And therfore they dyd this of a malicious impudencye vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ when hee saide Elie. And if this séeme straunge to vs I beséeche the Lorde there be not the lyke examples among vs at this day For we shall sée the Papistes euen at this day slaunderouslye backbite and depraue whatsoeuer we teach to wit whatsoeuer is taken out of the pure worde of God and doo wittinglye and in good earnest blaspheme to make our doctrine hatefull with poore and simple soules and such indéede as neuer heard vs once preach Yea they falselye depraue whatsoeuer wee say and turne it which way they please as may easely be séene to coulour their leasings with and to entertayne the myserable blynde and ignoraunt soules with their fond and fantasticall lyes We sée héere how the enemies of God whom Satan possessed had of a malicious purpose taken exceptions to the words of our Lorde Iesus Christ euen so at this day as I began to say fareth it with the papists And this is not onely séene in poperie but there are also amongst vs certaine beggers which will not stick to saye that we goe about to make them beléeue that Iesus Christ was in a desperate case and past all hope whenas we say that he suffered the torments of death and that he was cast downe as it were into the bottom of hell for so much as he presented himselfe there in our behalfe and beare the burthen of our sinnes howbeit al this is no whit derogatorye from his constant and vnchaungable faith And héere these dogges professors of the Gospell neuer cease blaspheming wherein they shewe themselues to bée farre worse then those which are in this place spoken of Since then wée sée that the Diuell hath at this day whetted the tongues of his Supporters and that euery of them with a beastly shamelessenesse vometeth out his poyson against the puritie of doctrine let not vs thinke it strange séeing our Lorde Iesus was thus slaundered but paciently beare these blasphemies and beséech the Lorde as it is saide by the Psalmist To cut out their villanous tongues Psalm 12.4 which are so full of vyllanie and cursing tending to none other ende but to the blaspheming of his name and darkening of his trueth Nowe
that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath purchased vs life by his resurrection so that wee must goe strait to him wtout séeking any other meanes to direct vs then such as hée hath assigned vs. We haue also alreadie saide that hée hath ordeined two Sacramentes for our better confirmation If the manner of the Iewes buriall had béen necessarie for vs no doubt Iesus Christ would haue had it continue in his Church But hée would not that we should stay our selues vpoÌ„ this earthly and childish Elements And therfore it is enough for vs to vse the plaine order of burying leaue the swéet ointments which figure vnto vs the resurrection and was manifested in our Lord Iesus Christ Wherefore we should but separate our selues from him if we would be thus basely and simply instructed For marke what Saint Paul saieth Colos 3.2 That if our affection be on things aboue we must séeke it in fayth and in spirit and be conioyned vnto our Lord Iesus Christ Colos 12.8.9 18. that we should bend our selues to him and not be nusseled in any thing which might withdraw hinder or kéepe vs backe from being vnited to him as vnto our head since his body is said to be the Temple of God And thus much wée are to consider of for buryall Howbeit this is also to be remembred that hée was laide in a newe Tombe which was not made but by the singular prouidence of God For he might verie wel haue béen buried in a Tombe which had serued for that purpose long before For Ioseph of Arimathea had many auncestors and in such wealthy mens houses there was a commoÌ„ Tombe made for the nonce Notwithstanding God had otherwise prouided for the matter and would haue our Lorde Iesus Christ to be laide in a newe Tombe wherin neuer man had béen laide Neither was it without cause that hée was called the first fruites of the resurrection and the first borne of the dead who had béen made partakers of life before our Lord Iesus Christ For we read that Lazarus rose again Wée sée also that Enock Elie were taken vp and neuer felt any naturall death but were gathered together into an incorruptible life Howbéeit al this hangeth vpon the resurrection of our Lord Iesus And therfore we must take him to be as the first fruites In the law the fruites of the yéere were consecrated to GOD by the only bringing of an eare of Corne and a bunche of Grapes to lay vpon the Auâ—ter Now when this was offered to God it was a generall consecrating of al the fruits of the yéere When the first born also were coÌ„secrated to God it was a declaratioÌ„ of the holines of the tribe of Israel that God accompted it for his inheritaunce which he had reserued to himselfe and contented himselfe with this people as if a man would be contented with his Patrimonie EueÌ„ so let vs vnderstand that when we come to our Lord Iesus Christ we are al coÌ„secrated and offered in his person to the end we might at this day receiue life through death that it should no more be deadly as before it was And thus we sée what we are to obserue as concerning the new Tombe that is that the buriall of our Lord Iesus Christ must bring vs vnto his resurrection Neuerthelesse let vs looke wel to our selues for al whatsoeuer that must serue our faith hath béene accomplished in the person of the Sonne of GOD And although wée haue a sure testimonie that it is sufficient for vs yet by reason of our grosenesse weakenesse wée are very farre from comming vnto Lorde Iesus Christ And therefore let euery of vs which acknowledge our offences séeke remedy for them be of good courage For we sée how Ioseph Nicodemus did Now here are two things to be considered of for our example The first is that they had no cléere insight in the fruite of the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ Wherefore their vnderstanding was grosse and their faith very weake The other is that notwithstanding this extremitie yet fought they against all temptations and came to looke for our Lorde Iesus Christ who was dead to put him into the Tumbe protesting that they hoped to come to the blessed resurrection which was promised them And although we feele our selues weake yet let it not discourage vs. It is true indéed that we are weake and God may reiect vs when as hée shal roughly entreate vs. But yet when we shall féele these wantes let vs vnderstand that he will accept our desire although it be imperfect Moreouer since at this day our Lorde Iesus is risen in glory and although we must here suffer many miseries and calamities and that a man would thinke he were daily crucified in his members as in déed the vngodly as much as in theÌ„ lieth doe yet let not vs quayle for al this because we knowe that we cannot be put beside that which is promised vs in the doctrine of the Gospel and although wee must runne through a number of afflictions yet let vs alwayes haue an eye vnto our heade For Ioseph and Nicodemus neuer had the aduantage that wée at this day haue which is they neuer beheald the power of the spirite of God which is shewed in the resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ and yet was not their faith for all this wholly morgaged And since our Lorde Iesus calleth vs now vnto him and telleth vs allowde that hée is ascended into heauen to the ende he might gather vs altogether let vs constantly perseuere both to séeke him and follow him and that it is no hurt for vs to die with him since we shal be partakers of his glory And Saint Paule exhorteth vs to be like vnto Iesus Christ not onely as touching his death but also as concerning his buriall For there are some that coulde bée contented to die with our Lord Iesus Christ for a minute of an houre but it wold grieue them to doe it any longer And for this cause I haue sayde that wée must not die for a while but wée must also paciently abide at last to be buried I call this dying whenas God séeth vs so suffer for his names sake for although wée bée not at the first condemned and brought to the stake yet when wée are afflicted this is a kinde of death which wée must paciently abyde But because wée are not by and by humbled it is méete wée shoulde bée longer time scourged and bée contented and paciently beare it For as the Diuel neuer ceaseth to deuise whatsoeuer may withdrawe vs and make vs growe woorse and woorse Euen so must wée al our life long fight against him And although this be a very hard and grieuous condition yet let vs tary til the time bee come that God calleth vs vnto him and not bée wéery in confessing our fayth and therein followe Nicodemus but not in his temerousnes For when he first came
for out of it was the lawe and the worde of God taught neuerthelesse our Lord Iesus Christ would not shew him selfe vnto his Disciples in that Citie séeinge the wickednesse of it to be as yet so fresh in memory and on the other side his meaning was to conforme him selfe vnto their grosnesse for they were as it were so amazed as that lookes would not haue contēted thē with out he had taken them aside and in such sort haue so shewed hymselfe as that they might haue bene fully satisfyed Howbeit we sée that the women which are héere named forgot not to reuerence our Lord Iesus Christ as their maister although they were greatly troubled with his death whervpō may consequently be iudged that the word of God was déeply rooted in their harts for although their faith was weake yet sought they for our Lorde Iesus at the Sepulchre And as for ignoraunce it could no waies excuse them bicause they should haue lifted vp their minds into heauen looking from thens the resurrection that was promised them séeing it was appointed out vnto them by name to be the third day Now their mindes were so occupied as that they could not comprehend the principall matter to wit the our Lord Iesus should ouercome death that he might therby obtaine life and saluation for vs. I call it the principall poynt because that without it as Paul sayeth the Gospell should haue bene in vaine our fayth in vaine 1. Cor. 15.14 Euen so although these poore women had a good minde vnto the Sonne of GOD and knew that the Gospel whiche was preached vnto them was the very truth yet were they so troubled and in such a maze as that they were not able to reache vnto the depth of his resurrection and therfore came vnto the Sepulchre with their swéete oyntments Now this was a falt worthy condemnation and yet God accepted of their ministery for he excused that their amazednesse vntil he had brought them back to the consideration of the matter Héereby we sée that when our Lorde alloweth of any thing we do it is so farre of that we shoulde make an accompte that we haue deserued any thinge as that contrarywise hée of his frée mercy and goodnesse alloweth the thing which inveridéede was not worthy to be offered vnto him For God may alwayes haue good occasion to condemne our workes if hee woulde straightly examine them because they shall neuer be founde vnspotted Howbeit God spareth vs is contented to receiue the thing which we offer vnto him be it neuer so weake and fauty so that we deliuer it vp in an assured and pure faith and acknowledge that he accepteth vs for Iesus Christ his sake And this is it which wée haue in this place to obserue But in the meane while let vs also vnderstand that it was méete there shuld in the buriall of our Lord Iesus Christ be another maner and a better sauour and of greater force then all the swéete oyntmentes which are héere spoken of We haue already saide that the Iewes customably vsed to anoynt the bodies for the confirmation of their hope in the resurrection and of the heauenly lyfe which was a signification that the bodies did not so corrupt but that they shoulde be preserued vnto the last day till God had restored them But the body of our Lord Iesus Christ was clearly exempt from this corruption Now it was not the swéete baulmes which could doo it Psal 16.10 but because it was said that God would not suffer his holy one to see corruption we sée that our Lorde Iesus was by miracle preserued frō all corruptiō And because he was exempt from corruptiō we are at this present certen assured of the glory of the resurrectiō which we haue already seene in his owne person wherefore wée sée the swéet sauour of the buriall resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ hath so farre stretched out it selfe as that wee are thereby quickned What then remaineth there to be done forsooth let not vs séeke any longer for the Sepulchre as these women did whose ignoraunce and weaknes hath stoode vs in some stead but let vs looke vp into heauen since he calleth vs thither vnto him and hath shewed vs the way thereto and hath beside declared vnto vs that he hath taken possessiō of his heauenly kingdom to the end he might make a roome place ready for vs Iohn 14.2 whē as we shal there seeke after him Howbeit we must also note the saying of S. Mat. for the angel saith he appeared who so feared the Souldiers as that they be came like dead men The women also were in the like flight but the Angel forthwith comforted them saying feare you not for I know yée séeke Iesus which was crucified he is risen as he saide Wée sée héere how God so accepteth of the affection zeale of these womē as that he correcteth notwithstanding the thing which he mislyketh I meane hee correcteth by the mouth of the Angell whom hee appoynted there in his turne We haue already sayde that it procéedeth of the singuler mercy and goodnesse of God whenas hee receiueth our imperfect ministery which he might very wel abhor Howbeit he receueth of vs the thing which is of no value euen as a father taketh of his children many things in good part which otherwise were very bables and trifles Thus we sée how liberally God dealeth with vs and yet he woulde not haue vs please and flatter our selues in our sinnes Let vs therefore beholde how the Angell correcteth these womens imperfection although their drift was to a good ende yet are they condemned of a perticuler vice whiche was in them And loe why S. Luke saith that they were most sharplye rebuked when it is saide Luk. 24.5 wherfore séeke you the liuing among the dead but we are héere to obserue that the faithlesse wicked souldiers who had no feare either of God or of religion were terrefied became like mad men indéede the women were also afeard but they were foorthwith comforted And thus we sée how terrible the maiesty of God is to all those vnto whom he sheweth himselfe and he doth it because we should féele our fraylnes whenas God manifesteth himselfe vnto vs and where before we were presumptuosly puffed vp and so imbouldned as that we thought our selues too be no mortall men whenas God shewed vs any signe of his presence therfore it was méete that of necessitie we should be confoūded and be brought to acknowledge our estate to be but dust asshes al our vertues to be but as slitting vanishing smoke And this falleth out both to good bad Moreouer when God terrifieth the faithles he leueth them as reprobats because they are no way worthy to tast of his goodnes Wee also sée why they flye his presence why they set them selues against him gnash their téethe become so furious as that they are without all
partakers therof And to say the truth if it were not so what shoulde the story of the resurrection availe vs but when it is said that the Son of God was so manifested would haue the benefit therof to be cōmunicated vnto al the world we may now the better tast of it So then let vs vnderstand that our Lord Iesus his meaning was that we should be certified of his resurrectiō bicause that whē we know in truth that our Lord Iesus is risen againe that therin consisteth all the hope of our saluation rightuousnesse Not that he hath not cleansed al our filthines by his death passiō but because it should not remaine continue stil weak And therfore it behoued that hée should poure abrod the vertu of his holy spirit that he might by his resurrection Rom. 1.4 be declared to bee the sonne of God as S. Paul in the Epistle to the Romaines and in diuers other places sufficiently declareth Thus now we sée that we must assure our selues that our Lord Iesus is rysen againe leaueth the way open vnto vs that wee might come vnto him looketh not that we should séeke him but hath prouided that we might be called by the preching of the gospel that his message should sound in the mouthes of those his heralts whom he had chosen Since then it is so let vs vnderstand that the rightuousnes whiche wee at that this daye haue for the attaining vnto the heauenly Kingdome wee enioy by the righteousnesse of our Lord Iesus Christ because he will not seperat him selfe from vs. And héere we sée why he calleth the Disciples his brethren Indéede this is an honorable name and was reserued for all those whom he accompted as his houshold Seruants and this kinde of speche no doubt he vsed Iohn 20.17 to shew the brotherhood that hee would should betwéene him and them And so also is it common to vs as Saint Iohn more plainly declareth Now to say truly Psal 22.23 we must haue recourse vnto that saying of the Psalm out of which this place is taken I will declare thy name vnto my Brethrē which place the Apostle in the exposition of the person of our Lord Iesus Christ did not only comprehend the 12. hebr 2.11 Apostles by the name of the Brethren of Iesus Christ but geueth also the same title generally to as many as follow the sonne of god and would haue vs to enioy the selfe same honor We sée also why our Lorde Iesus saide I goe vnto my God and to your God vnto my father and vnto your father now this was not ment by a few but it was spoken to the multitude of all the faithfull And although our Lord Iesus Christ bee our eternall God yet is hee contented notwithstanding euen in the person of a mediator to abase himself and come néere vs and to haue all thinges common with vs in respect of his humaine nature For although hee bee the naturall Sonne of God and we by adoption and grace yet this community