brethren and fathers herken The God of glory appeered vntoo our father Abraham whyle he was in Mesopotamia before he dwelt in Charran and sayd vntoo him come out of thy countrey and from thy kinred and come into the land which I shall shew thee Then came he out of the lād of Chaldey and dwelt in Charran And after that his father was dead he brought him from thence intoo this lād in which yee now dwell and he gaue him none inheritaunce in it no not the bredth of a foote and promised that he would giue it too him too possesse and too his seed after him when as yet he had no childe God verely spake on this wise that his seede should be a soiourner in a straunge land and that they should keepe them in bondage and entreat them euell 400. yeeres But the nation too whom they shall bee in bondage will I iudge sayd god And after that shall they come foorth and serue me in thys place And he gaue him the couenant of Circūcision And hee begatte Isaac and cyrcumcised hym the eigth day and Isaac begat Iacob and Iacob the twelue Patriarkes And the Patriarkes hauing indignation sold Ioseph intoo Egypt And God was with him and deliuered him out of al his aduersities and gaue him fauour and wisdom in the syght of Pharao king of Egypt And he made him gouernour ouer all his houshold Then came there a dearth ouer all the land of Egypt and Canaan and great affliction that our Fathers found no sustenance But when Iacob herd that there was corne in Egypt he sent our Fathers first And at the second time Ioseph was knowē of his brethren and Iosephs kinred was made knowen vnto Pharao Then sent Ioseph and caused his father to bee brought and all his kin three score and xv soules And Iacob descended into Egypt and died both he and our fathers and were translated into Sychem and were put in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for monye of the sonnes of Emor at Sichem But when the tyme of the promise drewe nye whiche God had sworne to Abraham the people grewe and multiplied in Egypt till another king arose which knewe not of Ioseph The same delt suttely with our kinred and euill entreated our fathers and made them too cast out their yoong children that they should not remayne à lyue The same tyme was Moyses borne and was acceptable vnto God which was nourished vp in his fathers house three moonethes When he was cast out Pharaoes daughter took him vp nourished him vp for hir own sonne And Moses was learned in all maner wysdome of the Egiptians and was myghtie in deedes and in woordes And when he was ful fortie yeere olde it came intoo his hart too visit his brethren the children of Israell And when hee sawe one of them suffer wrong he defended him and auenged his quarell that had the harme doon to him and smote the Egiptian For he supposed his brethren would haue vnderstand howe that God by hys hands should gyue saluation vnto them But they vnderstood not And the next daye he shewed him selfe vntoo them as they stroue and would haue set them at one ageyn saying Syrs yee are brethren why hurt yee one another But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away saying who made thee a ruler and a iudge ouer vs What wilt thou kyll mee as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday Then fled Moyses at that saying and was a straunger in the lande of Madian wher he begat twoo sonnes And when fortie yeares were expyred there appeered too him in the wildernesse of mount Syna an Angell of the Lorde in a flame of fyre in a bushe VVhen Moyses saw it he wondred at the syght And as he drew neer too behold the voyce of the Lord came vntoo him I am the God of thy fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Iacob Moyses trembled and durst not beholde Then sayd the Lord to him Put of thy shoes from thy feete for the place where thou standest is holy ground I haue perfectly seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt and I haue harde their gronyng and am come downe too deliuer them And now come and I will send thee intoo Egypt This Moses whom they forsooke saying who made thee a Ruler and a iudge The same GOD sent bothe a ruler and a deliuerer by the handes of the Aungel which appeared too him in the bushe And the same brought them out shewing wonders and signes in Egipt and in the red sea and in the wildernes xl yeeres This is that Moses whiche sayed vntoo the children of Israell A prophet shall the Lorde our God rayse vp vnto you of your brethren lyke vntoo mee him shall yee heare This is he that was in the congregation in the wildernesse with the Angell whiche spake to him in the mount Sina and with our fathers This man receyued the worde of life to gyue vntoo vs too whom our fathers would not obey but cast it from them and in their hartes turned backe ageyn intoo Egypt saying vntoo Aaron make vs Goddes