forth from the father And Paul Phil. 2. He tooke vppon him the shape of a seruant Who God Also Iohn 17. he saith Glorifie thou me ô Father with the glorie and honour which I had with thee afore the world was created And 1. Iohn 5. Wee knowe that the Sonne of God is come and hath giuen vs vnderstanding to knowe him who is the true God And we are in him that is true euen in his Son Iesus Christ the same is the true God and the eternall lâ—fe Seeing then that God hath giuen vs his Sonne to bee our righteousnes our sanctification sauiour redeemer raunsome life light and head to beleeue trust in him and finally by him to be saued hee must needs then be the true liuing God els might not neither should our hart trust nor cleaue vnto him This ought a beleeuing heart fully and well to take holde of and steadfastly to stand therevpon IF ye loue me keepe my commaundements and I will pray the father and hee shall giue you another comforter that hee may bide with you for euer euen the spirite of truth whom the world cannot receiue because the world seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shalbe in you I will not leaue you comfortlesse but will come to you Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me for I liue and yee shall liue That daie shall ye know that I am in my father and you in me and I in you He that hath my commaundements and keepeth them the same is he that loueth me and he that loueth me shall be loued of my father and I will loue him and will shewe mine owne selfe vnto him Iudas said vnto him not Iudas Iscarioth Lorde what is the cause that thou wilt shewe thy selfe vnto vs and not vnto the worlde Iesus answered and said vnto him if a man loue me he will keepe my sayings and my Father will loue him and wee wil come vnto him and wil dwell with him He that loueth me not keepeth not my sayings and the wordes which yee heare are not mine but the Fathers which hath sent me Doctrine and fruite CHrist promiseth his Disciples that is such as beleeue on him that he will giue them whatsoeuer they make peticion for or desire yea if they loue him For faith without loue is dead hath no strength Where there is faith in man there followeth loue Many of vs say Wee beleeue in Christ and we loue him yet we keepe not his commaundements Such men ought well to note the wordes that Christ heere speaketh Who so loueth me keepeth my commaundements The Disciples thought that they loued Christ right because they were sorie for his departing but Christ teacheth vs that loue consisteth in the keeping of his commaundements If we will declare our loue towardes GOD it must not be done onely with word and tongue but with keeping of his precepts The eies of the Lord behold the righteous and his eares consider their prayers God will not that we whome hee through his grace hath admitted for his own children and purified through faith should goe idle Faith which God giueth vs in our heart standeth not idle wee haue for this purpose receyued it euen to keep his commandements Now is it his commaundement that wee denie and mortifie our selues hate and despise the worlde take vp our crosse vppon vs and followe him stoutly and manfully confessing and acknowledging him before the wicked worlde louing one another as hee hath loued vs innocently and godly leading our liues whereby we may daily receiue the more giftes at his hande For if wee keepe not his grace that hee giueth vs if wee do not continually and daily reforme our selues and with all diligence fashion our liues after his life it is but right that we loose againe what wee haue receiued And if anie man saith it were vnpossible for man to keepe Gods commaundementes as it is true indeed yet vnto vs that beleeue in Christ are all things possible not in our selues but in Christ our head If we abide in him through faith then hard and vnpossible things are light and possible vnto vs for in him that strengtheneth vs we may do all thinges And if wee loue God then for his sake that is beloued wee may doe and suffer all thinges for there is nothing but loue ouercommeth it Our Lorde Iesus Christ fulfilleth the commaundements and will of his heauenly Father So farre as wee now are his members incorporated with him and abiding in him as our head through faith our daily exercise feruentnes and diligence shall bee in vndertaking to perfourme and keepe his commaundementes And if wee out of a true beleefe doe applie such diligence to keepe his preceptes then mâ— it be perceiued that we loue God And if that after such diligence in keeping Gods commandements there be ought lacking as we shal euer heere want some thing wee must crie vnto our heauenly Father and pray O Father forgiue vs our debts and trespasses And then haue wee with him a faithfull mediatour euen Iesus Christ the righteous who maketh intercession for vs and taketh our faults vpon himselfe what wee are not not able that fulfilleth he for vs. Thus is it his first highest coÌ„maundement which he earnestly requireth of vs that wee beleue in him Where the same faith is right it brings with it loue which keepeth al the commandements Now when we begin to breake our mindes off from earthie worldly thinges and to set them vpon godlie heauenly things which Christ calleth vs vnto Then take we in hande to bee obedient vnto God the Father after the example and patterne of Christ for he loued vs first If wee now also loue him and practise our selues in his loue then shall hee helpe vs to keepe his commaundements And to the intent that we may be able to put our trust in him to loue him and to obserue his precepts hee promiseth vs his holy spirite to worke all such things in vs. Hee comforteth also his Disciples and all his elect in this world as if he would say Be not yee afraide neither sorrowfull by reason of my departing Albeit I now die and goe corporally from you vnto the Father yet will I alwaies haue a fatherly loue faithfulnesse and care for you neither will I leaue you friendles as those that are vtterly destitute of al helpe and consolation I will pray vnto the Father so that hee shall sende you another to succour and comfort you While I haue been with you my selfe I haue instructed and taught you in all thinges that were necessary for your welfare Vnto all such workes as are acceptable vnto my father haue I exhorted you vnto all good thinges haue I moued you from all euill haue I defended you in all trouble and aduersitie haue I comforted you I haue beene your teacher your exhorter your
ought wee to bring them foorth vnto his honour must they extend Matth. 5.28 For when Gods light doth appeare and shine in our conuersation many folkes thereby are drawn vnto God The father of heauen is honoured his name is hallowed and then are we his disciples For wee haue learned of him howe Christ was obedient vnto the father and sought his glorie in all things so do we likewise Heereunto ought all our praiers to extend that we may bring and winne much vnto Christ Therein is the father praised whē we bring vnto him much fruit but that might wee not if God had giuen vs his sonne that wee might bee his branches and hee our vine Where faith is there is the holy Ghost which teacheth to wishe and praie for that onely which may serue to Gods honour and that is the cause why he that prayeth obtayneth all his desire for GOD may not giue ouer his glorie Who so vndertaketh to further that him doeth hee assist and helpe AS the Father hath loued mee so haue I loued you Continue ye in my loue If ye keep my commandements ye shall abide in my loue as I haue kept my fathers commaundementes and abide in his loue These things haue I spoken vnto you that my ioy might remaine in you and that your ioy might be full This is my commandement that yee loue together as I haue loued you Greater loue than this hath no man that a man bestowe his life for his friendes Yee are my friendes if yee doo whatsoeuer I commaund you Henceforth call I you not seruauntes for the seruant knoweth not what his Lord doth But you haue I called friends for all things that I haue heard of my father haue I opened vnto you Yee haue not chosen mee but I haue chosen you and ordained you that ye goe and bring forth fruit and that your fruit remain that whatsoeuer ye ask of the father in my name he may giue it you This command I you that ye loue together one another Doctrine and fruit OH how excellent great consolation is this to vs all which beleeue in Iesus Christ and are vndoubtedly assured in ourselues that Christ loueth vs as his owne children and disciples howsoeuer the world iudge vs to be forsaken of him If this loue came right into our heart oh how earnest and feruent should we be to loue him agayne to further his honour to keepe his commaundementes and in charitable loue to serue our neighbors Then should all good workes and keeping of Gods commaundements flowe out of faith namely when we beleeue that God is fauourable and louing vnto vs yea that he is our father and our sonne Iesus Christ our king head and brother This faith worketh through loue for wee coulde not loue God if hee had not loued vs first His grace loue and mercie preuenteth vs. Therefore doth Christ euer still set forth his loue before vs as a light torch to kindle vs in loue towardes him and our neighbours If wee beleeue this grace committing vs cheerfully vnto his loue which he hath declared cōtinually doth practise towards vs if we still abide therein then shall this faith vpon the loue of God worke great things in vs and by vs and shall moue vs with good will gladly and cheerefullie to obserue his commaundements And if wee keepe his commaundements euerie man shall haue an assured token that wee bee and continue in the loue of God that is that we keepe our selues vnto his loue Seeing then that hee loueth vs exceeding much and we finding the same in our hearts through faith doe comfort our selues thereupon there must needs followe loue to our neighbours ioye peace softnesse of minde gentlenes patience c. Gal. 5. Now that Christ doth not slenderly but most notably loue his Disciple and all in them hee proueth it himselfe diuerse waies First in that hee giueth his life for vs and dyeth for vs vpon the Crosse for greater loue hath no man than to dye for his friend Thus Christ with his death and blood sealeth his loue towards vs. Secondly in that hee counteth and esteemeth vs not as seruants but as deare friendes bretheren and heires with him And the same declareth hee in this that all things which hee hath heard of his father and suckt out of that fatherly heart he openeth them vnto vs and writeth the same through his holy spirit in our hearts All his secret his godly will he giueth vs to vnderstād For we which be in Christ do know through an vndoubted faith feele it also in our hearts that God is our father through Christ that in him he hath admitted chosen vs that he is reconciled with vs through the bloud of his deare Sonne that he loueth preserueth and defendeth vs. Therefore doe wee also paciently and chearefully beare all aduersitie in this time for his sake considering wee knowe that so is the good pleasure of our dearest Father Thirdly Christ declareth his excellent loue towards vs in that he did chuse vs afore the world was created loued vs when we were yet his enemies calling vs by his worde and appointing vs to bring forth fruit vnto him Fourthly in that we obtaine at the fathers hand all that we pray and desire in the name of Iesu Are not these sure tokens of an exceeding loue of God towards vs After that we once haue perceiued such loue ô that we alwayes remained therein Which commeth to passe when wee applie ourselues vnto his commaundements and when wee in obedience and patience are content to bee at his will as hee for our sake was obedient vnto his Father euen vntill the death of the crosse Now that wee might knowe what his commandements be he concludeth them in a short summe and saith Loue yee one another together as I haue loued you As if he would say seeing I haue declared my loue so worthily so notably and with so great faithfulnesse towardes you that I haue nor refused to die for you therefore is it my will and so is it reason also that yee likewise shewe such loue one towards another for I haue giuen you example afore that ye should do as I haue done and follow my foot-steppes This shall not onely bee very seemely vnto you but much profite also and greate honour shall it bring you For like as my Father as yee shall shortlie see shall after my passion bring mee vnto glorie so shall hee also doe vnto you so farre as yee endure stedfast in aduersitie and continue in loue one towards another Like as I with great trauaile and labour haue shewed you the way and will of GOD my Father and therefore goe nowe vnto death to make you liuing so ought yee also to bee minded one towardes another Looke that yee serue one another in loue lead all men vnto God and the grace of God which he giueth vnto
atturney your aduocate mediatour so that ye haue lacked nothing neither hath any man hurt you Seeing now I haue hitherto neuer failed you I wil also from henceforth not forsake you but pray vnto my Father who shall sende vnto you the holy Ghost The same shall perfectly bring to your remembrance and be your teacher in al that I haue shewed you hee shall exhort and admonish you aide succour and comfort you so that yee shall not be without consolation He shall be your tutour and defender neither shall he be with you onely for a time as I haue beene but euen in your heartes shall he dwell with you and neuer depart from you Of this helper comforter teacher and tutor shall yee also haue neede for great trouble and persecution shall the world moue against you To ouercom the same is your flesh too feeble therefore will I send you downe from heauen a power whereby in all aduersitie ye may be able to stand fast and to haue the victorie O the vnspeakeable loue of our Lord Iesu Christ who taketh such diligent care for vs and endueth vs with so excellent a gift namely his owne holy spirite With what modestie and sobernesse with how pure and honest behauiour ought wee to walke seeing that God hath into our hartes giuen his holy spirite who vtterly abhorreth and loatheth all vice and all filthines of sinne Great diligence ought we therfore to applie in keeping cleane and vndefiled our bodies and soules which God through his holy spirite hath purified and consecrated to bee his owne dwelling place and temple least we expell the chast spirite of God For in no froward soule abideth hee neither dwelleth hee in that bodie which maketh it selfe slaue and thrall vnto sin The eares of our minde ought we to open and to harken whereof this spirite admonisheth vs and what doctrine hee in our Sauiours words doth teach vs and his motion ought we to followe Afraid ought we not to be he that is in vs is stronger than all our enemies This spirite hath Christ by his prayer and merites obtained of his Father for hee prayed with weeping and teares and was heard for his worthines sake He is called also the spirite of trueth because hee proceedeth of the truth teacheth the trueth and maketh vs true we are else of our owne nature altogether lyers inconstant vntrue and dissembling hypocrites and whatsoeuer the world speaketh doth it is nothing but vanitie and lyes Blessed therefore are they vnto whom God giueth the high gift of his trueth The world that is to say fleshly men and children of the world receiue not this spirite for they despise the word of Christ and laugh it to scorne Therefore God sheweth not himselfe vnto them for they loue him not which thing they declare in that they refuse his word But who so receiueth his word sheweth thereby that he loueth Christ and God him wil God loue againe and open himselfe euer more and more vnto him This is a high reward which God giueth vnto his louers that hee commeth vnto them maketh his dwelling and abideth alwaie with them working all good things in them and by them Therfore ought wee earnestly to heare his worde to loue him and to keepe his commandements And so euen the same his owne spirit which hee gaue vs at the beginning shall hee still graunt vnto vs more perfectly from time to time Thus shall that spirite poure out loue in our harts and indue them with more perfeâ—tion The loue of the world which is not of God the Father shall this spirit roote out and daily consume but the loue of God it shall continually plant and increase The more loue there is the more groweth the knowledge of God yea the more Gods knowledge increaseth the more feruent perfect is loue Grant vs ô gratious Father thy holy spirit to take possession of our heart that it may onely trust in thee loue thee aboue all things keepe thy commandements cleaue still vnto thee for euermore Amen THese things haue I spoken vnto you beeing yet present with you But that comfort which is the holie Ghost whom my father will send in my name he shal teach you all thinges and bring all thinges to your remembrance whatsoeuer I