remayneth that the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ is by his meane ours also in diuers respectes For it is not méete that wée should be exalted as hie as our head and soueraine and surely this could not but be a wonderfull confusion if the head of a mans bodye should not be aboue all the rest of the members for otherwise it would séeme a very monster and a confused lump and therefore it is also very good reason that our Lord Iesus Christ should kéepe his chiefe degrée because he is by nature the only sonne of God and yet this letteth not but that we may be ioyned with him in Brotherhood that we might fréely and with good assueraunce call vpon God and bee hearde because we haue familiar accesse vnto him We sée then what the meaning of this saying is when our Lorde Iesus calleth his Disciples Brethren to wit he dyd it to this end that we at this day should haue the like priuiledge with them by the meane of faith And yet this is nothing derogatorye from the power and maiestie of the Sonne of God when he thus conioyneth himself with such wretched creatures as we are and be as it were one of our company Wherfore we ought to bee so much the more in an admiration with the matter whenas we sée him vse such his goodnes towards vs as that by his resurrection hée hath purchased for vs the heauenly glory for the purchasing wherof he abased himself became of no reputation Since it is so that our Lord Iesus vouchsaueth to allow vs for his Brethrē to the end we might come vnto God let vs boldly séeke him and come vnto him whiles hée thus gently inuileth vs neither doth he maruellous cōsiderately vse his word only to draw vs but addeth withal a visible sacramēt also the we might be brought thereto according to our smal ability And to say the truth let it be that we be neuer so weak blockishe yet shall we not be able to excuse our slacknes if we come not vnto our lord Iesus Christ behold the table wherunto he hath called vs to what end forsooth it is not to the end to fil our bellies although that therin God declareth himself to haue a fatherly care ouer vs and our Lorde Iesus also sheweth that he himselfe is indéede the life of the world Wherefore when wée daily eate and drinke it witnesseth thus much vnto vs that our Lord Iesus declareth his goodnes vnto vs But in this table there is a special cōsideration to be had for it sheweth vs that we are the brethrē of our Lord Iesus Christ to wit Iohn 17.21 that because as S. Iohn saith he hath vnited vs vnto himself he hath also vnited vs vnto God his father so by little little telleth vs that he is our meat our drinke we are takē to be of his own substaunce that wee might haue al our spirituall life in him And this is more then if hée called vs his brethren an hundered times Let vs therfore vnderstand and know the vnitie that wee haue with our Lord Iesus Christ to wit that he will haue his life to be common with vs and his lyfe to be our life yea that he wil effectually dwell in vs and not by imagination and after an earthly maner but after a spiritual how euer it is he so worketh in vs by his holy spirit as that we are knit faster suerer vnto him then the mēbers to the body And as the roote of a trée thrusteth out his substaunce and strength into all the braunches euen so receiue we our substaunce life from our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 5.7 And this also is the cause why Saint Paul saieth that our paschall Lamb was crucified and offered vp and that we should now kéepe holyday and bée partakers of the sacrifice And as in the old law when any
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
that he must be tied kept frō doing his duty for feare the people would haue stoned thē all to death for they saw well enough that this malice would stretch it selfe foorth to the whole family kindred And at last behold Iesus Christ was crucified So that thē a man would haue thought the gospel had béen cléerely buried with him the remembrance thereof quite put out Who would haue said that the Apostles had euer béen able thus to haue set foorth the doctrine of the Gospell For marke what simple men they were such as neuer knew what learning meant altogether vnacquainted with the holy scripture vtterly without skill abilitie and besides a refuse people whō no man wold vouchsafe to heare although in very déed they had spokē with the tongues of Angels And what is to be séen herein but euē a very wildernes wher are the honorable shewes preparatiōs that should make kings princes to stoupe to the gospel For sooth heere are none at al. But on the cōtrary part behold naked swordes fire faggot to stop the course therof Wherfore we right wel sée that it was like vnto a smal graffe planted in a barrē land And who would say that it should grow to be a trée to ouershadow all the world vnder the which euery mā might shroud himself who was euer able to immagine this séeing so vnlikely beginnings Therefore it is not wtout cause that the prophet Isaiah declareth that the world which is too too much addicted to glory wil neuer vouchsafe to looke vpon our Lord Iesus Christe but rather despise him because he is like vnto a little twigge science of a trée taken out of a barren land where was neither water moysture substance or yet strength Now this is namely laide before vs to the end we might not bée drawne away through any such offence but be able redily to come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ And therefore when wee heare after what sort the Gospell shal be preached vnto the world and that we sée the like of it at this day to wit that the church shal be as a small handfull of rascall people and that wée shal be abhorred of all those that beare the greatest sway in the worlde let not vs for al that be faint harted For we sée how our Lord Iesus Christ appeared at the first although his meaning is that his kingdome should bee conserued after this maner at this day yet let not that stay vs from yéelding our obedience vnto him 1. Cor. 1.25 And since we know as S. Paule saith that the foolishnesse of God hath surpassed the wisdom of man let not vs be so arrogantly minded as to set our selues against it But let vs vnderstand that as God his meaning was to make his sonne of no reputation so likewise entended he to exalt him aboue the heauens and let not vs finde fault with that which he hath ordeined in his secrete counsel but therein rest our selues Moreouer let vs well cōsider of these words That he shall sprout vp before him For if we through our pride and disdaine think to tread Iesus Christe vnderfoote kéepe him vnder we deceiue our selues because he shal grow vp in despite of mans incredulitie malice vnthankfulnesse and enmitie but it shall be before God It is true also that he groweth vp aswell before the faithfull because they must obediently worship him acknowledge that the excellēt name which god hath giuē him is worthie to haue euery knée bow vnto it But the Prophet hath namely said that hee shall grow vp before God setting héere a ballance as it were betwéene such mē as goe about to ouerthrow suppresse the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ and besides God his father who will giue him his hād wil bring it so to passe as that nothing shal be able to kéepe him frō attaining vnto the fruite of his glory and Maiestie whereunto hee is called Thus wee sée the very naturall and true meaning of these wordes That to the outward shewe our Lorde Iesus is but as a twigge in a dry or barren grounde because there is no meanes in this worlde to make him growe vp and yet bée as be may he shal growe vp But how Forsooth euen before God And therefore let it not dismay vs when wée shall sée men make a iest at the Gospell to become as a flaunderous and shamefull thing by reason of the pride of the faithlesse But when wée shall sée the enimies of the trueth ware to arrogant and lift vp their hornes against our Lorde Iesus Christ and furiously fight against him let vs turne away our faces from it and not be so foolishe as to set light by the sonne of God because it is not the blinde such as Satan possesseth and who are altogether bewitched that doe praise and magnifie him and his worthines but let vs rather looke vnto God and then shall wée be throughly instructed in our faith For since Iesus Christe so groweth vp before God his Father it is good reason that we for our partes shoulde magnifie him and yéelde him the honour that belongeth vnto him To bée short let vs learne to stay our selues wholy vpon god thē we may boldly fréely stand against all the world And although there bee no reckoning made of the word of God yet let vs yéeld our obedience vnto it as it were vnto himselfe And why so Forsooth because that God should be far dearer vnto vs then an infinite number of those gainesayers which would withdrawe vs from comming vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ And this is a very necessary point for vs euen at this day For as wée haue saide we sée that the mightiest and wisest men of this worlde fight notwithstanding against the Gospell yea euen they which are not contented to be called Christians only but which also will be aboue all others in the highest degrées and yet are these men I say but Satans supporters to abolish the trueth of God such as set thēselues against our Lorde Iesus Christ his word If this I say feare vs let vs consider wel of the which is héere said That if we sée men so obstinate hard harted as that they wil not receiue the sonne of God when he offereth himselfe vnto them wée ought to set our selues against euen the mightiest of thē because then are but doung in respect of God In very déede as for the present time they are of so great Maiestie as that to our séeming all the world should bowe tremble before thē But if we would lift vp our mindes vnto God looke vnto him wtout doubt wee woulde care no more for al these fray baggles then for a rush Thus we sée how we should lift vp our faith to the end that nothing which is héere below might bee any let why Iesus Christ should not rule ouer vs. And this is it which we
haue to cōsider of in this place But because God worketh after a strange incomprehensible maner it shoulde confirme vs a great deale the more For if the Gospell were preached by men of great estimation so that kings and princes and al honourable estates euery where submitted thēselues vnto it that it might bee thus cōcluded whereunto we must sticke This is the heauenly trueth which we must agrée vnto And euery man is to fauour it and to put to all his force and substance Nowe this were like vnto a far groūd well tylled planted with trées vines sowen with wheat which at the world helpeth spareth for no cost When land then is this tilled hath raine in due season and should continue so euer after and to be short no cost to be spared Why Surely this were the very naturall kindly handeling of ground and therefore a man woulde thinke that God had not put his hande herevnto But when wée sée what disputations and resistances are at this day to oppresse the gospel what a number of hired tongues for the same purpose for not only the popish hypocrites at this day let out their tongues like cōmon harlots to blaspheme God his word but also a many of curres euen amongst vs yet shal we besides likewise see what crueltie they vse against the poore childrē of God laying cōtinually strange platfourmes to the deuising of Edict vpon Edict to bring this doctrine vtterly to naught We shall also sée at this day what vile and scornefull spéeches prophane men wil haue because they would abolish al religion And therefore when we looke vpon al these things we must néedes cōclude that God is aboue them al the doctrin victorious procéedeth frō him Wherfore this ought to confirme vs that although we sée there is nothing in the world to aduaunce the dominion of our Lord Iesus Christ the doctrine of his gospel but that al things rather hinder it yet notwithstanding that it findeth an entrāce kéepeth his course In the meane while we are conuinced of vnthākfulnes if we take any offence thereat séeing God calleth vs vnto himself sheweth vs that it is his hādy worke and therefore we must necessarily conclude that it is miraculous to sée the gospel thus prosper Thus we sée in summe how we must put in practise this doctrin in these daies Yet there is somthing more and that is this that Iesus Christ must be disfigured The Prophet hath already saide That hee should be like vnto a small twigge But that which is more he should bee contemned refused not once vouchsafed to be looked on neither should there be any thing in him that were to be desired And this is to declare that our Lord Iesus Christ should as we haue already said be vily estéemed of the world and suffer al reproch and shame as if men had not onely forsaken him but God also Now to séek our saluation which is a thing so greatly to be desired in him in whom is no kinde of likelihood this should seeme to be a great abuse And therefore if we wil come to Iesus Christ we must ouercome this tēptatiō Now this is a very necessary point first bicause the Iewes looked for an earthly kingdō for this was so couetous proud a natiō as that they thought god could not shew himself merciful vnto thē except he heaped on thē great riches of the worlde that they might liue gloriously in al pleasure thus we sée what a redemer it was that they looked for and yet had God throughly aduertised thē that the redemer should be like vnto a litle twig whō the world shuld refuse And this admonitiō was not only necessary for thē but also as necessary for vs euē at this day for this offēce remained after the resurrectiō of our Lord Iesus Christ for S. Luke saith that the Gentiles made a mocke as it were at Iesus Christ the Iewes were venimously maliciously armed against him stumbled at him as at a stūbling stone And of these exāples we haue ynough euen at this day with vs. Wée are therfore to consider so much the more of this doctrine that is that it must néedes bée that the sonne of God must be thus mishappen and yll fauoured and that there shoulde bée nothing in him woorthy commendation in the sight of the worlde for by the way we must alwaies haue this note which S. Iohn speaketh of that the glory of the sonne of God appeared in him howbeit ther were many blind fooles which neuer vnderstood thus much Now when the Prophet Isaiah saieth that Iesus Christ shalbée like a mishappen forlorne man ful of deformity he signifieth héereby that it was impossible for a naturall man to vnderstande that hée was sent to saue them that hée should haue all power both of life and death and that the fulnes of al righteousnesse wisedome and holinesse shoulde bée in him no man I say was able to conceaue this in his head Thus we sée how this place is to be taken For although our Lorde Iesus Christ had done many notable miracles which testified his heauēly power yet for all that he remayned stil disfigured and the faithlesse perceiued it neuer a whit And therefore this place of the Prophet hath fully béene accomplished Psal 45.3 that there was no gloriousnes in Iesus Christ to draw mē to like of him It is very rightly saide of the Psalmist that he shuld be gloriously and beautifully lifted vp aboue al mankind But this is a spiritual beautifulnesse accordingly as we haue already said That the glorie of the sonne of God appeared in him euen vnto al those that had had their eyes and were able to sée him Loe then how our Lord Iesus Christ hath surpassed all men in beautie because God had geuen him infallible markes tokens wherby hée might be known that he was in very déed the liuely image of God his father Iohn 1.14 We haue then sufficient reason ynough to magnifie our Lorde Iesus Christ Howbeit the worlde knew it not And so we must come backe againe vnto the saying of the Prophet that euery man hath turned his backe and closed vp his eyes as against a most horrible and detestable thing What to seeke for lyfe in death to trust to him that coulde not helpe himself to séeke strength and power in him that was so weake what a thing were this To be short we al know haue had too too much experience in our selues that as our Lord Iesus Christ was abased in his death euē so wil our faith he cast downe headlong if it be not vpholden from elswhere When there is any questiō of the setling our selues vpō our Lord Iesus Christ in running trusting fully wholly to him then this cōsideration cōmeth into our minds what how be this why he was so abased in his death as that a man