too goo before vs For this Moyses that brought vs out of the Lande of Egypt we wote not what is become of hym And they made a Calfe in those dayes and offered sacrifice vntoo the ymage and reioysed in the woorkes of their owne handes Then GOD turned hym selfe and gaue them vp that they should worshippe the host of the sky as it is written in the booke of the Prophetes O yee of the house of Israell gaue yee too me sacrifices and meat offerings by the space of xl yeeres in the wildernesse And yee tooke vntoo you the tabernacle of Moloh and the starre of your God Rempham figures which ye made to worship them And I will translate you beyond Babylon Our fathers had the tabernacle of witnesse in the wildernesse as he had appoynted them speaking vnto Moyses that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen ▪ which tabernacle also our fathers that came after brought in with Iosue into the possession of the Gentilles which God draue out before the face of our fathers vnto the dayes of Dauid which found fauour before God and desired that he might finde a tabernacle for the God of Iacob But Salomon built him an house Howbeit he that is hyest of all dwelleth not in temples made with handes as sayeth the Prophet heauen is my seate and earth is my footestole what house will yee buyld for mee sayeth the Lord or what place is it that I should reste in hath not my hand made all these things Yee stifnecked and of vncircumcised harts and eares yee haue alwayes resisted the holy Ghost as your Fathers dyd so doo yee Which of the Prophets haue not your Fathers persecuted and they haue slayne them whiche shewed before of the comming of that iust whome yee haue nowe betrayed and murthered And yee also haue receyued
Gospell This is the wil of God that euery one which beléeueth in the sonne of GOD should haue euerlasting life and that he which beléeueth not in the sonne shold bée damned This rule dooth God obserue without chaunge in men that are to bée receyued to eternal saluation or too bée cast away neyther respecteth he any persone that is to say he considereth not other byfals in men perteyning nothing to this Rule as riches pouertie lerning ignorance power circumcision vncircumcision and such lyke Secondly the calling of the Gentyles putteth vs in mynd that forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall lyfe are bestowed vppon the beléeuers of frée gifte and not for the woorthynesse of their owne vertues or woorkes For sith the Gentyles which were defyled with Idolgaddings lustes and other sinnes for saking their purpose of sinning and fléeing vntoo Chryst the sonne of God are receyued as well as the Iewes who had alwayes framed their conuersation honestly according to the rule of Gods lawe it is an euident proofe that the Gentyles who are signifyed vnder the shew of the vncleane beasts in the vision of Peter are clensed from their sinnes not by their owne power or woorkes which are wicked and damnable but by fayth through the frée mercie of God for Chrystes sake only as is sayd Actes .x. That which God hath clensed call not thou common or vncleane But God hath clensed our harts with the blud of his sonne through fayth as is sayd cleÌ„zing their hartes by fayth And. â— Iohn .j. The blud of the sonne of god clenzeth vs from all sinne Thirdly it giueth vs too vnderstand that circumcision and the other ceremonies of Moyses Lawe are not necessarie to saluation The third place They shall all come from Saba bringing gold and frankincense and singing prayse vnto the Lord. THe true and chéef seruice of God are not the ceremonies of Moyses or the offerings sacrifices of beasts but the spiritual hosts or sacrifices of prayse that is to say too preach the true doctrine concerning God too call vppon god aright too giue him thanks too acknowledge him to disproue false opinions to imploy a mannes goods about the maintenance of the ministerie and of the studies of learning and to direct all the purposes practyses déeds of our lyfe to the prayse of god as it is coÌ„â—aunded Doo ye al things to the glorie of god These chéef and hyghest seruices of God are shadowed in the very presents of the Arabians For golde is a representation of true doctrine and pure fayth as it is sayd in the Psalme The commaundements of the Lord are more to be desyred than Gold and much precious stone Frankincense is an ymage of true prayer and thanksgiuing whiche mount vp too heauen and refresh God with a most swéete and acceptable sent as is sayd in Apocalip v. They had vyols full of odours which are the prayers of the Saincts The Altar of attonement is Chryste our Mediator by whom only GOD is pacified and acceptable sacrifyces are offered too god For there is no Altar accepted of God but only his sonne Christ Vppon this Altar let the Gentyles offer