from the face of the earth of his infinite goodnesse and wisedome he deuised the sonne of God the seconde person in Trinitie should descend from Heauen and take flesh of the blessed virgine that so being in one person both very God very man he might be a most fit Mediator to work recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ betwene God and man The cause therefore why Christe came in flesh was to worke the saluation of mankinde For so saith S. Paule It is a sure saying worthie of all men to be beleeued that Christ came into the world to saue sinners And Christ himselfe sayth that he came to saue that which was lost The generall worke of our redemption hath certayne principall branches whiche are cheefe Articles of oure Fayth and groundes of all Christian religion Firste that he might be the reconciler and attonement maker betweene God and vs as S. Paule witnesseth 2. Cor. 5. All things are of God which reconciled vs vnto himself in Christ Iesus And immediately God was in Christ recoÌ„ciling the world to himselfe And to the Colosâ— It pleased him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe by Christ appeasing by the blood of his Crosse all thinges whiche are either in heauen or in earth God therefore appoynted him for euer to be our high Bishop our Mediator our Aduocate our Intercessor which should coÌ„tinualy appeare before the face of God for vs and make him fauourable to sinners that we might haue accesse to God by him by his intercession and merite obtayne mercy and grace in oure necessities these be the wordes of the scripture And hee is not onely our Mediatour and Aduocate but Our onelye Mediatour and Aduocate One God and one Mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus We haue an Aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes It is hee that ascended vp to heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Vt interpellat pro nobis That he may bee an Intercessour for vs. The 2. cause of Christs comming into flesh is that he might be our redeemer from the tyrannye of the Deuill and the purchazer of remission of sinnes The Sonne of god appeared to this ende to dissolue the workes of the Deuill And agayne Yee are redeemed not with golde and siluer but with the blood of the immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus And agayne Beholde the LaÌ„be of god that taketh away the sinnes of the world And S. Paule In whome wee haue redemption and by his blood remission of our sinnes We must not onlye beleeue that he is our Redeemer but our Only Redeemer and the Only Purchazer of the full remission of our sinnes For Non est aliud nomen c. That is There is no other name vnder Heaué wherin we shold be saued but only by the name of Christ Iesus And S. Iohn The blood of christ hath washed vs froÌ„ al sinne And S. Paule He gaue himself for vs. that he might redeme vs froÌ„ all iniquitie The 3. cause of Christes incarnatioÌ„ y â— 2. office of his eternal Priesthood is to offer a ful perfit sacrifice to appease y â— wrath of God to satisfie his iustice y t not according to y â— order of Aaron which by imperfectioÌ„ did nede a Succession but according to y â— order of Melchizedek y â— for euer Thou art a Priest sayth God for euer according to the order of Melchizedek Therefore it cannot bee borne â—â— christian religion that Christ should haue any succession in Priesthood to sacrifyce after him For by one oblation he made perfect all that be sanctified And agayne Christ was once offered for the extinguishing of the sinnes of many And agayne Hauing offered one Sacrifice for sinne he sitteth perpetually at the right hand of God And sundry times else where the Epistle to the Hebrues affirmeth Christ Semel That is to say once to haue sacrificed himselfe The fourth cause of his Incarnation and the thyrde office of his eternall Priesthood is that he might be the only Prophet Maister Teacher and instructer of his people fully to open to them the knowledge of God and the true way of Saluation God sayth Moyses shall raise from among you a Prophet like vnto me him do you heare according to all thinges that he shall say vnto you And God the father himself at the baptizing of Christ did with the visible presence of the holy Ghost consecrate him Maister and teacher of his church which only was to be heard This is my dearely beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased him doe you heare The same Consecration was confyrmed in the Mounte at the transfiguration of Christ And Esay the Prophet in the 55. chapter or rather God by Esay sayth I haue giuen him as a witnesse vnto people preceptorem Gentibus And a Maister and instructour of all nations And therefore Christ himselfe forbiddeth his Apostles to be called Maisters for sayth hee Ye haue but one Maister which is Christ The fyfte cause of Christ his comming in flesh is that he might be the Lorde of Lordes and King of Kinges the onlye head ruler gouernour