haue taught you Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you Let not your hart be troubled neither feare Ye haue heard that I said vnto you I go and come vnto you If ye loued me ye would verely reioice because I said I go vnto the father for the father is greater than I. And now haue I shewed you before it come that when it is come to passe ye might beleeue Hereafter will I not talke many words with you for the ruler of this worlde commeth and hath naught in me But that the world may knowe that I loue the father as the father gaue me commaundement euen so doâ— I. Arise let vs go hence Doctrine and fruite THe Lord Iesus continueth his Oration in comforting his Disciples and in telling them what the office of the holy Ghost should be Whereby we learne that all reading and hearing yea and al doctrine bringeth vtterly no fruite if the holy Ghost do not giue vs vnderstanding and teach vs the word of God For the Disciples were ignorant and forgetfull Many thinges that Christ had tolde them they vnderstood not many thinges had they forgotten in many thinges they doubted Such like happen also vnto vs therefore ought wee at all times to pray vnto God that he will send vs his holy spirite to admonish and prouoke vs to comfort and strengthen vs to instruct and teach vs all thinges that are necessarie for vs to saluation Hee is the right heauenly schoolemaister when hee commeth into vs hee expelleth all ignorance away But forasmuch as there remaineth much trouble and aduersitie vnto all faithfull beleeuers while they liue in this time Christ doth therefore promise them his peace against the turmoyling vnquietnes and trouble of this world In the world are many hurley burlyes and aduersities In Christ we find true peace and quietnesse And Christ vnto those that are his giueth such a peace as surmounteth all vnderstanding in the which peace they beeing coupled and knitte are able valiauntly to ouercome all enemies and aduersitie For in as much as they knowe and be vndoubtedly assured through faith that their sins are forgiuen and taken awaie by Christ that the father of heauen is fauorable and gracious vnto them that they be his owne children and inheritours they doe little passe what thing outwardly happeneth vnto them All aduersitie and trouble that outwardlie is layde vpon them is through the inward ioy and peace which they haue in God cleane swallowed vp and so forgotten They settle and staie their harts vppon saluation and eternall peace The peace of the world seeketh quietnesse rest of the bodie throweth awaie the crosse
flieth from it The peace of Christ reioyceth in the middest of aduersitie and ouercommeth the crosse For faithful beleeuers looke vnto Christ who went before them vnto the father and after his passion and death tooke possession of so high honor and glorie and hath carryed theyr nature vp so high vnto the right hande of the father where hee now ruleth as a mightie king of heauen and earth Oh how great comfort how sure a hope giueth it vnto vs when wee see our owne nature our owne flesh and bones incorporated vnto Christ the onely begotten sonne and eternall word of God in so high honor and glorie how can it be otherwise but wee must needes hope that our weake flesh also shall be taken vp Looke what is past in the head the same shall assuredly be fulfilled in the members for without the members cannot the head be Which thing considered and through true beleefe printed in the heart maketh a man patient and cheerefull in all aduersity giueth peace and ioy in all trouble Let the Prince of this world through his ministers and members stirre vp all vexation against vs yet hath he no vauntage of vs if wee bee in Christ Easily might he finde somewhat in our selues but in Christ nothing such innocencie dooth Christ make vs partakers of Tempt vs he may and thrust at vs but to ouercome vs hee is not able so farre as we abide in Christ In vs is death a punishment of sinne in Christ it is obedience and loue For seeing the father loueth the sonne and of verie loue gaue him vnto death for vs the son would of loue obey the father and as hee also loued vs so would he willingly and obediently suffer death for vs that all the worlde might see his obedience and that wee might learne of him to obey our heauenly Father euen vnto the death and faithfully folow his precept and that likewise whereas it toucheth his glorie we should be afraide neither of aduersitie nor death considering howe obediently hee dyed for our sakes I Am a true Vine and my Father is an husband-man Euerie braunch that bringeth not fruite in mee hee taketh awaie and euerie braunch that beareth fruite hee purgeth that it may bring foorth more fruit Now are yee cleare through the wordes which I haue spoken vnto you Abide in mee and I in you As the branch cannot beare 〈…〉 of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can yee except 〈◊〉 abide in mee I am the vine yee are the braunches He that abideth in mee and I in him the same bringeth foorth 〈◊〉 fruite for without mee can yee doo nothing If a man bide not in mee he is cast forth as a branch and withered and men gather them and east them into the fire and they burne If yee abide in mee and my words also in you aske what yee will and it shall bee done vnto you Herein is my Father glorified that ye beare much fruit and become my disciples Doctrine and fruite VNder this fayre similitude doeth Christ teach his Church that without him wee can do nothing but in him all things Now forasmuch as hee through his grace hath incorporated vs vnto himselfe wee ought with great diligence to apply our selues that we may abide in him and beare fruit For as long as wee are in him wee liue that is we receiue liuely vertue and sappe of him namely his spirite For who so cleaueth vnto the Lorde and is incorporated vnto him through faith the same is become one spirit with him the first Epistle to the Corinthians and the sixt Chapter For heereby knowe wee that wee are in him and hee in vs in that hee hath giuen vs of his spirit the first of Iohn and fourth Chapter For why the vineyard the branches are of one nature and kinde Thus the onely begotten sonne of GOD tooke our nature vppon him is become man and giueth vs of his spirite and maketh vs to be of a godly mind and spiritual nature Out of the same pith and sap doe all manner of godly vertues and good workes breake forth Gal. 5. Psal 85. For through his grace are we his operation and worke in Christ Iesu created vnto good workes wherein we are bound to walke And seeing we haue receiued Iesus Christ of God the father we ought to walke in him that in him we may be well rooted and stand fast But heereby knowe we that we are in him if we walke as he hath walked For who so saith that he abideth in him then euen as hee walked so must wee doe 1. Iohn 2. But if we woulde saie that wee were in him and had fellowshippe with him and yet would walke in darknesse seeing hee is the light wherein is found no darknesse at all then were wee lyars and went not about with the truth But if wee walke in light as he is light we children of light then haue we fellowship and companie with him the bloud of Christ purgeth vs from all sinne 1. Iohn 1. In Christ Iesu may no man be idle and without fruit 2. Thes 3. who so now is vnthankful to the grace of God doth not practise himselfe in good works to Gods glorie the same is cut off and as an vnfruitfull drie branch throwen into the fire burnt Faith grafteth vs into Christ Loue declareth that wee are planted in it knitteth the members with the head Where the spirite of Christ followeth from the head into the members from the stock into the branches there are fruites of the spirite for by the fruit is the tree knowen Christ through his worde and spirit hath pacified vs that is he hath called and separated vs from the world and from the filthines of the flesh vnto good workes And into his owne seruice and schoole of godly nurtor hath hee admitted vs and written vp our names He hath begonne to purge and clense vs from carnall lustes and from all vncleannes of the world accepting vs into the number of those that dye from the world and that now from hence forth will liue vnto him and bring forth fruite But that is not enough we must also obediently waite vpon the grace that hee hath placed vs in applying our diligence watching and praying that from so high a vocation from so excellent grace and honour wee fall not away againe 1. Cor. 10. It is not enough to haue begonne there must be a stedfast continuance Hee that forsaketh the head againe hath neither spirit nor vertue for without him wee are able to doe nothing Therefore through faith and loue ought wee to abide in him hauing respect vnto him in all thinges so shall wee bring forth much fruite vnto him Then abyde wee in him when wee doe that hee commaundeth vs and loue that which hee promiseth vs. Howbeit these fruites that wee bring forth are not ours but the fathers to him
to thinke that thou knowest God the highest goodnes of all if thou hadst not him by whom thou art deliuered from sin and eternall plague Whereas GOD the originall of all goodnesse is knowne and our minde through Christ his Sonne assured of his grace namely that hee is fauourable vnto vs and that hee therefore hath seperated vs out of the world to the intent that by his spirit he might make vs like vnto his sonne righteous and blessed there doth there spring in our hartes a comfortable trust vnto God a loue such ioy as nothing in this world may be compared vnto There also doth arise in vs a diligence to keepe his commandements godly and innocently to liue Thus commeth our health originally out of the grace mercie of our heauenly Father who afore the worlde was created did chuse vs in Christ Iesu his Sonne vnto eternall life and in the booke of life wrote vp our names After the same did the Father graunt vnto vs the Sonne gaue him power ouer all men Nowe that wee are giuen vnto Christ hee openeth vnto vs the name of his Father through the outward worde and through his spirite in the heart When wee beleeue in him which to do cōmeth also of him then increaseth the knowledge of God in vs. Out of that knowledge groweth an assured confidence in God the highest good Of this assured trust commeth loue towards him And when God graunteth vs all this he saueth vs and giueth vs eternall life This is an high worthines and honour of Christ in that the father giueth him all things into his hand that he may giue euerlasting life vnto faithful beleeuers No man can haue life but throgh Christ Who so beleeueth not in Christ remaineth in death and the wrath of God-abideth vppon him But then giueth hee vs eternall life when we receiue his worde and knowe that he came out from God and that the father sent him the Sauiour of the world And when wee thus are become faithfull beleeuers then keepe we his commaundementes for faith studieth and is diligent to please God This honour and dignitie of Christ his power and kingdome are first opened vnto the world after his death and crosse in the resurrection and ascension Of the which honour and glorie wee also in due time shall after our measure bee partakers if we suffer with him For the high Priest who hath prayed for vs is heard of the Father and glorified with eternall honor and glorie Wherefore we may not doubt in the remnant that he praieth for still on our behalfe hee shal be and is for his worthines sake heard and hath his request Of this wee will consider more I Pray for them and pray not for the worlde but for them whome thou hast giuen me for they are thine and al mine are thine and thine are mine I am glorified in them And nowe am I no more in the world but they are in the world and I come to the holy father keep them in thy name whome thou hast giuen me that they may be one as we are When I was with thē in the world I kept them in thy name Those that thou gauest mee haue I kept and none of them is lost but the lost childe that the Scripture might be fulfilled Now come I to thee and these wordes speake I in the world that they might haue my ioy full in them I haue giuen them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world euen as I am not of the worlde I desire not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou keepe them from euill They are not of the world as I am not of the world Sanctifie them with thy truth thy saying is truth As thou sentest mee into the world so haue I sent them into the worlde and for their sakes I sanctifie my selfe that they also might be sanctified through the truth I pray not for them alone but for those also which shall beleeue on mee through their preaching that they all may bee one as thou Father art in me and I in thee and that they may bee also one in vs that the worlde may beleeue that thou hast sent me And the glorie that thou gauest mee haue I giuen them that they may be one as we are one I in them thou in me that they may bee made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as thou hast loued me Doctrine and fruite THIS praier of our high Priest and mediatour Christ Iesus is feruent earnest full of the fire of godly loue ful of great secrets and spirituall instructions Herein may we learne to know what hie honor dignitie and power Christ by his obedience and patience hath obtained with his father wherein consisteth our peace ioy welfare What care and loue Christ beareth towardes those that are his and how he committeth them vnto his father First hee praieth for his Disciples whome hee did choose to publish his truth afterward praieth he for all such as should come to the faith by their preaching vntil the worldes end And for asmuch as the Disciples had a great waightie matter in hand full of danger and aduersitie for they must needs procure to themselues great hatred of the world hee first praieth for them that the Father will strengthen comfort and preserue them thorow his power defend them from all euill In this are we taught diligently chiefly and specially to pray for those vnto whome is committed the preaching of the Gospell for a chargeable and great worke carry they vppon their shoulders by meanes whereof among all others they haue speciall neede of the grace helpe assistance of God But our prayer ought we to frame as Christ hath framed his First we must in our praier to God make speciall mention of his owne grace and mercie whereby hee chusing them to such an office hath giuen them vnto Christ his sonne Forasmuch then as they are the Ministers of him and of his Sonne and seeing the Sonne is so deare worthie beloued vnto the Father our prayer must bee that hee for his Sonnes sake will defende and preserue them as in him and by him they are worthie Secondly considering that for his sake and his word which they declare they are persecuted of the worlde it is requisite that God preserue them in his owne worke For great need haue they of his fatherly protection while they yet liue in the weake feeble flesh and are mortall men Thirdly their office serueth to many mens health and welfare their office is necessary and profitable to the whole world which walketh in blindnesse and darknes for they are the light of the world that thorough doctrine and liuing must shine to manie mens life which without the assistance and helpe of God cannot come passe Thus ought wee to praye for
