vpon these worldly matters This then is the summe which wée are héere to obserue And to say the trueth it is not without cause that our Lorde Iesus spake so confidently that hée was borne and came into the worlde to say the trueth and that whosoeuer woulde haue any good taste shoulde stay him selfe vpon his worde By this wée sée that this is a doctrine of great weight â— to vnderstande that the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ is not héere on earth For if this had béen a light saying hee would haue passed it ouer lightly But when he said that he came into the worlde to tell the trueth this was as if he would haue vs giue good eare meditate in our heartes and apply our mindes to this doctrine this was to make vs forsake the world and all the creatures thereof that wée might come to this heauenly King and séeke after the spirituall benefites which are communicated to vs in him to the ende we might enioy them in such measure as he knoweth â—o be most profitable for our saluation And let vs of all that which we sée to bée the verie summarie of the Gospell note well this saying That Iesus Christ came into the world to speake the trueth to the end we might herevpon conclude that whensoeuer we shall giue diligent eare vnto his worde that it shall not be in vaine because this is a certaine resolute conclusioÌ„ that whatsoeuer he had giuen them the choyse either of Iesus or Barabbas who as S. Iohn saith was a théefe Iohn 18.40 and the other Euangelistes say that he was a notorious naughtie man both a murtherer and a sower of sedition and trouble in the Towne Now this was a detestable pestelence of al others and yet the people cryed out Let vs haue Barabbas and let him be pardoned and Iesus Christ crucified By this custome of letting loose a prisoner at Easter we sée with what foolish deuotions men are carried For they thought the feast to be so muche the more honourable in the loosing of a prisoner and that they did God great seruice and yet all was verie abhominable For it is saide That he that iustifieth the wicked Prou. 17.15 he that condemneth the iust euen they both are abhomination vnto the Lord And therfore it is méete that they which sit in the place of iustice should be of vpright mindes For when he armeth them with his sword he saieth not do as you thinke good your selues For his meaning is that they should haue a fatherly care ouer the people and to be verie warie how they lift vp them selues cruelly to wrong others by abusing of their credit and authoritie but would haue them rather be gentle and pitifull Yet must they punish wickednesse for God so commaundeth them But what do we men Forsooth we think we honour the feast of Easter when as we offende God and manifestly transgresse his worde By this wée are admonished not to folowe our owne fantasies when the matter concerâ—eth the seruice of God but altogether doe his will Let vs not therefore fayne a deuotion which séemeth good in our owne eyes but be contented to do the thing which God hath ordeined allowed And here we sée what ariseth vpon this kinde of custome to wit that we make lawes accordingly at this day so that whatsoeuer is receiued for a common order séemeth to be lawfull And yet howsoeuer it séemeth to vs God vtterly condemneth it Nowe wee sée what abuse hath come heerein which is this that this corruptioÌ„ hath made Barabbas to be preferred before the sonne of God A man here would at the first sight thinke it very straunge that our Lord Iesus should be thus lightly estéemed of and a théefe and murderer greatlier priuiledged then he that he shoulde finde such fauour grace amongst men Iesus Christ to be so shamefully slanderously handled For was it not enough that the sonne of God was crucified aboad a most slaÌ„derous kind of death without he must also be greatly tormented The death of the crosse was but as a punishment for théeues it was not onely as at this day the gallowes should be but it was as if he should haue abidden the whéele Was it not then enough that after Iesus Christ had béen buffeted spetted on brought euen downe to the pitte of hell but that he must in comparison be shewed to be accursed of al the world For if we should iudge of it according to natural reasoÌ„ looke vpon the outward shew surely we should be coÌ„founded but we must lift vp the eies of faith a great deale higher come vnto that which before we haue said to wit that all this was gouerned by the counsel of God And therfore let vs not stand vpon that which the people Pylate did but let vs behold the vnchangeable decrée of God which is that for the better humbling of vs his wil was to haue his Sonne so shamefully to be cast down yea to be cast vnder the féete of al the malefactors of the world béeing crucified betwéene two théeues as hereafter shal be seene We sée theÌ„ what it is for vs to obserue wheÌ„ it is here said that Barabbas must be let lose and Iesus Christ bée made the most abhominable man of the world Yet for all this Pilate went about to haue deliuered our Lord Iesus but it was by a deuilish meane to wit by buffeting of him which they then called punishing would haue let him gone wheÌ„ he had so punished him as one that had committed a fault For by this he pretended to appease the stirre of the people Now if our Lord Iesus had bin thus deliuered what had become of the Gospell and of the saluation of the world For this correction which Pylate brought him to was a signe and token of dishonestie for euer as if the Gospell had béen a wicked doctrine considering that the Iudge of the countrie condemned it and the person of our Lord Iesus Christ was clearely refused And yet had we all bin lost because there was none other meane to recoÌ„cile vs vnto God but by the death of his onely sonne And thus we sée that the death of our Lord Iesus was the very open way vnto life So then we sée that the Deuill did the best hée could not to haue our Lord Iesus to dye and yet who clapped the Priestes their like vpon the backes to pursue Iesus Christ vnto death but the Deuil himselfe This is very true for hée bewitched them as we sée that God sendeth the spirit of trouble madnesse vpon all the vngodly so that they are one against an other euen as the waues of the Sea beate one an other euen so was the Deuill carried when as on the one side he went about to abolish the memory of our Lorde Iesus Christ besides on the other side meant to hinder the redemption of mankinde But God so
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
the end he might declare this his loue vnto vs but woulde be so abased for a time as that he might lift vs aloft so that we through faith shoulde not doubt to attaine thereto tarrying and wayting vntill we be al come thither together That hée will not onely graunt vs this grace but also all nations c. The eight Sermon of the Passion Matthew .xxvii. 55 AND there were many women beholding him a far of which folowed Iesus from Galilee ministring vnto him 56 Among which was Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of Iames and Ioses and the mother of Zebedes children 57 When euening was come there came a riche man from the Citie of Arimathea named Ioseph who also had been Iesus Disciple 58 He went to Pilate and begged the body of Iesus then Pilate commaunded the body to be deliuered 59 And when Ioseph had taken the body he wrapped it in a cleane linnen cloth 60 And laide it in his newe Tombe which hee had heawen out of the rocke and when hee had rolled a greate stone to the dore of the Sepulchre hee departed WE haue héeretofore séene and hearde howe our Lorde Iesus hath shewed and set foorth the fruite and power of his death in this poore theefe who séemed to be as a lost and damned soule Now if all they that before had béen instructed by the Gospell had fallen away from it whenas they sée the sonne of GOD put to death a man woulde thinke that the preaching thereof had béen both vaine vnprofitable And besides we know that the Apostles were chosen to this state of life to be as the chiefe rulers in the Church wherefore it is not like that this election of theirs to this office and estate was a vaine and friuolous thing And therefore it is héere set downe vnto vs that although the Apostles left this estat wherin they shewed a beastly cowardlynes for Saint Peter himselfe denied our Lord Iesus whereby he was as one cut of from all hope of our saluation and worthy to bee taken as a rotten member yet would not God suffer that the Gospel which they had before receiued should be quenched and vtterly abolished In very déede S. Mat. lyketh rather of the faithful constancy of the Women then of the men and it is to this ende that we might learne to magnify the goodnesse of God so much the more who by his power strengthneth our weaknes To this entent purpose are also the wordes of Saint Paule saying that God hath chosē the weak ones of this world to confound the mighty strong to the ende they should not glorifye themselues 1. Cor. 1.27 Since then it was héere this spoken of men and of their great courage and whiche followed our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto his death this might be taken to be as a naturall cause But whenas women being guided by the spirite of God were founde to bee more valyant then those men who were chosen for the publishing of the Gospel throughout the world let vs by this vnderstand that it was the work of God and therfore the prayse to be giuen to him Now it is namly saide that these women followed our Lorde Iesus to serue or minister vnto him Which thing a great deale more declareth their affection in profyting by the Gospell For this was no trifling power that was in them whenas they would leaue their owne houses to wander vp and downe hether and thither both to their great pain and shame also And we know in what state and condition our Lorde Iesus stood whiles he liued héere in this worlde For thus he saith the Foxes had holes and the Birdes of the ayre nestes but that he Mat. 8. 20. had no place wherin to hide his head Contrarywise we sée that these women had wherwith to liue quietly and pleasantly They then which wandred after this sort and could hardly get any lodging féeling hunger thirst were also mightely skorned and laughed at besides their being chased and troubled euery where and yet ouercame all this geare and bare it pacientlye wee must néedes iudge that God strengthned them Now they also declared euen at his death the hope which they had had in our Lord Iesus christ For although their harts were dead as it were as héerafter shal be declared more at full and that they thought him to be cleane dispatcht yet they might perceiue not long after that they were deceiued For he had told them that he should restore the kingdome of God he had also spoken vnto them of perfect blessednes of the saluation which he must make an ende of And what of all these things forsooth héereby we sée that although these séely womens harts were sore troubled bicause they knew not what wold become of our Lord Iesus yet dyd he strengthen thē by his mightie power in ende brought it to so passe as that they might both vnderstand and iudge that hee had made them no vaine promise For they looked for the promise of his resurrection which in the iudgment of the world was not to be hoped of Notwithstāding we sée how he exercised their faith to the ende we should not trouble our selues beyond measure although to the outwarde shew it might appeare that God had forsaken vs all the promisses of the Gospell to be as thinges abolished but that wee should neuerthelesse Stand fast sure in thē For if we do not these women will bewitnesses against vs to our great condemnatiō if we faile in these conflicts Woulde wee haue a grosser tryall then that whiche they abode And yet by Faith they obtayned victorye And therefore let vs arme our selues when we are tolde of the attemps wherwith Satan goeth about to assaile vs and let vs I say be well appoynted before the blow come and shew our selues to be so setled in the power of our Lord Iesus Christ that although wee cannot at the first perceiue how the thing which is tolde vs may come to passe yet let vs rest in him doo him this honor to beléeue that hee will at last shew him selfe faithfull And it is very néedefull that we shoulde be thus tryed euen to the vttermost For otherwise we would bée to to fine and nice and laye our faith to morgage or els faine vs héere an earthly paradice so our sences woulde neuer be able to raise vs as hie as heauen that we might forsake this world Which thing we may very perfectlye sée in the mother of Iohn Iames. For we vnderstand that she was before that so ambitiously carried as that she would haue had our Lord Iesus sit in his Kingly throane with all the pompe and brauery that might be her sonnes to sit by him as his two Lieftennaunts For thus she said vnto him Math. 20.21 I beseech thée Sir cōmaund that one of my sons may sit on thy right hand and the other on thy left Héere we sée a
make all our whole life agréeable vnto God and as hée hath shewed him selfe fauourable vnto vs we might also labour most obediently to please him That it would please him not to shew this fauour vnto vs onely but also vnto all people and nations on the earth c. The sixt Sermon of the Prophesie of our Lord Iesus Christ Isaiah Liii 11 HE shall see of the trauaile of his soule and shall bee satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many for hee shall beare their iniquities ALthough the Prophet for a confirmation of that which hée hath alredy said bringeth in this sentence to wit that the death of the Sonne of God shoulde not be vnprofitable but should yéeld a most excellent fruite for the saluation of the worlde yet doeth hée more liuely set it foorth then héeretofore hée hath done For in the first place hée sheweth vnto vs the loue whiche Iesus Christ beare vs saying That hee shall be satisfied by reason hée had purchased for vs by his death euerlasting life and besides hee sheweth in the second place that hée shall not suffer onely in his bodie but in his soule also Nowe we knowe that this saying to be Satisfied or to be Contented importeth or carieth with it a great desire For many thinges shall come to passe which shall touch vs no whit and we ouerslip them yea and although they be for our commoditie yet is not for vs to say that we altogether rest in them And a man may haue a great number of things and yet not be contented For it is possible that he hath not the principall or els that hée hath not the whole But the Prophet sheweth that the Sonne of God shal be throughly satisfied neuer respecting him selfe when as hée shall sée that hée hath gotten vnto him his Church and that poore sinners shal be deliuered from the curse wherein they were and so be reconciled vnto God for the obtayning of the heauenly enheritance To be short wée sée here that our Lorde Iesus neuer respected his owne person but was rauished with the loue of vs wherin hée sought his whole contentment and felicitie as if that had béene his onely desire loue and care Now we haue againe here to note that if so be we looke for the benefite which our Lorde Iesus Christ purchased for vs by Fayth which is dayly offred vnto vs by the Gospell wée shall neuer be voide of our hope For the Prophet sayeth That hee shall see by which hée expresseth that God doeth not onely meane to shewe his mercy vnto vs in the person of his Sonne when as hée deliuered him to death But will bring it also to passe by his holy spirite that this his death shall not be fruitlesse and that many shall see finde by experience that it was not in vayne nor for naught that hée suffred so great tormentes And therefore let vs embrase our Lorde Iesus Christ to the end we drawing neare vnto him by fayth might be made partakers of the fruite of his death passion and let vs be assured that whēsoeuer we shal at any time estrange our heartes from him that God will not adde this benefit with the rest that as his wil was that his Sonne should be our Redéemer euen so also should we truly enioy the benefit which he hath brought vs and vnderstande that it was not in vaine that hée suffred such cruell torments for vs. And this is the thing which we are to consider of out of this place As for the second point which is propounded it is here shewed that Iesus Christ should not onely be beaten scourged and afflicted by the hand of God his father that he might beare the chastisement which wée were woorthie of but that his soule also shoulde bée gréeued and vexed It is not héere said that hée shall sée the fruite of his strypes affliction and death as the Prophet had before saide But also the fruite of the trauayle and griefe of his soule For the woordes which hée vseth importeth as much And therefore hée meant to expresse that Iesus Christ was not onely crucified after hée had aboad the gréeuous tormēts in his bodie but that hée should goe a great deale farther to wyt that hée should be heauy and sory for vs and suffer the sorrowes of death and be euen subiect theretoo for our iustification And to say truly to what purpose had it bin if our Lord Iesus Christ had but openly suffred in the sight of the world For if he had suffred but in body hee should then haue bin a Redéemer of bodies onely But because the principall matter why wée should beléeue in him is that we might féele and be fully persuaded that death shal be no more deadly vnto vs and that wée are freed from the curse of God it was méet that our Lord Iesus shoulde féele these pointes in himselfe so comming before God might be as a wretched malefactor before his Iudge For we know that the sin of man brought not with it a temporall death onely but also a féeling of the enmitie of God and of his horrible iudgement against vs. And what is that Forsooth the most insupportable and terrible thing that possibly may be And therfore it was méet that our Lord Iesus shuld be driuen theretoo for our deliuerance and this is it whiche the Prophet at this present declareth vnto vs. And héere we sée a great deale the better howe God hath loued vs and what the infinite Treasures of his grace and goodnesse are which hée hath powred out vpon vs. Moreouer wee may also verie well vnderstande what care and zeale our Lorde Iesus Christ had ouer our saluation when as hée forced not to make his owne bodie answere the satisfaction of our sinnes but also to bring him selfe into such an horrible feare as one that should féele the iudgement of God who layde holde on him as vpon him who had deserued the curse which God had pronounced from his owne mouth to wyt that it was the verie thing to swallowe vs vp into hell and a gulfe vtterly to destroy vs. And therefore it was méete that Iesus Christ should féele all this Nowe to say the trueth when wée sée that hée had thereby sweat water and blood Luk. 22.3 and that the Angels came downe to comfort him this could not choose but be an wonderfull extream sorrow and griefe séeing the like example had neuer béen séene all the worlde ouer Thus we sée the meaning of these wordes Of the trauaile or griefe of the soule of our Lorde Iesus Christ Nowe it is true as Saint Peter sayeth that the sorrowes of hell could not hold him vnder howbeit it was méet hée should striue with them Act. 2.24 and in the end hée had the victorie ouer them but it was not without great and painefull fight Moreouer wée are presently to gather out of this place that although wée must dye wée must
And sodainly there came a sounde from heauen as it had been the comming of a mightie winde and it filled all the house where they were sitting 3 And there appeared vnto them clouen tongues like as they had been of fyre and it sate vpon each one of them 4 And they were all filled with the holie Ghost and began to speake with other tongues as the spirite gaue them vtteraunce WEe are all so naturally enclined vnto incredulitie as that it behoueth vs to haue the trueth of the Lord Authentically sealed in our hearts to the end we might receiue it stay our selues wholly thereon Ephe. 1.13 It is verie true that God sealeth it in the heartes of all his faythfull ones by the holy Ghost and marke also why it is called the seale of the Gospell yet they which are to deliuer this doctrine all the worlde ouer ought first of all to be sealed and besides God must so gouerne and guide them as that we might at this day be fully assured of the doctrine which they haue published vnto vs and not receiue it from them as from mortall men but as from God the true Authour thereof For we know that our fayth should haue a weake foundation if we should laye it vpon the authoritie of men And we shoulde then continually wauer and doubt if we lifted not vp our mindes farre beyonde the worlde and founded them in and vpon God since we know that this word of saluation which is daily preached vnto vs commeth from him Thus we séee why it is that this historie is set downe vnto vs in writing to wit because that as often as we read or heare the word of God we should remember that whatsoeuer is cōteined in the old and new Testament was not deuised by mans brayne but that God hath testified by a visible signe so farfoorth as was néedfull that men were but the instrumentes onely of his holie spirite For as concerning Moses and all the rest of the Prophetes they approued them selues to be sent of God Insomuch that if we should stande in doubt of their doctrine it were both vnthankfully and wickedly done of vs. Now it is here said That before the Apostles preached the Gospell throughout the world God sent downe his holy spirite vpon them to the ende we might know that they deliuered nothing as from them selues but faithfully distributed the thing which God had commaunded them We sée then to what purpose this present historie must serue our turnes For if we were not assured that the Apostles had as it were become newe men and that God had giuen them a sure and certaine token which declared that he allowed and authorized them what should become of our faith Surely it would be but a running opiniō For thus we might well enough say I think so or it should séeme so But it were impossible for vs to say that we were rightly and firmely grounded stayed theron For what is in man And therfore because this worlde is nothing but vanitie Hebr. 6.9 it is very méet we should according to the saying of the Apostle take Anker hold in heauen Here then we sée how we may ryde out all stormes tempests so that whatsoeuer either the world or the Deuil deuise yet are they not any way able to hurt vs But we shall alwayes haue a sure faith which shal neuer bend one way or other whē we shal take this for a grounded principle That it is God that guideth calleth vs to himself that the doctrine which is taught vs is his pure vndoubted trueth Loe then to what end we must referre the whole summe effect of that which we haue at this present read Forsooth euen to this ende purpose that whē God raised vp this mighty winde his meaning was to declare by a visible signe that he had chosen the twelue Apostles to carry the glad tydings of saluation hither thither In very déed there were at that time but eleuen of them But yet there remained alwayes a full and setled number because that Matthias was placed in Iudas stead Thus we sée that the number was filled vp which was before scattered howbeit this want was but for a litle while as appeareth by the words of Saint Luke in the first Chapiter going before Act. 1.26 Here nowe we sée the full number of the twelue Ambassadours of our Lorde Iesus Christ whom he had before chosen and marked Neuerthelesse it was méete hée should furnish them with graces sufficient and requisite for so high and wonderful a calling Wherefore it was behoueful they should be fashioned and framed from aboue and that God should miraculously worke in them far beyond mans reach and capacitie Now as for the sound of a mightie winde or tempest that shewed that the holy Ghost came not downe vpon the Apostles to make them onely partakers of his graces but also that the whole world should be shaken therwith For it was so spoken of by the Prophet Aggeah in these words After a while saith the Lord Agge 2. I will make heauen earth tremble Which was in déede fulfilled in the preaching of the Gospel We sée then that when the holy Ghost descended that it was not only for a handful of men but he came down to fill all the endes and borders of the worlde For otherwise we shoulde haue had but a colde pull of it as we say if we were not throughly persuaded that God all at one time sent his holy Ghost for vs also for the establishing of our fayth Moreouer God could haue sēt the holie Ghost after a mylder maner if he had listed But let vs note that this sodeine violent winde was to abate the pride of the flesh and againe to waken vs because we are ouer slow and drousie Surely there are two great faultes in vs which hinder our féeling of the power of the spirite of God for the submitting of our selues vnto the Gospell The one is That wee are proude and verie presumptuous Nowe all this must be pulde downe that both great and smal of vs might humbly learn so to worship God as to abase our selues altogether and be contented to liue by him and by his méere fauour grace And therfore it is méete that this pryde which is so déepely rooted in our nature should be violently reformed Because we are ouer much hardened therein On the other side euery mā féeleth such an heauy earthly burthē in himself as that our mindes are altogether occupied nusled in this world To be short we are become so blockish as it were as that we can féele no taste either of God or of the power of his holie spirit without we be wakened spite of our téethes We sée then why it is saide that there arose a tempest as if it had béen a violent or mightie winde Nowe we are to consider in the first place that the holie Ghost descended to shake
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