because wée were stubborne that none of vs thought once to humble our selues before God but were altogether blinded in our offēces Howbeit we sée that this is the naturall meaning of the Prophet that for the obtaining of peace at the handes of God it must néedes be that we were to be reconciled by an other meane I haue alredie said that God being the iudge of the world could not choose but of verie right hate and detest vs for as shall be soone after declared what haue we brought out from the wombe of the sea and what treasure haue wée gathered together all our life long Surely wée doe nothing els but prouoke the wrath of God as if wée had made a league with Satan continually to encrease more and more his fury Sée nowe in what sorte wée haue deserued to bée hated and reiected at the handes of God Beholde how his wrath is kindled against vs and it is impossible but that hée must néedes be our enemy because wée fight against him and with might and mayne make suche warres as that we vyolate and breake all order of iustice And therefore I say must God in this respect ryse vp in iudgement agaynst vs because wée knowe it to bée his verie office to maintaine and defende equitie and right Wherfore since it is so that he seeth vs to be ful of iniquitie and corruption and altogether rebellious it is meete hée shoulde stretch foorth his arme and shewe that because we are his enemyes hée will render vs the lyke And therefore wée had néede to haue peace and our consciences will alwayes witnesse agaynst vs and although wée goe about carelesly to sleape in our flatteryes yet will GOD so pricke and spurre vs and make vs féele in despight of our téeth that wee are altogether malicious and vnthankfull Wherefore it is impossible that GOD shoulde bée mercifull vnto vs and wée to bée assured to finde fauoure with him vntill such tyme as wée féele his correction Not that GOD is desirous of reuenge as men are For a man when he is in an heate woulde haue the fault that is committed to bee amended and some redresse and punishment to be made and had that hee might be reuenged Howbeit there are no suche passions in God But how euer the case standeth God will haue his iustice and iudgement to be knowne and feared to the ende wée might the rather bée afearde of our sinnes and learne to abhorre and detest them For if GOD woulde haue forgiuen vs except Iesus Christ had made intercession and pawned him selfe for vs wée woulde haue made no account of the matter and euerie of vs woulde haue smoothed him selfe and woulde haue taken also a greater occasion of lycense to sinne But when we sée that God hath not spared so rigorously and extreamely to handle his onely Sonne as that hée did not onely cause him to suffer the most gréeuous torments in body that might bée but also so extremely afflicted his soule as that hée made him to crye out and say My God My God why haste thou forsaken mée Mat. 27.46 When wée sée all these thinges I say it is impossible except our heartes bée harder then flynt stones but that wée must bée gréeued and conceiue suche a feare as that it must vtterly confounde vs and neyther will nor choose but detest our sinnes and iniquities since they so prouoke the heauy wrath of God against vs. Thus wée sée why it was requisite that our whole correction of peace shoulde bée layde vpon Iesus Christ to the ende wée might finde fauour before God his Father that is to say that we might be at such a league with him as that we might at this day be bold and frée to call vpon God as our Father although of very right hée is our enemy and hateth vs as wée are in our owne nature Wée sée then at this present what the Prophet his meanyng is when hée sayeth that our Lorde Iesus Christ was afflicted by the hande of God disfigured and forsaken of all men and that no man once vouchsafed to looke vpon him by reason of his merueylous deformitie Howbeit hée sayeth that it was because God had kindled his wrath against vs and was armed and bent to cōfounde and throwe vs downe headlong into the pit of hell vntill such time as that attonement was made And which way came it to passe Forsooth God of his méere mercy and goodnesse fréely forgiueth vs our sinnes howbeit the price of our redemption was in the person of his onely Sonne Now we haue héere to note that by reason of the condemnation of our Lord Iesus Christ we are pardoned and al our sinnes buried shal neuer again rise vp against vs before the maiesty of God whē we speak of the forgiuenes of our sins it is not spokē as though God had so discharged vs as if we had throughly cōtented payde him but we are acquited by his méere liberality And although we are guilty before him yet forgetteth he al receiueth vs to mercie Mat. 7.19 because as the prophet saith he casteth our sins into the bottome of the sea but by the way we haue also here to note that this was no frée forgiuenes vnto the persō of our lord Iesus Christ for it cost him the setting on as we say Now if we cōsider what a grieuous cruel slanderous death this was which he abode besides what anguishes his soule endured whē he was called before the iudgemēt seat of God his father to abide our condēnation if we cōsider wel of all this geare I say we shal find that our Lord Iesus Christ hath made a woonderful paymēt for the discharging of our sins Loe here howe we at this day are fréed of thē And héerof we are throughly to cōsider for the diuel hath cōtinually gone about to darkē this doctrine because it is the chiefest article of our faith In the beginning of the world God would haue sacrifices offred vnto him for the forgiuenesse of sinnes And why was that Forsooth it was to this ende and purpose that men should not trust vnto him but by the meane of a sacrifice and the shedding of blood And therefore they all protested in their sacrifices that they were not able to come néere vnto god except they had béen redéemed by the purging of their sinnes iniquities which was to be done by our Lord Iesus Christ And yet by the way neither Iew nor Gentile but trusted to their own merits thought themselues able to make satisfaction vnto God by thē Here then we sée that the diuel euē at the time wtdrew miserable sinners frō our lord Iesus Christ frō the payment which he had made by his death passiō And yet now sée in what case the papists are For they wil cōfesse that wee haue full remission of our sinnes by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ yea but that is as they
thinke onely before baptisme For thus they reason little children say they receiue the grace of God and are pardoned of Originall sinne in baptisme by the power of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ But say they whē we are once baptized then sin Iesus Christ alone is not sufficiēt to make vs acceptable vnto the Lord and to blot out the remembrance of our sins but we our selues also must make recompence And this is the cause of the deuising of their workes of superogation as to wander vp down lyke Rogs a Pilgrimage to haue many trentals of Masses such lyke diuelish inuentions So that if a man aske the Papists why the roge vp and downe a pilgrimage as they doo to sée their mowing apes and marmesets why they fast such and such a daye why they build Churches and why they cause masses to bee songe forsooth wyll they say euen to redéeme our selues before the Lord our God for it is very méete that when we haue vnderstood of our sins that we should make satisfactiō for thē to the end God might acquite discharge vs of the same Sée here how they make the death passion of our lord Iesus Christ of none effect so the papists are not able to go on one foot forward to do their deuotiōs but that they blaspheme God opēly deny the death passiō of our Lord Iesus Christ cast thēselues down into hel mouth thus we sée whether their diuelish deuotions which they cal good lead thē And therfore we are to obserue the words of the Prophet whē he saith that the correction of our peace was laid vpō our Lord Iesus Christ because that by his meane God is appeased set at one with vs for hée beareth all the sinnes iniquities of the world vpon him So thē let vs here note that when we sée what maner ones we are we shuld alwaies stād in feare because God is our enemie our iudge And besides wée must in the secōd place cōclude that there is no other meane either in heauen or yet in the earth to make vs at one with God but by the price which our lord Iesus hath paid satisfied euē by his death passiō Haue we this let vs then with bold chéere countenance come before our God yet not so but that we must alwaies humble our selues be ashamed of our sinnes Howbeit that wil be no let vnto vs but that we may frankly cal vpon our God as vpō our father neither coulde wee glorify our selues wtout he reputed vs to be iust al our debts payd because we are pardoned by the power of the condemnation which Iesus Christ suffred Thus we sée how this place must be practised of vs Marke also why hee saieth That wee are healed by his woundes In very déede we shal neuer bée able to sée throughly into our sinnes because hipocrisie blindfoldeth our eyes pride hath alwaies mighty rule ouer vs therfore wee greately deceiue our selues and make our selues beléeue that God is highly beholden vnto vs or els wée are so blockish as that wée neuer thinke to come to a reckoning Now it falleth out here that the Prophet sheweth that wée are but dead if it were not for the woundes of our Lord Iesus Christ and therfore that we must néedes séeke to be healed by him When then wée would féele the benefite which commeth vnto vs by the death and passion of the Sonne of God Let vs note that looke howe many sinnes as are rooted in our nature although they appeare not are euen so many deadly woundes and diseases I beséech you if there shall be an Apostume about the stomake of a man or in his bowels should it be euer a whit the woorse for the man if it were séene that it might be launced If a man then thinketh him selfe to be whole and sound because he will not sée his disease surely he must néedes be voide of all wit and reason And therefore our diseases must bée so much the more deadly when as they are secret and not knowne And ouer besides the sinnes which we beare about with vs the rootes of which are hid in vs there are sinnes in vs which we commit daily which sufficiently declareth that our nature is froward and cursed and that wée are altogether peruerted Wherfore since wée are wholly infected with spirituall leprosie and that our iniquitie is rotten in vs what shall wée doe in this case what remedie is to bée had Shall wée séeke for helpe at the Angels in heauen Alas they can doe no good and therefore we must go vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ because hée would bee disfigured euen from the crowne of the head vnto the soale of the foote would be al to wounded scourged and buffeted with one blow vpon an other crowned with thorns tyed fast nayled to the Crosse and at last persed through the side with a speare And here we see how wée are healed here is the right medicine for our disease wherwith we must be contented whervnto also we must apply our whole affection knowing that we are neuer able to be at quiet with our selues but that we must stil be extreamly tormented vexed were it not that Iesus Christ comforted vs and appeased the wrath of God for vs. Now when wée are sure of this it giueth vs occasion to sing praises vnto his holy name where before wée could doe nothing else but grone and be vtterly confounded And this is in summe the thing which we are to learne out of the words of the Prophet Now S. Matthew alledgeth this place Mat. 8.17 when he maketh mention of all the diseases which our Lord Iesus Christ healed how he made the blinde to sée the lame to goe the deafe to heare set a foote suche as were half dead sick of the palsie cast deuils out of mens bodies This saith hée declareth that it was not for naught that the Prophet Isaiah said that hée beare our infirmities and susteined our griefes Without doubt the Prophet speaketh not héere of bodely diseases Wherefore it séemeth that the Euangelist hath applyed this testimony but yll But hée in declaring that our Lorde Iesus Christ healed outward diseases meaneth to bring vs to an higher consideration because he would haue vs to beholde as it were in a figure the reason of his comming into the world And therfore whē we heare that our Lord Iesus Christ healed the sicke of the palsy but especially raysed the dead that hée also healed al maner of diseases let vs vnderstand euē in the view of the eye according to our grose weak capacities that he hath told vs that he is our spirituall Phisitiō let vs also learn as I haue alredy saide that all the vices wherevnto we are enclined are so many corruptions in our soules And as there are many euil humors in the body euē so likewise
corrupt wil hunt after euill in stéede of good vntil such time as our Lord Iesus Christ hath corrected reformed vs put into vs a right affection to obey him And this is it which the Prophet meaneth to declare Now let vs conclude that all such as tosse to fro doe depart frō our Lord Iesus For the Prophet saith That all the Patriarkes Prophets euery one of the holy Fathers and Martyrs haue néeded to be reconciled vnto God through the death and Passion of our Lord Iesus Christ For if Abraham the father of the faithful If Dauid the mirrour of al righteousnesse and if others such like as Iob Daniell who are called as it were the myrrours of all holinesse and perfection If these I say were poore strayed and lost shéepe vntill such time as they were recōciled by our Lord Iesus Christe Alas what shall become of vs And therefore when we shall séeke after our Mediators and thinke by their meanes to escape the destruction wherein wée are do wée not shew our selues too too vnthankefull vnto our Lord Iesus Christ And are not wée in the meane while too too voyde of sense and reason to craue any thing at their handes who also haue néede to runne for help to the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ For if necessitie inforceth vs to séeke for remedie we must goe vnto him vnto whom all the faithfull in euery age had recourse For neither Saint Peter nor yet Saint Paul ne the virgin Mary nor any whatsoeuer that are exempt frō it And therefore let vs learne to goe to the spring head and fountaine and drawe cut of that which is wanting vnto vs. For our Lorde Iesus hath wherewith to satisfie vs all and wée must not feare that the fulnesse of his grace can any way bée drawne dry but bée assured that he will giue to euery one his parte and portion thereof which will come to séeke for it Wherefore let vs come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe and he will satisfie vs all But whosoeuer declineth from him either one way or other suche a one cannot bée holpen with that remedie which is offered vnto him but refuseth it asmuche as in him lyeth so that his vnthankfulnesse is a let for the inioying of the grace that is presented vnto him And so much the more shall wée bée inexcusable since this is dayly preached vnto vs. For God was not contented to haue sent his Sonne for a time to thrust him out to bée slaine and to beat him in his wrath although hée loued him as his onely sonne for notwithstanding he woulde cast him downe to the outward shew and vsed all the rigour that was possible against him yet was hée alwayes his best beloued sonne as alredy hath béene said howbeit all was to the end that we might bée pardoned yet was hée not I say contented with this but dayly deliuereth vnto vs this treasure to the end wée might inioy it hée declareth vnto vs that Iesus Christe who was thrust into the side hath at this day his hart as it were wyde open that wée might bée assured of the loue hee beareth vs and that as his armes were tyed fast to the crosse euen so hath he now stretched them out to imbrase vs and pull vs vnto him and woulde haue all these thinges to doe vs good and as hée hath shed his blood so would hée that wée should at this day bée plunged therein Wherefore when God so neatly inuiteth vs and that Iesus Christ also séeth before vs the benefite of his death and passion and telleth vs that his blood is alwayes freshe according to the saying of the Apostle to the Hebrewes that it is not like dry blood which becōmeth nothing Heb. 10 2◠but because it is sanctified by his heauenly power therefore this blood is continually fresh for the Apostle hath vsed this spéeche that wee might vnderstand that his power is not lessened but hath continually his full and whole strength such as it had from the beginning to the end wée myght all come and submit our selues vnto our Lord Iesus Christe And after wée haue confessed our sinnes and be ashamed of them let vs not doubt but that he is sufficient to giue vs such remedy as that we may conclude that God hath receiued and allowed vs as his own children and accounteth vs as righteous and perfect where before wée were abhominable in his sight Thus wée sée what we haue to learne out of this doctrine And because we sée that at this day some iest and mock and other some waxe proude presumptuous and thinke by their righteousnesse to satisfie God let vs deny all such blasphemies and in true faith and repentance séeke for our Lorde Iesus Christe and with all our affections submit our selues to him whenas we shall féele our selues thus charged with so insupportable a burden Let vs nowe fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God acknowledge our offences beséeching him to cause vs so to féele them as that wée may grone for them all our life longe and be moued to haue recourse vnto him and not to wander and roile in our foolish wicked and diuelish opinions But in vnderstanding that al our blessednesse and whatsoeuer els belongeth to our saluation is in our Lord Iesus Christ that it would please this our good God to make vs come wholy vnto him and so kéepe our faith as that we neuer be turned away from it And that it would please him also by his holy spirite so to worke in our heartes that we knowing our selues to bee fréely forgiuen of our sinnes might also acknowledge what a great pryce it cost and howe deare and precious it was vnto his onely Sonne that thereby wée might bée so much the more styrred vp to magnifie him And forasmuche as wee must bee healed by him that it woulde please him to cleanse vs dayly of all our faultes and sinnes vntyll such time as hee hath brought vs vnto that perfection wherunto wee ought to growe al our life long that it would please him not onely to shew vs this fauour but also vnto all people and nations of the earth c. The fourth Sermon of the Prophesie of Christe Isaiah liii 7 HEE was oppressed and afflicted yet did hee not open his mouth hee is brought as a sheepe to the slaughter and as sheepe before her sherer is dumbe so he openeth not his mouth 8 Hee was taken out from pryson and from iudgement and who shal declare his age for he was cut frō out of the land of the liuing for the transgression of my people was hee plagued WHen the Prophet had shewed that euery of vs was to looke into himselfe and vnto his owne sins if we woulde receiue any benefite by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christe hée now saith that he suffered not cōstrainedly but willingly for if he had not done so we should neuer haue
