Sermons on Divinity Humanity and Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, Sermons on the Passion · Sermon 3
The third Sermon of the Pasſion.
Matthew xxvi.
51 ANd behold, one of them which were with Ieſus, ſtretched out his hand, and drew his ſwoord, and ſtrooke a ſeruant of the high Prieſt, and ſmote of his eare.
52 Then Ieſus ſaid vntounto him, put vp thy ſword into his place, for all that take the ſword, ſhal periſh with the ſword.
53 Either thinkeſt thou, that I cannot pray to my Father, and he wil giuegive me moe then twelue legions of Angels?
54 How then ſhould the Scriptures be fulfilled, which ſay, that it muſt be ſo?
55 The ſame houre ſaide Ieſus to the multitude, yee be come out as it were againſt a theefe, with ſwordes & ſtaues to take mee: I ſate dayly preaching in the Temple among you, and ye tooke mee not.
56 But all this was done, that the Scriptures of the Prophets might be fulfilled, Thē all the Diſciples forſooke him and fled.
57 And they tooke Ieſus, and ledde him to Caiphas the high Prieſte, where the Scribes and the Elders were aſſembled.
58 And Peter followed him a farre of vntounto the high Prieſtes hall, and went in, and ſate with the ſeruants to ſee the ende.
59 Now the chiefe Prieſtes and the Elders, and all the whole Councell ſought falſe witneſſe againſt Ieſus, to put him to death.
60 But they founde none, and though many falſe witneſſes came, yet found they none: but at the laſt came two falſe witneſſes.
61 And ſaid, This man ſaid, I can deſtroy the Temple of God, and build it in three dayes.
62 Then the chiefe Prieſt aroſe, and ſaide to him, anſwereſt thou nothing? What is the matter, that theſe men witneſſe againſt thee?
63 …ut Ieſus held his peace, Then the chiefe Prieſt anſwered, and ſaid to him, I charge thee by the liuing God, that thou tell vsus, if thou be the Chriſt, the Sonne of God.
64 Ieſus ſaid to him, thou haſt ſaide it: Neuertheleſſe, I ſay vntounto you, hereafter ſhal yee ſee the ſonne of man, ſitting at the right hand of the power of God, & come in the cloudes of the heauen.
65 Then the high Prieſt rent his cloathes, ſaying, Hee hath blaſphemed: What hauehave we any more neede of witneſſes? Behold, now ye hauehave heard his blaſphemy.
66 What thinke yee? They anſwered and ſaid, hee is worthie to dye.
IF we would at the firſt ſight, according to mans reaſon, iudge of the taking of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, it would amaze vsus to ſée that hée neuer reſiſted. For a man would thinke it became not his maieſtie to ſuffer ſuch ſhame and rebuke, and not to withſtand it any whit at all. On the other ſide, Peters zeale were greatly to bee commended, becauſe hée aduentured him ſelfe vntounto death. For, he ſée before his face the multitude of the enemies: and him ſelfe alone man: yet, by reaſon of the louelove hée beare to his maiſter, hée drewe, and deſired rather to dye foorthwith, then to ſuffer his maiſter to be ſo wronged. Wherin we ſée, that we muſt verie humbly and modeſtly acknowledge to what ende it was why the Sonne of God did, and ſuffered all theſe thinges, and alſo vnderſtand, that whatſoeuer ſéemeth good in our eyes, to be ſtarke ſtaring naught: But wée are to beſéeche God ſo to guide and gouerne vsus, as that we none otherwiſe iudge, then accordingly as hée hath ſhewed vsus in his worde. For behold, what an offence the Goſpell is to a number of people: and what a number of ſcoffers there are of it, and all to their deſtruction: By reaſon of their arrogant, and raſhe iudgement thereof. Howbéeit, to the ende wée might not bée deceiued, wée muſt alwayes in the firſt place, returne to that which our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt ſetteth downe vntounto vsus: which is, the will of God his father. And thus much for this point. And beſides, wée are to conſider of the ende thereof, which to vsus, woulde ſéeme verie ſtraunge. Wherefore when wée looke vntounto theſe two conſiderations, wée ſhal then hauehave occaſion to honour God, and acknowledge that whatſoeuer wée thinke to bée fooliſhe; the verie Angelles account it to be great wiſedome. And for the better vnderſtanding hereof, let vsus looke vntounto that which is here recyted of Peter. For thus it is ſaid, That when hee had drawne his Swoorde, hee cut off Malchus eare, a ſeruaunt of Caiphas. Héere, wée ſée, howe foole hardie wée are, when we follow our own opinion: & are ſo blinded, as yt we care not what we do: But when we ſhould obey God, we are ſo ſlacke as is lamentable: & in ſuch ſort forget our ſelues, as that the leaſt thing in the worlde maketh vsus to chaunge our copie. And thus we ſée we ſhal hauehave alwaies an hundreth times more mynde to follow our fond imaginations, then to doe the thing which God cōmandeth vsus, & which our calling beareth vsus in. We ſee this ouer much in the example of Peter. For as after ſhalbe ſhewed, whē he was to cōfeſſe our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, hee ſweare to his owne deſtructiō: & yet was he cōtēted to aduēture his life, whē as he had no ſuch cōmandement. Nowe, what was the cauſe that made him to drawe? Surely he did it as it were in a furie: For his Maiſter taught him not to doe any ſuch thing. And whē he forſooke his maiſter, knew he not before this ſaying, Whoſoeuer ſhall deny me before men, I will denie him before my father which is in heauen?Mat. 10.33. But he was (as I hauehave before ſaid) cockbrayned: & this fond deſire which he had to defend our Lord Ieſus after his maner, caried him away. Let vsus therefore after his example, learne to endeuour our ſelues to walke whither ſoeuer God calleth vsus, and not to thinke it any hard matter to do which he cōmandeth: neither let vsus attempt any thing, no not ſo much as the wagging of our litle finger, except God allow of it, and that we hauehave a teſtimonie that he guideth vsus. And thus much for this point, And in very déede, our Lorde Ieſus ſheweth him that he hath grieuouſly offended, becauſe he was not ignoraunt of this poynt of the lawe, which ſayeth, that whoſoeuer ſheddeth mans blood, his blood ſhall be ſhed agayne.