that wee must all seeke after And this bread amongst other vertues hath this that is it maketh him who is daily fed therewith more and more encrease in the vnitie of faith vntill such time as hee commeth to the fulnesse of a perfect man And without fayth there is no saluation and fayth as the Apostle witnesseth commeth by hearing and hearing commeth by preaching of the word so that without hearing of the word preached there can be no fayth and consequently no saluation This bread also of the word hath so pleasant a taste as that if the sweetnesse of honie it selfe be compared with it it shall be as bitter as Gal. Surely the godliest and best fruits of the earth in respect of this which restoreth the soule reioyceth the heart strengtheneth the weake and comforteth the afflicted are all but rotten and no whit pleasant or delightfull To be short ouer and besides that we are with so great pleasure thereby in such sort strengthened as no tongue is able to expresse we are moreouer so enriched therewith as that all the treasures in this world in regard of it can be but filthy and stinking And therefore euery one is to consider and vnderstande that the whole felicitie of man resteth in this spiritual foode Here is likewise to be ioyned withall that our labour in trauelling for the same shal not be lost For God the Creator sendeth vs not at this day thankes be giuen to him for it for euer scarcitie of this Manna and heauenly doctrine But most abundantly giueth and poureth it abroad without money all the world ouer to all such as hunger after it But vnto such as are full gorged and lothed therewith so that they reiect it and cast it vp againe by reason of their vnthankfulnesse it turneth to them in stead of good nutriment into deadly poison And contrariwise the more a man desireth it the more it nourisheth doth him good Wherefore our good God and louing Father knowing what neede we haue to be strengthened with this spirituall foode not for a day only but euen so long as we shall creepe here vpon the earth and must haue it put into our mouthes like young children hath appointed Pastors Teachers in his Church soundly and truly to breake vnto al his faithful ones this bread of his word Euen as a father who giuing bread to his children cutteth euery one such a morsel as he seeth to bee most necessarie for him And therefore in this behalfe my good Lord the Church of England hath greatly to thanke the lord our God in that hee hath furnished it with such a number of godly faithfull and sound Ministers as distribute vnto his people the worde of trueth For they in stead of confusedly heaping hudling one thing in an others necke doe verie familiarly and plainely handle and dispose the matter by peece meale and after an excellēt good order and in stead of cutting tearing in sunder wreasting it into a wrong sense and resting in the Barke without making a through entrance doe soundly perfectly truely verie reuerently and without falsifiyng deliuer it vnto vs and feed our soules with the marow thereof Wherefore right honourable seeing this foode of the soule which is the word of God is so precious a thing as that all the kingdomes of the world are not valuable vnto it I haue takē boldnesse to beseech your honor to be the Patron and defender of this my poore trauell in the translation of these Sermons following which I haue done for the benefit good of the meanly lettered sort of my countrimen verie notably learnedly handled by M. Iohn Caluin whose authoritie sound dealing in such causes If I should take in hand to commend I should seeme as we say with a Lanterne to giue light vnto the bright shining Sunne therfore wil hold my peace Againe the doctrine set down by him in them affourdeth vnto all the Readers therof so great commoditie of it selfe as that it needeth not the commendation of any other And I haue the rather dedicated this my rude translatiō vnto your Lordship partly for that I would shew some peece of my humble dutie vnto your honour as a publike testimony therof in respect of being sometimes as then verie young brought vp in your L. fathers house but especially chiefly because Syr you seeke by al means possible the Lord bee thanked for it continue you in the same minde all your life long to his glorie to vse conference with a certeine godly learned man for the better reforming of your self and your whole family to the obedience of the word Which word as Solomon saieth Shal guide you when you walke watch for you when you sleepe and talke with you when you are awake Prou. 6.22 And in the verse following hee saieth That the word is a Lanterne and Instruction a light correction for instructions are the way of life c. Thus haue I my good Lord boldly presumed of your noble and gracious curesie to present these Sermons vnto your honour beseeching you in the behalfe of the Church of God to accept of them In the meane while I shall beseech the Lord our God the Father of all mercy and consolation to strengthen you in that good course which he of his meere loue and singular goodnesse hath so lately begun in you that you may bee like vnto a confortable bright shining light in his Church to shewe your selfe a constant mainteiner of the trueth of the glorious Gospell of his deare Sonne Christ Iesus our Lorde for the stirring vp of many thereto And because I feare that I haue troubled your Lordship with an ouerlōg Epistle I most humbly take my leaue committing both you and all your affayres to the protection of the Almighties most sacred Maiestie London the vi of May. 1581. Your Lordships most duetifully to bee commaunded in the Lord Iesus Tho. Stocker To all the faithfull dispersed people of God in what Countries and Nations soeuer Conrade Badius wisheth Grace and peace from our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ IT is not vnknowne vnto vs Christian Readers what the proude secte of the Pharisees was in whom although there was nothing els but darknesse and ignoraunce yet boasted and bragged they of them selues to bee the most notable enterpretors of the lawe insomuche that from thence they tooke their name as if the verie marowe and secret meaning of the scriptures had beene enclosed and fast shut vp in their breastes And yet in the meane while in stead of feeding the poore people with true and wholesome doctrine they instructed them I know not with what mockeries and vaine ceremonies which they them selues had inuented cleane besides the worde of God And so after the like manner doe our great Doctours of Sorbone and all our howling Monkes and Fryers deale at this day with vs of which company the one sorte of them although they thinke them selues to be the pillers of
the Church fellowes with the Apostles and the verie shoppe of the holie Ghost from whence wee must fetch the full exposition of the scriptures and the verie assured resolution of all the pointes of religion yet tell they vs nothing els but vaine and doltish tales either busie them selues about curious questions and ful of Sophistrie besides a thousand other subtleties seruing to no edification in the whole world The other sort of them in stead of the word of God preach nothing els but constitutions and ordinaunces of their owne making for the establishing of the tyrannie of their holie Father the Pope the verie Antechrist and enemy to the truth and the third sort vomit and cast vp arrogant and proude speeches in the Pulpyt against the children of God against all such as Iesus Christ hath reuealed him selfe vnto in these latter dayes calling them Lutherans and seditious persons falsly deuising a thousand leasings against them and in steade of feeding their miserable starued sheepe with the true foode of the worde of God they are faine to moysten their soules with those pestilent kindes of poisons whereas they should be fed with spiritual and heauenly nurriture Wherefore dearely beloued brethren in our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ whensoeuer that God sendeth vnto vs any good and faithfull teacher who sincerely and purely deliuereth vnto his Auditorie the worde of the Lorde wee ought to make a meruellous great account of him for we shal finde verie few such men as will faithfully acquite them selues of their charge and function and we ought amongst other things greatly to reuerence all those whom God hath endowed with speciall graces and the gift of enterpreting Euen as at this day the faithful Pastor and good seruant of God Iohn Caluin hath made that precious talēt which God bestowed vpō him verie profitable whose Sermons yelde vnto vs a good testimony therof which also in the iudgement of indifferēt men were not slightly made nor hastily hudled vp but duely truely premeditated and rightly deliuered vnto the capacitie of his flocke hauing alwayes in open shew the liuely impression of the benefit of the Lord Iesus in their hearts Neither are these like vnto common places caught in a net either yet bosome Sermons which may serue for any text of scripture as a stoole for al feete But are true sincere plaine and meete expositions seruing for the text which he had to treate of neither are they stuffed with friuolous exhortations either yet filled with ambitious inuectiues For as it is verie needful that the superstitions of Poperie shoulde by the worde of God bee daily enueighed against to the ende they might be cleane rinsed and scowred out of our heartes as a strong sauour wherewith we haue beene seasoned euen from our infancie yet if the place which hee handled did not orderly speake against such abuses hee woulde not passe the boundes of his Texte and crye out vpon them as the Papists alwaies and to no purpose like Mastife Curres barke and baye against the Gospell renued in this latter age of the worlde But his manner was to holde a plaine and direct course tending to edification without omitting any thing which might serue and make for the honour of God and instruction of his Auditorie I woulde if it pleased God there were a great many moe his lyke For then I knowe that the Church of Christ should be greatly eased and furthered But it is out of al doubt that our vnthankfulnesse is the cause why God sendeth not moe faithfull Pastours at this present then are for if there bee any that will duetifully discharge their office and deliuer the word of God freely as Saint Paule commaundeth reproouing sinne and setting them selues against iniquitie for the maintenaunce of his honour by whom they are sent they are foorthwith furiously dealt with rayled on and slaundered As questionlesse the partie before saide who for his vprightnesse and great fidelitie by him vsed in the executing of his charge hath gotten such a mightie number of enemies as that they which neuer see nor heard him neither yet euer read two wordes of his woorkes haue wished his death Howbeit God be thanked for it his good conscience and the testimonie which hee had before God his Angelles and the faithful which daily heard him did so assure him that men did him wrong for wishing of him so great hurt as that they encouraged him constantly to pursue the Lordes workes He sawe howe hardly his maister was dealt with and after him the Apostles and therefore it greeued him not to follow their steppes because he knew that God was of power able to defende and keepe his pledge and that they which suffred for his sake should be taken to be worthie of the kingdome of heauen Nowe because all men could not bee of that Church whereby they might be partakers of the heauenly foode which this good shepheard many yeares ceased not to administer and that it was very expedient that they which were newly come to the charge which hee had might see his manner of teaching and so followe it and likewise that they which thought hee did nothing els but speake euill and crye out against the Pope and all his rable of shauelinges thundring against their traditions without any other handling of the Scripture or els that hee went about none other thing but to bring the people vnto a carnal libertie and thereby cast of the obedience and subiection which they ought to Kinges and Princes to the end therefore that they might read his Sermons and thereby see that hee hath great iniurie done vnto him in hauing this blame laide vpon him and cease the yl opinion which they haue conceiued of him many godly honest men determined to prynt a certein of them but especially Lawrence of Normandie whose zeale and godly conuersation is sufficiently wel knowne hath for many yeares bestowed all his studie trauel to prynt bookes for the edifiyng of the Church In verie deede I must needes say thus much as I haue in the preface of the Sermons of the tenne Commaundementes let you before vnderstande that the Authour was not willing nor yet consenting heretoo not that hee woulde hinder the benefite and fruite that hereby might redounde to the Church but wished that his Sermons might passe no further then vnto his owne flocke as well for that they were specially made for his sheepe vnto whose capacitie he framed him selfe the best he could and therefore thought that an other order and disposition were more requisite therin for the publishing them abrode in the view of al the world but as for the ouer looking of them to the ende to polish them ouer and besides that his leasure would not serue him hee would neuer busie himselfe about the matter For if he himselfe had meant to haue put them foorth he intended to haue made new homilies of them and better penned and not to haue published any thing
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
shall haue looked euerie where we shall finde that this worde Gospel is not taken in any other signification And beholde also wherefore men haue giuen this name or title to the foure histories that are written touching our Lorde Iesus Christ how he came into the world and was conuersant therein howe he died rose againe and went vp into heauen men I say haue giuen the name or title of the Gospell to this And why so because the substance of the Gospell is comprehended in the person of God his sonne as I haue alreadie saide The auncient fathers had in déed the promises of saluation The difference betwene the fathers vnder the law and as vnder the Gospel they were also very well assured that God would be their father but yet they had not in such plaine sort as we haue the gage and pledge of Gods loue towards them of their owne adoption For when Iesus Christ came into the world then God signed and sealed his fatherly loue vnto vs and we had the full testimonie of life and in déed haue also the substance thereof in Iesus Christ as I haue alreadie saide ◠Cor. 1.20 And this is the cause why S. Paule saieth That all Gods promises are in him yea and Amen to wit because then God ratified and confirmed all that which he had spoken before and had promised to men So then it is not without cause that these foure histories wherin is declared vnto vs how the sonne of God was sent that he tooke mans flesh also that he liued here vppon earth amongst men haue béen so named Men then haue comprehended all this vnder the worde Gospell 2. Tim. 2.8 because therein it is declared and set out vnto vs howe God hath made perfect and accomplished all that which was requisite for mens saluation and that we haue had the fulfilling of al in the person of his sonne Indéed S. Paul speaketh of his Gospell but after what sort It is not as though he had writtē an history of the Gospel but because his doctrine was conformable agréeable to all that which is conteined therein So according to that which I haue alreadie saide when the Gospel was preached vnto vs S. Paules Epistles not called the gospell in what sense it is a plaine manifesting of Iesus Christ to the ende that we should know that in him all things are perfected and that we haue the trueth of that which had béen promised in all times before And yet for all this S. Paules Epistles are not called the Gospell And why so because that therein wee haue not a continuall historie which declareth vnto vs after what sort God sent his sonne howe it pleased him that in putting vpon him our nature hée might haue a true brotherhood with vs how he died rose againe and ascended into heauen This I say is not largely laid out with a continual order course of spéech in S. Paule very certaine is it that the doctrine which is conteined in his Epistles is conformable and agréeable with the doctrine of the Gospel But for all that that word Gospell is specially attributed to these foure histories for the reason which I haue alreadie alledged Nowe where we say that the substance of the Gospell is comprehended in the person of the Sonne of God this is not onely to say that Iesus Christ came into the world but that we should know also what his office is what charge God his father hath committed vnto him and what vertue power he hath which thing wée ought to mark wel for from thence we may gather the difference of the Gospel according to S. Iohn Wherin the 4. Euangelists agree Hebr. 4.15 and those which the other thrée wrote The foure Euangelists agrée verie well in this that they declared vnto vs how the sonne of god appeared in the world that he became true and verie man like vnto vs in all thing sin excepted Afterwards they declare vnto vs how he died rose again and ascended into heauen To be short all that was committed vnto him to draw vs to God his father by is declared and set foorth vnto vs therein But there are two thinges which are peculiar to S. Iohn One is Iohn hath two things peculiar too him selfe from the other Euangelists that he stayeth and standeth vpon the doctrine of Iesus Christ more then the other Euangelists doe The other that with a greater liuelinesse he declareth vnto vs Iesus Christes vertue and power True it is that the other Euangelists speake well of the doctrine of Iesus Christ but that is rather briefly and shortly as who haue collected some small Summaries and Abridgementes thereof Iohn 6.1.2 But S. Iohn maketh a long and large declaration therof as we sée in the sixth Chapter where mention is made of that myracle which he wrought in the wildernesse whē he refreshed fed so great a multitude For therevpon S. Iohn commeth to enter into spéech and to shewe howe Iesus Christ is the bread of eternall life We sée then this doctrine of Iesus Christ which was declared at large by S. Iohn and that with a more great dilating discoursing thereon then is set out by the other Euangelistes yea we sée that they quite and cleane omitted that doctrine So much also may be saide of the rest for after that he hath touched some myracles and histories Iohn 12. to 18. hee alwayes commeth backe to the doctrine and taketh occasion to enter into the matter to handle and speake of the power of our Lorde Iesus Christ as from the xii Chapter til you come to the historie of the Passiō he intreateth of nothing The Gospel according to S. Io. giueth light to the other Euangelistes but this doctrine So then now we sée what difference there is betwéene the Gospell according to S. Iohn the other thrée Euangelistes insomuch that to speake rightly the Gospell according to S. Iohn is as it were the key to giue vs some entraunce and opening to the other For if we reade S. Matthew S. Marke and S. Luke we shall not so well know wherefore Iesus Christ was sent into the worlde as when we shal haue read S. Iohn Hauing reade S. Iohn we shall knowe afterwardes to what ende it serueth vs that Iesus Christ hath wrought and also that he hath taken mans flesh and that he died and rose againe We shal know I say what is the ende and substaunce of all these thinges in reading this Gospell And this is the cause why hée standeth not so much vpon the historie as we shall sée by the order which he will kéepe hereafter It is true that these thinges rightly deserue to be more largely diducted and layde out but because there is great matter in the Text which we haue to expounde I doe but touche these thinges as briefly as I can Wherefore let vs content our selues with that which we haue summarily and
shortly touched concerning the office of Iesus Christ Wherefore Christ came into the world that is to say that S. Iohn declareth vnto vs how he was sent of God his father to the ende he might accomplish and make perfect the saluation of men Hée declareth howe he tooke mans fleshe and howe he died also and rose againe that he is the pledge of Gods loue that he is as it were the soule of our redemption and that Gods promises are in him ratified and established The summe of the Gospell according to S. Iohn Moreouer we must marke as I haue alreadie saide that S. Iohn toucheth the stories more briefly then the other thrée Euangelistes doe but for all that he stayeth himselfe more vpon the substance of the matter that is to say to declare vnto vs what the doctrine of Iesus Christ is what charge God the father hath committed vnto him and to be short what is his vertue his power and goodnesse towardes vs. As concerning the signification of the worde in it selfe Gospell is as muche to say as a good newes or glad tidinges but this woorde ought to be vnto vs as it were hallowed or sanctified to the end to cause vs to hate the thinges of this worlde and to the ende that wée might know that all our goodnesse and our felicitie ioye and glorie is in Iesus Christ alone Wherfore when we shal pronounce or speake this worde Gospell which is as muche to say as good newes or glad tidinges Let vs learne not to reioyce beyond measure in the thinges of this worlde which are brittle and vaine let vs not reioyce in delightes in pleasures nor in any thing whatsoeuer it be Wherein true Christians should chiefly reioyce but let vs be glad and reioyce in this that Christ was sent vnto vs that God is offered and giuen vnto vs in his person that Iesus Christ is come to the ende that he might be our reconciliation betwéene God and vs that God accepteth vs for his children to the end we should not perish and be condemned Behold how this word ought to be sanctified or hallowed vnto vs to the end to cause vs reuerently to regarde that inestimable goodnesse which hath béene brought vnto vs by our Lord Iesus Christ And it is expresly saide that this Gospel is according to S. Iohn to the ende wée should know that it is not from a mortall man but that S. Iohn was onely the minister or meane thereof From whom then shall we say that we holde the Gospell From S. Iohn The Gospell is from Iesus Christ Iohn 7.16 or from Iesus Christ Certainly from Iesus Christ And in déede Iesus Christ vseth this manner of spéech as to say that the doctrine is not his but that hee preached it in the authoritie of God his father from whom it procéeded and al this is to the end that we should beare so much the more reuerence to this doctrine and that we should not receiue it as a common thing but as the pure truth of God which was preached and declared by his onely sonne S. Iohn then was indéede the meane or instrument that God vsed euen as a Penne that will write in a mans hande but yet for all that we must not receiue the Gospell which was written by him as from a mortall man Let vs nowe come to the Text. The worde saieth hée was in the beginning The purpose of Saint Iohn is to declare vnto vs howe the sonne of God did not then begin to be when hée appeared or shewed himselfe in the world Christ is verie God from all eternitie neither yet that then he began onely to spread abroad his power in euery place for he was alreadie from al time and before all time his power abroad alreadie in him selfe and he tooke it not from any other but that there was a power which was in the word of God from the beginning which at the last was manifested and we know it now séeing Iesus Christ hath béen sent into the world Wherfore S Iohn ment to declare here that when Iesus Christ came into the worlde hée that came was our eternall God who also hath redéemed vs. But yet to the end that we may the better vnderstand the whole we must particularly by péecemeale mark the things that are here spokē The word was in the beginning There is no doubt but that hée héere calleth the Sonne of God The worde Why Christ is called the word The reason is because it is that verie wisedome which hath alwayes béene in God and his Counsell and his power True it is that we haue not in this place the thinges declared and set out as they are in their owne greatnesse excellencie I meane euen as they are here propounded and set foorth vnto vs by S. Iohn For albeit that the spirite of God spake by his mouth yet so it is that he hath not yet declared and set forth the matters vnto vs in their greatnesse and maiestie And héerein we derogate nothing from the spirit of God The Lord in setting out him selfe and Christ to vs had respect to our weaknesse when we say that he hath not fully in perfection set out the thinges which are héere signified vnto vs for the holie Ghost therein applieth him selfe vnto our infirmitie and weakenesse And in déede if wée shoulde heare God speaking vnto vs in his maiestie it shoulde be vtterly vnprofitable for vs because we could comprehende or conceiue nothing thereof So then because we be carnall he must néeds stut and stammer as it were or els he would not be vnderstoode of vs. By this then we sée that we are to vnderstand that God is as it were become litle and hath abased him selfe that he might declare him self vnto vs And that so it is tell mée howe should it bee possible to expresse what Gods maiestie is If we speake mens spéech words Is it not thinke you a farre vnequall measure S. Iohn then albeit he be the holie Ghosts instrumēt speaketh not of these matters according to their greatnesse yet notwithstanding he speaketh in a spéech which is as it were vnknowne to vs. And therefore wée must cōclude that the secrets which are cōteined in this place are not so openly plainly declared as that we are able to vnderstand the same in such sort as we vnderstand the matters of the world but let vs content our selues with that which is here simply declared vnto vs for our Lord knew that which was sufficiēt for our good God hath in his word reuealed sufficient for his children and he applied himself vnto vs and our infirmitie in such sort that he hath not forgotten or omitted any thing which was good profitable for vs to know So let vs learne to kéepe vs fast to this puritie and simplicitie of his doctrine considering how the worlde in this behalfe hath béen foulely abused by foolish imaginations