and defender of his vniuersall Church ouer al the partes of the worlde according to the Prophecie of Dauid Psal 2. Yet haue I annoynted my King vpon my holy hill of Syon to whome for his inheritance he gaue all the Nations of y â— world and for his possession the vttermost bounds of the earth And the Angell at his Conception sayde He shall raigne in the house of Iacob for euer and there shall be none ende of his kingdome And Ephesians 1. He hath put all thinges vnder his feete and hath appointed him aboue al things head of his Church And Coloss 1. He is the head of his body the Church which is the beginning the first of them that rise from death Vt sit in omnibus primas tenens i. That in all thinges hee might haue the preheminence And Ephe. 5. The Husband is the head of the wife as Christ is head of the Church But the wife may haue no more heades but her husband vnlesse she will be a wedlock breakeâ— and so the Church can haue no other heade But Christ vnlesse she doe in the face of the whole world forsake hir owne Spouse who hath betrothed her to him alone He is the only Sonne whiche alone gouerneth the house of GOD his father In all these Branches I adde this worde Onely because Christ onelye is alone that that he is oure onely Mediatour our onely redeemer and purchazer of remission of Sinnes our onelye high Prieste to sacrifice for vs oure onlye Maister and Teacher that instrueteth vs our onely head and gouernour that guideth and defendeth vs. And herevnto I am mooued not onelye with expresse wordes of the scriptures but also with consideration
the Vniuersities and the Friers Folio 62 Vnthankefulnesse ¶ OpinioÌ„ of fre will is VnthaÌ„kefulnesse Folio 13 W. Wealth ¶ The means wherby the Welth of England is wasted Folio 227 Wickednesse ¶ Of colouring Wickednesse with other mens faults Folio 224 What a mans flattering of himselfe in Wickednesse may come vnto Folio 224. 225 Word ¶ The true cause why the Word preched doth not alway bring forth fruite Folio 185 The godly alway take profit by the preching of the Word Folio 185 Three â—oâ—tes of foule whiche eate vp the seede of Gods Word in the high ways Fol. Folio 186 The inconuenience of preaching the Word in generalitie Folio 187 That the Word of God is resembled to seede and why Folio 179 The power of the Word of god in it self in the estimation of the world Folio 180 What Gods Word worketh in the hearers Folio 180 How gods Word preuaileth eueÌ„ against mans wisedome and cunning Folio 180 The imaginations practises and means of the wicked to withstand GODS Worde Folio 181 The Authoritie of the Worde of God is from it selfe c. Folio 26 Such are openlye of the Churche as are called therto by Gods Worde Folio 21 Gods word is a marke of his Church Folio 22 The causes which holde men from obedience to Gods Worde Folio 203 The negligence of our dayes in hearing the Worde Folio 203 Of the power of Christe appearing in himselfe and his Worde Folio 4 The gouernement direction by gods Worde preuaileth more than any deuise of men Folio 5 How the church of Christ must preserue Gods Word and deliuer the meaning of it Folio 27 Workes ¶ Papistical iustification by Workes Folio 29 The doctrine of iustification by Faythe only doth procure good Workes c. Fol. Folio 13. 14 That the Gospell doeth not discourage man from good Workes why Folio 15 FINIS 1. Cor. 1. 23. Hovv contemptible Christ and his Gospell vvere vnto the vvorld in the begynning Vayne opinion of gentilitie may be occasion of the eternall distruction of those which regarde it Considerations concerninge Christ which maketh mans carnal reason to contemne him The more excellent men are in carnall reason only the more they contemne Christe Hilar. 5. de trinit what estimation alway pertayned to Christ and his gospell VVhat povver is in the Gospell of Christ and hovv it appeareth tvvo vvayes 1. Cor. 15. 56. Rom. 6. 23. Luk. 1. 73. 74. Ephe. 4. 8. Psa 68. 18 1. Cor. 15. 55. Rom. 8. 33. 2 The power of Christ appeareth both in himselfe and also in his word Man in his eccellency of carnal wit is not able to giue any perpeâ—uiâ—ie to his diuice The gouernment and direction by Gods word preuaileth more than any deuise of man Example in the Apostles Tertul coÌ„tra Judâ—os Aug. de agone Christi Act. 17. 6. Aug. de ciuitate dei Lib. 22 Example of late and present tones 2. The. 2. 4 The power of the gospel doth most manifestly appeare in these latter dayes The mightye povver of the Gospell is no vvhyt to be discredyted by afflictions vvhych may follovv it VVâ—â—â— kinde of grounde mans policie is to common weales Hovv GOD câ—â— shevve himself vvhâ—n all mens deuyse fayleth yea and agaynst man also in his cheefest povver Psal 2. 4. The seconde parte Diuerse sortes of ennimâ—es to the Gospell Epicures 2 Politikes 3 Hypocrites Sixe Obiections made agaynst the Gospell to bryng it into dyscrâ—d it and the ansvvers to them 2. Obiection against the Gospel that it doth not further but hinder good co 〈…〉 on Answere Rom. 6. â— Rom. 3. 