And therefore Sainte Peter was to hauehave kepte this leſſon in mind, That God would not hauehave anie force nor violēce vſed.Gen. 9.6. And (that which is more) in what Schoole was hee brought vp by the ſpace of thrée yéeres? And beſides, did not our Lorde Ieſus put him in mind, as much as was poſſible, to behaue himſelfe gently & graciouſly? From whence then ſhould he fetch any allowance of this his raſhe dealing. Wherefore wée hauehave ſo much the rather to obſerue that which wée hauehave already ſpoken: to wit, that if wée fetche our zeale from men, & bée flattered, & well like off, yet will GOD condemne vsus, if wée tranſgreſſe his commaundement neuer ſo little. And therefore wée ſhal neuer bée ſaide to bée prayſe worthy, except we walke as God teacheth vsus by his word. For ſo ſoone as we paſſe this meaſure, all our vertues ſtinke and become abhominable. Loe then what becommeth of all our deuotions: For when ſoeuer we ſhall hauehave trauailed neuer ſo much to do the thing which ſeemeth good in our owne braines, God wyll vtterly condemne it, without it be ſquared by his word: For he alloweth not nor accompteth any thing to be lawful in truth, but his very word. But as for the hiſtory which we are now in hād wt, the ſecōd reaſō is much more to be cōſidered of. For, the matter which we hauehave already touched is general: but this ſaing properly belō geth vntounto the death and paſſiō of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, when hée ſaieth, Thinkeſt thou that I cannot pray to my father, and he will giuegive me more then twelue legions of Angels. Now a legion, in thoſe dayes was woont to be four or fiue thouſand men. And therfore (ſaith hée) ſée what an heauenly army I am able to hauehave, and yet am I contented to put all this quietlye vp, why then comeſt thou to take vponupon thée héere more then God would hauehave thée to doo, or can abide thou ſhouldeſt doo.
Now it is very lawfull for vsus to call vponupon God, and to beſéeche him to defend our lyfe: and as he accompteth it to be precious, euen ſo muſt we deſyre him, that it would pleaſe him alſo to kéepe and preſerue it. But our Lord Ieſus telleth hym that hee woulde nor ought not now to doo it. And wherefore then woulde Peter vſe violence, contrary to that order which God hath permitted and eſtabliſhed by his worde. If a meane which of it ſelfe is lawfull, ought not to be practiſed: what ſhall become of that whiche God hath forbidden, and declared to be puniſhable?