generall Let vs also liue together in mutuall and Brotherly concord because he himself hath susteined and borne the condemnation which God his father had pronounced against vs all And therefore let vs bende our selues that way and let euery of vs not onely come thither by himselfe alone as I haue already said but also bring his fellowes with him and stirre one another vp constantly to marche forward hauing alwayes respect that our life is as were away which wée must goe through withall and not stay in the middest thereof but from day to day so profite and also take paine to bring them néere who are farre of as that it may be our whole ioy life glory and contentment and in such sorte helpe one another vntyll the time that GOD hath fully and wholy gathered vs together vnto himselfe Let vs nowe therefore fall downe before the Maiestie of our good GOD and acknowledge our sinnes beséeching him to cause vs so to féele them as that wee bée not onely displeased with them but also that wée may bée more and more rydde and cleansed of them and so fight against our selues as that he alone may beare rule in vs and wée well agrée vnto his holy will And in the meane while let vs likewise beséech him that it would please him to haue mercy vpon his miserable worlde and that as it was his will in generall his onely sonne shoulde bee a redéemer for all his Gospell preached to all so also that hée would not suffer vs at this day to bée hard hearted flie form such a benefite But that wée might haue an eie and eare thereto and one of vs drawe on another vntill such time as he hath brought vs to bée perfect with himselfe So that wée may all say with an humble heart O Almightie God and heauenly father c. The second Sermon of the Passion Matthew xxvj 40 AFter that he came vnto his Disciples and found them a sleepe and said to Peter What could ye not watch with me one houre 41 Watch and pray that yee enter not into temptation the spirite in deede is ready but the fleshe is weake 42 Againe he went away the second time and prayed saying O my father if this Cup cannot passe away from mee but that I must drinke it thy will bee doone 43 And he came and founde them a sleepe againe for their eyes were heauie 44 So hee left them and went againe and praied the thirde time saying the same wordes 45 The came hee vnto his Disciples and saide vnto them sleepe hence foorth and take your rest beholde the houre is at hand and the sonne of man is giuen into the handes of sinners 46 Arise let vs goe beholde he is at hande that betrayeth mee 47 And while hee yet spake Loe Iudas one of the twelue came and with him a great multitude with Swordes and staues from the high Priestes and Elders of the people 48 But hee that betrayed him had giuen them a token saying whom soeuer that I shall kisse that is he lay hold on him 49 And foorthwith he came to Iesus and said God saue thee Maister and kissed him 50 Then Iesus saide vnto him Friende wherefore commest thou then came they and laide handes on Iesus and tooke him WE haue this morning séene howe the Sonne of God was strengthened by prayer for the abiding of so hard and dangerous a combate as the appearing before the iudgement seat of god his father to receiue sentence of comdemnation as our pledge or borrowe For it behooued that mans weakenes should be séene in him and yet was this nothing at all derogatorie from his diuine Maiestie although hée was thus made of no reputation for our saluation And wée haue héere besides to note that he prayed not onely once wherein wée sée that hée hath by his example exhorted vs not to faint although we are not hearde so soone as wée woulde Wherefore they that are faint hearted because God answereth them not at the first shew that they knowe not what prayer is For the right rule for vs to come vnto God is to perseuer and continue And therefore the chiefest exercise of our faith is prayer Yet faith cannot be without hope Then there is no question of it that God shoulde féede our homours so soone as wée haue once opened our lippes and framed our petitions But it is méete that hée shoulde delay them and make vs oftentimes to languishe that wée might know what it is to pray earnestly and without hypocrisie and that wée might also declare that our faith is so established vpon the worde of God as that it brideleth to the ende wée might paciently abide vntill such time as the fit opportunitie be come wherein we should be holpen Let vs therefore marke that our Lord Iesus Christ did not pray onely once to God his father but went also againe the second time Moreouer wée are to call to minde the thing before touched to wit that our Lord Iesus Christ hath not here framed a light praier but yet was such an one as if hée were determined to be quite ryd of him selfe yea that hée who is the power of God his father and who vpholdeth the whole worlde yet because he must shewe him selfe a weake man kéeping our place and setled in our person hath shewed that when hée went againe to pray that hée did it not to make a shewe therof as many prophane people imagine that when Iesus Christ appeared hée suffered nothing but to the ende to teach vs that wée are no way able to escape the hande and punishment of God and his curse but by this meane Nowe it is hére declared vnto vs as it was this morning that our Lord Iesus Christ was put to the extremitie because that the burthen which hée had taken vpon him was not to be borne without the inuincible power of the spirite of God had holpen him Neyther must wée thinke this to be any superfluous kinde of spéech when hée repeated these wordes Mat. 6.7 For that which is said in the other text That when wée pray vnto God we must not vse much babble as they doe who vse many repetitions thinking thereby to obteyne verie much is not meant but that we should continue in prayer but it is spoken to this ende to finde fault with the hypocrisie and superstition of those who thinke as a man would say to rend the eares of God therewith to make him beléeue and persuade him to doe that for them which they desire which folly wée haue séene reigne in the world And yet euen among vs how many are there which vse this kinde of sorcerie for although they say not their Aue Maria yet when they haue saide their Pater Noster doe thinke that they haue obteined verie much and thinke that God taketh a reckoning of all the words which they haue thus repeated in their prayer Now I call that right sorcerie for they villainously
the dutie of euerie man as much as lyeth in him to roote and blot out this filthy infection and yet when we haue all done God will haue a number of Iudasses continually to be in it For since it was figured in Dauid and perfourmed in our Lord Iesus Christ it is méet that wée should be made like vnto him according to that saying of Saint Paule for he beare as it were the ensignes Rom. 8.29 and badges of the house of God being the first born of all the faithful And therfore our estate ought to be like vnto his But we may here sée that this is spoken of a troubled cōscience when as God sendeth a troubled frantike or blockishe minde whereof he oftentimes speaketh by his Prophetes Wherefore let vs here looke vpon Iudas who sheweth the rewarde of those which wittingly fight against God that they must néedes become so desperate as that there is in them neyther sense nor reason and yet notwithstanding altogether goe about hypocritically to hide it vntill such time as God spyte of their téethes draweth and bringeth them vnto their last condemnation It shoulde séeme at the first sight that these two thinges shoulde bée contrarie the one to the other that a man shoulde runne his head against God lyke a wylde Bull and so forget him as to doe nothing else but spit at the Sonne and be angrie with nature and yet notwithstanding goeth about to hyde him selfe with subtlenes and thinketh to haue gotten something through his hypocrisie It may be saide that these two thinges agrée not verie well together But we sée them agrée well enough in Iudas For he had founde by good proofe the heauenly power of our Lorde Iesus Christ for his owne part had both séene and done a number of myracles in his name And although he knewe the Sonne of God to be Lord both of life and death yet betrayeth hée him and biddeth them wisely to kéepe him for otherwise saith hée hée will soone be gone and escape from you We sée héere then that Iudas was altogether without sence and reason and as it were like a frantike or madde man and yet by his kisse and faire wordes in saying Alas good Maister hée thought by these shiftes honestly to discharge him selfe But sée howe Satan bleareth their eyes whom hée holdeth within his nettes Let vs therefore learne in the first place to humble our selues to the ende none of vs spurne against this so hard a stone to wit that we make not warre against our Lorde Iesus Christ And therefore let vs beware howe wée lift vp our selues in so deuilishe a rage as to fight against the trueth and so skirmishe agaynst our consciences as wittingly to prouoke the wrath of God against vs as if wée woulde stande at defiaunce with him Let vs I say take héde of this thing and in the meane while let vs not so flatter our selues in our hypocrisie and fonde deuises least in the ende wée deceiue and beguile our selues For wee sée howe it fell out with Iudas as the storie telleth vs he néeded no iudge to condemne him nor yet to bée enforced to vnsay that hée had saide But hée confessed that hée had solde and betrayed innocent blood And yet craued hée not pardon for his misdéed but went and desperately hung him selfe and therewithall his bowelles burst out Acts. 18. Let vs therefore be well aduised how wée suffer Satan to haue any such entraunce into vs least hée cleane put out our eyes when as wée shall lye sléeping in our sinnes and thinke by such meanes to escape the hande of God Psal 2. 12. and let vs put farre from vs this hypocrisie And besides let vs knowe that wée are commaunded to kisse the Sonne of God But to this ende to reuerence him as our King and as the souereigne Lorde ouer all creatures For this saying to kisse importeth nothing else but a reuerence and solemne protestation that wée are his as hée sayeth yée call mée Maister and therein you doe well But let vs when we come vnto him bée well aduised not to call him Maister at the tongues ende and in the meane while are no better then his enemies and make an hypocriticall kinde of reuerence Iohn 13.13 and kicke against him with the héele That is to say Let vs not become like Rebelles and disloyall Roges but shewe our selues to haue sought none other meanes then to kéepe vs within his Church to the ende wée might serue our God Let vs then take héede vnto all this Moreouer although the wordes of our Lord Iesus Christ did not at the first shewe their effect in Iudas yet in the ende by the vertue of the same wordes yet it fell out that hée hung him selfe Ioh. 18.6 without looking for any other condemnation And in verie déede S. Iohn telleth vs how our Lord Iesus Christ hath thundred although hée vseth but few wordes against them who came to séeke him saying I am hee Beholde what a bande Pylate the Gouernour of the countrie sent and what a number of people the Priestes had gotten together and sent them out furnished with Clubs swords and staues and Iesus Christ is him selfe alone Isaiah 53.7 and as Isaiah sayeth of him lyke a Lambe brought to the shambles And what were the wordes hee spake forsooth euen this I am hee And by and by they all went backe and fell foorthwith to the grounde Wherevpon came this falling Herein we sée that although our Lord Iesus Christ humbled him self for a time yea and was made of no reputation yet kept he with him when he thought good his heauenly power that he might throw downe headlong all his enemies whensoeuer it pleased him Let vs nowe compare our time with the time that was then It fell out that Iesus Christ was tied and fast nayled as hereafter we shall see and must cease to bee Lord ouer his enemies For Satan had let goe the raynes to push them on into all furie and crueltie Luke 22.53 And this is it wherof S. Luke speaketh This is the power of darknesse But how euer it was in thus saying I am he it so fell out that the enemies were confounded and ashamed What will he then doe when he commeth in Maiestie with all his Angels When he shall make a footestoole of all those that haue resisted him When he commeth with a terrible countenance incomprehensible wrath According to the saying of Paul to the Thessalonians Thess 2. ◠How then shall the wicked and contemners of the Maiestie of God of the word of our lord Iesus Christ stand before his face when as he so ouerthrew his enemies euen then when hée was readie to suffer and vse none other defence then the same which God his Father vsed for as he saide hée could haue called to haue had a million of Angelles to bée sent him but he would not and yet his meaning was to shew that
hée could if it pleased him euen with the breath of his mouth ouerthrow whatsoeuer stood against him By this we haue to learne to feare the wordes of our Lord Iesus Christ and although he is not here conuersant amongst vs after a visible sort neuertheles since the Gospel is preached by his authoritie that he saith he that heareth you Luk. 8.16 heareth mée Let vs learne most reuerently to receiue whatsoeuer is preached in his name submit our selues thereto and we shal finde that this saying which thus made the souldiers and those that were sent against him too fall must be our onely foundation stay For what is all our ioy comfort without the sonne of God appeareth vnto vs that we sée him nigh vs sheweth vs what a one he is wherefore it was that God his Father sent him vnto vs And so let vs vnderstand by this saying I am hee That when it shal please our Lorde Iesus Christ to manifest him selfe as he doth to all his faithful that he therin declareth vnto vs why he calleth vs vnto him selfe why he is come downe vnto vs why he dwelleth in vs by the power of his holie spirite and thus we sée wherein all our felicitie and quietnesse resteth But if we will become rebellious and contemne the worde of God as a number of prophane men doe wheron we ought to build our saluation let vs be assured that it will be a lightening to throw vs all downe headlong into the pit of hell And so let vs feare and although our Lord Iesus Christ openeth vnto vs the gate and saieth after an other manner beholde mée which hée hath not done to those who were his professed enemies let vs come vnto him Moreouer let vs also learne so patiently to beare the treasons which wée sée to bée at this day in the Church as that we yet abhorre and detest them and so shewe our selues truely and in déede to cleaue fast vnto the Sonne of God because he is our head and since we haue his truth let vs liue so together one with an other as that we may be vnited together in true brotherly cōcord And this is it that wée are to remember But howe euer it be let vs learne this principall point for our instruction which we must gather out of this Text to wit That the Sonne of God became fully and wholy obedient that he might repaire our transgressions It is verie true as I haue alreadie saide that all the members of God must be ruled after his example and it is great reason since hee who is Lorde and maister ouer all so humbled him self that we should be readie both in life and death to obey our God But yet let vs vnderstand that this is an especiall obedience which our Lord Iesus Christ shewed in this behalfe to wit by reason of the fruit effect which came thereby The Apostle tooke the death of our Lord Iesus Christ for an example verie wel for it strengthened them when as they were to abide the combat for the testimony of the Gospel then slept they not for we sée their watchfulnesse and readinesse in the following of their calling neither feared they the torments of death but offered them selues when God called them thereto for the glorifying of his name and the confessing of our Lord Iesus Christ But they chiefly stood vpon this that all our spottes are washed and cleansed by the sheading of the blood of our Redéemer that he fully satisfied God his father for all our debtes for which we were bound and hath obteined for vs perfect righteousnesse And therefore wée must vnderstand the difference that is betwéene the head and the members learne that by nature we are wholy giuen to doe euil and although God hath partly regenerated vs yet doeth our fleshe stil resist against his maiestie notwithstanding through the power vertue of the obediēce which we sée to be in our Lord Iesus Christ let vs not leaue of to do those things which may please our God according to his heartes desire And although we cannot doe the good we would but do the euill we would not and oftentimes slip or els are too too slack let vs looke vnto that which the Sonne of God hath suffered for the amending of all our offences and behold that he hath so combatted as that he was not against it when as our sinnes offences were layd vnto him as this morning hath more at large béen spoken Seeing then that our Lord Iesus Christ hath fully wholy made satisfactiō that although we at this day haue done our best to obey God cannot come to that perfection we ought but continually traile our legges after vs haue many thinges in vs which may be amēded yet let vs know that we shal not but please God our imperfections be continually abolished through the obedience of our Lord Iesus Christ so that they shal neuer come in account against vs before his maiestie And besides let euerie one according to the measure of the faith grace which he hath receiued striue to fight vntil the time we attaine vnto the heauenly rest And although we sée our weaknes to be so great conuinced that wée are not able once to thinke a good thought and being cast downe not able to rise againe except God reach vs his hand and strengthneth vs euerie minute Let vs beséeche him to augment in vs the graces of his holie spirite as he hath promised vs and hath set Iesus Christ before vs to be our head and Captaine to the ende wée might get that victorie which hee hath obteined for vs the fruite whereof we alreadie féele and then shall perfectly and throughly féele Let vs nowe fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God in such acknowledgement of our offences as that it may rightly humble vs before him and bring vs to true repentance and more and more labour to make voide whatsoeuer is against his righteousnesse And because we cannot be without conflicts and enemies that it would please him to powre vpon his the succour which hée hath promised and make vs so to féele it as that we may resist vnto the end all temptations and learne also to thanke him for all our victories without attributing any of them vnto our selues to the end we prouoke not his wrath through arrogancy but beséeching him to continue his graces continually in vs and prosecute more and more the thing which he hath done and begunne in vs. That hée will not onely bestowe this grace c. The third Sermon of the Passion Matthew xxvi 51 ANd behold one of them which were with Iesus stretched out his hand and drew his swoord and strooke a seruant of the high Priest and smote of his eare 52 Then Iesus said vnto him put vp thy sword into his place for all that take the sword shal perish with the sword 53 Either thinkest
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
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
muste needes submit my selfe vnto him But within a while after hée became worse then euer hee was euen so fared it with Pilate Nowe this is to admonishe vs that wee make not accompt of the feare of GOD as of a blaste of winde but let it bee strongly rooted in our hearts For how did Pilate feare God Forsooth it was such a feare as made him only to be more inexcusable And here wee may sée why God awakeneth the cōsciences of those that are a sléepe and would vtterly cast of the yoke which bringeth them to a more narrow consideration of themselues so that they shal be made spite of their téethes to acknowledge their miseries and féele their sinnes although they woulde walter themselues asléepe in them And therefore all the doubtes which all the contemners of God and the wicked haue are euen so many adiournaments or dayes ouer which God graunteth them to make them voide of all excuse of ignorance But anon after they let slippe the Reine and runne at randon without any stay as héere wée sée Pilate did At the beginning hée was greatly afearde but soone after hée returned to his olde byas againe For thus he saide to Iesus Knowest not thou that I haue power to loose and condemne thee Let vs héere in the first place note that if he had béene a théefe yet could not he once remoue his finger without God had giuen him power Howe then durst Pilate warrant himselfe such an outragious licence to condemne and pardon as pleased him And surely it were much better to set at libertie all Théeues to robbe and spoyle in the woods then to set men in so honorable a place who take pleasure and delight in their authoritie and neuer haue any care of conscience but bring the whole worlde vnto confusion Nowe wée sée héere as I haue said that Pilate his feare neuer tooke déepe roote in him but was onely a puft of winde Wherefore let vs learne to haue asure and constant feare of God that we may walk in his obedience and valiantly fight against whatsoeuer might put vs by and alwayes thus restraine our selues as that we prouoke not him to wrath who hath all power ouer vs. And this is it which wée are héere to consider of Let vs also besides consider that the glory which Pilate attributed to himselfe is notwithstanding turned to his great shame For his enimies coulde neuer speake worse of him then for this to wit that hee woulde be taken to be a man of no discretion to discerne betwixte good and bad and yet hée boasted himselfe of it Héere therefore wée sée that the higher the dispisers of God think to aduance them selues they must alwayes feele that they are the more shamefully to bée throwne downe and God so giueth them ouer into a reprobate sence as that they bragge of their iniquities that they might become detestable both in heauen and earth What is there then for vs to doe Forsooth let vs learne to glory in that which is good and haue an eye to doe the thing that is lawefull For they which glory in their mightinesse and in their authoritie without doubt doe prouoke the Lorde to anger because they haue many times gotten their riches and credit by vnlawfull meanes as by rioting crueltie and all kindes of extortion Wherfore when they glory héerein it is as it were to set them selues against the Lord. For he that hath gotten euery way by spoyle will say I am wealthie and sée he wil say I haue gotten whenas he hath sucked the blood of the poore out of them But howe Surely by deceipt and wicked practises in robbing the one and glutting the other Another man through abition and vnlawful meanes is aduaunced to some honor and héerevpon forsooth this man would bée greatly feared And this kinde of dealing is manyfestly to stande against God And therefore as I haue said let vs learne to glory in that which God alloweth and liketh of True it is that although there bée valure in vs yet is it not lawfull to vsurpe the commendation which God reserueth to himself and for the which wée ought to honor him because all that we haue commeth of his frée gifte Wherefore wée must not without doubt glory in our selues as if that which God giueth vs apperteined vnto vs But I say our glory shoulde be onely in this that it hath pleased God to adopt vs for his children and hath giuen vs his grace to walke in his feare and power also to abstaine from euill And héerin ought to be all our glory And besides if wée bée of no reputation in the worlde let vs beséeche him to graunt vs pacience and rather desire to liue in this estate then to bée exalted and yet to reioyce and bée glad but not as the worldlinges doe who make thēselues such sporte as that there is nothing that is able to holde them in And therefore the summe and effect wherein wée must glory is this to wyll and desire no more then God woulde haue vs to doe and set our selues against whatsoeuer hée misliketh of although the worlde and all such as commit tyranny and excéede in doeing wickedly reioyce in it Wherefore let vs gladly and willingly leaue all these glories desiring nothing els but to haue God to acknowledge and allow vs for his children And this is in effect the thing which wée haue héere to consider of Nowe for a full conclusion it is saide That when Pilate sawe he preuailed nothing and that the people made a greater stirre hee washed his handes and saide I am innocent of the blood of this man Wée haue already saide that our Lorde Iesus muste bée founde innocent euen by the Testimonie of the iudges owne mouth For where it is laide that Iesus Christe was condemned and suffered vnder Pontius Pilate it is not sufficient for vs that wée haue vnderstood the History But wée must eftsoones acknowledge that Iesus Christe was not onely innocent but was also the fountaine of all holinesse and perfection Why then was he condemned Iohn 1.29 1. Pet. 1.19 Galat. 3.13 it shoulde séeme that héere are two diuers and sundry thinges For it is saide that hée is the vnspotted Lambe of God And because hee was the Lambe of God it was méete that hee shoulde bée condemned as a Sacrifice This worde Lambe importeth that hée must bée offered vp And what is it that the law calleth Sacrifices Forsooth it is sinnes and curses And wée sée why it is said that our Lord Iesus was accursed for vs to wit he receiued vnto himselfe the curse which was due for our sinnes Thus wée sée in what qualitie and state hée was condemned because GOD had established that hée shoulde bee as it were the Lambe which shoulde be offered for a Sacrifice Howbeit it was méete hée shoulde bée knowne to be without spot and his puritie be openly séene to the ende wée might take holde of our sinnes vntyll the time