and heartely desired to eat this Passah with you afore I suffer For I say vnto you that now from hence forth I will not eat of it till it bee fulfilled in the kingdome of God Now as they did eat Iesus tooke the bread gaue thankes and brake it gaue it to his Disciples and said Take eat this is my bodie which shalbe betraied and deliuered for you doe this in remembraunce of mee Likewise also when they had eaten hee tooke the cuppe rendered thankes and gaue vnto them saying Take and diuide among you and drinke ye all thereof This is my bloud of the new Testament which is shed for you and for many to the forgiuenesse of sinnes I say vnto you that from henceforth I shall not drinke of the fruite of the vine vntill the day that I shall drinke it new with you in the kingdome of my Father And they all dranke therof Now followeth the doctrine and meditation HEre should we children of beleefe diligently ponder and consider what Christ hath done for our sakes namely that hee when hee had fulfilled his ministration committed to him of the father and nowe would offer vp himselfe vpon the crosse for the sinnes of the world and with his owne death deliuer mankind froÌ„ the captiuity of Satan and from eternall death declared how he loued his owne vntill the end and with what desire he longed to eate the Easter lambe with his disciples before hee suffered Giuing them thereby to vnderstand that he was the true pascal lambe which being slaine for vs shuld take awaie the sinnes of the world that the figures of the olde Testament might bee reduced into the truth That like as the Iews to whom with a prescribed ordinaunce it was commaunded yeerely to eate the Easter lambe did the same for a memoriall of their deliuerance out of Aegypt So we beleeuers also might in the new Testament haue a remembrance and exercise of the gracious redemption whereas we by his death are deliuered from the power of darknes of the deuil of sinne brought to eternall life And to the intent now that the remembrance of such excellent benefits grace and merites of the passion of Christ might euer be fresh and new with his disciples and all beleeuers our Lorde Iesus Christ when he now would go vnto death and paie the ransome for the sinnes of all the world he then did eate the Easter lambe with his Disciples to finish the shadowe of the olde Testament and that he might bee remembred thereby he instituted the bread wine for a sacrament and memoriall of his hoâ—ie body and bloud Seeing then that wee are cleansed deliuered and redeemed with so deare worthie a treasure namely with the pretious bloud of Iesus Christ the vndefiled lambe wee ought neuer to forget such an high benefite but at all times with thankfulnes to remember that Christ our Paschall lambe was slayne and offered vp for vs vpon the crosse that we from hence forth should walke in purenesse singlenes and innocencie of life and that when wee in the Supper by true faith do eate his bodie and drinke his bloud we might through him be so strengthened and fedde to eternall life as to abide and liue in him for euer For he is the bread of life that came downe from heauen to nourish and strengthen our weake and hungrie soules yea to make vs dead to liue againe But then eate we his flesh and then drinke we his bloud when wee through true beleefe do ponder consider what hee hath doone and suffered for our sakes then are we partakers of his supper feast wheÌ„ we for his sake do liue as he did for his Fathers sake He gaue himselfe whole vnto vs so ought we to giue our selues whole vnto him and to our neighbour To him through beleefe to our neighbour through charitable loue Through faith we abide in him by working loue hee abideth in vs. The more wee loue the more enioy we of this meate the more wee beleeue the more we loue In this shall all men knowe that we are his Disciples if we loue one another God is loue and hee that abideth in loue abideth in God God in him What greater loue can there be than to giue his owne life for vs The death of Christ ought neuer to come out of our heartes that wee may doe and suffer all thinges for his sake that dyed for vs. The second part WHen supper was ended after that the deuil had put in the heart of Iudas Iscarioth Simons son to betray him Iesus knowing that the father had giuen all things into his hands that he was come froÌ„ God went to God he rose from Supper and laid aside his vpper garments took a towel girt himselfe After that poured he water into a Bason and began to wash his Disciples feet and to wipe them with the towell wherewith he was girt Then came hee to Simon Peter and Peter said vnto him Lord dost thou wash my feet Iesus answered and said vnto him what I doe thou knowest not now but thou shalt know heereafter Peter said vnto him thou shalt neuer wash my feet Iesus answered him If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me Simon Peter said vnto him Lord not my feet onely but also my hands and my head Iesus said vnto him Hee that is washed needeth not saue to wash his feete but is cleane euery whit and ye are cleane but not all for hee knew who should betray him therefore said he ye are not al clean So after he had washed their feete and receiued his clothes and was set downe he said vnto them againe wâ—t you what I haue done to you Ye call me maister and Lord and ye say well for so I am If I then your Lord and maister haue washed your feet ye also ought to wash one anothers feet for I haue giuen you an ensample that yee should doe as I haue done to you Verely verely I say vnto you The seruaunt is not greater than his maister neyther the messenger greater than he that sent him If yee vnderstand these thinges happie are ye if ye do them Doctrine and fruite HEere ought we diligently to consider the vnspeakeable and feruent loue of our Lord Iesus Christ who vntill the ende leaueth nothing vndone that may serue for our welfare Likewise also should we ponder and regard the meeke lowlines of him in that hee the king of heauen doth humble himselfe euen to wash his Disciples feete which thing is accounted base and vile amongst men yea euen vnto the man that betraied him is not he ashamed neyther refuseth to shew such lowlines and worke of loue By this we learne to declare all workes of charitable loue vnto our neighbor and not to bee ashamed how high soeuer we be meekly to do our neighbor seruice though he be poore base and small in
one as much as he can comprehend and kindleth spirituall hearts with greater desire He that nowe increaseth in loue that is who so loueth that whereof God giueth him knowledge and desireth to know that which as yet he knoweth not him doth the spirite leade into al truth For the more that loue groweth the more perfect is knowledge And in this schoole of the loue which the spirit poureth into our hearts the faithfull beleeuer learneth more than all bookes and all men can teach him but the more a man learneth can the more must he acknowledge and confes that he can nothing towards that which we shall know when we shall cleerely and perfectly see God face to face Vnto vs shall it bee inough and sufficient that we in spirit and in the truth knowe Iesus Christ which was crucified that he shine and be glorified in our mortall body in our harts mouth and in our whole life AFter a while ye shall not see me again after a while ye shall see me for I go to the father Then said some of his disciples among themselues What is this that he saith vnto vs After a while ye shal not see me againe after a while ye shal see me that I go to my father They said therfore what is this that he saith after a while We cannot tel what he saith Iesus perceiued that they would aske him and said vnto them This is it that ye enquire off betweene your selues that I said After a while ye shall not see me again after a while ye shal see me Verily verily I say vnto you yee shall weepe and lament but the world shall reioyce yee shall sorrowe but your sorrow shall be turned into ioye A woman when she trauaileth hath sorrow because her houre is come But when she is deliuered of the childe she remembreth no more the anguish for ioye that a man is borne into the world And yee now therefore are in soâ—rowe but I will see you againe and your heart shall reioyce and your ioye shall no man take from you Doctrine and fruite AN excellent comfort doth Christ giue here vnto his Disciples who by reason of his deparparting were in great sorrowe and heauines But like as the Disciples of Christ because of his passion abode for a little season in great combrance feare and trouble and yet receiued great ioye out of the Resurrection when hee shewed himselfe vnto them euen so in aduersity ought not we to be faint-hearted but comfort our selues in this that the Lord doth not long leaue those that are his Though hee hide himselfe for a time he shall shortly shewe vs his gratious countenance againe refresh vs with rich comfort The aduersities of faithful beleeuers are not only short but also they end with vnspeakeable ioy After aduersitie and death foloweth euerlasting ioye and eternall life We are here with Christ our head in trouble and on the crosse where the world laugheth at vs and reioyseth For all this ought not wee to be vnquiet in our selues Very shortly will the matter change and turne vpside downe so that their laughter and ioy shal be altered into weeping and eternall sorrow But our heauinesse shall God shortly end with great fruit and ioye and the same ioy shall no man be able to take from vs when we with Christ our head shall euerlastingly bee gladde and reioyce when all teares shall bee wiped away from our eyes and wee discharged of all trauaile and labour of this time IN that daie shall ye aske me no question Verily verilie I saie vnto you Whatsoeuer yee shall aske the father in my name he will giue it you Hetherto haue ye asked nothing in my name Aske and ye shall receiue that your ioy may be full These things haue I spoken vnto you in Prouerbs but the time will come when I shall no more speak to you in prouerbes but I shall shew you plainly of my father At that day shall ye aske in my name And I saie vnto you that I will praie vnto the father for you for the father himselfe loueth you because ye haue loued mee and haue beleeued that I am come out from God I went out from the father and came into the world I leaue the world againe and goe to the father His disciples said vnto him Lo now spekest thou plainly and thou speakest no prouerbe Now are we sure that thou knowest all things and nedest not that anie man should aske thee anie question Therefore beleeue wee that thou camest from God Iesus answered them Now ye do beleeue beholde the houre draweth nigh and is alreadie come that ye shall be scattered euerie man into his owne and shal leaue me alone yet I am not alone for the father is with me These words haue I spoken vnto you that in mee yee might haue peace In the world shall yee haue tribulation but bee of good cheere I haue ouercome the world Doctrine and fruit MAny times doth Christ promise vs whatsoeuer wee praie to obtaine the same of the father of heauen whereby he may stirre vp our hearts faithfully to crie vnto God the gracious and louing father whose loue towardes vs is exceeding great neither can he saie vs nay that hath giuen and bestowed vppon vs his owne sonne yea not onely hath hee sent downe vnto vs his deare and onely begotten sonne to take the nature of man vppon him and to die for vs but hath also into our hearts giuen his holy spirite with whome hee hath sealed vs and certefied vs of his loue pouring the knowledge and loue of Christ into our heartes How can wee then doubt of his loue and faithfulnesse How is it possible that in all our trouble and heauinesse we should not vnto him onely haue recourse seeking helpe and comfort at his hand The sonne for our sake came forth from the father humbled and made himselfe of no reputation tooke all reproch shame and trouble vppon himselfe for our welfare To the father was he obedient vntil the death of the crosse and after that he through his bloud had washed awaie our sinnes and finished the worke of our saluation he arose againe from death through the power might of his father ouercame death for vs and with his ascension opened heauen and prepared an enterance vnto God carrying vp our nature and flesh vnto the honor and glorie which he had from euerlasting giuing vs therein a hope and sure comfort that wee also shal with him haue euerlasting ioy and glory for euer Seeing then that he came out from the father we ought to hearken vnto him and not to despise his word he is the eternall wisedome of God he is the truth no false teacher can he bee forasmuch as hee commeth from God and is his onely begotten son To contemne so deare an embassadour and messenger of God must needs haue great punishment and though we are not able in
most perfection to vnderstand his doctrine truth and loue for heere in this time is our knowledge vnperfect yet shuld we consider that the father loueth vs and faithfully ought we to crie and praie vnto him for his spirite that shal teach vs all truth so much as is necessarie and profitable for vs which knowledge from daie to daie shall increase till we shal see him face to face and haue the perfect knowledge of him Our nature is weake and feeble the nature diuine is high and incomprehensible we are full of darknes God is the cleere farre passing light but when our darke mist is taken away then in cleere brightnesse shall the godly light open vnto vs. Some first fruits and beginnings of Gods knowledge haue we receiued alreadie God hath cast and planted a litle seed of knowledge in our harts which through his grace and moisture shall daily grow increase and prosper Of such knowledge as we haue of God we may not presume neither of our weak faith nor yet ascribe too much vnto our own strength He that standeth let him looke that he fall not We think many times that we are verie strong in faith but aduersitie sheweth how feeble we bee and how soone we shrinke Therefore in all trouble and distresse of this world we ought to comfort our selues and trust onely in the grace and strength of Christ In him shal we finde peace and quietnesse in him shall we ouercome all our enemies for his ouercomming is our victorie his power is our strength The world is not able to hurt and plague vs more than of our gracious father is permitted vnto them for our wealth While we liue here we are in miserie affliction distresse but seeing the head hath ouercome the members ought not to doubt of the victorie Let vs with stedfast beleefe looke vnto Christ the fountaine of life our foregoer and finisher of our faith let vs stoutly step forth after him let vs go the waie that he is gone and hath troden made before Afflictions shall serue vs vnto high honor as they serued Christ the Lord vnto glorie In Christ we finde the peace rest of our consciences and soules in him we knowe and find the goodnes loue of God the father out of him receiue we power strength comfort eternall life only let vs loke that we turne not the eies of our heart faith away from him Our welfare consisteth in the stedfast beleefe and loue of Iesus Christ the sonne of God Though we many times stumble fall and be proued by sundry temptations and afflictions yet is the same good and profitable for vs that we may the better learn to know our own weaknes and againe the strength and grace of God If it were not profitable for vs Christ had not suffered his Disciples to fall so greeuously But in all distresse he putteth his hand vnder vs and in aduersitie he leaueth vs not alone as hee also left not his owne Sonne alone Though all men flie away from vs yet haue we God with vs. THese wordes spake Iesus and lift vp his eyes to heauen and said Father the houre is come glorifie thy Sonne that thy Sonne also may glorifie thee as thou hast giuen him power ouer all flesh that he should giue eternall life to as manie as thou hast giuen him This is life eternall that they know thee the onely very true God whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ I haue glorified thee on the earth I haue finished the worke which thou gauest me to doo And now glorifie me thou Father with thine owne selfe with the glorie which I had with thee ere the worlde was I haue declared thy name vnto the men which thou gauest me out of the world Thine they were and thou gauest them mee and they haue kept thy sayings Now they knowe that all thinges whatsoeuer thou hast giuen me are of thee for I haue giuen vnto them the words which thou gauest me and they haue receiued them and know surely that I came out from thee do beleeue that thou didst send me Doctrine and fruite CHrist the true onely chiefe Priest who now would offer vp himselfe to the father vpon the crosse for our sins after that hee had loued his owne vnto the end comforting and strengthening them turneth nowe himselfe in an earnest and feruent praier vnto his heauenly father for an ensample and doctrine to his Disciples and all faithfull beleeuers that they in all temptations and afflictions should with an earnest and feruent praier haue recourse vnto the Father of heauen That he taught afore in wordes the same declareth hee nowe in the deede shewing not onely what but also how and after what sort wee ought to pray not onely for our selues but also for those that are giuen and committed vnto vs of God and whom we haue comforted and exhorted Our eyes and handes ought we to lift vp vnto heauen from whence our helpe commeth which doing is a token of a deuout humble lowly mind Yea the eyes not onely of the body but also of the hart and beleefe But vnto this ende principally ought all our prayers to be directed that the heauenly father may bee glorified The deuil the prince of this world throgh his adherents causeth the name and trueth of Christ his doctrine and knowledge to be rooted out despised Seeing then that wee are Gods children wee should in nothing bee so earnest as in sauing the honour of our father in furthering his glory Which thing commeth to passe when we notifie to men vpon earth his grace faithfulnes loue great mercy which he by his only begotten deare son hath declared shewed vnto mankind when we lead men vnto God from earthly vices false Gods seruice when we direct al things to his glorie Thus is Christ also honored and glorified by vs when wee through the Gospell doe publish vnto all men his power and goodnes his honor and glorie when we know that he is our sauiour our righteousnes and sanctifiing when we know that the father hath giuen all things into his power that to those whom the father hath granted to him hee may giue euerlasting life Which life euerlasting consisteth in this that wee knowe the liuing God his sonne Iesus Christ whom he sent into this world For God the father cānot be known without Christ Iesus his sonne neither is there any mo Gods but only one on whom wee hope trust The way to God is Christ whom God therfore sent downe that by him the mercie and grace of the Father might be opened and appeare vnto vs. Wherefore if we wil haue eternal life that is the knowledge of God we must beleeue in Christ and knowe him and by him as the way and mediator we must know God the father Who so refuseth Christ cannot haue the Father What should it helpe thee