23. 24. Rom. 5. 12. 14. Cor. 15. 22. Eph. 2. 3. Ioh. 3. 3. Iob. 14. 4. Psa 51. 5. Gen. 6. 5. Ioh. 15. 5. 2. Cor. 3. 5. August Aug. ser 2. de verbis Opinion of freewill is vnthankfullnes August How we had freewill And how we haue it not How profitable the doctrine is which is againste free-will The doctrine of iustification by faythe only doth procure good workes and noâ— hinder them Ioh. 14. 2â— Luk. 17. 10 â—it 2. 11. 12 Ephe. 2. 10. Luâ— 1. 73. 74. 75. Rom. 6. 4. Eph. 6. 5. c. Rom. 13. 12. â—an nedeth not by the Gâ—spell thinke himselfe so debased that he should thereby be any whit discoâ—â—aged from good works for he is also therby maruellously exalted by gods goodnes toward him 1. Pet. 3. â— Ioh. 15. 4. 5. Rom. 3. â—5 The second obiection against the Gospell that it doth make this lyfe lesse pleasant to vs then it should be The answere is anneâ—ed to euerie perticular part of the obiection Esay 3. 16. â—c Mat. 6. 19. 20. 1. Tim. 6. 7 Luc. 19. 8. Mat. 19. 22. Rom. 13. 13 Joh. 15. 19. 1. Pet. 2. 9. 1. Cor. 6. 9. 10. 〈◊〉 of the answere The thirde obiection against the Gospell â—â— That we the pretended professors of it are not of the catholike Churche Answere The inuisible church consisting of the electe Col. 1. 24. Rom. 11. 4. 1. Cor. 2. 11. The visible church The description of the church Mat. 28. 19. Mar. 16. 15. The church of Christ is tied to no one place The number of the church may be smale Luc. 12. 32. Mat 18. 20. None are openly of the Church but such as are called theris by the worde of God Io. 10. 17. 15. Faith doth in graffe vs into the Church Act. 37. The markes of the church Esa 59. â—1 Ioh. 8. 47. Io. 10. 27. The firste marke is Gods word August contra litteras petil The second marke is the sacraments 1. Cor. 12. â—â— 1. Cor. 10. 17. The Church of Roome hath not in it the tokens of the true Church The written Scriptures only are and ought to bee sufficient to trie all truth Psal 119. 105. Ioh. 5. 39. Act. 17. 11. Chrisost Deut. 4. 2. 31. 2. Tim. 3. 1â— Verse 16. Ambrose Papistes refuse triall by the Scriptures Three points shevving that Papistes vse not neyther esteeme the scriptures as they ought if they vvere the true churche The firste point The seconde poynte Matters of fayth maye better be preserued by meanes of writing then when they are only left to the bare memorie of man The learned Aduersarye refuseth to be tried by the Scriptures because they do manifestlye confound all such Why Papistes do refuse triall by the Scriptures Blasphemies of the Papistes agunst the scriptures The thirde poynt The authoritie of the word of God is from it selfe and not from the Church principally Howe the Churche maye iudge or vse the Scriptures concerning their truth Howe the Churche of Christ muste preserue Gods worde and deluer the meaning of it Greeuous Faultes in the Churche of Kome which haue come by their taking of authority ouer the Scriptures Manifest false interpretations of papistes 1 Mat. 26. 26. 2 Luc. 22. 19. 20. 3 1. Cor. 11. â—4 1. Cor. 11. 26. Doctrines of papistes against the scriptures iâ—â—â—â—â—aâ—â—i â—uleâ—â— Rom. 3. 28. verse 8. 9. 1 Papisticall iustification
â—raâ— word his right doctrine of the Gospel as it is pretended vndoubtedly it wold worke in mens haâ—tes alter their minds and bring foorthe fruit accordingly â—â—r as the Propher sayth As the sweet dâ—â— and â—hower â—â—raine returneth not baâ—ke in vayne â—â—â—â—â—yâ—â—eneth and seasonethâ— the earth so gods true worde returneth not in vayâ—eâ— but effectually doth that for which it was sent Or if this bee the true gospell and right word of God surelye the faulte is in the Ministers that bee not such persons nor doe not deliuer it so zealously so sincerely as they should do therfore their preaching preuayleth not in the harts of men And thorow this perswasion their groweth in them an odyous and vnchristyan contempte and despising of Ministers and Preachers so that forgetting themselues they caste faulte of all euill in these Dayes vpon the Ministers and Preachers But with as good right might they condemn and contemne the Prophets Christ himself and his Apostles Esay preached among the people of God aboue 60 yeares or 〈…〉 some accoumpte 80. Ieremy taught 41 yeres and other Prophets proportionablâ—ly and I trust they will not say that either their doctrine was not right or good or else that they were euill men Yet with how final fruite they preached in comparison of the multitudâ— of euill the whole course of their writings their lameâ—table complaints declareth and y â— euent of Gods iust iudgemeÌ„t in punishing the Jewes euidently proueth For that only cause that they contemned his worde and retourned not to him by repentaunce hee brought vpon them the King of Babilon who in the ninth yeare of Zedechia King of Juda came and all his Hoste agaynste Hierusalem and Beseeged it And in the leuenth yeare