they that passed by reuiled him wagging their heads 40 And saying thou that destroyedst the temple and builded stâ—â— in three dayes saue thy selfe If thou bee the sonne of God come downe from the crosse 41 Likewise also the high Priestes mockinge him with the Scribes and Elders and Pharisees saide 42 Hee saued others but he cannot saue himselfe If hee bee the King of Israel let him nowe come downe from the crosse and wee will beleeue him 43 Hee trusteth in God let him deliuer him now if hee will haue him for he said I am the sonne of God 44 That same also the theeues which were crucified with him cast in his teeth AS concerning the matter which before we haue handeled we must yet a great deale better consider that the kingdom of our Lorde Iesus Christe is not of this worlde For wée sée that he was shamefully dealt withall and made a very iesting stocke and in stéede of a kingly Diademe hée had a crowne of thorne in stéede of a Scepter a Réed and besides whatsoeuer shame might bée deuised against a man it was done to him And therefore if we shal let our senses stay vpoÌ„ the thing which is héere rehearsed it will bée a maruellous obiect of offence as it were to estrange vs from our Lorde Iesus Christe and so consequently from all hope of saluation But wée must looke vpoÌ„ the spiritual kingdom wherof mention hath héere before ben made by faith and then conclude That although wée make a iest at the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christe yet doth God and the Angelles estéeme of it according to the worthinesse thereof Yea and we are to call to minde that the sonne of God was after that sort entreated in his owne person to the end hée might take vpon him all the rebuke shame which wée iustly had deserued For how can wée come before the Maiestie of God so long as we are defiled with sinne and iniquitie But because our Lorde Iesus was contented to haue his face spet on to bée buffetted and abide all reproche sée howe wée at this day are acknowledged and allowed to â—e the children of God and herein standeth all our trust and confidence We haue moreouer continually to consider that GOD will cause vs a little better to féele our sinnes and iniquities to the end wée might abhorre and deteâ—â— them when as wée sée that the Sonne of God must repayre and amende them and suffered so muche to purchase vs grace and pardon and the heauenly father also not to spare him for the doyng of it Thus when we sée that our sinnes were such as wrought so great a confusion and shame to the Sonne of God we ought to be humbled and be altogether ashamed of our selues yet notwithstanding we must take a good heart vnto vs and be so fully assured as not once to doubt when we shal come before the Maiestie of God that our Lord Iesus Christ hath purchased our pardon seing he was coÌ„tented for our cause to be so lightly regarded For by this mean he hath gotteÌ„ vs glory worship eueÌ„ before God his Angels Now it is here said that our Lorde Iesâ—â— was 〈◊〉 to the place called Golgotha to wit a place of dead mens â—kulles The Hebrue woorde from whence this is deriued signifie thâ— to rowle or bowle Howebeit they then vsed it so because that wheâ— any carcase is through rotted and turned to dust the head is then very drie and like a round bowle Wherefore they called the name of this place Golgotha because that many malefactors 〈◊〉 there punished there their heades remayned And here we are to remember the saying of the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrues Heb. 13.11 That our Lorde Iesus Christ was led out of the Towne as the burnt offrings were woont to be whose blood was carries into the Sanctuarie for the wyping away of the sinnes of the people Now it was saide that that sacrifice was as a man wâ—â—â—d say accursed and therfore it was méete it should be carried a great way of Thus we sée that the sonne of God would take vpon him this state and condition that we might in very 〈…〉 to that God hath now fréed and pardoned vs For we are woorthie that GOD should geue vs ouer and powre vpoÌ„ vs his hâ—rrible 〈◊〉 so loÌ„g as he séeth what we are Wherfore there is now other way for vs to obtaine pardoÌ„ but to come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ receiue al our succor from him because he discharged vs of a greate burden whenas hee woulde as it were beâ—â—â—e accused and abhorred for our sakes that we might finde fauour before God and so obey his holy will For although Pylate his Iudge had oftentimes iustified him yet for al that must he take vpon him in his owne person al whatsoeuer was requisite for our redemption for hée was our pledge and surety and therefore must wholly answers for vs. So then wheÌ„ we haue vnderstood that our Lord Iesus was thus cast of as one not worthy to be accoÌ„pted amongst the felowship of men yea euen so stinking as that he could not be abidden wheÌ„ we sée al this I say let vs learne to follow him forsake the world as here in this place we are exhorted And if it so fall out that wée must néeds be made iesting stockes and bée cut of as rotten members and bée abhorred and detested Let vs paciently abide al this geare and not sée it vntill such time as that day commeth wherin our sorowes shalbée turned into ioy God shal wype away the teares from our eyes and that the thing which is nowe thought to bée as shameful shall then bée wholly turned to honour and glory For without al doubt looke whatsoeuer wée suffer for the name of Iesus Christ is more honorable before God then all the pompes and glittering shewes of this worlde And this is it which wée are to consider of in this place Nowe the Euangelist goeth on and saieth that they which passed by mocked our Lord Iesus but especially the Priestes the Scribes and such like And what was the matter I beséeche you Forsooth thus they saide If hee bee the Sonne of GOD let him come downe and saue himselfe for hée hath saued others and if hée bée the king of Israel let him nowe shewe himselfe so Héere wée sée howe terrible blinde these wretched people were whom Satan had so possessed as that they had neither féeling nor yet discretion Wée sée also the Priestes who shoulde haue béene the Angels or messengers of GOD for hée had appoynted them for that purpose Malach. to the ende his worde and will might be knowen from their mouthes VVee sée likewise the Scribes who were acquainted with the lawe and yet by thinking to make our Lorde Iesus no bodie declared that they troade vnder foote the Holie Scripture al the Religion whereof they so much bragged For when the Messias was spoken of
vnto them before Mat. 2.5 they coulde say that hee muste bee borne in Bethlehem and they were aduertised and informed also that the redéemer whiche was promised them muste suffer such a death And this was no darke thing The place of Isaiah also was manifest if so be there had béene a recitall made of that which our Lorde Iesus indured They might therefore knowe that it was impossible to haue those thinges better set downe in order then the Prophet had doone although hee spake of it many yéeres before And besides there are many sayinges both in Zachery in Daniell that God would gather his people together and thereby restore his Churche againe which is that the redéemer should suffer all the shame and curse of the worlde Why then are they so bent against the sonne of God when hee discharged his office as hath sufficiently béen declared by the Prophetes Surely wee may see that Satan carried them away whenas they had forgotten all that they knewe before And therefore let vs be wel aduised so to walke in the feare of God as that when we haue had a taste of his worde we reuerently receiue him obey our Lorde Iesus Christe who is there offered vnto vs. For in him it is that wée must finde all perfect blessednesse if so bee we come humbly vnto him For if we thinke to rest with God it is reason our foole hardinesse should be paid the same wages that these wretched men of whom héere we reade were who were so violently carried with fury and rage Now we are to make our profite by these blasphemies in turning them cleane contrary For we see that because our Lorde Iesus Christe woulde be our king and head it cost him therefore his life And the enimies of the truth said â—f he be the king of Israel let him saue himselfe But this must he abide in his owne person for the purchasing of our saluation Whie then would not our Lorde Iesus Christe spare himselfe Wherefore suffered he so bitter and slaunderous a death but because it could not be that we should bée deliuered but only by such a raunsome And therefore we ought to bend our selues against all the supporters of Satan against all such villanies as vomite out such blasphemies as the Euangelist speaketh of and be most assured that we haue in déed a king who hath more estéemed of our saluation then of his owne life and abidden whatsoeuer was méet for our redeÌ„ption hauing none other respect but to redéeme that which was lost For our case were desperate if the sonne of God had left vs in our estate conditioÌ„ But when he so huÌ„bled himselfe vnto death by which we are deliuered and abode al this so paciently this is the cause why God now stretcheth foorth his hande power to succour vs in our necessitie And therfore it was méete the God should forsake our Lord Iesus Christ that wée might at this day vnderstand that hée is watchfull ouer our saluation and will be redy to helpe our wantes when we call on him for it Let vs also learne to arme our selues against such temptations whenas the Diuell shall goe about to assaile vs and woulde make vs beléeue that God hath forsaken vs and turned his backe vpon vs thereby to make vs thinke it a vaine thing to put our trust in him Wherefore let vs euen then vnderstand that Iesus Christe is the true defendor of all the faithfull and hath shewed vs the way what to do and therfore it is good reason that we should follow him in the same trace For he hath abidden to haue such blaspemies to bée powred out against him and yet hath so constantly withstood as that he hath obteined heereby victory for vs. And therefore let vs valiantly resist whenas the Diuel shall come to attempt vs to turne our faith vpside downe and shut the gate against vs that wée should not haue accesse to God as though hée had cléerely forgotten vs. But let vs follow our Lord Iesus Christ waite the good time when god stretcheth foorth his arme to shew that he hath coÌ„passion vpon vs and is our father although hée suffereth vs for a while to be so beaten downe And thus we sée what the iestes scofs are which were blyrted out against our Lord Iesus Yet had they moe of them for thus they said He trusted in God let him deliuer him now if he loue him This saying was alreadie prefigured in the person of Dauid Psal 22.9 For these very wordes are recited when as he complained that his enimies had taken occasion to speake euill against him and treade him vnder foote reproching him for the trust and confidence that he had in God Now it is certaine that this is the deadliest wouÌ„d that Satan can giue vs For as the life of man consisteth in the soule euen so the life of the soule consisteth in faith in the refuge which we haue vnto God being stayed vpon his promises If we be spoyled héereof wée are cleane vndone vtterly spoiled And thus we sée why Satan went about to turne the faith which Iesus had in God his father vpside down It is true that Iesus Christe fought with another manner of power theÌ„ we are able for no incredulitie could touch him But howeuer it was yet he felt how gréeuous those temptations were For as the Diuell had before deuised such thinges hée now redoubled them in his supporters For hée had said vnto him If thou bee the sonne of God make these stones to become bread that thou maiest eate because thou art hunger staruen Ma. 4.13 And séest thou not that thou must be tryed whether thou hast any power or no. Now in this Iesus Christe felt no more then when they héere reproched him for putting his trust in God And although we haue not the like power so to resist without falling yet ought we to be strengthened by him because wée knowe that hée vanquished and ouercame all these temptations for vs and for our commoditie And this is also another thing which they said That hee had saued others and could not saue himselfe Héere wée sée again that they were giuen ouer into a reprobate sense For in that hée saued others was not this a sure and an infallible token of his heauenly power Iesus Christe raysed the dead which they knewe well enough hée gaue the blinde their sight hée healed the sicke of the palsie restored the lame and cast out the Diuels themselues And thus wée sée that Iesus Christe powred foorth the great treasures of his goodnesse and power in all his myracles and yet they reproched him with them for all that Wée therefore héere sée that these miserable bewitched people without constraint of any man are their owne Iudges to take away all excuse from themselues so that when they shall appeare before the iudgement seat of our Lorde Iesus Christe they shal neuer bée able to alleadge
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
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
before saide after the example of Dauid My God my God why hast thou forsaken mée Euen so likewise taketh hée at this present the prayer which Dauid made in the one and thirtie Psalme Into thy handes I commend my spirite In very déede Dauid saide these wordes when he was in the middest of all his dangers Psal 31.6 as if hée shoulde haue saide O Lorde I beséeche thée receiue mée into thy protection for my soule is as it were in my hands is there euen at randon for I sée how I am thrust out to all hazardes and my life hangeth as by a thréed and therefore thou must protect mée Wée sée héere then that Dauid by this prayer made God his protector and yet gaue hée not ouer but still called on him whenas he was at the point of death alwayes assuring himselfe that God woulde saue his chosen not only in defending thē héere in this worlde but also when hée calleth them vnto himselfe For the chiefest regarde that God hath on vs is this that when hée hath taken vs out of this worlde hee hideth vs vnder his winges that we might inioy his presence 2. Cor. 5.8 according to the saying of Saint Paule to the Corinthes For when our Lorde Iesus made this prayer hée sheweth that he died quietly whenas he ouercame all the combates which hee susteined for vs and triumpheth in our behalfes both for our profite and for our saluation And a none after he declareth by the same meanes that God is his Sauiour kéepeth his soule as a sufficient pledge For this much his request imported when he said My God thou shalt preserue my soule euen when I am dead When our Lorde Iesus speaketh after this sort it is as muche as if hée assured vs all that wee cannot doe amisse in submitting our selues vnto our GOD séeing that hée for the defending of vs vouchsafeth to take the charge of vs and that we shall neuer perish vnder his hand Now we haue eftsoones to consider that when Iesus Christ saide Into thy handes O Lorde I commend my spirite that hee obteined this priuiledge which Saint Stéeuen gaue him in the seuenth of the Acts Acts. 7.59 which is hée was made the preseruer of all our soules For what was it that S. Stéeuen saide when hee went to his death Forsooth these were his wordes Into thy hands O Lorde I commende my spirite And héere wée sée that Saint Stéeuen shewed the benefite of the request which Iesus Christe made to wit that wée may nowe come vnto him and that wee ought to doe so declaring that since God his Father had made him a Shephearde for vs that wee shoulde not doubt but to bée at peace come life come death knowing that all shall bee for our profite and turne to our benefite and as Saint Paule saieth that when hee had Iesus Christe hee had riches enough Phil. 1.21 and cared neither for life nor death for all shoulde be gayne vnto him Wherfore let vs nowe learne that when death shall assaile vs that Iesus Christe hath broken the sting which might haue stoong vs deadly to the heart and that death shall no longer hurte vs and that when our Lorde Iesus yéelded vp his Spirite vnto God his Father it was not onely to haue it conserued in his owne person but that hee myght haue this Priuiledge that ours might bee preserued eftsoones by the power of this request whenas wee shall come vnto him as vnto one vnder whose protection we cannot peryshe as hee himselfe declareth And this is that triumph wherof wee haue spoken which alreadie profiteth vs. For our Lorde Iesus sheweth howe precious his death is when as hee went so fréely vnto his Father as that wee might bee brought vnto him and to shewe vs the way But the principall point is this that wee might vnderstande what benefite wée receiue thereby because he hath cancelled the Obligation that was against vs that hée hath so purchased full satisfaction for our sinnes as that wee may bee bolde to come before God his Father so that death it selfe is no way able to harme nor hurt vs. And although wee see many thinges in vs which might make vs afearde through the féeling of our miseries let vs not for all that cease to glory in him who so abased himselfe for vs to the ende hée myght rayse vs vp with himselfe And although there is nothing in vs but shame and rebuke yet séeing that Iesus Christe hung vpon the Crosse God woulde haue him by the mouth of Pilate to bee called a King And so although the kingdome of our Lorde Iesus Christe is nothing estéemed of héere in this worlde yet let vs account it to bée the foundation of all our glory and let vs also vnderstande that although wée be put to shame vnder his conduct yet that wee haue whereof to reioyce because our estate shall be alwayes blessed forsomuch as that whatsoeuer miseries afflictions and rebukes wée shall abide are more honorable and precious before God then all the Scepters pompes and the most honourable thinges wherein wée take any pleasure and delight Thus wée sée how wee must come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe and so stick vnto him as that we might vnderstand of what valure the riches are which he bringeth vs but especially when hée guideth vs by his Gospell let vs forsake all the commodities and pleasures of this world and also abhorre them whenas they shal withdrawe vs frō the right way To be short let our Lord Iesus haue the honor which he deserueth let not vs for our parts be like vnto Réedes carried with euery wind but being established in him let vs call vpon God we shall haue victory ouer life death ouer which he hath alreadie triumphed And besides let vs whiles we are yet in this worlde yéeld him this honour to wit euen to acknowledge that he is our defender which he will do whenas we truly come vnto him neither wil he I say doe it after an ordinary maner but euen myraculously For although death shoulde cast vs downe headlong yet is it his office to drawe vs out of it and guide vs vnto the heauenly inheritance which he so dearely hath purchased for vs. Let vs nowe fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God acknowledge our offences beséeching him that hee will make vs féele them otherwise then we haue done And that we might bee so touched with the lothing of them as that we might returne vnto our God with heartie repentance And not for a day onely but to cōtinue it with sighing and groning And although we shall beheld within this prison of bondage yet let vs alwayes lift vp our harts vnto the heauens and come familiarly vnto our God since he is so enclined to mercy and calleth vs of his owne accord without tarrying till wée séeke him And when wée see that our Lorde Iesus doeth not onely come néere vs to
foolishe glorious woman who woulde faine haue séene her children in some glistringe earthly tryumph But beholde she saw héere a farre other manner of Schole for she saw our Lorde Iesus Christ hanging vpon the Crosse so shamfully and reprochefully as that all the worlde was against him and there honge as if God had cursed and forsaken him And thus wée see that when we shall bee brought vnto such a shame as that our mindes shal be terrifyed with feare gréefe that God then taketh from vs all earthly affections to the ende we might not be hindered from lifting vp our mindes vnto heauen and to the spirituall lyfe wherunto we must attaine Which we shall neuer be able to come vnto except we be cleansed of al whatsoeuer kepeth vs back héere below Thus we sée what we are to consider of touchinge these women Iho. 19.26 And yet for all that the meaning is not but that there were men also for we know that our Lord spake vnto Iohn and commēded his mother vnto him But the intent purpose of the holy ghost was to set héere such a mirror or glasse before vs to the ende we might vnderstand that it was God who guided these women by his holy spirit by which hee would set forth his power and grace by choosinge in mennes iudgementes suche féeble and weake instrumēts The like was also seene in Nicodemus and in Ioseph Indéede S. Matthew S. Luke and S. Marke make mētion of none but of Ioseph because it was he that came to Pilat thervpon Nicodemus tooke hart when hee sée himselfe to haue so good a guide True it is that Nicodemus was a Doctor of great estimation and Ioseph of Arimathea was a riche man and of hie calling and a Counsailor also as héere it is said But yet let vs sée whether their zeale was such as that they would geue their liues for our Lorde Iesus Christ or not and whether they had in their life time forsaken their houses to follow him No no but when it came to that that they must giue theyr liues it was God that stirred them therto cleane contrary to all worldly iudgement Héere then we sée that God hath made a straunge and wonderfull alteration in geuing this bouldnesse to Ioseph and Nycodemus that they feared not the rage of the people when they came to bury our Lorde Iesus Christ Before time Nycodemus came in the night for feare of being euill spoken of and yet when it was growne euen now to the worst Ioh. 3.2 he burieth him And therfore it cannot be chosen but that God gaue him a new harte for he came before closely there was no darknesse dark ynough considering his fearefullnesse and cowardize if God had not corrected this fault in him To be short we see what good the death of our Lorde Iesus Christe hath done in that he then powred out the graces of his holy spirite vpon these wretched people who neuer before durst declare their faith nor yet render a reason thereof Wherefore they doe not onely confesse it with their mouth but that which they did sheweth that they had rather bee accounted cursed before the worlde then that they would not be the disciples of our Lorde Iesus Christ and so the thing which they had before obteined to wit the free saluation which was set before them And héere we also sée why it is namely said that Ioseph looked for the kingdome of God Now by these woordes wée are tolde that God hath forsaken vs and we are banished his kingdome vntyll such time as hée gathereth vs vnto himselfe as his people in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe Wherefore wée sée how miserable our estate is vntill our Lorde Iesus calleth vs vnto himselfe to consecrate vs vnto God his father And if this benefite bée taken away from vs cursed and confounded are we Nowe this then was a wonderfull power strength to waite for the kingdome of God because the Iewes were made Bastards vnto it and in the opinion of the worlde the occasions therof were very great For the Prophets had foretold that at the returne of the people out of Babylon Agge 2.10 that God woulde become such a redéemer vnto them that his kingdome should florish most honorably that the temple should be built more gloriously then euer before it was that they should inioy al the pleasures that might be lead a most blessed life that all men should be in quiet no talk be had but of reioysing in God of blessing his name and of yéelding him praise thansgiuing And this is it which the Prophets promised But how fared it with the people Forsooth their neighbours dyd eate drinke thē vp they gréeued vexed them there was such tyranny vsed as that innocēt blood was spilt throughout al the towne the booke of the law burnt euery man forbidden vpon paine of death not once to read it such cruelties cōmitted as were horrible The temple also was altogether polluted And what became of the house of Dauid Forsooth it was cut cleane downe at last the whole state became worse worse And therfore no maruel although so rude a people so giuen ouer to all their desires lustes had not almost fallen from the true religion and béen cleane out of heart because we sée that the number of those which paciently suffered Luk. 2.25.36 Mat. 2.19 and were constant in faith were very rare and fewe And of this number were Simeon Anna the Prophetesse and Ioseph But what The holy Ghost setteth downe vnto vs in so great a multitude amongest the Iewes and in a countrie so notably peopled foure or fiue as a thing which was not ordinary and witnesseth that it were they onely who looked for the kingdome of God and it was to this end that we might learne that when things were confounded in a desperate case that we should then looke stedfastly vpon God And because his trueth is infallible vnchangeable let vs bée constant vnto the end ouercome all troubles offences and griefes of the world neither let vs when we sigh grone cease to go on whither our Lord calleth vs which is let vs paciently abide vntyll his kingdome bée established in vs and in the meane while let it suffice vs that hée hath giuen vs a pawne from his holy Spirite by which hee witnesseth vnto vs our frée adoption And therefore when God sheweth that hee taketh vs for his children and engraueth the same in our heartes by his holy Spirite and besides when wée haue the doctrine of the Gospell dayly sounding in our eares Let our faith be confirmed and let vs not slyde albeit all thinges were so confounded as could not be possibly be more wished And thus wee sée what it is that we haue to consider of out of this place Wee are also to note the thing that Saint Iohn reciteth before our Lord
Iesus was taken from the crosse to wit that hée was thrust into the side to sée whether he had yéelded vp the Ghoste or not For they hastened not his death so fast as they dyd the two Théeues But when they thought him to bee dead they thrust a Speare into him and then they knewe that he was dead which pleased well the souldiers Now it is true that if we shoulde not be able to bring in the lawe for a testimonie we should haue somewhat a cold pull of it But S. Iohn giueth vs a full proofe that our Lorde Iesus Christe was the true Paschall Lambe since he was by the wonderfull prouidence and counsell of God preserued that there was not abone of him broken Exod. 12.46 Num. 9.12 For it said in Exodus that the Paschal lambe should bée eaten but there should not one bone of him bée broken And why were not the bones of Iesus Christe crushed since it was the common maner at those dayes Surely their will was not to spare him and hée was hanged betwéene two Théeues because they thought him to be the most vyle and detestable person Wée sée then héere that this was the worke of God in kéeping backe the handes of the Souldiers and his will also was that his Sonne should make a spéedie dispatch to the ende hée woulde preserue him and that it might bée an euident signe vnto vs in this place that in him the trueth of this auncient figure shoulde be fulfilled Héere then are wée to obserue that the bones of the Sonne of God were preserued from breaking because we might take him for our Paschall Lambe who shoulde preserue vs from the wrath of God whenas wée are marked with his blood And therefore must wée come to this point that since he is our Paschall Lamb wée must eftsoones bee dewed and sprinckled with his blood for without that the shedding of it will doe vs no good But when we shall accept him with this Sacrifice and séeke remission of our sinnes also thereby because we know that vntyll hée hath washed and cleansed vs wée are very filthie then are wee be dewed with his blood through the spinckling of the holy ghost vpon our soules and so are made cleane and God accepteth and taketh vs for his people and we are assured that although his wrath and vengeance bée ouer all the worlde yet looketh hée on vs with his eye of mercy and alloweth vs for his children Wée sée then in this place what wée are to consider when it is saide That the bones of our Lorde Iesus were not broken to the end we might vnderstand that the thing which was declared by figure in the law was verified in his body And besides it is also saide That water and blood issued out of his side and hee that sawe it beare witnesse thereof When wée sée that water blood issued so out wée must remember that it was hee as Saint Iohn sayeth in his Canonicall Epistle 1. Iohn 5.6 who by his sacrifice wrought our purgation and peace for the blotting out of all our sinnes In very déede Blood when one is dead wil waxe thicke by nature and from it will very thinne water come because the colour and thickest of the blood wil goe from it But howeuer it is Saint Iohn saieth that GOD woulde shewe for what cause the death of his sonne profiteth vs to wit Heb. 9 2◠in the first place hée is at peace with vs by reason of the shedding of blood for as it is saide There can bée no remission of sinnes without the effusion of blood For beholde why Sacrifices were vsed from the beginning of the worlde And God hath saide that hée would be mercifull to all miserable sinners which put their truste in him But yet he woulde haue sacrifices to bee offered as if hée should haue said that men should be fréely forgiuen their sinnes because they can bring nothing of their own with them to obteine it But must haue a mediator to recompence it Wée sée then that the blood which ranne downe from the side of our Lorde Iesus witnesseth vnto vs that the Sacrifice which hée offered was a satisfaction for all our iniquities so that we are discharged of them before God True it is we must cōtinually féele our selues to be gilty that we might bée humbled and brought to true repentance and bée cléerely voide of all presumption But howeuer it is wée are assured that God acquitteth and pardoneth vs in the name of his sonne when we come to acknowledge our sinnes and iniquities And why so Because the sacrifice of his death is sufficient to blot out the memory of al our transgressions It is the water then that cleanseth Wherefore to the end we might be washed from all our spots let vs vnderstande that the meaning of our Lord Iesus Christe was that water shoulde issue out of his side to declare that hée is in very déede our puritie and that wée must séeke for none other remedy to washe vs from all our filthinesse And thus wée sée howe water and blood came from him by which meane wee are throughly saued in him and therefore must make no wandlesses to séeke our ayde els where But when wée shall consider more néerely of the matter wée shall sée a very notable similitude betwéene the blood and the water which issued out of the side of our Lorde Iesus Christe and the Sacraments of the Church in which the thing that was perfourmed in his death is allowed and sealed vnto vs. For after hée had suffered whatsoeuer was requisite for our saluation and fully satisfied GOD his Father by sanctifiyng and purchasing vs full righteousnesse hée would that all the whole matter should bée witnessed vnto vs in the two sacraments of his owne institution I speake of two because there are no moe instituted in his worde But Baptisme and the Supper For all the reste is but a vaine imagination deuised by the rashe boldenesse of men Thus wee see that our Lorde Iesus Christe powreth out the vertue of his death and passion aswel vpon Baptisme as on the holy Supper For Baptisme is a witnesse vnto vs that hée hath so washed and cleansed vs from all our filthinesse as that God receiueth vs vnto his fauour as if wée came cleane and neate before him Now wée must vnderstand that the water in Baptisme worketh not this effect For howe can a corruptible Element washe and cleanse our soules But the matter is because water issued out of the side of our Lorde Iesus Christ And therefore when wée woulde that Baptisme should doe vs good let vs goe vnto him who was crucified for vs and when we would féele the fruit therof let vs runne vnto our Lord Iesus Christ who would haue vs séeke for euerie parte and parcell of our saluation in him without wandring and whéeling hither and thither And besides wée haue in the holie Supper a testimony that Iesus Christ is our