the ministers of the word to desire that God throgh his holy name power will defend strength comfort and preserue them in all aduersitie but principally that hee will giue them grace to bee one coupled together in the band of peace loue and vniformitie that they may be of one spirite and of one mind that in one spirite they may further and plant the honour of God that like as Christ neither spake nor did anie thing but that which was acceptable and wel pleasing vnto the father they also in their sayinges and dooinges may haue respect vnto Gods glorie and that they being rooted and fortified in loue bee not vanquished nor ouercome of the pleasures or threateninges of this world Secondly that in all their labour and trauaile in al aduersitie and persecutions hee will put into theyr hartes his owne comfort and spirituall ioy For the worlde hath manifolde mirthes pastimes and pleasures much bragging and wilfulnesse vseth it in the riches and fleshly voluptuousnes thereof But the true Ministers of Christ seeing hee hath seuered them from the worlde must and ought to refraine and absent themselues from all worldly ioy and voluptuousnes yea it is they that ought to diswade the worlde from such wantonnesse and vanitie by meanes of whose faithfull admonition there falleth much hatred and trouble vpon them Neither were it to the furtheraunce of Gods honour and our commoditie to haue them vtterlye taken away out of this worlde Therefore dooth Christ desire and so must wee with him that from euill namely from the Deuill the Prince of this worlde who stirreth the world against them they may of the father in the world be defended and kept Thirdly that he will sanctifie and cleanse them afore other men that they may be holy and pure vessels in the house and temple that is in the Church of God for they are means instruments by whoÌ„ God ministereth his grace and truth vnto men therfore is it also conuenient that they be pure and holy This commeth throgh the truth that God putteth in their mouth and heart by the holy Ghost which inwardly purifieth them But then are they holy when they teach truth and liue godly Into the worlde hath Christ sent theÌ„ as the father sent him into the world The father sent Christ into the world that he should destroy the kingdome of the deuill and of the world that he should declare vnto the world the grace and mercie of God towardes mankinde that he shoulde bring men from sinne and from false idolatrish faith to the true liuing God and to a vertuous conuersation that he with the light of truth should shine vpon those which sate in darknes that he should bring the knowledge of God into the world exhort men to the amendement of life Euen this hath Christ giuen in commission to his Apostles and to all ministers of the worde to doo This is their office this is their ministration vnto this haue they greate neede of the grace power and assistance of God therefore ought we most earnestly to praie for them for if they fail or fal it hurteth the whole Church yea out of the same there groweth slaunder vnto the name of God in the sight of the vnbeleeuers and an occasion of falling to such as are weake of faith Therefore Christ also offered himselfe to the father for them and sanctified them that they might bee pure and holy not in outward apparance but from the heart and in the truth that through their vniformity loue through the word of truth which they preach through the holynes of their doctrine and liuing all men and the whole world might know and vnderstand that God hath sent them yea that God sent his son Christ into the world vnto whome they with mouth and life beare record and who also euery where shineth out of them with wordes and deeds Not onely for them hath Christ praied but also for vs as many as hearken and beleeue the worde of truth preached by them Wherein first wee may perceiue and see the loue faithfulnes and great care of Christ for vs how earnestly the trustie shepheard of our soules committeth his poore sheepe into his fathers protection how faithfully our mediatour and aduocate praieth for vs whereby also he setteth forth a doctrine vnto vs how and what we shal pray of the heauenly father First that he will make vs one by his holy spirite in the truth in the vnitie of faith and in loue vnseparable that we all may be of one mind one body and one spirit in Christ Iesu our head and to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace that we all being illuminated by his spirit may in word and deed yea in our whole life seeke and further the glorie of our heauenly father that we all may bee one among our selues with God whereby all the worlde may spie see and perceiue that we are Gods children and Christs disciples Secondly that of his fatherly goodnes he will defend saue preserue vs his own poore sheep which be in the midst among wolues manifold dangers And seeing we being yet in the world do not liue after the world that it will please him to keepe vs from the euill namely froÌ„ the prince of of this world that thogh the same our enemie doth tempt plague vs he neuer yet haue power to preuaile against vs. Thirdly that inasmuch as we being in sin conceiued and borne haue hetherto liued in sinne seeing that albeit we are cleansed alreadie by his word and faith yet the vncleannes of the flesh and of the world doth daily defile vs it wil please him throgh his truth to purge and sanctifie our bodies our soules and our whole life that wee may become an holy temple of his grace pure cleane holy vessels consecrated sanctified to Gods own vse He hath once purified hallowed vs through the bloud of his son and vnto the father hath Christ sanctified and offered vp himselfe an holy acceptable sacrifice for our sins but the deuill the world and our flesh is euer busie to lead vs away againe from God from true holines Therefore must wee daily pray vnto him that through his holy spirit through his holy truth he wil continually purge clense sanctifie vs that we be not disseÌ„bling hypocrites but godly and vnfained euen from our harts that we be not stained in the filthines of this world but to refraine from all vncleannes thorogh the assistaÌ„ce of his grace that we may also offer vp our bodies an holy acceptable sacrifice to â—od the Lord as he offered vp himselfe vppon the crosse for our sakes FAther I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me where I am that they may see my glory which thou hast giuen me for thou louedst me before the making of the world O righteous father
the worlde also hath not knowen thee but I haue knowen thee these haue knowen that thou hast sent me And I haue declared vnto them thy name and will declare it that the loue wherewith thou hast loued me may be in them and I in them Doctrine and fruite AFter that Christ had committed his vnto the father that he will care for them defend keepe them while they liue in the world he desireth now that it will please him finally also to saue them and to take them to himself into his kingdome With the which praier he giueth a great consolation to his disciples and all faithfull beleeuers that we might be the more cheerefull to serue him considering the high reward that is prepared for vs that for his sake we should ioyfully and stoutly beare all aduersitie seeing he will make vs yea hath made vs alredy partakers of his glory and of his kingdome Oh the great grace and incomprehensible loue of God towards vs who through his mercie and great loue whereas wee were children of wrath and damnation hath made vs his own children elect and beloued and when wee were dead in sinne hath with his son raised vs vp from death reuiued vs made vs sit with him among those of heauen in Christ Iesu to declare vnto the ages to come the riches of his grace in kindnes and loue to vs ward through Iesus Christ Forasmuch nowe as God hath caused the lyght of his glorie euen Christ to shine into our harts and through the light of faith hath kindled and purified our hearts it is meete that in this time we liue as children of light to the intent that men may see the brightnes of those good workes which proceede of faith to the praise of our heauenly father And thogh we be not as yet bodily with Christ yet our heartes and mindes are alwaies aboue there as Christ sitteth at the right hand of God our conuersation and being is in heauen albeit wee are yet in corporall miserie with heart we desire to die and to be with Christ Wee are sure if this earthly house were fallen and broken downe that we haue one euerlasting in heauen Wee are dead but our life is reserued with Christ in GOD. It is not euident yet what wee be but when Christ our lyfe shall shewe himselfe then shall wee also appeare with him in glorie euen when wee shall rise vp and bee taken vp in the ayre and bee with him for euer and see his honour and glorie which the Angelles delight to see and beholde Oh how great pleasure and ioy is it to beholde the eternall light that neuer quencheth in the which no darknesse hath place from the which shall bee expelled and cast out all they that woulde not receiue and know the light which God hath sent into the world to illuminate them but are blinded by the Prince of this world least the the light of the Gospel should shine vpon them No wrong doth the righteous father vnto them when hee plagueth them and taketh the light from them A righteous and iust iudgement is it seeing the gracious Father so mercifully sent them the light of the truth and they yet so maliciously and stubbornly haue despised and refused it yea reason it is that they perish in vntruth in lies in euerlasting blindnes for asmuch as they wold receiue darknes rather than the light lies rather than the truth And considering that they haue forsaken the brightnes of the truth and of the son of God they must needes be cast into vtter darkenes and neuer enioy the light O gracious Father graunt vnto vs which thorow thy sonne haue known thy name that in such knowledge and light of the truth wee may increase more and more that the loue wherewith thou louest thy deare sonne may bee and remaine in vs and that thy onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ our head may in vs his members continue still worke liue and bring forth fruit acceptable vnto thee AND when Iesus had spoken these words he went out with his Disciples as hee was woont ouer the brooke Cedron vnto mount Oliuet into a village called Gethsemani wheras was a garden into the which Iesus went with his disciples Iudas nowe who betrayed him knewe also the place for Iesus vsed oft to come thether with his disciples Iesus sayd vnto his Disciples Sit ye heere till I go yonder and pray And he tooke vnto him Peter and the two sonnes of Zebede and began to be heauy and sony And a feare and terrour came vppon him Thus said he vnto them my soule is heauie vnto the death tarrie ye heere and watch with me And hee went from them as farre as a stones cast Then fell he downe vppon his face to the ground and praied that if it were possible that houre might depart from him And thus hee praied O father vnto thee are all thinges possible take this cuppe from mee howbeit not my will but thy will bee done Doctrine and fruite AFter that Iesus hath established his Disciples in faith and loue comforting and strengthening them against aduersitie and trouble to come in this world promising also vnto them the spirit loue defence and protection of his father hee goeth now to meet his traitour and enemies and beginneth the worke of our redemption Awake vp nowe O thou faithfull and deuout soule and go after thy redemer followe his foot-steps gather vp diligently the drops of his bloud and sprinckle them with a true faith in thine heart take vp the bundle of mirrhe and lay it at thy breast O thou noble bride and spouse of Christ his passion that he suffereth for thee write then in thy minde learne to die from all sinne from thy selfe and from the world that thou maiest bee crucified vnto the world and the world vnto thee Death is vgsome and very terrible vnto the flesh but ioyfull and welcome is it vnto all such as are instructed in the secrete science of God namely that death vnto faithfull beleeuers is an ende of all trouble an enteraunce into a better and eternall lyfe Christ in that he goeth forth to meete death declareth that he wil suffer not of compulsion but willingly whereby he comforteth vs. But whereas he is heauie and trembleth before his disciples and confesseth howe hee feareth death the same is done for our wealth to declare vnto vs the weaknesse and feeblenesse that our flesh receiueth at the sight of aduersitie for in all things sinne except it was his good pleasure to become lyke vnto vs his brethren hee would take vpon him a true man who felte our aduersitie in his owne flesh and so coulde haue compassion on vs. Besides this hee sheweth also to whom our weaknesse ought to resort for comfort and helpe in aduersitie namely to our father in heauen before whome wee must fall downe with deuout and feruent praier and vnto him disclose and open our anguish
and trouble To this praier he seeketh and chooseth out a place meete and conuenient for the same for prayer is a lifting vp of the minde in GOD which among the multitude of men and confusion of worldly matters cannot well bee done Therefore Christ sheweth vs what greate diligence wee ought to vse in prayer when the enemie falleth in that the minde maye cleaue vnto GOD constantly and without shrinking and what iesture the bodie ought to shewe in praier Christ also declareth in that hee falleth downe to the earth vppon his face and praieth with the voyce and words God hath no need of our praier but vnto vs is nothing more profitable and better than oft and feruently to pray And the greater the aduersitie is the more ardent and earnest should the praier bee as we see heere in Christ our head whose passion is verie great in bodie and in minde for the which cause also as a verie true man he sheweth the fame his passion and heauines to his Disciples The strongest of all is weake and the comforter of all harts hath need of comfort himselfe hee that expelleth all terror and feare doth himselfe feare and tremble But al this cōmeth to passe for our learning that whē we be in temptations we should not doubt in the helpe of God and that none of vs beeing in daunger and aduersitie and feeling himselfe loth to suffer or pensiue and slow to tame the motions and wickednes of the flesh should therefore shrinke and bee faint harted but with a constant faith to resorte vnto God complaining to him of his trouble with hartie praier that he will bring the hard and painful beginning to a blessed and ioyfull ende that in all aduersitie we may consider as well the excellent and great fruit which proceedeth thereof as also the gratious good will of our heauenly Father to whom we ought wholly and perfectly to giue ouer and offer vp our selues that neither through the multitude of sinnes neither through the greatnes of aduersitie we despaire nor fall away but with his helpe and assistance manfully to go through IEsus came againe to his Disciples and founde them sleeping Then saide hee vnto Peter Simon sleepest thou Couldest thou not watch with mee one houre Watch yee and pray that ye enter not into temptation the spirit is willing but the flesh is weake Doctrine and fruite THE loue of Christ towardes vs is feruent earnest and great but our flesh is so weake that we not onely consider it not but are also so slow that wee sleepe and feele not for whose sakes Christ hath suffered so great things Oft times is there in vs a ready will to take great matters in hande as Peter and the other Disciples did but at the last wee misse and haue many a sore fall Therefore Christ who knoweth vs better than we our selues willing to expell frō vs all pride and presumptuousnes teacheth vs to bee lowly minded and humble to bee euer watching with continual praier to cleaue only vnto him without whom we are able to do nothing and in whome we may do all things and euen so doth he also in his feeblenes which assaulted him as a very true man to the intent that wee alway remembring our owne weaknes might vnderstand how to tame the rebellious flesh in no case to trust it and that wee might bee carefull and vigilaunt least the subtill enemie in temptations come behind vs fall