We then héere ſée (as I hauehave already ſaid) that the ſonne of God ſubmitted him ſelfe to all rebuke and ſhame, and deſired rather to be bound and faſt manacled as a malefactor and a condemned perſon, then to be made a lyer by any myracle, and would hauehave god to ſtretch forth his arme to warrant him. And héereby wee may vnderſtande how greatly he eſtéemed of our ſaluation. Howbeit héere is one point which I hauehave already noted: to wit, that he ſendeth vsus back to the will & purpoſe of God his father. For wtout this alſo it ſhuld ſéeme ſtrange, yt he would not craue ye aid which he right wel knew he might hauehave: & it ſhould ſéeme he tempted God, whenas he would not pray for it. For, we are promiſed, yt the Angels ſhall be round about them which feare God: yea & ſhal beare them in their handes,Pſal. 34.7. Pſal. 91.11 yt they ſhal not hurt them ſelues againſt a ſtone, & no euill ſhal come to them in their waies: now when God promiſeth vsus any thing, he would that the ſame ſhould put vsus in minde to praye vntounto him for it. And therefore as often as we are in néede, our recourſe muſt be vntounto him, yt he might place his Angels to guide vsus, eueryevery one according to his roome and office. And this order we ſée ye holy Patriarks & Fathers practiſed. For thus ſaid Abraham, the Angel of the Lorde who neuer fayled mée,Gen. 24.7 ſhal be in thy way with thée, & make thy iourney proſperous. This order thē vſed the holy fathers. Wherefore then would our Lord Ieſus Chriſt hauehave ye Angels to help him?Luk. 22.43. For bicauſe (as S. Luke reciteth) he was therevpon before comforted, and the Angels ſerued him, to the ende to mittigate the anguiſh wherein he was. Why, it ſhould ſéeme then that he contemned the neceſſary ayde of God, no not ſo, but he reſpected that which afterwarde he ſaide, How ſhoulde the ſcriptures be fulfilled? &c. As if he ſhould hauehave ſaide, that if we doubted of any thing, we might and ought then to beſéeche the Lorde to looke vponupon vsus with his eye of mercy and compaſſion, ſo make vsus by all meanes poſſible to féele his power and vertue: But when we are reſolued that of neceſſitie it muſt be ſo, and know the will of God to be ſuch, then muſt we none otherwiſe beſéech hym but to fortify vsus with an inuincible and conſtant power, neuer to gaine ſay it, nor yet be carried away with our affections, but wholye goe with chearefull courage and countenaunce whether ſoeuer it pleaſeth him to call vsus. As for example, if our enimies perſecute vsus, and we know not how God hath determined to deale wt vsus, nor what wyll be our ende, we are to beſéeche him, yt as our life is deare vntounto him, and hath taken it to kéepe, that he would alſo ſhew our delyueraunce by the effect. And when we are perſuaded that God meaneth to call vsus vntounto him ſelfe, we muſt leaue of all kinde of queſtining, and fully reſolue our ſelues to obey his maieſties vnchangeable decrée and ordenaunce. And thus we ſée the meaninge of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. For he prayed all his lyfe long, yea & before he entred into ye mighty combat which he abode, he beſought his heauenly Father, yt if it were poſſible, yt that cup might pas ouer him: But hee by & by concluded, yt ſince God his father had ſo ordeyned it, & ſay yt he muſt diſcharge that charge which was cōmitted vntounto him which was to offer vp an euerlaſtīg ſacrifice, to blot out y• ſins of the world: & when he ſée him ſelfe to be called thereto, & yt it was a reſolute concluſiō ſet down, ye ſame I ſay was ye very cauſe why he abſteyned from praying to God for the contrary And therfore he would not that eyther Angels or yet men ſhoulde helpe him, nor yet to hauehave God his father cauſe him to féele his power for his deliuerance from death: but it ſufficed him that hee had this ſpirite of conſtancie, willingly to goe to doe his office. Loe héere the full content and meaning hereof. We nowe ſée in the firſt place, that the will of GOD muſt ſo ſtay and bridle vsus, as that when wee thinke thinges to be farre vnlike and againſt al reaſon, to eſtéeme more of the ordinance of God, then of any thing that our fond and vayne brayne can comprehend. Wherefore we muſt throw our imaginatiōs cleane vnderunder ye féet, whē we perceiue that God hath otherwiſe prouided. And this is one péece of the obediēce of our faith, whē we thinke God to be ſo wiſe, as that he hath power & authority to doe whatſoeuer pleaſeth him. And although wee can make reaſons to ye contrary, let vsus wel vnderſtand that they are but ſmoke & vanity, & yt God knoweth al things, & frō whō no ſecretes are hid, yea and his wil to be the rule of al wiſedome and righteouſneſſe. And beſides, whatſoeuer our mind ſaith to the contrary, it is by reaſon of our groſſe vnderſtanding, for we know that the wiſedome of God is infinite, and ſcarcely hauehave wée thrée drammes of wit. It is there fore no maruell though men grow wilde and ſauage, whē God ruleth thē not as they would thēſelues. And why ſo? Forſooth bicauſe we are very ydiots. And in very déede, ſo long as our wit and reaſon beare any rule, it is euen very beaſtly: Wherefore, becauſe we cannot finde out the bottomleſſe depth of Gods iudgementes, let vsus learne to honour that which is kept ſecrete from vsus: Let vsus I ſay, humbly & reuerently honour it, and ſay that whatſoeuer God doth is iuſt and right, though we cannot perceiue how. And thus much for this, Nowe, ſéeing it was the will of God that his ſonne ſhould be put to death, let not vsus be aſhamed of that which hee ſuffered: nor yet think yt the wicked did beare ye ſway, & that ye ſonne of God could not hauehave found meanes to hauehave defēded himſelfe: For all came frō ye wil, & vnchangeable decrée of God, which