Shepheard and that vnder the bread and wine hée presenteth vnto vs his bodie and blood Héere then wée sée the whole perfection of our saluation when as wée are thus cleansed and that God accepteth vs as if wée were pure and righteous and are so acquited before him as giltlesse because our Lorde Iesus Christ hath made full satisfaction for vs. Thus we sée howe wée must profite by the Sacramentes by directing our whole fayth vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ and not to encline vnto creatures Wée sée also howe wée ought to be confirmed by the suffring of our Lorde Iesus Christ and let it be alwayes freshe in our mindes when as God sheweth vs euen to our faces of what valure the issuing out of blood water from the side of our Lorde Iesus Christ is And so this is in summe the thing which we are to consider of concerning the persing of the side of our Lorde Iesus Christ And besides when it is saide That the Scripture was accomplished let vs vnderstand that this was spoken long before this time that all was gouerned by the secrete Councell of God and although the Souldiers knew not what they did yet God effectually executed that which he had spoken aswell by Moses as by his Prophet Zachary Wée haue alreadie séene the testimony of Exodus and Saint Iohn hath also put too the saying of the Prophet Zachary whose words are these They shall see him whom they had perced In déede God vseth in that a similitude For Zach. 12.20 hée setteth him selfe against the contemners of his worde whose heartes were rebelliously and wickedly hardened Well saieth hée they thinke they make warre agaynst the Preachers of my word and that they may by this meane stop them Notwithstanding it is against mée they fight and whensoeuer they contemne and refuse my word after this maner it is as if they wounded me with the stabbe of a dagger and so shal they sée him whō they had persed But this was truely accomplished in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ for they persed him in his mortal body And thus we sée how he was manifested to be the liuing God who was in all ages spoken of by his Prophetes since we sée that whatsoeuer was spoken was accomplished in his person Now it is afterward said that when Ioseph had obteined of Pilate to take away the bodie of Iesus from the Crosse to bury him that he tooke a cleane linnen shéete and bought swéete ointments also which as S. Iohn saieth Iohn 19.39 cost a great summe of mony of Myrrhe and Aloes and buried him in a new Tombe which hée had newe made and heawen out of a rocke In this Sepulcher or Tombe our Lorde Iesus Christ first began to shew the issue of his death which was that hée shoulde verie spéedely glorifie himselfe in his resurrection and it was the will of God eftsoones to manifest it And here we sée an infallible testimony that amongest so many confusions which we read in this history that might trouble vs and as it were shake our Fayth we may perceiue that God had alwayes care of his onely Sonne as of the head of his Church and of his welbeloued not to the end onely that we should trust in him but that wée should also by litle litle looke vnto it that since we are the members of his bodie that the Fatherly care of God will stretch it self not onely vnto vs but also to euery one els which trust in him But by the way this question might be asked why our Lorde Iesus would be so sumptuously buried For it should séeme that it was a superfluous thing to vse the costlinesse of Aloes Myrrhe and such lyke And to say the trueth what profiteth this a dead man to be washed and annointed or to haue any other glorious shew And therfore a man would think that this agreed not with the doctrine of the Gospell where as it is saide that wée shall bée raysed vp agayne at the latter day by the wonderfull power of our God Wherefore it séemeth that all those pompes shoulde be naught set by and be cleane forgotten And héerevpon it might be thought that Ioseph his religion was but foolish which should darken the hope of the resurrection Howbeit wée haue héere to note that the Iewes vsed these kinde of Ceremonies vntill the time our Lord Iesus Christ had accomplished all whatsoeuer was requisite for our saluation And the buryall at those dayes were as the Sacrifices washinges and lightes of the Temple and such lyke And because they were rude people it was méete they should be handled like yong children In verie déed buryall was taken to be an holie thing all the world ouer and it was the wil of God that it should be engrauen in the heartes of the verie paganes because they might haue no excuse when as they would be so beastly as not to hope for a better lyfe Nowe the Paganes abused the same But be as be may it will be cast in their téethes at the latter day that they were ouer curious in the burying of the dead for there was not so barbarous a nation in the world which made not great account thereof And yet they knew not why they did so no more then they knew the meaning of their sacrifices howbeit this is enough to condemne them insomuch as they departed from the trueth of God and corrupted the testimony that was giuen them which should haue brought them to the beliefe of the heauenly lyfe But howeuer it is The Buriall of it selfe was alwayes as a myrror of the resurrection For they put the bodie into the grounde to be kept for a time For if there were no resurrection it were no matter if they had been cast out of the dores to haue bin eaten of Dogs or wilde beasts But they honourably buried them that they might not be pulde in péeces although they were sure they turned to dust In déede the Iewes obserued many Ceremonies And yet the Egyptians farre passed them But this their great sorrowing lamenting and tearing of their haire were all but bragges This then was the manner of the Egyptians whom the Deuill had bewitched because they peruerted all good order But the Buriall of the Iewes strengthened their beliefe of the resurrection And so according to that which I haue saide our Lorde Iesus would be buried after the auncient fashion because hée had not as yet by his resurrection fully accomplished our saluation This is true that at his death the vayle of the Temple rent in sunder wherein God shewed that that was the ende and perfection of all thinges̄ and that the figures and shadowes of the lawe should last no longer Howbeit the world sée not this neither was any man able to conceiue that all the figures of the lawe were ended in Iesus Christ And therefore his will was to be buried And thus much for this point Let vs now also vnderstand
to correct his Disciples whenas he sent women to teach them because that the thing which hee had taught them serued them to no purpose when it came to the pinch For beholde all the Disciples were scattered they forsooke their maister and feare ouercame them For what learned they for thrée whole yéeres together in the schoole of the Sonne of God And therefore such frewandise deserued great correction euen to haue al the knowledge which they had before time receiued to be cleane taken away because they had troade it vnder foote buried it Now it was not the meaning of our Lorde Iesus to correct them sharply but to make thē amend their fault by mild gentle correction in that he appointed thē women to be their School mistresses He had before chosen them to preach the Gospel all the worlde ouer for they in very déede were the first Doctours of the Church But because they were such Trewands and so busie minded as that their faith was as it were laide asoke or saped it was good reason they should vnderstand that they were not woorthy anie more to heare our Lord Iesus Christ preache And héere we sée the cause why they were sent backe to women vntill such time as they had better acknowledged their offences that our Lorde Iesus Christ of his méere fauour grace had set them againe in their estate and degrée And besides as I haue already sayd we are all generally aduertised to receiue the testimonie which God sendeth vs and it were by the mouthes of men of slender quality of no credit estimatiō in the world for we indéed sée that whatsoeuer hée is that is chosē appointed to be a register or publike person that the thing which he doth is receiued for autenticall Neither will men say one thing or another against him because al men reuerence the office which he hath And shall God haue lesse preheminence then earthly princes shal not he ordaine such as pleaseth him to be his witnesses frō whose mouthes wée should receiue whatsoeuer they shal say without gainsaying surely furely it is good reasō it should be so except we would become rebels against God himselfe Héere then we sée what it is that wée must consider of in the first place Moreouer let vs also note marke that although our Lord Iesus appeared to the women which was a very honorable thing vnto thē yet himself not long after sufficiently testified his resurrection Insomuch that if we close not vp our eyes stop our eares and become maliciously hard hearted and blockish 1. Cor. 15.6 wée are fully assured of this Article of our faith which is of great importaunce For when S. Paule rebuked the infidelity of those that stoode as yet in doubt of the resurrection of Iesus Christ hée brought not in only women but also Peter and Iames and all the twelue Apostles fiue hundreth Disciples moe vnto whom our Lord Iesus Christ appeared Which way then are wée able to excuse our selues of our wickednesse rebellion if wée credit not aboue fiue hundreth witnesses whom God himselfe hath appoynted for the same purpose Neither did our Lord Iesus Christ declare vnto them only once Mark 16.14 that hée was aliue but euen many times And therfore the doubt and increditlity which was in the Apostles ought to confirme vs a great deale the more Luk. 24.25 for if they at the first had beléeued that our Lorde Iesus Christ was risen againe it might haue byn said that they had bene ouerlight of credit Howbéeit they were so slow of beliefe as that it was méet our Lord Iesus Christ should find fault with their blockishnes faithlesnes besides they were so grose carnally minded as that they could vnderstād nothing Since thē the apostles so hardly could come to this article of our faith the same ought the rather cōfirm vs for seing they were brought to it as it were by force it is very good reason the we at this presēt should follow this saying Thomas Iohn 20 2◠bicause thou hast séen me thou beleuest but blessed are they with haue not séen and yet haue beleued So thē whē we héere it said that our Lord Iesus appeared to 2. womē let vs also cōsider of the saying of S. Paul in another place that is to say we must not stay our selues vpō mēs words beleue what they say as they of quality cōditiō 1. Thes 2.13 But we must rather lift vp our eyes minds vnto heauē and submit our selues vnto God who is worthy of all superioritie ouer vs and be obedient vnto his word For if we be not teachable it is out of al doubt that we shall neuer profyt our selues by the doctrine of the Gospell neither must we accompt it for foolishnes which we receiue from the mouth and testimony of God And when wee shall learne to profyt by our obedience in faith and in his Schole wee shall vnderstand that to be subiect to him is the very perfection of all righteousnesse Let vs now come to the story as it is héere deliuered vnto vs. It is sayd That Mary Magdalene and her companion came the first day of the Sabboth to see the sepulchre to wit the first day in the wéek For the Iewes kept the Sunday which they called the sabboth for the day of rest as indeede the worde so signifyeth and besides they called all the dayes of the wéek following the 1. day of the Sabboth the 2. day of the sabboth the 3. day of the sabboth c. Now bicause the day began after the Sonne setting it is saide that the two Maries bought swéete oyntmetes after the Sabboth was ended and prepared themselues to come the next day in the morning to the Sepulchre Howbeit they were more then two Neuerthelesse S. Iohn nameth Mary Magdalen only but S. Matth. nameth two of them and we sée that S. Luke faith the there were a great number of thē yet al this agréeeth wel together for Mary Magdalen led the way and the other Mary is eftsoones named bicause she folowed hard after Mary Magdalene But by the way there were many with came to annoint the body of our lord Iesus neuertheles it is here namely sayd that it was they which came to sée whether they might enter the Sepulchre or not We sée then why these two were héere specially marked Howbeit S. Matth. saith that the Angel appeared vnto thē since there were two of them but because one of thē carried word therfore it is so especially named In the end as they were going thence they met with our Lord Iesus who sent them vnto his Disciples that they might all méete in Galile entending to shew them that he was risen againe for somuch as the Citie of Ierusalem had bereft it selfe of so notable a testimonie by reason of their horible impietie And yet for all that it still remayned the fountayne of life
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
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
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
are there many other like things To be short there are many secret diseases euen so fareth it with our soules because they are ful of vices before the lord God they had also néed of a phisitiō And who shal he be we shall not finde him either in heauen or in earth except it be he whō the heauenly father hath giuen vs to wit our Lord Iesus Christ And therfore if we can reach to the vnderstāding how our Lord Iesus Christ hath brought health to our soules let vs come to figure out the which is here shewed vs whē he made the blinde to sée for this is out of al doubt that our soules are both blinde beastly Besides Iesus Christ made the dumbe to speak Nowe we giue our tongues to nothing els but to wickednes vntill such time as Iesus Christ hath giuen it the right vse And we are more then deafe because the word of God can haue no entrance into vs therfore it is our Lorde Iesus Christ that must giue vs also our hearing To be short whē we shal ioyne the words of S. Mathew with the meaning of the Prophet Isaiah to wit that we for our partes are full of corruption villainy that there is no health in vs our soules full of all deadly sinnes But that our Lord Iesus Christ hath ryd vs of them all that in comming to him wée shall finde health when I say wée shall thus ioyne one with an other then shall we vnderstand that except we haue recourse vnto this Redéemer we must néedes alwaies lye stone stil in our sinnes and miseries rot altogether in thē And thervpon he goeth on farther and saith That we haue all declined gone astray Here the Prophet meaneth better more liuely to tell as yesterday we handled it that wée cannot in good earnest feele our necessitie to be healed by our Lorde Iesus Christ vntill such time as euery of vs hath truely examined his owne estate knoweth what is within him For what is the reason why we are so cold slack whē we are told of comming vnto our Lord Iesus Christ Truely it is because wée haue no capacitie but are like verie blockheads For we shall sée howe these common drunkardes are knoden together in their intemperancy will neuer giue ouer vntil such time as they gnashe their téeth are able to doe no more If a man speake to them of phisicke Phisitions hée shall be but scorned for his labour they will wagge the head yea despise all helpes Nowe there is not a worse kinde of drunkennesse then this blockishnes wherin all miserable sinners are ouerwhelmed vntill suche time as they féele what it is to haue God their enemy So then euery man will giue him selfe ouer to all kinde of lewdnesse by that meane the death passion of our Lord Iesus Christ shall be cōtemned no account made of it And therefore it is not without cause that the Prophet for the awaking of vs for the bestowing of the most desired benefite that may be which is brought vnto vs by our Lord Iesus Christ sheweth that we haue all erred gon out of the way Now ouer and besides that I haue saide that as there are prophane contemners of the iudgement of God euen so also are there foolish presumptuous and arrogant men Wherfore there are two sortes of people which cannot doe them selues any good by this infinit grace and fauour which the Sonne of God hath purchased for vs because the one sort of them thinke them selues to be righteous and haue workes and merites able to answere the iustice of God As we sée these Popish hypocrites who doe not onely thinke themselues to be discharged before God but doe also sell some parte of their merites as if they had a superfluitie of them and that man or woman is well at ease and happie that may be partaker of their perfection and holinesse because they are in an Angellike estate Now these men thinke that they haue no néede of the death and passion of Iesus Christ but they will partly cōfesse that they haue néede and yet we sée it cleane otherwise because they kéepe faires and merkets of their merites and haue of them to sell and resell to the ende they would haue others to settle them selues and trust vpon such profanation Moreouer forsomuch as there is in Popery both men and women hypocrites they are euen so many hornes or powers set vp against God For this pride is alwayes in them to say what good Syr I beséech you if I deserue not to what purpose were it for mée to haue so many good deuotions to cause so many Masses to be soonge to haue chaunted so muche to haue runne so many times from one Aulter to an other to haue praied to such a Saint to haue made such such a feast To bée short they haue alwayes this cursed hellish opinion with them that God is bound greatly beholdē vnto them Thus we sée howe Satan so deceiueth them with such illusions as that they cannot possibly féele to what end the death passion of our lord Iesus Christ serueth them The other sort trust not to their merittes for drunkardes whoremongers and wanton people will not say wée are like vnto litle Angels we haue liued well we haue béen earnest in our deuotions But wil sport them selues as I haue alredie said and think to escape the hand of God by mocking and scorning And for this cause the Prophet calleth vs all here saith Consider yée poore soules in what case you stād vntil such time as God hath shewed you his compassion in our Lord Iesus Christ his Sonne For you haue al erred are al like lost shéepe Mark his meaning for he saith We all because he putteth in himself Yea verely for we haue alredie séene that the Iewes were included within this general curse of men because they thought that they should haue bin exempt out of it For they were euer thus foolish arrogāt as to think that because God had adopted chosen thē that they were a great deale more worthy then the rest Now the Prophet foldeth them vp here in euerlasting death vntil such time as they séeke for the remedie of their deliuerance in Iesus Christ We are then all included within this cōdemnation he putteth in this word All to the end there should be no exceptiō of any as if he should haue said And therefore let no mā brag of himselfe no not an inch to be iust before God to ouer slipt the remedy wherof I euē now spake for he that is the perfectest in the iudgemēt of men shal be foūd guiltie before the maiestie of god We sée héere then the meaning of the Prophet howbeit he is not for al that thus contented but saith That euery man is declined from his way But why repeateth he the saying of al to
been iustified neither yet shoulde any attonement haue béen made betwéene God vs to wit if Iesus had not repared our transgressions through his obedience And therfore if the death of the sonne of God had been constrained and that he had not submitted himselfe willingly it had not béen a Sacrifice to haue blotted out our sinnes Rom. 4.9 for S. Paul also bringeth vs backe to this consideration whenas hee saith that our transgressions were taken away by the obedience of one man What was the cause that made God become our enimie and yet is but for that wée neuer leaue offending of him Hée created vs that he might peaceably and quietlye enioy vs but when wée refuse to beare his yoke he is of very right to detest vs and not to allow vs for his creatures We sée then why it is said that our Lord Iesus was not only chastised for our sins transgressiōs but also that he did not once open his mouth nor yet gaue any foule language but bicause he knew that he was appointed for that purpose that it was the eternall decrée of god his father he shewed himselfe obedient euen vnto the death And therfore when we would haue a more féeling of the power of the death passiō of the sonne of god let euery man consider with him selfe how many sundry wayes he hath withstood the will iustice of God Surely if we doo so we shall finde that wee doo nothing els but make war against him and as if we would willingly wittingly dispite him Wherfore we néede neuer be abashed to haue the want of such a remedy to wit that for the burying of the remēbraunce of all our iniquities the sonne of GOD must obey in our behalfe It is true indéede that our Lord Iesus spake before Pylate his Iudge but he dyd it not to escape death Luk. 23.3 but rather offered himself vnto it neither would he accept of any occasion to be pardoned because it was very méete that he should be condemned in our name Wherfor it is not for naught that the Prophet saith that hee was like a dumbe man and compareth him vnto a sheepe or vnto A Lambe hauing regarde vnto the figure of the auncient sacrifices for when we héere the death and passion of our Lord Iesus spoken of we must take it to be a sacrifice wherwith God the father was appealed because that sinnes as we haue héertofore declared could not be taken away to please God but by that meane And to say the truth whenas in the time of the law men would craue pardon for their sinnes there must of necessitie be sacrifices done For they were neuer able to make any recompence and therefore God tolde them that it was sufficient that they builded vpon the promise made vnto them in the redéemer Wherefore to the end the Iewes might vnderstād that Iesus Christ should fulfil whatsoeuer was then figured in the law this name of a lambe was namly giuē vnto him and vnder one kinde the Prophet hath comprehended all as if he should haue saide that Iesus Christ in his death and passion should first take away all our iniquities because he should submit himselfe vnto the will of God his father and besides that in the second place he should be sacrificed as a Lamb to the end that by the shedding of his blood all our spots shoulde be washed and made cleane Wherefore when we shall be rebuked for a great number of falts which we commit and can neither will nor chuse but féele the wrath of God let vs haue recourse vnto that which is héere set before vs. to wit that it was not for nought that our Lorde Iesus woulde not answer againe although his afflictions were very extreame and although God powred vpon him his whole rigour yet dyd hée quietly suffer all to the ende wee by that his obedience might bée reconciled And by the way wee are also exhorted to fashion our selues after his example not that we are able throughly perfectly to humble our selues before GOD but yet wee must striue to doo it This then I say that when it shall please his maiesty to make vs féele his most heauy hand so that wée thinke that we are verye hardly dealt withall yet let vs holde our peace and confesse that God is iust full of equitie and not be hearde once to grudge but rather gloryfie God by holding our peace like miserable sinners that are conuinced of their transgressions and haue not a worde to say to the contrary Pet. 1.3.18 Loe then how Saint Peter applieth this place That is that when wée are afflicted by the hand of God yea and persecuted by men let vs paciently beare the iniuries done vnto vs because we know that it is the mind of God to proue try vs or rather to punish vs for our sins let vs beware we make no vaine excuses as many men doo who alledge their infirmitie and ouer great weaknesse so that they cannot be quiet so long as GOD presseth them greuosly Howbeit wee must frame our selues like vnto the sonne of God for he is our glasse and patterne not that as I haue saide there is in vs the like power but yet although wee cannot come néere him let vs notwithstāding striue to come as néere him as we may Psal 38.14 39.10 Moreouer we sée that Dauid being a frayle man as we are did yet put in practise this doctrine as he saith in one place O Lord because I knew that it was thy heauy hand that was vpō me therefore I helde my peace And in another place he saieth since thou O Lorde hast slaked the raynes of mine enimies I haue pacientlye suffered the wronges and outrages that they haue done vnto mée héere then we sée what wee haue to learne out of these wordes to wit that as the Sonne of God was mute because hee would glorifie God and would not replye in all his afflictions euen so lykewise let vs suffer God to chastice vs when he thinketh good or els to trie our obedience in letting lose the raines to the vngodlye to persecut vs. Now it is impossible for vs to reache to it vntill such time as we be fully resolued of this doctrine that our Lorde by holding his peace both before God his father and also before men hath repaired all our sinnes and iniquities Moreouer when we are tolde that by the holding of his peace he purchased vs righteousnesse we sée that this silence bred vs eftsoones this benefit that hee did it to defende our cause and is now become our mediator vnto God hauing his mouth alwayes wide open to witte being euer ready to make intercession for the helping of all the offences whiche wee haue committed For in as much as he abode extreme persecution neuer gaue any words he attained to this office that if we be convinced in conscience before God and are to be condemned for