of Zedechiah in the 4 moneth toke it and ransacked the Citie And al y â— Princes of the King of BabiloÌ„ came in sate in the middle gate the cheefe gate of the Citie euen Nâ—â—egall Sarâ—ser â—amgaâ—nâ—â—â— Sarsâ—â—him Rabsariâ— Rabâ—â—ag with all the resiâ—â—â— of the Princes of the King of 〈…〉 God thus plaguing the prophane contempte of his worde when after so long Preaching no fruite woulde followe And yet was not leremie in fault nor the true Prophets of God for the iuâ—â—sion of those straungers for the ouerthrow of this noble Ciâ—e or for the greeuous captiuitie of this wofull people Nay the loosenesse of their owne liues the secure contempt of Gods holy word brought all those plagues iustly vpon them that they like flocks of shepe were after great burly burly in their owne countrey caryed away captiues into theire enimies Laude And this successe through their owne ingratitude and other intollerable vices had the preaching of the Prophets among the people of the Iewes in those â—â—yes In like manner I might say of Christ and his Apostles and Disciples whiche preached among the Iewes a good time and in deede with small fruites in consideration of the puritye of the Doctrine the excellencie of the Teachers and the wonderfull workes and myracles that were by Gods power wrought for the confyrmation of the Gospell But in this answere I compare not the Persons which I cannot do withoute intollerable pryde and blasphemie but I compare the causes which are al one with them and with vs. The Gospell and Doctrine that we preach is the same y â— Christ the Prophets the Apostles taughte before vs and haue lefte vnto vs although wee in comparison of their worthinesse are sillie and sinful wormes of the earth And yet in the feare of God and himblenesse of harte I speake it I doubt not but we are farte from that wickednesse and foule blemishes that partlye open aduersaries partly politique and worldly professoures woulde haue to be noted in many preachers of these dayes They are not able to speake or deuise worse of vs then the Iewes didde thinke and speake of Christe himselfe of his blessed Apostles and of the holy Prophets of God Happylyeby oure infyrmities they may haue greater likelihoode but that in those dayes was and now is nothing but a coloure and pretence of reprobate mindes to feede themselues in the wicked contempte of Gods worde or to excuse and flatter themselues in not coÌ„forming their liues accordinglye I defende not the wickednesse of ministers God forbidde It were better a milstone were hanged about our neckes and we cast into the sea rather then our lyfe or euill dealinge should bee an offence to any or hinder but one man from the true imbracing of the Gospell But my meaning is to take from obstinate and vngodly myndes such excuses and pretences as they make to noosell themselues in wickednesse Christe by this parable teacheth them to iudge otherwise and to looke into their owne bosoomes and to examine themselues of the cause why his word taketh not place in them Though the seede sower be neuer so honest a man neuer so skilfull and cunning in his trade though hee haue made good choyse of his seede and purged it neuer so cleane yet if the ground be barrayne and noughte his laboure is loste and the seede prospereth not And on the contrary part if the sower bee an euill man and vnskilfull in sowing and that he doth it negligentlye and haue small desyre it should prosper yet if thee seede be cleane and the ground good the good Seede will prosper and come to some good fruite Yea we see seede salling by chaunce into good and batteling grounde to spring vp grow As the worde of God is the seede so is the grounde the hartes of them that heare it Wherefore lette not men flatter themselues and with the cloke of other mens faultes blemishes hide their own euil nature dispositioÌ„s The good mind though by chance onlye it heare the word of God or though he heare it red but of a child or any other person it doth him good it sinketh into his harte worketh to good effect The godlesse hart though he heare neuer so good a man preach though an Angell from Heauen do speake vnto him though Christ himselfe should teach him he woulde be neuer y â— better or at y â— least the sede wold not vnto good fruite prosper in him But this christ most euideÌ„tly declareth by y â— harietie of y e ground which next followeth to be spoken of Some sayth Christ fel vpoÌ„ the high way The high way resembleth the mindes of such as be continually occupied with the traÌ„pling of wicked cogitations perpetual vse of euil doing so y t they war hard haue no sence of repeÌ„tance nor remorse of coÌ„science whatsoeuer they heare or whatsoeuer is spoken vnto theÌ„ Therfore y â— sede of gods holy word wheÌ„ it is preached vnto theÌ„ it lieth in y e top as it were swimmeth in y e eare but it sincketh not into y e hart nor can take any roote of godly perswasion and therefore it lieth open