he had determined therin. And therfore we ſée why our Lord Ieſus ſaith in S. Luke.Luke. 22.53. This is now your very houre, & ye power of darknes. As if he ſhuld hauehave ſaid, what? make no great boaſt of yt you hauehave done For ye diuel is your maiſter & ringleader: By wc he ſheweth yt they did nothing but by ye leaue of God: And although ye diuel vrged thē thereto, yet neither they nor hee coulde hauehave brought any thing to paſſe, if God had not licēſed them. Thus we ſée in ſūme, that our eyes & all our ſenſes muſt be faſtened vponupon the wil of God, and vpō his euerlaſting councel, when we heare the death and paſſion of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt ſpoken of, For he declared that this was the will of God, becauſe it is writtē. For if Ieſus Chriſt had not had ſome teſtimony of ye thing which God his father had ordeined, he might as yet hauehave ſtood in doubt, but he knew what his office was. And God would not hauehave ſent him downe here below, but that hée gaue him forthwith an expreſſe charge withal. It is very true, that inaſmuch as our Lord Ieſus is God eternal, that he néeded not to be taught of ye ſcripture: but inaſmuch as he is our redéemer, & is clothed with our nature, yt he might be of right brotherhood, it was méet he ſhuld be taught the holy ſcripture, & we ſée alſo that he at no time refuſed any ſuch inſtruction. So thē, becauſe God ſhewed him, wherunto he had called him, we ſée wherupō he eſtabliſhed himſelfe: & we alſo ſée why he behaued himſelfe like a priſoner, & would not ſtart away, becauſe he knew that he muſt fulfil the charge cōmitted vntounto him, which was, to offer himſelfe a ſacrifice for the redēptiō of vsus al: And therefore we are to learne, that forſomuch as the will of God is ſecrete, & incōprehēſible in himſelfe, we muſt hauehave recourſe vntounto the holy ſcripture. True it is, that God determineth of things in his ſecrete councel, which wee thinke to come by chaunce (as wee ſay) which is not ſhewed vntounto vsus: neither hauehave wee alwaies a ſpeciall reuelatiō, that we are able to ſay, that God hath determined either this thing or that. And therfore muſt we ſuſpēd our iudgemēts: for we ſée why it is that we pray him to heale vsus of our ſicknes, or why we would hauehave him to deliuer vsus from any other affliction whereinto we are fallen. And why doe wée ſo? Becauſe wee knowe not what he wil doe. In very déed, we muſt not appoint him a law, but that this conditiō muſt alwaies be adioyned, that his wil be done: But all our prayers ought to tende to this pointe, to craue at his handes whatſoeuer he knoweth to be neceſſary & profitable for vsus, and to leaue vntounto himſelfe whatſoeuer is laid vp in his ſecret councel, to the end hee might doe that which to his maieſty ſhall ſéeme beſt. But whē wee hauehave a teſtimony out of the holy ſcripture, that God willeth any thing, we muſt not (as I hauehave already ſaid) ſtand againſt it. Now, we are here a great deale better confirmed as touching the perſon of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, that hee was not thus cruelly afflicted, & ſo ſhamefully & ſlanderouſly handled, onelyonly as the vngodly & wicked men luſted, but becauſe God had ſo decréed it. And how appeareth this by the holy ſcripture? For were not ye ſacrifices in ye law ordeined two thouſād yeres before Ieſus Chriſt was borne? And had not God enſpired & taught the auncient Fathers how to ſacrifice, before the law was eyther giuen, or written. Or could the blood of bruite beaſtes obtaine remiſſion for ſinnes, and make men acceptable vntounto God? No: But it was to ſhew, that God ſhould be reconciled by a Redéemer whom he had eſtabliſhed: and ſithens that time he hath ſet downe an expreſſe mention and declaration by the ſcriptures.Iſaiah. 53.2. We alſo ſée howe the Prophets hauehave ſpoken thereof, and namely he alledgeth them. For, when Iſaiah ſaieth, That the Redéemer ſhould be diſfigured, and diſdayned, deformed, and vnbeautifull like a Leaper, ſcourged and beaten by the hande of God, that he ſhould be an horrible thing to beholde: to be ſhort, that his life ſhould be taken from him: in what power was this prophecied of? was it becauſe God could not withſtande Satan and all the rable of the wicked? No: But it was becauſe he had pronounced by the mouth of Iſaiah the thing which he had before appointed.Dan. 9.24. And in Daniell it is a great deale more expreſly ſet downe. Séeing then it is ſo, that God hath declared that his onelyonly Sonne muſt be ſacrificed for our redemption and ſaluation, we are nowe much more confirmed in that which I hauehave alreadie ſpoken, which is, we muſt alwayes ſée that it is the hand of God which gouerneth, when as we ſee the Sonne of God to be ſo ſubiected to the ſlaunders and reproches of mortall men. Wee ſee alſo why Saint Peter namely ſaieth in the Actes,Act. 4, 27. That Iudas, all the Iewes, yea, and all the ſouldiers, and Pylate alſo, had done none other thing, but that which the hande and Councell of God had determined: as hereafter ſhall more at large be handled. And here we ſée wherevnto wée muſt looke, when we would not be troubled in our fooliſh imaginations, which is, that God hath ſent downe here belowe his onelyonly begotten Sonne, that he might accept his obedience through his death and paſſion, for the taking away of all our ſinnes and iniquities. And this is the ſecond point which I hauehave handled, to wit, the fruit & benefit which commeth to vsus by the ſuffering of our Lorde Ieſus. For if we knew not why it was, we ſhould loſe the taſt of yt which is here recited vntounto vsus. But whē it is ſaid yt he was bound & manacled for our deliuerance: and that we ſée what the ſtate & condition of our nature is, to wit, that