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
such sort lead the whole course of this life as that he is séene to liue vertuously in the feare of God yet is hée neuer able to refraine his tongue but that there wyll appeare some light inconsiderate lying or dissembling spéeche in him To bée short it is saide that there was no deceite to bée founde in our Lorde Iesus Christe to shewe that in all his wordes and deedes hée was a myrrour of all holinesse Nowe it is most certaine that all the miseries which we féele are the very fruites of our sinnes For had we aboade in the same puritie wherein God set our father Adam our punishments should cease and bée abolished in the worlde And therefore the fruit of our sinnes is the cause of our punishments So then wée are to conclude that forsomuch as there was not found the least blot that might bée in our Lorde Iesus Christe he therefore beare the punishment which we were worthie of and deserued And marke besides why the Prophet addeth that God woulde make him subiect to infirmities This worde Infirmitie hath a large scope in the Scriptures for it importeth all the thinges which make men contemptible as wée sée in many places thereof For pouertie sicknesse griefe of minde or contemptiblenesse and a man that hath no good grace either to speake or do well neyther yet good gesture or behauiour nor habiltie of wit and discretion are al called in the Scripture infirmities To bée shorte this is to bryng vs backe to the thing which the Prophet hath already touched to wit that our Lorde Iesus Christe was like a deformed Creature and suche a one as in whom was no shew of reputation and credit amongst men And yet not such a one neither but that there appeared in him sure and certaine markes and tokēs that he was to bée honored as the onely Sonne of God Iohn 1.14 But it was in such sorte darkened by his sufferings and his infirmitie such as that there was no power or vertue séene in him and it séemed that there was no grace nor fauour in hym why hée shoulde bée estéemed and had in honour Wée must also call to minde the thing that hath béene before recited to wit that he was beaten and scourged by the hand of God suffered the horrible anguishes of his iudgement in his body beare the fearefullest torments that might be and ouer and besides all this he was so vily thought of as that he was not estéemed to bée placed amongst the most wicked and slauishe company Thus wée sée howe the Sonne of God was punished Wherefore since the case thus standeth let vs vnderstande that forsomuche as God spared not him that wée for our partes shall not bée spared and yet notwithstanding hée hath giuen vs occasion to humble our selues to the ende wée shoulde not waxe prowde and take in hand to iustifie our selues or els not cast our sinnes behind our backes but dayly thinke vpon them and bée ashamed whenas wée sée howe deare a recompence was made for them For is this such a triflyng matter If a miserable and wretched théefe shall haue committed many theftes and robberies and after that his wicked déedes were knowne the sonne of a King shoulde bée brought to be arrained and condemned for the same and so beare the punishment therof the théefe to be discharged and pardoned should he reioyce and make a scofe at him whenas he sée the sonne of a King to bée put to death and suffer the punishment that he deserued Euen so at this present fareth it with vs. For beholde howe Iesus Christe the onely sonne of God is imprisoned and wée deliuered hée condemned and wée pardoned he put to all shame and we receiued to honour at last hée descended into the bottomeles pit of Hell and the kingdome of heauen is set open for vs to enter into And therfore when we here al these things is it for vs to be drowsie headed liue securely and to delight and flatter our selues in our sinnes and iniquities Wherefore let vs well consider of the meaning of the holy Ghoste and alwayes weigh these wordes That it was the wyll of God to haue him thus afflicted as if hée shoulde haue saide Actes 2.23 4.28 That it is not for vs to thinke that our Lord Iesus was forsaken as that the wicked ones might torment him at their will and pleasure For as Saint Peter saith in the Actes of the Apostles They could doe nothing against him otherwise then had béen determined before by the secret counsell of God And therefore it is not for naught that the Prophete bringeth vs alwaies back to this that we must lift our minds vnto God acknowledge that he being iudge of the world would be satisfied for our sinnes offences euen in the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ his only sonne to the end we might be discharged of thē and that it was not without cause that Iesus Christe was so rudely hādeled that we might looke vp the cherefullier and that we might vnderstād that God would not remēber our faults with made vs to be as it were detestable in his sight Wherefore when wée shall haue knowne all this we shall haue greatly profited not onely for a day but also all the dayes of our life For to say the trueth it is a doctrine wherewith wee must so acquaint our selues as that although we thinke we know it wel enough yet that we must not cease more more to cōforme our selues thereto And for that more liuely expressing héere of sée why the prophet goeth on further and saith That hee will make his soule an offering for sin to wit that Iesus Christ will forget his own life for the redéeming of our liues the price of our sinnes and iniquities Héere the Prophet againe setteth before vs the willing obedience of the Sonne of God For as hee hath saide that as it was the will of the father hee shoulde bee afflicted euen so likewise hée nowe saith that the Sonne yéelded himselfe willingly thereto thrusting himselfe forwarde to become a Sacrifice without force or constraint For the common maner of offering vp of Sacrifices vnto the Lorde God was alwayes done of a francke will and deuotion And therfore it must necessarily fall out that our Lorde Iesus Christe shoulde yéelde and offer vp himselfe to the death which he suffered For without that as yesterday was declared our rebellions had neuer béen repared before God But when he offered vp his soule to wit that he was prest and redy to suffer the condemnation that we deserued in this we may sée that we haue by his death full assurance of saluation And this he himselfe saith in the Gospell after Saint Iohn No mā Iohn 16.18 saith he shal take away my life but I wil fréely offer it vp my selfe In déede his life was taken from him when he was crucified and wée sée also how vngently furiously they dealt
Satan And therfore wée are so much the rather to make an obseruation of this doctrine That as God hath not set downe in the Law and saide You shall not serue mée this way and that as pleaseth you But placed and ordeined the sacrifices Ceremonies conteined in the Law thereon stay them selues without deuising any newe and strange kind of Seruice meane to obteine fauour grace Euen so likewise must we at this day be contented with the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christe because we know that that is the only meane by which God will be mercifull fauourable vnto vs by which also he wil receiue adopt vs vnto himselfe Thus we namely sée what it is that the Prophet meaneth to offer héere vnto vs. Now it is moreouer said That he will prolong his dayes that he shall see his seed to be permanent that the wil or plesure of the Lorde shall prosper in his handes Héere he bringeth vs yet once againe back vnto the consideration of the glory excellencie of our Lord Iesus Christ to the end wee might be so muche the more assured that we may come vnto him for if hée had remoued in death as a vanquished person it had béen impossible for vs to haue béen euer iustified quickened by his grace For how could death a lone haue brought righteousnes life with it as of it selfe but because of the sacrifice of his death he rose again therin resteth our ful whole cōfidēce Thus we sée that we haue obteined victory ouer sin to the end we might be takē to be righteous death is abolished in vs that wée might haue life In déede this in the first place hath relation vnto the person of the Sonne of God For as wée haue alredy said hée dyed according to the infirmitie of his fleshe 2. Cor. 13. 4. howbeit the heauenly power of his holy Spirite was shewed in his resurrection and heereof hée gaue this testimony for these were his wordes destroy yée this Temple and within thrée dayes I will rayse it vp againe Iohn 2.19 Loe héere howe the Sonne of God as touching his person did sée a great age For hee rose not againe to shew himselfe vnto the worlde for a whyle and then dye againe But after hée had shewed himselfe vnto his Disciples and made them witnesses of his resurrection hée ascended into heauen and so exempted himself from all humane frailtie This then it is whereon wee must builde our faith in him when as wee sée him to haue in such sort ouercome death and the Diuell and triumphed ouer him as that after that hée was offered vp for a Sacrifice hée was receiued and exalted vnto this power and dignitie whereof mention hath alredy béen made But wée must also note by the way that all this belongeth to the whole body of the Church for it is not the purpose of Iesus Christe to separate himselfe from it Heb. 2.11 And in déede it is further said that hee shall see his seed True it is wée are called the brethren of Iesus Christe For wée coulde not bée called the children of god but by the same name And therfore hée who is the onely beloued must receiue and ioyne vs so vnto himselfe as that we might haue that by adoption which is onely his by nature howbeit this is no let vnto vs from being as children ingendred of his séede For what is the true séede of the Churche Verily euen the worde of the Gospell as Saint Peter telleth vs. 1. Pet. 1. 23. 25. And in déede it is the very selfe same which we haue already séene veryfied vnto vs out of the Prophet Isaiah That the worde of the Lorde endureth for euer because by it wee are made incorruptible Isaiah 40.8 whenas wee receiue profite thereby according to that measure that it is giuen vnto vs by the holy ghost this then is the séede by which wee are regenerate into euerlasting life Howbeit wee must fyrst come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe And how commeth it to passe that the Gospell hath this office and Property to beget vs to bée the children of GOD Forsooth the reason is this because the blood of our Lorde Iesus Christe was a true séede to quicken vs. And therefore it is not for naught sayde héere That hee shall see a seede of long continuance or an euerlasting seede So then wee are againe to conclude that the benefit which our Lorde obteined by his resurrection was not particuler for him selfe alone But that wée might haue parte thereof and be called vnto his company because we are members of his bodie Nowe wée are héere by the way admonished not to séeke for one droppe of life in our selues but to take it wholly from our lord Iesus Christ Why howe will God then acknowledge vs to be his children Howe shall wée haue any place in his Church Howe shall wée be taken to be of his flocke Forsooth wée must come to this point Because wée are partakers with our lord Iesus Christ Thus wée sée howe God accepteth of vs this is our begetting and first birth And nowe let our fréewill men goe and brag of their frée will by which they suppose them selues to be readie to receiue the grace of God For what abilitie is hée able to haue to doe eyther good or yll that is not yet begotten in the wombe of his mother Wherefore let vs vnderstande thus much that since our chiefe and first creation is this that we are begotten in Iesus Christ that wée are able to doe nothing neither yet that any thing procéedeth from our power and strength but that all whatsoeuer wée haue commeth from that frée goodnesse of his whereof we are made partakers And this is the summe and effect of all that which wée haue to consider of But by the way to the ende wée might also haue a great deale the better taste of his death passion it is saide Because hee gaue his soule an offring for sinne to wit for satisfaction or for sacrifice that hee should see his seede For wée right well shewe that wée would blot out all hope of saluation if wée glorified not the goodnesse of God in the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ And to say truely they that proudly disdaine to cleaue vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ because hée was crucified rightly declare that they haue not knowne the ende thereof For without it what should become of vs Surely wée shoulde haue no Church in the worlde there should be no saluation and to be short there should bée no hope of any goodnesse For without doubt wée should bée all remedilesse confounded lost and condemned without Iesus Christ had offred vp his soule bought vs againe by that onely meane 1. Cor. 6. 30. And for this cause the Scripture also oftentimes sheweth vs that wee were redéemed with no small price And thus much we
haue to consider of for this pointe Nowe it is saide for a finall conclusion That the will of God shall prosper in his handes The wordes which the Prophet heere vseth signifieth a worldly will and frée fauour For it were not enough that our Lord Iesus Christ should execute the will of God But that it shoulde be a will procéeding of loue as a testimony of his fatherly affection For Moses executed the will of God when hée published the lawe and yet notwithstanding euerie man was afeard at the thunders lightnings for there was nothing els but threatnings of death And why so Forsooth because the law brought nothing els with it but wrath and vengeance For it was méet that the world should féele in it an horrible condemnation Hebr. 12.18 be wonderfully afeard Howbeit there appeared an other maner of wil of God in Iesus Christ that is this his meaning was to receiue vs vnto himself to haue mercy vpō vs to abolish our sins to discharge vs of the condemnation wherein we were Thus we sée the propertie of the spéech which the Prophet here vseth when he saith That the wil of God should prosper Now it is by by after said in his hands which signifieth that Iesus Christ should be a distributer and bestower of the grace of God for our saluation True it is that God might by some other death haue deliuered vs from death howbeit it was not his meaning neyther yet was it so good And therefore hée appointed our Lord Iesus Christ to the ende wée might by him be redéemed and reconcyled and to bée short that by him wée might obtayne whatsoeuer was requisite for our saluation Let vs nowe make a collection of the summe and effect of this saying It is saide That the good will and free fauour of GOD should prosper in the hands of Iesus Christ Wherefore speaketh the Prophet after this maner Forsooth because we are enclyned vnto mistrust and haue a number of lettes to make vs fainte the holie Ghost preuenteth the matter and declareth vnto vs that howsoeuer the worlde goeth the grace of God shall worke it effect and be accomplished And therefore although the Deuill craftely goeth about to deuise to make the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ to bée of no force and effect vnto vs and bring foorth no fruit in vs and although wée for our partes are so wicked and peruerse as that wée will so fall from it as that wée will make it altogether vnprofitable vnto vs yet will God by his infinite goodnesse ouercome it all To bée shorte the Prophete his meaning héere in this place is that the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christe hath not béene onely sufficient for the saluation of the worlde but also that God will make it so forcible as that wée shall sée the fruite thereof and féele and proue it by experience And heerevpon wée are to gather that God will alwayes haue a Church in the worlde and that the Deuill may very wel deuise all the mischiefe hée can possible and bende all his force to ouerthrowe the house of God and yet be as be may Christ Iesus shall haue the victorie and the grace whereof hée is a distributer and bestower shall bée beneficiall and perfourmed amongst men And for this cause it is saide by the Psalmist Psal 2.1 Why haue the Kinges and Rulers of the earth lifted vp themselues and made couenantes with the people Yet must God in the ende execute his Counsell and iudgement In verie déede they will goe about to imagine muche but yet hée which dwelleth aboue in the heauens will mocke them all to scorne in his wrath Let vs therefore well consider that the meaning of the holie Ghost is to declare that the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ wil alwayes worke his effect to the end the Church of God might stande firme and sure so that it shall neuer be ouerthrowne by all the assaultes tempestes and whirlewyndes whatsoeuer that the enemies with Satan their head can any way possible raise vp against it And this saying to prosper is set downe to shew that God will make the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ florish to the end it might more and more fructifie and when it shall séeme that it shoulde bée vtterly defaced that God will vpholde it and ouercome whatsoeuer may bée any let for the bringing of it to a perfect ende Moreouer euery of vs ought to apply this vnto himselfe and not doubt that although our winges flagge and we the bondslaues of sin yet that God will deliuer vs from out of that slauerie wherin we are make perfect that which hée hath begun in vs and amend also whatsoeuer is wanting in vs. And how Forsooth wee must first come vnto our Lord Iesus Christ because it is he which putteth to his hande and to him the charge thereof is committed and this office hée receiued from God his Father And therefore let vs be contented that since hee is appointed to be the Minister of our saluation there shall be no defect or want which hée will not accomplish by his meane and that because hée hath so determined it 2. Cor. 5.19 Now let vs by the way apply to this which is héere set downe the place of Saint Paul before by vs alledged to the end we might be partakers of the fruit of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ that is let vs giue eare vnto the message that is dayly brought vs. For it were not enough that Iesus Christ had suffred in his owne person and appointed to be a sacrifice for vs but wée must also be certified thereof by the Gospell that wée haue this testimony by it and not doubt but that wée are iustified by him because we knowe that hée hath made satisfaction for our offences And therevpon let vs looke that God will in such sort continue his woorke in this Redéemer as that hée will make it encrease more and more vntill hée hath brought it to a full end and perfection Let vs now fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offēces beséeching him so to make vs féele them as that wée may be more more displeased with them also learne vs so to looke into the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ as that it may be a good instruction for vs to be gréeued and grone for our sinnes not doubt since that our Lorde Iesus Christ hath discharged vs of that whereof we were guiltie but that wée might nowe come before the Maiestie of God his Father and be receiued as his children although in déede we are vnworthie to be reckoned amongst the number of his creatures And that wée may in this strength fight against all our vices and wicked lustes and so bée made partakers of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes as also we might be strengthened to
were notwithstanding infected with verie gréeuous sinnes And therefore let men presume as much as they lust and think howe they will to liue vertuously yet when they haue done all they can and set downe many lawes and rules for their gouernment they shall neuer be able to be iustified before God by that meane And why so Forsooth because sinne hath taken suche déepe roote in vs as that it cannot bee pulde out of vs by mans helpe To bee shorte wee shall neuer bee iustified by goyng to Schoole with men although they teache neuer so muche what vertue is And that which is more Beholde God publisheth the lawe wherein is true and perfect righteousnesse for marke what Moyses sayeth Beholde sayeth hee I pronounce at this day both good and euill I shewe vnto thee the way both of life and death But by the way can wee bee iustified by it Can it so order vs as that God will take our life to bee good and holie 2. Cor. 3.7 Rom. 4.15 No surely it is all cleane contrarie For the lawe engendreth death redoubleth our condemnation and kindleth the wrath of God against vs. Thus wee see what tytles the holie Scripture giueth vnto it And therefore since the lawe of it selfe cannot iustifie vs how then is it possible for men by their doctrine statutes and ordinaunces make vs to be truely righteous Nowe if it be asked howe and wherefore the lawe is not able to iustifie the reason is alredie set downe It is true in deed that God declareth vnto vs in his lawe howe wee ought and may attayne vnto lyfe if so bee wee were suche as that there were no let in vs. Wherefore although the lawe of God speaketh vnto vs yet it refourmeth not our heartes For when God telleth vs and sayeth Beholde what it is that I require at your handes But if in the meane while all our desires affections thoughts bee altogether against that which hee commaundeth wée are not onely condemned But the lawe also as I haue alredie saide maketh vs so muche the more guiltie before the Maiestie of God For before the lawe was giuen wée sinned through ignoraunce but nowe wee so wittingly and willingly stande against him as that it séemeth we woulde euen despight him For we know that the seruant which knoweth his Maisters will and doeth it not shall be beaten with many strypes Thus we see why it â—e said that the lawe engendreth nothing els but wrath to wit that when wée haue béen instructed in it it kindleth God his wrath so muche the more against vs and bringeth with it death but howe Because forsooth we sée in it that we are condemned and vtterly cast away What is it so that it announceth not life no and yet by the way we cannot attaine theretoo And therefore we must be iustified after an other maner which is by the Gospell For God saieth not vnto vs in the Gospell Beholde yée shall doe this or that But hée saieth Beléeue that my onely Sonne is your Redeemer embraâ—e his death and passion as a remedie for all your diseases wash your selues in his blood and he shall purge you and ye shall bee made cleane therewith staye your selues vpon the sacrifice whiche hee hath offred vp vnto mee and then see in what sort you shal bee iustified Wherefore forsomuch as the Gospell bringeth vs back vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ and commaundeth vs to seeke for all our righteousnesse in him because he hath made full satisfaction for vs through the free mercy of God see howe we shall be iustified by his knowledge Rom. 10. And this is it which Saint Paule handleth in his Epistle to the Romanes For there hee maketh a comparison betweene the righteousnesse of the lawe and the righteousnesse of Fayth For he sayth that there is this righteousnesse in the lawe when as it sayeth Whosoeuer shall doe all these thinges shal liue by them For this is most true that if wee be able to fulfill all the commaundementes of God so that our life be in such sort ruled as that it is without spot or wrinckle God hath promised to receyue vs as righteous that wee shall be verie sure of our rewarde and not misse of it Marke then the certayntie that is in the lawe but tel mée who it is that doeth al that the law commandeth Surely we goe altogether backward and a man would thinks as I haue beforesaid that wée would go about euen to set our selues against God Thus we sée that the gate of the righteousnesse of the law is quite shut vp against vs and that there remayneth nothing els for vs but the very curse of God But in the Gospel it is saide behold the woorde is in thine heart and in thy mouth But how forsooth after thiâ— sort S. Paule speaketh of it and saith Rom. 10. â— That if wée will haue the word in our heartes and mouthes wée must come vnto Iesus Christe because it is hée which wryteth and imprinteth the doctrine of saluation by his holy spirite with which doctrine wée haue had our eares beaten vnprofitably and in vayne And therefore since our Lorde Iesus Christ putteth his word in our heartes let â—â— beséech him to graunt vs this grace as that we may haue a pure and frée affection to the end we might séeke in him whatsoeuer is wanting in vs. Thus wée sée howe wée shall bée iustified by his knowledge for it is out of al doubte that wée are no way able to bring any satisfaction of our owne with vs which may please God and to make this accompt as to say wée haue deserued O Lord that thou shouldest receiue vs but we should rather say we confesse O Lorde that wee are miserable sinners bound ouer so thy iudgement and it is impossible for vs to make satisfaction therto so that wée must néeds acknowledge that there is no sufficieÌ„cie in any but in Iesus Christ alone to make satisfaction for the same Wherfore we should most humbly coÌ„fesse this say that we are forlorne damned creatures vntil such time as our Lorde Iesus reacheth out his hand to pâ—â— vs out of the pit of hell Now here we confessed all this to be so And besides wee knowe that our Lorde Iesus also supplyeth all our wantes For if wée â—ée foule and filthie his blood washeth vs wherewith wee 〈◊〉 â—â—eane If wee bee fallen in debte not onelye vnto GOD â—ut also vnto Satan as too our enemie Ephe. 5.1 the payment was made â— the death and passion of the Sonne of GOD And if wée bée defyled and not to bée abidden the Sacrifice which our Lorde Iesus Christe offered is suche a sweete smelling sauour as that all our wickednesse is defaced Thus then we sée how we are iustified by the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ And according to this doctrine wée sée in the first place that we must not séeke far for our righteousnes because we shal find it in
