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A14462	The firste parte of the Christian instruction, and generall so[m]me of the doctrine, conteyned in the holy Scriptures wherein the principall pointes of the religion are familiarly handled by dialogues, very necessary to be read of all Christians. Translated into Englishe, by Iohn Shute, accordyng to the late copy set forth, by th'author Maister Peter Viret. 1565. Ouersene and perused, accordyng to the order appointed, by the Queenes maiesties iniunctions.; Instruction chrestienne et somme generale de la doctrine comprinse ès sainctes Escritures. Part 1. English	Viret, Pierre, 1511-1571.; Shute, John, fl. 1562-1573.	1565 (1565)	STC 24777; ESTC S119198	167,989	225

cause of this blasphemie for S. Peter in his i. epistle 3. chap. cōmaundeth vs to be alwayes readye to render reason to all that shall demaund vs of the fayth hope that we haue And again S. Paul Colo. 3. chap. Pro● 10. b let the word of God dwell plenteously in you but what answere make they to that which are more folish then the very fooles in dede Blessed is euery symple one he that walketh surely But that is the cause of all euills for that that many know not how to alledge aptly the testimonies of the scriptures for in this place we may not vnderstād the symple for the foolyshe and for him that vnderstandeth nothing but for him that is not craftye and melicious For if it shoulde be so vnderstode it should be superfluous to say be ye wyse therefore Math. 10. b as serpentes and symple as doues S. Ambrose vpō the 2. epistle to Tymothe 3. chap. sayeth All scripture geuen by inspiration from God c. It is manifest that all Scripture wherof God hath declared himselfe to be author is profitable For it is geuē to that end that it shoulde profite the ignoraūt reforme the deformed drawing the wicked into al good workes for by profiting a litle and litle in newnesse of lyfe it maketh the mā of God c. The law of the Lord is perfect restoring or conuerting soules the testimonye of the Lord is Collo 3. b Psal 19 Psal 119 faythful and sure it geueth wisedome to the ignoraunt The statutes of the eternall are righteous reioysing the hart the cōmaundement of the Lord is pure and doth lighten the eyes And againe Thy word is alampe or lanterne to my fete a light to my steppes The Prophet Esay in his 8. chap. sayth is there any where a people that asketh not councell of hys God Should men turne frō the liuing to the dead If any man want light let him loke vpon the law the testimonie whether they speake after this meaning The lyght of the Ezech 20. c morning shall not be geuen vnto them Moreouer the Prophet sayth Say to the childrē in the desert walke not in the ordinaunces of your fathers obserue not al their statutes be not defyled with their idoles I am the Lord your God walke in my ordinaunces and kepe my statutes and do thē Eccle. 1 a Itē the fountayne of wisedome is the word of the soueraign Lord God the entre into the same are his eternal cōmaūdements And agayn Search the scriptures for in them you thinke you haue eternall life and they bee they which beare Iohn 5 Iohn 20 g witnes of me And Iesus did many other thinges that are not written in this boke in the presence of his disciples but these things ar writtē to the end that you should beleue that Iesus is the annoynted sonne of God that in so beleuing you may haue life thorow his name The holy scriptures are In what recommendacion God hath his Word full of the lyke sayings The auncient fathers are full of the worthines of the scriptures S. Augustine in his 56. sermon made to the brethren that were in solitude sayth he that maketh none accompt of the reading of the holy scriptures sent from heauen ought not onely to feare that peraduenture he shall not receaue euerlasting rewards but also that he shall not escape the euerlasting punyshmentes for it is so daūgerous vnto vs not to read the deuine precepts that the Prophets with great sorrowe exclame cry out for that cause haue Esay 5. c Ose 4. b 1 Cor 14 my people bene brought into captiuitie because they had no knowledge for he that is ignorant shall be ignorant out of all doubt he that in this world maketh none accompt to seke to know God by the holy Scriptures God wil not vouchsafe to know him in the ioyes euerlasting we ought to be a feard to heare after that the gates shall be shut with the folyshe virgins I know you not I haue none acquaintaunce Math 25 ● with you you that worke iniquitie depart you frō me what meaneth this I knowe you not I am not acquainted with you how knoweth he not those that he sendeth to the fyre There is neyther of thē spoken without cause for as it hath bene already sayd suche as