not rammes or other dead beastes but spirituall sacrifices quicke holy and acceptable to God whiche is their reasonable seruice Rom. xij and let them glorifye prayse God for his mercy performed vntoo them Vppon the first Sunday after Epiphanie ¶ The Epistle Rom. xij IBeseche you therefore brethren by the mercyfulnesse of God that yee make your bodyes a quicke sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto god which is your reasonable seruing of God and fashion not your selues lyke vnto this world but be ye chauÌ„ged in your shape by the renuing of your mynd that ye may proue what thing that good acceptable and perfect will of God is For I say through the grace that vnto me geuen is to euery maÌ„ among you that no man stande hyghe in his own conceyte more than it becommeth him too esteeme of himselfe but so iudge of himself that he bee gentle and sobre according as God hath dealt too euery man the measure of fayth for as wee haue many members in one bodye and all members haue not one office so wee being many are one bodye in Chryste and euery man among our selues one anothers members The disposement THe more part of the Epistles whose disposemeutes wée haue set out hithertoo haue setfoorth the peculiar doctrine of the Gospell concerning the persone and benefites of Chryst and concerning Iustification Now those that followe perteyne more too the doctrine of the Lawe and comprehend preceptes of good maners which must ensue the benefites of Chryst receyued by fayth And these thrée Sundayes folowing thè whole twelfth Chapter of the Epistle too the Romanes is woont too bée expounded orderly in the churche All the whiche is an exhortation conteyning precepts of all good morall woorkes or of all vertues whiche God exacteth in his Lawe But forasmuch as the orderly expositions of the vertues distributed intoo the preceptes of the tenne commaundements are ioyntly recited in a peculiar booke of Rules of lyfe I will make no declaration at all of the vertues in this place but only expound the woords and the phrases The first part of the Chapter which they reade on this day in the church conteyneth chéefly twoo places 1 A generall exhortation too new obedience or too a lyfe conformable too the will and woord of God. 2 Of méeldnesse and lowlynesse and of the shunning of curiositie and statelynesse Of the first I Beseeche you brethren that you make your bodyes c It is a generall precept of new obedience conteyning the whole tenne commaundementes taken of an Antithesis of the Leuiticall seruices or sacrifices Make your bodyes that is too say dedicate yée too God not the bodyes of beastes as the Leuiticall Priestes did but your owne selues Offer yée too GOD your myndes your wils your deuyses your studyes your affections and your dooings all your lyfe long and so rule them that they may please God. A sacrifice that is too wit set a part too holy vses appoynted too the honour of God as if he should say the Leuiticall Priestes offered beastes vntoo God but offer you too God your own mynds thoughts studyes al your doings doo all things too his glorie kill yée the remnants of uÌ„nne lewd inclinations and the affections yet sticking in you bée yée patient in tribulation and tormentes as Paule Laurence and Attalus were who gaue their bodyes too bée offerings or sacrifices Quicke not deade beasts but all your whole lyfe and your selues who shall liue for euermore Holy Halowed by the holy Ghost pure and cleane that is too wit by imputation of Chrystes holynesse and by beginning too bée holy Your reasonable seruice Let not your seruice be brutish or vnreasonable such as is the seruice of the Heathen that know not God or of the superstitions or of the
the necessary dueties of his vocation and ruleth all his sayings and behauiours by graue iudgement True glorying or boasting is as Paule defineth it the witnesse of our owne conscience too acknowledge and mainteine the rightuousnesse of a good conscience and Gods gifts and the vertues wel doings and successes giuen vs of God and too set our selues ageinst the lesings of slaunderers that God may bée glorified and other folkes may not bée withdrawne from the ministerie by our misreport dishonestie but rather may bée allured too the knowledge of the gospell and too true godlynesse by the auouchment of our good name and our good examples Paule therefore sayeth that he is vnwoorthy the name of an Apostle that is too wit as in respect of his owne desert or as perteyning too his owne infirmitie and sinnes And agein he gloryeth that he hath labored more than they all that is too wit as in respect of the giftes and good successe of his vocation giuen vntoo him by the frée fauor and ayd of God. The sixth place COncerning the frée fauor and help of God néedfull too the ryght and prosperous performance