and others also shal find inough at his hands for the moe of vs that come vnto him the richer shall we finde him to help our néede And therefore we haue héere to note that it is not for naught that the prophet saieth that he bare the sinnes of many to wit to the ende we should not malice and enuy our neighburs as if wée could not be holpen bicause some of them haue to much of him This then is the summe and effect of that which we are to learne out of this place Moreouer it is said That it was because hee was accounted amongest transgressors We are héere to obserue in the firste place that hée must néedes be hanged betwéene two théeues that hée might suffer all the condemnation that wée deserued and to the ende that wée might haue a more sure and certaine pawne that God his Father hath pardoned and forgiuen vs all our sinnes and iniquities Marke also why Saint Mark aleadgeth this saying of the Prophet Mark 15 2◠that there were two Théeues hanged with our Lorde Iesus Christe to shewe that hée was taken to bée a most detestable and cursed man and to the end it might bee openlye séene that hée was placed in the rank with all shame rebuke because we should at this dai be exempt from the wrath of god from the punishment of the euill déeds which we had deserued and where before we were cast down euen vnto the pit of hell wee might now bee coupled together with the Angels of heauen who altogether worshippe God and haue fulfilled all righteousnesse All this benefit then haue wee by this in that it hath pleased our Lorde Iesus Christ to take vpon him this place and to become a malefactor to the end he would bée thought the most shamefull amongst men Thus wee see how the shame of our Lorde Iesus Christ hath exalted vs on hie to the ende sinne should not be laide to our Charge and we to be free from all condemnation For wherein consisted our saluation if our sinnes were not couered and taken away surely we were neuer able to come to this by any other meane without the sonne of God as S. Paul saith were our redemption that is to say 1. Cor. 1.30 he was the price and paiment of that which wee owed to the end that we might now be quitted and discharged therof And therfore it was not for naught that the Prophet ioyned these two thinges together and dayly sheweth vs as héeretofore hath béene saide that wée haue wherefore to gloryfie our Lorde Iesus Christ in that he was put to all the shame that might bée séeing the fruite and commoditie that wée reape thereby For if our Lorde Iesus Christ should haue done that onely for a shew and token of humilytie it had béene too too bare a matter but hée did it to this end and purpose that we might finde that in him which we want and that it might also be the remedy for the same thing which might gréeue and oppresse vs. Wherefore when we are so reconciled vnto God as that wée obtaine righteousnesse thereby and full forgiuenesse of our sinnes Beholde wée néede not then be a feard to come vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ albeit his crucifying in the view of the worlde séemeth at the first blush to bée very shamefull and yet wée sée that hée so triumphed ouer Satan sinne as that he hath made vs righteous and canceled the obligation that was against vs so that wee may now come bouldly to God with good assuraunce that wée are righteous and with open mouth glorifie him for it wherfore before we were most horribly condemned And this is the effect of that which the Prophet meaneth againe to put vs in minde of After all these thinges he saithe that he praid for the trespassers This is namely put in to shew that Iesus Christ in his death and passiō plaid the part of a priest for if this had not ben done also we shuld neuer haue had al the was requisit for the assurāce of our saluatiō True it is that forsomuch as the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ is the sacrifice whereby our sinnes are wiped away and his blood our washing and cleasing his obedience the avolishing of all our rebellions the obteining of our righteousnes by this we haue wherin to reioyce Howbeit this is not all Because it is said That whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of God shall bee saued Neuerthelesse Ioel. 2. 3◠howe were it possible for vs to haue recourse vnto God What boldnes were it for vs to pray and cry out with open mouth and say O our father Were not this ouermuch presumption to come thus pure and cleane to God and vaunt our selues to bée his children if we had not the word to beare vs in it And againe where shoulde wee find such an Aduocat and Proctor that would doe so much for vs except we come to Iesus Christe Thus then we sée what the Prophet meant to adde for a conclusion of that which went before To wit that Iesus Christ praied for the trespassers Now this is very true that he praied of god his father when he was on the Crosse that he would pardon and forgiue his persecutors For these are his wordes Father saith he I beséeche thée pardon thē for they know not what they do Luke 23.34 Here we sée what a prayer our Lord Iesus made for the trespassers for his enimies who so cruelly handeled him by whose handes he was crucified But it was not the meaning of the Prophet to speake only of this especiall prayer but rather to declare the Sacrificing of our Lord Iesus Christ And by the way let vs here wel consider that it was not for naught that he spake here of the Trespassers It is said a litle before that he beare the sinnes of the people of God and suffered for the transgressions of many But now the Prophet attributeth another name to those for whom Christ praied calleth thē transgressors When he spake of the people of God it was to shewe that those whom a man would thinke to be most excellent righteous had néede of forgiuenesse of sinnes which they could neuer haue had had it not béen that Iesus Christe had shed his most precious heart blood for the washing cleansing of them And thus muche then for this point That if we would be of the Church be allowed to be of the congregation of God we must néedes vnderstand that it is because Iesus Christ is our redéemer and therefore let vs not feare to come in great companies to him rather then faile let euery one bring his neighbour with him because he is able to saue vs al. Moreouer it is here set downe that we are all transgressors to the end we might throughly consider of our sins For we know our selues to be so bold and rash as that we will oftētimes be
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
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
vs no hurt nor wrong in raysing vp the incredulous people against vs whenas we goe about to make an accord amongst our selues and to ioyne and vnite our selues together in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and let vs also vnderstand that he alloweth and liketh of our accord and although we are but a handfull of people yet let vs boldly contemne the worlde and all Satans adherents gods enimies And although in respect of them wée are nothing let vs not doubt but that God alloweth of vs and dwelleth amongst vs. At what time that S. Luke described this matter here in this place the Sacrifices were vsed in the Temple as they had béene before time and the Priest was there present in all his dignitie and pontificalibus There was also the common order of all their glorious and glittering shew so that a man would haue thought that God had been tyed to this people Now the holy Ghost descended but vpon one house nay rather but vpon one chamber wherein the poore fearefull Disciples were euen like silly lambes coÌ„passed about with wolues A man would haue thought that the state of these people was miserable and yet see the holy Ghost appeared vnto this little and simple company Euen so although we at this day be contemptible in the worlde no great number yet let vs not doubt but that the Sonne of God will poure out the power of his holy spirite vpon vs and cause vs to féele his graces so farre foorth as he séeth to bée néedefull and therfore let vs be so coÌ„tented with this inestimable benefit as that we enuie not the prosperity of the vngodly enimies of God and that hee doth vs no wrong that the worlde despâ—eth vs and bee taken for rotten meÌ„bers let this bée but as a matter of nothing vnto vs so that we remain vnited and ioyned together I meane in that vnite which we haue by the meane of the Gospell and of our Lord Iesus Christ who is the fountaine of all goodnesse and life and in whom also is all perfect ioy Now let vs fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God and acknowledge our offences beséeching him to forgiue vs them to correct vs for them wholy to rid vs of them And so let vs al say O Almightie God and heauenly Father c. The second sermon of the descending of the holy Ghoste Actes 2. 13 OThers mocking saide These men are full of newe wine 14 But Peter standing forth with the eleuen lift vp his voice and said vnto them Yee men of Iury and all yee that dwell at Ierusalem be this known vnto you and heare my wordes 15 For these are not drunken as yee suppose seeing it is but the third houre of the day Ioel. 2.28 16 But this is that which was spoken by the Prophete Ioell 17 And it shall come to passe in the laste daies saith God that I will powre out my spirite vpon all fleshe and your sonnes and daughters shall Prophesie and your young men shall see visions and your olde men shall dreame dreames THese wordes which Saint Luke hath héere set down in the beginning of this percell of Scripture serue for a notable example of the wickednes and vnthankefulnesse of men For beholde how the Apostles who were very wel knowne to bée plaine countrie men of base estate spake diuers and sundry forreine tongues and languages excellently handling the true religion and declaring the saluation which was in Christe Iesus Nowe this thing in déede was sufficient to haue caused theÌ„ who heard it spoken of many dayes after to fall into a great admiration and therefore it could not be chosen but that they which presently beholde with their owne eares heard them speake must néedes bee stirred vp to bée brought to the true obedience of the worde Howbeit they would not acknowledge the workes of God whereby they ought to haue magnified and glorified him but euen made a iest at them Well this fault was not onely in the worlde at those dayes but wee may sée it also in this our age For God worketh so mightily and effectually alwaies as that wee are no way able to comprehend his doings and yet for all that wee are no whit moued to thanke him for them but especially for that great benefite of calling vs to the knowledge of his Gospell which hée hath largely bestowed vpon vs. But coÌ„trariwise do we not see a rabble of scoffers mocke and iest at the wordes of the Lorde and make as great an account of preaching as if it were an olde wiues tale tolde vnto them In which their doing beare they that reuerence vnto the worde of God which they ought without all doubt no. Notwithstanding although there bée a great number of suche scoffers as neither profite by the word of God nor yet by his miracles as some such there were in the coÌ„pany of the Apostles yet let vs not be any whit offended at them but continue firme and constant least we fall into the like condemnation for the contempt of the wonderfull works of God for our not honouring of him as hée ought And this is a good obseruation for vs in the first place Now S. Luke saith that Peter in the behalfe of all the Apostles shewed that the scoffers and contemners of God were greatly ouershot to scorne and iest at such a myracle which they manifestly saw before their eies and that they ought not to haue attributed it vnto any such drunkennesse wherof they accused the Apostles For he saith Yee men of Iewry and all yee that dwell at Ierusalem bee this knowne vnto you and heare my wordes for these are not drunken as yee suppose seeing it is but the thirde houre of the day We haue héere first of all to obserue that the men in olde time reckoned the houres otherwise then we doe For they made the first houre to begin at the rising of the Sun and so they had alwaies twelue houres from the Sunne rising vnto the going downe thereof and as the daies grew loÌ„ger or shorter euen so made they their houres Moreouer they deuided the day into four quarters to wit the first quarter beganne at the first houre and continued vntill the third the second from the thirde houre vnto the sixte the thirde from sixe to nine and the fourth from nine vnto twelue So that the sixt houre was as it were noone and the third was betwixt eight and nine in the morning as wée reckon Let vs now come to the reason which S Peter brought by which hée shewed that they were not drunke as the Iewes thought For it is as much as if hée had saide It is nowe about the thirde houre of the day and that is as I haue alredy saide betwixt eight and nyne in the morning and therfore it is not likely that men would bée drunke at that time of the day and such men especially which gaue themselues to serue
God And héerein Saint Peter reprooueth drunkennesse and sheweth it to bée a very dishonest thing for a man to be drunke in the morning And yet wée shall finde a great many moe then néedeth that are giuen to bée so drunkenne as that they haue neither wit nor reason And some of them will not bée drunke with that which they take in the morning but will be so blockish with their wine which they gull in the euening as that a man woulde thinke they had doone nothing els but bybbed from the péepe of the day Another sorte there are who for feare they should not haue drinke enough will beginne so early as that they will bée drunke all day long and thereupon the wine so bereaueth them of their wit and vnderstanding as that they can neither goe nor stand And therefore Saint Peter saith That these men héere are not drunke whereby he declareth that God is highly displeased therewith Nowe wée are in this place to note that the Iewes so abhorred drunkennesse as that when any of them woulde fall to bee drunke they woulde bée sure to drinke drunke in the night because they were ashamed that any other should sée thē And héerein we sée that men were more shamefast at those dayes then they are in these because at that time they loued to doe it in the night season now they make no reckoning to be drunk at noone dayes and then forsooth they must néedes haue a nap so kéepe the liquor warme in the presse And this we are sure to sée by them that they will shew themselues what they are euen at the sermon time For yée shall not see them scarscely an houre at the hearing of the worde of God but they will foorthwith manifest the very effect of their drunkennesse by their drowsines so that they receiue no benefite in the whole worlde by comming thither And no maruell For the wine and the meate being not perfectly digested by reason of the ouer gorging of them selues wherein they excéede the very bruite beastes causeth them to be so heauie a sléepe Yea and yée shall many times see them sléepe at a Sermon in the morning whenas a man would think they had neither eate nor drunke But héerein they shewe what greate delight they haue in the woorde of God and to this they can make no excuse because they come presently from their rest And now to the matter S. Peter speaketh according to the manner and custome that then was saying It is not like that these men are drunken since it is but the thirde houre of the day Hee nowe heere applieth this myracle which was doone vnto his doctrine For the holie Ghost was not geuen to the Apostles that they should bée silent whenas any thing were mooued which tended to the glorifiyng of the woorkes of GOD but that they shoulde be strong constantly to deliuer out the woorde of God and publishe the Gospel accordingly as our Lorde Iesus had graunted them the meane And therefore wée sée that God wrought wonderfully and that the preaching of the Gospel throughout the whole worlde by so small a number came not from men Now S. Peter in his Sermon sheweth an holy boldnesse of the spirite of God and geueth them to vnderstand who made a mocke at the myracle that was done and thought not reuerently of it that Iesus Christ manifesteth not himselfe vnto those which scorne and scoffe at his woorkes Moreouer when hée sayeth And all yee that dwell at Hierusalem Hée speaketh vniuersally to all men and yet it appertayned not but vnto those which made a scoffe at the myracle For there were many at that time who reuerently accompanied the Apostles that greatly woondred at the matter Why doeth S. Peter then attribute it to all those that iested thereat Forsooth hée did it to this ende and purpose that by the reproouing of this their faulte hee meant too doe good too all the companie and by that occasion confirme so muche the rather the heartes of all suche as were abashed and make them in an admiration and reuerence of the woorkes of GOD by vtterlye refusing the foolishe and fantasticall opinion of all these and suche like Gybers And euen so woulde wée likewise at this day doe For if there were any scoffers amongest vs and that we meant to reprooue this fault we would crie out against all although the whole companie were not to bée charged therewith And yet no doubt of it all they whose consciences were guilty would surely condemne themselues for their owne wickednesse would sufficiently witnesse against them without béeing charged therewith or yet the matter by péecemeale layde open Neuerthelesse it is méete that men sometimes shoulde somewhat bée narrowly pressed and found fault with as it were by name and to bée remembred and poynted at with the finger for their offences because they woulde then bée more ashamed then if they were generally reprooued Howbeit it is a wonder to sée that some men can in no wise abide to be rebuked of their faultes although it bee generally done for thus they would couer it why say they although there are a great many guiltie of the vice which is spoken of yet are there some innocent thereof And so we shall heare them murmure saying why crieth he out thus against al mē For if ther be any such must hée therfore reproue al the rest and speake it so generally Thus wée sée howe al of vs continually murmure against doctrine and yet we sée that although there are but a very fewe which made a iest at this myracle here spoken of yet S. Peter deliuereth his spéeche vnto all men when he saieth All yee that dwell in Hierusalem be this known vnto you that these are not drunke as yee thinke And therfore when we sée that S Peter spake after this maner let not vs be wiser then the holy Ghost and when there shal bee a faulte which is not in all men yet let not vs for al that cease to tel al men of it and although there may be some which are not guiltie thereof yet let them by this example take héede they murmure not because they knowe themselues to be voyde of such a vice and yet if they should be more narrowly looked into it may be they woulde be found guiltie of a thousand other as great Let vs now see what Saint Peter meaneth by the making of this Sermon Forsooth his intent is to bring the people to the knowledge of Iesus Christ and this was indeed the end why the tongues were geuen to the Apostles For the diuersitie of tongues did euen shut vp the gate against the Gospel so that without the knowledge of them it seemed impossible to haue the Gospel to bee preached throughout the worlde And therefore Saint Peter saith If yée remember the prophesie of the Prophet Ioel the promise therein conteined is accomplished by the comming of Iesus Christe For after the threatnings of the Prophet
we to prouoke him against vs vnto whom all maiestie power glory and dominion is giuen to cast down euen into the pit of hell as many as resist him Now if wée throughly cōsidered of this without doubt we would kéepe so good a hand of our selues as that all the fleshly lustes and temptations of the world should neuer bée able to preuaile against vs. Saint Paule also meant to make a comparison betwixt the first comming of our Lorde Iesus Christe and the second Why then doe the wicked and vngodly contemners of the Gospell so boldly lift vp themselues as that they become dissolute and starke staring mad Surely it is because they heare that while Iesus Christe was héere on earth hée tooke vpon him the state of a seruant Phil. 2.7 yea and abased himselfe and Saint Paule saith euen vnto this most shamefull and slaunderous death And because the enimies of God vnderstand such an infirmitie to bée in Iesus Christ they take vpon them to speak thus wickedly and furiously of him as we sée it is euen so howbeit they sée not that as hée suffered as hée was man that hée likewise rose againe through the power of his spirite For hée then in such sort shewed foorth his glory as that both great and small ought to tremble thereat 2. Cor. 13.4 But if these faithlesse people are not able to vnderstand the power that appeared in the resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christe let them giue eare to that which is héere spoken to wit that hée will come in glory For in his first comming hée appeared contemptible because hée woulde shewe him selfe obedient in our behalfes for that hée was to make satisfaction for our sinnes But at his seconde comming hée will come to bée our iudge Hée was iudged and condemned that wée might bée deliuered from the iudgement seate of God and bée pardoned of all our sinnes Then will hée not questionlesse come in such humble sort but will come with his angels in glory And this is the meaning which Saint Paule woulde haue vs note to the ende the wicked and faithlesse might not take occasion to contemn this his last comming vnder colour the Iesus Christe once appeared as hée was man like vnto vs and was made like vnto a worme of the earth as it is saide in the Psalme and as Isaiah sayeth hée was disfigured from toppe to toe all to wounded and that for our redemption For since hee accomplished that which the iustice of God required there remayned nothing but that hee shoulde shewe himselfe in this glory which was appointed for him For wée knowe as Saint Paule sayeth That hée hath giuen him a name aboue all names Phil. 2.9 that al the Creatures in Heauen Earth and Hell should bowe vnto him that euery thing shoulde tremble at his excellent Maiestie which also the despisers of his Gospell shoulde well know to their paine though late first Thus wee see what the Apostle Saint Paul his pretense is when hee sayeth That his comming shall bee fearefull Let vs also eftsoones mark that which followeth That he shall come to appeare meruellous and to be glorified in his Saintes Now it is not for nothing that Saint Paule setteth downe this saying for what are wee that wée shoulde be able to abide the presence of the Sonne of God whenas hee shall come in flambing fier And therefore when hee shall come with an incomprehensible power Alas must not we néedes melt before him as Snowe before the Sunne and come to nothing Loe howe we shoulde bee caste downe whenas wée doe but onely heare the heauenly glory of Iesus Christe spoken of But Saint Paule sheweth vs that if wée bee of the faithfull sorte that we must not be afraide at the appearing of our Lorde Iesus Christe neither yet waxe sorowfull and melancholike at the brightnesse of his Maiestie And why so Because sayeth hée hee will bee glorified and made wonderfull in his Saintes As if he shoulde haue saide that the mention which he before made of the flambing fier and of the horror and feare was not to discourage the faithfull ones as though they desired not the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ and as though they helde not vp their heads as often as they hearde it spoken of because hée shall come to redéeme them And this is a doctrine which is very common in the holy Scriptures to wit that our Lord ioyneth these two thinges together That hee will come to be reuenged of his enimies and to deliuer his people that hee will come to saue al those that haue serued and honored him and to cast downe and confounde all those who haue hardened them selues againste him and his worde Let vs nowe then kéepe in minde that this terrible description which héere before hath béene set downe is not to make vs sorowfull and melancholike But rather to make vs ioyfull and glad whenas wée sée what loue and fauour God beareth vs. Beholde our Lorde Iesus Christe will come and that terribly And wherfore will hée do so Forsooth euen to throwe downe headlong all his enimies and to take vengeance of al the shames and afflictions which we haue abidden How so I beséech you Are wee worthie that the Sonne of God should powre out his Maiestie shewe himselfe so terribly against all his creatures for our causes No without doubt But yet will hée doe so forsomuch as he loueth vs This then is it which I haue alreadie said that we might be comforted when as we heare it saide That the Sonne of God will come so horribly and fearefully For herein he effectually sheweth the infinite loue hee beareth vs in that hee spareth not his power and Maiestie to take vengeance of all the wrongs which haue béene done to vs. Neuerthelesse we shall neuer be able to féele the sauour of it without this thing be obserued which Saint Paule namely setteth downe in this place to wit that our Lorde Iesus Christ will not come to be onely reuenged of his enemies and of all such as haue been enimies vnto his Gospel but also To bee glorified and made wonderfull in his saints and in those which haue beleeued Nowe whenas Sainte Paul did set downe this it is asmuch as if he had saide that hee would come to make vs partakers of his glory That whatsoeuer is in him worthie reuerence and honor all that I say shall be communicated vnto vs. To be short S. Paule saieth That our Lorde Iesus Christ shall not come him selfe alone and kéepe his glorie to him selfe but to the end it might be poured out vpon all the members of his bodie And for this cause we sée it is saide in the Collossians That our life lyeth nowe hid Col. 3. 3. but that it shall appeare at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ And therefore hée shall not come perticulerly for him selfe and for his owne glorie alone but rather that we might be partakers therof and not
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.