woulde not in thys world seeke to knowe hym by reading the Scriptures GOD will not acknowledge them at the day of iudgement We ought also not to heare negligently but with attentiue eare fear that which is written in Salomō he that turneth sayth he his eare Prou 18 ● frō the hearing of the lawe his prayer shal be abhominable wherefore he that will be heard at Gods hand muste fyrste heare God For how woulde he that God shoulde heare him when he doth so dyspyse hym that he maketh none accompte of the readyng of hys commaundementes Saint Hierome in the proeme of his Commentaries vpon Esaye to Eustochius sayth therfore I yelde vnto thee and to hym by thee that whiche I do owe obeyng the commaundement of Iohn 5. f Math. 7 ● Christ who fayth searche diligently the Scriptures Seeke and you shall finde to the end that it be not sayd to me as it was to the Iewes ye erre not knowyng the Scriptures the power of God the wisedom of God and truly after S. Paul if Christ be the power and wisedom of God he that knoweth not the scriptures the same knoweth not y● power of God nor his wisedō To be ignoraūt of the Scriptures is not to know Christ c. S. Chrisostome in the Homelie 29. vpon Benefis sayeth There is neyther griefe of body no● mynde in the nature of man but it may haue medicine of the Scriptures c. These are sayinges of great importance and are true They are no Legend lyes They are confirmed by the word of God whiche is the infallible truth Then if man know not God as he ought to do but by the Scriptures that none can be saued but by the knowledge of God and Christ Thē must it nedes folow that ignoraūce of the Scriptures bryugeth with it damnation I haue alledged here mo sayinges of the fathers then I would haue done nothyng so many in number as I could haue done but bycause the great swarme of aduersaries say that it is not lawfull or expedient that euery man should read the Scriptures but rather that the people should be ignoraunt affirmyng ignoraunce to be the mother of deuotion I could haue aūswered it to the full by the woorde of God alone whiche woorde I thincke to be most sufficient but bycause these kynde of men before named wil not accept Christ to be a true man of hys word except he haue some of the doctors fathers for witnesses Seyng nowe that it hath pleased our good God in mercy so to deale with vs as he hath in these our

the whiche Pilate dyd very well knowe And therefore he woulde not condemne Iesus Christe vpon the onely reporte of the Iewes when they had brought hym vnto hym all ready condemned in theyr Counsell nor was forthwith preste to commaunde hym to be executed as an euill doer accordynge to their desire but did diligently enquire of the causes for the which they would haue hym to be condemned gyuing them playnely to vnderstande that he woulde not be their hangemen but woulde do the office of a Iudge whiche is duely to examine the cause And if he see the sentence of hys assistauntes to be vniuste he oughte not to folowe it but to reiecte it accordyng to the authoritie that God hath gyuen hym and he ought to put in vse that whiche is written in the lawe to Exod 10 that same purpose Thou shalte not folowe the multitude to do euill for if he gyue sentence contrary to ryght and equitie he shall make aunswere for the same before God For if he know it be vniuste and do consent and agree to it or els do dissemble the matter or els thorowe negligence he hath not sought to vnderstand the truth of it he can not excuse hymselfe but that he is greatly culpable before God T. That is very true ¶ Hovve men ought to haue greater care for those matters that appertayne to Religion then for any others and the reasons vvhy D. MOreouer the case in matters of Religion is not lyke to that of other matters or of other artes sciences occupations and estates For whē there is question in matters of Religion we haue not a matter in hand of a péece of money or of a péece of lande or for an other man whiche toucheth not vs at all But a matter of the greatest importance that may be and toucheth all men in generall and in particular so neare as nothynge in the worlde doth so nearely touch them Yf there were question of a péece of an earthly inheritaunce or els of our honor fame we would not so greatly put others in trust but that we wold put to our own hād would know in what sort the matter should passe And further if it wer a matter that touched our life we would not slepe the matter but would be so much that more carefull we would leaue no meane vnsought for that myght stand vs in stede T. Experiēce teacheth it plainly D. Nowe in this matter wherof we speake the question is of the greatest honor or dishonor that euer may happē vnto