of all the woorkes of our vocation And also concerning the difference of Gods grace woorking in vs and with vs which the schooles haue taken out of this place of Paules is spoken in the .xxv. and xxvj distinctions of the second booke of sentences Vppon the twelfth Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle ij Cor. iij. SVch trust haue wee thorowe Chryst too God-ward not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as it were of our selues but our ablenesse commeth of God which hath made vs able too minister the new Testament not of the letter but of the sprite For the letter killeth but the sprite gyueth life If the ministration of death thorowe the letters figured in stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not beholde the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory is done away why shal not the ministration of the sprite be much more glorious For if the ministring of condemnation bee glorious much more doth the ministration of ryghteousnesse exceede in glory For no dout that vvhich vvas there glorifyed is not once glorifyed in respecte of thys exceedyng glorye For if that vvhich is destroyed vvas gloryous muche more shall that which remaineth bee glorious Seeing then that wee haue such trust wee vse great boldnesse and do not as Moises which put a vaile ouer his face that the children of Israell should not see for what purpose that serued which is put away But theyr mindes wer blinded For vntil this day remaineth the same couering vntaken away in the olde testament when they read it which vaile in Chrystis put away But euen vntoo this day when Moses is read that vaile hangeth before their harts Neuerthelesse when they turne to the Lord the vaile shall bee takē away The Lord no doubt is a spryte And where the sprite of the Lord is there is libertie But wee all beehold in a myrror the glory of the Lord with his face open and are changed vntoo the same similitude from glory to glory euen of the sprite of the Lord. The disposement THis Epistle is of those kynd that instruct for it is a Doctrine concerning the ministerie of the Gospell The cheefe places are three 1 Of the effectualnesse of the ministration of the gospell by which there is a new light or knowledge of God new ryghtuousnesse and lyfe kindled in the harts of the héerers 2 Of the efficient cause of conuersion or quickening and of all spirituall dooings that are stirred vp in vs by the Gospell 3 Of the letter and the spirite or the difference of the ministracion of the old testament and the new or of the law and the gospell Now forasmuche as the manner of spéeche and phrase in this whole third Chapter of the second Epistle too the Corinthians is somewhat darke and vneasie I wil toogither with the exposition of the places declare the full text of the whole chapter in a bréefe paraphrasis The first place concerning the effectualnesse of the ministration of the Gospell THe most part of the second Epistle too the Corinthians is spent in this auouchment which Paul setteth ageinst the slaunders of the false Apostles I auouch that I Paule am not a deceyuer or a huckster that corrupteth the truthe for ambition or gaines sake but a faythfull minister and that I haue faythfully deliuered too you the sincere and pure Doctrine of the Gospell vvythout corrupting it Concerning this auouchment he appealeth too the Corinthians themselues for record in the béeginning of this Chapter You are our Epistle vvritten in our hart vvhich is knowne and red of all men in that yee are manifested too bee the Epistle of Chryst ministred by vs and vvritten not vvith inke but vvith the spirite of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in fleshly Tables of the hart As if a man should say I confirme not myne auouchment with forreine and farre fet testimonials or letters of commendation in behalfe of my ministerie But you your selues beare witnesse with mée in my harte that I haue deliuered vntoo you the vncorrupted woorde of the Gospell faithfully as long as all men know and see that you hauing forsaken vngodlynesse and heathenish Idolles are turned too the true knowledge of Chryst by my ministration and as long as you your selues shew that your harts are Chrystes Epistle or the tables wherin Chryst himself is imprinted dwelling in you and woorking in you that there is kindled in you true knowledge of God new ryghtuousnesse and lyfe by the spirit of the liuing God who is effectuall by my ministerie And so the liuely law and obedience agréeing with Gods law is not grauē in tables of stone or in the tables of Moyses wherin were grauen the letters or words of the law written with the finger of God but in your fleshly or obedient hartes with the finger or spirite of the liuing God as is said Ier. xxxj I will put my law in their