prophane the prayer which our Lord Iesus Christ deliuered vnto vs wherein hée hath commaunded vs in a short summarie whatsoeuer wée ought and is lawfull for vs to craue at the handes of God And yet this is no let why a man who is sore gréeued but that he may oftentimes returne and pray vnto God and when hee hath powred out some sighes hée may also begin againe And therefore when wee goe vnto him without ambition and for no glorious shewe and besides think not by our ouer much babbling to haue gotten any thing but are driuen by an earnest affectiō then is our perseuerāce right after the example of our Lord Iesus Christ Now this point is to bée marked of vs which wée haue touched to wit that the chiefest point of all our petitions is this to haue God so to rule ouer vs as that wée agrée with one accord to submit our selues vnto his good will And this I say is a necessary point for vs. For looke vpon our Lorde Iesus Christ although all his affections were iust holy and agréeing vnto righteousnesse yet because hee was a naturall man it was méete hee should fight against anguishe and sorrowe that might any way lay holde on him and holde him captiue vnder the obedience of GOD his father And therfore how shall wée do in whom is nothing els but wickednesse and rebellion and so corrupt as that wee are not able to apply our mindes to nothing whatsoeuer but that God is eft soones offended therewith Since then it is so let vs when wée pray vnto GOD so bridle our selues as that none of vs followe our owne lustes as wée are wonted But let vs vnderstand that wée shal haue greatly profited whenas wée can subdue them to the ende that God might haue maistrie ouer vs There is also a very notable saying Whēas our lord Iesus Christ saith vnto his Disciples Watch and pray that yee enter not into temptation for although the spirite in deede bee ready yet is the fleshe weake Hée then héere sheweth that the principallest spurre to pricke vs on to call vpon God is this That wee must fight and that our enimies are at hand and very strong we not able possibly to resist them except our aide come from aboue and that God fighteth for vs. And this wée knowe that when a man is assured of himselfe hée desireth to followe altogether his pleasures and to sléepe at his ease for wee are not willingly carefull nor studious except necessitie driueth vs thereto Surely it is an excellent thing to bée at rest and quiet But wee thinke wée shall neuer bée at rest without wee become as it were like bruite beastes And therefore it is euen so as that necessitie must driue vs to bée watchfull Wherefore it was not causelesse that our Lorde Iesus tolde vs that wée must abide many allarmes For that which hee once spake vnto his Diciples apperteineth vnto vs all in generall because wée must all our life long bee continually ready to abide many temptations For the Diuell is our perpetuall enemie if wée bée the members of our Lord Iesus Christ And therefore there will bée open warre without ende or measure Let vs also sée with what an enimie wée haue to deale withall it is not with one alone but the number of them is infinite Moreouer the Diuell hath an excéeding number of waies to cast vs downe into the bottome of Hell one while hée trippeth vs openly another while hée playeth vnder the boord and by his craft wyll sodenly bée vpon vs an hundred thousande times before wee thinke on him And if there were none other thing in it but euen the saying of Saint Paule Ephe. 6. 12. it were sufficient enough to make vs to bée carefull and to take héede for thus hée saith That our enimies are mightie which rule in the aire ouer our heads and wee héere lyke vnto poore wormes of the earth créeping below Saint Peter also vseth the like reason 1. Pet. 5.8 and saith That our enimie is like vnto a roring Lion which séeketh his play and neuer resteth And héere wée sée what wée are to obserue in that our Lord Iesus saith That wée must stande vpon our garde least wee enter into temptation Moreouer although wée bée wakefull and kéepe good watch yet can wée not bée so frée but that the Diuel will lyft him self vp against vs and assaile vs many and sundry wayes Neither can wee breake his blowes so farre of but that before wée enter into the fight wée had néed beware that wée be not tempted ouer head and cares as wée say And therefore let vs learne that although the faithfull and children of God desire to bée at rest yet must they not desire to bée heere at theyr ease but be contented to haue God to make perfect his power in their infirmitie For Saint Paule also saieth that hée must doe the like ◠Cor. 12.9 And this is say I the state and condition of all the children of GOD euen to fight in this worlde because they cannot serue God without some striuing For although they bee weake and may be letted yea euen oftentimes throwne downe 1. Iohn 5.4 let it suffice them that God helpeth them and alwayes rest vpon this promisse That our faith shall continually ouercome the worlde Neuerthelesse the remedie is set before vs which is wée must fight True it is that Satan will neuer leaue to beginne againe to assayle vs but yet Iesus Christe on the otherside commaundeth vs to watch Moreouer he sheweth that they which presume vpon their owne strengthes that Satan will an hundred thousand times sooner ouerthrowe them then that they shall get any one maistrie of him What is it then that wée must doe Forsooth wée must humbly confesse that there is nothing in vs and therfore must runne vnto our good God And thus wée sée what our true armour weap on is what it is that putteth from vs all feare and terror and what it is that must assure and resolue vs to continue safe and sounde euen vnto the ende to wit whenas we call vpon the name of god For as Solomon saith his name is an inuincible strong Tower Pro. 18. 10. and that the righteous which runneth to it shall bée exalted And that is it which is spoken by the Prophet Ioel Ioel. 2.32 That although the world were turned vpside down yet whosoeuer shal call vpon the name of the lord shal be saued Acts. 2.21 Which thing is namely applied vnto the reigne of our Lorde Iesus Christe to the ende wée might be perswaded that although our saluation were as it were wauering and wée as it were see a thousande hazardes yet that God will protect vs and wée féele his power alwayes néere vs and ready to helpe vs if so bée wée wyll séeke vnto him by prayers and supplications which is the very summe and effect of that wee are to remember Nowe that
thou that I cannot pray to my Father and he wil giue me moe then twelue legions of Angels 54 How then should the Scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must be so 55 The same houre saide Iesus to the multitude yee be come out as it were against a theefe with swordes staues to take mee I sate dayly preaching in the Temple among you and ye tooke mee not 56 But all this was done that the Scriptures of the Prophets might be fulfilled TheÌ„ all the Disciples forsooke him and fled 57 And they tooke Iesus and ledde him to Caiphas the high Prieste where the Scribes and the Elders were assembled 58 And Peter followed him a farre of vnto the high Priestes hall and went in and sate with the seruants to see the ende 59 Now the chiefe Priestes and the Elders and all the whole Councell sought false witnesse against Iesus to put him to death 60 But they founde none and though many false witnesses came yet found they none but at the last came two false witnesses 61 And said This man said I can destroy the Temple of God and build it in three dayes 62 Then the chiefe Priest arose and saide to him answerest thou nothing What is the matter that these men witnesse against thee 63 â—ut Iesus held his peace Then the chiefe Priest answered and said to him I charge thee by the liuing God that thou tell vs if thou be the Christ the Sonne of God 64 Iesus said to him thou hast saide it Neuerthelesse I say vnto you hereafter shal yee see the sonne of man sitting at the right hand of the power of God come in the cloudes of the heauen 65 Then the high Priest rent his cloathes saying Hee hath blasphemed What haue we any more neede of witnesses Behold now ye haue heard his blasphemy 66 What thinke yee They answered and said hee is worthie to dye IF we would at the first sight according to mans reason iudge of the taking of our Lorde Iesus Christ it would amaze vs to sée that hée neuer resisted For a man would thinke it became not his maiestie to suffer such shame and rebuke and not to withstand it any whit at all On the other side Peters zeale were greatly to bee commended because hée aduentured him selfe vnto death For he sée before his face the multitude of the enemies and him selfe alone man yet by reason of the loue hée beare to his maister hée drewe and desired rather to dye foorthwith then to suffer his maister to be so wronged Wherin we sée that we must verie humbly and modestly acknowledge to what ende it was why the Sonne of God did and suffered all these thinges and also vnderstand that whatsoeuer séemeth good in our eyes to be starke staring naught But wée are to beséeche God so to guide and gouerne vs as that we none otherwise iudge then accordingly as hée hath shewed vs in his worde For behold what an offence the Gospell is to a number of people and what a number of scoffers there are of it and all to their destruction By reason of their arrogant and rashe iudgement thereof Howbéeit to the ende wée might not bée deceiued wée must alwayes in the first place returne to that which our Lorde Iesus Christ setteth downe vnto vs which is the will of God his father And thus much for this point And besides wée are to consider of the ende thereof which to vs woulde séeme verie straunge Wherefore when wée looke vnto these two considerations wée shal then haue occasion to honour God and acknowledge that whatsoeuer wée thinke to bée foolishe the verie Angelles account it to be great wisedome And for the better vnderstanding hereof let vs looke vnto that which is here recyted of Peter For thus it is said That when hee had drawne his Swoorde hee cut off Malchus eare a seruaunt of Caiphas Héere wée sée howe foole hardie wée are when we follow our own opinion are so blinded as that we care not what we do But when we should obey God we are so slacke as is lamentable in such sort forget our selues as that the least thing in the worlde maketh vs to chaunge our copie And thus we sée we shal haue alwaies an hundreth times more mynde to follow our fond imaginations then to doe the thing which God coÌ„mandeth vs which our calling beareth vs in We see this ouer much in the example of Peter For as after shal be shewed wheÌ„ he was to coÌ„fesse our Lord Iesus Christ hee sweare to his owne destructioÌ„ yet was he coÌ„teÌ„ted to adueÌ„ture his life wheÌ„ as he had no such coÌ„mandement Nowe what was the cause that made him to drawe Surely he did it as it were in a furie For his Maister taught him not to doe any such thing And wheÌ„ he forsooke his maister knew he not before this saying Whosoeuer shall deny me before men I will denie him before my father which is in heauen Mat. 10.33 But he was as I haue before said cockbrayned this fond desire which he had to defend our Lord Iesus after his maner caried him away Let vs therefore after his example learne to endeuour our selues to walke whither soeuer God calleth vs and not to thinke it any hard matter to do which he coÌ„mandeth neither let vs attempt any thing no not so much as the wagging of our litle finger except God allow of it and that we haue a testimonie that he guideth vs. And thus much for this point And in very déede our Lorde Iesus sheweth him that he hath grieuously offended because he was not ignoraunt of this poynt of the lawe which sayeth that whosoeuer sheddeth mans blood his blood shall be shed agayne And therefore Sainte Peter was to haue kepte this lesson in mind That God would not haue anie force nor violeÌ„ce vsed Gen. 9.6 And that which is more in what Schoole was hee brought vp by the space of thrée yéeres And besides did not our Lorde Iesus put him in mind as much as was possible to behaue himselfe gently graciously From whence then should he fetch any allowance of this his rashe dealing Wherefore wée haue so much the rather to obserue that which wée haue already spoken to wit that if wée fetche our zeale from men bée flattered well like off yet will GOD condemne vs if wée transgresse his commaundement neuer so little And therefore wée shal neuer bée saide to bée prayse worthy except we walke as God teacheth vs by his word For so soone as we passe this measure all our vertues stinke and become abhominable Loe then what becommeth of all our deuotions For when soeuer we shall haue trauailed neuer so much to do the thing which seemeth good in our owne braines God wyll vtterly condemne it without it be squared by his word For he alloweth not nor accompteth any thing to be lawful in truth but his very word But as for the
history which we are now in hād with the secōd reasō is much more to be cōsidered of For the matter which we haue already touched is general but this saing properly belōgeth vnto the death and passiō of our Lord Iesus Christ when hée saieth Thinkest thou that I cannot pray to my father and he will giue me more then twelue legions of Angels Now a legion in those dayes was woont to be four or fiue thousand men And therfore saith hée sée what an heauenly army I am able to haue and yet am I contented to put all this quietlye vp why then comest thou to take vpon thée héere more then God would haue thée to doo or can abide thou shouldest doo Now it is very lawfull for vs to call vpon God and to beséeche him to defend our lyfe and as he accompteth it to be precious euen so must we desyre him that it would please him also to kéepe and preserue it But our Lord Iesus telleth hym that hee woulde nor ought not now to doo it And wherefore then woulde Peter vse violence contrary to that order which God hath permitted and established by his worde If a meane which of it selfe is lawfull ought not to be practised what shall become of that whiche God hath forbidden and declared to be punishable We then héere sée as I haue already said that the sonne of God submitted him selfe to all rebuke and shame and desired rather to be bound and fast manacled as a malefactor and a condemned person then to be made a lyer by any myracle and would haue god to stretch forth his arme to warrant him And héereby wee may vnderstande how greatly he estéemed of our saluation Howbeit héere is one point which I haue already noted to wit that he sendeth vs back to the will purpose of God his father For wtout this also it shuld séeme strange that he would not craue the aid which he right wel knew he might haue it should séeme he tempted God whenas he would not pray for it For we are promised that the Angels shall be round about them which feare God yea shal beare them in their handes Psal 34.7 Psal 91.11 that they shal not hurt them selues against a stone no euill shal come to them in their waies now when God promiseth vs any thing he would that the same should put vs in minde to praye vnto him for it And therefore as often as we are in néede our recourse must be vnto him that he might place his Angels to guide vs euery one according to his roome and office And this order we sée the holy Patriarks Fathers practised For thus said Abraham the Angel of the Lorde who neuer fayled mée Gen. 24.7 shal be in thy way with thée make thy iourney prosperous This order thē vsed the holy fathers Wherefore then would our Lord Iesus Christ haue the Angels to help him Luk. 22.43 For bicause as S. Luke reciteth he was therevpon before comforted and the Angels serued him to the ende to mittigate the anguish wherein he was Why it should séeme then that he contemned the necessary ayde of God no not so but he respected that which afterwarde he saide How shoulde the scriptures be fulfilled c. As if he should haue saide that if we doubted of any thing we might and ought then to beséeche the Lorde to looke vpon vs with his eye of mercy and compassion so make vs by all meanes possible to féele his power and vertue But when we are resolued that of necessitie it must be so and know the will of God to be such then must we none otherwise beséech hym but to fortify vs with an inuincible and constant power neuer to gaine say it nor yet be carried away with our affections but wholye goe with chearefull courage and countenaunce whether soeuer it pleaseth him to call vs. As for example if our enimies persecute vs and we know not how God hath determined to deale with vs nor what wyll be our ende we are to beséeche him that as our life is deare vnto him and hath taken it to kéepe that he would also shew our delyueraunce by the effect And when we are persuaded that God meaneth to call vs vnto him selfe we must leaue of all kinde of questining and fully resolue our selues to obey his maiesties vnchangeable decrée and ordenaunce And thus we sée the meaninge of our Lord Iesus Christ For he prayed all his lyfe long yea before he entred into the mighty combat which he abode he besought his heauenly Father that if it were possible that that cup might pas ouer him But hee by by concluded that since God his father had so ordeyned it say that he must discharge that charge which was cōmitted vnto him which was to offer vp an euerlastīg sacrifice to blot out y◠sins of the world when he sée him selfe to be called thereto that it was a resolute conclusiō set down the same I say was the very cause why he absteyned from praying to God for the contrary And therfore he would not that eyther Angels or yet men shoulde helpe him nor yet to haue God his father cause him to féele his power for his deliuerance from death but it sufficed him that hee had this spirite of constancie willingly to goe to doe his office Loe héere the full content and meaning hereof We nowe sée in the first place that the will of GOD must so stay and bridle vs as that when wee thinke thinges to be farre vnlike and against al reason to estéeme more of the ordinance of God then of any thing that our fond and vayne brayne can comprehend Wherefore we must throw our imaginatiōs cleane vnder the féet whē we perceiue that God hath otherwise prouided And this is one péece of the obediēce of our faith whē we thinke God to be so wise as that he hath power authority to doe whatsoeuer pleaseth him And although wee can make reasons to the contrary let vs wel vnderstand that they are but smoke vanity that God knoweth al things frō whō no secretes are hid yea and his wil to be the rule of al wisedome and righteousnesse And besides whatsoeuer our mind saith to the contrary it is by reason of our grosse vnderstanding for we know that the wisedome of God is infinite and scarcely haue wée thrée drammes of wit It is there fore no maruell though men grow wilde and sauage whē God ruleth thē not as they would thēselues And why so Forsooth bicause we are very ydiots And in very déede so long as our wit and reason beare any rule it is euen very beastly Wherefore because we cannot finde out the bottomlesse depth of Gods iudgementes let vs learne to honour that which is kept secrete from vs Let vs I say humbly reuerently honour it and say that whatsoeuer God doth is iust and right though we cannot
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