vppon vs and oppresse vs. It is no time to sleepe the battaile is yet a fighting the enemie is yet aliue and as yet beseegeth hee our castle that Christ hath in keeping All is full of snares and dangers which no man is able to escape saue onely hee which in feruent beleefe and prayer doth earnestly watch and stoutly fight yea and that continually vnto the end Neither the present anguish and trouble nor yet Christes exhortation can bring so much to passe in the Disciples as to keepe them from sleepe so little it helpeth where the spirite giueth not life Neuerthelesse Christes talke and admonition vnto his Disciples is not vtterly vnprofitable for that they nowe vnderstand not the same afterwardes when the spirite commeth is made playne and euident vnto them and then are they feruent and earnest in godly prayer Wherefore wee should neuer cease from comforting and exhorting the feeble and weake for though it helpe not at this present the houre shall come that the spirite will make it to haue life and to be fruitfull in them HE went foorth the second time and praied like as afore My father if this cup may not passe except I drinke it thy wil be done Then came he againe and found them sleeping for their eies were heauie they knew not what answere to make him So he left them againe and went and praied the third time like as afore and kneeled downe and said Father if thou wilt take away this cuppe from me Neuerthelesse not my will but thine be done And there appeared vnto him an Angell from heauen comforting him and when he was in the agonie distresse and conflict he praied the longer and his sweat was like droppes of bloud trickling downe to the ground And when he rose vp from praier and came to his Disciples hee found them sleeping for heauines and hee said vnto them What Sleepe ye Sleepe on now and take your rest It is enough vppe and pray that ye enter not into temptation Behold the houre approcheth and the son of man is betraied and giuen into the hands of sinners Vp let vs goe beholde hee that betraieth me is at hand Doctrine and fruite IN the perfect example and mirrour of our life Christ Iesus we find an earnest feruent loue a doctrine how wee ought to behaue our selues in aduersitie First wee see that Christ of an exceeding great loue taketh vpon himself al infirmities of mankinde and becommeth like vnto his brethren in all thinges sinne except beeing a very true man hee is therfore not ashamed before his disciples to acknowledge his infirmitie sorrow heauines and feare and to complaine thereof vnto his father A feare by reason of the death and passion hee receiueth as a verie man for not to feele trouble is not the nature of mā and passion is no passion if it smart not if it bee not felt Christ therefore both in his mind and body feeleth the passion hee feeleth the conflict of death albeit in wrastling withall he ouerthroweth it Oh the exceeding feruent loue of our head and foregoer Iesus Christ who for our helth commeth into so great an agonie and trouble that aboue naturall moysture through the fearefull conflict of the passion death he sheddeth his bloud and sweateth it but with hartie desire runneth he to his heauenly father to him complaineth he of his weaknes and distresse to him giueth he ouer himselfe in al obedience and contentation of mind of him also receiueth he comfort and strength In the
meane season he forgetteth not his Disciples but commeth to them exhorteth them to watch and pray hath great compassion with their feeblenes and slouth If we now be the disciples and schollers of Christ Iesu and haue surrendered our selues vppe into the schoole of the heauenly Schoolmaister we ought diligently to looke what Christ here in him selfe doth teach and prescribe vnto vs that wee learning the same of him and following his foot-steppes when temptations of sinne and conflicts of aduersitie troble and death fall in vpon vs may know how to order and frame our selues therein First that wee know our selues to be poore full of faultes mortall men and sinners hauing nothing of our owne but feeblenes So when the temptation of sinne and of the flesh assault vs we must not be ashamed to open such our faults and conflicts vnto God our heauenly Father and to complaine vnto him of them God hath not made vs to bee vtterly without temptation but hath suffered the same to remaine in the flesh that we therby might be exercised prouoked to seeke helpe at him and to learne in how miserable a case we should be if he withdrew his hande from vs When we now feele that the spirit is willing and the flesh weake and that the law of the members withstandeth the law of God in vs that the flesh fighteth and striueth against the spirit we must not be ashamed to confesse our feeblenes before our heuenly Father yea though of weakenes wee had lyen vnder in the battaile already desiring his helpe that we may rise againe and valiauntly to fight it out Thus must wee also doe when the crosse and hatred of the world for Christes sake or that is contrary to our nature falleth vpon vs. The cuppe which the father hath filled in that we shoulde drinke it the same ought wee willingly to drinke and if there growe in our flesh a terrour and feare to tast it we must not be ashamed to complaine thereof vnto our Father forasmuch as we see heere that Christ for our sakes beeing in such heauines and feare did not yet for all that steppe aside from his Fathers will The patience therefore of Christians standeth not in this that they feele no passion or bee not feareful heauy or sorie but in this that no crosse bee so great as to bee able to driue them away from Christ Yea the more the crosse that God the Father hath laid vpon them doth make them to smart the more it presseth them so that they yet beare it the more pretious and more excellent is their patience which patience we ought to declare but not as they that suffer or feele no passion at all For heere wee are instructed and certified of the kindnes of our louing Father that hee is not angrie neyther taketh it in euill part when we complaine to him of our present trouble so that we giue ouer our will vnto his All they therefore that be in afflictions aduersitie and temptations must set this example of the Lorde directly before their eyes and ponder it in their harts Not only is the father not angry when wee complaine vnto him in our necessitie but in all trouble hee sendeth vs his owne helpe and comfort either by his Angell or inwardly by his spirit or outwardly by some other meane he sendeth vs strength giueth vs his hande draweth vs deliuereth vs suffereth vs not to be tempted aboue our power or else in the middest of our aduersitie he giueth vs consolation and strength to ouercome it O how great comfort bringeth this vnto vs in our afflictions in life and death if we ponder weigh and consider the exceeding loue of GOD our heauenly Father who giueth his deare Sonne into so greate trouble that wee might bee deliuered from eternall aduersitie and sorrow If we also remember the loue of our Lorde Iesus towards vs who for our sakes taketh vppon himselfe so great a feare and passion how cannot wee looke for all good thinges at his hande What thing is so great that wee his members would not suffer for his sake if wee behold the head in such anguish and trouble And for as much as hee suffereth all this for the satisfaction of our sins we ought to applie great diligence that we fall not againe into sinne for the which Christ suffered this and from the which Christ with so great a passion hath deliuered and cleansed vs. Wee learne heere also to loue our neighboures to care for them to pittie them if they bee impotent and slowe to pray for their infirmitie seeing wee are all weake and feeble and vnto such weaknesse must we so haue respect that we bee not arrogant nor hold much of our selues when wee see that Peter and others are so full of sleepe sluggishnes that all the admonitions and exhortations of Christ could at that time do little with them But euer in humblenes of minde and in the feare of God ought wee to stand to ascribe all good thinges vnto him to be carefull and watch least the Deuill draw vs into his temptations O mercifull Father giue vs grace with feruent hartes to consider the vnspeakeable loue of thee and of thy Sonne and neuer to forget the same that our fayth and trust in thee may bee strengthened that loue in vs towards thee and our neighbour may bee kindled that aboue all thinges wee may loue thee the welspring of all goodnesse that wee may serue our neighbours in loue care for them and doe them good according to the loue that thy deare Son hath bestowed vppon vs O giue vs patience and stedfastnes in aduersitie strengthen our weaknesse comfort vs in trouble and distresse helpe vs to fight Graunt vnto vs that in true obedience and contentation of mind wee may giue ouer our owne willes vnto thee our Father in all thinges according to the example of thy beloued sonne that in aduersitie we grudge not but offer vp our selues vnto thee without contradiction Giue vs strength constantly to subdue the rebellious and stubborne flesh and to make it obedient vnto the spirit to castaway al temporall and carnall feare to resort oft vnto prayer to bee earnest and feruent therein to mortifie all our owne wils and lustes and vtterly to giue them their leaue O giue vs a willing and cheerefull minde that vvee may gladly suffer and beare all thinges for thy sake SO when Iudas had gotten him a companie of souldiers of the high Priests and of the Pharesies ministers hee came thether with lanthornes linkes and weapons yea the same Iudas Iscarioth one of the twelue as Iesus yet talked with his disciples and with him a great heape of people with swoords staues sent from the high Priests scribes and elders of the people Now had the traitor giuen them a token saying Whom so euer I doo kisse the same is he take him and bring him warily So Iudas went before them and came neere vnto
confessed the trueth Thus goeth it when temptation breaketh in when the truth commeth into perill and aduersitie then the enemies of the truth declare themselues and hypocrites get them to the aduersaries against Christ then may wee learne to know them Of these the more pittie there bee at this daie in the church of God many which vnder the pretence and colour of truth fight against the truth and that taking the name of Christ in their mouth betraye Christ yea with the sword of their venemous tungs kill Christ and in sheeps cloathing are very wolues false teachers and most noysome enemies whome couetousnes and vaine glorie blindeth And wheras they are not able to roote out Christ with the truth they vndertake to do it with weapons and swords set the princes and powers of the worlde to defende their falshood and tyranny Yea many there bee of those that rebuking Iudas acte doo euen as hee did themselues feyning the trueth when in very deede they persecute the truth O our great slothfulnes whereof wee are admonished in the Disciples that sleepe when wicked Iudas in his vngratious worke so diligently watcheth and earnestly runneth about O that the loue zeale of God might doe as much in vs as the vngratious will in the wicked O that wee which are chosen into the seruice of Christ were so diligent to minister vnto our Father and Lorde as the children of this world are to wait vpon Sathan their maister for nothing doo they omit that may serue to the persecution of the truth O mercifull God graunt vs poore feeble men patience in aduersitie that sodaine wrath ouercome vs not and that bitternesse and desire of vengeance kindle vs not to vse vncharitable wordes and to doe hurt when enemies fall vpon vs and bragge against vs telling vs our faultes whereof wee thinke our selues vnguiltie Graunt vs euer louingly to receiue all aduersitie and that wee may knowe those to bee our best friendes which speake vnto vs and rebuke vs hardest of all Lette no wicked roote of enuie malice and euill will growe in vs no tediousnes nor slouth Giue vs strength to bee willing and patient and with feruent desire to suffer yet more greeuous thinges for thy sake Pull vp the wicked root of couetousnesse and the false shine of feyned spiritualtie out of vs. Oh saue vs that Sathan bring vs not into temptation Graunt vs loue towardes friendes and enemies that we may follow the nature of thee our Father and the example of thy onely begotten Son Iesus Christ Amen THen came they and laide handes on Iesus and tooke him But when they that were with him sawe what would come of it they said vnto him Mayster shal we smite with the sword Iesus answered said Suffer ye thus farre forth Simon Peter had a sword which he drew out smote the seruant of the high Priest cut off his right eare And the seruantes name was called Malchus Then sayde Iesus vnto Peter Put thy word into the sheath Wilt thou not that I shall drinke the cuppe which my Father hath giuen mee All they that drawe the sworde shall perish with the sword Thinkest thou not that I might pray my father to send me now more than twelue legions of Angels But how should the Scriptures be fulfilled It must needes be thus And when Iesus touched his eare he healed it Then began Iesus to speake vnto the multitude that were come to him and to the high Priests and to the chiefe rulers of the temple and to the elders and said Ye are come foorth as to a murtherer with swords and staues to take me whereas I yet being daily in the temple sate and taught and yee tooke mee not But this is your houre and the power of darknesse All this commeth to passe that the Scriptures should bee fulfilled Then the Disciples forsooke him and fledde all from him There was a yong man that followed after who had a white linnen cloth vpon the bare and him they tooke But he left the linnen cloth behind him and ranne away naked The multiude and the captaine and Ministers of the Iewes apprehended Iesus took him bound him lead him first to Annas the chiefe Priest for he was Father in lawe vnto Caiphas which Caiphas was high Priest and was the same Caiphas which gaue counsaile vnto the Iewes that better it were one man to die than the whole people to perish And all the Priestes and Scribes Pharisies and Elders came together Doctrine and fruite PEter declaring his earnest loue which hee bare vnto the Lord vndertaketh to defend him from malitious violence but at the same houre it pleased the Lord to declare and shew not onely his own might and power but also his vnspeakable goodnes euen vnto his enemies therefore is it not his will that anie man on his behalfe should haue harme for he was come to bring health and no hurt and therfore the vncircumcised zeale of Peter which was not directed after the will of God he reiected and reproued commaunding Peter to put vp his sworde into his sheath and the seruants eare that was smitten off he set on againe and healed it for hee was readie to be obedient vnto his Fathers will vnto the death to drinke the cup that the Father had filled for him Yet doth he shew vnto his enemies that he willingly suffereth that if it were not his wil they shuld not be able to take him But he affirmed the houre now to bee heere that the Father had giuen him into the power of darkenesse and that they shewed such violence vnto him that the scripture might be fulfilled The Disciples flie from Iesu their Lorde leaue him to tread the wine presse alone In their weaknes feare and flying is signified the infirmitie of the vnperfect members of the Church which yet when the spirite commeth is strengthened Let no man builde vpon his owne strength but pray vnto God that hee suffer him not to be lead into temptation The gratious Lord Iesus is sold vnto sinners that we which were solde vnder sinne bond and thrall to the prince of this world might be redeemed and deliuered He is content to be bound and taken that we might be quite and free from the snares and caâ—tiuitie of sinne O Iesu Christ the mirrour of all gentle◠〈…〉 mind the example of highest obedience 〈…〉 graunt vs thy seruantes with true deuotion to consider how thou innocent and vndefiled lambe wert bound taken and hailed away vnto death for our sinnes how well content thou wast to suffer such thinges not opening thy mouth in vnpatiencie but willingly offering vp thy selfe vnto death O gratious God how vilely wast thou mishandled for our sakes O Lord let this neuer come out of our harts expell through it coldnes and slouth out of our minds stir vp feruentnes and loue towardes thee prouoke vs vnto earnest praier make vs chearefull and diligent in thy will bind our