want of abilitie to say any thing for our excuse yet will hee defende vs and God will also adiudge vs for innocentes because our sinnes were thus repayred Thus we sée at what end we must begin and then shal we haue greater courage and be much better disposed to kéepe our tonges whenas we shall be any way afflicted by the hand of God And héerevpon the Prophet saith that he was lifted out of anguishe or out of prison for the word importeth thus much of iudgemet There are some which expound it as if Iesus Christ had bene put to death by some sodaine violēce but we are rather told that death ouercame him not but was raised vp againe by the power of God his father Now it is not enough for vs that we vnderstande that our Lorde Iesus hath suffered for our saluatiō and when we haue examined our life we shal feele that without this help we were al damned vtterly lost if there were nothing els spoken of but of the death and passion of the sonne of God we should alwaies stande in doubt for how can it be possible that we should hope for life at his hands séeing he himself was hedlong cast down into death surely we should neuer perceiue any diuine nor heauenly power without the which wee can no way conceiue to put our trust in him because wee should sée nothing but weakenesse which would feare vs. And as the Prophet hath héeretofore spoken of the frute which we receiue by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ euen so doth he now say that it is because he shall be lyfted vp by the power of god his father he was lifted vp saith he out of anguish and iudgemēt And although he was condemned yet did not God leaue puttinge to his helping hand but exalted him that hee might haue the chiefe dominion and rule ouer all creatures Rom. 1 4. This is it which S. Paul setteth foorth in the Epistle to the Romaines where he saith that he shewed himselfe to be the son of god by his rising againe For if we doo but only looke into the lyfe of Iesus Christ as he liued héere amongst men and also into his death we should neuer finde that in him which is requisit for our saluation In very déede the miracles which he dyd the doctrine which he preached and the rest of the signes which he shewed was sufficient to declare him to be the son of god without our faith were to to weake And yet should we remaine alwaies in shame and doubt to sée Iesus Christ offer himselfe as a common and contemptible man and besides it woulde make vs more ashamed and gréeued whenas we should sée him in the ende subiect to so cursed shamefull a death But when we passe from his death vnto his resurrection then we know that our Lord Iesus Christ got the victory for vs. And to the same purpose is that saying of S. Paul to the Corin. that although hée was crucified in weaknesse 2. Cor. 13.4 yet rose hée againe by the power of God his Father So then the order which the prophet héere kéepeth tendeth to the same ende that we shoulde not stand in doubt but that our Lord Iesus Christ had life in his hand and was Lord maister therof because it was séene in his owne person And therefore let vs vnderstande that the sonne of God was made of no reputation for our sakes bicause wee know eftsoones that he was not spoyled of his power and although he kept it close for a time yet haue we such a sure testimonie thereof in his resurrection as that we shall not néede to make any excuse but fully and wholy beléeue in him and bouldly set our selues against hel sin séeing Iesus Christ hath triumphed ouer them and the hande of God sustained him to be exempt of all anguishes and was exalted by himselfe to be God his Fathers lieutennaunt as I haue already said to haue the chiefest gouernment in the worlde This then is the effect of the which wee are to learne whenas it is saide that he was lifted from out of prison iudgement Now it must néedes fal out that our Lord Iesus should discend into the bottomlesse depthes before such time as he should be exalted into the glory of heauen for if he had appeared onely in maiestie how is it possible for vs at this day to bee assured that our sinnes are forgiuen vs. Surely wée might sée the sonne of God the fountaine of lyfe but wée should sée him as one deuided from vs and wée should haue nothing that is common to him nor yet once come néere him Moreouer wée should haue alwaies matter enough to dispaire on because we are guilty of an infinit number of sinnes And therfore if our Lorde Iesus Christ had gone downe into the bottomlesse depthes and had not bene afterwarde exalted into heauen what had wée ben the better truly no whit but alwayes remaine lyke miserable caytiues out of all measure disquieted and horrybly tormented by séeing the wrath of God continuallye vpon vs. But when it is saide in the first place that he was condemned and suffered most fearefull panges to the ende we might be freed from them and be at peace with God as yesterday was tolde you wée now know that he loueth and fauoureth vs receiueth vs to mercy and therefore when we vnderstande that Iesus Christe was therevpon exalted wée may also very well conclude that it was to draw vs vnto him to the ende we might be partakers of the glory which was giuen vnto him by God his father Moreouer we are also to note the wordes of the Prophet which followeth Who is he that is able to number his yeares For by these wordes he meaneth to shew that the effect and power of the resurrection of our Lord Iesus was for euer and that it is no temporal thing which many times melteth and vanisheth away And this is a very necessary point for some haue taken this age for the eternall generation of our Lord Iesus Christ because he was begotten by God his father from all eternitie Some other haue strayned the woordes of the Prophet this way and that but when we shall looke more narrowly into the matter there is no doubt but that he meant to shewe that the honour which was giuen to Iesus Christ was not for him selfe and his owne person and for a day onely but that he purchased vs euerlasting life for as Saint Paule sayeth That inasmuch as he dyed he dyed once for sinne Rom. 6.10 But in that he now liueth he liueth vnto God shal neuer die again By this he declareth that the sacrifice whiche our Lorde Iesus Christ offered is sufficient for vs because hee hath most perfectlye sanctified vs by that meane And therefore it was not néedefull that the Sonne of God should suffer any more then once Heb. 7.27 but because this
it meant was thus conuerted vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ let vs take good héede howe we play the sluggards but rather follow the Counsell of the Psalmist who saith To day if yée heare his voyce harden not your heartes Psal 95.8 And therefore let vs take such a tast of the doctrine which is here preached vnto vs as that wee may bee brought vnto our Lord Iesus Christ and so accept of him as that we may cleaue vnto him with a sure and constant faith that we may profite thereby and be strengthened euen to the end so that after we are truely humbled we may come and offer our selues vnto our God and beséeche him of pardon and forgiuenes and although we are vnwoorthy yet let vs not leaue lifting vp of our heades vnto heauen and fully assure our selues that God will accept of vs in the name of this great and mighty Redemer And although he was for a little while cast downe yet let vs come backe to this poynt that he was notwithstanding exalted aboue the heauens that as S. Iohn saith he might draw vs vnto himself Iohn 22.32 for thus it is said when I shal be exalted out of this world I will draw al things vnto my selfe Let vs now fal downe before the maiesty of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him to make vs otherwise féele them then héeretofore we haue done and that it would please him to open our eies and 〈◊〉 touche our hartes as that wee may submit our selues wholy vnto him and holde the meane whiche is set downe vnto vs in his worde that is to hate our selues and detest al our sinnes so that wée may be able to receiue the grace which he hath once shewed vs in our Lorde Iesus Christ and which hée would haue vs now inioy by the meane of the Gospell And so let vs all most humbly say O almighty GOD and heauenlye Father thou hast promised to héere all our requestes c. ¶ The fift Sermon of the Prophesie of Iesus Christ Isaiah L. iij 9 And he made his graue with the wicked and with the riche in his death though he had done no wickednesse neither was any deceit in his mouth 10 Yet would the Lord breake him and make him subiect to infirmities when he shall make his Soule an offering for sinne he shall see his Seede and prolong his dayes and the wyll of the LORDE shall prosper in his handes THe Prophet continueth héere the doctrine before specified to witte that there was such inimity betwéene God and vs as that the wrath of God could by no meanes be appeased but by Iesus Christ his answering of the same euen to the vttermost For by how much the more the suffering of the son of god was by somuch the more mai we gather how greeuous our sinnes are and how wonderfully God abhorreth them considering as wee haue héeretofore saide and as héereafter shall be more at large spoken that there is no superfluous nor vnprofitable thing in the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ And therefore for somuch as he was terribly tormented hee hath on the one side witnessed vnto vs his infinite goodnesse and loue and we on the other side are to looke what it is that our iniquities haue deserued before the maiestie of our good God Now it is heere sayde that ouer and besides that which hath beene alreadie recited that our Lord Iesus Christ was put to be skorned and shamed of the vngodly that they might euen glory and triumph ouer him for there is no doubt but that the Prophet by this word Graue ment to expresse that Iesus Christ was subiect to all rebuke and shame and that God woulde forsake him as it were for a season to the end the worlde might make no reckoning of him accordingly as it is set downe vnto vs in the Gospell For they did not onely crucifie Iesus Christ but they also put out their tongues at him rayling and scoffing and as much as in them lay went about to make him desperate Which thing was very well foretolde by the Psalmist to witte that the most wicked and vngodly should put out their tongues at him For this was the speech they had he hath saued others say they and therefore let him now saue him selfe if he can Why calleth not hee vpon his God Psal 22.8 Mat. 27.42 we shall see whether hee so greatly loueth him or no. We see then how the wicked wounded our Lord Iesus Christ and how furiously men outraged against him and it was to this end and purpose that we might finde so much fauour at the handes of God as to haue our sinnes couered and although Satan hath wherefore to accuse vs yet shall all the shame whervnto he is any way able to put vs be clearely buried Wherefore since our Lorde Iesus Christ would néeds beare all our blame and shame it was to this ende that all our filthinesse might be couered before the Lord our God so that they should neuer be able to come in minde any more And when the prophet speaketh héere of the Riche it is as much as if he had saide the most outragious kind of people For we know that when men are riche and in authoritie they goe about to make them selues to bée feared alwayes abusing their power and credit And this also we sée that very few or none of these men kepe any temperatnesse and measure either yet become gentle and mild when they may hurt But as for the poore soules although indéede they are fearce and cruel enough yet are they kept backe from dooing any harme euen by maine force thereby the mischief which they would gladly doe is not seene Howbeit as for the rich and mightie ones they are without all order and thinke whatsoeuer they doe is lawfull To be short the Prophet his meaning is that our Lord Iesus Christ was thrust into the hands of men to the end he might be so vilainously handled as that he was not woorthie to be accounted amongest the contemptible petie companions but to be taken as a worme of the earth and to haue all the mocks and skornes that might be to be laid vpon him Thus we sée the summ and effect of this first part Now he by and by after sayth That he had for all this done no wickednes whereby he ment to shew that that the son of God as touching himselfe being innocent would take vpon him all our burdens wherewith we were ouercharged for there was no mortall creature that was able to beare and suffer that which our Lord Iesus Christ dyd And so by that meane the prophet againe declareth vnto vs that it was not for his owne deserts neither yet was he guiltie of any thing whenas they thus cruelly and tirrannously vsed him but abod all this geare for our sakes And to say the truth if we looke well into the life of our Lord Iesus Iohn
Satan And therfore wée are so much the rather to make an obseruation of this doctrine That as God hath not set downe in the Law and saide You shall not serue mée this way and that as pleaseth you But placed and ordeined the sacrifices Ceremonies conteined in the Law thereon stay them selues without deuising any newe and strange kind of Seruice meane to obteine fauour grace Euen so likewise must we at this day be contented with the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christe because we know that that is the only meane by which God will be mercifull fauourable vnto vs by which also he wil receiue adopt vs vnto himselfe Thus we namely sée what it is that the Prophet meaneth to offer héere vnto vs. Now it is moreouer said That he will prolong his dayes that he shall see his seed to be permanent that the wil or plesure of the Lorde shall prosper in his handes Héere he bringeth vs yet once againe back vnto the consideration of the glory excellencie of our Lord Iesus Christ to the end wee might be so muche the more assured that we may come vnto him for if hée had remoued in death as a vanquished person it had béen impossible for vs to haue béen euer iustified quickened by his grace For how could death a lone haue brought righteousnes life with it as of it selfe but because of the sacrifice of his death he rose again therin resteth our ful whole cōfidēce Thus we sée that we haue obteined victory ouer sin to the end we might be takē to be righteous death is abolished in vs that wée might haue life In déede this in the first place hath relation vnto the person of the Sonne of God For as wée haue alredy said hée dyed according to the infirmitie of his fleshe 2. Cor. 13. 4. howbeit the heauenly power of his holy Spirite was shewed in his resurrection and heereof hée gaue this testimony for these were his wordes destroy yée this Temple and within thrée dayes I will rayse it vp againe Iohn 2.19 Loe héere howe the Sonne of God as touching his person did sée a great age For hee rose not againe to shew himselfe vnto the worlde for a whyle and then dye againe But after hée had shewed himselfe vnto his Disciples and made them witnesses of his resurrection hée ascended into heauen and so exempted himself from all humane frailtie This then it is whereon wee must builde our faith in him when as wee sée him to haue in such sort ouercome death and the Diuell and triumphed ouer him as that after that hée was offered vp for a Sacrifice hée was receiued and exalted vnto this power and dignitie whereof mention hath alredy béen made But wée must also note by the way that all this belongeth to the whole body of the Church for it is not the purpose of Iesus Christe to separate himselfe from it Heb. 2.11 And in déede it is further said that hee shall see his seed True it is wée are called the brethren of Iesus Christe For wée coulde not bée called the children of god but by the same name And therfore hée who is the onely beloued must receiue and ioyne vs so vnto himselfe as that we might haue that by adoption which is onely his by nature howbeit this is no let vnto vs from being as children ingendred of his séede For what is the true séede of the Churche Verily euen the worde of the Gospell as Saint Peter telleth vs. 1. Pet. 1. 23. 25. And in déede it is the very selfe same which we haue already séene veryfied vnto vs out of the Prophet Isaiah That the worde of the Lorde endureth for euer because by it wee are made incorruptible Isaiah 40.8 whenas wee receiue profite thereby according to that measure that it is giuen vnto vs by the holy ghost this then is the séede by which wee are regenerate into euerlasting life Howbeit wee must fyrst come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe And how commeth it to passe that the Gospell hath this office and Property to beget vs to bée the children of GOD Forsooth the reason is this because the blood of our Lorde Iesus Christe was a true séede to quicken vs. And therefore it is not for naught sayde héere That hee shall see a seede of long continuance or an euerlasting seede So then wee are againe to conclude that the benefit which our Lorde obteined by his resurrection was not particuler for him selfe alone But that wée might haue parte thereof and be called vnto his company because we are members of his bodie Nowe wée are héere by the way admonished not to séeke for one droppe of life in our selues but to take it wholly from our lord Iesus Christ Why howe will God then acknowledge vs to be his children Howe shall wée haue any place in his Church Howe shall wée be taken to be of his flocke Forsooth wée must come to this point Because wée are partakers with our lord Iesus Christ Thus wée sée howe God accepteth of vs this is our begetting and first birth And nowe let our fréewill men goe and brag of their frée will by which they suppose them selues to be readie to receiue the grace of God For what abilitie is hée able to haue to doe eyther good or yll that is not yet begotten in the wombe of his mother Wherefore let vs vnderstande thus much that since our chiefe and first creation is this that we are begotten in Iesus Christ that wée are able to doe nothing neither yet that any thing procéedeth from our power and strength but that all whatsoeuer wée haue commeth from that frée goodnesse of his whereof we are made partakers And this is the summe and effect of all that which wée haue to consider of But by the way to the ende wée might also haue a great deale the better taste of his death passion it is saide Because hee gaue his soule an offring for sinne to wit for satisfaction or for sacrifice that hee should see his seede For wée right well shewe that wée would blot out all hope of saluation if wée glorified not the goodnesse of God in the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ And to say truely they that proudly disdaine to cleaue vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ because hée was crucified rightly declare that they haue not knowne the ende thereof For without it what should become of vs Surely wée shoulde haue no Church in the worlde there should be no saluation and to be short there should bée no hope of any goodnesse For without doubt wée should bée all remedilesse confounded lost and condemned without Iesus Christ had offred vp his soule bought vs againe by that onely meane 1. Cor. 6. 30. And for this cause the Scripture also oftentimes sheweth vs that wee were redéemed with no small price And thus much we