mindes and in their harts will I wryte it This effectualnesse of my ministerie is an euident token that I am a faithful minister of the gospel and that the woord of the gospel sounding in the mouth of mée and of all faithfull ministers is not a fond tale or emptie woords and a fable as good as a sick mans dreame but a thing effectual that worketh saluation in déede too euery one that beléeueth as is sayd Rom. j. Let such like testimonies full of cōfort bée alwayes in sight which auouche that the church is verely gathered too God by the voyce of the gospel and that by this ministerie God woorketh in déede and imparteth the true knowledge of himself ryghtuousnesse lyfe euerlasting too those that beléeue j. thess. ij Yée haue receiued not the woord of man but as it was in déede the woord of God which
learne throughly to beare away and sted fastly to reteyne The third concerneth the interpretation of the propheticult scriptures The fourth place IN reaching it is very 〈…〉 repete oft and in the same words to beate into 〈…〉 heads the summe of the true doctr â—â—alâ—â— the matters that are profitable and need full that they may sticke the faster and take the déeper rootein the harts of the héerers Therfore Paul sayth to the Philipians I am not wéery too wryte the selfesame things too you and for you it is he bâ—uefull And the wyse counsell oâ— Socrates is known 〈…〉 in Xenophon sayth that the selfesame things are to he spoken to the selfsame persones And the saying of Epictetus conteyneth a most large rule of oure demeanoure Hée spake alwayes one thing This you must knowe that it is not possible for a man too bée learned vnlesse that euery day hée reade or heare suche things as he hath learned and also vse them in his lyfe Wherefore Sainct Peter also sayeth in this place that as long as hée liueth he will neuer cease from admonishing and stirring vp his héerers to embrace and hold fast with a firme and stedfast faith the true doctrine concerning Chryst deliuered by himself and approued by the records of the prophets And there is a notable metaphor in the terme Tabernacle wherby wée are doon to vnderstand that a man hath no certeyn and continual seate of lyfe in this body nor any euerlasting citie allotted him in this world but that wée must fléet out of this lyfe within a whyle Therfore séeing that lyfe is shorte and cunning long in getting wée had néed too vse continual warnings and puttings in mynd that the cunning of all cunnings that is too wit the true doctrine concernyng God and our euerlasting welfare may bée lerned by vs aright and too the full and kept faythfully The first and principall place THe foundation of the whole religioÌ„ and fayth of a'christen man is this méening or opinion that there is in déed among mankynd y doctrine deliuered by god himself which discloseth vntoo vs the being of God and also thys secrete will of his concerning remission of sinnes and euerlasting lyfe assuredly to be giuen for Christes sake that this doctrine comprehended in the wrytings of saint Peter Paule and the prophets is in déede that only one certein and vnmouable wisedome concerning God the very true religion And that all other opinions concerning God all the religions and woorshippings of the heathen and others disagréeing with this doctrine are reiected of God and damâ—â—s Although this sentence be vnto christians a most sure infallible principle of principles yet not with staÌ„ding it is woont coÌ„monly to be confirmed with too elue arguments to y intent y heathen men others y gayn say it deny it may the easlyer bée persuaded Some suche degrées of testimonies are cited in the preface vpon the .iiij. tome of Luthers woorkes and in an oration of the lyfe of Ambrose And in the .xij. chapter of the Arguments concerning the authoritie and certeyntie of the Christen doctrine they are set foorth in a booke by themselues and are to bée seene bréefly noted in the beginning of my commentarie vppon Mathew Vnto which also may bée ioyned these reasons folowing that the Church only hath always possessed whole and sound the doctrine not only of the Gospel but also of the Lawe concerning the one true God and concernyng wedlocke and chastitie ageinst which doctrine al the heathen haue admitted an innumerable and monstrous multitude of Gods euen cleane contrary to the iudgement of nature and also rouing and outragious kinds of lecheries And the church only hath kept the continuall accoÌ„pt of the yéeres of the world euen from the creation therof Vntoo these fiftéen testimonies concerning the certentie of the christen doctrin may also be referred these four argumentes which Peter vseth in this Epistle when he exhorteth and stirreth vp his héerers to reteyne and kéepe stedfastly the present truth that is to say the true doctrin which he had