armes to call and receiue vnto himselfe vs poore sinners lost children saying Come to me all ye that labour and are laden and I will refresh you He sheweth his woundes out of the which floweth the plentifull riuer and fountaine of his precious deare bloud to the washing awaie of all our filthynesse Hee boweth downe his head to speake friendly vnto vs. Boldly therfore with great comfort and confidence ought al sinners to resort vnto him where they shall find help consolation defence and protection there should they laie downe the heauie burthens of theyr sinnes Vnto vs must al the world be a crosse and we vnto the world onely let Christ the Lord be our life and to die with him our greatest aduantage Farre bee from vs all reioycing saue onely in the crosse of Iesus Christ farre be from vs al confidence in our owne workes merites for all our health consisteth in the crosse of Iesus Christ wherein vndoubtedly we may well set all our hope By him commeth forgiuenesse of sinnes out of him floweth the riches of all deseruing with him is the reward of all righteousnes Through the contempt of our selues and of all temporall things let vs barely nakedly and simply followe the naked and crucified Lord. Teach vs O God to haue delight in contemning our selues and all temporal things and when other folkes are in trouble to be sorrie and praie for them Grant vs grace to wish good vnto those that hurt and punish vs let vs not trust in men for there bee fewe faithfull and constant friends Heere also should we learne not to be grieued if we haue few louers and many enemies for so happened euen vnto Christ our head He had many foes to whome yet he did none euil but much good and receiued great vnthanke for his labour Sweete and acceptable should it bee vnto vs to suffer reproch of the world and to be despised for his sake yea to auoyd all voluptuousnes and ioy of the world saying we are fastned vnto the crosse with Christ To seeke much pastime pleasure of the world becommeth not him that must suffer aduersitie All this learne we in the passion of Christ and in the crosse Blessed is hee that directeth his daily exercise and his whole life there after hee shall enioy the fruit of the tree of life for euer O GOD heauenlie Father looke vppon the face of thine annointed who hanged for vs vppon the crosse Be merciful vnto vs poore sinners which bee laden with great and greeuous sinnes forgiue vs for the most worthie merites sake of thine onelie begotten deare sonne who for our sinnes was beaten and wounded Let him satisfie thee for all our sinnes He is our suretie in thy sight our faithful aduocat and mediatour him thou gladly hearest O father of mercie and graciouslie acceptest his intercession for all sinners O gracious Lord Iesu sonne of the eternall God who of verie loue towards vs tookest vpon thee our weake fleshe vndefiled from all sinne and diddest offer vp the same flesh vnto thy father vpon the Altar of the crosse for the safegard of the worlde haue mercy vppon vs thy seruauntes for thy euerlasting goodnes and for the infinite merites sake of thy holie passion For thy deseruing excelleth al mens sins and much greater is the aboundance of thy mercie then all our wickednesse Therefore flie wee vnto thee vnder the protection of thy holy crosse with sighing hearts seeke we helpe grace and remedy for our woundes Receiue vs that are fledde vnto thee Heale vs that be sick make vs iust and righteous that be sinners Drawe thou vs vppe an high O Lord Iesu from all worldlie thinges binde vppe our fleshe with thy feare wound vs with thy sweet loue that nothing els take holde of our heart saue onely Iesus Christ Out of the woundes of Iesu and out of the running out of his bloud doe wee receiue hope There finde wee medicine for our soules aboundance of grace and perfect forgiuenesse Whatsoeuer we receiue of sinfull vices whatsoeuer wee commit with bodily sensualitie the same is altogether washed and refourmed in the fountaine of Christs bloud O the vnoutspeakable loue which the sonne of God beareth towards his Church that he washeth and clenseth it with his owne bloud with the bloud of the new Testament that it may be holy pure and without spot Not with siluer and golde doth GOD redeeme his creature but with the precious bloud of his owne sonne O deare children let vs not tread vnder foote the bloud of the holie Testament let vs not be vnthankefull vnto our Sauiour Thy holie bloud O Iesu make vs pure and cleane from all sinne and sanctifie vs thoroweout that our spirite soule and bodie may cheerefullie waite for thy comming and liue with thee for euer IESVS said O Father forgiue them for they knowe not what they doe Pilate wrote a superscription of the matter and fastened it aboue at the head of the crosse The superscription was written in the Greeke Latine and Hebrew with these woordes Iesus of Nazareth king of the Iewes This superscription did many of the Iewes read for the place where Iesus was crucified was neere vnto the Citie and the superscription was written in Greeke Latine and Hebrew Then said the high Priestes of the Iewes vnto Pilate write not king of the Iewes but that he called himselfe king of the Iewes Pilate answered What I haue written I haue written The souldiers when they had crucified Iesus they tooke his garmentes and made foure parts to euery souldier one part and also his coat The coat was without seam wrought vpon thorow out Then said they together let vs not deuide it but cast lottes for it who shall haue it that the scripture might be fulfilled saying They haue parted my raiment among them and for my coat they cast lots And the souldiers did such things in deed Then sate they downe and kept him There stood also much people and beheld Doctrine and fruit THE last wordes which Iesus spake vppon the crosse ought all faithful beleeuers wel to write in their hearts and therein diligently to keepe them First he spake a louing friendly word a word ful of grace sweet comfort to al sinners sufficient and enough to breake al hardnes of hart and to prouoke fruitfull repentance Father forgiue them O how great goodnes and louing kindnes is this how ready is Iesus vnto mercy how well willing is hee to forgiue his louers that sheweth himselfe so mild and gracious vnto his enemies No angrie word no displeasure poureth hee out against those that crucified him no vengeance nor plague desireth he to fal vppon that vngracious people but speaketh most sweet woordes full of ardent loue O Father forgiue them c. In these words apeareth his exceeding great loue with vnoutspeakable softnes of mind which thorow no mallice might bee ouerome They like madde and bloud thirstie
of patience is heere declared to performe the redemption of mankinde This paine and smart is so great that euen the Elements which haue no sence declare tokens of their compassion The Sunne lost his shine and hid his cheerefull light from the wicked rabble hauing as it were a displeasure for the death of their maker Seeing now that the sun mourneth and the earth quaketh much more ought we reasonable men to haue compassion and to consider the death of our maker Behold O faithfull seruant of God how thy foregoer in all his punishment and sorrowfull trouble indureth stil mild and patient and that there is heard no bitternes out of his mouth His praier and complaint sendeth hee vppe vnto his heauenlie Father neither nameth hee any other saue onely God To him alone hee complaineth and openeth his desolation Euen so ought wee to doe when aduersitie reproch or any such thing assaulteth vs wee must not vndiscreetly sorrow or be angrie but runne straight way vnto the Crosse and at the Crosse tarrie and abide a little while with the Lorde If thou be forsaken complaine of thy trouble vnto GOD the Father Consider that Iesus also for thy sake was left in great trouble and anguishe Learne thou likewise to bee soft minded and patient without murmuring or cursing Keepe thee to the onelie comfort of God giue ouer all the ioy of this world so shalt thou not bee forsaken of him All earthlie thinges set apart turne thou thy minde vppe into the Countrey of Heauen Take GOD for thy Father Iesus for thy brother Thou art of a noble high kindred namelie a childe of the euer liuing God O mercifull father wee crie vnto thee in all trouble and call vppon thee through the crucified Iesus Suffer vs not to sincke in great afflictions giue vs not ouer vnto our owne strength but the more the enemie presseth vppon vs the more bee thou our assistance For in all anguishe and trouble thou art the right helper and most faithfull friend If temptation then come vppon vs by thy fatherly will graunt vs grace O Lord patientlie to beare it and to lay the burthen vpon thy mercie that in all trouble we being els destitute of all consolatiō may put our whole trust onely in thee Amen AFter this Iesus knowing that all thinges were nowe perfourmed that the scripture might be fulfilled hee saith I thirst So there stood a vessell by full of vineger Therfore they filled a spunge with vinegar and wound it about with Isope and put to his mouth Assoone as Iesus then receiued of the Vinegar hee answered and saide It is finished Doctrine and fruite ADam satisfied his lust in the forbidden Apple which noisome lust was ocasion of our death But Iesus for the reformation of this concupiscence suffreth also vpon his tongue to restore vs againe from the fall and to conquere vs in this life His bitter drinke is vnto vs a blessed medicine Such great vnthankefulnesse of the Iewes was prophecied by King Dauid in the Psalmes To him that fedde them in the wildernesse with bread from heauen and gaue them water to drinke out of the hard stonie Rocke Euen vnto him for a recompence they giue Vineger and Gall. O the sower and vnnaturall fruite that the LORDE receiueth of his owne Vineyard which he had planted and garnished so faire To vs heere is prepared a soueraigne medicine against glotonie and all voluptuousnes of the flesh thorow the loue whereof God is forgotten and forsaken Now when Christ who is the fulfiller of the law and all the Prophets had whollie and fully perfourmed the will of his heauenlie father hee saith for a conclusion and ende of his life it is finished as hee would say Now is finished all that the old law hath written and spoken of me all that the old Testament figured with oblations and sacrifices with glory and beautie in the Gods seruice Now are truly fulfilled the holy prophesies of the Prophetes and the long wished desires of the holye olde Fathers Nowe is wrought and perfourmed all that belonged concerned the redemption of mankinde It is all as it was promised of God concluded with an honourable blessed end And looke what is behinde shall vndoubtedly be fulfilled in due time I haue accomplished the commandement of my Father who sent me into this world the worke that hee gaue mee to do haue I finished What could I do more for thee O my people that I haue not done Vppon the sixt daye hee finished the worke of the creation of the world And nowe vppon the sixt day and age of the world hee perfourmeth the blessed worke of mans redemption Vppon the sixt day hee created man and made him of the mould of the earth Vpon the sixt day hee restored him againe and deliuered him with his holy bloud Thus all things are finished the great worke of his mercie and most excellent loue is accomplished the way vnto heauen is opened and the deuils power is broken In such hope ought wee valiauntlie to trauaile at this time in this vnconstant world and not to let fall the worke of God that is begun but by his assistance to bring it vnto a blessed ende and stoutly to endure therein It is well-nie come to the point that all shal bee finished the euening and ende of our life commeth on apace wherein we may say with glad harts as Christ our foregoer did It is all finished Wherefore deare brethren let vs euer most diligently and earnestly walke in the way of the truth and of commendable vertues begun exercising our selues in righteousnes We must not think otherwise but to haue battaile against vice against the flesh the world and Satan Daily goe we on a pace towardes death in hope to attain eternal life O that we might say with Paule I haue fought a good fight I haue fulfilled my course I haue kept the faith We must suffer and haue trauaile yet a litle season the time of our deliuerance will shortly be heere O Lord Iesu direct thou all our works according to thy good pleasure illuminate purifie our minds and thoughts Teach vs how wee euer to the praise and honour of thy holy name may meekly beginne diligently doo and blessedly end all our workes and enterprises O giue vs grace faithfully to labour in the Vineyard of the Lord that the heat and trauaile driue vs not back that we faint not that in the schole of heauenly exercise wee may steadfastly indure till wee giue vp the ghost and that through thy mercie after many commendable battails and long striuing wee may say in the last houre of our life It is all finished Vouchsafe thou to bee the finall occasion of our whole life and of all our woorkings so shall it followe that thou wilt bee also our eternall reward ioy and saluation Amen ANd Iesus criyng with a loud voyce said Father into thy hands I commit my spirite And when hee had thus
said hee bowed his head and gaue vp the ghost Doctrine and fruit THE life of all liuing dieth after the fleshe thorow the painefull torment of death doth Iesus depart But by his death hee openeth vnto vs the way of life and taketh from vs euarlasting death This is a precious dear and victorious death which hath slaine our death and conquered vs life againe Let this death euermore continue in our hearts and let our death bee considered in the consideration of his death This shall bring vs comfortable trust and hope when our death striueth in vs so that we shall neither be afraid nor despaire if wee steadfastly beleeue that Christ died for vs and that hee through his death hath opened vnto vs euerlasting life Let vs with deuout heartes consider the death of him that hath redeemed vs and restored vs againe The gracious innocent Lorde Iesus dieth miserable and naked so poore so destitute as no man els And yet vnto God is none so deare although of men hee he most vilely intreated This is euen the reward of the worlde to despise the children of God and to recompence euil for good If the like happen vnto vs we must not thinke it straunge for the seruant is not aboue the Lord. The Lorde hangeth on the crosse hard pearced not onely with nailes but also with ardent loue towards vs sore beaten and hurt in euerie place without succour without helpe without comfort euen as a dead man who is forgotten and out of minde Ponder well O thou good seruant of Christ who and how great hee is that crying with a loud voyce giueth vp the ghost Verilie euen the sonne of GOD as Centurio likewise dooth testifie O deare brethren let vs consider how great our sinnes are for the which the innocent sonne of God dieth Iustly ought all the world to be dead vnto vs in Christ and wee vnto the world And what is our life but a blessed death Hee that learneth not to die in his life is afraide when the houre of death commeth Euery day goe wee one daies iourney vnto death therefore ought wee so to watch so to speake and so to worke as if we would die euen now out of hand Before death wee must learne to die least hee sodainlie take holde vppon vs and make vs afraide Death vnto those that faithfully beleeue is through the death of Christ become the gate to life for their comfort and strong hope is in the woordes of Iesus when he saith he that beleeueth on me though hee were dead yet shall hee liue Item who so heareth my word and beleeueth on him that sent me hath euerlasting life In this promise ought we to liue and die casting away all impediments and such thinges as hinder vs from his loue beeing with heart and minde seperated from the world and vndefiled from the filthines thereof Out of the passion of Christ we must picke out vnto our selues comfortable helpe and medicine so that obediently in al patience we offer vp our selues vnto our heauenly father committing our soules into his handes In life and in death let the death of Christ be our comfort and let vs set it against al fearfull temptations and between the wrath of God and our sinnes O Lord Iesu Christ who in the feeble nature of man hast suffred death for vs vnworthie sinners graunt vs grace feruently in our hearts to beare the pain and loue of thy most bitter death and through the subduing and ouer-comming of al vice and wickednesse to vse and exercise our selues daily in following thy footsteppes and dying with thee And when the end of our life draweth nie that wee then may depart in thy mercie and grace and receiue the ioy of paradise Assist thou vs when we die and defend vs from the olde enemie whom thou through thy death hast ouer-come O Father wee commit our spirite into thy hand thou hast redeemed vs O God of truth Let these be our last wordes when we depart hence Amen AND behold the vaile of the temple rent into two peeces from aboue till beneath and there was an earthquake the stones claue asunder the graues opened they that had slept rose vp and went out of the graues and came after his resurrection into the holie Cittie and appeared vnto manie The captaine and they that were with him which kept Iesus when they saw the earthquake and that he gaue vp the ghost with such a crie and other thinges that there happened they were afraid verie sore and saide Verely this was Gods Sonne Centurio likewise praised God said Verely this was a righteous man And all the people that were there and saw it smote vppon their brestes and returned Doctrine and fruite THe Iewes alway required tokens of Christ and of such there hapned manie nowe in the death of the Lord for the very earth quaketh at their wickednes and blaspheming of God the hard stony rockes with their cracking and cleauing asunder expresse a lamentation on their makers behalfe the vaile in the temple renteth for a declaration that the olde couered thinges in the olde Testament are laid away and the hidde significations of Christ expressed and opened for he is the holy true oblation that taketh away the sinnes of the world he is the vndefiled lambe of God hee is the true high Priest that entreth within the vaile into the sanctuary for the way of holy thinges is opened through his bloud hee is the high Priest that once entred in and with one onely sacrifice doth perfectly cleanse and sanctifie The graues opened for an euidence of his resurrection Centurio knowledgeth that which the harde harted Iewes would not confesse O good faithfull beleeuers let vs not bee harder than the stones let our hearts rent asunder in repentance and sorrow for our sinnes that we may enioye the fruite of the Lords death ANd a farre of stood all his acquaintance among whom were many women that came vp from Galilee followed him and ministred vnto him among whome was Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Iames the lesse and Ioses the mother of Zebedes children with manie other that were come to Hierusalem The Iewes then because it was the Sabaoth euen that the bodies shoulde not remaine on the crosse vppon the Sabaoth day for that was the great Saboth day besought Pilate that their legges might be broken and that they might be taken downe Then came the souldiors and brake the legges of the first and of the other which was crucified with him But when they came to Iesus and saw that he was dead alreadie they brake not his legges but one of the souldiours with a speare thrust him into the side and forthwith came there out bloud and water And he that saw it bare record and his record is true And he knoweth that hee saith true that yee also might beleeue These thinges were done that the Scripture might bâ—e fulfilled Yee shall not breake