not therefore say that the death and passion of Christ was not effectual nor yet profited vs so much as was expedient because the death wherevnto wée are nowe subiect is but a warning vnto vs of the curse of God For if wée were clearely exempt from death we should then neuer know the grace which was purchased for vs by our Lorde Iesus Christ And we also knowe what néede we haue to bée humbled and that God maketh vs alwayes to féele his wrath For although we were altogether exempt thereof yet ought we to think still of it to the ende we might grone by reason of our sinnes and therefore magnifie his mercy so much the more Wherefore the death to speake properly which all men now dye as it were is not deadly to those which haue faith in Iesus Christ because they passe out of this life to liue vnto God And therefore when we dye wée are to comfort our selues and reioyce because we know that God will be mercifull vnto vs and conuert the euill into good make death which before brought with it a mortall wound to serue for a plaister And howe is that Forsooth because we shall vnderstande that God will not become a seuere Iudge vnto vs poure out his vengeance vpon vs when as we bring Iesus Christ with vs to shewe that hée hath made satisfaction for vs. And therfore death hath not taken such fearefull holde on vs as to confound vs and bring vs to dispaire Ioh. 6.39 10.28 But doe come fréely to put our selues into the handes of God For as it said that Iesus Christ commended his soule vnto God his Father Let vs vnderstand that it was to make him Gardaine of our soules and therefore may wée commende them most assuredly into his handes because hée hath said that whatsoeuer is giuen to him to kéepe shall neuer perish Thus then we sée to what ende this anguish of our Lorde Iesus Christ serueth and that ouer and besides he aboad death and the rest of the tormentes yet had hée also this terrour of the féeling of God to be his Iudge as if hée shoulde haue suffred the paynes of hell Nowe it is so farre off that this is any whit derogatorie from his Maiestie as that it is to make vs a great deale the better vnderstand howe greatly hée estéemed of our saluation and how deare and precious we and our soules were vnto him And therefore although hée was made of no reputation as before hath béen séene and had neither fourme nor fashion why men shoulde be desirous of him yet was this his light estimation of him to exalte him so much the more And in déede although God shewed his highnesse and infinite Maiestie in the creation of the worlde yet haue we a farre more large cause to glorifie God in the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ because Iesus Christ abased and humbled him selfe for vs and for our saluation and although hée was not robbed of his diuine Maiestie yet laye it hyd for a time and was neuer perceiued by any man And this is in summe that which the Prophet here handleth as concerning the payne and greefe of our Lord Iesus Now we sée herein that hée forgot him selfe as it were and neuer cared for him selfe and the reason is because hée was altogether giuen to saue vs And so answered for vs both in bodie and soule and was our onely pledge And in this we sée that the verie curres who would at this day abolish this doctrine haue neyther faith nor religion in them but bark at it like Mastifes they know not why nor wherfore And although our Popish hypocrites who vnderstand this but by halfes are yet notwithstanding howsoeuer the world goeth driuen to confesse that Iesus Christ felt most terrible panges In déed they were neuer able fully to define of al that was in it But yet how euer it commeth to passe they iumble partly at it Notwithstanding there are here a company of villaynes more Monkish thē they which liue in their Celles in those stews out of which they come who haue brought their stench infectiō into the Church of God And therefore this is most certaine that these Dogges which at this day carry the name of Ministers and do also occupie that place and yet make a Swynes stye of the Church of God being like Dogges without all religion and goe about nothing els but to deface and put out of mens mindes all the grace of God and whatsoeuer els our Lord Iesus Christ hath done for vs. Now when we sée that Satan hath thus pushed them forward as to become like shamelesse whores we ought so much the rather to consider of this Article of our faith which is That Iesus Christ was not onely condemned of Pylate being an earthly Iudge to the end we might be pardoned before God his Father and not only crucified that wée might be deliuered from the curse that hée did not onely suffer death that we might be freed from it But also that we at this day might haue peace of conscience and be glad in that we féele the fatherly loue of our God and so may be bolde to call vpon him with open mouth being assured that he will receiue vs that we shal be acceptable vnto him And it was méet that Iesus Christ should be plunged in these horrors which he felt it was also méete that he who was the immaculate Lambe of God should be made like vnto a wretched malefactor and that hée who was the mirror paterne of all holinesse perfection should answere for vs and become our Borrow euen to that verie pinch as if hée shoulde haue béen condemned vnto the bottomlesse pit of hel Moreouer he vanquished ouercame all these sorowes as we haue before said but yet he wrestled stoutly against them first Thus we sée what the meaning of Isaiah is when he saith that Iesus Christ must sée trauels griefes in his soule howbeit we sée that he was notwithstanding well contented and fully satisfied therwith alwayes prouided that we might be redeemed by that meane And therfore wée may at this day be so much the more bold knowing that if we haue a true obedience of fayth whereby to receiue the inestimable benefite which our Lorde Iesus Christ hath obtained for vs wée may féele that hée suffred not all these torments for vs in vaine Wherfore our vnthankfulnesse shall be so much the more inexcusable when as we come not vnto him with such an earnest zeale to enioy this inestimable benefite whereinto he is entred and whereof hée hath in our behalfe taken possession hauing tolde vs that hée hath reconciled vs vnto God his Father who is readie to receiue vs as his children Thus we sée in summe what we haue to consider of in this place Now the Prophet goeth on farther and saith That by his knowledge my righteous seruant shall iustifie many As for this word
Seruant we haue before séene that it is no whit derogatorie from the maiestie of our Lorde Iesus Christ For although hée was Lord ouer all Creatures yet obteined he a newe gouernment in the person of a Mediatour and in our nature according to that saying of Saint Paule to the Philippians and as we haue also séene partly heretofore Phil. 2.9 for it was his meaning to become a seruant and to humble him selfe vnder that state and condition And therefore it was not in vaine that hée was called the seruaunt of God Now this ought to be no straunge thing vnto vs But this should be much more strange vnto vs that Iesus Christ being the verie Sonne of God Iohn 17.9 and coequall with God his Father in glorie should become a seruant to men as it is saide in the Gospell after Saint Iohn and so abase him selfe vnder this condition Mat. 20.28 as that hée woulde serue vs and yet notwithstanding it was so in déede Marke also why hée saide I was conuersaunt amongst you as a seruant and not as a Maister Nowe since it is so that Iesus Christ became so humble as to make him selfe the seruant of men it is not for naught then that hée is here called the seruant of God And to say the truth he could not otherwise haue redéemed vs. I speake now in respect that God his Father had so decréede it as we haue alredie heretofore sayde For I know that God could if it had pleased him haue saued vs without any meane But we are alwayes to presuppose that it was Iesus Christ which must purchase life for vs. And therefore for the bringing of this matter to passe it was eftsoones méet that he should become a seruant because hee could not otherwise haue yéelded his obedience vnto God his Father and without this obedience it was impossible for him to haue repaired our transgressions and iniquities Thus then we sée why he was called a righteous seruant To be short the Prophet doeth vs to wit that because we were and yet are rebels to God vntill such time as he hath reformed vs by his holy spirit and againe although after he hath giuen vs the touch of a good mind yet are we vnprofitable seruants and tryp and stumble euerie hand while and besides when wée shall thinke that the seruice which we doe him should be well accepted of him yet may it be verie well amended yea worthie to be reiected and therefore for the blotting out of our offences it was méete that the seruice and obedience of our Lord Iesus Christ should please God and that it should also carry with it a right and full satisfaction This then is the summe and effect of his meaning And herevpon we are to gather that Iesus Christ did not onely iustifie vs in that he was God but through the power of his obedience in that he tooke vpon him our nature and therein would accomplish and fulfill the lawe which was impossible for vs to doe because it was such a burthen as would haue pressed vs all downe and haue broken our neckes Forsomuch then as our Lord Iesus Christ forsooke himselfe for our saluation and became obedient vnto God his Father we sée in what sort he hath iustified vs. Now he speaketh also namely of his knowledge meaning thereby to expresse that it was not inough that our Lorde Iesus Christ performed in his own person all whatsoeuer that was necessarie for our saluation but that wee also should take fast hold therof by fayth And therefore knowledge is verie requisite For how many incredulous or vnbeléeuing persons doe we sée perishe vnto whom the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ serueth to none other purpose saue onely for their greater condemnation because they treade his most holie and precious blood vnder their féete and vtterly refuse his grace which hee offreth vnto them Iohn 3.14 Numb 21.9 And so although our Lorde Iesus Christ be lyke vnto the Serpent whiche was set vp in the wildernesse for the healing of all diseases yet can we for our partes receiue no profite by him except we know him For as it was méete also that the brasen Serpent should be looked on in the wildernesse and without which looking on the byting or stinging of the Serpentes was alwayes deadly Euen so at this day is the Gospell vnto vs as a Scaffolde whereon to set vp our Lorde Iesus Christ or els lyke a Banner to represent him vnto our eyes 3. Cor. 4.1 that we might sée him a great way of To bee short The preaching of the Gospell as Saint Paule sayeth is not darke For we may in it beholde the grace of God appearing in our Lorde Iesus Christ or els the Deuill hath blindfolded our eyes But howe euer it is we are throughly to consider of that which is here spoken that Iesus Christ iustifieth not but by his knowledge In deede it is most true that the verie substance of our saluation must come from thence For when it is saide that we are iustified by Fayth this is not to exclude Iesus Christ neyther yet the mercies of God but rather to lead vs and bring vs vnto them But to the ende we might the easelyer come to the vnderstanding hereof we are to consider in the first place that we are not righteous of our selues since we must borrowe it of some other For if wee were able so to rule and order our life that it might be all in all answerable vnto the law and will of God then in déed we deserued that hee should accept vs. And why so Forsooth because he is to allowe of the good since he is the fountayne thereof for els hee shoulde deny him selfe And therefore if we coulde frame our lyues to agrée with the lawe of God and bee so perfect as hee requireth we should then without doubt be iustified by our woorkes and Iesus Christ as Saint Paul saith should profite vs nothing Collos 5.4 But contrariwise when we are driuen to borow our righteousnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ and séeke it at his handes that is as much to say that we are as bare of it as we say as my nayle Wherefore let vs thus conclude that the whole worlde is condemned of sinne and God sheweth vs that wee are all accursed when as it is saide that wee must come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ And thus much for this point Now to say the trueth the auncient Philosophers spake thus much of vertue and this hath béene alwayes a common opinion that God will accept of vs for our good life and conuersation But what are wee the better for all this For there was nothing but hypocrisie in the best liuers and in such as was thought coulde in no wise be touched and as for the rest they were altogether giuen to wickednesse But to speake of those who were thought of all others to bée the most able and renowmed people
if they doo but sleightly conceiue of that whiche is taught but wée are taught to take our Lorde Iesus to be the only cause of our saluation Whiche thinge wée are neâ—er able to doo without wée liuely féele that wée are lost in our selues and besides that as God ment to receiue vs once for al to his mercy euen so he at this day encreaseth the same in vs. And to say the trueth it is impossible for vs to attain to this knowledge except we be inlightened with his holy spirite Which wheÌ„ we haue obteined it is an vndoubted signe that god meaneth to worke in vs to the ende he woulde put vs into the possession of that righteousnesse from the which wée were before very farre of Wée see then that God would gladly haue the Gospell preached But yet that is not enough for we shoulde vnderstande no more of it then an high Almane as we say vntill suche time as he inwardly touched vs with his holy spirite thus wée sée from whence faith procéedeth and then are we the true good disciples of Iesus Christ able to feele the fruite of this doctrine And this is it which the Prophet here sheweth vnto vs. Now he again maketh a recitall of Iesus Christ his bearing of sinnes whereby he meaneth to declare that he made satisfaction for them and that our sinnes should be such a charge as should cast vs headlong into the bottomeles pit of hel if we were not holpen eased by our lord Iesus Christ For what is meant by sin but the very wrath of god For if God but once hold vp his finger it is enough to destroy and ouerthrow the whole world for it is said that with his breath the rockes should riue in péeces Psal 104.32 the mountaines bee softned melt like waxe Wherefore if God sheweth the least token of his fury and wrath there is nothing so firme sure in the worlde but shall melt away and what shall become of vs then who are so fraile creatures when as God shall shewe vnto vs the face of a terrible iudge call vs to an account Were it not méete that we shoulde hearken vnto his voice howebeit the only signe that hee will giue vs to summon withall shal be a bottomeles depth to swalow vs vp in And therfore it cannot be chosen but that our sinnes must néeds bée a burden not able for vs to beare Nowe there is an infinite number of them in vs and we haue not the shoulders to stand vnder them and to beare them But although our Lord Iesus Christ suffered in the weaknesse of his flesh yet did the power of the spirite which he had alwaies vphold him 2. Cor. â—3 4 Collos 2.1.5 And marke howe hee himselfe as Saint Paule sayeth tryumphed vpon the Crosse And therefore wée muste alwayes come backe againe to the saying of the Prophete and Saint Peter also is a good expositour heereof when hee sayeth That hee beare our sinnes vpoÌ„ the trée 1. Pet. 2.24 Indéed the vertue of the trée did no way help our Lord Iesus Christe for the bearing of our sinnes howbeit it is said hee bare theÌ„ on the tree because that wheÌ„ he was crufied he was as one accursed of God and had receiued the whole curse wherein wee were plunged All this then he tooke vpon him to the end that we might féele the fruite thereof and reioyce in the victory whereof at this day he hath made vs partakers And therefore if wee be ouercharged let vs come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe that we might be eased and acknowledge him to be the meane because we are so discharged by him of al our debts as that we must not once imagine that we are euer able to make satisfaction or payment when as we shal come to make our Audite before God we must therfore beginne at this end to be vtterly ashamed and besides not stand in doubt but that we are nowe discharged since our Lorde Iesus Christe hath borne our burden and that wee may also be bold because we knowe that we are freed from the iudgement of God This then is the summe of that which we are héere to consider of That forsomuch as we haue once for all beene sanctified through the Sacrifice which Iesus Christe offered vp whenas he consecrated himselfe vnto the seruice of God as he then saide wee must at this day lay all our sinnes on his backe Gala. 3.10 Deut. 27.29 and séeke our full righteousnesse in him for the perfourming wherof let vs lend our eares to the hearing of the Gospell because we knowe that God with a louing voice calleth vs vnto himself requiring no impossible thing at our handes which might make vs dispaire as it is saide in the Lawe Cursed be he which doeth not fulfill all these things which was to exclude vs from all hope of saluation But that it is héere tolde vs that although we are miserable sinners yet that God applyeth a conuenient remedy vnto vs which is that we comming vnto our Lorde Iesus like poore beggers might be iustified by him and be holpen in such a necessitie as in deede wee are And besides that we might vnderstande that when our Lorde is called Righteous Rom. 10.6 it is to shewe vs that we are iustified by him inasmuch as he hath taken vpon him our nature that we might haue familiar recourse vnto God for the inioying of such a benefite and not say Who shall ascend vp into heauen For when Saint Paule alleadgeth this place of Moses he sheweth that when wee heare the Gospell preached we must not make any long discourses to knowe whether God bee neare vs or not For that were to plucke Iesus Christe out of his heauenly throne And likewyse that we myght no more say Who shall goe down into hell For Iesus Christe descended thither to the ende we might be assured that hee hath fetcht vs out thence and playeth nowe the parte of a Mediator and meaneth to make vs such partakers of his righteousnes as that wee shall be clothed therewith and haue suche possession thereof as that it shall dwell in vs and that by it we might with a full hope be so lifted vp vnto God his father as to call vpon him without doubting Let vs nowe fall down before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him to make vs so too féele them as that we may truely repent vs of them and dayly amend our liues vntill such time as we haue so muche profited as that we may be ioyned vnto that perfection of his righteousnesse whereunto wée must bende our selues and also seeke to attaine vnto it all the dayes of our life And in the meane whyle in suche sort magnifie the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christe as that wee may wholy rest therein so that we might no more wonder after our false and deceitefull imaginations which Satan continually laboureth to set