vs here is the questiō of a maruelous great honor glory or els of an extreme shame confusion whiche we shall once receaue before the face of God before al mē which euer haue ben are or shal be this questiō is of an eternall inheritaūce to wit of Paradise or els of hell here is the questiō of our death or of our life not onely tēporal but eternal Wherfore I do gretly maruel of those that haue so great trust in the sond fayth of their Curates Priestes Monckes Byshops and Prelates whiche cōmitte thē wholly into their handes both body and soule T. There are no small nomber of those that do so ¶ Of those men that make greater accoumpt of their purses then of their consciences and of the daūger into the which they cast thēselues that cōmit such charge to false teachers and they them selues to haue no great regard to the same D. I Would gladly vnderstād of those mē if they would in the like sorte trust thē with their purses neuer aske thē any accōpt nor neuer haue regard to their gouernmēt T. I do not beleue it For there is no prince nor other that committeth the charge of his affaires to others but that somtime he will know in what sort they are passed done D. Thē their purse is dearer vnto thē thē is their cōsciēce or their soule or els that inheritaūce of the kingdom of heauē for they put their trust in such cōmit the whole charge of their cōsciences soules to those that they would hardly trust for a couple of crownes they esteme very slēderly that price which our Lord Iesus Christ hath payed for thē whiche is much more precious i. Pet. ● thē all the gold all the siluer that euer was in the world T. They do trust as I haue already said that these men shal aunwere for thē D. It is very true that they shal aūswere but so much the worse for those for whō they shall aunswere for so much as they shall not by meanes therof be acquited of the det for if it must needes be shall that they aunswere for default of that debt whiche they owe to our greate Lorde whiche shall not be payd vnto him according as their office doth require it shal be thē for that the same is lost The Lord speaking of this matter saith by his Prophet Ezechiel that he Ezech. 3. 33 wil require at that hāds of the shepherd the bloud of the shepe which shal perish through his default it foloweth thē that the shepe shal be lost whose blud the lord wil require Whē a murderer hath slayne a man is taken vpon the same he must Exampl● satisfie the iustice with hys own lyfe yet notwithstandyng the payne whiche he shall endure shal be small recompense to hym that is slayne Wherfore I do not thinke that those men whiche make so small accoumpte of the lyfe of theyr soules woulde lose their bodely lyfe for such a price T. I am of your oppinion D. If a man do vs wrong either in spoylynge vs of our worldlye goods or els in vsinge any violence agaynste our personnes and we endure the same patiently for the honoure of God this same shal be no losse vnto vs before God but a great profite for God hath promised great rewarde to those that shall suffer wrongfully In this behalfe none shal sustayn the losse but he onely that Mar. v hathe done the wronge for he hathe hurte hys soule and there is no hurte that can so hurte a man as can that hurte But in thys matter whereof we doo nowe speake the soule is not onely hurte but slayne wherefore the losse can neuer be recouered And therefore I would wishe that such as are of that opinion should well consider that whiche Iesus Christ sayd let them alone for they are blynd and leaders of the blinde If the blynde leade the blynde both shall fall into the dyke He doth not saye that the blynde guyde Mathe. 15. shall alone fall into the dyke but he also that shal be led by hym wherefore that councell is best to be folowed whiche Iesus Christe hym selfe doth gyue in that behalfe in the same passage or texte he doth not say Folow such leaders and if they lead you wronge they shall endure the punishement for you ●nd you shall go free but he gyueth expressed commaundement to flee