a bone of him And againe another Scripture saith They shall looke on him whom they pierced Doctrine and fruite OVt of the side of him that sleeepeth vpon the crosse runneth the fountain of wholsom water with the which our vncleannes is washed away and the whole world sprinkled purified and cleansed therewith The heart is opened and wounded loue floweth out the bloud gusheth forth to the washing away of all our sins This is the true stonie rocke which being smitten vpon giueth water vnto our thirstie soules like as Eue was taken fashioned out of the rib side of her husband that slept so is the holie Church the spouse of Christ shapen out of the side of her husband This gate is opened wide to all faithfull beleeuers hee that hideth himselfe in this hole is sure from all hurt and harme Of this holie and godly fountaine who so drinketh once or taketh a draught of the holie loue dooth forthwith forget all his aduersities and griefes and shall bee whole from all wicked heate of temporall lustes and bodilie prouocations feruently shall hee bee kindled in loue and desire of eternall thinges and shall bee replenished with the vnspeakable goodnesse of the holie Ghost and in him shall bee a fountaine and well of liuing water flowing into eternall life By this creepeth the poore sinner into the louing heart of Iesus Christ which with exceeding great kindnes is pierced through and there findeth hee rest and quietnes in the stony rocke Here are opened the conduites and well pipes of life the way of our health wherein we finde rest vnto our soules shadow for heate and trauaile this fountaine of grace is neuer dried vp This is the well of the godly 〈◊〉 that floweth out of the middest of paradise to wate◠the whole earth to moysture the drie hearts to wash away sinne Out of this plentifull well ought wee with great desire to draw and drinke that from henceforth wee liue not in our selues but in him who for our sakes was wounded so deep Our hart must we giue whollie vnto him that hath opened his heart so wide His heart and ours must bee all one Nothing requireth he of vs but the heart Sonne saith he giue mee thy heart Our hart must we giue to the Lord not to the world to eternall wisedome not to lightnes There do the true heardmans sheepe find pasture there are the water brookes of life there may they goe in and out Nothing is there vppon earth that so kindleth draweth and pierceth the heart of man as dooth Christes loue declared vppon the crosse When wee thus surrender our heart vnto the Lorde when wee thus wholly and fully giue ouer our heart into the Lordes hands that hee may keepe and possesse it for euer then haue we blessed peace O Lord Iesu Christ drawe thou our hearts vnto thee ioyne them together in vnseparable loue that they may feruently burne that wee may abide in thee thou in vs that the euerlasting couenant betweene vs may stand sure for euer O wound our hearts with the fiery darts of thy pearcing loue Let them pierce through all our slouthfull members and inward powers that wee beeing happily wounded may so become whole and sound Let vs haue no louer but thy selfe alone lette vs seeke no ioy nor comfort but onely in thee Thus haue we the passion and death of our Lord and redeemer Iesus Christ Now as Paule saith let vs go foorth of the tentes vnto him that for our sake is despitefully crucified without the Citie of Hierusalem and lette vs helpe him to beare his rebuke giuing him thankes and praise for his great loue In his death standeth our life for in his death is our death slaine the sting of death and firme is taken awaye Heere finde wee true life and eternall saluation here sinne is forgiuen and pardon graunted A poena culpa heere mercie is denyed vnto no man for the vertue and merites of the Lordes holie passion is bottomlesse Through his shame commeth eternall honour and glorie vnto vs. His passion is the wholesome playster for all woundes his crosse the ouerthrow of all enemies and victorie against all vice From our whole heartes therefore ought wee to reioyce in the great and blessed fruites of thy holie passion O Lorde Iesu whilest wee are in this feeble life graunt vs so to liue that wee maye direct all our workes desires and intentes according to thy godlie will and pleasure that this our temporall course may bee founde and finished in thy grace that after the ouercomming of all temptations and carefull things we may come to the reward of eternall saluation Teach thou vs dayly to die and by the spirit to subdue the flesh that when the flesh corrupteth the spirit may be taken to eternall rest Graunt vs grace chearefully and continually to cleaue vnto thy holy crosse O giue vs blessed teares of true repentance while the doore of grace standeth open graunt that we may stedfastly blessedly finish the thing which commendably is begun Let our daily exercise bee in the confideration of the passion of Christ let him be our mirrour continually let vs not shrinke from the crosse but indure with Christ in life death with him on the crosse with him in the graue and death so shal we continue in rest peace and quietnesse that when Christ our life shall appeare we may rise vp with him in glorie God the Father Sonne and holie Ghost grant this vnto vs all Amen THE BVRIALL OF IESVS CHRIST OVT of the holie Euangelists NOW when it was late for as much as it was the day of preparation afore the Sabaoth there came a rich man of Arimathia named Ioseph such a principall famous Senatour as was iust and righteous The same had not consented to their counsaile and doings for he also was one of those that waited for the kingdome of God a disciple of Iesu but secretly for feare of the Iewes Boldly went he in vnto Pilate and begged the bodie of Iesu But Pilate wondered if he were now dead alreadie And when hee had learned of the Captaine that it was he graunted him the bodie of Iesu and commended it to bee giuen him Ioseph had bought a white linnen cloth and tooke downe the bodie of Iesus and wrapt it in the faire linnen cloth There came also Nicodemus who was come to the Lord afore by night brought mirrhe and Aloes vppon an hundred pound mixt together So taking the body of Iesu they wound it with clothes and prepared it with sweet ointments according as the maner of the Iewes was to burie And by the place where Iesus was crucified there was a garden and in the garden a new sepulchre There Ioseph laid Iesus in his owne new sepulchre which he had caused to be hewen out of a rocke into the which no man had yet been laid Forasmuch then as it was the Iewes day of preparing the
they might not think What should we poore simple bodies doe against so many learned wise men Who wil arme vs against those that are so mightie Therfore he breatheth vpon them saith Receyue the holie Ghost whome hee there giueth them and therewith strengtheneth them inwardly but with much more power and might vpon Whitsonday whereupon he commandeth them to wait at Hietusalem where he will send them the promise of the Father cloathing the weake with heauenlie strength as with a garment and arming them as with a shield What good thing then can hee lacke or what euill thing can hurt him which is his messenger that hath all power in heauen and in earth and with whome such a king is euer abiding But when Christ would send out his disciples he saith vnto them As my father hath sent me so send I you Whereunto did the father send his sonne into the world Euen that hee should open the glorie of the father vnto the world that he should declare the will of the heauenly Father that hee shoulde offer health vnto the worlde This to doe Christ also sent foorth his Disciples He sent them not to seeke after vaine-glorie after power and riches after bodilie pleasure and worldly pompe but to do as he himself did Christ sought the lost sheepe brought men vnto the knowledge and loue of the true liuing GOD taught them to lead a vertuous and honest life Hee was a Phisition went to the sicke helped them and healed them he was not come to do his owne will but the will of his Father hee was not come to condemne the world but to saue it In all this ought the ministers of the worde to followe Christ and to do as he did Vnto this new heauenly and godlie life and worke Christ giueth them the holie Ghost For like as hee himselfe was risen into a newe life Euen so through his holie spirite will hee graunt and giue a newe life vnto those that are his Therefore breatheth hee vppon them to declare that it is hee who at the beginning made man and nowe by his death had quickened him and renewed him and that euen he is the fountaine and giuer of the spirite Thus vnto his Disciples he gaue the firstlinges of the promised spirite and with it a taste of more and greater perfection as an earnest pennie All this declareth what belongeth to true Apostles and Ministers of the worde which are sent of Christ for no man sendeth himselfe what their office is and that they which seeke the pleasures of the bodie honor praise and riches are not followers of Christ and successors of the Apostles Wherefore most diligently ought wee to pray vnto GOD that he will giue vs faithfull Ministers of the worde which looking truelie to the worke of Christ maye leade vs vnto God But forasmuch as without the holy Ghost nothing can be fruitfully done we must neuerthelesse praie for his holy spirite who may in vs stirre vp holy thoughts and deuout desires directing and mouing our will and so giuing power and strength to accomplish the works of God and steadfastly therin to continue and that the same holy spirit may illuminate and kindle our minds and prouoke them vnto all good and godly works Considering then that the keies which were promised vnto Peter in him to the whole Church Matthew 16. are heere giuen of Christ wee will also intreate somewhat thereof These keyes are nothing else than the Gospell Christ now deduceth his oration from the common custome of men Like as things corporal are shut and opened with the key so be the consciences of men shut or bound with the Gospell Thus are these the keies which Christ giueth vnto the Apostles vnburdening of consciences and souls And that commeth to passe when the holy Ghost illuminateth the mind that it vnderstandeth the misteries of Christ committeth it selfe therevnto To bee discharged or vnbound is when the minde that hath despaired of health or saluation is lifte vp to an assured and vndoubted hope To binde is to leaue the obstinate vnbeleeuing minde vnto it selfe Iesus therefore sendeth foorth his disciples to publish this health vnto the whole world and to exclude separate no man from this grace But first he giueth them the holy Ghost as Iohn sayth that is he openeth their mindes that they may vnderstand the Scriptures as Luke saith for what is it else to open the vnderstanding but to giue the holy Ghost Meete is it also and conuenient that they which by the Gospell should beare Christ throughout the whole world should receiue the holy ghost For if they should preach Christ it was necessarie they had Christs spirit seeing that Christ they had one manner of thing in hand as Christ was sent of God so were they sent of Christ Without fruit verily should the ministers of the word preach the gospel if they were not endued illuminated and inspired with the holy Ghost Preach saith he the gospel that is the key wherewith the gate of heauen is opened Who so beleeueth the Gospell when hee heareth it preached and vnderstandeth it feeleth comfort in his conscience that he is deliuered from sinne Now doth the Gospell set before vs not onely the grace of God by Christ throgh the which grace our sinnes are forgiuen vs but also it teacheth and requireth a new life Neyther doth anie man begin a new life vnles he first be ashamed of the former old and wicked life Therefore saith Luke that Christ opened the mindes and vnderstanding of the disciples that they might perceiue the Scriptures namely that he might thus and thus suffer and rise again and that in his name that is in his commandement and power conuersion of life and forgiuenesse of sinnes should bee preached and declared among all people Therefore when the poore sinner through the preaching of the holy Ghost heareth his wicked and sinfull life for the holy gospel rebuketh the world of sinne he beginneth to knowe himselfe a sinner and to be displeased repentant and sorrie for his sinnes he considereth also that he is well worthie of eternal punishment and damnation By meanes whereof through the multitude and greatnesse of his sinnes he vtterly dispaireth in his owne power and righteousnesse and eternall saluation But therewithall he heareth also that Christ by reason of his sins came downe from heauen and dyed for him vppon the crosse washed away al his sinnes with his bloud hath reconciled him with God made him Gods child an eternall inheritour of his kingdome And this he stedfastly beleeueth I pray you doth not such a mans heart leape for ioy when hee heareth that thorough Christ he is discharged of all the sinnes that so sore pressed him The keies therefore are the pure word of God which teacheth men to know themselues and to put their trust in God through Christ With that word with those keies do the ministers of the worde open