before vs as at this day the miserable worlde is seduced and beguiled with But let vs vnderstande that all the perfection of our saluation resteth in our Lord Iesus Christ then let vs by no meane decline from him but in such sorte possesse him as we may be wholy contented with him and that he also may altogether take pleasure in vs and to be short that we may féele that his death and passion hath béen auailable profitable vnto vs. That it would please him to graunt vnto vs onely this grace fauour But vnto all people and natiōs of the world c. The seuenth Sermon of the Prophesie of Christe Isaiah liii 12 THerefore will I giue him a portion with the great and hee shall double the spoyle with the strong because he hath powred out his soule to death and he was counted with the transgressors bare the sins of many and prayed for the trespassers THE Prophete declareth héere in summe that our Lorde Iesus Christe hath not onely ouercome death by death But that he hath also a iust title and interest to take away the substance of his enimies and to make a spoyle of them euen as a conquerour that hath wonne the fielde In déede I must néeds say this that our Lord Iesus Christ inriched not himself with the goods of this world But that which he did was to this end as I haue said to ouercome death Wee knowe that it was méet that Satan who is said to be the Prince of this worlde should bee displaced of his kingdome For if it had not béen so our estate had béene most miserable And besides it was méete that sinne should beare no more sway Ephe. 4.8 Psal 68.19 Thus wee sée how our Lord Iesus Christ made a spoyle of his enimies to wit because we might be no more vnder the tyrānie of Satan the bōdage of sin but be set at libertie And to say the trueth S. Paule alleadging the saying of the Psalmist sheweth after what sort this place was fulfilled when it is saide That God ascended on high and lead captiuitie captiue and kept his enimies bound and fettered so that they were not able to resist him receiuing also homage and tribute of men Indéede Dauid in that place speaketh by way of similitude For when it is said that God ascended on high it was because he made a shew for a time as though he had béen a sléepe so that whē things were after such a cōfused maner it might make the faithfull grone when as they see no helpe and cause the wicked to run headlong into all licentiousnesse Wherefore when there arise such troubles in the worlde and that we thinke ourselues neuer a whit the better for the calling vpon God hée is for the time as it were one that were lost and that had hid himselfe And contrariwise by this reason whenas God hath defended the cause of his Church in destroying the enimies therof Dauid saith that he arose vp Howbeit S. Paule saith That this was accomplished in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ because his maiestie was darkened and was had in no estimation of men for a season And therefore it was méete saith hée that he shoulde come downe on the earth and bee contemned of men that he might in the ende bée so exalted as that he might not onely be simply and plainly honoured of men but that he might also make a distribution of the spoiles and tributes For where the Psalmist saith That he tooke the tributes which belonged vnto him as vnto one who had brought his aduersaries in subiection S. Paule saith that hée liberally bestowed his gifts amongst men A man would think at the first sight these were things cleane cōtrary one to another and yet they right well agrée because our Lord Iesus Christe was not inriched particularly for himselfe for he had no néed of any thing but it was to this end as the Psalmist saith to bestow the spoyles on vs so that not onely they which should fight should haue parte of the bootie but women also who neuer set one foote out of doores Psal 68.13 For to say the trueth we féele how God by the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ hath filled vs with his benefites not for that there was any vertue or industry in vs For we are of as litle force as women with their distaffs when as we come to the fight Wherefore when it is saide in this place that GOD will giue to Iesus Christ the booties of the enimies which he had conquered as strong mightie as they were it was not only for himself but it was to the end that we might vnderstand that the Diuell hath no title nor interest in vs whēas we are partakers of the death passiō of the sonne of god which we obtain by the mean of the gospel And therfore let vs without hipocrisy submit our selues vnto our Lord Iesus take him for our king not doubt but that in the first place hee will surely set vs frée and besides that wée shall receiue from his handes all such benefites as we haue néede of and are necessary Let vs now then consider that if Satan were not spoyled how miserable we should bée For he possesseth and peaceably inioyeth vs For as our Sauiour Christe Iesus saith Iuke 11.21 we are euen as his own proper possession and demaines Wherefore wee had néede that the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christe shoulde bring foorth fruite in vs and that our enimies being conquered shoulde be eftsoones chased away that Iesus Christe shoulde so treade on their neckes as that they shoulde neuer bée able to rise againe although they went about to deuise to do all the mischiefe they could against vs. And héere he namely speaketh of strong and great men to the ende wée shoulde not bée abashed at the force munition all the furniture of our enimies For this were enough to feare vs to sée on the one side our owne weaknesse and to know on the other side that the Diuell is like a roaring Lion 1. Peter 5.8 and sinne to haue dominion ouer vs this I say were euen enough to feare vs except we were assured of this that neither power strengthes nor any thing els whatsoeuer can let our Lorde Iesus Christe from spoyling of all his enimies from chasing and bereauing of them of all they haue so that which before was hurtfull vnto vs shall now be turned to our good and benefite And this is not onely meant of Satan the captaine of all the wicked but also of all our Aduersaries For looke how many faithlesse people there are euen so many furyous enimies haue we against vs and to make fewe words wée sée all the worlde almost on our toppes And therefore what shoulde become of vs if Iesus Christe coulde not ouercome all the strong and mightie ones of the earth So then we sée héere in
the first place what it is that we haue to cōsider of out of these words That Iesus Christ being ascended hath not onely held al our enimies captiue but also hath made an vtter spoyle of them and wée haue receiued all the giftes which were giuen him for homage to the end we might be inriched by his liberalitie being of our selues altogether poore and néedy Nowe it is namely said Because hee hath powred out his soule to death Whereby Isaiah againe expresseth that our Lorde Iesus Christe of his owne frée will offered vp himselfe for these words to poure out signifieth that he spared not himself nor sorrowed for the matter For hée that giueth with a good will and in the ende slacketh his hande maketh alwayes a shewe of sparing But hée that powreth out sheweth that he giueth lustily liberrally So then it is shewed vs that our Lord Iesus was so feruently inflamed with the loue of vs as that his life gushed out like water and that hée became a willing Sacrifice thereby to shew that hee desired nothing els but for reconcilement vnto God his father And this is alwaies for our greater confirmation to the ende that when wée come vnto him we should neuer doubt but that he wold most gently and louingly receiue vs. For how is it possible that he should so reiect vs as members cut of from him séeing hée so vtterly as it were forsooke himselfe for our sakes and shed his precious heart blood Wherefore when we heare this we are occasioned to come more boldly vnto him and to assure our selues that he at this day will make this Sacrifice which hee so fréely offered vp vnto God his father of great effect by reason of the wonderfull loue hée bare to vs ward Moreouer forsomuch as the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ is perpetuall let vs vnderstand that we are at this day inriched as much as is néedfull as by experience we féele For Iesus Christe must néedes helpe vs in all the distresses wherewith we are incompassed For otherwise how should we do if his hand were not alwayes vpon vs to vphold vs Surely it were impossible for vs to stand And therefore he alwaies giueth vs wherwith to relieue al our néedes and necessities And to say the truth al the graces of the holy Ghoste are a part of the spoyle of our Lorde Iesus Christe For God his father hath inriched him with them because we might be as a man wold say familiarly acquainted with them and the Diuell wil still bee a let that the power of the holy Ghost might not haue his course with vs howbeit we are now inriched with them in asmuch as al lets are taken away yea and as I haue alredy said that thing that was an hinderance vnto vs in this world is nowe turned to our good and benefite because our Lorde Iesus hath made a spoyle of all his enimies Nowe it is namely said Because he was accounted amongst sinners and bare the iniquities of many and prayed for the trespassers We haue alredy heard that our Lord Iesus bare the transgressions of many and that was because he susteined the punishment which was impossible for vs to beare And besides we were too too fraile weake to stand before the maiestie of God if we should be burdened with our sins because there is no meane in the whole world to be found to discharge vs of them And therefore it was méete that our Lord Iesus for the easing of vs should present himselfe in our stéede be charged with our sinnes that they might be imputed vnto him before God his father and hée be bound for the paiment of them For when a man shall onely owe a thing that hée is neuer able to pay hée is like vnto one that were stiffe and croked and knewe not which way to turne him and hath such a burden on his back as it were that so crusheth bruiseth his shoulders as that it maketh him to stoupe again what shal thē become of vs who are not debtters to a mortall man but euen vnto the liuing God not debters of gold and siluer but of our sinnes which deserue as the scripture telleth vs his fearefull indignation Thus we sée howe the iudgement of euerlasting death was prepared for vs vntill such time as our Lord Iesus Christ had discharged vs therof And to say truly how had we béen euer able to haue discharged it except hée who had a most triumphant power ouer all creatures had placed himselfe in our stéed and supplied our wants Thus wée sée howe our Lord Iesus Christ bare the sinnes and iniquities of many Iohn 3.16 Rom. 8.32 Indeede this saying of many is oftentimes taken for all True it is that our Lord Christ offered vp himselfe for all the worlde for it is not spoken by thrée or foure when it is said God so loued the worlde that hée spared not his onely sonne But by the way we must note that which the Euangelist further saith in this place That whosoeuer beléeueth in him shold not perish but haue euerlasting life We sée then that our Lord Iesus Christe suffered for all so that neither great nor small can excuse themselues at this day since by him we may be saued And therefore the vnbeléeuers who by their wickednesse turn a side depriue themselues héereof are at this day twise guiltie For what colour can they set in it to excuse their vnthankfulnes in that they receiue not the benefit wherof they might be partakers through faith Wherfore let vs heere learne that although we should come by heapes vnto our Lord Iesus Christe one of vs should be no let to another but that hee is able to suffice euery of vs. Indéed if the questiō were to be holpen eased by a mortal man it were another matter For if one should come say I beséeche you beare this burthen for mée and another say asmuch and so an hundreth at once surely although hée were very desirous to helpe and ease them all it could not be chosen but that they woulde make his shoulders crack for it were impossible for him to be of that strēgth to beare al that they would lay vpō him And so likewise if the question were of borrowing for put the case that they were hungry and thirstie and should goe to some man beséech him to giue vs meat and drink and it may bée that hée were well able to bestow meat and drink of a dosen persons But if there should come such a great number as that his victualles shoulde faile him wée should sée him come short of his reckoning So then with vs mē it is méete that whē a great number haue néede that there shoulde be also many to help and aide them but when wée come to Iesus Christ wée neede not feare the want of his abilitie for when euery man shall haue his portion yet hath hée neuer a whit the lesse
more shamefast sober in requiring of any thing at the hands of amortall man thē we wil be when we come before the Maiestie of god Now the Prophet héere pulleth downe all the Peacocks plumbs when he calleth vs transgressors as if he should haue said O you cursed wicked ones what are you that dare presume to cal vpon God by the name of father Frō whence haue you this dignitie What is he the dareth once enterprise to come before the presence of the Maiestie of god and say I am one of thy children Away saith he and goe hide your selues for you are al malefactors and in comming before God you come before your Iudge and therefore you ought to tremble be vtterly ashamed Howbeit the onely remedy to assure your selues is this that when you call vpon the name of God you haue an inuincible defense by the power intercession of the Mediatour For without him there is no hope of your saluation but are altogether dead in your sinnes And therefore vnderstand you that you had néede haue the sonne of God to be betwéene you him to make intercession for you by playing the Priestes part We sée then here why the Prophet namely calleth vs al trespassers transgressors to wit to the end we might know that the gate is shut vpon vs are vnworthie to come neare vnto God and that we are all oppressed confounded if we run not to that help For without this remedy we must néedes perish and rotte in our wretchednes and miseries Now when we are thus humbled then may we come to our Lord Iesus Christ Because we knowe that it is he that speaketh for vs that by him also wée may boldly call our selues the children of God For when wée come to pray say O our father which art in heauen we must néedes acknowledge that our mouthes as cōcerning our selues are filthie therfore not worthie once to call God our Creator it is so farre of in déede as that we ought not to bee so presumptuous as to take our selues for his children And yet our Lord Iesus Christ speaketh for vs Heb. so by his mean our prayers supplications are sanctified For so it is said in the Epistle to the Hebrewes That by him it is by whom we render vnto god the sacrifice of praise all our praiers and that he is our mediator in whose name at this day we cal vpon God our Father And therefore wee may boldly glorifie our selues in that he will take vs for his children Wée sée then howe we are to put this place in practise Now we sée that our Lord Iesus Christ hath verified this when he prayed for his as appeareth in the Gospell after S. Iohn Looke vnto them Iohn 17.11 holy Father which thou hast giuen mée for now I goe out of the world Those that thou gauest mée I haue kept none of them is lost but the lost child but those whom thou gauest me in charge haue I kept Nowe I pray for them not onely for them but also for al those which shal beléeue on me through their preaching I pray not for the worlde but for those whom thou hast giuen me that thou wouldest blesse sanctifie them that they might also be one