from them declaryng playnely in what perill they put them selues that folow such guides ¶ Of the care that euerye man ought to haue to knovve the vvay of saluation and hovv they ought to bevvare of false Prophetes and seductors of the people T. THen we ought not to be so carelesse but that we must enquire of that same waye by the whiche we shoulde passe to the ende that we mighte easely knowe if that in stede of leadyng vs in the ryght waye they should leade vs wronge D. It is very true and also we ought not to be so rashe and foolish that we should sodenly take guydes and conductors without hauyng any knowlege or testimony of them For if we should but passe thorow a wood or some other passage whiche were hard and difficill we woulde not take a man at aduenture to be our guide of whō we could not assure vs least that in stede of guidyng vs the right waye he should bryng vs into the lappes of theeues to cut our throates as it happeneth oftentimes to many T. Yet not withstandynge thys way which we must passe is the moste daungerous of al for there nedeth no greate straying to loose vs all D. Therfore it is more nedefull to take good hede in this matter then in any matter els And for this cause are we so often warned in the holy Scriptures not onely by the Prophets and Apostles but also by Iesus Christ our Lorde to take heede of false Prophets which Math. v●● Actes x Roma xvi Phill. 3 come to vs in sheepes clothing and within are rauening Wolues This admonition is not geuen vnto vs without cause T. That is doubtlesse ¶ Hovv that the admonitions vvhich are vvritten in the holy Scriptures agaynst the false Prophets do make them to be vvithout excuse that suffer them selues to be seduced by them D. FOr so much then that we are all aduertised and that the spirit of God hath geuen vs so many markes and signes wherby to knowe these false Prophets we may no more pretende ignoraunce in thys poynte for our defence then in the other matters wherof we haue already spoken For the case is not lyke with a Christian in matters of Christian religion as it is in other artes and sciences for that it sufficeth any man because he cā not learne all artes and sciences to learne one or two and to be excellent in some one science But the substance of religiō is of an other nature it is an arte it is a science and occupation which al men ought to vnderstand although all men may not be of like excellencie in the knowledge of the same nor yet be sufficient to execute the office of a Prophet or of an Apostle or of a pastour and Doctor in the church yet at the least euery mā is bound to knowe so much as he may vnderstand how to frame and gouerne himself according to the wil of God to know how to embrace that which is good and to refuse that which is euill and to knowe how to kepe himself from false Prophets and seducers for he that cā not do this shall paye for his ignoraunce as it hath bene sufficiently proued by the reasons before alledged Wherefore euery man hath great occasion before al other things diligently to cōmend himself to God in these affayres with certaine affiaunce to be heard for he speaketh not this in vayne seeke you shall find aske and it shall be geuē vnto you knocke at the doore and it shall be opened vnto you for he that seeketh findeth Mat. 7. and he that asketh receaueth and he that knocketh at the doore entreth For the Lord is nere vnto those that call vpon him in veritye Beside this it is earnestlye requyred of euery Psal 144 man to seeke out diligentlye those that are good teathers least that in steed of the shepeheard we followe the Wolfe trymmed lyke a shepeheard which wil deuoure vs for we may not through our negligence attempt God And if we do this hauing a sincere and true care for the glorye of God and for our own saluation God will not leaue vs without the conducte of his holy spirite and without prouision of his goodnes according as it shall be nedefull for the saluation of euery man for that which Iesus Christ hath spoken shall remayne alwayes true to wit that he that wil Iohn vii do the will of God shal vnderstand of his doctrine whether it be of God or no. ¶ Of suche as alvvayes excuse them by theyr great busines and can neuer fynde conuenient tyme to hearken to the vvorde of God and to laye their handes to his vvorke T. I Am of your opinion but there are yet an other sorte which seme to haue more reason are better affected toward the word of God then are those of whom we did euen now speake But yet when I consider their workes I can not commend them There are that will soone graunt vs all that wherof we haue heretofore disputed they will confesse that we must enquyre of the wil of God in his word They will well allowe the doctrine of those that do truelye preach the word of God and follow the same and employe them selues in the busines of the Lord but yet for all that they wil not be ouer busie in it but wil find a thousand excuses They will alledge an infinite number of empeachmentes and empedimentes which let them Tere is amonge these men a number of mockers which say we must let God alone with the matter and that he will well accomplyshe his worke without vs. D. I do well vnderstand of what kinde of men thou speakest they are of the number of those which our Lorde Iesus Christ telleth vs of in the passage of those Math. xx●i Luke xiiii conuited gestes to the mariage of the which