Satan holdeth vsus vnderunder the tyranny of ſinne and death, that wée are very bondſlaues, ſo that in ſtead that we were created after the image of God, there muſt néeds be found in vsus nothing but corruptiō, and accurſedneſſe, & muſt be led into this curſed captiuitie like miſerable & wretched beaſtes. Now, when we know all this, and that we on the other ſide ſée, that the Sonne of God refuſed not to be ſlaunderouſly bound, to the end that al the ſpiritual bonds of ſin & death, wc kéepe vsus boūd vnderunder ye bōdage of Satā, might be brokē in ſunder, thē hauehave we wherefore to glorify God, & wt opē mouth to triumph in the death & paſſiō of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt,Luke. 22.51. & in his taking, wherof mētion here is made. Thus we ſée what we hauehave to remēber in this place: & héervpō ye euāgeliſt ſaith, yt our Lord Ieſus healed the ſeruaunt whom Peter hurte, not becauſe he was woorthy to be healed, but for the ſaluing of the offence that was geuen. For this had béen a defaming of the doctrine of the Goſpel, and of the redemption of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, (I call that the redemption of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt which hee purchaſed for vsus) if this hurt had not béen healed: ſo that it might hauehave béene ſayde that hée had withſtood the Gouernour of the Countrey, and all the Prieſts, and that he kept in that place, as it were a ſtanding, for théeues & robbers. And this was to hauehave darkened all the glory of the ſonne of God, and to hauehave made the Goſpel for euer to hauehave béene ſlandered. We ſée alſo that this zeale of Peters was diueliſhe: For the Diuell went about to make Ieſus Chriſte and all his doctrine to be infamous. And héere we ſée to what end all our painted deuotiō tendeth, whē we wil ſerue God as pleaſeth our ſelues, & eueryevery mā take leaue to doe whatſoeuer he thinketh beſt in his owne eyes.
Wherfore, Ieſus Chriſt ment to take away this offence, to the end hée would not hauehave his doctrine to bée ſlaundered. Howbéeit wée may héere ſée the abhominable vnthankfulneſſe of ſuch as are not mooued by ſuche a myracle. For behold, the Souldiers who came to manacle our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, ſée what a number of wayes the power of the Spirite of GOD wrought in him: For, but a little before, he had with a woord of his mouth, made them turne backe: and by and by, hée healeth a man who hadd his eare cutte of: and yet all this did them no good. Wée ſee then, that when the Deuil hath once bewitched vsus, and bleared our eyes, that neyther the graces of GOD, nor yet all his power, can touch vsus, but that we will followe, and goe on in our furie and rage: and hauehave as it were euen a ſwines ſnowte to roote in euerie thing: and let God ſay and doe what he pleaſe, yet will we, continually remayne obſtinate, which is an horrible thing. And therefore we are to beſéeche the Lorde to graunt vsus wiſedome that wée may profite by his graces, and be brought to louelove him, and that we may be alſo touched when he lifteth vp his hand to ſhew vsus, that he is our iudge, ſo that we be not afeard to return vntounto him in true repentance. And this is in effect the thing that we are to learne hereby. But howe euer it was, our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt ſtopped the mouthes of the vngodly when as hee had healed Cayphas ſeruant. Herevpon it is ſaide, that Ieſus was led to Cayphas houſe, and was there examined to the ende. Iohn. 18.13.Nowe, for the making ſhorte of the matter, wée wil not ſpeake of that which Saint Iohn writeth of Annas, who was Cayphas father in lawe: and it may bée that Ieſus Chriſt was led thither for honours ſake, or els becauſe the way ſo ſerued, hoping that all were there aſſembled. Well, Ieſus was ledde to Cayphas houſe, and there examined. And it is namely ſayde, That the high Prieſtes ſought falſe witneſſe againſt him, but they founde none. And in the ende, That there came twoo falſe witneſſes, and ſayd, That he ſaide, he woulde buylde vp the temple agayne in thrée dayes, héere wée ſay that our Lorde Ieſus was charged: not that the high prieſts were moued with any zeale: as many times they which perſecute innocentes, thinke they doe God high ſeruice, for in very déede wée ſee, how Saint Paule was driuen with ſuch a fury,1. Tim. 1.13. as that hée was like vntounto a théefe (for ſo he calleth himſelfe) who waſted and ſpoyled eueryevery where: and yet thought himſelf to be a very zealous man. But it fared not ſo with Cayphas and his company. For what was it that they ſought, but onelyonly vniuſtly to ouerthrowe Ieſus Chriſt? And thus wée ſee that it was very ambytion that draue them, manifeſtly to ſtande agaynſt God, which is a moſt horrible thing. For Cayphas and all his company were the children of Leui, euen an holy Tribe which GOD himſelfe had choſen? and not menne, for God had ſo appoynted yt by his Lawe. In very déede there was a villanous and horrible corruption amongeſt them, becauſe the prieſthood was bought at thoſe dayes, and whereas it ſhould hauehave béene an office for tearme of life (as God had ordayned it) euerye one circumuented his fellow, and whoſoeuer brought the greateſt ſumme of mony, carried away this dignitie. Now, this was a villanous and deteſtable corruption, that they woulde make them ſelues lyke vntounto théeues and vnlawfull dealers in ſo holy and honorable an eſtate, neuer the leſſe, the Prieſt alwayes continued in the tribe of Leui, which God had conſecrated to doe him ſeruice. And yet we ſée that they became all the enemies of God, Satan had made them all drunke, yea they were all ſtarke madd againſt the redéemer of the world, who was the ende of the law.