office or that we shoulde delight in their euill but to the intent that malitious iudgement may be auoyded that there be no villanie done to the annoynted of the Lorde More respect and regard shuld we haue to the word of God that they bring vnto vs than to their liuing and â—aults more to the giuer than to the minister It is not thâ—y that worke but God worketh through his owne power he cannot faile vs in his promise The minister lendeth his hand and mouth but the holie Ghost worketh in the harts of the beleeuers neither can the wickednesse of the Priest diminish or hinder that operation If we our selues haue pure cleane and faithfull beleeuing mindes It is not the vncleannes of the minister that can either defile or hurt vs. This is now the story of the Resurrection of Christ wherein we see how the goodnes of the Lord wondefully striueth with the weake faith of those that are his For when the Angels could not perswade them that he was risen againe he himselfe appeareth vnto them aliue and proueth by many euident testimonies that he is of a truth risen againe and reuiued talketh with them eateth with them offereth himselfe vnto them that they may see him and handle him sendeth the women and certaine disciples for witnesses and leaueth nothing vnattempted that may perswade them For in the faith and beleefe of the resurrection of Iesus Christ lieth all our welfare We must therefore beseech Almightie God to establish in vs this faith and by his spirite mightilie to worke that we from sinne may truely rise againe to a newe and godlie life and afterward with our bodies to enter into an immortall and euerlasting life Hereunto helpe vs God the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost Amen Heere endeth the Sermons vpon the Resurrection of Iesus Christ according to the true copie of the Author and now followeth the Sermons of the Ascension THE ASCENSION OF IESVS CHRIST out of the holie Euangelists IESVS lead his Disciples out into Bethanie And when he had brought them together hee spake vnto them of the kingdome of God commanded them that they should not depart from Ierusalem but to waite for the promise of the father For Iohn saith he baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with the holy Ghost after these few dayes When they therefore were come together they asked of him saying Lorde wilt thou at this time restore againe the kingdome to Israel And he said vnto them It is not for you to knowe the times and the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power But yee shall receiue power after that the holie Ghost is come vpon you and yee shall be witnesses vnto mee not onely in Ierusalem but also in all Iurie and in Samaria and euen vnto the worlds ende Now when Iesus had spoken these words vnto them he lifted vp his handes and blessed them and was taken vp and a clowd receiued him out of their sight so that hee departed from them and was carried vp in heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God And whilest they looked stedfastly vp towards heauen as he went behold two men stood by them in white apparrell which also said Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing vp into heauen The same Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shal so come euen as you haue seene him go into heauen So when they had worshipped him they returned with great ioy into Hierusalem from Mount Oliuet which is from Hierusalem a Sabaoth daies iourney And when they were come in they went vp into a parlour where abode Peter and Iames Iohn and Andrew Philip and Thomas Bartholmew and Mathew Iames the sonne of Alpheus and Simon Zelotes and Iudas the brother of Iames. These all continued still with one accord in the temple lauding praising God and making their praiers with the women and Mary the mother of Iesu and with his brethren Doctrine and fruite CHrist who loued his Disciples declareth vnto them his loue euen vnto the ende yea he neuer ceaseth to loue them For though hee leaue them as concerning his bodilie presence yet with his loue grace and power he is euer still with them Forasmuch now as after sufficient proofe of his resurrection he will depart from them and goe to his Father that had sent him he taketh them forth with him vnto the place from whence he mindeth to depart from them And manifestly before their eyes hee ascendeth into heauen into the glorie of his father that they might be witnesses as well of his glorious ascension as of all other things which they had heard seene before O how feruent words spake hee then vnto them How deepely entred he into their hearts How earnestly printed hee those his last wordes into them The eternall wisedome speaketh nothing vainely nothing slenderly nothing without profite Although the Disciples as men yet somewhat carnall doe aske questions concerning the restitution of a bodily and temporall kingdome yet maketh hee no aunswere vnto their demaund but directeth them vnto that which is for their profie and belongeth to their office drawing their hearts from the earthly kingdom from the which they ought to bee mortified vnto the kingdome of heauen euen vnto the kingdome of God in the which he himselfe is king into the which they now were receiued as citizens that they shuld declare the same throughout the whole world and offer it vnto all men This is the gospell of the kingdom of God which for a testimonie vnto all nations must bee preached in the whole world to witnesse the grace of GOD vnto the elect But to the damned and vnbeleeuers a testimonie of their damnation in that they are conuinced of their owne infidelitie and shall haue no excuse if they contemne and despise the grace offered vnto them By this ought wee also to learne to see such thinges which are most profitable and wholesome vnto vs and which bring vs the nearest way to put our trust in God and to loue our neighbours for that part of the play is ours As for vnprofitable and contentious questions if we meddle not with them then the lesse diuision and the more loue and edifieng in the Church of God shall follow Manie times are wee too much carefull for such things as wee desire our selues as what ende this thing or that will come vnto when God will set vp our prosperitie and what shall bee done hereafter when and how God will punish those that are against vs. And this temptation carnall zeale and curiositie chaunceth oft euen in the hearts of the faythfull as we see heere in the Disciples of Christ Sometimes there bee froward and wicked mindes which pretending to bee Christians seeke out of the Gospell nothing but honour lucre and profite but such bee both false and fained Notwithstanding all these set apart wee ought to commit and refer all things vnto our mercifull creator and
euen so is it in the opinion of those that must beare the iudgement of God For as much now as the Apostle Peter according as the matter required did necessarily alledge testimony out of the Prophet concerning the holy Ghost who is giuen to the good children of God he thought also to specifie that which was written in the Prophet as touching the punishment of the wicked that despise the grace of God giuing a warning thereby vnto the Iewes to cease from theyr vnbeleefe and shamefull life declaring vnto them that if they proceed foorth in wickednes it should happen vnto them as it did before vnto theyr forefathers vnto whome Ioel opened the punishment of God Whereby wee must learne paciently to beare it and to take it in good part when our sinnes are rebuked our vices spoken against and we told that the punishment is at hande For this custome had the Apostles in their preaching and declaring of the Gospell that they not onely made mention of the grace of God offered vnto the world by Christ but therwithall likewise they threatned sore punishment to those that eyther despised such excellent grace or hauing knowledge of the truth did cleaue vnto vice which thing in the worde of Peter is yet more euident The Gospell also preacheth amendment of lyfe and not remission of sinnes onely through the bloud of Christ But nowe at this present time there bee many dainty Christians as certaine Princes and Senates in the countreys and citties whose opinion is that the grace of the Gospell is to bee preached yea and they permit Christ and his grace gently worthily to be spoken of but if the false Gods seruice as the honoring of Images and all that is crept in and erected vp in the Papistry agaynst Gods word be reprooued or if the preacher speake agaynst theyr tyranny vniust actes theyr malitious violence and wilfulnes whereby they oppresse poore widowes and fatherlesse children dooing right vnto no man or if the preacher touch them on the gald backs for their excessiue pompe and pride for their rioting whoredome adulterie gluttony drunkennes fighting and extortion if such vices I say wherein they still lead their liues be touched to the quicke then is all fauor gone then burne these preachers say they drowne them they be seditious fellowes they will set vs together by the eares and bring the common people in our necks But such men should consider that vnto this office of the preacher it belongeth to crye against vice least he bee called of God a blind watchman a dumbe dogge and least all the soules which perish through his silence be required at his handes their wilfulnes pride and vaine lyfe they should forsake and reforme themselues and so needed not the preacher to crye out agaynst them Now considering that the Prophets vsed as I said before to make mention of the kingdome of Iesu Christ and of the calling of the heathen to the grace and knowledge of God especially in their orations when they speak of captiuity and deliuerance from the same Ioel in his prophecie doth also keepe that order For seeing that the Iewes were euer still continually as stifnecked rebellious and vnbeleeuing people vnthankful to the grace of God the holy Ghost foresawe theyr reiection declaring it by the Prophets and that another people namely the heathen should bee receyued in their stead For in as much as they despised the grace of God which first was offered vnto them it was meet that the kingdome of God should bee taken from them and giuen to another nation Seeing they thought scorne to come to the marriage to the royall feast whereunto they were bidden it behooued others to be called vnto the same Therfore is Peter earnest vpon this sentence Whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued As if he would say O ye Iewes bragge not of circumcision of Abraham of the temple or of other ceremonies thinke not that ye onely are the people of God the time is now come that God wil bestow his grace vpon those whom ye esteeme to bee vncleane God is no accepter of persons but among all people who so calleth vpon him shall be saued Of this sentence dooth Peter now take occasion more manifestly to speak of the kingdom of Christ for much more pithily and with more euidence doth the Apostles describe the kingdome of Christ than do the Prophets Who so calleth vppon Gods name must knowe God Now can no man knowe God but by Christ Therefore in this little worde to call vpon the name of the Lorde is comprehended the whole summe of the Christian faith Like as oftentimes in the Prophets bee these to sweare by God is contained his whole religion But forasmuch as the Iewes knew not Christ by whome commeth the true knowledge of God therfore beginneth Peter and declareth with strong argumentes how the name of God is to be called vpon namely through true faith in Christ who is the true Messias the annointed king and sonne of God which was promised in the Prophets This doth Peter prooue by the ground of the resurrection of Christ from death by his ascension into heauen and by that he now sitteth at the right hand of God Lord king of al things First let vs heare the text YEe men of Israel heare these words Iesus of Nazareth a man approued of God among you with miracles wonders and signes which God did by him in the midst of you as ye your selues knowe him haue yee taken by the hands of vnrighteous persons after hee was deliuered by the determinate councell and foreknowledge of God haue crucified and slaine him whom God hath raysed vp loosed the sorrowes of death because it was vnpossible that he should be holden of it For Dauid speaketh of him aforehand I sawe God alwayes before mee for hee is on my right hand that I should not be mooued Therefore did my heart reioice and my toong was glad moreouer also my flesh shal reâ—t in hope because thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neither wilt thou suffer thine holie one to see corruption Thou hast shewed me the waies of life thou shalt make mee full of ioy with thy countenance Doctrine and fruite TO the intent now that no man should bee offended at the death and crosse of Christ Peter sheweth first that in the councel of God it was concluded foreseene and determined that the son of God the true Messias should and must die and how that the same sacrifice was ordained from the beginning of the world to bee slaine and offered vp vpon the crosse for our sins And that no man should make any stoppe by reason of his death Peter therefore declareth that he was no misse-doer which had deserued his death by any transgression but that hee was sent vnto vs by GOD the father to dye for vs whereby we might perceiue the loue of our Father in heauen And if they now would
thou thorough thy Gospell doest send vnto vs for without him is no safegard but eternall death damnation From which keep vs good Lord for thy mercies sake Amen FINIS Iohn 13. Luk. 22. 1. Cor. 5. Esay 53. Iohn 1 Exod. 12. 〈◊〉 67. 1 Pet. 1. 1. Iohn 1. 1. Cor. 11. 1. Cor. 9. 1. Pet 2. Iohn 6. Iohn 15. Iohn 13. 1. Ioh 2.3.4 Iohn 15. Loue. Humblenes The exhortation and warning of Christ The presumption rashnes of Peter The dignitie and worthines of the disciples The foreknowledge of Christ The presumptuousnes of Iudas Treason commeth of the deuill Loue. Aduersitie Patience Meeknes The feare of God Faith Eternall reward Christes death our life The fruite of the death of Christ Christ is the onely way He that loueth worketh Psal 34. Gods commandement All things possible to beleeuers Loue ouercommeth all things Faith Loue keeping of the coÌ„mandements The office of Gods spirite Comfort strength in aduersitie We must all be â—aught of God which is don by the spirite The peace of Christ through the spirit Phil 4. Worldly peace Our nature exalted in Christ Comfort in aduersitie The deuill hath nothing in the faithfull We must suffer that we may bee obedient vnto the father To abide in Christ Eph. 2 Col. 2. What it is to abide in Christ Punishment of vnthankfulnes How the faithfull are cleane 1. Pet. 1. Faith bringeth fruite The good workes are not open What wee ought to pâ—aâ—e Entirely doth Christ loue those that are his Iohn 4. Loue is an euidence of faith What foloweth out of the loue of God Tokens of Gods loue to vs. Iohn 1. 1. Cor. 2. Rom. 5. Ephes 1. Rom. 5. We are chosen to bring forth fruit We ought to indure in loue Phil. 2. The commandement of God is loue Iohn 13. 1. Pet. 2. Exhortation to patienes 1. Pet. 3. Iohn 13. Acts. 5. Rom. 12. Math 26. Acts. 1. Rom. â— 2. Tim. 3. Rom. 8. Rom. 5. Acts· 2. Iohn 15. 1. Pet. 4. Math. 10. Luke 9. Iohn â—â— Cant. â— 1. Cor. 14. Heb. 5. Psal 120. Iohn 1â— 1. Iohn 5. 1. Ioh. 4. Isa 53. Ioh. 8. Vnbeliefe is the originall of all vices Ioh. 14. 1. Cor. 1. Ioh. 3. Col. 1. Psal 84. Ephe. 4. Rom. 12 Ephe. 3. 1. Cor. 13. 1. Cor. 2. 2. Cor. â— Iohn 4 2. Cor. 4 Heb. 1 1. Cor. 13 Iohn 17. How wee should pray The sanctifiyng of Gods name should we chiefly desire What it is to honour the Father Iohn 14. Christ is the way to God The knowledge of God eternall life The order of our health What it is to keepe Gods commandements Iohn 17.9 How the Ministers of the word should be praied for Math 5. Ephe 4. Phil. 2. Col. 2. Iohn 15. 1. Cor. 4. Ezech. 36 Phil 2. Ephe 2. Iohn 13. Math. 10. Psal â—3 1. Cor. â— 2. Cor. 6 Iames· â— Iohn 17 Eph. 2 Math. 5 Col 3. Phil. 1 2. Cor. 3 1. Thes â— 2. Cor. 4 Iohn 3. Heb. 2. Rom. 7. Gal. 5. Esa 53 Iohn 10 Iob. 2 Math. 5 Rom. 12. Esay 53. 1. Thes 5. Ephes 4. 1. Tim. 3. Math. 15. 2. Tim. 2. Iohn 8. Esay 9. 1. Pet. 3. Gal. 5. Math. 11. Zach. 13 Apoc. 2. Psal 83. â— Psal 119. Ephes 5. 3. Pet 1. Heb. 10. Thes 5. Psal 22. Esay 53. 1. Pet 2.3 Math. 24. Phil. 2. â— Tim. 2. Ezech. 18. Iohn 3 Math 9. 1. Thes 4. Psal â—â— Esay â— Iohn 17. 2. Tim. 4. Iohn 11 Iohn 3. Heb. 10. Exod. 12. Zach. 11. Ephes â— Iohn 7. Heb. 12. Math. 27. Marke 15. Luk. 23. Iohn 19. Iohn 19. 1. Cor. 1. Iohn 12. Iohn 17. Rom. 6. 1. Cor. 15 Marke 16. Luk. 24. Math. 28. Iohn 20. Math. 28. The crosse is the glorious victorious token of the faithfull Marke 16. Iohn 20. Angus he beleeued that the bodie was taken away Math. 14. Math. 20. Iohn 11. Luke 7. The number of seauen for many Mark 16 2. Cor. 5 God is a spirit with thâ— spirit will hâ— be worshipped Col 3. Phil 3. Psal 22. Rom. â—â— Iohn 15. Iere. 31. The glory of the faithfull is hid vnder the crosse Rom. 6. 1. Iohn â— Math. 28. Acts 9. Luk. 24. Luke 24. Luk. 10. 2. Tim. 2. Apoc. 2. Acts. 2. Rom. 10. Iohn 2. Rom. 8. Math 10. 1. Cor 9. 2. Thes â— Iob. 5. Luke 15. Acts. 2. Heb. 11. Rom. 4. 1. Cor. 14 Iohn 4. Iohn â— Luk. 7. Iohn 6. Phil. 3. Math. 16. Petrus of the rocke Iohn 10 2. Cor. 5. Rom. 7. Math. 26. 2. Tim. 4. Math. 28. Esay 2. Psal 109. Iohn 5. Math Iohn Marke 28. Marke 16. Luke 19. Psal 2. Psal 109. Iohn 17. Phil. 2. Math. 10. Iohn 17. Iohn 10 Math. 16. Ioel 2. Luke 15. Math. 9. Iohn 6. Iohn 3. Of the keies Luk. 24 The holy Ghost that worketh in the Apostles forgiueth the sinnes Note this conditioÌ„ wel Luke 1â— Heb. 13. 1. Tim. 5. 2. Cor. 5 Iohn 13. Math 28. Acts. â— Ezod 25. Deut. 16 Math. 9. Iohn 4. 〈◊〉 2. Mich. 4. Note Ephes 4. Col. 4. Of signes Genes 6. Rom. 8. Sap. 1. Iohn 20. Heb. 1. Col. 1. Gal. 4. Iohn 16. Math. 28. Col 3. Ephes 4. Mal. 2. 1. Cor. 8. Acts. 2. 1. Cor. 2. 1. Cor. 1. Math. 11. Math. 11. Luk. 24. Ioel. 2. Ierem 31. Math. 11. 1. Cor. 12. Esay 11. Psal 75. Iohn .11 Esay 40. Ierem. 31. Luk. 24. Esay 13. Ierem. 15. Amos. â— Esay 56.57 Ezech. 5. Psal 88. 2. Reg 7. Psal 109. Psal 11â— Eph. 4 Math. 22. Col. 1 Iohn 1. Mark 16. Rom. â— 1. Ioh. 2. 1. Tim. â— Mat. 7 16â— Eph. 4.