the one excused himselfe by his farme the other by his oxen newly bought and the other by his newe maryed wife to be shorte euery one had such plentye of excuses that not one of thē came to the mariage of those that were bidden but that of necessitye straungers were called And as touchyng those men which say that God will well bring his works to passe without them they say truth for God nedeth not any man to accomplishe any of his workes For when he setteth vs to worke it is not for neede as though he coulde not doe all that pleaseth him to do without vs. But when he calleth vs into his workes he doth it to doe vs honour in that we honour him making vs the ministers of his grace And therfore we shoulde bee the more diligent to take the matter in hand which if we do not he will assuredlye geue vs to vnderstande that he hath workes to do the which he will not do without vs to wit when he shall punysh vs for our slothfulnes and ingratitude T. Thou sayest very well for we must needes be there in

to erre S. Paule and S. Iohn Iame. i. Act. 3. 14 Gal. 1. 2. Dauid and Ely Esay and Moyses and all the Prophets and Apostles were men like vnto others subiecte to the same infirmities that others were and yet S. Paule doth so authorise his doctrine as hath bene alreadye sayd that he condempneth the Aungels of heauen if they doe gayne saye it Wherfore they conclude that euen so as the Prophets and Apostles were men and yet notwithstanding all their writinges are without errour euen so fareth it with the fathers in all their determinations and Councels D. They conclude veri euel and speak wholy against the sentence of S. Augustin who is as good a christiā as any one For they attribute as much to the bokes ordinances of men as to the Canonicall bookes whereupon we oughte to consider that albeit the Prophets and Apostles were men yet notwithstanding there is greate difference betwene them and those that came after them For we are certayne that they spake by the spirit of God and that God hath not suffered any errour to be mingled in their writinges because that he woulde they shoulde be geuen and left to vs for most certayne rules wherby to examine all other doctrines There is yet an other matter besyde this which is well worthye to be noted To wit that if any of those by whom it hath pleased God to be serued in this woorke haue chaunced to committe any faulte in their office the spirite of God hath not hidden it but hath manifestly declared it to the end the men shoulde not so be moued with the authoritie of suche personages that they shoulde followe lies in the steed of the truth and vice in the steede of vertue We haue an euident example hereof in Nathan the Prophet who without hauing demaunded i. Sam. 7 at the mouth of the Lord sayd of his owne onely authoritie and proper councell to Dauid that he shoulde builde the Lordes house and temple wherfore he was rebuked and corrected immediatly the next nyght following by the Lorde who commaunded him to declare the contrarye to Dauid We may also alledge the example of the Prophet which was sent into Beth-el and was kylled by the Lyon i. kings 17 Iob in Iere. xx i. Kings xix Ionas 2 Gal. 2 and that of Iob and of Ieremie who cursed the day of their byrth and also that of Hely and of Ionas so many faults of S. Peter and especially that for the whiche S. Paule reproued him I leaue vntouched a number of others such lyke Now it standeth not so at this present with vs ne yet with the auncient doctors that were before vs. For seing that God woulde that thys rule shoulde be obserued in hys church it coulde not otherwise be but that it must be appoynted by a number of bookes certayne or ells there woulde neuer haue beene any ende Seing then that the Lorde hath once appoynted and allowed thys rule we maye compare vnto it neyther booke nor Councell what so euer they bee For if since the time of the Apostles there hath neuer beene man of what holines or knowledge so euer he were that hath so perfectelye and wel written and taughte as the Prophettes and Apostles didde without faylinge in anye one thinge ▪ wee maye not thincke that it is otherwise in their Councelles and Sinodall statutes then it is in their bookes For those that write such bookes be the very self and same men by whom the Councells are celebrated and holden vnto whom their aduises and opinions are spoken euen as they are couched in their bookes Wherefore they may as wel erre in the one as in the other we must also knowe that the most holy and perfecte men in deede haue not all the giftes of God neyther continuallye nor in all ages ne yet in all things no not those giftes in dede which are geuen vnto them but that GOD doth reueale manye