Let vsus therefore héereuppon note, that they whiche are in dignitie and in high degrée, will not at all times ſo faithfully doo their duties, but that they had néede beware of themſelues, euen as of thoſe which might become the enemies of God. And héerein wee may ſée the ouer groſſe folly of the Papiſtes, when they reſt vponupon this title and dignitie of prieſthood. For, put the caſe that God had commaunded there ſhould be a Pope (which neuer was commaunded) and that his ſeat ſhould be at Rome (which is yet a leſſe matter) howbeit if all this were true, yet wée ſée that in the perſon of Cayphas and his like, as many as hauehave bene aduaunced to honor, may abuſe their power and authoritie. And therfore let not vsus be ſo fooliſh as to occupie our heades about maſkes: neither yet let God loſe his authoritie, when ſoeuer any honorable title is geuen vsus: as we ſée the Papiſts doo, when as they forſake all the holy ſcripture & reuerence their idoles. Let vsus learne then not to leſſen the glory of God, vnderunder ye coulor of any worldly dignity, but let him hauehave all his ſoueraigne dominion.Pſal. 118.22. And thus much for this point. And as for any offence which we may conceiue in our owne fantaſies, let vsus marke that which is ſaide in the Pſalme (as alſo our Lord Ieſus Chriſt hath before alleaged) That hée is the corner ſtone which the builders forſooke.Mat. 21.42. And who were they that were the builders of the houſe and Church of God? forſooth the Prieſts: for it is they that ſhould indéede diſcharge them ſelues of that office: & yet they forſooke the head corner ſtone which god had laid. And although this ſtone was refuſed, yet was it laide in the chiefe place of the building: that is to ſay, God left not to accompliſh that which he had ordayned by his councell, when he raiſed vp his onelyonly ſonne, and had aduanced him agreat deale more, then hee was before abaſed:Phil. 2.10. For eueryevery knée muſt bow to hym. Now, when it is ſayde that the Prieſtes went about to ſéeke falſe witneſſes againſt him, they dyd it not ſimply to forge or feinge a falt againſt hym, but that they might hauehave ſome coulor and cloke to vexe and greeue our Lord Ieſus. And this is verye true, that hee ſpake theſe wordes, deſtroye you this Temple, and within thrée dayes I wyll build it vp agayne. And héere wee ſée the wordes of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt as they procéeded out of his mouth.Ioh. 2.19. Now, the witneſſes which were brought in rehearce the very ſelfe ſame words, wherfore, a man would ſay that theſe were good and faithful witneſſes: & yet the holy ghoſt calleth them falſe witneſſes, becauſe they turned this ſaying wickedly: For our Lord Ieſus ſpake of his body, which was the true temple of his diuine maieſtie. For the materiall Temple which was builte in Ieruſalem was but a figure, & ſhadow therof, as we know: But the whole fulneſſe of the Godhead had his being in our Lorde Ieſus, as S. Paul witneſſeth, yea corporally and ſubſtantially. And therefore héere is to be noted,Col. 2.9. that we muſt not ſimply looke into the words of a teſtimonye, but to the meaning of the ſpeaker. Now, this is a verye good and profytable inſtruction for vsus, becauſe wée are ſo greatly giuen to wickedneſſe and leaſing, that if wee hauehave any coulor, it is inough, and doo thinke that God hath pardoned vsus, when wee hauehave by any ſuch falſe meanes charged any man. And therfore, we muſt not ſtay ſimply vpō words, neither yet vponupon the maner & faſhion of thē but looke to the worthines of the cauſe. For they which may at al times defend & ſay yt they hauehave depoſed nothing but that which was ſaid or done, are yet takē before god for falſ witneſſes, as here we ſée: wherupō it is ſaid, yt Cayphas ſaid vntounto Ieſus chriſt What is the matter? anſwereſt thou nothing? ſeeſt thou not that theſe men witnes againſt thee? And yet Ieſus Chriſt al this while, held his peace, & put vp al theſe reuiling and ſlaunderous words. Now, it may bee thought a ſtrange thing ye Ieſus Chriſt who had very iuſt occaſion to diſproue ſuch a falſe teſtimony, did not once gaine ſay it: howbeit) as I hauehave before ſaid, and as héereafter ſhall more at large appeare) Ieſus chriſt was not thē to defend his doctrine as before he had done. And therfore we are wiſely to diſtinguiſh of al ye circumſtaūces: for, after Ieſus chriſt had faſted in the wildernes, god his father ſent him to pupliſh ye doctrin of ye goſpel. Now wée ſée that all that time, he alwaies mightily defended the doctrine whereof he was a miniſter: and wée ſee alſo how hée ſet himfelfe againſt whatſoeuer might bée ſaid to the contrary. And thus wée ſée how hée diſcharged his duetie, becauſe he was appointed and ſent to bée a Miniſter of the worde. But héere is one ſpecial regard to bée had: and that is this, that hee muſt bée the redéemer of the worlde, and be condemned not becauſe hée preached the Goſpell, but that hée ſhoulde bée throwne downe into the bottomleſſe depth, & ſuffer