taught them concerning Chryst 1 Of the matter or the kinde of doctrine it self which is not a tale or a flimflawe nor a sophisticall paynted and vayne Fable as the Epicures déeme but a true declaration of the power and mighte of the comming of oure Lorde Iesus Christ and in very déede the power of God to the saluation of euery one that beleueth For he distributeth the whole doctrine concerning Chryst into the coÌ„ming of Christ who for vs men for our saluation came down from heauen and becam flesh or was made man for vs and came to vs by his doctrine miracles passion death and resurrection that he might offer and yeld vnto vs him selfe and all his benefits and secondly in too the almightinesse and effectual operation of the doctrine passion deth of Christ whereby he hath wrought remission of sinnes soulhelth vntoo vs which he imparteth to vs by his word 2 Of the testimonie of Peter and the rest of the Apostles that behild with their eyes Christes maiestie glory and heuenly miracles For one witnesse that séeth a thing is woorth ten that doo but héere of it 3 Of the record of the euerlasting father vttred by this voice sent down from heuen vpon mouÌ„t Tabor This is my beloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased heare yée him Nowe out of this woonderfull story of Chrystes transfiguration which the Euangelistes haue set foorth Math. xvy. Luke ix Mark. ix and specially out of the eternall fathers saying This is my beloued Son there are seuen notable places noted in the xvy. third chapters of Mathew which places the studiouse sort may allege for the enlightening of this Sermon of Peters 4 Of the record of the Prophetes who haue playnely taught the selfe same doctrine concerning God the person office and benefits of Christ whiche sainct Peter and the rest of the Apostles haue spread abroade through the whole worlde like as our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of god testifieth himself saying Iohn â— Serch the scriptures for it is they y beare witnesse of mée If yée beléeued Moyses yée would also beléeue mée for he hath written of mée Also Act. x. All the prophetes beare recorde vnto Chryste how euery one that beleeueth in him receyueth forgiuenesse of sinnes through his name Therefore in this place Peter willeth vs to take heed that is to say hée defully and continually to reade to think vpon with stedfast faith to embrace and constantly to folow the doctrine of the prophets as a lampe shining in a dark place For Gods word is the candell that putteth away the mist and darknesse of not knowing God of sin and of death out of our minds kindleth in theÌ„ the day or light of true knowlege of God and true lyfe and comforte in all gréefs and tribulations For like as those that iorney
leauing the woord looke for new enlyghtmentes and reuelations or traunces and iudge of Gods election not by the vniuersal promise writtē but by imaginatiōs of mānes reason With most thankfull mynde therefore is this excéeding great benefit of God too bée embraced that he hath deliuered vs the doctrine written whereby he will haue our faith and all our thoughts concerning him our own saluatiō ruled And therfore let vs reade these writings diligently and heedfully let vs bée in hand with them night and day as Chryste cōmandeth Serche the scriptures And Paule biddeth vs take héed too reading and doctrine And for this purpose chéefly are the first traynements of learning in schooles and the whole maner of spelling and reading too bée lerned that wée may reade and vnderstande the booke heretofore written too the church by the prophets and Apostles Secondly let vs consider that by these writings or by this woord of God which wée héere reade and think vpon God in very déed woorketh mightily in vs that by this only meane and not otherwise he teacheth cōforteth draweth begetteth a new and saueth men and kindleth in vs the faith whereby wée receyue these benefites as it is playnly sayd Roman x. How shall they beléeue onlesse they héere Howe shall they héere without a preacher Faith is by héering and héering by the woord of god Rō j. The Gospel is the power of God too saluation to euery one that beléeueth Act. xj Hée shal speake woordes too thée by whiche thou shalt bée saued thou and all thy houshold ij Cor. v. Wée are messangers in sted of Christ as though God exhorteth or comforteth by vs And in this place Paule expresly sayeth that wée may haue hope by cōfort of the Scripture His méening is that in all our troubles banishments diseases and death wée should séeke comfort out of this woorde which is written before tyme for vs and that wée should by fayth rest vppon God knowen by the woord beléeue this woord written as well as if wée should héere God declaring his will with his owne lyuely voyce from heauen Let vs set these