thynges to others and at other tymes ¶ VVhat rule S. Augustine geueth concerning Councells and the vvritinges of the auncient Fathers T. SEing it is so it is very nedeful that we haue some certayne rule wherwith to guide vs in these matters D. I doe thinke that we can not doe better nor follow a better rule when any of these things come in question then to followe the maner of proceding that S. Augustine did vse with Maximine Bishop of the Arrians which would arme himself with the Councell of Arimine againste the conclusion that was made and confyrmed by the holy fathers touching the diuinitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ in the Councell of Nice by the authoritie of the truth as it is sayd and hy the truth of authoritie Tom. 6. Lib. 3. I may not now sayeth he alledge the Councell of Nice nor thou the Councel of Arimine as for a preiudice neyther am I bounde to the authorite of the one nor thou to the authoritie of the other Let vs debate the one matter with the other the one cause with the other the one reason with the other by the authoritye of the Scriptures not by proper and particular witnesse of euery man but by indifferent to vs both Which thing he hath also written in other places as concerning To Paul Epist 112 To Hic 29 Epist the authoritie of the Canonicall bookes agreeth very well with this I will not saith he that thou embrace myne authoritie to the end thou shouldest thinke it necessarie to beleue any thing because that I haue spokē it but that thou beleue the Canonicall Scriptures And againe I confesse to thy charitie that I haue learned to beare that honour and reuerence to the onely bookes of the Scriptures which are called Canonicall that I doe beleue assuredlye that no one of the authors of them hath in any one iote of his writinges erred And i●●●diatlye after he sayth But I read y● others in such 〈…〉 what excellencie of holines and doctrine so euer be 〈…〉 I thinke not that which they saye to bee true because that they were of that opinion but because that I am perswaded that that whiche they speake is agreeing to the truth eyther by the Canonicall authors or els by apparaunt reason This is his manner of writing to Saint Hierome And agayne thou seest here howe S. Augustine submitteth the writings of the auncients and the Coūcels to the worde of God and to the determinations therof conteyned in the holy Scriptures and maketh it iudge aboue all T. I do finde the aduise of S. Augustine very good but me thincketh there are other things to be considered in that conference and difference of the auncient Doctors and determinations of the lawfull Councels whereof I woulde gladlye heare the resolution But because that we haue entreated of manye good poyntes touchyng thys matter of Councells it seemeth to me very good for this present hers to make an ende to the end I may haue some little tyme to call to my remembraunce

and when wee shall eyther take in oure handes the booke of the holye Scriptures thereby to vnderstand of the wyll of GOD or elles that we come together in the Church to heare hys voyce by the holy Ministery of hys worde or els to communicate and be partakers of hys holy sacraments and of the prayers which are there made we oughte to goe with no lesse reuerence ne yet to prepare oure selues in none other sorte then yf we shoulde heare Actes ii God wyth hys owne mouthe speake out of the cloude and out of the greate smoke whiche was in the Mounte of Synay and that we dyd heare the greate thunders and the lyghtninges that were then sene For euen the same God whiche then dyd there speake is euen he that speaketh at thys present daye in hys Churche and shall iudge vs accordyng to that lawe whiche he hathe published there And albeit that he speaketh vnto vs nowe more familiarly and more louynglye then he then dyd yet notwythstandyng let vs not thyncke that he is of lesse power and force then he then was But in that that he vseth such gentlenes and benignitie towarde vs the punishment shall be so muche the greater vppon vs yf we doo abuse the same Yf we wyll vnderstande howe wee oughte to guide and gouerne oure selues wee muste cleane to the resolution of thys Councell and to the decrees and ordinaunces whyche we haue receyued ¶ Of the Councell that vvas holden in the Mounte Syon and of the conference of the same vvyth that vvhyche vvas holden in the Mounte Synay and of Moyses and of Iesus Christe and of the Ministery of the lavve and of the Gospell T. THys is a goodlye Councell and of greate authoritie but thou saydst that there was yet an other in the lande of Chanaan and of Iudea and in especiall in the Mounte of Syon by the verye Sonne of GOD. I woulde bee verye gladde that