for our cauſe, by reaſō he beare as it were in his owne perſon all the curſes and tranſgreſſions of thoſe who deſerued euerlaſting death. Wherefore, becauſe Ieſus Chriſt tooke vponupon him this office, to beare the burden of all ſuch as hauehave deadly offended the Maieſtie of God, that was the reaſon why hée helde his peace. And ſo, let vsus note, that when it was méete for Ieſus Chriſt to defend the doctrine of the Goſpel, and that it ſo ſtood with his office & calling, he faithfully diſcharged the ſame. But when in holding his peace he plaied the part of a redéemer, as though hee was contented willingly to be condēned, it was not for his owne cauſe yt he held his peace, but (as I hauehave alredy ſaid) for our ſakes. True it is yt he ſpake (as we ſhal ofttimes ſée) but it was not in his owne defence, which did but ſo much the more kindle the rage and fury of the vngodly againſt himſelfe. And thus wée ſee, that it was not his meaning to eſcape death, but was contented, willingly to be ouerthrowne, to the end he might declare that he had quite forgotten himſelfe, to diſcharge vsus before God his father. Now hée neither reſpected himſelfe, his owne life, nor yet his honor: For he cared not to abide all the ſhame and ſlaunder of the world, ſo that our ſinnes might bée taken away, and we pardoned of our cōdemnation. And héereupon it is ſaid, That the high Prieſt charged him by the liuing God, to tell him, whether he were Chriſt, the bleſſed ſonne of God, hée anſwered, That it was ſo: But that they ſhould ſée his Maieſtie, when it woulde bée too late for them, becauſe ſuch their dealing ſhoulde bée their deſtruction and ouerthrowe. Nowe our Lorde Ieſus Chriſte ſpake not this héere, to make the high Prieſt and his company to yéelde gently, but rather to pricke him faſter on: and as he was before full of malice & crueltie, this was to make the fier to burſt out into a greater flambe, Howbeit wée hauehave ſaide, that Ieſus Chriſte reſpected not himſelfe, but rather diſcharged that office wherof he had taken the charge, which was, to be the redéemer of the world. Moreouer, we ſée heere in the firſt place, that the contemners of God, and ſuch as Satan hath altogether poſſeſſed, wyll vſe ſome coulored kind of religion: For a man would think, that the hye Prieſt dyd his dutie in charging Ieſus Chriſt by the name of the liuing God. But ſée into what a miſchiefe we are plunged, when Satan hath once blindfoulded our eyes: for he then throweth vsus headlong into ſuch ſhamleſneſſe, as that we hauehave no more reuerence vntounto God, then we are aſhamed before men. Now, this anſwere of our Lord Ieſus, giueth vsus to note, that he meant to declare to Cayphas, and the reſt, that although he were for a time, as a man would ſay, abaſed, yet would not yt leſſen his maieſtie, but that he ſhould be alwaies taken to be ye only ſon of God. But yet there is one thing farther to be conſidered of: which is, for our better confirmation, that although he was thus abaſed for our ſaluation, he loſt no part of his heauenly maieſtie, but was contented that men ſhould oppreſſe him, to the end we might be fully certified, that we ſhould be founde honourable before God, becauſe that all the ſhames which we hauehave deſerued, ſhould be aboliſhed. And therefore, becauſe our Lord Ieſus helde his peace, and defended not his good cauſe, let our mouthes now be opened to call vponupon God, as if we were iuſt: for he is our aduocat which ſpeaketh for vsus: now then, becauſe our Lord Ieſus held his peace, he dyd it to this ende that he might now fréely make interceſſion for vsus vntounto God his father: and although we are but miſerable wormes, yet hauehave we acceſſe to God, to call famyliarly vpō him & wc open mouth to chalenge him for our father. And this is it which he ment to ſhew vsus, ſaying, Heereafter ſhall you ſee the ſon of man, ſitting at the right hand of the power of God. We muſt therfore let ſlip all regard which might bring with it any offence, when as we ſée our Lorde Ieſus to be thus abaſed. And let vsus alſo ſée what the ende of it was: His meaning then was to bee condemned without reſiſtaunce before the iudgment ſeat of God, that we might frankly go thither without feare. Let vsus therefore in ſumme learne, that as often as we heare the paſſion of the hiſtory recited vntounto vsus, ſo to ſigh and grone, ſince the ſonne of God muſt néedes ſo wonderfully ſuffer for vsus, as that in the meane while we tremble at his maieſtie, vntill ſuch time as he appeareth vntounto vsus: and be ſo fully reſolued, that when ſoeuer he ſhal come, it ſhal make vsus effectually to féele the frute which he hath purchaſed vntounto vsus by his death and paſſion. And beſids, let vsus feare to be of ye number of ſuch as he thus threatneth, ſaying, Heereafter ſhall you ſee: For it is méete that the wicked and reprobate ſhould féele how terrible the iudgement ſeat of God is, and how great his power is to throw them headlong into hell, when as he ſetteth him ſelfe againſt them.