testimonies ageinst Stinkféeld who cryeth out that GOD conuerteth sanctifyeth and comforteth vs not by thinking vppon the woorde written but immediatly by himselfe without any meanes Whiche fantasticall imagination dooth vtterly put away all the exercyses of faith and Christen inuocation Thirdly Whereas Paule fayeth that these Bookes of holy writ were written before for oure learning he the rewithall counselleth vs too reade the same diligently continually and héedfully For he hath not set foorth these holy Bookes for myse too knibble in bencheholes or for flyes too ray in the pulpit or for mothes and bowds too consume in corners but for vs too reade that wée may sucke wholesome instruction and comfort out of them Ageine this selfesayd parcell dooth vs too wit that all the promises of grace helpe deliuerance and of all Gods benefites and that all the examples of Gods wrath in punishing and of his mercie in receyuing those that bée falne perteyne too vs also and are also too bée applyed too vs. Fourthly let vs in this saying of Paules cōsider the foure chéef ends vses or profites and effectes Of which the first is the doctrine of the most high matters vnknowen too mānes reason and perteyning too the eternall saluation of vs all concerning which things all other bookes written by men can vtterly teache nothing at al that is sound and substantiall that is to wit concerning the true knowledge calling vpon the true God the father the sonne the holy Ghost euerlasting concerning the twoo natures in Christ the creation of all things of Angels and men of the cause of sinne miserie and death vntoo mankynde of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and attonement of man with GOD for the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst sake who was crucified rose agein for vs of true comfort too bée set ageinst death and all tribulations of the abolishement of sinne and death of the restorement of our bodyes of the euerlasting punishments of the vngodly of the eternall lyfe and glorie of the godly Of these so great matters and specially of the persone and benefites of our Lord Iesus Chryst the sonne of God who hath vanquished sinne death and the Diuell for vs there are none other bookes eyther in heauen or earth that instruct vs. The second is Patience a vertue no lesse necessarie too a godly and right christen man than meate and drink is néedful too the mayntenance of the lyfe of this body For persecution and aduersitie are vnseparable companions of true godlynesse and christen profession according too Paules saying All that will liue godlily in Chryst must suffer persecution Otherwyse al the whole lyfe of man were nothing else but miserie as Euripides hath truly sayd This life in good sooth is not lyfe but miserie Nowe in these miseries there can no calmnesse and ioy of mynd bée settled in God without disobedience and repyning nor yet continue without the comfort of fayth which the holy scripture onely sheweth And therefore in this place vntoo patience is foorthwith added comfort of the Scriptures But patience is a vertue whiche in bearing aduersities quietly and myldly dooth reuerently submit it selfe too Gods will séeketh not vnlawful helpes but assureth it self by faith too bée in Gods fauoure séeking looking for helpe assuagement and deliuerance at Gods hand and by this faith and hope alayeth the gréef and féeleth peace and gladnesse in harte All the whole orderly setting out of the doctrine of patience and the difference of the philosophical patience and the Christen patience may bée conueyed hither out of the Exposition of the ten commaundements The third end of holy writ is true certeine and firme comfort too bée sette not only ageinst pouertie sicknesse and aduersities but also ageinst Gods wrath sinne and death which comfort none other bookes besydes these wrytings of the Prophetes and Apostles doo shewe For onely the scripture teacheth that our Lord Iesus Chryst the sonne of God did by his owne death ouercomme our death and the sting of death whiche is sinne and that all the other troubles of this lyfe are not tokens of Gods wrath but of his fauoure and fatherly good will toowards vs who doutlesse is at hand with vs in our troubles mitigating and taking them away and at the length will recompence the lightnesse of affliction which continueth but a whyle with an éncōparable weight of glorie By these comfortes written in Gods woorde the sonne of God woorketh mightily in vs and when we think vppon them and embrace them by fayth he kindleth in oure hartes peace ioy and tranquillitie quietly resting in the louing kindnesse of God the father Now the whole doctrine of the Gospell is in manner nothing else but a comfort of the conscience that is afflicted with gréefe that ryseth of the feeling of Gods