thou wouldest declare vnto mee also what that was D. That Councell dothe euen so muche excell the other as Iesus Christ He● iii dothe excell Moyses and the Master of the house the seruaunte For thoughe that GOD hym selfe dyd speake in proper person in bothe yet notwithstandyng he hathe shewed hym selfe this seconde tyme in a sorte muche more authentique and more excellent more amiable and agreable to the weakenesse of mans nature then euer he dyd synce the beginnyng of the worlde For when he shewed himselfe in the mounte Synay the people dyd not see his Deut. 4. Exod. xi● Hebr. ii face nor shape nor dyd see or heare anye thing but suche as were horrible and fearefull It was not lawfull for them to doo so muche as to come to the mountaine or to touche the vttermoste parte thereof wyth out daunger of deathe and to bee stoned or striken thorowe wyth arrowes were it man or beaste Therefore the people beynge greatlye amased and afrayde desired Moyses to be Exod. xx Eeu xxviii as a meane betwene GOD and them and to declare vnto them hys wyll and pleasure as hys Embassadour to that ende that they moughte heare no more that voyce of GOD so horrible and fearefull for they thought that they coulde not heare it agayne but that they shoulde all dye and dyd muche maruell that euer they coulde heare it with oute deathe Wherefore GOD knowyng the weakenesse of hys people dyd promise them to sende them a Prophet euen oute of the middest of their brethern lyke vnto Moyses into whose mouthe he woulde put his worde and by Deut. xviii the same he woulde cause them to heare his voyce This Prophete accordyng to the testimonye of Sain●t Peter is Iesus Christe oure Lorde of whome the Father hymselfe dyd saye This is my welbeloued sonne in whome I Actes iii. Math. 3. 1● haue set my whole delighte heare hym And for that cause the Apostle saythe writyng to the Hebrewes that God hath Heb. i in tyme passed oftentymes and in sundrye sortes spoken to our Fathers by the Prophetes but in these latter dayes he hath spoken to vs by hys own Sonne and making comparison of thys manifestation whiche was made by oure Sauioure Iesus Christe wyth that of the mounte of Synay Truely sayth he you are not come to the mountayn whiche moughte bee touched nor to burnyng fyre nor yet Heb. xi● to darkenesse and myste and vnto tempest neyther vnto the sounde of a trompette and to the voyce of wordes the whiche those whiche dyd heare it refused that the communication should be addressed to thē any more for they could not endure that which was commaunded If a beast touch the mountayne he shall bee stoned or elles stricken thorow wyth a darte And so terrible was the sighte that appeared that Moyses sayde I feare and quake but you are come to the mounte Syon and to the Citie of the lyuyng God the heauenly Ierusalem and to the companye of manye thousandes of Aungels and to the congregation of the firste borne which are written in the heauens and to God which is iudge of all and to the spirites of iust and perfecte men and to Iesus Christ the mediatoure of the newe Testamēt and to the sprinckled bloude of whiche declareth better things then the bloud of Abell See that you despyse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not whiche despysed hym that spake on earth much lesse shall we escape yf we turne away from hym that speaketh from heauen whose voyce then shooke the earth T. It semeth to me that these wordes conteyne a goodly conference of the Ministery of the lawe and of the Gospell and I haue a great desyre to heare it ¶ Of the manifestation of God in Christ D. THen where as the people saw nothing at that tyme but fyre and smoke and greate darcknes whiche letted them from seyng both the Sunne and the Moone Deut. 4. also the heauens God hath shewed himselfe to vs in Iesus Christe his sonne in mans shape in our owne fleshe For it is he that is the very Image of God and that very forme of hys substance the bryghtnes of hys glory It is he that is the true Iohn i ● Tim. iii Seb. i. Mal. iiii Iohn viii Sonne of Iustice and the onely lyghte of the worlde by whome all mystes and darckenesses are chased away euen those whiche let vs to see GOD. And where as then the people durste not come to the foote of the Mountayne howe perfecte and howe well prepared so euer they were to receyue the Lorde wee haue nowe accesse euen to the verye throne of hys Maiestye by Iesus Christ our Lord through whome it is geuen vs not onely to come vnto hym but also Heb. iiii to touche embrace hym for the sanctification which i. Cor. 6 Dan. ix wee haue receyued of hym that is the holye of holye ones is in deede of other vertue and efficacye then was that of Moyses towardes the Israelites In the