And when Saint Paul alſo wil ſpeake of the condemnatiō which the wicked & curſed of God ſhal abide, he ſaith yt they ſhal tremble & feare at the countenaunce of his infinite maieſtie. Since thē it is ſo, let vsus learne to humble our ſelues before our Lord Ieſus,2. Theſ. 1.9. let vsus not looke to beholde with the eye the maieſtie which he wyll ſhew at his laſt comming, but let vsus looke vponupon him at this day as our King and as he is head of the Angelles and of all creatures, and receiue him as our ſouereigne Prince: giuing vntounto him that honour which to him belongeth, knowing, that ſince he is made our wiſdome, redemption, rightuouſneſſe, and holineſſe in God his father, that to him wee muſt giuegive all praiſe,1. Cor. 30. and be filled with the fulneſſe which we muſt draw out of him. And therfore let vsus be well aduiſed to doo this honour vntounto our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, although we ſée not at this day his iudgment ſeat ſet vp: but let vsus beholde it with the eyes of faith, and beſéeche God to inlightē vsus with his holy ſpirite, that we may be ſtrengthened to call vponupon him in the laſt hour, ſo that it may carye vsus beyonde all our wittes and vnderſtandings, that we might ſo glorifie our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt at this day as he deſerueth. And this is the effect which we are to kéepe in minde. But as concerning that which is ſayde, yt Cayphas and the Prieſtes condemned him to death, let vsus learne, not to feare the obſtinate bouldneſſe of the vngodlye, and enemies of the trueth. Now, this is a very neceſſary doctrine for vsus at this day: for wee ſée the mightie men of this world, with open mouth ſpeake euill of the Goſpell: yea we ſée ſome euen amidſt vsus which profeſſe the Goſpel, and would be taken for people reformed, and from whom, as it ſhould ſéeme, there commeth nothing els out of their mouths but the Goſpell, who notwithſtanding lyke Deuilles incarnate, or rather lyke wylde and cruell beaſtes whom Satan poſſeſſeth, do condemne the doctrine of the Goſpell. And we néede not go verie far to ſée al theſe things. Wherfore that we might be ſtrengthned againſt ſuch offences, and learne, alwaies to glorifie our God: Let Cayphas and ſuch lyke vomit out their blaſphemies as much as they luſt, and ſay that Ieſus Chriſt is worthy of death, & muſt hold his peace at ſuch a poynt, becauſe it is naught. And let them alſo infect the ayre with their villanous and damnable blaſphemies neuer ſo much: yet let vsus hold vsus to this ſaying of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt: that although we at this day ſo falſely condemne his trueth, and ſtand in doubt of it, and that it be alſo falſified, euill ſpoken of, and turned cleane contrary to the meaning thereof, yet is he, ſtrong and mightie inough to defende it, and let vsus paciently looke for his apparaunce, for our redemption. And in the meane while, let vsus al learne to humble our ſelues, & giuegive hym all the glory, ſince it was his wyll ſo to abaſe him ſelfe, and to make him ſelfe of no reputation in the world for our ſaluation.
Let vsus now fall downe before the maieſtie of our good God and acknowledge our offences, beſéeching him to cauſe vsus more & more ſo to féele them, as that wee may bee brought with true confeſſion, to ſéeke for the grace of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, as behoueth vsus to doo, & come vntounto hym lyke famiſhed & hungry ſoules, & make accompt, that the benefits which he hath purchaſed for vsus, are not to be valued, to the end to make vsus féele our ſelues to bee ſo much the more bound vntounto him, that we might thereby be ſtirred vp to giuegive our ſelues wholy to worſhip him, and be diſpleaſed with our ſins & iniquities, vntil ſuch time as we be euen aſhamed of them and that God hath mercy & compaſſion vponupon vsus, and not ſuffer vsus when we are once come vntounto hym, neuer to forſake hym, but to be more and more confirmed towardes him, and not to care for what ſoeuer offences the Deuil ſhal lay before vsus: and that we might in ſuch ſort perſeuer vntounto the ende in the confeſſion of his Goſpell, as that our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt might acknowledge and allow vsus at the latter day for his Schollers. Now, that it would not onelyonly pleaſe hym to beſtow vponupon vsus this grace. &c.