as we are When then we see the sonne of God pray and sée him also who is God eternall so to abase himself as to become a peticioner and offer vp his supplication vnto God his father in our name should not we here acknowledge an infinite goodnesse And wee are in the first place alwaies to consider of that which hath gone before to wit that wée shall doe nothing els but prophane the name of God with calling vpon him if we do it not in the name of Iesus Christ And why so Forsooth because our mouthes are filthie vncleane yea we our selues full of corruption no better then stinking wormes but because our Lord Iesus Christ abased himselfe euen vnto the state of a Begger to become a peticioner vnto god his father for vs there should be a sure setled staiednes in vs whē there ariseth any question in the framing of our prayers at this day It is true that as the Prophet Isaiah saith that Iesus Christ praied for the trāsgressors euē so likewise saith he himself that he praied not for al the world for such as take pleasure in their iniquities continue obstinate for such men are quite cleane cut of frō this benefite priueledge which is onely reserued for the children of God And therefore if we remain still in the world be separated frō our Lord Iesus Christ without doubt no whit of the prayer which he made vnto God his father apperteineth vnto vs neither shall it doe vs any good But let vs hearken to that which he saith Behold Iohn 17 6.2◠I haue shewed thy word vnto them they beléeued it I pray for thē saith he and not onely for them to wit the Disciples But also for all those which shall beléeue their preaching And therefore let vs at this day vnderstande that wée are made companions with the Disciples and Apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ and that this prayer which hée once made will very well serue our turnes and leaue an open way for our prayers so that we receiue the doctrine of the Gospell in faithful obediēce Wherfore we néed not now stād in doubt how to frame our petitions For since we know that Iesus Christ hath prayed we haue no more to say howe shall we be assured that the power of this prayer shall doe vs good Forsooth let vs beléeue the Gospel and then we shall follow the Apostles and Disciples and be linked together with them Would we make the sonne of God a lyer who is the euerlasting and vnchangeable trueth I thinke there is none that would Now hee hath spoken it with his owne mouth that all they that will receiue the preaching of the Gospell are linked to this prayer and comprehended within it Since then it is so although on the one side wee are miserable transgressors and therefore not worthie to come néere vnto God yet when we by the meane of the Gospell doe imbrace through faith the promises therein conteined then may wée present our selues vnto the Lord because he wil not only accept vs forasmuch as his onely Sonne hath made intercession for vs but that we may also at this day call vpon him and be likewise as hee himself saith Companions with him Isaiah 8.18 Heb. 2.13 for these are his wordes Behold mee and the seruants which thou hast giuen mée He offereth himselfe héere in the first place as hath already béen declared in the viii Chapter and then bringeth with him his whole company Now it is said that hee and all the company which were giuen vnto him were there redy to worship God his Father And therefore there
is no doubt but that we shall all be linked together in this prayer in all the prayses thankes giuing vnto the Lord and that Iesus Christ doth as a man would say powre out and become as it were the chiefe chaunter to bring vs into our prayers so that by his meane the sound of our voices do in such sort ioyne together as that they make very swéet pleasaÌ„t harmony For when we the Angels of heauen shal pray together to God will not this be a most excellent priuiledge But when the sonne of God wil vouchsafe to be so familiar with vs as to say come your wayes I will be your spokes man would not this meruellously rauish vs Moreouer his was figured in the Lawe whenas the high Priest did not onely offer vnto God the Sacrifices but ioined also with them prayers supplications And therfore vnder the auncient shadowes no Priest could make intercessioÌ„ vnto god and be made acceptable without the sheading of blood howbeit hée ioyned also with blood prayers that the sinnes of the people might be forgiuen and that God might receiue such to mercy as were worthie to be reiected Thus we sée that our Lord Iesus Christ hath taken away the figures of the lawe and hath fulfilled and ended them in his owne person That is hée hath offred vp blood for the washing away of our sinnes not the blood of Calues Hebr. 9.14 and shéepe as the maner was in the lawe but euen his owne precious blood which was consecrated by the holie Ghost to the ende wée might be wholly sanctified by him And yet hée ioyned prayers with the effusion of blood And therefore we sée why at this day he is called our Mediatour and maketh intercession for vs. And when Saint Paule speaketh of prayers hée saieth 1. Tim. 2.5 That there is one God and Mediatour euen the man Iesus Christ Hée might verie well haue sayde There is one God and one Iesus Christ who is the eternall word of God and of the selfe same essence glorie and maiestie Nowe hée vseth not this kinde of spéech But hée saieth there is one God and one Mediatour betwéene God and men euen the man Iesus Christ As if hée should haue sayde Hebr. 4.15 Hebr. 7.27 9.7 Behold the Sonne of God who after hee had taken vpon him our nature and was made man lyke vnto vs sinne except maketh now intercession for vs. Nowe the Priestes in the olde time néeded to pray for them selues and so they did and for the sinnes of all the people in which number they were also comprehended But our Lord Iesus as touching him selfe néeded not so to doe neither is there any cause why he should for his parte craue pardon for any sinnes that hée had committed but maketh intercession for vs. Rom. 8.31 And therefore when Saint Paule would enbolden vs to come vnto God hée namely saith If God be on our side who shall be against vs For although we haue many enemies yet let vs not be afeard and vnto whom must we yéeld an account of the bestowing of our whole life Who also is our Iudge Forsooth euen the man Iesus Christ and he him selfe also is our Aduocate to make intercession and an agréement betwéene God and vs. It is euen he that must obtayne grace for vs. Wherfore we may with good courage come before the maiestie of God yea boldly present our selues before his iudgement seat since we haue Iesus Christ to stand there betwéene him and vs. Thus then we sée what is the effect of that which we haue to consider of when as this saying of intercession is here spoken of To be short as often as the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ is talked of let vs ioyne theretoo eftsoones the prayer which he made once for all to the ende it might remaine for euer and woorke his effect For it is not nowe needfull for our Lorde Iesus Christ to kneele on his knees before God his Father to pray vnto him In deede it is saide that he will make alwayes intercession for vs. But howe Forsooth euen by the power of his death and passion and by the prayer that is made at this day For through the power thereof we are heard as if he him selfe at this day spake for vs and besides as I haue saide all our prayers are sanctified by him otherwise they should be but prophane And to say truely as often as the faithfull prepare themselues to pray vnto God They where the Papists sprinkle holy water as they call it about and charme coniure or rather mask mumme should féele that their praiers are besprinckled with the blood of Iesus Christ to the ende they might be pure and cleane and that God might receiue them as a swéete smelling sacrifice And herevpon let vs vnderstande that our Lorde Iesus Christ was not a sacrificing Priest for a day onely but kéepeth that office still euen vnto this day and for euer that we might alwayes féele the fruit therof Now if this had been rightly knowne men woulde not haue exceeded as hath come to passe in so many villainies superstitions For we sée howe the Papists at this day wander about lyke miserable stray beasts not knowing which way or path to take to pray vnto God For they haue an infinite number of Patrones and Aduocates and euerie man buildeth vpon his owne Patrone and Aduocate In déede they haue many common and ordinarie ones but yet after al their kyries as they say euerie man will say his deuotions to the Saint which he hath forged vnto him self Thus we see how Iesus Christ is robbed of his honour and glorie And this is out of all doubt that when they are not contented with Iesus Christe it must bee that the Deuill hath possessed them and put them in such a furie as it were to despight God who speaking of Iesus Christ in giuing him that office they haue giuen the right of it to this bodie that As the Papistes as this day call the virgine Marie their Mediatrix Nowe the Deuill goe with all their prayers For this is as much as if they forsooke God and our lord Iesus Christ And it cannot be chosen but that the virgine Mary her selfe cryeth out for vengeance against them Iohn 5.45 because they haue made a detestable Idoll of her and robbed Iesus Christ of the honour of this sacrifice ratefied by God with a solemne oth and haue done all they can to falsefie the whole scripture The Papistes think that the virgine Mary will help them but shée will rather as I haue alredie saide call for vengeance against them for the wrong which they haue done her For if they should spit on her do her all the villainies that were possible to be done without doubt they could not deuise to do her a greater shame then to call her a Mediatrix And why so Psal 110. â—
Hebr. 5.6 7.17 Forsooth because it is said that Iesus Christ was appointed to be the Sacrificer of God his Father And how Truely euen with a solemne oth I haue sworne saieth hée and doe not repent mée of it Here then we sée whervpon we should lay our foundation to wyt vpon the intercession of our Lord Iesus Christ because as Saint Paule saieth to the Ephesians we may come neare vnto God Ephes 3. ◠and present our selues vnto him when as our Lord Iesus Christ shall guide vs the way who as I haue alredie saide is hée that must bring vs into the fauour with him Now what would the Papists doe Forsooth euen make the sacrifice of our Lord Iesus Christ of none effect and to be nothing at all And when they will come with such a Deuilish boldnesse as to ouerthrow the vnchaungeable decrée of God how can they hope any way to be heard Let vs therefore conclude that all this doctrine was cleane buried in Poperie And why so Verely I know they will say that we are vnworthy to come before the Maiestie of God That is verie true and who doubteth thereof But let vs consider by the way where it is that we must séeke for our dignitie must we not séeke it in Iesus Christ alone And yet will they runne to the virgine Mary to Saint Michaell and to the Apostles and besides they will haue their Saintes of their owne deuising whiche were neuer heard of in the whole worlde before or else whiche were canonized at the Popes pleasure euen in the bottome of hell Loe here are their goodly Patrons and Aduocates But let it be that wée graunted the Papistes all this That their Saints which neuer were or els which were half Deuils phantasticall spirites had béene Apostles and Martyres and had liued as holily as were possible had not they I beséech you as great néede of a Medyator as the rest This is most certaine that the Virgine Marie could not finde grace before the Maiestie of God without the head and principall it was as néedfull for her that Iesus Christ should be her Redéemer as well as oures The Apostles Martyres Patryarches Mat. 11.28 and Prophetes had also the selfe same néed to runne vnto this common Redéemer of all men And what shall we doe when we goe about to séeke him Wherefore forsomuch as the Apostles doe sende vs vnto Iesus Christ and haue tolde vs that it is hée that must be our guide and stay and who inuiteth vs so louingly saying Come vnto mée c. Let vs not draw backward nor royle abroade but boldly drawe néere vnto him For hée spake not these woordes onely for the behoofe of the Apostles Martyres or for the Virgine Mary But his meaning was to entertaine vs all with him selfe as in déede it is most necessarie for vs. Let vs I say learne not to wander too and fro when we pray vnto God and let vs also vnderstande what a good turne hée hath done vs when as it hath pleased him to draw vs from out of this bottomlesse confusion of Poperie and sheweth vs an open plaine way to come vnto him to wit Because Iesus Christ is our Intercessour Let vs rest our selues there without turning either to the one side or yet to the other For this is out of all doubt that if our prayers be not ordered and squared according to the worde of God they are altogether vayne and of none effect and God vtterly reiecteth them and besides they can not be made in Fayth without the certaintie of them procéedeth from the trueth of God Now then if wée would build our Prayers vpon fayth they must be agréeable vnto the worde of God and wée must followe that which hée commaundeth vs and that is wee must take Iesus Christ for our Intercessour Aduocate and Mediator Thus wée sée what a proppe it is which hée giueth vs and what the foundation is wherevpon wée must stay our selues that we might not be shaken like Réedes with euerie winde Wée sée also why hée so often saieth Ioh. 14.15 15.16.16.24 Whatsoeuer yée aske my Father in my name hée will giue it you Yea and we our selues likewise sée that although the faythfull who liued vnder the law sée not so clearely as we at this day sée by reason of the Gospell yet had they Iesus Christ euer before their eyes euen vnder that figure which was giuen them For thus they say Psal 84.9 Looke vpon the face of thy Christ O Lord and heare vs for thine annointed sake Daniell likewise saieth O eternall God heare vs for the Lordes sake and this kinde of saying is in the Psalmes verie often repeated In déede all this was spoken by Dauid but it was because hée was a figure of our Lord Iesus Christ And besides Dan. 9.17 when Daniell saieth For the Lordes sake hée verie well declareth that it was the Redéemer that was promised and whose comming was then neare at hand Howbeit Iesus Christ speaketh more plainly Iohn 16.24 and saieth Hethertoo haue yée asked my Father nothing in my name But aske now and it shall be giuen you As if hée shoulde haue saide Hethertoo yée haue not knowne that mine office was to be a Mediator betwéene God my Father and you And in déede hée was not as yet ascended into heauen neither had he yet brokē the vayle of the Temple that we might haue accesse vnto him Hebr. 9.24 But we may nowe come verie familiarly vnto him because the vaile of the Temple is broken and Iesus Christ is entred not into a materiall Sanctuary as the Priests in the old law did but into heauen in the maiestie of God his Father that there with him wée might finde grace So that the Throne of God is not now a Throne of maiestie to feare vs but hée graciously and after a Fatherly louing maner calleth vs because wee came vnto him in the name and by the mean of this Priest which was appointed for vs. Thus then we sée that the intercession of our Lorde Iesus Christ is alwayes profitable and an inuicible strength for vs and that so forcible also that whē we come vnto him he will so heare vs as that we shall by proofe féele that whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lorde shall be saued Ioel. 2.32 Rom. 10.22 And although the Prophet Ioell spake these wordes before the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ yet the faithfull who liued in the time of the lawe did so practise it as that we our selues by their example ought to be conformable and assured we I say that haue the full perfection and accomplishment of all that was shadowed vnder the law that whē we come to pray and call vpon our God in the name of him who was established our Mediator we should in trueth alwayes féele him to make intercession for vs to the ende that all our petitions might be heard Let vs nowe fall downe
in doubte to bée drawne this way and that wee must altogether endeuour our selues to haue a regard to our consciences and then is Iesus Christe our Phisition who is able to remedy vs. And according to this doctrine let vs fal down before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him not to remember our life passed but to giue vs warning thereof to the end that wée being ashamed of our selues it would please him so to gouerne vs as that after this life wée might reigne also with him And so let vs say O Almightie God and heauenly father c. The fourth Sermon of the Ascention Acts first 9 AND when he had spoken these thinges while they beheld hee was taken vp an high and a cloude receiued him vp out of their sight 10 And while they looked vp stedfastly towarde heauen as he went behold two men stood by them in white apparrell 11 Which also said yee men of Galilee why stand ye gazing vp into heauen This same Iesus which is taken vp frō you into heauen shall so come euen as you haue seene him goe into heauen NOw we haue at this time to hādle the matter which S. Luke héere setteth down of the Apostles beholding of the Ascention of our Lord Iesus into heauen Now it is not enough for vs that we knowe the hystorie but wée are also to note that hée setteth downe this as a chiefe Article of our Faith and surely the Articles of our faith are not onely profitable but also necessary for our saluation Howbeit wée shall neuer profite our selues greatly by the Ascention of our Lorde without we know it to be true in déede And therefore Saint Luke saith that the Apostles sawe him ascend and saith besides that they abode stil gazing there vntill such time as they were told that they must tarry no longer but returne to Ierusalem to doe their office as was commanded them vntill the iudgement day Thus we sée what he saith of the Ascention of our Lorde to the end it might not be called againe into question Very true it is that is saide that they are blessed which haue beléeued and not séene Wherefore wée must beléeue this Ascention rather then if wée had séene it for since the Apostles see it Iohn 20.29 and tell vs of it it is not for vs any whit to doubt thereof Let vs nowe come to the wordes of S. Luke That a clowd receiued him vp out of their sight Now here might a questiō be asked why the heauens opened not that the Apostles might haue séen the glorious estate of our Lord Iesus But there was great reason why they should loose the sight of him by meane of a cloude because our Lord knoweth well enough our condition and therefore for the correcting of our high minds it is good we should be restrained Yea verily for if the Apostles had séene into heauen wée woulde haue taken occasion thereby to haue growne hautie as wée sée in déede we are thereto ouermuch giuen For we are too too mad headed and without modestie to desire to vnderstand euen those secretes of God which hée woulde not haue vs to knowe And therefore it was expedient that this clowde shoulde be betwéene them and him By this then wée are let to vnderstande that we must be humbled and not be so arrogant as to ascend vp into the heauens to search after the workes of the Lord. And this instruction are we to learne by this place Now it is saide that there appeared two Angels but Saint Luke calleth them men according to the common maner of the Scripture For because Angels are naturally spirituall wee cannot sée them except they shewe themselues in some visible shape Wée sée now the reason why our Lorde would from the beginning haue them appeare in mens shapes Howbeit he left alwaies som token with them that they might bée knowne to be Angels For if we vnderstand thē to be only as mortall men we would neuer do them that honor which vnto them apperteined which woulde derogate from the giuing credite vnto their message And therefore God alwaies set a marke on them that we might know them For beholde why it is héere saide Iohn 20.12 that they were clad in white apparrell and in the resurrection also of Iesus Christe they appeared in white garments Héerein then the mind of our Lord was to declare that wée should reuerently receiue them and vndoubtedly credite their message Thus I say we sée why S. Luke heere sayth that they were apparrelled in white garments Now we are héere to note all the circumstances of this matter for God would not haue any one of them to be lost nor yet ouerslipt such is his infinite wisedome ouer all the worlde If the Angels then haue such a Maiestie in their appearance vnto vs what shall we say of the glorious appearing of our good God For the brightnesse of God his glorious Maiestie is not only as the brightnesse of the Sunne but farre excelling the brightnesse of an hundred thousand Sunnes if they shoane héere all at once in the world So then whenas wée sée that the Angels should be so precious vnto vs as that wée should so wonderfully reuerence them we must consider what the Maiestie of God is to bée spoken of yea euen the very thinking of him shoulde cause vs meruellously to worship him and acknowledge our selues to be no body in respect of him who is maiestie it selfe And thus wée sée what is meāt by the speaking of the maiestie of Angels although they appeare but in mens shapes Now let vs come to their spéech Yee men of Galilee say they why stand yee gazing vp into heauen It is cōmonly thought that the Apostles were héere called Galileans by way of reproche for wée sée that the Galileans were of no greate estimation in the world And therfore this was the opiniō that went of thē as if the Angels should haue said O yée miserable blockheads know ye not that as hée is ascended vp into heauen that so hee shall also come againe Howbeit you perceiue not why this was thus spoken and in this sense And therefore let vs vnderstand that the angels called the Apostles galileans because they were taken to be such Iesus Christ was also so called and when the Disciples should haue béen accused to be of the company of Iesus Christ it was asked thē Matth. 2◠Are not you also of Galilée And sithēce the death of our Lord Iesus the wicked haue vsed this saying as may be perceiued by the wicked Apostate Iulian who at his death said Thou hast ouercome mée O Galilean being angry and dispited with Iesus Christ because he felt that hée had ouercome him And so were the Apostles called héere Galileans because they were taken for those countrie men Moreouer it is not without cause that the Angels héere reproue them For they knewe that Iesus Christe should ascend into
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
corrupt and defiled For let our mindes be searched our affections and desires examined and they will be founde altogether soule and stinking And therefore we must be as men new perboyled that God might purge vs after a straunge maner Agayne wée are on the other side as colde as may bée Wherefore wée had néede to bée enflambed with the loue of GOD and where wée are wholly geuē to the world let vs looke vp into heauē which must bée brought to passe by his word Thus we sée to what purpose this historie serueth vs at this day In the first place it is to the end we might receiue the doctrine of the Gospel as a certain and vndoubted truth because it beareth about with it the marke of God is sealed with his holy spirite and is also an excellent testimonie of our adoption Wée sée then how we are brought to obedience by reason that God hath allowed and confirmed his Gospel to the ende our faith shoulde not be changeable and wée become wauering for the altering of our mynde and opinion But that wée shoulde goe on continually in the right way vntil such time as we haue finished our course Here we sée howe by the power of the spirite of God our faith shal ouercome the worlde Colos 2.23 For as wée haue already said and as S. Paule also saith if we should buylde vpon the wisedome of men what should become of it But so long as we haue the spirite of God for our ground woorke let vs be sure neuer to bee shaken In the meane while wée haue to cōsider with our selues because God maketh vs at this day Partakers of the thing which we haue of late declared that is let vs call vpon him with one accord although I say we are deuided in tongues besides let vs become new mē through the doctrine which is preached vnto vs in such sort as that we might know that there is fire in it to change and cleanse our minds wits hearts frō al the corruptiōs of this world For although Gods chosen people are brought home agayne by the meane of the Gospel yet sée wée the enemies of the truth become more cruel and rebellious so that it is euen sufficient to set all the worlde together by the eares as by experience at this day may bée séene For during the time that the Gospel was not preached all the world liued carelesly and quietly and there were not many questions nor disputatiōs And how so Forsooth because the diuel then raigned without gainsaying But when our Lord Iesus appeared with the pure doctrine of the Gospel what skirmishing was there foorthwith Wée sée also at this day what contentions there are amongst those which beare the name of Christians So much the rather therefore are wée to beséech the Lorde to make vs féele wherefore the holie Ghost descended vpon his Apostles and to beséech him also to graunt vs that grace that we may obediently testifie that it was to gather vs together that where before we were seuered wee might nowe bee conioyned vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ as members of his bodie and let him bee our true head Moreouer for the attayning thereto we are also to beséech him so to strēgthen vs as that our hearts may be set on fire where now they are key colde and also to perboyle vs that the corruptions of our nature might be scoombed of and to be short that we might bée so renued as that wee might be quite and cleane separated from the worlde Wée shal oftentimes sée how the word of God becommeth a fire but it is after another sort euen to cōsume those which speake against it according to that saying of the prophet Ieremiah where he sheweth that it fared euen so with the children of Israel whom the worde of God consumed like straw and stubble for their wickednesse and rebellion And I beséech you let vs sée how many at this day can pleade not guiltie because they stubbornely lifte vp themselues against God like foming wild beasts or els some scorning and profane men who set themselues against God not geuing any authoritie or honour vnto his holy word In very déede these people shal neuer make the worde of GOD vnprofitable not yet without power but it will consume them like a whot consuming fire to cender and ashes Let vs therefore make this obseruation why it was the wil of God to haue the holie Ghost appeare in fyery tongues Surely it was to this end and purpose that the faithfull might vnderstande that they had great néede to be so touched to the quicke as that GOD might chaunge and renue them Thus wee see in summe what wee are to consider of for the better applying of this historie to our vse Howbeit ouer and besides al this let vs marke the twoo principall poyntes of fayth and then let vs returne to our selues and vnderstand what wée woulde doe if GOD wrought not therein First of all there is in faith knowledge and certayntie and next of all is assurednesse and constancie Now whē God speaketh we are euē deaf at his words bicause our mindes are altogether set vpon this world and indéed we wil account all the wisedome that is conteined in the Gospell to be verie foolishnesse vntill such time as God hath enlightened vs. 1. Cor. 2.14 In the first place therefore God must open our hearres for the vnderstanding of this trueth for sticking thereto otherwise we shall be both deafe blockish without apprehending of this word Thus much then for this point Nowe for the second point it shall stand vs in hand stoutly to withstand all the assaultes attempts wherewith Satan assaileth vs and to be well armed appointed for the same purpose And how is it possible for vs to be so vntill such time as God hath put to his helping hand and there is no way to help that but by the onely power of the holy Ghost And therefore although we be an hundreth times taught the Gospel yet forsomuch as wée are light fickle brained we should soone be pulled from it if God did not strengthen vs therin yea and at this day it is so full of perils threates as that the silly faithfull soules can no sooner open their mouthes to call vpon God but that they are foorthwith at the point to be put to death neither can they any sooner confesse their faith but that the fire is lightned vtterly to abolish the memorie of our Lord Iesus Christ Since then it is so mightily stood a-against as that they who should defend the Christian faith Satan hath enflamed thē if it were possible vtterly to ouerthrow al must not God therfore shew his power herein We are then at this day taught by experience admonished what néede we haue to put in practise the thing cōteined in this history thervpon pray vnto the Lord beseech him that as his wil pleasure was to testifie
vseth these tearmes yet doeth he it only to fit himself vnto the time wherin he was because we shuld not say but that we haue a greater measure of knowledge For to say truely GOD neuer shewed himselfe so manifestly in the olde Testament as hée hath nowe doone to vs by Iesus Christe For where God had appointed the offerings to bée sacrificed in the old Lawe which were but figures and shadowes to bée oftentimes vsed that it might bée séene that men could not come néere vnto God but by the meane of a Mediator wée haue at this present the personall presence of the Mediator himself who once for all hath fulfilled euery thing by his alone Sacrifice And therefore there is nowe no Sacrifice to bée doone for the purging and sanctifiyng of sinnes Mala. 1.11 but onely the Sacrifice of thankesgiuing vnto our GOD who therewith is well pleased through our Lorde Iesus Christe And although it is said in the Scripture that at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christe Altars shoulde bée set vp throughout the whole worlde to Sacrifice vnto the Lorde our God yet must wée leaue the figure and rest in the trueth For inasmuch as the Altar was a signe of the worship of God because it is saide that Sacrifice should bée doone all the worlde through the meaning is that God shoulde vniuersally bee worshipped No doubt of it the Pope with all his Colledge of Cardinalls and all other his deare friendes the Romanistes wyll conclude vppon this place that there must néedes bée Sacrifices had And therefore when they woulde haue their Masse allowed they bring in this testimony of the Scripture Howbeit if it were so as they make themselues beléeue Surely surely they muste néedes conclude that Iesus Christe hath not yet appeared nor that his kingdome is yet come Neuerthelesse wée sée the contrary And therefore séeing the Prophets haue thus said it is not only to shew that God should be vniuersally worshipped in spirite trueth and not in figures Moreouer héere is to bée noted that the saying of Prophesie is not meant by the Prophet to tell of things to come as in the olde time it was taken but the meaning is that whosoeuer shal haue the gift of Prophesie shoulde bée able to teache and apply doctrine to the ende wee might bée brought to the knowledge of the trueth and profite therby And so the promise that was made vnto vs of the cōming of Iesus Christ conteyneth thus much that we should be more déeply séene in heauēly things then heretofore we haue béen For we sée in very déede that S. Paul calleth it the wisdome of God ◠Cor. 2. vnder which all things should be subiect Wée are nowe therefore briefly to conclude vpon all things That as our Lord in sending Iesus Christe his sonne into the worlde to make vnto vs a more liuely assurance of our saluation Euen so by sending vnto vs his holy spirite hée hath made vs greater partakers of his graces then euer hée did before The Prophet Ioel soone after setteth downe in this place That God will doe wonderful things in heauen aboue and signes in the earth belowe blood fire and vapour of smoke that the Sunne shall bee turned into darkenes and the Moone into blood These wordes shewe that greate and maruellous things must come to passe whenas Iesus Christ shall manifest himselfe And why so Forsooth because the the worlde shall then bée changed For they which woulde followe Iesus Christe must wholy alter their nature And therefore is the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christe called the latter dayes Moreouer this is not spoken for a day or for a moneth But the Prophet referreth all that is héere spoken vnto the whole time frō the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christe vntill the day of iudgement so that wée must inclose the wonders which shall bée doone at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christe from the time of his comming vnto the last day And to say truely the forwarder wee goe the greater thinges will hée doe as wee dayly finde by experience Nowe that we vnderstand the meaning of the Prophete let vs apply the same to our owne vse For where it is said in the first place that God will powre out his spirite vpon all flesh we are to consider that the greatest benefite which we can possibly haue is to bée partakers of the graces of his holy spirite And this is the most excellent gift which God bestoweth vpon vs in respect wherof all the worldly liberalitie which he rendreth vnto vs is nothing For whensoeuer wée are bereaued of this gift Iesus Christe is taken from vs and vntill suche time as wée are clothed with him all whatsoeuer wée doe tendeth to our condemnation Wherefore God saith that we cannot be his children without wee bee bedeawed and sprinkled with his holy spirite Nowe if wee bée not his children wée shall neuer be partakers in the communitie of Iesus Christe For although God offereth vnto vs his graces yet is Iesus Christ nothing vnto vs vntill such time as wée haue receiued the holy Ghoste Let vs then conclude héereupon that vnto the time that wee are partakers of the holy Ghost wée are reprobate and the children of perdition because it is hée which sanctifieth and maketh vs holy in the sight of God So then vntil such time we be as called by the knowledg of the holy scripture which wée can no way haue but by the gift of the holy ghost to lift vp our mindes on high wée are fast tyed to the earth as if it were in Hell And héereupon it is that Saint Paule speaketh when he saith Rom. 8.14 That they which haue receiued the holy Ghost guiding themselues according to the will of God declared in his word are I say the children of God and they without all doubt are the children of the Diuell who following their carnall affections giue themselues ouer to their pleasure and delight Thus we sée how necessary a thing it is for all those that would bee acccounted the children of GOD to haue the knowledge of Gods trueth Moreouer wée cannot excuse our selues if wée receiue not his graces because hée offereth them vnto al but wée are so accursed as that we forsake the benefite which hée would bestowe vpon vs. And héerein is knowne the goodnesse of God to vs warde that although wée striue alwaies against his will yet ceaseth hée not for all that to offer himselfe vnto all as it is héere said by the Prophet That young and olde men and women shal all receiue of one and the selfe same spirite And it is to this end that no man might bée able truely say O Sir I am vtterly vnlearned and therefore it is impossible for one to vnderstand the Scriptures whereby I might receiue the holy ghost Why I beséech you hath God promised vnto the learned alone the grace of his holy spirite to none other Nowe surely this is a very
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
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
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.